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Starstruck Holidays
Heat up your holidays with four out of this world, MM sci-fi romance novellas from five bestselling authors.
From Jennifer Loring’s NO ONE ON EARTH ~ Erukkass has located his deceased lover in another dimension and refuses to leave without him. Jon, grieving a devastating loss, turns to the native legend of Handsome Fellow for comfort. When he and Erukkass meet, can they forge a future together, or will two timelines that have always intersected, no matter when or where, finally be forced to diverge?
From Merryn Dexter’s CONJUNCTION ~ The mystical Conjunction of the moons of Elexon sets two men on a collision course. A pirate and a prince — nothing in common but the attraction burning between them. What starts as a fling soon grows serious, but a relationship built on a foundation of secrets and constructed from lies is no relationship at all.
From B. Leslie Tirrell’s ARIZONA IMPULSE ~ Ambassador Kallell Tezak, the youngest member of the Galaxy Alliance, overhears two of his fellow ambassadors conspiring to take control of the device that protects the galaxy from famine. Kallell knows it is his duty to stop them, but he also wants to enjoy his favorite holiday, Genzebe, and summon the bravery to confess his love for the shy and serious Esten Lazzaro, who happens to be Kallell’s second in command.
From Kerry Adrienne and Lia Davis’s FIRST CONTACT ~ Fugitive Tristan Hawthorne escapes imprisonment only to crash-land on an unidentified, uncharted planet where he faces an alien who stirs passions he thought were long buried. With one working ship and a failing planetary cloaking device, it’s a short time till humans discover Oria and Tristan is recaptured. Under the starry, moonlit sky of the holiday Jainfest, the men learn to overcome their feelings of fear and distrust, and wind up finding out they aren’t so different after all.
From Jennifer Loring’s NO ONE ON EARTH ~ Erukkass has located his deceased lover in another dimension and refuses to leave without him. Jon, grieving a devastating loss, turns to the native legend of Handsome Fellow for comfort. When he and Erukkass meet, can they forge a future together, or will two timelines that have always intersected, no matter when or where, finally be forced to diverge?
From Merryn Dexter’s CONJUNCTION ~ The mystical Conjunction of the moons of Elexon sets two men on a collision course. A pirate and a prince — nothing in common but the attraction burning between them. What starts as a fling soon grows serious, but a relationship built on a foundation of secrets and constructed from lies is no relationship at all.
From B. Leslie Tirrell’s ARIZONA IMPULSE ~ Ambassador Kallell Tezak, the youngest member of the Galaxy Alliance, overhears two of his fellow ambassadors conspiring to take control of the device that protects the galaxy from famine. Kallell knows it is his duty to stop them, but he also wants to enjoy his favorite holiday, Genzebe, and summon the bravery to confess his love for the shy and serious Esten Lazzaro, who happens to be Kallell’s second in command.
From Kerry Adrienne and Lia Davis’s FIRST CONTACT ~ Fugitive Tristan Hawthorne escapes imprisonment only to crash-land on an unidentified, uncharted planet where he faces an alien who stirs passions he thought were long buried. With one working ship and a failing planetary cloaking device, it’s a short time till humans discover Oria and Tristan is recaptured. Under the starry, moonlit sky of the holiday Jainfest, the men learn to overcome their feelings of fear and distrust, and wind up finding out they aren’t so different after all.
- GenresAnthologies
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 13, 2016
4 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Merryn Dexter
15 books31 followersMerryn Dexter is a military spouse who, after a varied employment career (from selling sandals to old ladies with bunions to being a health and safety coordinator for a construction company), is thrilled to be pursuing her dream career as a romance writer. She likes The Winchesters, Spike, Hotch, Loki and watching complicated European Noir. Her hobbies include crying at books, crying at movies, crying at tv serials (there’s a theme!) and believes all stories should have a Happy Ending.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 16, 2016
MMMERRY CHRISTMAS!! 5 GOLD STARS
So far I am love, Love, LOVING this collection of Sci-Fi holiday romances!! I haven't been able to read them all yet - YET - but I will definitely be doing just that as soon as I can! While I originally got this for Merryn Dexter's story, I didn't want to pass on the chance to read the other authors stories! Especially since I am not familiar with most of them. So to be fair, I did read at least one chapter in every story so that I could honestly say: This is one MMMM-mmmm tasty collection of YUMMY SCI-FILICIOUS holiday romance stories that will warm your heart, set your pulses racing, and leave you Starstruck!
