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First Responders #2
The Anti-Social Season
Relationship Status: Doesn’t Get More Complicated Than This
In this offbeat holiday romantic comedy, an overworked firefighter turned social media coordinator and a librarian with an unrequited crush break a few rules in the company handbook…
For Thea Martinelli, burnout is real. After working as a firefighter for the Emergency Services Department over the last ten years, she can’t stomach any more close calls. Just when she’s ready to hang up the hose for good, she’s offered an out: stay on as the station’s new social media coordinator. It’s a move that would keep her on the squad and off the truck—if she makes it through the probation period.
Basically, she needs to learn everything there is to know about social media…fast.
Librarian and social media coordinator Simon Osman is shocked to learn his new responsibilities include showing Thea Martinelli—his high school crush—the ins and outs of digital engagement. And the fact that she doesn’t even remember him? Not helpful. Still, this could be his chance to finally turn his part-time role into something long-term.
But as the chaos of the holiday season unfolds, Thea and Simon find that the closer they work together, the hotter their attraction burns. Yet giving in to these feelings could mean giving up their careers. Are they willing to risk everything they’ve worked toward…for each other?
In this offbeat holiday romantic comedy, an overworked firefighter turned social media coordinator and a librarian with an unrequited crush break a few rules in the company handbook…
For Thea Martinelli, burnout is real. After working as a firefighter for the Emergency Services Department over the last ten years, she can’t stomach any more close calls. Just when she’s ready to hang up the hose for good, she’s offered an out: stay on as the station’s new social media coordinator. It’s a move that would keep her on the squad and off the truck—if she makes it through the probation period.
Basically, she needs to learn everything there is to know about social media…fast.
Librarian and social media coordinator Simon Osman is shocked to learn his new responsibilities include showing Thea Martinelli—his high school crush—the ins and outs of digital engagement. And the fact that she doesn’t even remember him? Not helpful. Still, this could be his chance to finally turn his part-time role into something long-term.
But as the chaos of the holiday season unfolds, Thea and Simon find that the closer they work together, the hotter their attraction burns. Yet giving in to these feelings could mean giving up their careers. Are they willing to risk everything they’ve worked toward…for each other?
261 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 22, 2024
64 people are currently reading
5716 people want to read
About the author
Adele Buck
14 books192 followersA New Hampshire native, Adele still has membership card number 430 from her hometown library even though she has lived in the D.C. area for over 20 years with her fantastic husband and the requisite number of melodramatic cats.
Having worked as (among other things): a bookseller, a server, a communications manager, an actor, and a stage manager, Adele is currently employed as a librarian at a Washington, D.C. law school.
To keep up with the latest, please sign up for her newsletter on adelebuck.com.
(Photo credit: Brian Adams PhotoGraphics)
Having worked as (among other things): a bookseller, a server, a communications manager, an actor, and a stage manager, Adele is currently employed as a librarian at a Washington, D.C. law school.
To keep up with the latest, please sign up for her newsletter on adelebuck.com.
(Photo credit: Brian Adams PhotoGraphics)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
October 22, 2024
A fun, steamy, grumpy x sunshine, dual POV holiday romance that sees male public Librarian, Simon giving social media lessons to Thea, a burnt out firefighter whose new job is to handle the First Responder's social media accounts.
While Simon deals with his demanding family who keep putting pressure on him to travel across the country for the holidays, he finds he'd much rather spend his time with Thea. What follows is a charming and spicy snowed in over the holidays romance that was good on audio.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and finished copy in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed this one a lot and would recommend to fans of authors like Tessa Bailey. I mean honestly who can resist a hot, nerdy male librarian lead??
While Simon deals with his demanding family who keep putting pressure on him to travel across the country for the holidays, he finds he'd much rather spend his time with Thea. What follows is a charming and spicy snowed in over the holidays romance that was good on audio.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and finished copy in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed this one a lot and would recommend to fans of authors like Tessa Bailey. I mean honestly who can resist a hot, nerdy male librarian lead??
