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The Elven Days of Christmas
Piper MacLean’s Christmas is a ho-ho-horror show, but she’s used to all that by now, five years into becoming the de facto matriarch of the family, if still single and childless much to everyone else’s chagrin. But she does have one indulgence every year: finding the perfect Christmas tree.
While searching the national forest, Piper is led to a beautiful spruce by way of magic. Well, not actual magic—magic, of course, doesn’t exist—but it sure feels magical when she hears the voice of her deceased mother floating on the wintery winds, telling her just which tree to chop.
Unfortunately, that very tree actually is quite magical, and accounting for it is the last task that half-elf Kol needs to complete before turning in his annual reports to the Elven Perennial Association. When he discovers the pilfered spruce, he simultaneously finds that the only way to return order to the forest is to endure a human holiday alongside a grumpy and overburdened woman who does not want him around.
While searching the national forest, Piper is led to a beautiful spruce by way of magic. Well, not actual magic—magic, of course, doesn’t exist—but it sure feels magical when she hears the voice of her deceased mother floating on the wintery winds, telling her just which tree to chop.
Unfortunately, that very tree actually is quite magical, and accounting for it is the last task that half-elf Kol needs to complete before turning in his annual reports to the Elven Perennial Association. When he discovers the pilfered spruce, he simultaneously finds that the only way to return order to the forest is to endure a human holiday alongside a grumpy and overburdened woman who does not want him around.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2023
207 people are currently reading
2239 people want to read
About the author
A.K. Caggiano
23 books1,796 followersAshley is an indie author who likes to write silly little stories that hopefully bring readers joy. She likes cats, guacamole, feminism, and the internet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 487 reviews
December 11, 2024
fake dating with an elf? ✔️
grumpy fmc? ✔️
cozy christmas vibe?✔️
one bed?✔️🤭
i don’t advise eldest daughters or people pleasers to read this because it might be triggering✋🏻😔 i’m neither of these but her family annoyed me so many times and i felt sad for her
it was absolutely cuuuuuute fluffy sweet sugary cozy and everything!!💝🩷🥰 definitely recommend if you’re looking for a christmas read with fantasy elements <3
grumpy fmc? ✔️
cozy christmas vibe?✔️
one bed?✔️🤭
i don’t advise eldest daughters or people pleasers to read this because it might be triggering✋🏻😔 i’m neither of these but her family annoyed me so many times and i felt sad for her
it was absolutely cuuuuuute fluffy sweet sugary cozy and everything!!💝🩷🥰 definitely recommend if you’re looking for a christmas read with fantasy elements <3
November 24, 2024
this was a fluffy, feel-good, fantasy holiday romance that gave me exactly what i wanted. it had fake dating, hurt/comfort, one bed, slowburn, a gag with elf on a shelf, a little magic, and lots of laughs and sexual tension.
fmc learns to deal w some familial grief and cut herself some slack for her control/provider tendencies and mmc learns to open himself up.
ak caggiano always writes relationships that i enjoy that have organic chemistry and a fun journey to a happy ever after.
fmc learns to deal w some familial grief and cut herself some slack for her control/provider tendencies and mmc learns to open himself up.
ak caggiano always writes relationships that i enjoy that have organic chemistry and a fun journey to a happy ever after.
January 12, 2025
Like other reviewers, I enjoyed the humor and fluffiness of this paranormal, holiday romance. The magic is strong, in the literal sense and the Christmas way. There are deeper themes too, addressing loss and characters’ places in their own lives though. I’ll also stress that the grief and need to try and fill in for her mother the FMC still experiences had me reaching for tissues so please be mindful of those triggers if parental loss is a hard one for you.
Written in third person, dual POV (with an occasional acknowledgement of the author’s presence, which I never like). No ow/om drama and both are experienced (it’s been a looooong time for the h and the H has been celibate for some months, however he was considered a novelty being a half-elf so multiple references that are quite sad to him filling nights with other bodies).
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Fake relationship (to save a magical tree y’all)
☆ Hurt/comfort
☆ Magical wildlife running amok
☆ Slow burn
☆ It takes time to talk about feelings
Piper (h) and Kol (H) have a meet-fight over a tree that Piper felt led to cut down for Christmas in what turns out to have been an enchanted grove. Piper’s human and Kol’s half elf/half human, but all responsible for the numbers in that grove. When Piper’s family pops up during said fight, there’s suddenly a fake relationship so that Piper can keep the tree temporarily and Kol can keep it alive before returning it. There’s grumpiness and friction to start, but it melts quickly since these two were actual precious sweethearts.
It was hard to see how both too often focused on what they were doing wrong or how they weren’t meeting familial expectations. They also tried to shove down those parts of themselves that made them uncomfortable. But thankfully Piper and Kol saw value in each other and showed it. Kol was welcomed and made to feel a part of Piper’s family. The grocery store trip where she grabbed all the human things he’d loved as a child melted my heart. One of the ways Kol tried to correct Piper’s family’s ingratitude for her was hilarious and frankly terrifying since I’ve never trusted those creepy dolls. But he also was quick to push her to care for herself when she was caring for literally everyone else.
