Secret Santa Mountain Man: Small Town Christmas Holiday Workplace Romance

by Lily Birch

Will Violet discover Easton’s Secret Christmas Crush? 🎅🏻


When I get Violet in the Secret Santa gift exchange at work, I know exactly what I’m going to get her. I've been crushing on her ever since she came to work here. But will she think it’s over the top? Good thing the swap is anonymous! I’d hate for her to know all these gifts are from me.❤️


This Christmas has been the hardest one yet. My best friend moves away, and the mountain feels lonely now. Couple that with the mysterious grinding sound my car is making, and I’m deep in the holiday blues. It’s going to be a small, lonely Christmas.But when my Secret Santa starts dropping a gift on my desk every morning in the month of December, my Christmas starts looking up.

Now I’ve got to wonder, which of my coworkers is it? 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Author’s Secret Santa Mountain Man is a curvy girl, instalove OTT, mountain man Christmas romance short read. The Ozark Mountain Men books are quick and steamy novellas. They’re spicy, full of heart and always have an HEA. If you like this one, check out the rest!

This book is part of the Sexy Santa Christmas series. 🎄🎄🎄


❤️ Age Gap
❤️ Curvy Girl
❤️ Small Town
❤️ Mountain Man
❤️ Secret Admirer
❤️ Workplace Romance
❤️ Christmas Romance
❤️ Holiday Gift Exchange

Genres: Romance, Workplace Romance

93 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2025

About the author

Lily Birch writes short and steamy instalove romance featuring sexy mountain men and the curvy women who fall for them.

She publishes a new short read every Friday. ❤️

She lives in the Ozark mountains in a one-stoplight town with her mountain man husband, a diva pug and a devious beagle.

Visit her at lilybirch.com to catch every new release.

Reviews

[Morally_Gray_Nola · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Secret Santa Mountain Man’ is a feel good, cozy, sweet, sexy, warm hug of a love story. Great 2-hour read. Perfect as a palate cleanser, too. I love Easton and Violet’s personalities, and rooted for them throughout.

*** Recommended ***

MMC:
✨Easton
FMC:
✨Violet
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA
Series:
✨Ozark Mountain Men Sexy Santa Christmas
Epilogue:
🌗yes
Tropes:
👉small town Christmas romance
👉workplace romance
👉age gap -
👉secret admirer
👉mountain man x curvy girl
Triggers:
💥18+
💥sex
💥profanity
Burn Speed:
✨slow, but so worth it
Spice Level:
✨🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨MF.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chandra Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret Santa Mountain Man by Lily Birch is the kind of story that wraps around you like a cozy blanket on a cold December morning—soft, warm, and full of quiet magic you didn’t realize you needed.

Violet enters this Christmas season feeling lonelier than ever. Her best friend has moved away, her car is making a noise that can only be described as “the soundtrack of impending doom,” and the mountain town she once adored suddenly feels too big and too empty. She’s bracing herself for a holiday filled with silence and sadness.

And then the gifts start.

One every morning in December.
Thoughtful. Charming. Heart-tugging.
And completely anonymous.

Suddenly, her lonely December becomes a mystery wrapped in red ribbon—and she can’t help but wonder which coworker is putting this much care into surprising her. The whole thing is enough to turn her holiday blues into hopeful blushes.

But the real magic?
It’s Easton.

The sweet, shy, gruff-around-the-edges mountain man who has been secretly pining for Violet from the moment she joined the team. He finally works up the courage to step out of his comfort zone and use the Secret Santa exchange to show her exactly how much she means to him—without ever risking saying it out loud.

His gifts aren’t just cute; they’re creative, clever little valentines stitched into the holiday season. They follow the cadence of a beloved Christmas song, each one making Violet feel seen, appreciated, and—without knowing why—cherished. It’s the kind of slow-build affection that leaves you smiling at the page and whispering, “Girl, it’s him. It’s obviously him.”

But love stories aren’t love stories without a twist.
A bit of misinformation threatens to derail everything—Violet’s hopes, Easton’s courage, and the fragile thread connecting them. For a moment, it feels like their happily ever after is slipping through their fingers.

Thankfully, Christmas miracles love a second chance.

