Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Seth Anderson thought he was a finalist in the Hot Jack cologne modeling contest for King's Department Store, but Sandy King, upon reviewing Seth's photo and resume, just wanted to jump him like a horny kangaroo. Seth quickly learns there is pain behind Sandy’s bravado and a sweet, lonely man behind the act. A holiday romance blossoms like the flowers on an Australian Christmas Bell. When Seth, used to a family dynamic without boundaries, oversteps by outing Sandy to his estranged grandmother, however, everything changes. Sandy is furious. He breaks things off with Seth and threatens to return to the US. As Christmas approaches, any chance at happily ever after seems as likely as a snowstorm in Sydney. It would take a miracle from above to set things right. Good thing ‘tis the season.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package "Celebrate!".

 

Book Review

Seth Anderson, a twenty-eight-year-old Sydney man, confides the details of his gay sex life to his two best friends. That’s often nice in romance. The friends can become a kind of chorus of common sense, bringing the main character down to earth from time to time. But in David Connor’s novella, 'Tidings of Comfort and Joey Down Under', Seth’s confidants are his mother and father.

Rocco and Mols (for Molly), Seth’s parents, have entered him in a contest without letting him know what they’re doing. The winner becomes the model who represents the fragrance, Hot Jack, for King’s, the second largest department store in Sydney. Seth becomes one of one hundred semifinal-round contestants. When he meets the other would-be Jacks, they’re all much taller and more muscular than he is. Seth also walks with a limp as a result of a serious disease he suffered when he was nineteen, leaving him with partial paralysis on his left side.

Sandy King, recently returned to Australia after spending half his life in the US, becomes the “big boss” of his family’s department store, due to the tragic deaths of his parents. When Sandy meets Seth, he’s blunt: “The moment I saw your photo, I wanted you bad. Not just for the ad campaign, but in my bed.” Although Seth finds Sandy attractive, he refuses to be taken advantage of so brazenly. Seth’s mom and dad, though, think Seth could be onto something good.

Seth changes his mind and soon learns Sandy is hiding some major secrets of his own that could well jeopardize any relationship they might otherwise want. The story of Seth and Sandy, with Rocco and Mols and a few other characters thrown in for good measure, greatly amused this reader.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 67 pages/18581 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-December-2014
Price	$3.99 ebook
Buy Link	http://bit.ly/2unQUAK