The writing style wasn’t always for me but the humor was wonderful and I did love the characters. A couple of cute animal side kicks made my heart esp happy and many family antics, good and frustrating, gave this such a warm, relatable feel. I wanted more of Kol’s mother honestly and how well-written that scene was. The feelings felt quick to develop (esp since this takes place over a handful of days) but the physical side isn’t immediate given they’re otal strangers faking it at first, also surrounded by her family, and Kol has those emotional pitfalls surrounding being considered a good time for a short time. There are steamy scenes though, only one full act that wasn’t as explicit as the partials before it I thought.
My heart hurt for these two in several places but Piper did speak up for herself with her family, Kol does see that he can fit in somewhere, and the ending is very adorable and HFN (to me anyway, others would consider this HEA). It’s a jump ahead a couple of seasons later, they’re living together, Piper gets a new job that I wanted to see on page, and they’re happily in love. I’ve had this author on my radar to try for a bit and this was a great intro to their writing style and character development. Not to mention just a fun way to experience a different magical premise, lovely characters, and the holiday spirit. Also, the tree lives.
Written in third person, dual POV (with an occasional acknowledgement of the author’s presence, which I never like). No ow/om drama and both are experienced (it’s been a looooong time for the h and the H has been celibate for some months, however he was considered a novelty being a half-elf so multiple references that are quite sad to him filling nights with other bodies).
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Fake relationship (to save a magical tree y’all)
☆ Hurt/comfort
☆ Magical wildlife running amok
☆ Slow burn
☆ It takes time to talk about feelings
Piper (h) and Kol (H) have a meet-fight over a tree that Piper felt led to cut down for Christmas in what turns out to have been an enchanted grove. Piper’s human and Kol’s half elf/half human, but all responsible for the numbers in that grove. When Piper’s family pops up during said fight, there’s suddenly a fake relationship so that Piper can keep the tree temporarily and Kol can keep it alive before returning it. There’s grumpiness and friction to start, but it melts quickly since these two were actual precious sweethearts.
It was hard to see how both too often focused on what they were doing wrong or how they weren’t meeting familial expectations. They also tried to shove down those parts of themselves that made them uncomfortable. But thankfully Piper and Kol saw value in each other and showed it. Kol was welcomed and made to feel a part of Piper’s family. The grocery store trip where she grabbed all the human things he’d loved as a child melted my heart. One of the ways Kol tried to correct Piper’s family’s ingratitude for her was hilarious and frankly terrifying since I’ve never trusted those creepy dolls. But he also was quick to push her to care for herself when she was caring for literally everyone else.
The writing style wasn’t always for me but the humor was wonderful and I did love the characters. A couple of cute animal side kicks made my heart esp happy and many family antics, good and frustrating, gave this such a warm, relatable feel. I wanted more of Kol’s mother honestly and how well-written that scene was. The feelings felt quick to develop (esp since this takes place over a handful of days) but the physical side isn’t immediate given they’re otal strangers faking it at first, also surrounded by her family, and Kol has those emotional pitfalls surrounding being considered a good time for a short time. There are steamy scenes though, only one full act that wasn’t as explicit as the partials before it I thought.
My heart hurt for these two in several places but Piper did speak up for herself with her family, Kol does see that he can fit in somewhere, and the ending is very adorable and HFN (to me anyway, others would consider this HEA). It’s a jump ahead a couple of seasons later, they’re living together, Piper gets a new job that I wanted to see on page, and they’re happily in love. I’ve had this author on my radar to try for a bit and this was a great intro to their writing style and character development. Not to mention just a fun way to experience a different magical premise, lovely characters, and the holiday spirit. Also, the tree lives.
November 24, 2024
"... love and intention must both come with action or neither matter."
The audio adaptation came out on Nov 19, 24!
The audio adaptation came out on Nov 19, 24!
August 7, 2024
decided to read this in the beginning of august with no regrets because i missed a.k. caggiano's writing.
this was such a cute and fun holiday story and it checked off all the boxes for me. the main character's whole dilemma over the 7,000 year old tree was so entertaining and fresh. kol being an elf (not a christmas elf) with his checklist and trinkets and piper just being a girl trying to overcome all these obstacles such as grief and trying to allow herself the rest she needs, etc. like everything just felt so natural as the story continued and their relationship blossomed into something beautiful.
gonna bundle up in a blanket with a warm cup of tea and just reread this again when it gets cooler out sounds ideal to me.
also this helped fix my reading slump i've had for months so i'm sending all the flowers to the author. <3
this was such a cute and fun holiday story and it checked off all the boxes for me. the main character's whole dilemma over the 7,000 year old tree was so entertaining and fresh. kol being an elf (not a christmas elf) with his checklist and trinkets and piper just being a girl trying to overcome all these obstacles such as grief and trying to allow herself the rest she needs, etc. like everything just felt so natural as the story continued and their relationship blossomed into something beautiful.
gonna bundle up in a blanket with a warm cup of tea and just reread this again when it gets cooler out sounds ideal to me.
