A Bloody Merry Christmas

The Naughty List

by M.D. Gregory

Who doesn’t want to be saved by a knight in shining armor, even if it’s splattered with blood?

A Homeless Man’s Desperate Escape
Ezra Hunter hates Christmas. It’s full of lies and fake families. The closer it gets to the holidays, the angrier he becomes. Getting into a fight with three frat bullies wasn’t in any of his plans, but they’re delighted to torment a homeless person, and he becomes their target. They chase him into a stranger’s backyard, and he’s saved by the homeowner in the most violent way possible. But Samael is anything but aggressive when it comes to Ezra.

A Murdering Scientist Grows a Soft Spot
Samael Morris kills bad people. He’s spent his life taking out the scum in the world, the first victim being his abusive father, who stole Sam’s voice from him. He’s careful, precise, and secretive. Until Ezra. The homeless man’s arrival is sudden and he starts a fire inside Sam that he’s never felt before. He wants to slay Ezra’s demons, even if it means breaking his rules.

Learning Their Love Language
As Ezra and Sam grow closer, they open up to each other. Ezra doesn’t know ASL, but he makes it his mission to learn so he can communicate with the man who saved him. Sam experiences desire for someone else for the first time. Together, they navigate a new world and fall in love in the process, but will they be each other’s downfall?

Genres: M M Romance, Christmas, Dark, Romance, Dark Romance, Crime, Contemporary

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 6, 2021

Reviews

[martina (the life of a chaotic reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

there’s something about killers during christmas time that just does it for me

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️

This man just murdered someone in front of me and could kill me, too, yet I was checking him out. Maybe that jerk hit me harder than I’d thought.

A bit of mixed feelings on this one.
It was easily enjoyable, murder + holiday vibes seems to be a combo that works for me, and I flew threw it in one sitting.
BUT, it wasn’t special. It was short, predictable, a little fluffier than I wanted.

Forget Santa. Sam was bringing my Christmas presents early. He could jingle his balls and deck my halls while I rode his candy cane.

That was entirely too ridiculous and cheesy for me. I think I lost my eyeballs in the back of my head from rolling them too hard.

I wanted to protect him, keep him in my pocket where I could always defend him. No one would ever hurt him again.

Still, the characters were fun, and I liked the found family, the protectiveness, the sweet&spicy relationship.
A quick, insta-love serial killer/holiday romance, with a bit of sexiness and a touch of hurt/comfort. Just lacking some extra sparkle, maybe some extra angst. Bonus points for the mask kink. I can never get enough of that.

He stared down at me as though I was the best Christmas present he’d ever received, eyes wide and sparkling with an intensity that sent shockwaves through me. Is this what it meant to be cared for?

CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Mentions of past child physical abuse
- Serial killer MC
- Violence/murder
- Mute MC due to injury/trauma
- Homelessness
- Physical assault/bullying (on page)
- Sexual awakening
- Top/bottom
- Coming hands-free
- Semi-public sex
- Role-play
- Mask kink

[Ren || Reading What I Want · Rating 5 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ ★ ✬

honestly? i loved this one. fast paced, sweet as can be, spiciness that had me swooning, and THE cutest little romance.

ezra was such a great character. homelessness didn't completely destroy him but it came close. at least until a mute vigilante saved his life and gave him a home and family. sam was SO AMAZING and i loved how he spoiled his boy.

y'all, the sounds that mute man made. 🥵🥵 amazing writing during those parts.

found family, festiveness, and a little bit of murder to round out this romance.

[Monikat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, easy darkling with holiday vibes.

[Zee]

4 ⭐️
I loved this book, but more than anything, I loved the two main characters, Samael and Ezra, and especially Samael. 😍
Sam is a serial killer, but he was oh so sweet for his Ezra. I loved him a lot, I just wished we could see more of his vulnerable side.
I liked the side characters. The emotions and passion was there, not as deep as I would have liked, but it is a short book sooo 🤷‍♀️
The steam was steaming, especially the mask scene 🥵 Sam is just so hot, and the fact that he is a bit older than Ezra just adds to his charm 😩
Ezra was perfect for Sam, and Sam was adorably endearing 🥹

How was being left-handed so damned cute? Apparently, I thought it was. Maybe I had a concussion because what the fuck?