Once Violet uncovers the truth—and the man behind the gifts—their chemistry practically lights up the snowy mountain like a strand of warm white lights. What follows is sweet, sincere, heart-melting romance at its best.

If you adore:
🎁 Secret admirer storylines
🌲 Cozy small towns that feel alive
❤️ Shy pining heroes with big hearts
🎄 Holiday magic you can almost smell
💌 Creative gift-giving that tells a story

…then this book will absolutely charm you.

Secret Santa Mountain Man is heartwarming, funny, and full of genuine emotion. The mystery of each present keeps you turning pages, but the tenderness between Violet and Easton is what stays with you long after the gifts are unwrapped.

It’s the perfect feel-good holiday romance—one that proves sometimes the sweetest love stories begin with a simple gift left on your desk.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Louise J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book three in Lily’s “Ozark Mountain Men Sexy Santa Christmas” series and it’s a perfect read for the run up to Christmas. Violet is a recent arrival on Red Oak Mountain and hasn’t made many friends, although a certain maintenance man at work, Easton, has seriously caught her eye. Little does she know that Easton is equally drawn to her, passing quietly by her desk for the past six months and taking her in. After signing up for the office Secret Santa gift exchange, Violet finds a gift on her desk, which turns out to be just the first day of her Christmas. Eager to solve the Secret Santa mystery, she starts looking for clues about who they could be, but at the same time she finally gets the chance to get to know Easton. As she receives more thoughtful gifts, Violet begins to fret about needing to let her Secret Santa down gently, because the only man she wants is Easton. This pair are a couple of sweethearts whose story is full of kindness, consideration and imagination, with fun and giggles added in by several other couples from stories past who are helping Secret Santa make Violet’s first Christmas on Red Oak Mountain an unforgettable one. Make this book a gift for yourself – and make sure you can read it all in one sitting!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nancy Koske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Violet is new to this area after being transferred to this office. She had signed up for the 'Secret Santa' exchange, but it doesn't start for another week. But she finds a wrapped gift on her desk daily? She loves mysteries so which guy in the office is getting her gifts? She's asked for a list of guys in the office who are single hoping to find the one. What she didn't take into consideration that there was another man, who comes into the office every day! There is a theme to the gifts, The 12 days of Christmas. Follow her journey thru the small town, Red Oak Mountain, to discover the identity of the sender. Easton comes in daily to report jobs completed and clock out. Is his name on the list? Violet had been having dreams of things that she would love to do with him, but he's gorgeous so no chances for her! A problem has surface in the Bear Lodge accounts; she has to find the issue. Does she? Violet go looking for answers about her Secret Santa at store owners who sold the different gifts, does she get a name or a new clue? Violet sends a letter to her Secret Santa not knowing what? Can the damage be corrected?.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Korkoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Communication is Important in Every Single Type of Relationship -
Violet and Easton had been crushing on each other for a while, but neither one of them had the confidence to do something about it. However, Easton decided to use the secret Santa game to show her how he felt about her. Even though Violet was initially happy about the presents she was receiving, she soon became anxious and tried to find out who her secret Santa was. Unfortunately, a case of misinformation led to Violet nearly missing out on a chance with Easton, but she luckily discovered the secret in time and made him aware of her true feelings, so they could get the happily ever after they both craved.

This is a sweet, heartwarming romance story that drew me in from the first page and had me eagerly turning the pages, whilst rooting for the exciting characters. From the mystery of each gift delivery all the way through to uncovering the secret of the gift giver, I must say this story was a fun and entertaining read, that you will definitely enjoy reading as much as I did.

I received a free review copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alicia Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adorable story! I loved the mystery of the secret Santa. The gifts were so cute and how they went with the song so creative. I enjoyed the two characters personalities and how the entire town was involved with their friend keeping the secret. The whole secret Santa plot was very well written and kept me captivated throughout the story. There was less spice in this one. I wish I could give half stars as I would give this book 4.5 stars. The ending was a little flat for me. It was rushed and I didn’t feel the powerful part of them getting together. I wish the ending would have had an extra chapter or few extra pages and this would have been fantastic. With that being said, this was a great holiday novella with a really good Christmas theme!! Perfect for the holidays. It just makes you smile!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Smart Cookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret Santa Mountain Man by Lily Birch is a charming Christmas romance that is easy to fall into. I especially enjoyed the short chapters and the alternating points of view, which kept the pacing quick and engaging.

