Queens Parade is a small shopping street just around the corner from Queens Crescent. In one of London’s most exclusive neighbourhoods, these shopkeepers have their own stories to tell. This world was originally a series of short stories for newsletter subscribers. Grizedale’s – the story of Anthony, a tailor married to his work. That’s until he gets a very strange commission. Green Glade – Con Scala has taken the plunge and opened a new shop. Yet it’s the tenant in the flat above that’s causing him sleepless nights. Bluebird Café – a business opportunity comes from out of the blue for waiter Viggo. Now all he has to do is persuade the sexy new chef that it’s a good idea. The Swan – Damian is bored of London. He’s looking for a diversion and one comes in a very unexpected form.
The collection also has two new stories. Delmotte’s Chocolates – JJ and Riku find each other. Against all odds, they fight to protect their fragile love. But with Riku due home in Tokyo soon, it appears they are doomed before they’ve begun. New Year at Queens Crescent – What happened to Jeremy and Stuart from Christmas at Queens Crescent after the happy ever after? Find out one year on where someone has a very important question to ask.
I have written for as long as I could write. In fact, before, when I would dictate to my auntie. I love to read, and I love to create worlds and characters.
I live in the English countryside. When I’m not writing, I like to get out there and think through the next scenario I’m going to throw my characters into.
Inspiration can be found anywhere, on a train, in a restaurant or in an office. I am always in search of the next character to find love in one of my stories. In a world of apps and online dating, it is important to remember love can be found when you least expect it.
I am a big fan of the Queens Crescent series from this author, and these short stories (6-8 chapters each) take place in Queens Parade, the street just outside Queens Crescent where there are several upscale shops that fit into the fairly exclusive neighborhood. Each story features a shop owner or worker meeting their person in their shop and how they get together. And of course, none of the relationships come without problems to be sorted. There are six stories in the book. The blurb sets them up, but the cast of characters for each follows: 1. Grizedale’s — Anthony is the owner of Grizedale’s, a tailor and maker of fine suits for the inhabitants of Queens Crescent. He is tasked with a make-over of Jonty, son of a client home for his dad’s wedding. The attraction is there, but true love does not run smoothly. 2. Green Glade Health Food — Con is the new proprietor and needs the apartment above his shop as his new home. Unfortunately there is a lodger who still has time paid on his rent. Dan, the handsome lodger, notes that this is a two bedroom flat, so Con moves in, sparks fly, and this is not without problems, either. 3. Bluebird Cafe — Viggo is a waiter at the cafe and Byron is the chef. When a resident of Queens Crescent wants to hire them to cater a party, the attraction grows between them as they plan. The party goes as planned but the relationship, not so much — problems here, too. 4. The Swan — The Swan is the local pub and Damien is a barman there. Oliver, a photographer comes in, down because his model cancelled and he needs one to complete his commission. Damien agrees to help, feelings grow, then a snag occurs, disrupting where this is going. 5. Delmotte’s Chocolates — JJ is a Belgian chocolatier, creating unique treats when he meets Riku, a Japanese man there to work on his dissertation. The attraction is strong but the stay is to be brief, so nothing happens, until……. 6. New Years at Queens Crescent — Jeremy and Stuart, a florist with a shop on Queens Parade, moved in together after declaring their love last New Year’s Eve. Stuart has plans for this year, but miscommunication gets in the way, along with unexpected complications with Jeremy’s family. Can they work it out? All of the stories end with a HEA, or at least a HFN. Characters are all relatable and likable, problems are realistic, and communication is key. Low angst, low heat, short sweet stories set in a special part of London.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Stories from Queens Parade is a lovely companion to the Queens Crescent novels by @kparkerwriter Each story gives you a unique and wonderfully romantic story about men who live and work near Queens Crescent. You’ll meet bespoke tailor Anthony Grizedale who agrees to give a makeover to a slightly reluctant Jonty Cuthbert… Health food purveyor Con Scala finds himself flat sharing with Dan, the tenant who won’t leave. He’s intrigued by Dan even if his junk food/meat and potatoes diet is everything Con abhors… Damian works at local pub The Swan and has had enough of London. An encounter with photographer Oliver has him rethinking his decision even as a dream opportunity up north comes calling… and chocolatier JJ Delmotte and visiting scholar Riku share a sweet story with an expiration date. This delicate confection ends with a beginning and the promise of something special. And the final story is a lovely full-circle moment with the couple who kicked the series off. Jeremy, who came to London to reconnect with his father and his new wife (not stepmother) and socialist/florist Stuart are together, but going through some growing pains. As the new year approaches, a holiday party and little sister due any moment ramps up the seasonal anxiety. But a little bit of magic ends the book on a graceful note. This isn’t a high steam book, but the beautiful connections each of the couples share are filled with emotion. Each story stands alone - except for the last one. You’ll want to read Christmas in Queens Crescent to fully appreciate that one. Mrs. Wimpole continues to rule Queens Court and Crescent with an iron fist and, along with her constant companion The Professor, provides comic relief and sage advice. Characters from previous books pop in for delightful cameos. Read these stories between the QC novels, or binge them all at once. You won’t regret your time spent in this captivating corner of London.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Readers of Kristian Parker get six gifts in his Queens Crescent Vol 1 collection of MM Romance stories.