September 25, 2024
I wanted to like this so much more than I did, which makes me sad. I liked the first book despite some minor issues and was looking forward to Thea's book, but it just felt a bit...flat.
Thea and Simon are perfectly nice people, and fairly cute together, but geez do they continuously get in their own way relationship-wise. They'd be getting along great, and then someone (could be one of them, could be someone on the outside) says or does something that one of them decides to take the wrong way and bam! we've got relationship troubles because someone is unexpectedly butthurt and not adult enough to discuss it with the other one. After some time apart, they finally decide to try again, have some dirty, dirty sex, and then the cycle starts all over again. It got exhausting, frankly. Twice I had to go back and figure out what they were even having a problem with, and honestly I'm still not sure I get what the issue was with one of the instances.
So...yeah. Kinda bummed I didn't like the librarian and the former firefighter romance more, because librarian! and firefighter! and I really did like Thea in the last book--but here she couldn't even be honest with her former work besties about why she changed jobs and that makes me sad.
Rating: 3 1/2 stars / B-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Thea and Simon are perfectly nice people, and fairly cute together, but geez do they continuously get in their own way relationship-wise. They'd be getting along great, and then someone (could be one of them, could be someone on the outside) says or does something that one of them decides to take the wrong way and bam! we've got relationship troubles because someone is unexpectedly butthurt and not adult enough to discuss it with the other one. After some time apart, they finally decide to try again, have some dirty, dirty sex, and then the cycle starts all over again. It got exhausting, frankly. Twice I had to go back and figure out what they were even having a problem with, and honestly I'm still not sure I get what the issue was with one of the instances.
So...yeah. Kinda bummed I didn't like the librarian and the former firefighter romance more, because librarian! and firefighter! and I really did like Thea in the last book--but here she couldn't even be honest with her former work besties about why she changed jobs and that makes me sad.
Rating: 3 1/2 stars / B-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
December 17, 2024
I'm not sure whether it was the third person perspective or the genuine awkwardness between the characters that made me dislike this book, but I had to DNF it at 40%. For a supposed festive read, the book really lacked any kind of Christmas/holiday feel. Though I wanted to relate to Simon and Thea (especially as a reader and a social media girlie), both were dull individuals who lacked any kind of romantic tension or chemistry. Additionally, I couldn't really see any sort of plot line forming and the chapters were arguably divided into ill-fitting sections. Perhaps the latter half of the book is stronger, but the first half didn't give me any good reason to stay to find out.
Many thanks to the publisher who provided me with an early copy of this book back in September, but this book simply wasn't for me.
Many thanks to the publisher who provided me with an early copy of this book back in September, but this book simply wasn't for me.
November 18, 2024
Mini Audiobook Review: 3.5 - Thank you so much to Harlequin for the gifted copy of the book!
I had not realized that this was a sequel when I received this book and I took a chance that this could be read as a stand alone and good news it could!
"Having big emotions isn’t just a little person thing though. It’s an every person thing. And our society is really bad about letting people know it’s okay. But it is."
I thought this was a cute book and let me tell you I don’t know why but I was not expecting it to be as spicy as it was! And I felt like it happened fairly quickly which made it feel relatable as oppose to other romances where there are dates and build up for it to happen. In this one it just seemed like they were working closely one day and bam suddenly they were flirty and touching.
I will say I thought it was fresh to see the female character be a firefighter and not only that but deal with the very real issue of burn out. I cannot imagine someone in that field and in this case Thea was one for 10 years, the stress and the fatigue of the job. It would take its toll on anyone. I was happy that the firehouse was able to find her a new position that should be less stress.
I primarily read this via audio. It was just over 7 hours which made it such a quick listen. Moniqua Plante did the narration and I thought she was perfectly fine.
I just didn’t feel super connected to the characters as much as I thought I would which is such a bummer!
I had not realized that this was a sequel when I received this book and I took a chance that this could be read as a stand alone and good news it could!
