day 5
REVIEWED BY CINDY
TITLE: Minstrel’s Solstice
SERIES: Dreamspinner Advent Calendar 2014 Celebrate
AUTHOR: Nicole Dennis
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 29 Pages
Blurb:
A wasting plague swept over the Four Quadrants, changing how folks view the traveling guilds. Most travelers now make permanent contracts and settle in villages instead of continuing on the road. Needing to alter his lifestyle, Kerryll MacGhylle rides deep into the Northern Quadrant in search of a place to belong.
The Northern Duke, Cullan Gryffyn D’Antuono, accepts the contract of the frozen minstrel arriving during a powerful ice blizzard. He nurses Kerryll through the ravages of the sickness. Though they live at opposite ends of society, they have more in common than they realize. A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package “Celebrate!”.
Review:
What a strange and magical world that Nicole Dennis has created here! In fact, I’m so entranced by it, the beauty of it is the cause of the biggest disappointment.
But first…
Kerryll is a minstrel in need of a home. He rides through the harshest weather after being turned away at one small, fearful village only to be welcomed into a city.
Cullan is a powerful lord and his fascination with Kerryll is immediate and encompassing. I can forgive their instant attraction, which can sometimes turn me off a story, because it works in this magical world where anything is possible.
I found myself enraptured by the beautiful descriptions of the walled city were Kerryll and Cullan meet and of the rituals performed during the celebration.
The sex is incredibly hot but still manages to be sweet as well. I love a little hurt/comfort and this definitely fits the bill. The whole story has a fairytale feel about it that makes it works well with this fantastic story.
And here comes the complaint…it’s too short. This story calls to be expanded so that we can spend more time getting to know the characters and they really do deserved to be fleshed out.
This was the perfect little story for this seasonal anthology that I have come to adore.
Rating: 
Buy Links:
Thank you for this review
Really liked the review. Thank you:)
Oooh! This one sounds super. Thanks! 🙂
Sounds like an interesting read.Thank you for the review!
It sounds really nice. Thank you.
Interesting! Ty
Oh no! Almost didn’t see this post. I liked the review. Thanks
I’ve enjoyed Nicole’s Christmas stories before…sounds great!