Conjunction by Merryn Dexter
This mission is going to be a disaster. 5 GOLD HEARTS
A beautiful, terrible disaster. Gods help me, he smells like every sin in my heart.
WOW! What a SCI-FINOMENAL MOONTASTIC story!! As I already mentioned, I got this anthology because of Merryn's involvement. Right from the beginning of her first book - A Mate's Healing Touch - I found myself so captivated that as soon as I finished it, I immediately re-read it, and that has happened with all of her books! Yes, I do love, Love, LOVE Merryn's books that much, and this one is no exception! This may be her first sci-fi romance, it may also be her first MM romance, but you would never know that from reading the story! The characters are well-developed, intriguing and so likeable! I was wanting to know EVERYTHING about EVERYONE! Maybe Merryn will turn this into a series of her so that all of characters can get their story told too! I love, Love, LOVE the blend of tech both old & new, days of old, the futuristic aspects, mythology, gods, sci-fi, romance, secrets, friends, enemies, and not! Merryn's phenomenal talent combined with her true gift takes all of those aspects, adds in so many more that are hard to quantify, and puts her beautifully unique spin on it all, creating a story I couldn't put down, a story I was transported into, where I was living, experiencing, feeling, with, for even as the characters, caring about them, wanting to comfort them, love them, or smack them as need be. LOL I love how Merryn tells this story - It’s the ultimate love story that is about two people & their love & sacrifice for that love, who both just happened to be male. It's about finding love, learning to follow your heart, trusting in that and each other, doing what's right for the right reasons. I was brought to tears more times than I can remember, all because of Merryn's beautifully enriched storytelling, the depth to the characters, storylines and the story as a whole, drawing me in that deep that I was overcome with emotion right along with the characters, even when they weren't! I know that this story represents a few firsts for Merryn - first sci-fi romance, first male-male, but I also hope that this is a first of many more just like it!
So far I am love, Love, LOVING this collection of Sci-Fi holiday romances!! I haven't been able to read them all yet - YET - but I will definitely be doing just that as soon as I can! While I originally got this for Merryn Dexter's story, I didn't want to pass on the chance to read the other authors stories! Especially since I am not familiar with most of them. So to be fair, I did read at least one chapter in every story so that I could honestly say: This is one MMMM-mmmm tasty collection of YUMMY SCI-FILICIOUS holiday romance stories that will warm your heart, set your pulses racing, and leave you Starstruck!
Conjunction by Merryn Dexter
This mission is going to be a disaster. 5 GOLD HEARTS
A beautiful, terrible disaster. Gods help me, he smells like every sin in my heart.
WOW! What a SCI-FINOMENAL MOONTASTIC story!! As I already mentioned, I got this anthology because of Merryn's involvement. Right from the beginning of her first book - A Mate's Healing Touch - I found myself so captivated that as soon as I finished it, I immediately re-read it, and that has happened with all of her books! Yes, I do love, Love, LOVE Merryn's books that much, and this one is no exception! This may be her first sci-fi romance, it may also be her first MM romance, but you would never know that from reading the story! The characters are well-developed, intriguing and so likeable! I was wanting to know EVERYTHING about EVERYONE! Maybe Merryn will turn this into a series of her so that all of characters can get their story told too! I love, Love, LOVE the blend of tech both old & new, days of old, the futuristic aspects, mythology, gods, sci-fi, romance, secrets, friends, enemies, and not! Merryn's phenomenal talent combined with her true gift takes all of those aspects, adds in so many more that are hard to quantify, and puts her beautifully unique spin on it all, creating a story I couldn't put down, a story I was transported into, where I was living, experiencing, feeling, with, for even as the characters, caring about them, wanting to comfort them, love them, or smack them as need be. LOL I love how Merryn tells this story - It’s the ultimate love story that is about two people & their love & sacrifice for that love, who both just happened to be male. It's about finding love, learning to follow your heart, trusting in that and each other, doing what's right for the right reasons. I was brought to tears more times than I can remember, all because of Merryn's beautifully enriched storytelling, the depth to the characters, storylines and the story as a whole, drawing me in that deep that I was overcome with emotion right along with the characters, even when they weren't! I know that this story represents a few firsts for Merryn - first sci-fi romance, first male-male, but I also hope that this is a first of many more just like it!