"Having big emotions isn’t just a little person thing though. It’s an every person thing. And our society is really bad about letting people know it’s okay. But it is."
I thought this was a cute book and let me tell you I don’t know why but I was not expecting it to be as spicy as it was! And I felt like it happened fairly quickly which made it feel relatable as oppose to other romances where there are dates and build up for it to happen. In this one it just seemed like they were working closely one day and bam suddenly they were flirty and touching.
I will say I thought it was fresh to see the female character be a firefighter and not only that but deal with the very real issue of burn out. I cannot imagine someone in that field and in this case Thea was one for 10 years, the stress and the fatigue of the job. It would take its toll on anyone. I was happy that the firehouse was able to find her a new position that should be less stress.
I primarily read this via audio. It was just over 7 hours which made it such a quick listen. Moniqua Plante did the narration and I thought she was perfectly fine.
I just didn’t feel super connected to the characters as much as I thought I would which is such a bummer!
February 3, 2025
So awful.
March 29, 2025
The Anti-Social Season by Adele Buck (2024)
First Responders #2
261-page Kindle Ebook story pages 6-252
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday > Christmas
Featuring: Series List, Firefighters, Librarians, Social Media, Workplace Setting, High School Crush, Library, Characters From Book 1, Italian Heritage, Family Dynamics, Thanksgiving, Winter Holidays - Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa; Opposites Attract Trope, Friends-to-Lovers Trope, Anxiety, Sex - Detailed, Emotionally Immature Older Sisters, Pizzelle, Social Media Managers, Workplace Prude/Grump, Excerpt from Lone Wolf in Lights by Stacey Kennedy
Rating as a movie: NC-17/X-XX depending on editing
Songs for the soundtrack: "Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee" by Stockard Channing, "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" by Bruce Springsteen
Books and Authors mentioned: Captain America Comics #1–73, Inferno Girl Red Book One #1 by Mat Groom, My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz, How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace, Grease by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz aka The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum (Lyman Frank Baum) - Oz #1, A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore [Twas the Night Before Christmas]
Memorable Quotes: “Oooh. You literally used literally as a non-intensifier? That’s hot.” Then, when she realized what had rocketed out of her mouth, her face went equally fiery.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½🚒📚💻🎄
My thoughts: 🔖Page 94 of 261 [Chapter] Ten- It's cute enough and sounds like it could be spicy.
🔖 236 [Chapter] Twenty-Six - I never finish in time, there always seems to be a phone call or Facebook scroll that eats away at my time forcing me to stop with a few chapters left.
It was a good story but parts seemed a bit too polished for my taste. The nice thing was the character from the first book, Sean, was present, and his LI is mentioned but there are no spoilers from their story, not even a hint other than her occupation.
Recommend to others: Yes. It's sweet and spicy with a dash of toxic drama.
First Responders
1. Fake Flame (2024)
2. The Anti-Social Season (2024)
3. This Road Trip's Got Only One Bed (2025)
First Responders #2
261-page Kindle Ebook story pages 6-252
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday > Christmas
Featuring: Series List, Firefighters, Librarians, Social Media, Workplace Setting, High School Crush, Library, Characters From Book 1, Italian Heritage, Family Dynamics, Thanksgiving, Winter Holidays - Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa; Opposites Attract Trope, Friends-to-Lovers Trope, Anxiety, Sex - Detailed, Emotionally Immature Older Sisters, Pizzelle, Social Media Managers, Workplace Prude/Grump, Excerpt from Lone Wolf in Lights by Stacey Kennedy
Rating as a movie: NC-17/X-XX depending on editing
Songs for the soundtrack: "Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee" by Stockard Channing, "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" by Bruce Springsteen
Books and Authors mentioned: Captain America Comics #1–73, Inferno Girl Red Book One #1 by Mat Groom, My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz, How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace, Grease by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz aka The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum (Lyman Frank Baum) - Oz #1, A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore [Twas the Night Before Christmas]
Memorable Quotes: “Oooh. You literally used literally as a non-intensifier? That’s hot.” Then, when she realized what had rocketed out of her mouth, her face went equally fiery.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½🚒📚💻🎄
My thoughts: 🔖Page 94 of 261 [Chapter] Ten- It's cute enough and sounds like it could be spicy.
