Can a homemade bear, a friend-made video, and a sock-eating goat become the traditions that keep Ben and Aaron together?

    Darren agrees and is immediately overwhelmed by Max's large, boisterous family. He tries to retreat behind familiar barriers, but Max has other ideas for the reclusive young man. It's not until Max delivers Marlon's last Christmas gift, four years late, that Darren truly understands that love is the greatest gift of all.

    He’d much rather have the gorgeous older man he sees every day while busking at King’s Cross station. Liam’s been doing his best to seduce the guy with his saxophone playing -- the trouble is, with the holidays coming up, he’s beginning to despair of his message getting through.But with a little Christmas magic in the air, maybe those garish garments will be just the thing for attracting the attention of a silver fox ...Previously published in the Winter Warmers anthology.

    When the power goes out, Chris thinks he’s going to freeze to death. Luckily, Horace drops in to check on him—and then runs out after a few kisses, leaving Chris upset and feeling used. Horace does come back with explanations, but is their time together keeping each other warm enough for them to see they belong together? Or are these sudden emotions the product of being snowbound?

    However, he didn’t count on the move being delayed until three days before Christmas—and three days before his sister’s due date. And he definitely didn’t count on finding a scorpion in his bedroom. Cue the panicked calls to exterminators.Garrett Strong doesn’t consider himself at all remarkable—his ex certainly didn’t think so—and Garrett’s pest-control business is circling the drain. Although Adam is his first new client in months, that isn’t the only reason Garrett goes above and beyond for him. He feels a real connection to the younger man and intends to do everything in his power to make sure Adam feels safe and welcome in Phoenix—venomous intruders notwithstanding.

    But Andrew’s wife leaves him for another man before the ink dries on the contract, leaving Andrew to enjoy the fruits of his labors—and their sprawling, oceanfront home—all alone. Despite being convinced he has nothing much to celebrate, Andrew goes to the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club’s annual New Year's Eve party… and meets Elias Rivas, the young, good-looking server who’s always had his eye on Andrew. It might be the new beginning Andrew didn’t even know he needed. A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar package "Sleigh Ride".

    Erik seems to enjoy the game of twelve days of naughty gifts, but can Kevin overcome his fear of rejection enough to go through with his plan and offer himself to Erik on Christmas Eve?

    His design business has been quiet all year, but in December, it always picks up – and this year, he really needs the money. Trouble is, they cut off his internet in November, so now he needs to spend all day in a coffee shop if he wants to get any work done. Shame about having to buy coffee to keep himself in business. He can barely afford it. Cue Stef Tucker. Stef is a barista with an optimistic mind and an eye for troubled souls. Seeing Misha struggle, he’s kind enough to cover a few cups of coffee for him per day. At first, Misha feels inclined to point out that he’s not gay – that if this is flirting, then it’s not going to get anywhere. But the more time they spend together, the more Misha realizes that Stef just has a good heart… and that he might have spoken too soon when he said it’d never happen. Can Misha get himself together before Stef gives in and goes back to Jake, the pragmatic ex-boyfriend who canned him last Christmas? Can Stef’s generosity hold out until Misha’s standing back on his own two feet? Only one thing’s for sure – baby, it’s cold outside, and they’re going to need to give it everything they’ve got to stay warm this Christmas. This story is approximately 30,000 words.

    Unfortunately, they’re also the definition of dirt poor, and they don’t have the money for nonessentials like decorations. Or a turkey. Or gifts. Between the recent death of Casey’s beloved momma and Ellis’s estrangement from his family, all they have is each other.When Ellis finds the saddest-looking Christmas tree south of the Mason-Dixon Line thrown away outside his workplace and brings it home to Casey, things look up. Life is still a struggle, but wealth isn’t always measured in money, and what seems worthless to others is often invaluable to the people who love it.

