Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow in Kindle Unlimited
Length: 53,000 words approx.
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
Blurb
Two clashing colleagues stuck together for Christmas—will opposites eventually attract?
Patrick has been single since he broke up with his cheating ex almost a year ago. With Christmas looming, he’s resigned to spending it alone with only memories of happier times for company. When a business trip with a co-worker leaves them stranded in the Lake District due to heavy snow, it seems Patrick will have company for Christmas after all. It’s a shame his companion is Kyle, who’s undeniably attractive, but annoying as hell.
Aware of Patrick’s reluctant admiration, Kyle basks in the attention even though Patrick isn’t the type of man he normally goes for. Averse to relationships after being hurt in the past, Kyle enjoys the occasional hook up, but has given up on seeking anything more meaningful.
Stuck together, their antagonism escalates along with a heavy dose of sexual tension until it finally ignites. What starts as a Christmas fling soon feels like something special; but will their tentative connection melt away as the snow thaws? If they’re going to take a chance on finding happiness together, they’ll have to put their differences aside and learn to trust one another.
Contains: enemies-to-lovers, snowball fights, bickering, spanking, a cute dog, a wise old lady, mistletoe, and a happy ending (of course).
3 of 5 Stars
This book was just ok for me which is why it got the 3 star rating – right in the middle. It took me longer to read it than it should have…it was hard for me to get into because I didn’t really connect with the characters at first.
I don’t like starting my reviews with what I didn’t like so I will say that when Kyle and Patrick put all their nonsense away and were just together…they worked. I loved the relationship they forged with Mrs. Wilcox and Dex was a great character! Their sexual chemistry was off the charts hot!
Unfortunately, when I have issues in a book they seem to sort of take over and I have more to say about them so I’ve listed my them below.
– Kyle was very unlikeable to me through most of the book. Once I understood where the attitude was coming from I sympathized a bit but he really rubbed me the wrong way.
– The segue into their first sex scene was…awkward and a bit unbelievable to me.
– There was the perfect setup for a D/s relationship but it never fully developed. Kyle wanted Patrick to make decisions. Kyle was a scattered mess in his head and was only quieted when Patrick took over. Kyle wanted someone to take care of him and loved it when Patrick took control and became domineering. Patrick noticed the stern voice got a reaction out of Kyle and used it a couple of times but it was sloughed off with a teasing grin or an amused look. It never escalated beyond the spanking. That should have been developed or left out.
– The pacing of the book felt off…I know it is a novella but the story seemed rushed. We thankfully didn’t have insta-love but outside of the 3-4 days they were stranded together, the development of their relationship happened off page and we got a summary of ‘where they are now’ eight months later in the epilogue.
If you are a fan of enemies to lovers, this is probably more your speed than mine and you’ll probably love it.
Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.
One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.
Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has been published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are also available as audiobooks.
Website: https://jaynorthcote.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jay_Northcote
Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotewriter
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotefiction
Facebook author group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jaysplayground
Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/JN-readers
Jay’s books: http://author.to/JayNorthcote
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