Title: Wrapped Together
Series: Portland Heat #5
Author: Annabeth Albert
Publisher: Kensington Books
Release Date: December 6
Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 35,000 words
Genre: Romance, contemporary, friends-to-lovers
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Synopsis
In the bustling restaurants, shops, and cafés of Portland, Oregon, things really heat up for the hard-working men behind the scenes when the holidays come into town . . .
For a stationery store owner, the holidays are great for business. But for Hollis Alcott, Christmas reminds him of the tragic events of three years past, and the last thing he wants to do is take part in Portland’s over-abundance of festive cheer. But Sawyer Murphy, a hunky gift shop owner whose brother is married to Hollis’s sister, has made it his mission to pluck Hollis out of his holiday blues. And his plan is beginning to work. Wrapped in the warm glow of newfound passion, the former business rivals hit up Portland’s finest holiday traditions—and Hollis’s icy attitude begins to melt like snowflakes on his tongue. But he isn’t sure he can trust anyone with the only gift he has—his heart—without breaking it like an antique ornament. Unless he can find the courage to take a leap with the one lover he never expected . . .
Thank you so much for having me! My new release, WRAPPED TOGETHER, is a love story between two competing shop owners, but it’s also a love letter to everything I love about the holiday season. One of those things is holiday music. Now, I come up with a playlist for every book that I write as I’m drafting it, but writing a holiday book in January was particularly fun as it meant an extra month to listen to my favorite holiday music.
My all-time favorite holiday album is Pentatonix’s first Christmas album, and the sound track for WRAPPED TOGETHER heavily features them, but I also included some of my other favorite Christmas tunes. Do you have a favorite holiday cover? Feel free to share! Here’s my top ten holiday songs:
- O Holy Night, Straight No Chaser. This a cappella group really out does itself on its holiday albums, and this cover is particularly lovely. When writing WRAPPED TOGETHER, it really spoke to me about Hollis’s loneliness.
- Little Drummer Boy, Pentatonix. I love each and every one of their songs, but this one is one of my very favorites.
- Come All Ye Faithful, Eclipse 6. This robust cover really helped fuel the big family gathering scenes in the book.
- We Three Kings, The Roaches. This is one from my childhood, and it wouldn’t be the holidays without the Roaches’ holiday album playing while I wrap presents.
- Baby Boy, for KING & COUNTRY. A more recent favorite, and its plaintive tones were perfect for the angstier moments in WRAPPED TOGETHER.
- White Christmas, Bing Crosby. The classic. Couldn’t write the ending without it!
- Blue Christmas, Michael Buble. His light style and irresistible charm really were perfect for Sawyer and how he wins over Hollis by sharing the holiday spirit.
- So This is Christmas, Various Artists. Another favorite of mine, and one I that I listened to a lot around the black moment of the book.
- I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Lady Antebellum. This song made me tear up while writing a key scene in the book, and this version is just so haunting.
- Deck the Halls, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington D.C. One of my favorite versions of this song, and given that my two competing shop owners have vastly different ideas about holiday decorating, I had to include it on the playlist!
You can find more of my playlists and favorites on Spotify! And I hope you enjoy Sawyer and Hollis’s holiday tale!
This excerpt comes from chapter one of WRAPPED TOGETHER, when Hollis and his long-time frenemy Sawyer engage in a friendly bet sure to put their holiday cheer to the test!
****
I took a sip of my now tepid, almost-gone tea. Ugh. The good barista was on duty, the one who went with Ev from the knitting store and who always happily made my tea with the same care he did the fancy coffee drinks. I left the group, happy to have the excuse of needing a refill, but as I stood in line, Mary Anne joined me.
“Hollis Alcott, we almost never see you at these things!” Her voice seemed to ring out above the din. “Will you be participating in the contest this year?”
“I doubt it. My fall display is already set.” I tried not to sound too dour—she always had the best houseplants and had custom-ordered the rare fern I’d wanted.
“Ah, well, that’s too bad. You let me know if you change your mind. I’d be happy to lend you some poinsettias or other decor. I know you could do a splendid, tasteful window.”
It was my turn to order, so I gave her a smile as a reply before handing Brady my stainless-steel tumbler for tea and ordering a scone to go. I had to wait down at the other end of the bar for my order, and as I was waiting, Sawyer came loping over, a smile on his boyish face. His wide shoulders stretched the hoodie in distracting ways.
“Hollis! Did I hear you say you’re not decorating?”
“You did.”
He frowned. “I know how much you hate the holidays, but I bet you’d get an uptick in sales if you decorated. I heard Mary Anne offer to help. I could, too. I’ve got gobs of lights.”
“Thank you but no.” Truth be told, I could use the increase in sales, but it wasn’t enough of a motivator to get me ready for the onslaught of red and green.
Sawyer’s head tilted, considering. Oh no. I knew that look too well. A Sawyer who was scheming was downright dangerous. “We should bet, you and I.”
“No,” I said firmly. I stepped away from the coffee bar to let Mary Anne and others wait for their orders, but Sawyer kept step with me, effectively pinning me in between two tables on my path to the door. I sighed and repeated my objection. “No. The last time we bet, I believe you cracked a wrist.”
Sawyer waved a hand, dismissing my concern. “We were fifteen. We’ve had other bets since then.”
We had, but there was one in particular I was determined not to remember right at that moment. This was the peril of having known someone for almost two decades. “How precisely would one even bet on this?”
I let my inner musings escape before I could rein them in, and Sawyer smiled. He knew he had me. Whatever nervousness and shyness captured my tongue around large groups did not, unfortunately, extend to Sawyer. “Well, I was thinking whichever of us makes it into the top three is the winner of our bet, and then the loser has to do whatever the winner wants for an evening.”
Oh, I did not like this. “Anything?”
“That wasn’t a no.” Sawyer’s grin showed the sort of charm that made him so darn popular. “And I wasn’t thinking of something kinky. Trust me here, Hols.”
“Don’t call me that.” And I most certainly did not trust him. I was pretty sure the always-affable Sawyer didn’t have a kinky bone in his body, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t up to something. “But I could get you to do any task of my choosing?”
See, the thing about me that Sawyer knew was that I have a very hard time resisting a bet. Always have, hence the aforementioned bet freshman year of high school about jumping over auditorium seats during drama class. I’m also notoriously cheap. And as it turned out, I did have a job for him.
He nodded. “Anything.”
“I have a bathroom I want painted at my store. Including the trim.”
Sawyer, to his credit, didn’t look remotely pained. “That’s fine. I’m good at painting.”
“And you? What would you want?” I had no idea why I was asking. I certainly wasn’t planning on agreeing to this ridiculous plan.
“A surprise.” He winked at me.
“I don’t like those.”
“I know. Which is why you need one. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll specify no sex or nudity involved.” Sawyer had mercifully dropped his deep, clear voice to softer tones. I still bristled at the thought of anyone overhearing this.
“Or humiliation, public or otherwise.”
“Oh, Hollis, you know me better than that.” He held up his hands. They were big, capable hands, and I had to blink to get my eyes to look away. “Now, come on. I dare you. Bet me.”
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Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open— no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children.
Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency
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I’m currently reading this and am really enjoying it! I can’t decide whether to continue to read it in small snatches, savoring each small part, or to rush through to the end. I’m leaning today the slow, sensual enjoyment. I don’t want to have to say good bye to Hollis and Sawyer!