🔖 236 [Chapter] Twenty-Six - I never finish in time, there always seems to be a phone call or Facebook scroll that eats away at my time forcing me to stop with a few chapters left.
It was a good story but parts seemed a bit too polished for my taste. The nice thing was the character from the first book, Sean, was present, and his LI is mentioned but there are no spoilers from their story, not even a hint other than her occupation.
Recommend to others: Yes. It's sweet and spicy with a dash of toxic drama.
First Responders
1. Fake Flame (2024)
2. The Anti-Social Season (2024)
3. This Road Trip's Got Only One Bed (2025)
December 9, 2025
the realest thing about this book is the public library worker having to do unpaid labor that’s outside of his job description
October 21, 2024
the christmas reads have begun and i regret nothing.
the anti-social season is a wonderfully festive & lovingly written story of second chances, workplace romance and opposites attract. i loved the dynamic of the male librarian & female first responder and found myself unable to put it down! — i read this over two days. perfect for anyone wanting to read something quick but meaningful. thank you to netgalley & mills and boon for an advanced reader copy of the anti-social season by adele buck. available from the 24th of October!
the anti-social season is a wonderfully festive & lovingly written story of second chances, workplace romance and opposites attract. i loved the dynamic of the male librarian & female first responder and found myself unable to put it down! — i read this over two days. perfect for anyone wanting to read something quick but meaningful. thank you to netgalley & mills and boon for an advanced reader copy of the anti-social season by adele buck. available from the 24th of October!
December 24, 2024
This was such a fun final festive read before the big day! I loved both the main characters, and the storyline was fast paced enough to be really engaging!
November 22, 2024
A Solid 3.5- a cute Christmas romance ❤️
November 19, 2024
Cute little book that I picked up on a Walmart run last week. Not exactly very Christmas-sy but the holidays and traditions are involved.
October 6, 2024
This was a very cute, very quick read that just happens to be set during the winter holidays. I liked how the MCs used their words and communicated their needs, especially after having a misunderstanding and then clearing the air. And communicating their bedroom needs as well. Honestly, there isn’t much more to the book than that, and that’s okay. Sweet, simple, and straightforward.
November 20, 2024
This was the cutest holiday romance!
Thea’s days as a firefighter are over, with anxiety and trauma forcing her out of the career she loved. But, the department has an offer for her: social media coordinator. Only she’s not much of a social media guru. But the county is hooking her up with a mentor who runs the library’s social media accounts.
Simon, the library social media director, can’t believe it when his mentee is none other than his high school crush who hardly gave him the time of day and doesn’t even remember him. Whatever. They’re both professionals and are here to do a job, right?
I LOVE Thea and Simon. Everything about them. They are awkward, adorable, genuine humans who could actually be real people. They don’t just smoothly sail into everything, but experience emotions and insecurities that are so relatable, and try to figure things out together. Simon and Thea find themselves sharing more than they ever had with other people, owning up to the past, and wanting to move forward together.
I just loved how this book felt real, low-drama, low-angst, and just so sweet. But even though the relationship and characters are super sweet, there’s some great spice too!
Highly recommend!
Rating: 4
Themes and Tropes: Workplace(ish), Christmas, Librarian MMC and Firefighter FMC, Proximity, Meddling Family
Steam: Low to Medium, a few open-door scenes
Thea’s days as a firefighter are over, with anxiety and trauma forcing her out of the career she loved. But, the department has an offer for her: social media coordinator. Only she’s not much of a social media guru. But the county is hooking her up with a mentor who runs the library’s social media accounts.
Simon, the library social media director, can’t believe it when his mentee is none other than his high school crush who hardly gave him the time of day and doesn’t even remember him. Whatever. They’re both professionals and are here to do a job, right?
