Santa's Coming

High Five Novella #1

by Serena Pier, Kelsey Navarro Foster (Narrator), Aaron Shedlock (Narrator)

I sat on Santa’s lap, and now he wants to see me again.

Single mother Emily is resigned to yet another stressful holiday season alone. That is, until she meets a charismatic man playing Santa in a local bar. Their chance meeting leads to a playful and flirtatious text exchange throughout the holiday season until Santa is on her doorstep, ready to give Emily her Christmas wishes.

A spicy Christmas novella, Santa’s Coming sparkles with the perfect blend of puns and sexy holiday magic.

Romance tropes: Meet Cute, Small Town, Role Play, Single Mom, Holiday Romance, Instant Connection, Strangers to Lovers & Rom Com

Genres: Christmas, Novella, Holiday, Romance, Audiobook, Holiday Romance, Contemporary

2 pages, Audible Audio

First published October 24, 2024

About the author

Serena Pier is a recovering girl boss, mom, and wife. After being called a brat for as long as she can remember, she decided to lean into it—writing sassy, strong, complex female characters who fully embrace the sexy side of the word. Her books are influenced by her endless fascination with power dynamics and how they play out in relationships, workplaces, and everyday life. Most of her stories are set in and around Chicago, paying tribute to her Midwestern roots and love of all things dairy. When she isn’t in front of a screen, Serena can be found pontooning with her family, enjoying a glass of wine with friends, and driving as fast as she can on the track. Literary Agent - Amanda Wooden, SBR Media

Reviews

[͙͘͡★ Ancuta✨🌙 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading a Christmas novel in june ? Of course, why not ? I don’t see a problem with that. 🦦

So, I started this one because I was in the mood for another short novel (for some reason). And I love Christmas, so I figured if I read this one it would bring me some joy.

It was more enjoyable than the previous short novels that I read, so that’s something good (even tho this one is also an insta-love kind of story). But here it wasn’t as poorly written as it was in the last two cases. I felt like the story had a little more depth (not that much, but it was slightly better constructed compared to the others).

The characters were lovely and especially the mmc, I found him to be really cute and charming. The way he cared about the fmc, how he wanted to make her Christmas the best, the way he treated her was really sweet. He was so kind and considerate and their banter was really cute too.

I feel like something was missing tho. Even tho this is advertised as a single mother romance story, we don’t actually get much of her son and that was really disappointing. How can you write a book featuring a single parent without making the parent-child relantionship one of your primary focus, is beyond me.

I expected to see some bonding between her son and her love interest, but there was nothing except for some repetitive mentions of her being a single mother who is so busy trying to make her son’s Christmas perfect. I wanted cute and heartwarming moments between all three of them and it was sad we didn’t get them. Instead, the focus was on the love relationship and that was all we got.

It was cute and funny tho, it brought a smile to my face, so I can safely say it fulfilled its purpose. 🦦 For that only (and considering my experience with the previous two books), I gave it 3✨.

[Jeanmarie ʚɞ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Single mom wants to give herself a second chance and finds that “Santa” is the perfect guy to start with.

If you’re looking for a holiday short read, this is it 🎄

[glavreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was somewhere between ok and not great - too punny & too much to try and pack into 67 pages but it’s a quick, little holiday novella and if you’re like me and gobble up any one of those you can from november-december then it’s worth the 30 minute read for a laugh and some cute moments

[Mia S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super short, little over 60 pages but super cute! Loved that didn’t push or rush but goes into yeah one night stand…… to more??? Still cute!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes it’s still October but I could not pass up this holiday novella and I’m so glad I didn’t because it was great! I read it in one sitting and enjoyed every page. It was cute but also spicy and had plenty of holiday cheer and puns. There are flirty texts between Emily and Nicholas and even some spicy role playing 🥵 this one was hot, adorable and perfect for getting you in a holiday mood.

[Readingwithdesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

5star goodness! Perfect for the holidays and just straight smut I loved it so much and the audio makes it so much better!!