Was it possible for a serial killer to be this adorable? Yes. The answer was a huge yes.

Some noticeable moments ⬇️
…all the feelings stuck deep behind my ribs only grew. I wanted to protect him, keep him in my pocket where I could always defend him. No one would ever hurt him again.

I wanted to dream about him on my worst and best days, see him smile at me the way he was now. He was my savior, my knight in shining but bloody armor. He was my whole reason for being alive. I wouldn’t be breathing without him right now.

There were some funny moments, especially with Sam’s deranged family lol ⬇️

What was those last signs? I frowned and repeated it. “I am committed to you.” A grin broke out across his mouth and he shook his head, laughter lighting up his face. “What? It wasn’t?” You said I’m pregnant and you’re the father.

I loved the ASL and all the other types of reps, it added more depth to the story. 🤌🏻
On to the next one!

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

After running away from his abusive uncle, Ezra ended up homeless and lived on the streets for over six years. He’s way too thin, dirty, and has just one bag with stuff.
One night, three guys bullied him, and he flew into someone’s yard for shelter but they still attacked him and beat him hard and viciously. He almost gave up, when suddenly someone smashed the attacker’s head in.
His savior is the homeowner. He just killed the three men, but gently took Ezra inside.

Samuel, the homeowner, is muted, speaking hurts. He saved Ezra and let him stay with him. Besides his daily job, he kills the scum of the earth. When he saw Ezra being assaulted he didn’t think twice.
Ezra never felt safer.

Sam’s cousins know about Sam’s bloody business and are cool with it.
There are many sinister dark jokes, and I loved them all.

There’s an undeniable attraction between Ezra and Sam. And yes, they act on it, thank you very much!
“He could jingle his balls and deck my halls while I rode his candy cane.”

Ezra understands Sam's motivations for killing; with Sam, he feels safe, and Sam protects him.
Ezra wants to help Sam with his bloody business. There are people outside whom he wouldn’t mind if they vanished.

I loved this read, it’s bloody yes, but even more, adorable, sweet, humorous, and sexy, did I say bloody yet? Lol.
A great addition to the series!!

[Sarah☀️ Somerville · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too cutesy for me.

[audiobook_chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ezra & Sam

I am really enjoying The Naughty List series and this fits in perfectly . Who doesn't love a serial killer Christmas story with a happily ever after.

[Megan (feral hearts club) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet and simple Christmas read, with a touch of dark romance. One of the MCs being a serial unaliver was really the only thing that made this dark.. Sam murdered the college kids who were attacking Ezra at the beginning of the book, then there was a bunch of cute moments in the middle with caretaking, shopping trips, family thanksgiving dinner and a touch of spice. It was practically a Hallmark movie until the end where murder happened one last time. Cute, but definitely not as dark as the cover and synopsis would have you believe.

[... · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - despite the murdery bits, this felt a little bit cute and fluffy? A fun, lightweight read!

[Showarst · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bloody Merry Christmas by M.D. Gregory was such an entertaining story! I absolutely loved this one. Anyone who looks at my reading list knows that I cannot get enough of serial killer, possessive, only has eyes for the other MC stories. This one has serial killer Samael save Ezra from being hurt by some jocks. He takes Ezra in and the two form a tight bond. Sam has never been interested in sex or other people, but is drawn to Ezra. I just loved them so much. Sam’s family was pretty great. I would love to see more of them. I could not put this one down. It was a delight!


I received an ARC from the author and Booksprout for my honest review.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ezra is homeless. When he was attacked on the streets, Samael saves him and eliminates his 3 attackers. They are drawn to each other - both outcasts with Sam unable to speak making Ezra want to learn ASL. Sam's a loner with 2 cousins as BF's. Both victims of abusive guardians as children, now Ezra wants to dispense justice, too. A dark holiday romance where unaliving people becomes normal and routine and love unites them.

