4 HEARTS-- Before reading : Amnesia and a stranded trope?

*cackles wildly*

Want!

After reading : Damn, no matter how hard I try, I just can't escape the Santa jizz. ;P

Debut novel by Elyse Springer, Whiteout has more to offer than just Jizzmas (thankfully). I went in expecting a lot of snow, a guy with amnesia possibly regaining his memory, some romance and more snow.



And we do get that.
But it's more than just a standard amnesia trope. (Gah, do I enjoy the amnesia trope)

Noah Landers wakes up not remembering who his is after hitting his head while on his Christmas Colorado vacation. His older lover, Jason O'Reilly, attends to injured and memory lost Noah's every need as best as he can while they are stuck in their vacation cabin. Following medical orders from a doctor on the phone, Jason lets Noah work through his thoughts and see if his retrograde amnesia will sort itself out as Noah heals.

The thing is, something is off to Noah. In the back of his consciousness, something is ringing false. Who can he trust while he is stuck in the woods, and has rely on a man he feels a connection to but isn't sure if he can trust.

Springer creates a mystery, slowly piecing along the puzzle of Noah Landers. Can we trust Jason with the crumbs of info Noah gets out of him? Can we trust Noah? With all these questions, the lovers have a shared chemistry that can't be faked. The author doesn't have her men jump directly into the sack for the couple of days of being stranded. The sexual tension builds as well as the intrigue.




Whiteout is separated in two parts, Part 1 set in a small Colorado cabin - 60% and Part 2 is back in NYC. Part 1 is the entire mystery of Noah, which I solved somewhere around 25% of the story. But I couldn't stop from reading to see their individual reactions. Even with the sugar and Jizzmas feels that Jason slathered in that cabin. I know there are Christmas tradition people out there, but I was leery along with Noah with some of the demonstrations.

Expect sweet romance that got to be borderline sugar coma for parts of Part 1.

And when it ends, well that's when the true work begins for Noah. (You can kinda guess how part 1 closes out)

Part 2 was well matched for part 1, despite being slightly shorter in length. It made me appreciate and adore the schoompy sugar of part 1. No more mystery. Now we get to read the men in their habitat. Kudos to the author writing a great portrayal of NYC (including Brooklyn). It definitely read like winter in NYC.

What I didn't except was the love affair with Broadway.




That passion along with the hurt/comfort aspect, second chances and learning who the real Noah is with him for the second time around was exciting to read. The author had a great balance with main and secondary characters (glad to see Noah's friends will lead in the other three books in the series) They were really great friends. And flashbacks go either way for me when I read a flashback heavy romance. Springer did a great job with using them without the main plot getting lost.

This was definitely plot heavy without making the story too angsty to read. With solid characters, realistic angst (part 2) and reading how a certain someone redeems himself...how could I not be hooked. I don't have much issues with Whiteout, the editing, pacing were great. The sugar was a tad heavy but after reflecting back, it's just the kind of guy Jason is. The revenge angle...personally I could have done without it but it's necessary for the plot.

When you read the novel, you'll see. ;)

Great couple, great characters and a sweet plot with droplets of hurt/comfort to break it up.

Recommended for fans of second chances with a side helping of amnesia.

I'll be reading more from this author for sure.




A copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.

It's that scary time again...Jizzmas time. It's week #5 of Jizzmas reviews!



4.75 Hearts--

"What the hell? I don't do blood play?"
Charles kept him caged in the chair and trapped by the table. "I can assure you I am not playing."

Well...it might be too soon to call it since we have just one more week of our Jizzmas reviews, but this is my FAVE of the bunch! (I've started and faltered with more than you know)

THIS IS HOW I LIKE MY VAMPIRES WRITTEN!


Good lord...hands down one of my fave 2016 vampire reads. And it's just 39 deliciously deviant pages. (And I have so many quotes saved)

Charles is a 400 year old vampire who indulges himself and revels in his baser needs for death, one time of year, Christmas day. He hires a rentboy, Blake and rents out a penthouse suite in a lavish hotel, plans the night accordingly. Blake's escorting to pay his way through college (cliché yes but *shrugs*), has virtually no familial ties and needs the cash his new client offered. What Blake thinks is a jackpot client: not only is he being paid highly, he gets to spend it in a posh hotel and eat a fancy meal.

Only thing is...Blake is Charles' dinner.

I read this author's work in another anthology - A Wolf's Résistance. Nichols writes paranormal/urban fantasy pretty well. Strong hand in setting the scene and I enjoy Nichols' characters and premises. The Vampire's Dinner surpassed what I expected.

Why this was magical? It's the little things that will always get my attention. Here the author portrayed a 400 year old being in present day. Charles spoke formally. He was a warrior, an assassin, not used to being overt. His thoughts read as such. When we're shown his thoughts, I bought it. Blake is scared shitless. BUT he's a rent boy first, where he sells himself and acts to his clients specifications. Blake was the ultimate actor, thought on his feet and used his wits. My kinda rent boy! ;P

The story ends HFN, as I think is fitting for the setting and tone. Any semblance of romance or HEA would ruin the effect the author is going for. The open-ended feel of that fateful night just lends more to the mysterious dark ribbon entwined. Will the bargain actually make it to the agreed upon terms? Can the pair be more than john and client? What's in store for their future? Part of me wants to learn more, but the other part that responded to this story...loves it exactly how it is.