I LOVE Thea and Simon. Everything about them. They are awkward, adorable, genuine humans who could actually be real people. They don’t just smoothly sail into everything, but experience emotions and insecurities that are so relatable, and try to figure things out together. Simon and Thea find themselves sharing more than they ever had with other people, owning up to the past, and wanting to move forward together.
I just loved how this book felt real, low-drama, low-angst, and just so sweet. But even though the relationship and characters are super sweet, there’s some great spice too!
Highly recommend!
Rating: 4
Themes and Tropes: Workplace(ish), Christmas, Librarian MMC and Firefighter FMC, Proximity, Meddling Family
Steam: Low to Medium, a few open-door scenes
October 7, 2024
Adele Buck's First Responders: Book 2 is a heartwarming story of second chances, moving on, and finding new beginnings. While it may not have fully connected with me, I can see how many readers will appreciate its feel-good tone and festive charm. This second installment in the series can easily be read as a standalone, though familiar faces from the first book make brief appearances.
Thea and Simon, the main characters, have a rocky start when it comes to communication, but their relationship evolves nicely as the story progresses. Their growing bond is well-paced, and watching them find their way to each other is enjoyable. Some readers may find the emphasis on their high school history adds depth to their connection, though for me, it felt a bit dominant over their present-day story.
That being said, this is a light, quick read perfect for the holiday season, and those who enjoy workplace romance, festive settings, and a touch of spice will likely find it delightful. If you're looking for a cosy and uplifting romance to enjoy over the holidays, this book is a great pick!
Thea and Simon, the main characters, have a rocky start when it comes to communication, but their relationship evolves nicely as the story progresses. Their growing bond is well-paced, and watching them find their way to each other is enjoyable. Some readers may find the emphasis on their high school history adds depth to their connection, though for me, it felt a bit dominant over their present-day story.
That being said, this is a light, quick read perfect for the holiday season, and those who enjoy workplace romance, festive settings, and a touch of spice will likely find it delightful. If you're looking for a cosy and uplifting romance to enjoy over the holidays, this book is a great pick!
December 15, 2025
2/5
A storyline that definitely had fun potential but was wrapped up in cliche's, stereotypical characters and very little Christmas. Granted I don't think the main character arguments were as petty as some books but Simon had some serious mood swings that made him insufferable, literally turning everything into big deal. The festivity itself felt shoved in at the last minute as a way to create some sort of character epiphany that they don't need to see their overbearing families but choose the person they started dating 2 weeks ago instead (you do you but they didnt even call their families until later on xmas day to say hey we arent coming anymore??????)
Most of the characters were annoyingly stereotypical: bitchy sisters, the observant and interfering old lady next door and the dibber dobber colleague. Both Thea and Simon had no friends (red flags) and Simon was internally outraged (again) about Thea's family not knowing what to buy her for xmas when he had known her for 2 days ... some serious flaws for me. Rant over.
A storyline that definitely had fun potential but was wrapped up in cliche's, stereotypical characters and very little Christmas. Granted I don't think the main character arguments were as petty as some books but Simon had some serious mood swings that made him insufferable, literally turning everything into big deal. The festivity itself felt shoved in at the last minute as a way to create some sort of character epiphany that they don't need to see their overbearing families but choose the person they started dating 2 weeks ago instead (you do you but they didnt even call their families until later on xmas day to say hey we arent coming anymore??????)
Most of the characters were annoyingly stereotypical: bitchy sisters, the observant and interfering old lady next door and the dibber dobber colleague. Both Thea and Simon had no friends (red flags) and Simon was internally outraged (again) about Thea's family not knowing what to buy her for xmas when he had known her for 2 days ... some serious flaws for me. Rant over.