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody Awesome Christmas story

What a fantastic book if morally gray characters are you're thing. I spent more time smiling & thoroughly enjoyed the building relationship between Ezra & Sam as well as the interaction between them & Sam's family. Great read

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

These two were so cute!! Homeless MC and a mute serial killer. What’s not to like?

No notes really.

Would love to read Dalton’s book.

No one else but each other. No breaks up. Just some murder.

[Karina Liebiedieva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Теж нереалістично, проте в це більше віриться
Вайбик Декстера гея✨🤌🏻

[Brei-ayn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved My Bloody Merry Christmas and struggled to put it down. The story is amazing and I enjoyed reading it.

[Bear_reads_romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this series

Ugh I loved Sam like the perfect kind of crazy and Ezra needed that🤍 I'm excited to read the rest of the series!

[Aimora]

What happened with this book? Is it still going to be released?

[Abigail Beckwith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's MD Gregory's "A Bloody Merry Christmas." It's part of the multi-author series The Naughty List.

["Who doesn’t want to be saved by a knight in shining armor, even if it’s splattered with blood?

A Homeless Man’s Desperate Escape
Ezra Hunter hates Christmas. It’s full of lies and fake families. The closer it gets to the holidays, the angrier he becomes. Getting into a fight with three frat bullies wasn’t in any of his plans, but they’re delighted to torment a homeless person, and he becomes their target. They chase him into a stranger’s backyard, and he’s saved by the homeowner in the most violent way possible. But Samael is anything but aggressive when it comes to Ezra.

A Murdering Scientist Grows a Soft Spot
Samael Morris kills bad people. He’s spent his life taking out the scum in the world, the first victim being his abusive father, who stole Sam’s voice from him. He’s careful, precise, and secretive. Until Ezra. The homeless man’s arrival is sudden and he starts a fire inside Sam that he’s never felt before. He wants to slay Ezra’s demons, even if it means breaking his rules.

Learning Their Love Language
As Ezra and Sam grow closer, they open up to each other. Ezra doesn’t know ASL, but he makes it his mission to learn so he can communicate with the man who saved him. Sam experiences desire for someone else for the first time. Together, they navigate a new world and fall in love in the process, but will they be each other’s downfall?"]

This book was about exactly what I thought it would and also surprisingly different than I had imagined. It was dark and murder-y and 'mine' and far more romantic than it had the right to be. But it was also a lot softer, less bloody, less possessive, and more family-oriented (found family) than I had imagined.

It was a beautiful balance of sweet and spicy. There was that instant connect, that instant feeling of rightness, and that instant "wow, he's adorable as hell". I loved it all!

Trigger Warnings: bullying, past child abuse, serial killer, murder, abusive family, and more.

#abloodymerrychristmas #mdgregory #stalkingaroundthechristmastree #murderunderthemistletoe #thesilentnightstalker #deckthehallswithbloodanddesire #acorpseforchristmas #mistletoemischiefandmurder #christmasmafaiprince #thenaughtylist #thenaughtylistseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

[Mandy (MP Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ezra Hunter, a homeless man embittered by Christmas and its false cheer, finds himself attacked by frat bullies. Fleeing into a stranger’s yard, he’s saved in a brutal act of violence by Samael Morris — a scientist who secretly kills those he deems irredeemably bad. Though ruthless with his victims, Samael is unexpectedly gentle with Ezra. Samael, scarred by an abusive past that left him voiceless, has lived a life of precision and secrecy. Ezra’s sudden presence ignites feelings he’s never allowed himself to feel, stirring both desire and a need to protect. As they grow closer, Ezra learns ASL to communicate with Samael, while Samael discovers intimacy and vulnerability for the first time. Their bond deepens into love, but with Ezra’s trauma and Samael’s violent double life, the question remains: can they save each other, or will their demons drag them down?

