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Tied Up In Tinsel
Annie Cringle needs a Christmas miracle. With her ex-husband bailing at the last minute, she’s desperate to find someone to watch her seven-year-old daughter while she caters the biggest holiday event in Snowberry Peak. On a whim, she posts on the town’s online forum. She expected maybe a sweet retiree or a teenager looking for extra cash.
She did not expect Brooks Bennett.
Tatted, rugged, and impossibly handsome in his worn cowboy boots and Wrangler jeans, Brooks is the last man Annie imagined answering her call for a nanny. But the ex-bull rider turned rodeo clown has a surprising gift: he knows exactly how to win over Ruby’s heart. From fashion shows with glitter and tiaras to tea parties in too-small dresses, Brooks proves he can wrangle more than just bulls—he can wrangle her daughter’s laughter.
And Annie’s heart, too.
What begins with playful teasing and stolen glances soon sparks into heated nights and breathless moments neither of them can resist. The more time Brooks spends in Annie’s home, the harder it is to remember he was only supposed to be temporary.
Because what’s the harm in falling for your live-in nanny… especially at Christmas?
She did not expect Brooks Bennett.
Tatted, rugged, and impossibly handsome in his worn cowboy boots and Wrangler jeans, Brooks is the last man Annie imagined answering her call for a nanny. But the ex-bull rider turned rodeo clown has a surprising gift: he knows exactly how to win over Ruby’s heart. From fashion shows with glitter and tiaras to tea parties in too-small dresses, Brooks proves he can wrangle more than just bulls—he can wrangle her daughter’s laughter.
And Annie’s heart, too.
What begins with playful teasing and stolen glances soon sparks into heated nights and breathless moments neither of them can resist. The more time Brooks spends in Annie’s home, the harder it is to remember he was only supposed to be temporary.
Because what’s the harm in falling for your live-in nanny… especially at Christmas?
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About the author
M. Hartley
10 books178 followersM. Hartley is a hopeless romantic with a passion for crafting heartfelt stories about small-town charm and rugged fictional cowboys (with big hearts and big…) When she’s not writing, while drinking a glass of sweet red wine, she can be found doting on her beloved dog, Hank, or indulging in her absurd Swedish Fish addiction. Dedicated to making readers fall head over heels for romance, M. Hartley believes there’s nothing better than a love story that lingers long after the last page is turned.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
November 16, 2025
⭐️ 4.5 Star
If you’re looking for a spicy novella that delivers heat and heart, Tied Up in Tinsel is exactly what you need on your holiday TBR.
Annie is a total badass single mom to the most adorable, outgoing seven-year-old, Ruby. Their bond is beautiful, warm, and so real. You can feel the love between them on every page.
Brooks, a retired bull rider, answers a simple holiday ad hoping to make some extra cash and ends up finding everything he’s ever wanted. His presence brings joy, comfort, and a spark back into Annie’s holiday season, and watching him blend into their little family melted me.
And the spice is top tier. Perfectly balanced with sweetness, never overshadowing the story’s heart.
This novella gave me the cozy holiday vibes, the swoony moments, and the steam I crave during festive romance season. A perfect quick read to get you in the Christmas spirit. 🎄✨
If you’re looking for a spicy novella that delivers heat and heart, Tied Up in Tinsel is exactly what you need on your holiday TBR.
Annie is a total badass single mom to the most adorable, outgoing seven-year-old, Ruby. Their bond is beautiful, warm, and so real. You can feel the love between them on every page.
Brooks, a retired bull rider, answers a simple holiday ad hoping to make some extra cash and ends up finding everything he’s ever wanted. His presence brings joy, comfort, and a spark back into Annie’s holiday season, and watching him blend into their little family melted me.
And the spice is top tier. Perfectly balanced with sweetness, never overshadowing the story’s heart.
This novella gave me the cozy holiday vibes, the swoony moments, and the steam I crave during festive romance season. A perfect quick read to get you in the Christmas spirit. 🎄✨
October 27, 2025
“If she called me after this, no miles, no hours, no days would ever keep me from her. I’d walk through fire, climb mountains, fight storms because nothing would hold me back from being where she wanted me.”
M. Hartley is the queen of writing fictional men and I’ll perish on that hill! I’ve never experienced single mom x manny but let me tell you!!! I was here for it!
Annie is strong in all definitions of the word. A crappy ex husband who doesn’t help much with their child, running her own business, plus trying to be a single mom definitely is no easy feat. Brooks is a retired bull rodeo turned rodeo clown which in my opinion, makes him perfect for the nanny job. His who demeanor and level of fun with Annie’s daughter Ruby had me swooning the entire time. The chemistry between the two was undeniable from first meet and I just adored them together!
I think this was the perfect holiday novella to really start the season of cozy Christmas reads. I would highly recommend to all my cowboy loving book besties!
Thank you so much to the author for allowing me to early read! 🫶🏻
M. Hartley is the queen of writing fictional men and I’ll perish on that hill! I’ve never experienced single mom x manny but let me tell you!!! I was here for it!
