Hot Chocolate & Hitmen

by Persephone Steele, Luna May

All I wanted was a peaceful Christmas getaway with my boyfriend—snowflakes, hot chocolate, and a little romance. But instead, I got heartbreak wrapped in betrayal and served with a side of hitmen.

Three unexpected strangers jingle their way into my snowy retreat, turning my peaceful holiday into something far more…festive. These guys aren’t exactly Santa’s helpers, but they’ve got their own way of bringing warmth to this freezing winter.

It’s funny how life works. One minute, I’m the poster girl for the nice list–baking cookies and singing Christmas carols. The next, I’m snowed in with a dash of danger, a pinch of mischief, and a heaping spoonful of something downright naughty.

But sometimes, the best gifts come wrapped in the most unlikely packages.

So much for a silent night, right?

Genres: Christmas, Why Choose, Holiday, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Smut

470 pages, Paperback

Published November 24, 2024

Reviews

[➦Paulette & Her Sexy Alphas · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK this one was gifted to me for Christmas, I had no idea what I was walking into

We got 5 POV here
Grace, Jason, Teddy, Key and Atlas

Okay ladies buckle up this is an extra extra spicy read

Grace is one of those type of people that
loves the Holidays especially Christmas …. she’s one of those that go overboard ….. Not to mention this was her and her boyfriend’s anniversary
Grace never thought that her idea of surprising Jason with a peaceful Christmas getaway to rekindle their relationship, that somehow would turn into something out of some crazy action/ romantic movie
Jason was little too entitled in my opinion. Not to mention that he was a pain in the butt





Three strange, obviously dangerous and suspicious men break into their Cabin, just around the time that Grace figures out why Jason has been unusually more of a asshat then normal

I must say that I really enjoyed the banner between Teddy, Key and Atlas……

At times this felt like Grace had three young children to watch out for

I’m not going to lie at times this book was really not realistic but if you really think about it how many Christmas movies etc have you watched that you’re like yeah right whatever that can’t possibly happen well this one kind of felt like that throughout the book…… But either way I really enjoyed the pranks that these three did on each other, it was just hilarious at times……. I also enjoyed the protective side of these crazy Child-like men that they had for Grace

[ya.vl · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️
Шось завеликий обсяг, спочатку було дуже класно читати, вони всі такі небезпечні, альфачі, троє братів, дівчата вдумайтесь. Там крутили вертіли нею як могли. Спочатку було класно читати але блін потім так скучно стало, 1% сюжету 99% сексу, мені вже погано ставало. І вони всі такі милі каблучки😍
Була б це новела, питань нема а от до повноцінної книги питань забагато і не забуваєм шо тут Різдво як не як.
А ше якось так смішно виходить вони то всі разом в різних позах а з ними в будинку її колишній і чувак якого вони взяли в заручники шоб допитати🤦🏿‍♀️ а кінець такий куча екшину і нічого не зрозуміло.
Ай короче, нема вже в мене слів і сил.

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 3 out of 5]

We have Grace who's trying to reconnect with her boyfriend during the holidays, and well, it goes not the way she likes since he admits he's been cheating on her. Before he tries to leave, enter Atlas, Key and Teddy mercenaries who have a Hostage they need info to get what they need. And well, they really like grace and are pissed how she's crying, and well, they tie up the ex and the prisoner.

During the time they grow closer towards grace and I'll be honest, some of the mistakes they made were really rookie like real rookie mistakes. Like letting the ex get away. Just some dumb things


Saftey-fmc has sex with her boyfriend, but she isn't getting pleasure. Beside that moment, nothing else happened between them.