I loved this story about two broken men finding unexpected love in the shadows, where tenderness and violence intertwine, and where saving each other may be both a miracle and dangerous. I also loved how the“knight in shining armour splattered with blood” embodied the idea that salvation can come from flawed, even monstrous, protectors. I loved that Ezra was determined to learn ASL so that he could easily communicate with Samael. This was a very enjoyable story about two broken men finding belonging in each other, where love became both miracle and danger, and where salvation is inseparable from the shadows that haunt them. This was an MM story with mature content.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing like a serial killer at Christmas. This was fun and weirdly sweet.

Reads almost like a novella at 200pgs. Sam ❤️ Ezra

- No third act breakup
- Weirdly good communication
- Demi/gay MCs
- No virgins; Sam was with one other person (woman) years ago, Ezra had a few sexual encounters for money; neither were manwhores
- Serial killer and unhoused young man
- both victims of abuse as teenagers
- forced proximity - Samael kills three guys who viciously attack Ezra in his yard; Ezra then stays w Samael
- Mute MC (Sam) - due to choking incident and then mental trauma causing pain when he speaks; Ezra learns sign language for him
- insta - whole story takes place in one month
- Family - Sam has two cousins (?) and his cousins wife who help him find and dispose of his victims (who are all terrible people); family is sweet and supportive. Also the two little old ladies next door are very endearing and proved pivotal at the end; warning Sam that Ezra was in trouble.
- Spice - spice throughout; mask play
- Dual POV; HFN. Epilogue w the family in Christmas sweaters 🥹

I mean, I really love these weird little stories.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

MD Gregory is back with A Bloody Merry Christmas. This book is part of a multi-author series, but each book is a standalone. This book is a romance with some darkness, age gap, demi-awakening, and some hurt/comfort.

Ezra has been homeless for a while after leaving an abusive environment. He’s not a fan of the holidays, tired of seeing the fake way families behave. He keeps mostly to himself, until one night some bullies drive him right into the path of Samael.

Samael “Sam” has his own horror story when it comes to family. After one attack, he’s left with pain when speaking. He’s made it his goal to deal out justice to those who deserve it. He has his small group of family, but otherwise doesn’t let anyone in. But then he meets Ezra.

While the book is billed as a dark romance, it’s way more sweet and fluffy than I expected. It’s got the blood and murder, but these two MCs are both teddy bears in their own way. It had the perfect amount of steam that Gregory does so well. There is some good banter. I enjoyed all the side characters, and at times they stole the show. Overall, the book was a quick read with great characters.

[Ana Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Sam had not gotten rid of those jerks, I swear I would have gone into the book and do it myself! How can they be so cruel to my poor Ezra?😭

The really sad part is that this is easily something that happens everyday and nobody does anything about it or cares. I can’t even be mad at Sam for wanting to get rid of the scum of the earth.

Both of them had such a painful childhood. I would never understand how a parent can hurt their own child to the point of almost killing them. I’m surprised that after everything they lived through, they still turned out to be decent human beings.

I loved how quickly Ezra became part of Sam’s family dynamic. It was as if he always belonged there. They really cared for him and gave him the love he never had.

It made me so happy and proud that Ezra took back his power and stopped being afraid. His bully definitely didn’t see that coming. Way to go Ezra!

I’m gonna need Dalton’s book because we need to know his story. That man has way too much to tell🤭

[Belinda Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, twisted, hurt/comfort, found family

Ezra escaped his abusive uncle as a tee and he's survived on the streets.
It's a cold winter night and trouble has found him.
Thankfully, a vengeful angel has decided to help him.
Sam is a serial killer who feels a pull towards Ezra.
Sam takes care of the problem and Ezra isn't horrified, instead he's glad and excited by it.
Sam can't speak very well, but communicates just fine through writing and texting.
He invites Ezra to stay and immediately let's him in on his secret hobby life.
He has family who help him in his endeavors and I absolutely loved Dalton, Lucy and Bee.
They way they immediately accepted Ezra as family was wonderful.
Ezra faces danger once again in the form of his uncle but this time is able to take care of the situation himself just as Sam arrives to rescue him.