    Even worse is the holiday-themed hell of Santa's Village that looms right in front of the sports store he manages. It's yet another hurdle for Cal as he tries to survive the world of retail during the soul-sucking holiday season… until he catches a glimpse of one of Santa's elves and becomes infatuated with the cheery, gorgeous guy dressed in candy-cane tights.Of course, just walking up to the guy and asking him out isn't easy, and a botched attempt at matchmaking ends up turning a simple courtship into a mess for the gossip page. What can Cal do to overcome his social ineptitude, correct erroneous assumptions, and maybe have a merry little Christmas of his own?

    Feeling supremely unworthy and desperate to get a life—even an imaginary one—Kit embarks on a self-improvement campaign featuring DVD fitness guru, Danny Fit. In the meantime, Jesse has begun a subtle campaign of his own, one designed to bring Kit out of his DVD dream world and into Jesse's arms. Jesse isn't perfect—he's no Danny Fit—but he hopes that the kind, funny man who has been looking at him so soulfully since his first day at work has what it takes to be everything Jesse has always wanted.

    He won awards in 4-H and rodeo competitions from the time he could walk, and he’s happiest in the spotlight. So when he got the chance to be a star—in porn—he took it. He still loves Montana and everything about being a cowboy, but when news of his alternate identity leaks out, he figures he’s lost the town’s goodwill forever. Clyde’s Corner would never accept an openly gay cowboy, even a hometown boy born and bred.Joshua Braintree always had the notion that he and his best friend’s kid brother, Ben, would end up together. Ben’s always been a diehard cowboy, just like him: they need the land and its freedom as much as they need air. So when Joshua learns Ben moved away from their small Montana town to be a porn star in Vegas, he can hardly believe it. He’s determined to finally declare himself and bring Ben home.Despite his longtime crush on Joshua, Ben won’t be as easy to tame as Joshua’s “lost cause” horses. It will take a lot of heart and holiday spirit for Joshua to convince Ben that even old prairie dogs can learn new tricks in the name of love.

    No pointy ears. No toadstool houses. Boden is an ordinary Elf. An ordinary Elf who is good with computers. When his cousin refers him to a friend whose network has gone down, the last being he expects to encounter is ... Rorik. Rorik is a Holder. He’s a not so ordinary Elf. In fact, he's very special Elf who ‘holds’ a very special role. One that involves a red suit and a sleigh. Because Humans use technology, Rorik also uses technology- and he hates it. He doesn’t however hate the cute geek who has just shown up to repair his network and whom he would very much like to get to know. Unfortunately he promised this Elf’s cousin he would behave. What will happen when Rorik, or if you prefer his official title Santa fudging Claus meets Boden - an Elf unlike any he’s ever met? Meet the first couple from Edelweiss Grove, in Book 1 of The Holiday Storybook novellas in a Christmas story where Santa has never been so tempted....

    Christmas is coming, and he doesn’t want to face his ex alone at their office party. So Sean—Justin’s best mate and long-time secret crush—volunteers to go with him and pretend to be his new flame.Sean has always lusted after Justin from afar, but there’s never been a good opportunity to ask him for more than friendship. Posing as Justin’s boyfriend isn’t a chore, and if Justin wants to rebound onto him, Sean’s more than willing. At the party pretence and reality blur, and a kiss on the dance floor leads to a night of passion.In the aftermath, they both assume it was a one-time thing until fate intervenes. Stuck together in London over the holidays, they give in to temptation again. But what happens at Christmas stays at Christmas... right?

    On a guy. Not a big deal, except that said guy, Walter Chase, is a famous online gamer who has no idea Edgar even exists. Edgar has harbored these feelings for nearly a year, and when Walter announces on Twitter that he’ll be visiting New York City as a guest at the GamerOn convention, Edgar decides he’ll be one of the thousands of fans who responds to the message. He definitely doesn’t expect to be singled out by the humble, gorgeous, out-and-proud heartthrob. When it comes to dealing with people, Edgar’s skills are pretty nonexistent, even with Walter giving all the right signals. Edgar lacks the courage to do anything about the mutual attraction growing through their online courtship, but then again, he’s always been better with the written word. So maybe the perfect Christmas gift will say what he cannot. But if Edgar can’t get the present to Walter before the convention ends, he may miss out on the boyfriend of a lifetime.