Violet moved to the cozy town of Red Oak Mountain about six months ago. She is crazy about Christmas, so she is thrilled when she begins receiving Secret Santa gifts based on the theme of the Twelve Days of Christmas. As the surprises grow more personal, she hopes they might be from her crush, Easton, but as the days go on, she starts to suspect someone else may be behind the thoughtful gifts.

This is such a sweet story with just the right about of small town charm.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lyndsay L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this story. The whole secret Santa and leaving gifts on Violet's desk. These two were both shy in their own way, and they both had crushes on each other. Easton has loved Violet for a very long time and he had taken notice of all the little things about her. The secret Santa was the one way he thought he could reach out to Violet and get her attention. The way this story was written made for a really fun, and cute Christmas read. I loved every single moment of this book. Once you start this story you won't be able to put it down until you are done. This is a must read!!

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute story. Shy Violet has a secret Santa who starts leaving gifts on her desk. Each day is another in the theme of the 12 days of Christmas. She has a crush on Easton but thinks he is out of her league. Easton is shy and crushing on Violet and hopes to make her Christmas a little better with each gift. Leaving clues to help her figure out the mystery. After a misunderstanding Easton is heartbroken but still gives Violet the last of the gifts. She finally gets the courage to admit the truth and it leads to their HEA.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amie Kieffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mystery of the Secret Santa...
This was a charming story. Started a little goofy for me in some ways, but I think that was supposed to be part of the charm. I enjoyed how the story evolved, especially with the use of clever gifts that Violet received daily from her Secret Santa, following the theme of the twelve days of Christmas. It was fun how she was given some clues by some of the people who knew Easton well and were part of the gifting process, without giving too much info away. I enjoyed this quick holiday love story.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ms. Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Violet just moved to Red Oak Mountain six months ago. She starts getting mystery gifts on her desk at work. She wonders who could be leaving them. She is quiet and shy and lonely. She has a crush on Easton, who is the maintenance man for the building. She thinks he is so handsome and out of her league.

Easton thinks Violet is a gorgeous, curvy woman. He is shy and has liked Violet since the moment he saw her six months ago. He is the one leaving her the mystery gifts. He is following a Twelve Days of Christmas theme.

These two were adorable crushing on each other.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Violet is a transplant from another town trying to find her way into her new job and life. When she starts receiving gifts from her Secret Santa she realizes that the person behind them is following a theme and giving great thought to every gift. As she begins her quest to uncover the giver she finds fun and happiness among the hidden gems she’s receiving. Easton is that sweetheart and he’s enamored with her but hasn’t dated since high school and struggles to try to make her his. Great short story full of many holiday happenings.

[Keyyyy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a really cute chase around the city, wih everyone helping, inside or outside the office.
I found it weird how he assumed she would know it was him, even if the last gifts could only be from him, from their conversations. I don't remember the order but it all happened all at once. SHe gave a letter to Secret Santa and he asssumed she knew it was him and felt rejected. I kinda wanted more of them, they were a really adorable couple.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Angi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ozark Mountain series books are always my very favorite reads, this one is a great Christmas read. Easton and Violet are two well written and fun main characters who you immediately can connect to. This book has every aspect of the things that make Lily Birch’s Ozark series my favorite, there is humor, attraction, chemistry and the plot twist. If you are looking for a Christmas read that will warm your heart and bring back your faith in Christmas magic and love, this is your book.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Antoinette Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright, Secret Santa!

Lily Birch, girl, you had me whooping and hollering with this book! This book was so darn good! Easton and Violet had me in my feelings! I went from smiling ear to ear, smacking my forehead in frustration, talking to the book as if Easton and Violet could hear me, to clapping and doing a happy dance in my power wheelchair. If there were ever two people who deserved an amazing Christmas, it's definitely Easton and Violet. And the 12 days of Christmas gifts from the Secret Santa? PRICELESS!!! Yup, this book is a Christmas must-read! 🎄

[Alex Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

12 days of Christmas? We've all heard and maybe even sung the song at some point in our lives, but how many have had someone live out the song for us? Easton version of the Holiday Gift Exchange for Violet was not only swoon worthy, but also a bit stalkerish. I did love that they started a relationship then of course a misunderstanding almost ruined it all 😆. Lily has me wanting more of the Ozark Mountain Men Sexy Santa Christmas Series.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debdutch · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Secret Santa Mountain Man” by Lily Birch

-A cozy, feel-good holiday romance where Easton’s secret-Santa gifts slowly draw shy Violet into his orbit. I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts.