December 13, 2016
Disclaimer: This review is of a novella that is part of the Starstruck Holidays anthology; due to time constraints, I am only able to review one installment of the anthology at this time. The author and I attended the same graduate program and have assisted each other with promotional work in the past. She provided me with this anthology in ebook form in exchange for an honest review.
"No One on Earth" by Jennifer Loring sucked me in with an immediate tragic hook that made me want to root for the main character, Jon Kline, no matter what else was to come.
However, what truly immersed me into the story were the elements of diversity not commonly seen in speculative fiction, much less a story that bends so many genres. This includes not only the main character’s ethnicity, but that his personal history includes athleticism while his interests are more nerdy and academic. I also loved the intersection between indigenous mythology and modern astronomical knowledge and how it creates internal conflict for the main character. However, the tragic realism of Jon's family dynamic is applicable across all cultures, as is his heartbreak.
The “ghost story” element of this piece is very slow burn; at first glance, it could all be the result of Jon’s heartbroken and alcohol-addled mind. Even though I knew the theme of this anthology, the sudden switch from maybe-urban-fantasy to interdimensional SF was incredibly jarring. There was some foreshadowing, such as the meteor that might have been the visiting shuttle, but not quite enough to prepare me for the new characters’ appearance.
As a science-fiction story, Loring does an excellent job of fleshing out alien physiology and technology in the short space she had available to her. As a love story, I’m irrationally glad that the alien visitor does not embody Jon’s perfect desires. The small detail of Erukkass' unsettling teeth ratchets up both the “realism” (as much as that’s possible in SF) and surrealism of the situation. As a holiday story, the proposed future that the main characters' share is intriguing enough for a follow-up tale.
I would also love to read this story entirely from Erukkass’ perspective, with more insight into his history, and many of the scenes for his point of view. Not because I think it would make a better story, but because the counterpoint would be fascinating.
"No One on Earth" by Jennifer Loring sucked me in with an immediate tragic hook that made me want to root for the main character, Jon Kline, no matter what else was to come.
However, what truly immersed me into the story were the elements of diversity not commonly seen in speculative fiction, much less a story that bends so many genres. This includes not only the main character’s ethnicity, but that his personal history includes athleticism while his interests are more nerdy and academic. I also loved the intersection between indigenous mythology and modern astronomical knowledge and how it creates internal conflict for the main character. However, the tragic realism of Jon's family dynamic is applicable across all cultures, as is his heartbreak.
The “ghost story” element of this piece is very slow burn; at first glance, it could all be the result of Jon’s heartbroken and alcohol-addled mind. Even though I knew the theme of this anthology, the sudden switch from maybe-urban-fantasy to interdimensional SF was incredibly jarring. There was some foreshadowing, such as the meteor that might have been the visiting shuttle, but not quite enough to prepare me for the new characters’ appearance.
As a science-fiction story, Loring does an excellent job of fleshing out alien physiology and technology in the short space she had available to her. As a love story, I’m irrationally glad that the alien visitor does not embody Jon’s perfect desires. The small detail of Erukkass' unsettling teeth ratchets up both the “realism” (as much as that’s possible in SF) and surrealism of the situation. As a holiday story, the proposed future that the main characters' share is intriguing enough for a follow-up tale.
I would also love to read this story entirely from Erukkass’ perspective, with more insight into his history, and many of the scenes for his point of view. Not because I think it would make a better story, but because the counterpoint would be fascinating.
February 14, 2017
I review the novella No One On Earth by Jennifer Loring.