Om drama, no cheating, drama, sexy times, no virgins

Recommend-maybe
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶


Prologue
Slowinsta
BDSM
MF MFM MFMM
sub and dom elements
knife play
Extreme violence
gore
torture
descriptions of dub-con
emotional manipulation
gaslighting
And cheating outside of the harem
No condom
Hea
Epilogue

[Katie]

Dnf - I’m bored and was just swiping through pages at this point

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ So I struggled with this one, it was for me an incredibly slow burn until the last couple of chapters. Yes, the first 3/4’s are smut filled, as they are yes, you guessed it snowed in, in a cabin. There is a bit of angst with the ex-boyfriend and a prisoner 🤨

Mostly, it’s smut with three hitmen all in various positions, places etc. the use of Christmas lights, garland and decorations not just for fun times, they do come in handy when they are invaded by an army of men, though I’m still perplexed as to why not one hitman thought to pick up all the discarded weapons to utilise…meh! Seriously, I think it was done just to be amusing with what they could pick up 🤭

They do rescue the kidnapped girl whom we are told about at the very beginning of the book, there are a few little amusing parts and there is an HEA for the FMC and her three men. All in all for me it was long and drawn out to get to a conclusion that was predictable but still it’s a Christmas book 🎄🖤

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so this book was a bit kitschy, told from all POV. I honestly enjoy the instant attraction of the MMC’s with Grace because I read for the escape. The way Grace just sort of flits through the chaos is actually enduring and kinda cute. There was just something missing for me and I’m not sure what. First time reading these authors, so maybe it was the writing style? Anyhoo, it was cute, spicy and a lighthearted read for the holiday.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An every year Christmas read!

This is like one of those Christmas movies that you have to watch every year, this is going to be one of those books for me. I laughed so hard at some of this, it was such an unexpectedly hilarious and fun read, yet still very sexy. This was like an over-the-top funny Die Hard Christmas movie with spice added in. You may not understand that comment until you read this book but when you do you'll get it. There may have been some betrayal along with all the funny and sexy but it was also handled in an over the top way. And of course you had to have the action which was awesome and handled with quite the Christmasy twist. So if you like reverse harems, you believe Die Hard is a Christmas movie, and you like comedy with your romance, this book is for you. The season is just beginning this year but I do believe I'm not going to find a Christmas story that beats this one. I may even have to read it again this year.

[Wendy Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot Chocolate and Hitmen by Persephone Steele and Luna May. What a great Christmas read. Loved Grace. Quick read, fun, and smexy.

[Chelsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a blend of whimsical and deranged. It was such a fun wild read and I enjoyed it very much. Grace is such a ray of sunshine, sweetheart and she’s perfectly balanced by the three hit men that crash her cabin stay.

[Boo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! It had me laughing and feeling with the character. I adore grace and her men. They fit so well and balance each other out. This was such a great and spicy Christmas read. Just perfect for the Christmas season.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was amazing! If you’re looking for a 🔥🔥🔥 read then look no further. This book was everything and more. Poor unsuspecting Grace just wants to reconnect with her boyfriend. She rents a cabin over Christmas so they can come together again. Little did she know he was done before they left home. Thank god, for the three hot hitmen who come barging into their “vacation”. They show her what it means to be loved, accepted and treated like you’re everything. I loved this book!

[Wendy Marie (myrisingphoenixera.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book blends tropes of why-choose, snowed in, and Christmas cheer on an epic scale. The FMC, Grace, surprises her boyfriend of 3 years, Jason, with a trip to a cabin for Christmas. He doesn’t want to go but she convinces him because she’ll take care of everything. The morning after they get there, Jason says he’s leaving and that they’re done, he can’t do it anymore. Grace is confused and then Jason tells her he’s been cheating on her with her best friend. During their fight the front door bursts open and in walks three intimidating men and a suspicious duffle bag that’s moving. When they find out what Jason has done to Grace, they take charge and take care of him. The guys are hired mercenaries and are there because they’re looking for a kidnapped girl. Atlas, Teddy and Key also take care of Grace. They spend their days together getting to know each other and having copious amount of hot hot smexy times. Atlas is the tall silent type, Teddy is the calculating leader, and Key is funny one with an edge. I loved all the Christmas puns and Grace’s love for everything Christmas was infectious. They bake, have hot chocolate, a cookie bake off where they make gingerbread cookies, and watch Christmas movies. This book was fun, extra steamy, and full of Christmas cheer.

5⭐️
4🌶️

[Naurarwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

I admit I have a few questions after reading this book. Like what happened to the first dude they captured (maybe I missed it), how long was Grace actually in the house for cause it seemed like forever, and what happened to Jason in the end? They're probably only questions I want answering but it got me wondering.

