I have been reading and reviewing, just not here so much. What with all the wonderful Christmas stories and other to-review books, I've sadly let my little niche on the 'web languish.
Then I had a great idea! Well, actually another reviewer from Dark Diva Reviews showed me the way: literally. Helps when I visit other peoples' blogs y'know?
Dark Diva Autumn has, on her blog, posted some of her reviews for the Dark Divas. And the lightbulb flashed!
Without further ado The Santa Mug by Patric Michael (reviewed on Dark Diva Reviews here.)
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The Santa Mug by Patric Michael
The Santa Mug by Patric Michael
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: GLBT, M/M, Christmas
Link here
Summary: When Marlon died on Christmas Eve, Darren withdrew from the holidays, and life in general, until Max, the man who introduced him to Marlon, invites Darren to his parents' house for Thanksgiving. Darren agrees and is immediately overwhelmed by Max's large, boisterous family. He tries to retreat behind familiar barriers, but Max has other ideas for the reclusive young man. It's not until Max delivers Marlon's last Christmas gift, four years late, that Darren truly understands that love is the greatest gift of all.
Kathy’s Review: Patric Michael’s stories invariably leave me sniffing and hoping that the tears falling aren’t too obvious. And then they always, always leave me smiling, joyous and light-hearted. The Santa Mug, Patric’s entry in Dreamspinner Press’s Mistletoe Madness holiday series is very much a case in point.
It doesn’t matter how often I read Mr. Michael’s The Santa Mug, the reactions never differ. Each and every time I feel at first heartsick for Darren who’s closed himself off, trying to escape his pain. I can feel the sense of loss and of being lost that he experiences; the emptiness and the feelings of guilt that we nearly always feel upon the death of a loved one. Losing Marlon on Christmas Eve has made the holiday a travesty for Darren. At the same time, the loss of Darren’s spirit has hurt, very deeply, his friends and especially Max. Max whose dedication to his friends, both Marlon and Darren, and his whole-hearted love for Darren slowly begins to break down the walls that pain has built... and drat, here come the tears again!
Patric Michael is a magician when it comes to words and he is able to depict stark, yet overwhelming emotion, with clean and descriptive prose. His each and every word is imbued with feeling and richness and there is never any excess verbiage. With every word, he is able to build a world where love is magic and magic is all around. And, with wisdom, he imparts the truth that anything worth getting is worth whatever time, heart and effort necessary.
If you’ve never read anything by this wonderful author, now is the time to delve into a world of love, emotion and romance. Patric Michael’s The Santa Mug is a fabulous story with which to start.
Rated 5 Delightful Divas and a Recommended Read by Kathy!
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