🌈Grisdale’s features Anthony and Jonty: ‘Anthony had always admired rebels. He was so far from being one it was ridiculous. He watched Jonty fussing over McQueen and a warmth settled on his heart.’
🌈Green Glade Health Food features Con and Dan: ‘The door opened and there stood an incredibly handsome man. Tall and thin with a mass of jet-black curls flecked with grey. Con’s mouth opened yet no sound came out. It appeared the man felt the same way, judging by the way he licked his bottom lip.’
🌈Bluebird Cafe features Viggo and Byron: ‘He stared into Byron’s eyes. This was the first time anyone had made him feel comfortable enough to drop his guard this much. A fact that thrilled and terrified him in equal measure.’
🌈The Swan features Damian and Oliver : “I’m an old-fashioned guy,” Damian said. “I like to be wooed.” Oliver raised an eyebrow. “How wonderful. Consider that challenge accepted.”
🌈Delmont’s Chocolates features Jj and Riku: ‘Riku took a sip. “You’re a genius,” he said. “This is wonderful.” “Perhaps you’ll add that to your order tomorrow. How come you only wanted one chocolate?” Riku blew on the steaming cup. “It was my treat if I hit my targets. A walk, a chocolate and a chat with a very attractive man. What more do I need to motivate me?” JJ felt himself blush. He had never been all that comfortable with compliments about anything other than his work.’
🌈New Year at Queens Crescent features Stuart and Jeremy: ‘Jeremy leant forward and kissed him. They had shared more passion in the last year than Stuart had had all his life. However, this kiss seemed so different. It signified more.’
Truly a delightful set of wonderful stories⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gathered here are several short stories for your enjoyment. The setting for the Queens Parade stories is the small shopping street around the corner from Queens Crescent. The blurb has enough to allow you to pick and choose the order to read these unless you just want to move from start to finish so you don’t miss one! No matter what approach you choose, you will enjoy these stories and the two new ones that have been included for your reading pleasure!
📌 GRIZEDALE’S – the story of Anthony, a tailor married to his work. That’s until he gets a very strange commission. 📌 GREEN GLADE – Con Scala has taken the plunge and opened a new shop. Yet it’s the tenant in the flat above that’s causing him sleepless nights. 📌 BLUEBIRD CAFÉ – a business opportunity comes from out of the blue for waiter Viggo. Now all he has to do is persuade the sexy new chef that it’s a good idea. 📌 THE SWAN – Damian is bored of London. He’s looking for a diversion and one comes in a very unexpected form. 📌 DELMOTTE’S CHOCOLATES (new) – JJ and Riku find each other. Against all odds, they fight to protect their fragile love. But with Riku due home in Tokyo soon, it appears they are doomed before they’ve begun. 📌 NEW YEAR AT QUEENS CRESCENT (new) – What happened to Jeremy and Stuart from Christmas at Queens Crescent after the happy ever after? Find out one year on where someone has a very important question to ask.
What a beautiful compilation of six stories from the shopping street Queens Parade just around the corner from Queens Crescent!
💕GRIZEDALES a tailors shop where the owner- Anthony meets his perfect match!
💕 GREEN GLADE HEALTH FOOD where a health food store owner Con gets an unexpected temporary roommate who does not want to leave…
💕 BLUEBIRD CAFÉ brings a sassy waiter- Viggi Anderson and a stubborn moody chef- Byron closer together when they embark on a catering adventure…
💕 THE SWAN pub becomes a temporary place of work for new bar tender Damian until he meets photographer Oliver but then a new work opportunity arises in Yorkshire….
💕 DELMOTTE’S CHOCOLATES is the place to be if you have a sweet tooth and want to treat yourself to a reward like Dickens scholar Riku did with Belgian chocolatier Jean-Jaques Delmotte…
💕 NEW YEAR AT QUEENS CRESCENT is the sweet bonus ending with a surprise or two for the first couple of Queens Crescent Jeremy the writer and Stuart the florist from Christmas at Queens Crescent book one.
