My Christmastime reading has always been voracious, a trait shared by my parents and siblings. One of us would always bring the new 1000-page Stephen King home for the holidays, and invariably everyone would have read it by the end of the weekend, and a host of other ho-ho-ho lit besides.
Thanks to last year’s Christmas present from Kathleen, a Kindle, my December reading changed drastically this year. Haven’t even purchased that new King short story collection yet (and never took to the Dark Tower series, so won’t be getting that.) Instead I’ve been enthralled with all the Christmas-themed romance novels available for free on Kindle. They range from greeting-card homilies to suspense thrillers and menages a trois, all with cuddly erotic subtexts. A veritable blizzard of trashy reading for under the covers on chilly mornings.
Here’s what I’ve plowed through thus far (with the caveat that, if you go a-Kindling for them now, several of these titles are no longer free). Exchanging horror for erotica as Christmas reading-candy has been an eye-opener.
Flurries—A Zapstone New Voices Anthology
Trying to deflect the conversation in another direction , she asked Kevin’s friends about themselves. “Phil, Kevin said you work in the operating room. Do they really schedule surgery on Christmas Eve?” She cut a dainty bite of prime rib and popped it into her mouth, savoring the succulent morsel.
Christmas Scandal—Not! by Jeanne Savery
“Robin,” said Elf a trifle sternly. “Christmas is nearly upon us. Are you certian your parents don’t wish you with them for the holiday? That if you are not, and if you have simply disappeared so they’ve no knowledge of whether you are are well or perhaps even dead…don’t you care that they will worry?”
Unwrapping Christmas by Lori Copeland
“It’s for the bulletin. Pastor wants little bits of information on Advent’s origin, traditions, how long the season lasts. Then it migth be fun to throw in how many other countries observe the Christmas holiday.” As the ace secretary at Bethlehem Messiah Church, Kay put the merriest slant on the request, and Rose knew by the time she hung up, her calndar would have another starred check mark. The beginnings of a migraine gripped her temples.
Ho, Humbug, Ho by Kate Angell (from the anthology Santa, Honey)
“I’m all about the Christmas spirit.”
“I’d let you jingle my bells.”
“I don’t do horny for the holidays.”
“When do you do horny?,” he asked.
Christmas Stalking by Selena Kitt
“Merry Christmas.”
She felt a delicious shiver run through her at the sound of Nick’s voice, his breath in her ear. She opened her eyes in a slant of morning light, squinting, stretching and yawning. She turned and saw he was lying next to her, fully dressed. At least he wasn’t in uniform.
Snowy Night Seduction by Adrianna Hart [not technically a Christmas tale, but snowy]
I though he was going to fall back in the snow, he was laughing so hard. And if he did, I just might feel enough compassion to bury him up to his chin and let him worry aboust frostbite in his delicate areas. I wanted to simply sit with my hand buried deep in the snow and writhe with the pain. I could almost envision the tips of those digits tearing open and peeling like a boiled tomato. I bet that’s what they looked like too.
My Christmas Wish by Ember Case
He moved his palms in arousing circles against her lower back, stroking her through the thin material of her shirt. Angling his head lower untiul she felt the brush of his lips against the sensitive curve of her ear, he whispered, “Merry Christmas Eve, chére.”
And, looking ahead a week:
New Year’s Revolution by Galen Trapper.
“Uh huh,” he mumbled without opening his eyes. “I remember, at that New Year’s party…”
“Oh, you got me so hot, dancing dirty off in that dark corner!”
“And it looked like your bored—and boring—husband was asleep against the wall, so…” Bill chuckled. “Did you ever find your panties afterwards?”
Make Mine Midnight by Annmarie McKenna
“It’s almost the new year.” Hunter licked delicately at Claire’s ear. “Let us take you home and make it special.”