December 8, 2024
So this wasn't the best start to my festive reads as I did really struggle to get through this book! 🫣 This book is essentially a dual POV and I have read a lot of books with this but this one was definitely written in a way I could not flow with! The POV switches throughout each chapter without any idea of this happening until you literally read the characters name within a sentence and this was something I struggled to follow, especially when tired and slumpy! 🥲
The actual premise of the book and the story line I enjoyed as it follows two characters who were once school friends and they meet again when the FMC starts a new job! I loved their relationship and I loved the book but unfortunately the writing style really knocked down the rating! 😕
That being said - if you can cope with that writing style then I would absolutely recommend this book - it is a cute festive read 🥰 with the right level of spice! 🌶
The actual premise of the book and the story line I enjoyed as it follows two characters who were once school friends and they meet again when the FMC starts a new job! I loved their relationship and I loved the book but unfortunately the writing style really knocked down the rating! 😕
That being said - if you can cope with that writing style then I would absolutely recommend this book - it is a cute festive read 🥰 with the right level of spice! 🌶
December 5, 2024
The anti-social season, not sure why is it even called like that since is not like any of them hated being social media managers. Maybe because the ML was a bit anti-social? Anyway, the story had a lot of potentital that sadly did not delivered, at least not for me. ML and FL have a lot of family issues, specially when it comes to their sister [which is also such a coincidence]. Because of that, and of the sexual chemistry these two had ever since they met [as adults], these two decided to get together.
The thing is....out of the two ML had SO many issues I just couldn't feel empathy for him. Like, if FL did so much emotional damage to you in highschool why were you in love with her and, still are pining for her? It was hard to read whenever he found her energy and bubbly personality too much for him- isn't that one of the qualities you liked? Even once, he flinched, got all defensive and felt she was laughing AT him [as she did in highschool] because she [by mistake] blew a little sugar onto his clothes!! Like what the hell? FL was always so sweet, thinking of him and trying to create special moments for them. Meanwhile, mr.asshole was thinking how much energy she has and he just couldn't keep with it, yet, the moment he saw her the feeling was gone and would take her even to bed.
On top of that the sex scenes were so odd. I could take shots for how many times I had to read how after they were done he had to go away to "deal with the condom". That first time they had sex was underwhelming. It felt as if they were back to being teenagers and, instead of learning quietly by observing, feeling and just the right amount of hush questions what the other person likes, ML decided to treat the whole thing as a "learning about you" experience with tons of questions, doing just a couple of random things to her instead of...you know...just making love to the goddamn woman you've been in love with for years!
I do appreciate the fact that the roles were reversed and everything that he said/went through as a librarian is SO very true, and as a librarian myself, I felt seen. I would have liked to see more interactions between FL and her old coworkers. It was also a bit hard to follow since it never says when it changes from one narrator to the other.
ML has too many unresolved issues from not "being seen" and felt he was bullied by his biggest crush [and not having her]. On top of him creating this whole idea of her that wasn't remotely true. I just hate the fact that he would think bad stuff about her and then treat her nice-so weirdly confusing!
Perhaps if this was edited a bit more it could have been better. Knowing when narrators change, having more fluff to the character development and story would have helped. Giving 3 starts because it's a short story to read during the holidays and, because I loved the interactions at the library.
The thing is....out of the two ML had SO many issues I just couldn't feel empathy for him. Like, if FL did so much emotional damage to you in highschool why were you in love with her and, still are pining for her? It was hard to read whenever he found her energy and bubbly personality too much for him- isn't that one of the qualities you liked? Even once, he flinched, got all defensive and felt she was laughing AT him [as she did in highschool] because she [by mistake] blew a little sugar onto his clothes!! Like what the hell? FL was always so sweet, thinking of him and trying to create special moments for them. Meanwhile, mr.asshole was thinking how much energy she has and he just couldn't keep with it, yet, the moment he saw her the feeling was gone and would take her even to bed.