The Jizzmas spirit is nonexistent here. Christmas is just the prop, thankfully in the background.

Not recommended for those who need on page penetrative sex, HEA and definitive romance. Recommended for readers who can handle a little dark, mystery and fangs. Who doesn't like reading about predator and prey having an agreement from time to time?

It's the Jizzmas 'Corns vs. Grumpicorns Round #3!

Check out all of our reviews here for this week's latest batch of Sunday Funday Jizzmas



3-3.5 HEARTS (a sliding scale)

Out of all the Jizzmas tales from this anthology--I'll admit I didn't look through them all for fear of turning into gingerbread--this was the one I wanted to read hard. That cover, the author and that blurb?



Buuuuuuuuuuuuut...after reading, I'm not feeling the magic. And once again, it's nothing to do with the Santa Semen. In fact, the Christmas aspect in Cursed Miracles could be considered a throwaway for as much as it really mattered. Had nothing to do with the central plot which was long lost lovers.

Two hundred years ago in Britain, childhood friends turned lovers Lords William Mashinter and Brady Gallagher go through trials to hide their love. On Christmas, the love is tested ultimately where one is frozen in time cursed to walk the earth, the other is killed, cursed to be reborn and remembering his past life, yearning for what he can't have. We jump to present day after the curse and that's where the unease starts for me. (I'm ignoring the modern feel of the historical part)

Present day starts off a little cheesy with 'frozen' lover working in an office, being forced to wear a candy cane tie. Minor issue but I could do without the slice of silly. And when the grand reunion happens, I was expecting thunder and lightning...something. Two hundred years of yearning for this man, your soul mate and it read a little anticlimactic. What happened to the person who cursed them? Why wouldn't William keep tabs on them? Who is she? What is she? What's the purpose of cursing? All these unanswered questions I have.

Was the reunion worth the read? I guess. But the epilogue was too long I would have rather than focus be put into the reunion or building the tension prior to William and Brady's reunion. I can't rate this high than 3 Hearts because I've read 2 variations of a past life plot that left an impression--one recently that was bombastic compared to Cursed Miracles. I think it might be why I was underwhelmed. I can't help wishing maybe this was a little longer and stronger in places.

Overall, the story is readable.

Boy meets boy, says he loves him. He's taken away and he travels the earth cursed looking until he stops. And he ends up where he least expects him. Oh and the sprinklings of Christmas jizz. *shrugs* The meld of past and present wasn't as smooth for me.



A copy provided for an honest review.

3.5 HEARTS--This is Jizzmas I can get behind!

Erotic, interesting characters, some kink and action sprinkled on top with the Christmas jizz splattered to a minimum!




No jingle bells were to be found!

Set in Victorian Britain (though it reads modern), Epiphany by L.A. Stockman features a 3000 year old Egyptian vampire, Khafra, and his new 18 year old lover, Alfie. Submissive Alfie loves nothing more than serving Khafra any way he can.

Think bondage and D/s-esque bedroom play.



Epiphany isn't just hot sex, though there is a heaping pile of it. There is some plot thrown in too! Khafra has a past and keeps it hidden from vampire society. Khafra is also infatuated with young Alfie, so much so that he devised his devirginization prior to the start of this short story. Alfie and Khafra have a connection, there weren't enough pages to get into heavy detail. But for what was given, it was believable enough.

Where the author made the story unique is the vampire society and the Epiphany holiday tie-in. Vampires have different rules when it comes to consorting with humans, Khafra has to decide where Alfie stands in his immortal life very quickly. Vampires have royals just like the Brits, there's a court and everything. I've read this author's previous work and she does well with historical tinges to her story to make it interesting.

Who Khafra is exactly is certainly that. My gripe? The story didn't elaborate on Khafra's 'specialness' If he's supposed to be revered, I expected a little more than what was given. The story length doesn't get to delve into Khafra's vampire background fully. and for a 300 year old vampire, I know he lived an interesting undead life. I'd have preferred reading the story at a different starting point, maybe reading Khafra's seduction of Alfie. Established couples aren't my go to reads, but thankfully, it was still early enough in their relationship to not be a big enough issue for me.

The positives outweigh my gripes. Stockman certainly writes characters I want to know more about. I really liked that the story is staunchly HFN. The bit of action (swords!) made me happy too! Though the villain read a little out of left field to me, I guess it was necessary to help move the story along.

Overall, a hot paranormal historical erotica with a modern feel. I do think this would work best for readers who want something quick to read with just enough plot to tide them over with a bit of bite.




I'm very interested in reading more stories from this author. She has good ideas that I've discovered.



A copy provided for an honest review.