Hot Buttered Kisses

by Loni Ree

She’s packing her bags. He’s losing his mind.



I've been crushing on Eamon for what feels like forever, and a girl can’t wait forever, right? When a dream job offer lands in my lap, I figure it's time to pack up my unrequited feelings and hit the Big Apple. Surprise. Surprise. The moment I announce my grand escape plan, Mr. Oblivious suddenly can't bear to let me go. Talk about timing! Now I'm caught between the city of my dreams and the man of my fantasies. Who knew giving notice could be so complicated?



Dee's always been there - dependable, beautiful, and completely off-limits. At least, that's what I told myself. Then the moment she mentions leaving for New York, my world tilts on its axis. Suddenly, I'm seeing Dee in a whole new light, and let me tell you, it's blinding. Now I'm on a mission to convince her to stay, armed with nothing but liquid courage from one too many Hot Buttered Rums and years of pent-up feelings. Will my eleventh-hour revelation be enough, or am I about to lose the best thing I never knew I had?


This holiday season, indulge in the Sugar & Spice series where romance brews with every sip. These steamy, holiday romances promise to ignite your passions while heating up your kindle. Whether it's spicy moments over hot buttered rum or hot chocolate, adorable elf kisses, or irresistible romances with peppermint lattes, each story will ignite your senses and make your heart glow this holiday season. These deliciously decadent stories will have you wishing the holiday season never ends.

92 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 17, 2025

Reviews

[꧁ᙏᗣᙃⱿꙆᗣ꧂ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sugar & Spice Series :
✅ 1. All the Elf Kisses by Loni Nichole - (December 12, 2025) - 4 🧝♀ 🧝♀ 🧝♀ 🧝♀
𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐀𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐘 - We return to one of my favorite small towns, Silver Spoon Falls, for more hot and sweet cookies and some sugar canes 😊👍
The Cowboy and His Lost Elf is a hot entry into this holiday series.
spin off Silver Spoon Falls tom 2 pt. "Dillon's Heart" - Dillon Armstrong and Jules
and other.
✅ 2. Peppermint Kissed by Tory Baker - (December 15, 2025) - 3.5 🍹
𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐘 𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐘𝐍𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐑 - Another delicious holiday treat with a little peppermint 🤩🍹 for health
combined with the series : Undercover Lovers Series
✅ 3. Hot Buttered Kisses by Loni Ree - (December 17, 2025) - 3 🐯 🐯 🐯
𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐍 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐄𝐈𝐃𝐑𝐄 "𝐃𝐄𝐄" 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐍 - Not thrilling, but it's a good addition to the series. I would also like to know the story of Nathan and Roni 😊
connected with : Sold to the Naughtier List Series vol. 3 "Auctioned to My Best Friend"
❌ 4. Hot Chocolate Kisses by Mayra Statham (Author) , Cormar Covers (Illustrator) , Julia Goda - (December 19, 2025)
❌ ...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FRG3DVKM?...

[april ♡ probably reading smut - safety reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

TROPES:
-instalove/unrequited love
-boss/employee
-friends to lovers

Dee has been working for Eamon for years. She's always had a crush on him, but he's never really noticed her in that way (that she knows of). She's finally had enough and decides to apply for a job in another city just to get away. When she breaks the news to her boss, he's determined to make her stay and see that he's always loved her- he was just scared to make a move.

Hmm, this book was cute in some places. The spice was good. I just didn't quite understand why Eamon pushed her away for so many years. I know he was technically her boss, but still lol. It was an alright read!

SAFETY:
Virgin/celibate/etc: unclear, no past is mentioned for either of them.
OM/OW: none
Cheating/sharing: none
HEA?: yes!

My bookshelves may contain spoilers.

[JaneH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deirdre (Dee) and Eamon work in the same bar, both have been hankering for each other for so long and neither do anything about it. Dee is a bit of a teaser, aim being to hopefully get a reaction from Eamon…his usual response involves a glare!
So she goes for a job elsewhere, gets the job, tells Eamon and their boss and serious sparks fly, passion, honesty and beautiful declarations of love
I enjoyed this story immensely.

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

[Nicole M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun, fast read filled with smexual tension and spice. I was totally on board with Dee's plans to start fresh in order to move on and advance in life, but I'll be darned if Eamon didn't step in just in the nick of time. So good!