also this helped fix my reading slump i've had for months so i'm sending all the flowers to the author. <3
December 18, 2024
Piper was the grumpy eldest child who wanted to make everything perfect for the holidays. I loved how authentic she was - driven to distraction with the minutiae of the holidays and so emotionally constipated because she hadn’t dealt with the death of her mother. Kol had buckets of his own issues and wasn’t the cheeriest soul either. Their fake dating arrangement for the sake of a Christmas tree may be the most creative I’ve seen yet. It was cozy, sweet, and HEA
Spice: 2/5
Triggers: animal attack (no ones really hurt), abduction by sentient animal, grief from death of parent, social isolation, discussion of estrangement from parent
Spice: 2/5
Triggers: animal attack (no ones really hurt), abduction by sentient animal, grief from death of parent, social isolation, discussion of estrangement from parent
December 16, 2025
3.5/5 rounding up
I'll be the first to admit, Christmas isn't really my thing and I'm a bit of a Grinch. Reading about an over worked woman trying to make the holidays perfect and special for her family while not getting a speck of help from anyone, was just soooo on the nose. And really poked a sore spot in me. It actually made me very sad.
Thank god Piper had Kol to make things better for her. He was honestly so freaking sweet and cute. And he made her very happy.
Cute enough little holiday book. Good vibes and even got me a little into the holiday spirit 🌲🎁💕📖
I'll be the first to admit, Christmas isn't really my thing and I'm a bit of a Grinch. Reading about an over worked woman trying to make the holidays perfect and special for her family while not getting a speck of help from anyone, was just soooo on the nose. And really poked a sore spot in me. It actually made me very sad.
Thank god Piper had Kol to make things better for her. He was honestly so freaking sweet and cute. And he made her very happy.
Cute enough little holiday book. Good vibes and even got me a little into the holiday spirit 🌲🎁💕📖
February 5, 2024
I'd give it 2.6 stars. Piper's family is absolutely insufferable and unfortunately that singular fact is approximately 40% of the book's content. I mean really, who tf shoves used burger wrappers between couch cushions year after year? And what type of FMC repeatedly doesn't call them out on it? A pushover, that's who. -.-
Our FMC is a hyper-planner incapable of handling the grief and the void left from her dead mother, coping by obsessing with being the perfect hostess who anticipates and meets everyone's needs, despite having mentioned going to therapy for the grief. (You need a new therapist, honey.)
She hosts about 16 people for ~1.5 weeks for Xmas every year and none of them know the phrase 'Thank you'. Even when they literally draw blood, she doesn't speak up for herself. This is the majority of her "character development" - finally snapping and standing up for herself after 5 YEARS of being treated like crap (and honestly bringing it upon herself).
The first 20% of the book is just body after body chaotically arriving at the house; None of these characters matter but they get soooo much screen time. 😭 The first quarter of the book was a slog. It also never answered why her brother is such a massive jerk to Kol, btw. Preston, the brother, had no redeeming qualities despite his animosity and name being mentioned time and again.
Kol's inner monologue was entertaining as we actually got to see inside his head every now and then and my god, does this guy have enough personality to make up for the lack of Piper's. He was a fun character though he definitely gave me emotional whiplash more than once. His world and part of the story was pretty cool tbh. This saved the book for me.
I see the author trying to break the 4th wall in a Pratchett-esque type of way but it only served to confuse me as to who tf was actually 'narrating' each chapter. This book is cute but way too chaotic to be cozy imo. I won't read it again and as great as the covers are, I'm not impressed enough to check out any of this author's other novels. I don't recommend it if you can't stand one-dimensional, martyring FMC's.
Our FMC is a hyper-planner incapable of handling the grief and the void left from her dead mother, coping by obsessing with being the perfect hostess who anticipates and meets everyone's needs, despite having mentioned going to therapy for the grief. (You need a new therapist, honey.)
She hosts about 16 people for ~1.5 weeks for Xmas every year and none of them know the phrase 'Thank you'. Even when they literally draw blood, she doesn't speak up for herself. This is the majority of her "character development" - finally snapping and standing up for herself after 5 YEARS of being treated like crap (and honestly bringing it upon herself).
The first 20% of the book is just body after body chaotically arriving at the house; None of these characters matter but they get soooo much screen time. 😭 The first quarter of the book was a slog. It also never answered why her brother is such a massive jerk to Kol, btw. Preston, the brother, had no redeeming qualities despite his animosity and name being mentioned time and again.
Kol's inner monologue was entertaining as we actually got to see inside his head every now and then and my god, does this guy have enough personality to make up for the lack of Piper's. He was a fun character though he definitely gave me emotional whiplash more than once. His world and part of the story was pretty cool tbh. This saved the book for me.
I see the author trying to break the 4th wall in a Pratchett-esque type of way but it only served to confuse me as to who tf was actually 'narrating' each chapter. This book is cute but way too chaotic to be cozy imo. I won't read it again and as great as the covers are, I'm not impressed enough to check out any of this author's other novels. I don't recommend it if you can't stand one-dimensional, martyring FMC's.
January 6, 2024
This was hands down my FAVORITE holiday read of the season! From the magic to the fake dating trope it was the perfect Holiday read that wasn’t over the top, but gave me all the Christmas vibes! It was laugh out loud funny, and I loved the crazy family antics. I loved that that the male main character could talk to animals, and that the female main character was so relaxed about discovering he was an elf with magic, and that she’d actually accidentally cut down a 7000-year-old tree. This is going to be a story that I reread every holiday season. I loved it so much. It has the perfect amount of romantic tension and spice at the end. I highly recommend you check out the Elven days of Christmas.