On top of that the sex scenes were so odd. I could take shots for how many times I had to read how after they were done he had to go away to "deal with the condom". That first time they had sex was underwhelming. It felt as if they were back to being teenagers and, instead of learning quietly by observing, feeling and just the right amount of hush questions what the other person likes, ML decided to treat the whole thing as a "learning about you" experience with tons of questions, doing just a couple of random things to her instead of...you know...just making love to the goddamn woman you've been in love with for years!
I do appreciate the fact that the roles were reversed and everything that he said/went through as a librarian is SO very true, and as a librarian myself, I felt seen. I would have liked to see more interactions between FL and her old coworkers. It was also a bit hard to follow since it never says when it changes from one narrator to the other.
ML has too many unresolved issues from not "being seen" and felt he was bullied by his biggest crush [and not having her]. On top of him creating this whole idea of her that wasn't remotely true. I just hate the fact that he would think bad stuff about her and then treat her nice-so weirdly confusing!
Perhaps if this was edited a bit more it could have been better. Knowing when narrators change, having more fluff to the character development and story would have helped. Giving 3 starts because it's a short story to read during the holidays and, because I loved the interactions at the library.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2024
I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately it fell flat. 😔
It started really well. I loved the main characters, getting insights into their lives and personalities and, of course, when they meet each other for the first time “first” time however, it didn’t feel right how quickly they went from mere work colleagues to being very intimate.
And then there’s the miscommunication. Now I’m a fan of the this trope however their miscommunication was more like that of kids/teenagers than of adults. It was a little silly.
Also, I was expecting it to be more festive and so that lack of a Christmas feel let it down as well.
The spice was good even though it was spicer than I expected.
A cute, easy read so will happily check out more from Adele Buck.
It started really well. I loved the main characters, getting insights into their lives and personalities and, of course, when they meet each other for the first time “first” time however, it didn’t feel right how quickly they went from mere work colleagues to being very intimate.
And then there’s the miscommunication. Now I’m a fan of the this trope however their miscommunication was more like that of kids/teenagers than of adults. It was a little silly.
Also, I was expecting it to be more festive and so that lack of a Christmas feel let it down as well.
The spice was good even though it was spicer than I expected.
A cute, easy read so will happily check out more from Adele Buck.
December 18, 2024
Thea is a former firefighter who now runs the department’s social media account. Her holiday prep includes making Pizzelle and pasta. Simon is a librarian, had a crush on Thea in high school, and now has to train her in social media. His only holiday tradition includes appeasing his sister across the country.
This was a quick, fun read. I love their dynamic.
This was a quick, fun read. I love their dynamic.
December 1, 2024
This was cute but would have appreciated more spice. Like a hallmark movie in a book.
December 29, 2024
Simple but cute!
January 3, 2025
Probably 3.5
January 7, 2025
This one took me longer than it should’ve, and it was really missing the cozy Christmas vibes promised on the cover. The characters felt very one dimensional and not a lot happened plot-wise. A pretty easy read overall though.
January 10, 2025
I honestly don’t know why I finished this.
December 23, 2025
Really hoped I would enjoy this book, but other than the spice (which was fairly good), I just couldn’t get into the story or the characters.
December 17, 2024
Flat characters
Anticlimactic
Anticlimactic
January 19, 2025
2.5 stars
October 20, 2024
This book is the epitome of a holiday "hallmark" romance. I honestly think Adele Buck could pitch this storyline to Hallmark, and they'd probably love it. If you're a "here for the vibes" reader, this is a great holiday romance.
Thea and Simon are such a warm, feel-good holiday couple. What I mean by that is, while they are both growing as people throughout the story, the growth isn’t a mountainous hurtle. The two of them are just imperfect people learning to embrace themselves amidst transition and to find balance amongst changing life dynamics.
This story had some of my favorite tropes of forced proximity and he falls first. While I didn’t love some of the tension around their “past” and Simon’s feelings, I did appreciate how this added to the theme of accepting one another for who they are and who they’ve each become. I loved how they were able to compliment one another and show how their differences as people can be embraced and even celebrated with the right partner. Thea’s character did a great job of helping Simon feel seen and appreciated, and every scene where she did this gave me all the holiday romance warm fuzzies. Simon’s thoughtfulness and mindfulness was incredibly sweet and endearing, and he was exactly the type of person Thea needed in her life in this season.