First of all, we have Grace; she books a trip for her and her partner Jason so they can rekindle their dwindling relationship, but Jason has absolutely no interest in being there. In fact, there's more going on behind Grace's back with him than she realises. Then one night three men burst into the property as Grace and Jason are arguing and everything changes.

For me, I have to admit that the moment the three guys burst in, there was absolutely no use for Jason whatsoever, and I didn't get anything from his POVs and ended up skim-reading most of them. I'm also wondering if the authors got a little bit carried away at some points because the cabin just seemed to get bigger and bigger and then it turned into mostly smexy times and I completely forgot the entire reason the guys were even at the cabin until it was thrown in part way through the story. At that point, they suddenly seemed to remember and then carried on having smexy times until a few days later when they decided to complete their mission.

Don't get me wrong, the story is fun and humorous, but it got a little out of hand in places for me. I still enjoyed reading it, but I found myself skipping over some bits because it was definitely a chunky book. Grace is an adorable character, and I really did feel bad for her and the situation she was in. I'm glad she got her HEA with Key, Atlas and Teddy but could have done without the fanfare.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Hot chocolate & hitmen

This is perfect for spicy holiday romcom lovers. I don’t read alot of romcoms, but I think I’m going to start reading more. This made me smile and giggle quite a bit. It’s a very fun book. Lots of cute and fun Christmas puns.

Grace is an absolute sweetheart who loves to take care of those around her. Not surprising that she when into nursing. She loves to cook and bake. Seeing those she cares about enjoy what she makes truly makes her happy.

Atlas, Teddy and Key come barging into Graces life at the perfect time. They are just the right mix of dangerous, protective and caring that she has been lacking. They are all immediately drawn to her bubbly and fun attitude, one that her now ex Jason says was annoying.
And of course these men are incredibly well built, they need to be with their mercenary profession. They only want Graces happiness and will do whatever she wants.

They each have her cute pet names. Little One, Sugar and Nutcracker.



Jason is a douche. Cheating with Tina 🤬

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot Chocolate and Hitmen by Persephone Steele and Luna May was such a unexpected read! The best part is I loved every second of the book… it was nothing like I was expecting. It had a holiday vibe mixed with some truly funny moments with a dash of spice. What drew me to the book was obviously the cover… I mean how great? But when I read the blurb I just knew I would enjoy it. It took me about a day to read as I just couldn’t put my kindle down; I was addicted. The characters were great and Grace was someone who I could connect with. (She made me feel like I was lacking in the holiday department. Lol) But the way some of the holiday decorations were used… I may never look at them the same way again! It was a perfect blend of laughs, spice, suspense and action. Oh did I mention the why choose? No… well that’s in there too! Some of my favorite moments were hands down the holiday puns that were woven throughout the story. The writing was incredibly good and I couldn’t help but feel the holiday spirit (among other things) while reading. It was a holiday romance that’s sweet, spicy, unexpected but honestly just a fun time. This so far, has been my favorite Christmas read! I can’t recommend this book enough; especially if you love a spicy holiday romcom sprinkled with suspense.

Final review:
4 out of 5 stars

[Darcy’s Good Opinion · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Steam: 3.5/5

Unalivers
Dark
Holiday
InstaLove
You’re Ours
Snowed In

Hot Chocolate and Hitmen is a Christmas holiday standalone.

This was a fun, very sweet (especially considering the guys’ profession) holiday read. Our heroine finds herself being dumped by an alphahole and snowed in with mysterious Hitmen who crash her getaway. She remains extremely upbeat and finds joy in her new situation. The guys are completely and instantly smitten by her sunshine personality.

Perhaps one too many Christmas puns but an easy read.

[TheSugaredBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, steamy and so sweet!

This was such a a great Christmas read!! It's got betrayal, revenge, romance and so much steam! All set against a Christmas setting with all the snow, music, and decorations. I couldn't put it down and loved every minute of it! Grace is such a versatile FMC- she's sweet, soft and vulnerable but also tough, feisty and fiery. Teddy, Atlas and Key make her realize her worth. Also, what I unexpectedly liked was Jason's POV. It was a full circle moment when he realizes he messed up. I don't think I've ever seen this done in a book and it was perfect in this story, almost like a Scooge moment when he has his a-ha realization. I loved Grace finding her place with her guys. This was such a sweet story that had me rolling with laughter and swooning at the same time!