All our couples have a HFN with cameo appearances from the Queens Crescent residents!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What a fantastic collection of short stories about the shopkeepers, works and those they fall in love with along Queens Parade. The Shopping district that the Queen of Queens Crescent, Mrs Wimpole keeps a keen eye on.
You’ll catch glimpses of some of your favourite Queens Crescent residents, but even better is you’ll meet numerous new couples from the diversity of shops and establishments. Most of them are focused on their initial meetings with some wonderful happy-for-nows. But we also get a kind of epilogue for Jeremy and Stuart from Queens Crescent Book One, Christmas on Queens Crescent.
I enjoyed them all, as they all brought a smile to my face and were a wonderful way to immerse myself further into this world Kristian has created.
Whether you read them all together, or read them like an amuse-bouche to your other readings, you won’t be disappointed.
Wonderful short stories set in the Queens Crescent world
I've read all the Queens Crescent books and this is a delightful companion to the world of the glittering men of the Crescent and their ever-present watchdog and her sidekick. Nihal and Carl are my favourite couple of the series and I was so glad to catch another glimpse of them here. Actually, on reflection, scrap that; Mrs. W. and the Professor (not a couple) are definitely my favourite couple. Those two could carry a whole series on their own! The last story came full circle, featuring Jeremy and Stuart, the couple that kicked the series off and made for a very sweet ending for them. The first five short stories about businesses on Queens Parade were lovely, featuring men who badly needed someone to love them. They were beautifully written and all that a short story should be. Surprisingly, they were barely HFN endings, with each story being left at the point when the relationship had only really just begun, but I loved that. The greatest compliment I can pay Kristian is that each story was hopeful and each ending full of potential and promise. I actually think this is his best book yet.
There were several stories set in Queens Crescent, a luxurious neighborhood in London, where our characters find love, some characters we already know take another step in their relationship, and everyone has their happy ending, which is what I like to read.
Each of these stories was sweet, instalove (too much), but with the author's characteristic touch.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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Esta fue una buena lectura.
Fueron varias historias ambientadas en Queens Crescent, un barrio lujoso en Londres donde nuestros personajes encuentran el amor, algunos personajes que ya conocemos dan otro paso en su relación y todos tienen su final feliz que es lo que me gusta leer.
Cada uno de estas historias fueron dulces, instalove (demasiado) pero con el toque característico del autor.
Doesn't disappoint! This author makes an art of introducing us to complimentary couples who bring us on their love adventures. Great group of guys. Excellent stories demonstarating struggle, commitment, love, inclusivity and lots of fun. There are challenges, questions and decisions to maake. It makes you want to reread the stories of Queens Crescent and get to know the characters all over again. Sweet romantic stories. Excellent cover art! Well done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a great collection of short stories from some of the shops/businesses from Queens Parade the exclusive shopping district next to Queens crescent, we meet five new couples and story six is a bonus story from the original couple Jeremy and Stuart who kicked of the series, we also have cameo’s from some of the other couples and of course we couldn’t have stories from around Queens Crescent without Mrs Wimpole and the Professor. Well worth a read.
My first book by this author and I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. Based around shops and businesses from Queens Parade in London it features new couples in each book (except book six which primarily covers Jeremy and Stuart from the first book plus some of the other couples). Each story is well written with great word building, sweet with some spice.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have really enjoyed all of the novels/stories from Queens Crescent and this collection of stories was a nice return to the neighborhood reading experience. They are good and it was nice to meet some other people from the neighborhood as they were falling in love. I am glad that this is just volume one and am looking forward to another.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
4.5 stars. A lovely set of stories with a wide variety of characters. Each story has an excellent balance and has the right amount of plot and character development. They fit well into the main series. I'm looking forward to more. I received a complimentary copy of this book via Booksprout and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
I love these stories. It's such a wonderful companion series to the Queens Crescent stories, which I also love! They are so sweet, funny, well-written, and charming that I just can't get enough of them. This is a fantastic collection of short stories, and highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love the first volume of Stories from Queens Parade. I am a lover of the Queen Crescent Series. So, when this book of collected stories came up, I was excited to read them. I was not disappointed. I love every story in the book. Great read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This author and universe of stories were new to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the world and all the characters. Such sweet, heart-warming love stories. I am looking forward to reading more from this author and Queens Crescent.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is such a wonderful collection of short stories from the shops of Queens Crescent in the Queens Parade district. I loved every story here and can't wait to see more from this world.