[Krista crone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this Christmas romcom novella. It has the spicy ✔️, the banter ✔️, and the fun✔️. This is the perfect start to the interconnected novella series that will be coming out over the next year.

The MC is so down to earth and relatable. The writing really reminds me of Meghan Quinn and I love her books!

If you are looking for a quick read that will make you swoon, this is it! AND if you prefer audiobooks, I can report that the narration is AMAZING! Highly recommend this book!

****Many thanks to Serena Pier for my gifted ALC in turn for an honest review.

[Paloma FC (in my reading era) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3 / 5 🌶️
Spicy chapters: 14, 15, 16

Santa/Nicholas (MMC) and Emily (FMC)

Dual POV narration 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Super short, steamy, and entertaining novella about a single mom who meets the hot new owner of a pub while he's dressed up as Santa. They feel hot for each other immediately (insta-love), but Emily struggles to give into her attraction due to being in charge of a young boy.

Happy reading! 📚

[Taylin Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Serena for sending me this arc! 4.5 ⭐ I loved it.I actually wish it was longer to continue Emily and Nick's story. Super cute christmas novella and I can't wait to read the other two novellas in the series. If you are looking for a quick holiday read I definitely suggest picking this up!

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I realize that what I crave most is the mundane magic of everyday life with someone special.”

[PleaseGoAwayImReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was adorable. A sweet, cute little novella with some spice. I enjoyed Emily and Nick”s story so much. I would have loved for this to be a regular length novel so that I could spend more time with these characters!

If you’re looking for something short, sweet, and a tad spicy this holiday season, then this has got you covered!

[littlesmuttyone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Im not usually a Christmas romance reader but i.truly enjoyed emily and santa aka Nicholas they way there chemistry was flowing when met at Christmas event . emily is single mom who hasnt felt desired or wanted simce mom duties were all about her son ben but santa made her feel much more .

my favorite part was the foot massage that had feel so good the spicy scenes were cute,sweet, and perfect mix in this Christmas novella .

sarah and rachel who are best friends wanted her happy and enjoy herself she knew she deserved it and more

[Mona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this Christmas novella so much! It was a perfect quick spicy read to get me into the holiday season! Nicholas and Emily’s story was so sweet and fun to read.
✅ Single mum meets hot Santa Claus impersonator
✅ Spicy Christmas theme role playing 😉
✅Insta love
✅Small town
This book has definitely become one of my favourite Christmas romance books! 🎄❤️

[Smutty Little Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is all the best holiday puns and I’m here for it 😂

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick & steamy holiday read with top notch banter!

[Aeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

And henceforth, no Christmas word will ever sound the same again. The innocence has left the sleigh.


The overuse of Christmas puns did get on my nerves and oh, how reckless the whole 'lets be bold and send the pic' was. Apart from that, this was fun to read. Honestly, I didn't expect it to be this good. Oh, and I am definitely reading the rest of them aswell.

[marylife · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️s

Santa definitely came 😅

[My Reading Era · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella was such a fun and festive holiday listen! Emily meets a guy playing Santa at a local bar, and sparks fly from there. Their flirty text exchanges were definitely a highlight and I wish we had got even more of them! The narrators did an incredible job bringing their playful banter to life and definitely cranked up the spice. If you're looking for a quick, spicy read to get into the holiday spirit, this is one to add to your TBR!

Thank you, Serena Pier and Grey's Promotion for the ALC.

[Chrissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please make sure you know a guys name before you let him “jingle your bells”

[Shanna Ferris · Rating 5 out of 5]

• Holiday novella
• Single mom
• Adorable spice with holiday innuendos
• Commandingly sexy MMC


This audiobook was ADORABLE.

I'm always so apprehensive when it comes to short stories because I get attached to characters and storylines and end up wanting more.

But this was PERFECT.

Serena did such a great job on her world and characters building in such a short novella. She didn't leave a single thing out! I was so impressed by the way she wrapped everything up! It definitely has me wanting more. But I'm so happy with the way the story went and ended!

