Caitlin Ricci

Gifts from the Tree by Kay Berrisford - 2 stars
Christmas in Hawaii by Valynda King - 2,5 stars
Christmas Tree Magic by Amber Kell - 2,5 stars
Mistletoe and YouTube by Francis Gideon - 1,5 stars
Josh's Christmas Angel by A.T. Weaver - 1 star
Deefur and the Great Mistletoe Incident by RJ Scott - 2,5 stars
A Jaguar for Christmas by Caitlin Ricci - 2 stars
Christmas Reunion by AJ Henderson - 2,5 stars
Spiced Apple and Cinnamon by Meredith Russell - 2 stars
Ivy Park by Tom Alexander - 2,5 stars
Our Best Christmas by Gary Hendrickson - 2 stars
Two for Hooking by Christopher John - 2 stars
Once you go Black Friday by John Wiley - DNF
The Christmas Mansion by Hollis Shiloh - 2 stars
Love Delayed by Abigail Winters - 2,5 stars
Christmas Lightning by Diane Adams - 3 stars
Joyeux Noel by Aisling Mancy - 1,5 stars
Christmas Angel by Allan Jay - 1 star
Waiting for Snow by JC Wallace - 2 stars
Paid with a Full Moon by SA Garcia - 2 stars
Christmas Promise by Nicole Dennis - 2 stars
… (more)

2.75 stars

You know what's wrong with Seth & Co. in this story? They have no life. There's no sense of any of the characters having either interior dialogues or the ability to move outside of the frame of the story. And when they are on the page, they're so stilted in their movements, conversations, and interactions it's hard to believe in them being anything but marionettes, dull and barely functional.

To make matters worse, there's no real character growth for any of the characters. All end right where they begin, or, what growth there is, is so stunted as to be negligible.

Seth, the ostensible MC of the story, is homoromantic asexual with a thing for kissing, cuddling, and for obsessing over his lack of romantic life. That's it. Other than his working at the animal rescue with his boss, Marius, attending therapy (for what is never really made clear), going to ace group therapy nights (which did not seem to help either), and doing homework, Seth quite literally has no life. There's nothing in his makeup to which a reader can connect or sympathize.

And there's no buildup in the relationship between Seth and Jeremy. It's all about the physical interaction between the men, just kissing (Seth not being interested in sex) and cuddling mainly, but where's the relationship? If there's one thing aces really want, it's the mental stimulation and close personal interaction with their partner(s) which actually includes, but isn't limited to, conversations, as well as the physical stuff. Though Jeremy really made an effort to accommodate Seth's needs, coming to a compromise they both could live with, that's the extent of the discussion in this story. None of it was romantic either.

And Jeremy's coming out scene in the bar was very cringe worthy

I would also suggest reading the first book first to find out about Jack and Marius, since the author did a poor job of introducing either of those characters.

Recommended reading:
[b:Ace of Hearts|25567509|Ace of Hearts|Feral Sephrian|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1432086672s/25567509.jpg|45366532] by Feral Sephrian which handles similar themes to this book better
Also:
[b:Fireland: Jimmy Loves Rob|23431897|Fireland Jimmy Loves Rob|Sam Burke|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1420846406s/23431897.jpg|42992086] by Sam Burke… (more)

Thierry Leroux has been admitted to the Intergalactic Star Pilot Academy and his dreams are all about to come true. But the academy is expensive, and as a Sythe orphan, it's unlikely he will be able to come up with the tuition. His brother, Corbin, works as an escort and gives Thierry the suggestion of auctioning off his virginity to pay for his schooling. It's not something Thierry is very interested in at first, but as deadlines draw near, he gives Corbin the go ahead to set it up. Corbin's boss, Monroe, is more than willing to help arrange the transaction, and they are both pleased when they get a bidder who will more than cover what Thierry needs. The buyer, known only as "Dragonfly" and insistent on wearing a mask when they meet, goes out of his way to make Thierry's first time special, and Thierry is agreeable when the "Dragonfly" asks for them to meet again. After a few such meetings, Thierry realizes he might be developing feelings for his would-be suitor, though he has no idea who is hiding behind the mask. Will finding out ruin the magic and destroy everything?

This was my first Caitlin Ricci title, but I was not disappointed. The character of Thierry is so well-written. Seeing him go from where he is at the beginning of the book, to making his decision, to following through with it, and to living with everything that happens after is an interesting journey. There's subtlety to it, but the dynamic is clear. I certainly look forward to picking up more from this author.… (more)