December 2, 2025
A cute festive read.
December 17, 2025
3.75 stars
Just a girl who cuts down the wrong Christmas tree and the hot half-elf who has to fake date her during the holiday season to get his magic tree back. What more could you want out of a fantasy holiday romcom?
Will I remember much of this book in a few weeks? Probably not.
Did I still have a delightful time listening to it? Oh yes, I sure did.
Piper and Kol were just entirely too wholesome together, and I honestly wished we had gotten more time just developing their romantic feelings for each other instead of focusing so much on Piper's absolutely insufferable family. Still, the banter was bantering and the vibes were vibing, so I can't really complain too much. I also really enjoyed the cheeky moments where the author breaks the fourth wall and directly comments on a plot beat or character decision, even if it sometimes broke my immersion a bit.
The Villains & Virtues series was already on my TBR, but this definitely bumped it up even higher because Caggiano's writing just tickles my brain. Would recommend The Elven Days of Christmas if you are in the mood for a short festive read that is cozy, cute, magical, fun, and just a little freaky.
Just a girl who cuts down the wrong Christmas tree and the hot half-elf who has to fake date her during the holiday season to get his magic tree back. What more could you want out of a fantasy holiday romcom?
Will I remember much of this book in a few weeks? Probably not.
Did I still have a delightful time listening to it? Oh yes, I sure did.
Piper and Kol were just entirely too wholesome together, and I honestly wished we had gotten more time just developing their romantic feelings for each other instead of focusing so much on Piper's absolutely insufferable family. Still, the banter was bantering and the vibes were vibing, so I can't really complain too much. I also really enjoyed the cheeky moments where the author breaks the fourth wall and directly comments on a plot beat or character decision, even if it sometimes broke my immersion a bit.
The Villains & Virtues series was already on my TBR, but this definitely bumped it up even higher because Caggiano's writing just tickles my brain. Would recommend The Elven Days of Christmas if you are in the mood for a short festive read that is cozy, cute, magical, fun, and just a little freaky.
December 27, 2024
3.5 stars - I picked this up for a quick, mindless, cozy, festive read. While it was fun, unserious, and festive, it felt a little toooo long for a book that was just vibes no plot. I also found it hard to root for the FMC, she was such a pushover and had an awful family yet she kept going above and beyond for them. The MMC, a half elf half human lol, eventually gets her to see her self worth and stand up for herself, but it made it hard to connect with her character. Not bad overall and it was entertaining enough.
December 22, 2025
täydellinen joulukirja. magic, Christmas vibes, fake dating, forced proximity, hurt/comfort. sopii myös jos joulu herättää vaikeita tunteita
December 15, 2024
I'm usually not one for christmas romcoms but this one happened to catch my eye randomly and I'm glad it did because I really liked it - it was both funny and emotional.
It's everything you'd expect from a lighthearted christmas fantasy-romcom, I have no complaints 🙌🏻 As someone who stresses to constantly have everything under control, I related to Piper so much. Kol was really funny and I loved their relationship dynamic.
I'd definitely recommend this one for the cosy season when you just want to turn your brain off and read something cute and fun.
It's everything you'd expect from a lighthearted christmas fantasy-romcom, I have no complaints 🙌🏻 As someone who stresses to constantly have everything under control, I related to Piper so much. Kol was really funny and I loved their relationship dynamic.
I'd definitely recommend this one for the cosy season when you just want to turn your brain off and read something cute and fun.
January 6, 2024
3.75⭐️ I know Christmas is over but this was perfect for my reading slump. It was funny and sweet and the main couple were *chefs kiss* 💫
March 21, 2024
I just love Kol to bits. And anyone who's ever felt like they needed to be perfect for their family will definitely relate to Piper. The chemistry between them was just so good.
December 1, 2024
It's kind of weird, like a children's fairy tale crossed with Fifty shades of grey - or what I imagine Fifty shades is like. The plot though is fairly interesting, enough so to just secure three stars.
December 6, 2025
this was so silly and cute and sexy i had a fun time reading and will def be checking out more from this author!
December 19, 2025
Where can I find a half-elf to help me recover from my chronic people pleasing tendencies?
Also the demonic elf on a shelf scene, perfection. I will forever read whatever Caggiano writes.
Also the demonic elf on a shelf scene, perfection. I will forever read whatever Caggiano writes.
December 14, 2024
perfect Christmas story
This was such a good Christmas story! I loved the characters, the humor and the story. This was my first by AK Caggiano, but I’ve already bought the first three books of Villains and Virtues to read next.
This was such a good Christmas story! I loved the characters, the humor and the story. This was my first by AK Caggiano, but I’ve already bought the first three books of Villains and Virtues to read next.
December 22, 2024
I loved it, so fricken cute and festive and funny. I will read literally anything by A.K. Caggiano at this point, nobody does quirky fun romance fantasy quite like her.