The mystery behind each present is charming, creative, and full of small-town warmth. Their mutual crushes and gentle slow burn make the story irresistibly sweet.

A light, festive novella that leaves the reader wanting more.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the holidays in the Ozark mountains. Violet has been transferred to Red Oak Mountain after her job in California was eliminated. Being shy, she doesn’t make friends easily. When Secret Santa gifs start showing up on her desk, she is stumped. Easton has had a crush on the new girl in the office for months. He finally finds a way to get her attention. Great holiday read.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lynn61 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shh 🤫

An innovative take on a classic Christmas song has taken gift giving to a whole new level! I was captivated immediately. I loved how both Easton and Violet are people who care deeply for family. And who doesn’t want a Secret Santa! Lots of interactions with co-workers and townsfolk add to the charm of this story.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Grinning Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know the song TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS, you’re in for a fun surprise with this book.
Easton is a mountain man who works as a maintenance man for Violet’s workplace. They have secret crushes on each other, and their story is cute and sweet (with heat).
Book is SAFE.
Heat is EXPLICIT, and SLOW BURN.
NO TRIGGERS.
TROPES include Secret Santa, Holiday Spirit, Instalove, Dancing With Myself, Workplace Romance.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the authir: 'Secret Santa Mountain Man is a curvy girl, instalove OTT, mountain man Christmas romance short read.'

The plot was intriguing and pretty straightforward. World building was solidly drawn. The characters drove the storyline and they were so very appealing and likeable and perfectly steamy together. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennifer D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easton is so absolutely adorable….he woos Violet (anonymously of course…) with Twwlve Days of Christmas secret Santa gifts that are so stinking cute and thoughtful….
After a while Violet just can’t take the mystery anymore!!!

These two are very cute together…although for most of the story they’re not actually together yet. My only wish was that there was a like more of them “together”…🥰😍🤭.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ineta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ozark Mountain Men Sexy Santa Christmas series is just a perfect Christmas read and Secret Santa Mountain Man is great addition to the series. And all this mystery gift thing was so exciting - he just went crazy for Christmas and woman he was into. And Easton really started a fire in her.
Beautiful short read - funny, entertaining and sweet. Loved it from the first page.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rachael Bromley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Santa

A sweet Christmas story of being in love for 6 months but the other person not knowing about it. It started as a Christmas secret Santa, then a misunderstanding and now their chemistry is off the charts and away in the realms of HEA. Loved the story. The two characters of Violet and Easton where so sweet I loved how the other characters were giving her clues to who it could be.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quick read with a happily ever after. They both have crushes on each other. He is worried about complications since they work together. So he becomes her Secret Santa. Will he finally tell her? Will she tell him? Will she figure out who her Secret Santa is? I enjoyed their story.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Combining my favorite Christmas Carol - The Twelve Days of Christmas- with a healing rugged mountain man makes this a perfect story. Great characters- Easton is so sweet!!!!! - and a wonderful storyline makes for a great holiday read!!!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Santa mix-up!

Violet and Easton are so adorably awkward! They have so much chemistry, but are also both very insecure and lacking in self confidence, neither believe the other could possibly want them.
There are so many mixed messages and innocent misunderstandings, but thankfully love does win out and they finally get the HEA they crave and deserve.
A lovely read on Kindle Unlimited.

[Jenifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the idea of a secret Santa leaving you presents themed to the 12 days of Christmas song. What's even better is when you have a secret crush on your secret Santa but he doesn't know. This story was just the perfect amount of adorable for this holiday season.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenia Tortora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easton and Violet are absolutely adorable!! She’s shy and swooning over him thinking he’s out of her league. He’s afraid to make a move and have her reject him. Secret Santa and a bit of bravery bring these two together for something a special HEA.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Violet has a secret Santa that has started leaving gifts on her desk. Who is it ? So many questions that need answers. The gifts are so well thought out and beautiful. This is a beautifully written story with a wonderful ending.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.