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this incredible story written by two incredible authors. This story was seamless as you could not tell where one author ends and the other begins. Grace is this sweet and loving young lady. She just wants to rekindle her relationship with her boyfriend. But this quickly takes a turn and not all in the right direction. In walk three incredible men that shower Grace with all that she is looking for. The story has some absolute funny moments that will have you laughing so hard at their antics. Then we have some darker moments that absolutely pull you in. I loved the way the story ends and couldn’t be happier with this story. It is extremely well written and developed. It pulled me in right from the beginning and didn’t let go. Absolutely must read.

[countryhuntress01 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple alone in a romantic cabin for a holiday getaway, what could possibly go wrong? Well, for starters their relationship is on the rocks, I mean that’s the whole reason Grace planned this trip in the first place. Not only is her relationship an issue, but her bestie is distant with her, and to top it off, the cabin gets stormed by 3 hitmen. *Gasp*. What follows next is sweet, funny, dark, and steamy all rolled into one as Grace finally starts to enjoy herself on what is sure to be an unforgettable vacation-just not the way Grace had planned. If you like your holidays a little on the dangerous side, but still wrapped up in Christmas lights, with a side of hot cocoa and Christmas cookies then this is a good holiday read to cozy up with🍪☕️🎄🪓

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Reverse Harem
*Contemporary
*Multi-1st-PoV
*Holiday centred
*Serial Unalivers
*Snowed in
*Revenge romance
*Established harem (3)
*Fast Burn
*Standalone
Holy holidayness!
This is holiday theme on Christmas crack 😅 alongside that it is action packed with dark humour woven into the storyline!
Grace is our FMC who just wants to please others and has a love of Christmas however her horrible ex has ruined it for her and yet she’s stuck with him in their cabin getaway 😖 which gets crashed by three strangers who have an air of danger surrounding them! It’s quickly apparent theirs a connection between Grace, Key, Teddy and Atlas 🌶️ and the more they spend time together the more this develops, especially as they want to give her everything she’s never had 🥰 however they have their own darkness and it’s that which creates some interesting holiday themed mishaps throughout this book 😅 sometimes it was a little much, but the characters are what kept me invested ☺️ if you’re after a jaunty RH Christmas read that’s a bit different then it’s a god one for you!

[Mrs R · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun, sweet, dark in places, very christmasy and a little over the top but in a good way. Its full of humour and puns - so much steam - they just can't keep their hands off each other.

Grace wants to try and get her relationship back on track by staying in a cabin over christmas, but it does not go anywhere near to plan. Three hitmen and a hostage gatecrash, and it just spirals from there.

Atlas, Teddy and Key are all good fun, even if their job is far from it. Grace takes it all in her stride. She's easygoing, and the nurturing side of her comes out with the guys.

This book was longer than I thought it would be but doesn't have any slow parts, just lots of time with Grace and her hitmen guys.....mostly n@ked time.

- RH (no MM)
- cheating (not from harem)
- standalone
- fast burn

[jennifer morton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naughty and nice and all things spicy.
This story definitely packed a punch with three hot hit men, Teddy, Kay, and Atlas, who will literally barge in and turn Grace world upside down. It's a Christmas themed story with Christmas puns, festive cheer, and a whole lot of action thrown into the Mix. There's danger, and Grace can definitely handle herself. Earning the name Nutcracker. It can be a bit dark at places, but her guys definitely make up for it, especially when they deliver her x a lesson he'll never forget. While making all her dreams come true. Its Christmas but the men still have a job to do and just as they start to get settled in for Christmas you give us that ending full of chaos, destruction and even a heart felt moment when things turned out ok. Leaving us with a happy ending that was so swoon worthy, I loved it.

[Ella Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t miss out on this Christmas book!

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one but I was happily shocked!