[Jovette Bossé · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Eamon and Dee, they're soo good together! Such a wonderful and beautiful love story! Soo soo good and soo soo H.O.T I absolutly loved it! 🥰❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️❤️😍

[Nikki_Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!! WOW!! Fab*u*lous Absolutely love this one!! I couldn't put this one down. This was a nice quick, short read.

Eamon and Deirdre/Dee met when she goes to work for him and Nathan Auctioned to My Best Friend at Midnight Mischief. When Dee's had enough of Eamon she applies for a job in New York. Dee gets a call from a Manhattan number, when she answers she finds out the bar in NY wants her to come for an interview. So Dee asks Eamon if she can have the weekend off and tells him it's personal. Dee heads to New York and is impressed with the bar, she gets the officer she's wants. So when Dee heads back she has her speech all planned out but as soon as Eamon walks into the office she forgets what she's going to say. So Dee tells Eamon and Nathan that she's quits and will give two weeks. Eamon gets mad and tells her she can't leave him, but Dee tells him she was never his. Eamon leaves the office, after work he heads to another bar on the outskirts of town. Eamon calls an uber when he can't drive and puts in Dee's address. Dee wants to know when Eamon is knocking on her door. Dee invites Eamon into her home and then he tells her that he's in love with her. Dee tells Eamon to sleep on her couch and they'll talk in the morning when he's not drunk. When Dee wakes up she debates waking up Eamon but doesn't she gets herself coffee, on her second cup he wakes up and asks for a cup. Eamon then kisses Dee, and when she pulls away she tells him they need to talk first. Eamon picks up Dee and puts her on her counter, then starts to pleasure her. Eamon tells her she's his and Dee tells him she thinks she always was. Eamon takes Dee to her bedroom where they make love. When Dee gets to the club the next day Eamon's already there, he takes her into the break room and pleasures her. When Dee is tending bar, Eamon slides behind the bar and kisses her. Dee tells Eamon there's no hiding them now. When it's time to close after everyone has left Eamon takes Dee home with him to his apartment. Eamon tells Dee he told Nathan they weren't coming in tomorrow when she asks why not he tells her because they're moving her things in to his home. Eamon pulls out a box and gives Dee the security code and tells her to open it, when she does he tells her about his past. Dee tells Eamon she doesn't want any kids, and he tells her what ever she wants, if she wants to change her mind as long as he has her. Then Eamon slides a ring on Dee's finger and tells her they're getting married. Two months later, Eamon and Dee get married.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dee is the superstar bartender at where Eamon is second in command. They have been crushing on each other since they met a few years ago, and Eamon deals with it by acting all grumpy and brusque. Dee handles it by pushing all of his buttons. Until Dee decides enough is enough and she needs to get over him, and she is offered a job in NYC and has to move away. Eamon has a near melt down but it's the perfect catalyst to get him to FINALLY do something.

This book was a short, very entertaining, and super hawt read. It was fantastic watching the slow burn of them both dancing around each other and almost self combusting doing so. They were super hawt together!! I have not read any of the books from this Sugar & Spice series and now I have to! I am also completely new to the author, and I can't imagine why I haven't read any of her books before because this one was amazing!.

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

[Tiffany Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Sweet Bar Kisses**

*Hot Buttered Kisses* by Loni Ree is the third book in the multi-author series *Sugar and Spice*. This cute, fast-paced workplace holiday romance features Dee and Eamon, who have worked together for years and harbored feelings for each other from the moment they first laid eyes on one another. However, they’ve continuously pushed each other’s buttons without ever taking their relationship to the next level.

When Dee reaches her breaking point and decides she needs to leave to start fresh somewhere else, Eamon realizes he might lose her forever if he doesn’t step up. He understands that he must claim her and show her how much she truly means to him. Their slow-burning romance is filled with passionate sparks finally flying between them. It’s the perfect way to cozy up and unwind at the end of a long day while enjoying Dee and Eamon’s happily ever after.

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

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boss/employee romance with a walled off MMC and a smart mouth FMC is the perfect recipe. I loved how Dee had a back bone in the beginning and decided to chase her dreams and to move on from a man who hadn’t shown any interest in her. Watching Eamon unravel and go feral for her when he realized he could loose her was so fun and made the book interesting and steamy. But I feel like it was rushed once they got together and the book needed to be longer. They didn’t really talk about anything, and I really wanted Eamon to show he understood her need to grow in her career. They just kind of fell into life without him giving any compromises. It worked out in the end, but I think those important conversations would have been better. No cheating or OM/OW drama, dual POV, HEA and an epilogue in the future. I hope we get Seamus and that syndicate series, and a book for Jacob Amon. Both seem like super interesting characters!

[Rainbowlovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, instalove Christmas Vibe (though not heavily featured) romance where our two main characters are wanting one another, but not willing to make a move.

Dee has been wanting Eamon since she laid eyes on him, but he's put his walls up and shown no indication of wanting her in return. So she takes a leap of faith and applies to a bar out of town and out of Eamons orbit.
Trying to get over her unrequited love, pushes Eamon into action and he's not going to stand by and let her leave him.

What to expect from Hot Buttered Kisses
🍹 Dual POV
❤️ Interlinking Characters (Auctioned To My Best Friend Nathan and Roni)
🍹 Interconnected Standalone
❤️ Instalove
🍹 No OW Drama
❤️ No Cheating
🍹 Mutual Pining
❤️ Strong Willed FMC
🍹 Protective MMC
❤️ Steamy Scenes
🍹 HEAs

Nice, easy read from Loni that gets your instalove hit just right.

[Kari Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dee has had feelings for Eamon, her boss, for a few years, however she has finally accepted that he will never feel the same way about her. Being around him and not being with him is no longer possible so she decides to apply for a job out of town excepting handing in her resignation doesn’t go as she expected.

Eamon has been denying his feelings for Dee but finding out that she is not only willing to walk away from her job but from him as well changes everything. He is determined to show her that she can achieve her dreams with him both personally and professionally.

This is a heartwarming story of mutual pining as the prospect of not being in each other’s lives is enough to bring them together.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dee is a bartender at Midnight Mischief, where Eamon is the co-owner. Dee and Eamon have been crushing on each other for years, but he fights his feelings for her, and she's waiting for him to do something. When she gets offered a job in NYC, Eamon finally realizes he's about to lose Dee, and he's ready for love. This is a quick, small town, friends-to-lovers, holiday romance with likable characters, who finally get their happily ever after. Hot Buttered Kisses is book three in the multi-author Sugar and Spice series. I look forward to reading the rest of the books. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Hanna Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a part of the Sugar & Spice series and focuses on Eamon and Dee. Eamon and Dee have been in love with each other for years but Eamon has kept his feelings solidly hidden and kept Dee at arms length. He doesn’t feel that he is what Dee deserves in a partner due to his family and his past. When he is faced with losing Dee once and for all, Eamon finally pulls himself together and goes after Dee. This was a great story and a great addition to the series.

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

[Angi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dee was the star bartender but she had a secret crush on the bartender Eamon who she worked with. Eamon was showing no interest back so Dee made the decision to move away and start over little did she know this was what was going to tip Eamon’s hand; he wasn’t going to let her leave him, he had too strong of feelings for her to let her walk away. This book is full of tension, steam and confessed feelings. This is a great short read.

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

[C Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dee and Eamon were side characters in Auctioned to my Best Friend and I'm so glad they got their own steamy story. Eamon is the hot, strong, and quiet type, while Dee is brazen, loud, and (outwardly) confident, and they are perfect for each other. They've been in love with each other since they first met, but neither went for it. But when Dee is thinking of leaving, Eamon finally steps up and they get their spicy HEA.

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

[Lisa Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dee has been in love with Eamon since she started working there as a bartender. He has never given her indication he is interested. On a whim she applies for her dream job in NYC, since he does not feel the same. Boy, does she get that wrong, when she turns in her notice, she finds out how he really feels.

This is a short and steamy read, the characters are great, but the lack of communication almost made them be ships passing in the night.

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

[Jenia Tortora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deirdre has been crushing over Eamon forever! She believes he doesn’t see her that way and after watching her best friend find love she can’t handle seeing him and knowing she will never be his. Eamon gets the shock of his life when he learns she’s leaving and refuses to allow or accept it. These two are hotter than the sun and his soft side for his will have you melting faster than a popsicle in July. Loved it!!.

