This book is a collection of 5 stories, written by JL Merrow (3) and Josephine Myles (2). All of these were previously published in various forms.

I'll review each one separately:

1. Leeches And Layabouts - JL Merrow:
Super cute and super fun story about a garlic farmer who is suddenly a vampire and therefore allergic to garlic, seeking an employee to help with the garlic farming who's not a vampire. In this alternate universe story, humans are aware of vampires and other supernatural creatures, so no drama here about that. The layabout in the title refers to the human, who's a bit of a bum, lazy, and doesn't want to have a job, but then sees the advantage of working for and sexing up a hot vamp. Amusing and clever.

2. Something Queer - Josephine Myles:
A young man enters the cellar at the pub where he works and is molested sexed up by a ghost. All while fully dressed. Disappearing spunk included. Not my favorite of the bunch.

3. Sacrifice - JL Merrow:
I didn't get this story at all. I liked the beginning and what I thought was the middle, which turned out to be the end. Hot virginal sexing (the sacrifice) in a field surrounded by stones and supernatural powers notwithstanding, I just didn't get it.

4. Et In Orcadia - JL Merrow:
Man who lost his lover to the sea meets another man in a wetsuit, who also knew his dead lover. They seek comfort in each other, and that part was really well done. I had an inkling that the wetsuit wasn't a wetsuit, but that the man was a Selkie, when he wouldn't allow it to be touched. A nice hurt/comfort story that I would have liked to be longer and a bit more exploratory of their relationship.

5. One Last Wish - Josephine Myles:
This was probably my favorite of them, with the 1st one a close second. Stoner rubs a brass lamp, and out pops a genie. A Djinn. Who has to grant him three wishes. As this story is told entirely in the Djinn's POV, it's not only hilarious fun, but also super sweet. Djinn realizes that his new master is nothing like the others, and that by granting the wishes, he gets what he's wanted as well. Also, sexy times. With a Djinn!


Overall, I'd give this collection 3 stars, with some rating higher than others. It was a fun way to spend a few hours.


** I received a free copy of this book from its authors. A positive review was not promise in return. **

It must be a nightmare when a family member just disappears.

Jamie’s brother, Michael, was painting in Cornwall when he suddenly went missing. Jamie travels down there to go looking for him.

In Cornwall, he meets Felix, an ex-army man, and sparks go off. As an aside, Cornwall is almost a character in itself in this story, and is beautifully depicted. I can actually almost smell the sea breeze.

I’m not a big fan of switching POVs, so that brings the experience down a little bit for me—I know some people love it, so all I can say is that it is well done, here. Not head-hopping, but switching at chapter beginnings.

There is mystery. Attraction. Slow-burn happening, as they keep looking for clues as to Michael’s whereabouts. And then sizzling hot as they finally get it on.

It’s a good story, (with a little mandatory OMG-angst at checkpoint 75%), and the mystery is solved. Kinda.

I feel the book could have benefited from more meat on the bones of the actual mystery than concentrating on the romance. But that’s me. I always want 75 more pages of the Real Story. Everyone else always want more romance.

It’s a really nice read. Recommended.

***

I was given a free copy of this self-published book from the author. A positive review wasn’t promised in return.

This book resonated with me. Not because I’m into hot lawyers lawyering in their lawyer office. No, because I’m into people who actually change, who sit down and think, and then make the necessary adjustments in their lives.

It’s kind of corny, as the setup of this story is cliché with a hot and steamy Friday-night-hook-up that turns into your new intern showing up at your workplace on Monday morning, but that’s where the cliché ends.

Because what we end up with is a story where integrity and standing up for who you are is central. Ed is out and proud. Alec is not. And without pushing or forcing, Ed simply does not want to be shoved back into the closet.

So Alec has some thinking to do. And, I am happy to say, he doesn’t take all that long to get his head screwed on right.

In the meantime, there’s a lot of work and a lot of steamy hotness happening. Like, a lot.

What never ceases to amaze me is that Northcote's storylines, at first glance, may seem cliché, but the books themselves are never boring, never trite, and they always manage to make me feel good. (Also, they are both well written and well edited, a rare thing these days of self-publishing).

Thank you for that, Northcote, it is endlessly appreciated.

Thank you for writing stories for us. They do light up my dreary winter’s day.

***

I was given a free copy of this self-published book from the author. A positive review wasn’t promised in return.

I love the touch of a good witch here and there, especially of the sweet and caring kind.

This was a super-cute little Christmas novella, about a young man with no brain/mouth-filter and his hunky love interest from the downstairs apartment. All paired with a little magic.

Cute and a little steamy.

For once the double POV wasn’t grating on my mind, either authors have gotten better at writing switching POVs, or I have just gotten more used to them. Here, it was a tool well wielded.

I would have liked a bit more of a backstory on the fabulous witch, Melia. One chapter from her POV would have been perfect.

It is a quirky, funny, and very sweet read, and I was honestly giggling to myself at times.

Get yourself a cuppa strong tea, grab your blanket, and settle in for a seasonal, very British read. It is lovely.

***

I was given a free copy of this self-published book from the author. A positive review wasn’t promised in return.

40k words/114 pages

Cute, cute, cute, add some cute, and add some sexy cuteness, and boy was this fun! And then it went all moody in the middle, to go right on ahead and resolve itself by the end. My favorite kind of story. With lots of sexytimes.

Yup. All of that, and gibbons.

What’s not to love? Read it and enjoy. Some 120 pages of fluffy holiday season happiness.

***

I was given a free copy of this self-published book from the author. A positive review wasn’t promised in return.