An M/M Christmas, episode 7

  

• Christmas Homecoming: The Christmas Angel Book 4, L.A. Witt
• Under the Felt Mistletoe, Nell Iris
• An Alpha for Christmas, Charity Parkerson

Best friends share one stolen kiss only to be separated until Christmas.  And then a war separates them for much longer.  They each come back changed men with more fears and hesitations than before, but also more longing.  Maybe with the help of a Christmas angel found half a world away they can find the courage to share what's in their hearts and get a second chance at a forever happiness.

Roger and Jack are both so hesitant but their slow-burn is believable.  I liked how they came together and the end was wonderful with the epilogue.  It really brought them all the way around from their cautious, youthful beginning.  There was a great inclusion of reality and sensitivities of the time, how they worked around it while not letting that angst come between them in the end, and that keeping their love was far more important than keeping up the pretense of societal expectations.  Neither man, however, had a voice that was distinct from one another and I didn't connect to them individually.  On the whole, though, this was a sweet story despite finding it to be less captivating than I was hoping for.  3 stars.

With hearts a mile wide and fathoms deep, Finn and his grandpa invite a stranger into their home.  It was a kind gesture in the face of horrible weather in a season that would mean nothing without the warmth of kindness.  What they don't expect is to find another addition to their family in Nelson.                                                                                                                                        Finn was absolutely adorable with his excitement, passion for crafts, and his immense love for his grandparents.  Nelson was much more reserved but no less adorable for all his simple yearning.  Together they were so dang cute and bubbly!  I really loved this story.  It was so very short but we really got to know Finn's irrepressibility and Nelson's quiet steadfastness.  Their family situations were both complicated but explained simply so we weren't lost in drama or feeling like something was left open and unsatisfied by the end.  And Finn's grandpa was the best in every way.  No steam at all, just a ton of sweetness.  All the warmth and love of the season, of families, of couples was here in this very short story.  4.5 stars.

A car that won't start and an unexpected offer of a ride from the hot Santa makes Austin think that maybe his streak of bad luck will give him a break for a couple hours.  Will's not above creating favorable circumstances and getting what he wants, especially when what he wants comes in the tall, obliviously gorgeous package that is Austin.  An amazing weekend opens up the possibility of something that could mean forever, but only if Will can save Austin from the consequences of their indulgence.                                                                                                                  First of all, I don't remember ever seeing a cover that both looked good and fit both characters.  This cover is practically perfect and I'm totally loving it.  As for the men themselves, their chemistry is off the charts hot and the tenderness they share completely balances it.  I'm not one for secrets or omitting important details to create the conflict, but I think the challenges are overcome quickly enough to be okay in the end.  The reunion is slightly confusing because the surprise reveal reveals something we weren't aware was hidden, meaning we didn't know this part of Will even existed.  It caused more confusion than clarity for Will's penchant for omitting details of himself.  Then, introducing characters important to Will's past is also unnecessary in that while the circumstances of the past were important to show how much he has changed, the people are inconsequential because they're just causing complications to a moment that should be more focused than it is.  Despite the confusing things that were thrown in as a mistaken attempt to add depth and interest, the story was totally sweet and I really liked it.  4 stars.

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