🎧AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🎧
Duet narration
Narrated by Kelsey Foster and Aaron Shedlock

My gosh this was well cast! Kelsey did such a great job as Emily, a sweet single mom juggling a lot on her shoulders! And Aaron as Nick! 🥵🥵 HOT DAMN! He brought out all the amazing sides of Nick. His commanding side. His caring side. And his "bedroom". SO WELL!!! These two nailed this performance! And I'm so glad I listened to it!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Santa’s Coming
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Stand-alone: Yes***
Author: Serena Pier
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
Spiciness Rating: 3/5 🌶
POV: First Person Dual Perspective
Main Couple: Emily and Nicholas
Trope(s): Single Mom, Christmas Novella

This is my first read by Serena. It is a quick, witty, spicy read part of the High Five Novella series. We follow three friends in Lake Geneva Wisconsin. Books can be read independently, but will be enjoyed when read in order. We start with single mom Emily who is busy raising her five year old son and Nicholas who has relocated to Lake Geneva for a fresh start. On a night out with friends celebrating the holiday’s she makes a bold move when dared to straddle Santa’s lap. Santa is more than willing to play along. Que in flirty texts that lead to a Christmas Eve where Santa delivered and then some.

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute and short little novella with some steamy times for Santa and the mommy he was kissing! lol. I really enjoyed the banter and interaction between Emily and Santa/Nicholas. Yes, his name was really Nicholas, and no, he wasn’t really Santa. He was just playing Santa one night at his bar for some publicity. I loved Emily’s friends and how they helped her get into the fun spirit with their ugly Christmas sweater bar crawl and having her straddle Santa’s lap at the bar for her picture. Nicholas was a pretty nice guy too, definitely a keeper.

I enjoyed this one a lot, thankful the author reached out to me about it, and I’m sure I will enjoy the others in the series as well as they come out!

Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.

[Melissa Slabaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet and spicy novella is exactly what the start of seasonal depression season ordered.

You’ll fall in love with this couple’s sweet and sexy meet cute. Their adorable banter through texts will lock you in to this story and when you’re done you’ll be in Serena’s DMs asking for more. With a sprinkle of small town touches this novella opens up a world of opportunity for more characters to hopefully root for in upcoming releases.

[LaceyBanana Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy horny holidays! I don’t care, this was fun 🤣🤶

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

Short, sweet & will get you feeling the holiday spirit 😏🌲🎅🏼 I’m so ready for Christmas lolol

Who doesn’t wanna get railed by a hot 38 year old santa????

[Asti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Santa’s Coming is the perfect recipe for a spicy holiday read. The insta-lust between the characters is expertly crafted, drawing me in from the very beginning. The festive role playing and clever puns add a delightful charm, making the story both playful and engaging. The spice level is also fantastic. This single mom, small-town, insta-lust, strangers-to-lovers novella beautifully captures the magic of the season while delivering an entertaining and deliciously steamy romance!

[Tish · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I'm not normally one for holiday stories cuz I'm a bit of a grinch but I was drawn to this one so knew I had to read it. And I'm so glad that I did.

It was hot and fun which is exactly what I needed right now. It left me wanting so much more.

[What.Nikki.Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Single Mom
QUICK read
Punny and fun
Spicy


I was gifted the audio and the earc of this and had so much fun with it! It's spicy 🥵, I mean read the title. Fun and flirty! We get text banter, Christmas puns with Christmas Carol lines and everything. The ending isn't a traditional hea but also not a cliffhanger.

The audio was fantastic as well.

Can't wait to continue this novella series.

Thank you for this ALC/ARC.

[Larissa Canassa · Rating 1 out of 5]

That’s on me. I should have stoped reading when he said “can’t wait to taste this cookie”

[Анастасія Земляна · Rating 5 out of 5]

Легка, весела різдвяна новела. Коли хочеться підняти настрій ☃️