Colton Aalto

This is another excellent collection of winter holiday stories from Dreamspinner Press - they range from historical to contemporary to science fiction and even fantasy/paranormal, and while the majority focuses on Christmas, there are a few with other holidays sprinkled in for good measure.

I particularly enjoyed:
- All I Want for Christmas... Is No Christmas by Colton Aalto
- Bite Night by Clare London
- How the Supervillain Stole Christmas by Charles Payseur
- Krampus Hates Christmas by Andi Van
- Mele Kalikimaka by B.G. Thomas
- The Orpheum Miracle by Pat Henshaw
- Popcorn Garlands by Ariel Tachna
- Teddy Bears by Brandon Witt

But I liked all of them and am already looking forward to the 2017 event!


NOTE: These books were provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.
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Getting picked up by a group of official-looking men in black suits on Christmas Day would make anyone a Grinch. Only Alec already hates Christmas before this latest disaster – ever after endless church services when he was a child, to being kicked out on Christmas day by his fanatically religious parents when he came out to them, to several accidents and ER visits in the years since then. Making him change his mind will take nothing less than a miracle, and from the moment I read the blurb I was looking forward to finding out what that might be.

Alec has managed to survive his parents’ callous rejection, but the only way he was able to afford to go to college was by becoming a male escort. He mostly enjoys his various assignments, but there are dangers as well when clients get violent. He is almost done with college when disaster strikes – on Christmas Eve, no less. I really felt for Alec as he was escorted to an “undisclosed location”, strip-searched, and kept in a padded room. He is told it is an acoustic room, but he doesn’t, initially, understand the difference. He is certain he’ll be thrown in jail for prostitution and that he can kiss his “normal” life good-bye.

His humiliation is complete when Hayden, Alex’s roommate’s gorgeous cousin, turns out to be the lawyer in charge of… but I can’t say any more without spoiling the surprise. All I’ll say is that the truth of what is going on is surprising, very sweet, and utterly charming.

If you like Christmas stories that begin with a shock, only to end in an appropriately Christmassy miracle, if you think that two men from opposite ends of the tracks should get a chance to be together, and if you’re looking for a read with a touch of mystery, a little suspense, and lots of sweetness and heat, then you will like this short story as much as I do. The tone of the character’s voice is humorous and very entertaining, and the story ending absolutely perfect.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.
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