Literal perfection
Literal perfection
did-not-finish
December 31, 2023DNF @ 12%
I don't think my body could recover from the cringe that was this book's first chunk of dialogue when the FMC encounters the MMC for the first time. Maybe I'll try the author's other books cause they seem fun, but this one.... woof
I don't think my body could recover from the cringe that was this book's first chunk of dialogue when the FMC encounters the MMC for the first time. Maybe I'll try the author's other books cause they seem fun, but this one.... woof
December 19, 2025
This was a REALLY cute Christmas romance :) Pretty much exactly what I was hoping for. Do they fall in love too fast? Of course. Is there hot chocolate and gift exchanges? Of course. Is there tree striding and evil hell geese? Obviously.
Piper is a Virgo with a Gigantic Capital V (when he guessed her birthday and she had THE SAME BIRTHDAY AS ME, I shrieked!). She is a planner, and this is going to be the PERFECT Christmas. The perfect decorations, the perfect activities, the perfect food. The perfect Christmas tree. What happens when that perfect Christmas tree happens to be a seven thousand year old magic fairy tree? And what happens when an outsider half-elf (not the Christmas kind!!!) has to keep track of said tree for his job?
Well OBVIOUSLY they have to fake date!
Obviously.
So now Kol gets to join this high strung perfectionist for her family holiday and hopefully be the gift to each other that they desperately needed after season after season of giving to others.
Spoilers:
There were a lot of cute Christmasy moments, and I really enjoyed seeing them be the healing that the other needed. Watching Piper learn to let go and let others take charge (in some steamy spicey scenes also for that matter.), and Kol learning that he is not just some token experience and that he has real value and is someone that someone might actually want to stick around!
I loved the little Christmas village and the carousel. I loved her crash out after getting the Nutcracker dates wrong (WHAT A NIGHTMARE OMG). I loved them dragging each other upstairs shamelessly. I loved them having great experiences with each others' parents. I loved the Hell Geese hahahahhahaha
I liked when she is making fun of him for her being his first hand hold or first kiss and he just grabs her arms, pins them above her head and leans into her like, "does this seem like it's my first time" and she is just MEGA flustered. heeheehee.
He put a lot of emphasis on her needing to allow others to do things for her, and really became a strong "giver" for her, but then it became clear that he seems to have a past where he was never allowed to really be just a receiver himself, so I'm glad she also forced that upon him (forced, positively). They were good for each other.
This book was exactly what it was supposed to be, and if this is the kind of book you are looking for- cozy romance with great fantasy and Christmas vibes, characters with good chemistry and non-cringy sex scenes.
December 31, 2025
Damn, I didn't go into this book expecting it to be so relatable and so gut-wrenching at moments. I expected a silly little Christmas story with a healthy dose of Caggiano's humor. And it is that, mostly - but it is filled with genuine emotions and moments that caught me completely off-guard. What a book to end the year with!
The book is rather short - just 240 pages - so the romance and the plot are quite fast-paced. However, the chemistry between Kol and Piper is tangible from the beginning, and their gentle affection and developing relationship felt so organic.
I didn't expect to relate to Piper as much as I did sometimes. Although our predicaments laregly differ, I understood her need of control, of making sure everyone is happy and feeling responsible for everyone involved except for herself. She is such a well-written, charming character.
Kol also has a lot going on for him, and I loved how the auhtor fed us bits and pieces of his backstory. His mixed heritage isn't really that major to the plot itself, but it reflects in his character and navigating the story's world. Just like Piper, he's a very gentle and caring character. Despite his mischeviousness, he was a nice change from the shadow daddy type of characters (I love them, don't get me wrong, but Kol benefited so much from just being confused and lost but genuinely meaning well for everyone).
My biggest issues with the story are basically the same as with every contemporary paranormal romance - the slang and pop-culture references tend to put me out of the story and break immersion, but there weren't enough of them to bother me that much.
I think this will easily become one of the stories I will re-read during holliday season, and I hope it gets more recognition!
The book is rather short - just 240 pages - so the romance and the plot are quite fast-paced. However, the chemistry between Kol and Piper is tangible from the beginning, and their gentle affection and developing relationship felt so organic.
I didn't expect to relate to Piper as much as I did sometimes. Although our predicaments laregly differ, I understood her need of control, of making sure everyone is happy and feeling responsible for everyone involved except for herself. She is such a well-written, charming character.
Kol also has a lot going on for him, and I loved how the auhtor fed us bits and pieces of his backstory. His mixed heritage isn't really that major to the plot itself, but it reflects in his character and navigating the story's world. Just like Piper, he's a very gentle and caring character. Despite his mischeviousness, he was a nice change from the shadow daddy type of characters (I love them, don't get me wrong, but Kol benefited so much from just being confused and lost but genuinely meaning well for everyone).
My biggest issues with the story are basically the same as with every contemporary paranormal romance - the slang and pop-culture references tend to put me out of the story and break immersion, but there weren't enough of them to bother me that much.
I think this will easily become one of the stories I will re-read during holliday season, and I hope it gets more recognition!
January 7, 2025
The sheer cuteness of this was just... aww.
Yes, the ending was far too convenient and Piper's issue presented a little too didactically and resolved far too neatly. Obviously the shittiness of her family is completely over the top as well. I actually would have liked a more toned-down / grey-ish presentation better, but then again, this is a fun and cozy holiday read so why not go for some exaggerations.