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

[Amanda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loni brought us another great novella. This is a book in the Sugar and Spice series and is about Eamon and Dee.
They work together and have been in love with each other since they met but they haven’t told each other. Eamon doesn’t think he’s good enough for her or that he can give her the life she deserves and she thinks he doesn’t even notice her.
When Dee is offered her dream job in another city, will she be able to choose between Eamon and her dream job? Will she have to? How will Eamon react when he finds out she has the offer?
5 ⭐️
3 🌶️

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the previous book in this world (it was a part of a different multi-author series), I wasn't sure how Eamon and Dee were going to work out. I wanted a little hint at the end of that book, but after reading Hot Buttered Kisses, I was actually glad that there wasn't one. Because one this novella got going, it went from zero to holy cow in no time. I loved it. Eamon was an enigma. In his eyes, he isn't good enough to Dee. He's been through the trenches, while Dee is pure of heart. Or so he thinks. Dee is spunky. She's done waiting for Eamon to pull his head out of the sand and she's ready to move on. When he finally does wake up and their chemistry ignites, they'll scorch anyone who tries to separate them.

Hot Buttered Kisses was a fantastic holiday novella to keep you in the holidy spirit.

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

[Didi · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you get a six foot plus stoic Irishman’s attention? Dee has loved Eamon since day one of working at Midnight Mischief but when she feels he doesn’t share her feelings she applies for another job. Eamon objects, determined his Sunshine knows she is not going anywhere. Hot tension, a bit of heartache,realizations, Alpha determination, sizzling passion and a forever HEA. Fun read.

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

[Carlyn Zanidean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the day 2 years ago Dee started to work at the bar, Eamon could not help but secretly fall in love with Dee. He knew she deserved better, so he hid all his feelings the best he could.
Dee could not take it anymore , for 2 years now she has secretly been in love with Eamon. The only way she could think of to help her get over Eamon , was to move and start a new job.
But Eamon will not let that happen. He finally snaps into action, and makes Dee his .

[Sassy Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. I didn’t want it to end. I couldn’t put it down. I loved every second of it. Dee has been wanting Eamon since she started working at the bar. Eamon has also wanted her but didn’t think he deserved her. She is tired of this stand still so she gets another job somewhere else. When Eamon discovers this, he doesn’t handle it well. Will they be able to work things out in order to get their happily ever after?

I received an ARC from the author/publisher for an honest review.

[Melissa Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of a multi author series called Sugar & Spice. Dee and Eamon are interesting characters. Both hiding their feelings from each other. I enjoyed their interactions. Dee loves irritating Eamon and her antics were funny. Enjoyable quick read.

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

[Sil Hines · Rating 5 out of 5]

whoa!!!

Ok…yaaassss queen to this little book! Eamon finally snapped and realized he needed to take charge or his lady love was gonna split. She let him in to her apartment in the middle of the night, and that proceeded to click into place for the rest of their lives. Short. Sweet, and a fun read. 5 stars from me!

[Lilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5⭐️
It’s my first time reading this author and what a brilliant introduction this was. I loved Dee for her amazing creativity in creating all the lovely cocktails.

She definitely deserves all the adoration and obsession from Eamon. And oh boy, once Eamon fully “awakens”, there is no stopping this obsessed man. 🤭

[Sarah Freilinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

NYC or bust

Dee has had it with Eamon. She has loved him from afar with no reaction from him. So she travels to NYC for the dream job, and to run from her feelings. It takes her giving he notice for Eamon to step up to the plate and make his nove.
I love this author. She never disappoints.

[Cindy Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's sad that it takes Dee getting a job in New York City to spur Eamon to finally do something about his attraction to Dee. She pushes all his buttons and has had a major crush on him. Eamon acts all grumpy bear in order to keep Dee at arms length until he finds out that she's leaving.... Then he takes matters in his own hands.

[Teresa Hynson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice read

I liked the the flc was a bit different than most of the leads have been. She was a strong lead who was matched with a strong male lead who while made a great salary, was not a billionaire. Her take on family was slightly different and I am glad that conversation took place. Nice read.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t Lose Her

Dee is tired of pining for Eamon, she needs to move on so she applies for a job in NYC and gets it. When Eamon finds out Dee is leaving he is devastated, he doesn’t think he is good enough for her but he can’t live without her so he decides to claim her as his in this sweet read.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

No longer pushing aside his own personal life, but going forth and pursuing the woman he’s desired, now that she’s leaving. Liked his last ditch effort of going all in, with no reservations and declaring that she’s his woman.

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