The interactions and characters outside of Thea and Simon is underdeveloped. Thea overcoming her anxious aversion to her squad felt like a checked boxed, not a deep moment of reunion and acceptance. Thea’s relationships with her family members felt like points thrown in to drive the plot or to show how she can “relate” to Simon, rather than natural progression of the story. There was a consistent feeling of plug-and-chug in most of the story outside of Simon and Thea’s interactions. It made the whole story feel shallow overall. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing for me. I started reading this when I needed something light and fun, so I appreciated that this was a light and easy read, even if there wasn’t much depth.
My only true complaint is I wish the self-righteous Christian archetype in Mary-Pat’s character wasn’t so aggressive. There is so much hatred in the world, especially during an election year. I want an escape from the social discourse, not an aggressive representation of it in a story where most characters are underdeveloped. I loved the way Thea and Simon bonded during the drag queen story hour. If the author must make a statement, let that be it. Have Mary-Pat be a self-important, judgmental, annoying coworker, and remove the religious aspect. Keep the inclusivity and toss out the hatred. There is enough everywhere in the real world.
Overall, I still really enjoyed this book. I loved Thea and Simon’s progression. I loved the simple joy of two people growing together in a magical time of year. It was full of cliches in the best way, and I think most people who love holiday romances would enjoy this. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s still an enjoyable read for sure.
Thea and Simon are such a warm, feel-good holiday couple. What I mean by that is, while they are both growing as people throughout the story, the growth isn’t a mountainous hurtle. The two of them are just imperfect people learning to embrace themselves amidst transition and to find balance amongst changing life dynamics.
This story had some of my favorite tropes of forced proximity and he falls first. While I didn’t love some of the tension around their “past” and Simon’s feelings, I did appreciate how this added to the theme of accepting one another for who they are and who they’ve each become. I loved how they were able to compliment one another and show how their differences as people can be embraced and even celebrated with the right partner. Thea’s character did a great job of helping Simon feel seen and appreciated, and every scene where she did this gave me all the holiday romance warm fuzzies. Simon’s thoughtfulness and mindfulness was incredibly sweet and endearing, and he was exactly the type of person Thea needed in her life in this season.
The interactions and characters outside of Thea and Simon is underdeveloped. Thea overcoming her anxious aversion to her squad felt like a checked boxed, not a deep moment of reunion and acceptance. Thea’s relationships with her family members felt like points thrown in to drive the plot or to show how she can “relate” to Simon, rather than natural progression of the story. There was a consistent feeling of plug-and-chug in most of the story outside of Simon and Thea’s interactions. It made the whole story feel shallow overall. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing for me. I started reading this when I needed something light and fun, so I appreciated that this was a light and easy read, even if there wasn’t much depth.
My only true complaint is I wish the self-righteous Christian archetype in Mary-Pat’s character wasn’t so aggressive. There is so much hatred in the world, especially during an election year. I want an escape from the social discourse, not an aggressive representation of it in a story where most characters are underdeveloped. I loved the way Thea and Simon bonded during the drag queen story hour. If the author must make a statement, let that be it. Have Mary-Pat be a self-important, judgmental, annoying coworker, and remove the religious aspect. Keep the inclusivity and toss out the hatred. There is enough everywhere in the real world.
Overall, I still really enjoyed this book. I loved Thea and Simon’s progression. I loved the simple joy of two people growing together in a magical time of year. It was full of cliches in the best way, and I think most people who love holiday romances would enjoy this. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s still an enjoyable read for sure.
December 14, 2024
This was a perfect easy read, I found it perfect to read at night before bed. Thea’s character is your typical strong independent woman that doesn’t need a man, but of course meets the man of her dreams. I felt like they kept pushing the toxic family dynamic a bit much but overall an easy spicy festive read.
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