And most of all, who cares about all that? Much more importantly, the characters are absolutely adorable, Kor is just *chef's kiss* and the book really got the mix of sugary sweetness (it's very, very christmassy), genuine feelings and issues, and the Caggiano's trademark self-referential/fourth-wall-break humor right. Especially the latter is just perfect to make sure the whole book doesn't feel too sickly-sweet.
Liked it more than the Throne in the Dark trilogy because it felt much more cohesive, both in tone and storytelling - but I guess that's mostly because it's a standalone novel and not a series.
Have I mentioned just how cute this book is?
Also, best awkward parent-meeting scene ever. Ever.
And holy shit, why is this marketed as "grumpy FMC". Wtf. Maybe the neat little trope labels sell well but holy shit is that a misrepresentation of Piper (and people who are like her...) - it makes me genuinely angry
Yes, the ending was far too convenient and Piper's issue presented a little too didactically and resolved far too neatly. Obviously the shittiness of her family is completely over the top as well. I actually would have liked a more toned-down / grey-ish presentation better, but then again, this is a fun and cozy holiday read so why not go for some exaggerations.
And most of all, who cares about all that? Much more importantly, the characters are absolutely adorable, Kor is just *chef's kiss* and the book really got the mix of sugary sweetness (it's very, very christmassy), genuine feelings and issues, and the Caggiano's trademark self-referential/fourth-wall-break humor right. Especially the latter is just perfect to make sure the whole book doesn't feel too sickly-sweet.
Liked it more than the Throne in the Dark trilogy because it felt much more cohesive, both in tone and storytelling - but I guess that's mostly because it's a standalone novel and not a series.
Have I mentioned just how cute this book is?
Also, best awkward parent-meeting scene ever. Ever.
And holy shit, why is this marketed as "grumpy FMC". Wtf. Maybe the neat little trope labels sell well but holy shit is that a misrepresentation of Piper (and people who are like her...) - it makes me genuinely angry
January 10, 2026
Ngl I expected so much more from this...
"Oh, and this is a reindeer?"
The fehszar snorted and Kol translated. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
"You know, lives at the North Pole, makes a list, checks it twice..? You'd think my elf hallucination would know Santa Claus."
Kol scoffed. "None of that is real, especially the idea that someone could live at the North Pole - it's full of frost dragons."
I don't know why this time around Caggiano's humour just fell flat for me..? Maybe it's the modern setting? Maybe it's the overly american office/work/christmas culture? Like, theoreticall, I shoul've loved this, it should have worked. But it didn't. The vibes were not vibing.
Still kinda fun, dragged a bit in the middle and the sex was... eh. Okayish. Passable. Tolerable.
Tbh I had the most fum when Kol was doing his elvish sciency shit wirh the magical animals and when his mom visited (i want more background od the family dynamics asap)
"Oh, and this is a reindeer?"
The fehszar snorted and Kol translated. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
"You know, lives at the North Pole, makes a list, checks it twice..? You'd think my elf hallucination would know Santa Claus."
Kol scoffed. "None of that is real, especially the idea that someone could live at the North Pole - it's full of frost dragons."
I don't know why this time around Caggiano's humour just fell flat for me..? Maybe it's the modern setting? Maybe it's the overly american office/work/christmas culture? Like, theoreticall, I shoul've loved this, it should have worked. But it didn't. The vibes were not vibing.
Still kinda fun, dragged a bit in the middle and the sex was... eh. Okayish. Passable. Tolerable.
Tbh I had the most fum when Kol was doing his elvish sciency shit wirh the magical animals and when his mom visited (i want more background od the family dynamics asap)
December 6, 2024
I have BIG feelings about this book - including my love for ALL the amazing Christmas puns.
This was so stinkin' cute, and the perfect little Christmas tale that felt just like a fairy tale with its lessons and morals and yet took place in a world we more or less recognize.
Piper was a very relatable character, although reader about her doing so much made ME stressed, so I don't know how she kept herself going all those years without burning out. Whew! I'm glad Kol was able to work his magic (lowercase, not uppercase) and get her to loosen up.
I love stories about half-bloods, and Kol's feelings of not fitting in anywhere felt very real. It was so sweet to watch him finally find a home where he felt he could completely belong.
In this world of magic, I think the only unbelievable part of the story was that none of these adults or children had any work or school in the twelve days leading up to Christmas. 😅 But the story was so sweet, and the whole aspect of Piper having to take care of all of them like she's Snow White and the God-knows-how-many-dwarves until they learned their lesson was more than enough to suspend my disbelief.
This was so stinkin' cute, and the perfect little Christmas tale that felt just like a fairy tale with its lessons and morals and yet took place in a world we more or less recognize.
Piper was a very relatable character, although reader about her doing so much made ME stressed, so I don't know how she kept herself going all those years without burning out. Whew! I'm glad Kol was able to work his magic (lowercase, not uppercase) and get her to loosen up.
I love stories about half-bloods, and Kol's feelings of not fitting in anywhere felt very real. It was so sweet to watch him finally find a home where he felt he could completely belong.
In this world of magic, I think the only unbelievable part of the story was that none of these adults or children had any work or school in the twelve days leading up to Christmas. 😅 But the story was so sweet, and the whole aspect of Piper having to take care of all of them like she's Snow White and the God-knows-how-many-dwarves until they learned their lesson was more than enough to suspend my disbelief.