Grace decides to take her and 🤮Jason🤮 to a cabin for a cute Christmas break. Jason soon shows his true colours and soon becomes an ex

He can’t escape though…. Teddy, Key and Atlas arrive. Those Hitmen come to her rescue but they came baring a gift

They’re trying to locate a kidnapped girl but the snowstorm gets wild and they get trapped

Grace and the guys hit it off straight away, banter flying, spice building and love in the air

🎄Why Choose
🖤 Revenge Romance
❄️ Snowed in
🎄Dark Humor
🖤 Forced Proximity
❄️ Christmas
🎄 ACTION PACKED

After reading this I can’t wait to check out more of Persephone and Luna’s work!

[Dominique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you, Hot Chocolate and Hitmen was quite possibly the perfect Christmas time read for me. I just couldn’t put it down. It had me giggling from the beginning when three large, unhinged men crash into Grace’s “romantic” getaway with her boyfriend and cause pure chaos. The storyline was entertaining and the spice was extra spicy. I really enjoyed the banter between Atlas, Key, and Teddy. Their protectiveness and general sweetness towards Grace from the very beginning made the whole book for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this standalone in one sitting, ignoring all other responsibilities, it was that entertaining!

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've read a good Christmas story that wasn't cliché. But this one.... wow! Not only is it full of incredible Christmas puns that made me laugh out loud multiple times, but it's also full of action (literally the best and most brutal Christmas themed battle I have ever read), a healthy dose of karma and men who worship their woman. The guys are just perfect for Grace. I loved how they were 100% on board with the holiday spirits and activities (and the shenanigans of course). Grace was also an interesting FMC. I wasn't expecting how she reacted to certain situations. It's the perfect story for this time of year. Absolutely loved it and recommend!

[Tasha Goulet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot chocolate

Hot Chocolate & Hitmen is a witty holiday read. This why choose story is told from multi POV and has lots of spice to it.

What was supposed to be a romantic getaway soon turns into heartbreak. Grace finds out that Jason has been cheating on her for months. When three hitmen interrupt their breakup, things get interesting. Especially when they get snowed in together.

There were some very funny moments and Grace was a little bundle of sunshine. Who wasn't being appreciated by her boyfriend, Jason. And in the middle of their break up, three hitmen show up and quickly protect her. Teddy, Keys, and Atlas give her something that she's been missing and sweep her off her feet.

And there is more to these men and their story.

[Kaija · Rating 4 out of 5]

love love love!

It’s kinda dark, kinda funny, and very festive 🤣
I enjoyed this so much! It was so entertaining and I loved the men!

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know why but I was expecting a novella, but this is a girthy, Christmas present and it’s so, so good. I loved Grace, she is a total caregiver, who shines so brightly and needs needs people in her life to keep her illuminated. So NOT Jason then!
I really wanted to punch him, Jason, in the face, especially after his rough handling of Grace at one point, very much pushing the line of something much darker. Though his treatment by the guys when they find out the basics was extremely satisfying.
Atlas, Teddy and Key are a breath of fresh air, despite their profession and the circumstances around their arrival, they also have great chemistry between them and obviously with Grace too.
The fun of Christmas decorations fight made me giggle, the authors must have had so much fun working out how to take out baddies with anything and everything Christmas. Suffocation by turkey anyone?
If you need a Christmas pick me up, with more heat than a steaming mug of hot chocolate, then this is the book for you x

[Sue Harbers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captivated me from the start! Grace was such a sweet and pure soul and Jason is so very undeserving of her. I was thrilled when the guys showed up. Everything from that point forward is total chemistry! The holiday vibe mixed with such delicious wickedness was an amazing blend. I loved all the puns and Christmas references as well!

[Ines · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like a house where the Christmas decorations are so overwhelmingly present you can’t help but look at it, and wonder if it’s not a little over the top. Because this story is a little over the top, and still you can’t help but look at it with a big smile, and be drawn to look at it some more… and some more. The combination of suspense, action, spice and lots of silly humor is hard to explain, but it definitely manages to put you in a festive mood.

Occasionally, I’m reading a book and wishing I could have been a fly on the wall when the authors were writing and talking about the story with each other. My imagination has been running wild on how that must have gone… It’s not necessarily the characters, but the interactions between all of them, how our fmc’s nurturing side overwhelms all common sense, and how you keep thinking you’ve seen it all… until the next thing happens.

So if you want a book that screams the Christmas spirit, but still isn’t like any other Christmas story, you might enjoy this one.