Reviewer: Tracy
Don't Stop Believing by Gwen Hayes
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: November 3, 2015
Format: eARC
Genres: Anthologies (multiple authors), Contemporary Romance, M/M
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The Ogre from the Hill

Simon Powell, the town recluse, only comes to town to deliver firewood and get supplies. Two days before Christmas, he sees the new librarian’s car in a ditch and knows he can’t leave him on the road, but it’s too late to take him back to town. He’ll have something he’s never had in his cabin in the ten years that’s he’s lived there…company.

The Book Nerd from the City

Adam Parker moved to the small community to make big changes in his life, but being snowbound with the bearded lumberjack in his rustic cabin was something he’d thought only existed in his fantasies. Simon pushes away anyone who wants to get close to him, but Adam sees what he’s hiding in his heart and he wants it. Badly.

A Christmas to Remember

Adam smells like cinnamon and redemption and Simon aches to run his fingers over the scrape of stubble on his cheeks. To pull him into a kiss. To reignite feelings he’d denied himself for too long. Life is right there, blazing in the eyes of the town librarian. A man who isn’t afraid of him. But he learned long ago that everything he touches gets tainted, and he’ll do anything to keep his darkness away from Adam’s light.

But Adam has something else on his side—he’s been a very good boy this year and all he wants for Christmas is Simon

Simon was hurt physically while a SEAL and emotionally by a fellow SEAL when they found out he was gay. He’s been pretty much a recluse since that time – coming down the hill into town only for supplies. He likes to read and that puts him at the library whenever he’s in town. He doesn’t mind the view of the new librarian, Adam, either.

When Simon finds Adam stuck in a ditch in a blizzard and can’t get his car un-stuck he takes Adam to his house to wait out the storm. Since it’s around Christmas Adam is determined to make Simon’s house cheery as it has no Christmas decorations at all. Simon is so attracted to Adam that he’s willing to let him do what he will.

As a day or two goes by the pair get closer and end up in bed together. Simon, however feels like he’s made a mistake and pushes Adam away. When he figures out that he doesn’t want to live without Adam he pulls in a friend from town to help with a grand gesture to get Adam back.

This was a cute but short story. I really liked both Adam and Simon and I liked them together as well. The involvement of the town in the grand gesture at the end was a great idea and I thought it brought a homey element to the whole story.

While Adam and Simon got together rather quickly it seemed to work. We didn’t actually get to know Adam at all in the story and that was disappointing. It was mostly about Simon and him working through his issues. This was fine but it made the relationship very one-sided in my mind.

Overall the story was sweet and sexy and was a good way to spend a bit of time.

Rating: 3.25 out of 5