Jonathan Kline is a psychic native american and has lost his lover in a car accident.
He doesn´t fit in his world.
He has nothing left on this world- he doesn´t belong here anymore.
Erukkass has left his own world to be with Jon. He wants to Jon come with him.
Erukkass has lost his lover in his home world and located him in Jon´s. Jon is his lover in this world. Confusing much? Yes so I thought too, but reading all gets explained.
This is a time- and dimension-travel novella with a bittersweet HEA.
4 Stars and Thank you Jennifer Loring.
Quote:" No one is ever really gone, Jon.They´re simply living other lives in other worlds. "
Jonathan Kline is a psychic native american and has lost his lover in a car accident.
He doesn´t fit in his world.
He has nothing left on this world- he doesn´t belong here anymore.
Erukkass has left his own world to be with Jon. He wants to Jon come with him.
Erukkass has lost his lover in his home world and located him in Jon´s. Jon is his lover in this world. Confusing much? Yes so I thought too, but reading all gets explained.
This is a time- and dimension-travel novella with a bittersweet HEA.
4 Stars and Thank you Jennifer Loring.
Quote:" No one is ever really gone, Jon.They´re simply living other lives in other worlds. "
December 14, 2016
Four stories by five fantastic authors
NO ONE ON EARTH – I am not familiar with this author and have to admit that this story was my least favorite of the bunch. Too woo woo for me.
CONJUNCTION – Who can resist a good prince and the pirate story? This story had twists, turns and heat. Super fun.
ARIZONA IMPULSE – A story by new to me author (but I will be looking for more of her work now) that is two stories in one. I was left with questions but had fun making up my own answers.
FIRST CONTACT – A sweet story of a fugitive and a young man mourning the loss of his mother and trying to make plans for his future when tall dark and handsome human drops in. Oh the possibilities.
These stories will make you think, make you laugh and make you sigh with happiness.
NO ONE ON EARTH – I am not familiar with this author and have to admit that this story was my least favorite of the bunch. Too woo woo for me.
CONJUNCTION – Who can resist a good prince and the pirate story? This story had twists, turns and heat. Super fun.
ARIZONA IMPULSE – A story by new to me author (but I will be looking for more of her work now) that is two stories in one. I was left with questions but had fun making up my own answers.
FIRST CONTACT – A sweet story of a fugitive and a young man mourning the loss of his mother and trying to make plans for his future when tall dark and handsome human drops in. Oh the possibilities.
These stories will make you think, make you laugh and make you sigh with happiness.
December 25, 2016
The first two stories "No One On Earth"and "Conjunction" are excellent.
The third story "First Contact" is amateur with terrible repetitive writing and I didn't bother to finish it.
The fourth story "Arizona Impulse" is written better but is confusing with way too many cardboard characters and I also didn't finish that one.
The order that I listed the stories in are how they appear in the ebook. The order in the synopsis is not the same, and I wonder if the other reviewers actually read all the stories or just copied and pasted. Seriously, one of the stories is awful.
I gave the book 4 stars because the price was right for two good stories.
The third story "First Contact" is amateur with terrible repetitive writing and I didn't bother to finish it.
The fourth story "Arizona Impulse" is written better but is confusing with way too many cardboard characters and I also didn't finish that one.
The order that I listed the stories in are how they appear in the ebook. The order in the synopsis is not the same, and I wonder if the other reviewers actually read all the stories or just copied and pasted. Seriously, one of the stories is awful.
I gave the book 4 stars because the price was right for two good stories.
November 20, 2016
This is a review for First Contact by Kerry Adrienne and Lie Davis. I was provided a copy of this collection for my honest opinion. I have not read many MM stories but the novella of Tristan and Luc was entertaining. Both had experienced a great loss in their lives and fate intervened for them to meet at the precise time it was right. There is humor and you can feel the passion in the story.
December 31, 2016
Good
Liked all the storylines except for the first. The last three were great. Highly recommend reading for some Sci-Fi adventure.
Liked all the storylines except for the first. The last three were great. Highly recommend reading for some Sci-Fi adventure.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews