dermkat's Reviews (2.11k)

This was so wonderful! I don't have the same personal connection to it as the first one, but I still very much enjoyed the continuation of Christopher's story in his new life as a bakery owner. Since book one, he quit his job and opened a bakery in a small town in Wales. He's getting ready to close up for Christmas, to go see Haf and Kit, but it storms and the snow shuts down everything. The person who was going to rent his flat for the holiday manages to get there, though, so they have to share the space. Oh, and it turns out the man is his favorite American actor (but really Canadian)! They bicker, annoy each other, are eventually vulnerable with one another, and eventually it turns into more. It's open door but not very explicit. The best part for me was once again all the queer and disability rep! Christopher is embracing his bisexuality and briefly wonders if he's neurodivergent at one point, Nash is trans and has been publicly since he was a teen. I liked the way it was addressed directly, with care, at times and then not addressed at all other times because it was a simple fact of life. He also has a seizure disorder and the caretaking is beautiful. There's also a ton of care given regarding accessibility throughout the story, when multiple disabled side characters. It was so so good! 

This was a read in one evening Omegaverse, third and final in a series about a group of friends finding their packs. I read the other two earlier in the year and didn't remember a ton of details but knew I was looking forward to this third girl's story cuz she was fiesty. Elliot doesn't feel like a regular omega and doesn't want any of the expected omega things, so she's avoided deeper connections with the only men who have ever made her question that even a little: a pack of three alphas and her beta best friend slash assistant at work. They all end up sharing lodgings at a resort meant for romance (she was there for work) and slowly as she gets to know them all more she lets down her walls. There's the expected Omegaverse smut, but there were also some deep emotions because of her childhood emotional trauma that made her doubt her worth in the first place, which she does eventually get help for bit it's rough for a bit. There were two other omegas met in this book and it feels like they may get their own books as an offshoot if they haven't already (I need to look into that more). I wouldn't be surprised if it does happen since this author already connected this series to a previous one. Overall, exactly what I expected of it in a satisfying way, aside from the cover art not matching the character descriptions in a way that annoyed me. 

I knew I enjoyed this book the first time (or two?) I read it, but wanted to reread the first two before the third and final one comes out right away in January, and I'm glad I did because I liked it. I did audio this time and it was pretty good. It's vaguely Much Ado About Nothing inspired, and I kind of get it. Bea and James are set up by their friends after a meet disaster, and they decide to fake date to trick their friends and then dash their hopes (revenge). Of course, they fall in love. Bea's twin Juliet is dating James' roommate, which is how they meet, but he's not a great guy. The disability rep in this one is done well: Autism (the sensory aspects are relatable for sure) and anxiety. Time to read the next one and hope that Libby gets me the third right away. 

This one was interesting (positive)! It's reminiscent of th  movie The Santa Clause, but this time Santa doesn't die, is just injured and quits. And instead of one man/father, it's a couple who are in a bit of a marriage crisis. Patrick and Quinn haven't been married even a year yet but have been growing apart since they got engaged. Everything comes to a head Christmas Eve and they're spending the night in seperate rooms when all this goes down, they fill in for Santa and then are whisked to the North Pole. Pat is now Santa Patrick, and Quinn is the Merriest Mister (like First Mister but for Santa), and they start the year falling back in love and talking but then go a bit to their old ways and end up separating to save Christmas, wondering if they'll somehow find their way back to one another. It was cute but also sullen at times, full of Christmas cheer but also emotional, and delightfully queer while still realistic about how accepting (or not) society can be. As usual from this author, I liked but didn't love it. It actually had me questioning whether it would be a true romance by the end (it was but I didn't enjoy the discomfort) and the ends of the chapters often felt sudden and cut off. I'll still likely read more by this author in the future, and I'm glad I read this, but I did have a bit higher hopes for it. 

As with all of this author's books, I really enjoyed this. It felt like a real slice of life, one that a lot of people unfortunately think isn't worth being seen or existing, which is addressed in this book. Set in Florida, where the author themself grew up and there are so many harmful policies proposed and enacted to limit the rights and lives of trans and queer people (and anyone considered "other" to the people in power), the story is about a trans man coming home for the holidays for the first time in years because it's dangerous and uncomfortable but this year can't avoid it. He reunited with his first love, who is now divorced and dad to a precocious four year old girl. Eli and Nick bond again immediately and the feelings are there on both sides, which has Nick questioning whether he's as straight as he thought. There's family drama, racism to contend with as Nick is the first generation son of Asian immigrants, and big questions of the future. On one hand it felt like not a lot happened and it plodded along comfortably, but I know that not everyone would see it that way because so often trans and queer people don't get to see stories everyday stories with happy endings for people like them, so on the other a lot of important things happened and lives changed. I liked that mix of mundane and extraordinary, and I think we need more of it. I especially liked the way Nick doesn't land on a label for a long time, and the one he does chose for himself, as I found the "I don't know that it matters right now exactly what I am, I just know I'm not straight" aspect very relatable. 

Saw this in someone's recs for "more smut than plot" holiday romances and gave it a go. It's poly, kinky (make sure to read the author note at the beginning otherwise the content may appear different than it actually is), and very spicy. Was a quick read of a novella, had some snowed in, some lumberjacks, a husband and wife, and more. 

Ah yes, the infamous "anonymous" encounter between Sunny, Isaac, and Jack that was the build up to book three but was only ever referenced before now. As per usual, Jack and Sunny hate each other but are still into it (makes things fiesty) and Isaac is sad, hard up, and adventurous (with a side of: oh holy shit, why am I feeling things?!). Love the queer rep, MM action, and the glimpse of the connection we get between Sunny and Isaac pre their book.

Now with Winnie and Kallum on their honeymoon, it's an enjoyable mix of worrying about their baby, Grace (and their two woefully unprepared and concerned friends Nolan and Bee who are watching her for only one night), and spice. They try something new they've been working up to, there's toys, a biological need turned sexy, and more. I loved the mention of her post baby body stretch marks and that in order to physically make something work she has to get a stool because he's so big and tall (love MMC fat rep!).

This was primarily a spicy (with a little romance) return to Christmas Notch with Bee and Nolan from book one. Edging, toys for her and him, greenhouse, skating rink. A fun bonus short story I hadn't read before. 

This one is right on the line of not quite enough pages to be a novella even though the one I read just before us only three more pages. It's been called a short story but is technically a novelette, and is by Fredrik Backman, and was the free Amazon Reads story for November. I started it then, but his usual dry, snarky, witty style (which I used to love) has gotten harder did me to focus on so I read it in short spurts, left if alone for a while, then finally powered through the end. Very much a ridiculous story where not much happens but a lot is said (not in a bad way, just not for me right now). I'm sure people who love him will have enjoyed it.