Susan

“Elliott, all I could ever want… is you.”

This (new?) author duo really knows how to write. Every emotion just came to life in this heartwarming story.

This is a sweet and fluffy holiday read with some angst sprinkled in, but not too much (for those of us who dislike relationship angst).

Bennet Ashby, Ash, is your typical spoiled rich kid (he is in his early twenties, but hasn’t worked a day in his life). He parties like there is no tomorrow and loves to get into trouble. His father has had enough of his antics and orders Ash to work at their department store, Ashby’s, for the duration of the holidays. He is to be the new Santa, since the old one has had a stroke and is still recovering.

Since no one can recognize Ash, he is to dye his hair, wear contacts and go by the name of Ben.

When Ash arrives at Ashby’s he is prepared to hate everything. But he isn’t prepared to actually like the people working the “North Pole” with such holiday cheer. He especially likes sweet, but shy Elliot.

Elliot loves Christmas and he loves dressing up every year and making the little kids happy. He goes out of his way to help the new Santa when it looks like the new guy is kind of a Grinch. But it is soon clear that Ben is actually quite sweet.

Ash has no idea what to do with all the kindness he receives from the people working at Ashby’s, but he isn’t going to question it, he just goes with it. He tries his best to make friends, especially with cute Elliot..

These guys were really adorable together. I loved how playboy Ash just melted whenever he was with Elliot. He was just a sweet cuddly teddy bear inside. He was so sweet and patient with virgin Elliot. They were perfect together.

What made this book stand out for me were the little romantic things sprinkled throughout the story. Little things they said to each other, or small thing they did. Like Ash buying Elliot an ugly Christmas sweater so that they’d match. How adorable is that!

And that epilogue! That was just to die for! So romantic.

My one complaint is really on me and has little to with the book. You could feel the big reveal and resulting angst coming a mile away and I was a bit too nervous about it to give this 5 stars. But I do have to say, the angst was very minimal and the scene where everything is resolved was VERY romantic. So it was more the build-up to it that made me nervous and therefore I’m okay with giving this 4 stars.

The writing in this had a very nice pace. The relationship development felt real and not rushed, neither was it drawn out too long. These writers have a talent for bringing emotion to every page.

Definitely a holiday read worth reading.