December 7, 2024
AK Caggiano Strikes Again with All the Feels
Ah what an awesome Christmassy tale full of love, silliness, magic & nostalgia. AK really knows how to write fun characters and Kol & Piper are great examples.
While this story is full of fun, spice, and my favourite trope of all - fake dating - it also touches on really important themes that raise themselves at Christmas like loss, grief & displacement. Everyone deserves to have a Kol to their Piper to help them through hard times, remind them that they’re important and loveable and that they have just the right amount of big feelings.
Ah what an awesome Christmassy tale full of love, silliness, magic & nostalgia. AK really knows how to write fun characters and Kol & Piper are great examples.
While this story is full of fun, spice, and my favourite trope of all - fake dating - it also touches on really important themes that raise themselves at Christmas like loss, grief & displacement. Everyone deserves to have a Kol to their Piper to help them through hard times, remind them that they’re important and loveable and that they have just the right amount of big feelings.
December 27, 2024
Some books are 3 stars because they're enjoyable enough in an average way but this one is 3 stars because whilst there are good things there is one big element that completely ruined my reading experience.
The good first, Kol...I love Kol he's great, I would read a whole series about this boy, he was interesting, sexy and had just the right amount of tragic backstory to where it made him interesting without being too damaged and cliche bad boy.
I will also say I mostly enjoyed the romance, he and Piper had good chemistry although the feelings began developing too fast for my liking I still enjoyed their romance. I will say I wasn't the biggest fan of Piper herself she was just a bit too over the top as a martyr, like literally starving to the point of almost passing out because she's too high strung and busy to eat. I just needed her to be toned down a little, although the family plays into this which takes us to the big fat problem with this story.
This freaking family. My god, they treat Piper like a piece of shit on their shoe constantly and not a single one of them has any speck of self-awareness of how badly they treat her. At first, it was fine, Piper is the one in charge of everything, she keeps lists and is always busy helping everyone but herself, and the family take this for granted. I'm pretty sure if Piper had passed out from not eating they all would have just stepped over her then complained she was in their way and asked her when dinner was.
There were moments of thoughtlessness that felt realistic like her brother buying a bunch of burgers from a fast food joint for everyone despite Piper cooking lasagne for everyone for ages. This was fine, her brother was trying to help and because Piper doesn't ever voice her annoyance at anyone ever (except Kol funnily enough whom she criticises a lot) he wouldn't have known how much it upset her. We even get a cute moment of Kol realising and making a concerted effort to eat the Lasagne instead so she doesn't feel so bad, it's cute.
But then it gets ridiculous. Piper does EVERYTHING for this massive extended family the entire time, cooking, cleaning, buying food taking into account everyone being fussy about what they want, plans all the activities, buys tickets, makes sure everyone's out on time, even clothes her uncles kids because he apparently doesn't know they need coats in the middle of snowy winter and that's not even everything. And not a SINGLE member of this family says thankyou, ever. Not a single one offers to help with anything to the point where it's just ridiculous, I'm sorry I get that people can take this kind of thing for granted, especially with women but there's no way none of them are aware of how hard she's working. They apparently just don't give a shit. They treat her like Cinderella. But wait... it gets worse.
Finally Kol manages to convince Piper that she needs to stop doing chores like Cinderella and go have a snowball fight with you know the rest of her family that just didn't bother to invite her. So she is having fun, having a snowball fight, smiling and relaxing for the first time this holiday and one of her little cousins, deliberately puts a rock in a snowball to hit her with and seems incredibly pleased when she gets a bloody nose and starts crying. Does ANYONE (except for Kol) ask if she's okay? No. Does anyone have a go at these boys for this? No. Well... technically yes the father "tells them off" but it's made very clear it's half-hearted and ineffectual. Again, ludicrous levels of callousness from this massive family. The little cousins being shits is fine, but my god everyone else is just as bad, and they don't have the excuse of being children. But wait... It gets worse.
We later find out that Piper ends up wrapping other family members gifts "because they're bad at wrapping" honey these people are parents in their 30's with kids WHY can't they wrap their own presents? I'm shit at wrapping, I still do it. But wait it gets worse.
We now find out that on top of this she has to buy her aunt and uncle a present from each other because otherwise they won't get each other anything and they'll argue. Again these are ADULTS...GROWN ASS ADULTS. They know full well she's doing this and say NOTHING. Oh but wait it gets worse.
Her BROTHER... my god...She has to buy his Christmas present to her. Yes you read that right, she sneaks money from his wallet and gets herself something "from him" every year and wraps it because otherwise he would "forget her" HER OWN BROTHER. We're even told he's called out on this and still doesn't get her anything. Even after she starts doing this and he clearly knows he didn't buy her those damn socks. Like you're seriously telling me a brother who has a half decent relationship with his sister just...doesn't bother buying her a present at Christmas every year whilst she waits hand and foot on him all holiday. I.... I CAN'T. She says it's because she's the older sister but no this boy is like 20+ or something, he can figure out to buy his own sister something for Christmas jfc.