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

M.D. Gregory is very good at writing this type of book and still create characters you can sympathize with and like. This is part of The Naughty List series in which different authors write stories about this type of character set at Christmas.
Ms Gregory has set herself a hard task right from the beginning because Sam, one of the main characters has a hard time speaking. Honestly most of the time I actually forgot about it because of the way that it’s written. Ezra is homeless and meets Sam when Sam saves him from some frat bullies. Thus begins their VERY different travels towards a relationship.
You must love reading dark MM stories and be ready to go with the flow to enjoy this book. I loved it a lot.

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

[annakyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review, warnings and other information:

This was my type of cozy reading.
—

Warnings and other information:

Cheating: No.
Breakup: No.
POV: 1st person, dual.
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles(Sam Top /Ezra bottom).
Demisexual representation!!
Main characters' age: Ezra 24 / Sam 36
Kindle Unlimited: Yes!
Pages: 201
Happy ending: Yes!
Do they stay with other people?: No. Ezra say he did some sexual favors for money and food when he lived on the street. Sam mentioned one ex girlfriend, but none of those past experiences were pleasant or relevant for the MCs.
Homophobia?: The bad guy says some homophobic things in one chapter.
Any type of SA?: No (but is mentioned because they kill people that do this kind of thing)
Warnings: Ezra was homeless, he got beaten up by 3 guys, he was beaten and psychologically abused by his uncle when he was a kid/teenager. Sam kills bad people.

[Miruru Shouting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serial killer x homeless, rescue from bullies, holidays, selective mutism due to childhood injury/abuse, hurt/comfort, found family, serial killer family business, bi-awakening, medium burn, novella

Samael has such great family and support system around him. All the family scenes were so heartwarming and great to read. Ezra, on the other hand, has abusive and terrible family that we see in the latter half that still continues to treat him terribly after seeing him again.

Samael and Ezra are so cute and sweet. Despite the dark themes, the story is also very heartwarming. I'm glad Ezra was able to sorta get his revenge in the end, even if it didn't work out the way they were trying to plan it.

[Savy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have read some of M.D. Gregory (and Ki Brightly)'s books, you might remember a mention of a homeless person named Ezra. However, until now, he didn't have his own story. And let me tell you, I really loved that he finally got his HEA, with a Christmas present wrapped in murderous intent. If you haven't read any other stories by these authors, don't worry. This book is a complete stand-alone, even though it's set in the New Gothenburg world by Meg and Ki.

Samael has been alone for a long while. Most people get scared of by him not being able to talk. Besides, he doesn't want people getting too close, since there's less change of them learning the truth about his bloody hobby. He is actually really sweet and I absolutely love the fact Meg choose a character with a speaking predicament, as I think there aren't many books out there with those kind of characters.

When Samael saves Ezra and starts taking take of him, it's like a Christmas miracle for Ezra. Can he really starts to believe in the newfound happiness in his life? Especially when old demons return to haunt him. While Sam might have helped him get of the streets and grow stronger, it's up to Ezra to deal with his own past.

An easy to read Christmas story, with some bloody themes. Please check out the content warning if you need to.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Plot 3/5
Spice 1.5/5
Mute MC
Serial unaliver / homeless MC
Light on the gore
Found Family

Despite what the title is... this is a very cutesy read! It really has more of a light and fluffy vibe than anything dark. The "dark" elements come from Sam being a unaliver but even then in this book the only time he did was when he was protecting Ezra.. There are more funny, light hearted moments than anything remotely dark. With that being said this was still an adorable read! Ezra and Sam are just perfect for each other! and the way Sam's family just accepted Ezra was super sweet! Definitely worth the read!

[Gabrielle Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed getting to be along for the ride as Ezra and Sam find their way. Their story pulled me in right from the start and did not let go until the end. It moves along at a good pace and has a nice mix of emotion and heat. I love Sam and Ezra, the two are great together and it was nice to see the way they connect. Not only did the main characters shine but the supporting characters made themselves known as well.

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