It was at this point I ALMOST dnfed because we were getting to cartoon levels of vileness and ineptitude from this family. But I persevered because I liked the romance, well I mainly just liked Kol but there you go.
Suffice to say the family ruined this book for me. You can make the family ungrateful and thoughtless without making them seem completely malicious and not caring for Piper at all.
The good first, Kol...I love Kol he's great, I would read a whole series about this boy, he was interesting, sexy and had just the right amount of tragic backstory to where it made him interesting without being too damaged and cliche bad boy.
I will also say I mostly enjoyed the romance, he and Piper had good chemistry although the feelings began developing too fast for my liking I still enjoyed their romance. I will say I wasn't the biggest fan of Piper herself she was just a bit too over the top as a martyr, like literally starving to the point of almost passing out because she's too high strung and busy to eat. I just needed her to be toned down a little, although the family plays into this which takes us to the big fat problem with this story.
This freaking family. My god, they treat Piper like a piece of shit on their shoe constantly and not a single one of them has any speck of self-awareness of how badly they treat her. At first, it was fine, Piper is the one in charge of everything, she keeps lists and is always busy helping everyone but herself, and the family take this for granted. I'm pretty sure if Piper had passed out from not eating they all would have just stepped over her then complained she was in their way and asked her when dinner was.
There were moments of thoughtlessness that felt realistic like her brother buying a bunch of burgers from a fast food joint for everyone despite Piper cooking lasagne for everyone for ages. This was fine, her brother was trying to help and because Piper doesn't ever voice her annoyance at anyone ever (except Kol funnily enough whom she criticises a lot) he wouldn't have known how much it upset her. We even get a cute moment of Kol realising and making a concerted effort to eat the Lasagne instead so she doesn't feel so bad, it's cute.
But then it gets ridiculous. Piper does EVERYTHING for this massive extended family the entire time, cooking, cleaning, buying food taking into account everyone being fussy about what they want, plans all the activities, buys tickets, makes sure everyone's out on time, even clothes her uncles kids because he apparently doesn't know they need coats in the middle of snowy winter and that's not even everything. And not a SINGLE member of this family says thankyou, ever. Not a single one offers to help with anything to the point where it's just ridiculous, I'm sorry I get that people can take this kind of thing for granted, especially with women but there's no way none of them are aware of how hard she's working. They apparently just don't give a shit. They treat her like Cinderella. But wait... it gets worse.
Finally Kol manages to convince Piper that she needs to stop doing chores like Cinderella and go have a snowball fight with you know the rest of her family that just didn't bother to invite her. So she is having fun, having a snowball fight, smiling and relaxing for the first time this holiday and one of her little cousins, deliberately puts a rock in a snowball to hit her with and seems incredibly pleased when she gets a bloody nose and starts crying. Does ANYONE (except for Kol) ask if she's okay? No. Does anyone have a go at these boys for this? No. Well... technically yes the father "tells them off" but it's made very clear it's half-hearted and ineffectual. Again, ludicrous levels of callousness from this massive family. The little cousins being shits is fine, but my god everyone else is just as bad, and they don't have the excuse of being children. But wait... It gets worse.
We later find out that Piper ends up wrapping other family members gifts "because they're bad at wrapping" honey these people are parents in their 30's with kids WHY can't they wrap their own presents? I'm shit at wrapping, I still do it. But wait it gets worse.
We now find out that on top of this she has to buy her aunt and uncle a present from each other because otherwise they won't get each other anything and they'll argue. Again these are ADULTS...GROWN ASS ADULTS. They know full well she's doing this and say NOTHING. Oh but wait it gets worse.
Her BROTHER... my god...She has to buy his Christmas present to her. Yes you read that right, she sneaks money from his wallet and gets herself something "from him" every year and wraps it because otherwise he would "forget her" HER OWN BROTHER. We're even told he's called out on this and still doesn't get her anything. Even after she starts doing this and he clearly knows he didn't buy her those damn socks. Like you're seriously telling me a brother who has a half decent relationship with his sister just...doesn't bother buying her a present at Christmas every year whilst she waits hand and foot on him all holiday. I.... I CAN'T. She says it's because she's the older sister but no this boy is like 20+ or something, he can figure out to buy his own sister something for Christmas jfc.
It was at this point I ALMOST dnfed because we were getting to cartoon levels of vileness and ineptitude from this family. But I persevered because I liked the romance, well I mainly just liked Kol but there you go.
Suffice to say the family ruined this book for me. You can make the family ungrateful and thoughtless without making them seem completely malicious and not caring for Piper at all.
November 18, 2025
I love love love AK Caggianos writing so sososososoooooo much! It’s so easy to listen to or read, it’s cozy and cute, it’s light and airy. I eat them up EVERY SINGLE TIME!
Piper has eldest daughter syndrome, which is something I can so heavily relate to. it made me feel for Piper, made me feel seen 💓 Kol made it his mission to help and take some of the weight off her shoulders, help her relax and not think so much 🫶🏻🫶🏻 love their big feelings :)
Piper has eldest daughter syndrome, which is something I can so heavily relate to. it made me feel for Piper, made me feel seen 💓 Kol made it his mission to help and take some of the weight off her shoulders, help her relax and not think so much 🫶🏻🫶🏻 love their big feelings :)
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