Annie is strong in all definitions of the word. A crappy ex husband who doesn’t help much with their child, running her own business, plus trying to be a single mom definitely is no easy feat. Brooks is a retired bull rodeo turned rodeo clown which in my opinion, makes him perfect for the nanny job. His who demeanor and level of fun with Annie’s daughter Ruby had me swooning the entire time. The chemistry between the two was undeniable from first meet and I just adored them together!
I think this was the perfect holiday novella to really start the season of cozy Christmas reads. I would highly recommend to all my cowboy loving book besties!
Thank you so much to the author for allowing me to early read! 🫶🏻
December 25, 2025
e very very cute story, I enjoyed it! If only it were a little bit longer.
October 23, 2025
If you’re up to start early on the Christmas spirit this novella comes out on October 27th, so mark your calendars! ✨
I honestly didn’t expect for a Christmas novella to make me laugh, giggle, kick my feet, and cry all in one single sitting but here we are!
This has all the hallmark cozy Christmas vibes and I loved every minute of it. Also I didn’t expect it to be that spicy but hot damn 🫣 it was so good. It was perfect to start getting ready for that Christmas mood. The author really outdid herself with this one!
Some of my favorite tropes are single parent and the nanny trope so you can bet that I ran to sign up for this arc. And when I tell you that I loved seeing the nanny trope reversed would be the understatement of the year!
Annie is kind of struggling to get by between her catering business, the town being full on with Christmas, and her kid not having someone to stay with while she works. That’s why when Brooks comes to town looking for a job she doesn’t think twice before giving it to him. And boy was he good with Ruby! 🥹
I loved everything about this little novella. I read it in one sitting but it was so good that you literally fly through it. The slow build up to the relationship with all three of them was so heartwarming. The way Brooks was with Ruby was so sweet and I couldn’t tear up once in a while because their conversations were so funny and cute. The romance, the spice, the love between all of them and that sweet way of small towns was everything I wanted and then some more!
🎄 single mom x male nanny
🎄 Christmas town
🎄 not so slow burn
🎄 sassy little girl
🎄 fun banter
🎄 tinsel as teammate 👀
4.5/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️
A huge thank you to the author for the opportunity of reading this arc! <3
I honestly didn’t expect for a Christmas novella to make me laugh, giggle, kick my feet, and cry all in one single sitting but here we are!
This has all the hallmark cozy Christmas vibes and I loved every minute of it. Also I didn’t expect it to be that spicy but hot damn 🫣 it was so good. It was perfect to start getting ready for that Christmas mood. The author really outdid herself with this one!
Some of my favorite tropes are single parent and the nanny trope so you can bet that I ran to sign up for this arc. And when I tell you that I loved seeing the nanny trope reversed would be the understatement of the year!
Annie is kind of struggling to get by between her catering business, the town being full on with Christmas, and her kid not having someone to stay with while she works. That’s why when Brooks comes to town looking for a job she doesn’t think twice before giving it to him. And boy was he good with Ruby! 🥹
I loved everything about this little novella. I read it in one sitting but it was so good that you literally fly through it. The slow build up to the relationship with all three of them was so heartwarming. The way Brooks was with Ruby was so sweet and I couldn’t tear up once in a while because their conversations were so funny and cute. The romance, the spice, the love between all of them and that sweet way of small towns was everything I wanted and then some more!
🎄 single mom x male nanny
🎄 Christmas town
🎄 not so slow burn
🎄 sassy little girl
🎄 fun banter
🎄 tinsel as teammate 👀
4.5/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️
A huge thank you to the author for the opportunity of reading this arc! <3
November 24, 2025
This was such a great Christmas novella.
I love a Christmas book and this was one was lovely.
This was spicy, funny and swoonworthy.
Annie is a single mother to her 7 year old daughter. She is a self employed caterer and has a massive job booked for around the Christmas holidays. Annie's ex husband let's her down last minute and so Annie has to post a listing for a live in nanny online.
Annie goes out that night and a tall, tattooed, handsome, lumberjack style man walks into the bar. They flirt and there's clearly some tension building. Annie then leaves the bar.
Annie gets a few replies to online job advert but one stands out the most. A person names Brooks applies and they're perfect for the role! Annie gives her address so that Brooks can come to the house to discuss the role more.
The next day, Brooks arrives for the job. Annie opens the door to find the tall, tattooed, handsome, lumberjack style man on the the other side. Annie is confused and feels like he managed to track her down only to discover that the man's name is Brooks and he will be the new live in nanny.
Parts of this story was hilarious! especially because Annie's daughter has an amazing sense of humour and Brooks is completely smitten with her. She has Brooks wrapped around her little finger.
The spice between Annie and Brooks was definitely spicing and I was completely hooked from start to finish. I actually finished the book last night but I haven't had chance to write my review until now.
I deducted 1⭐️ as even though there is insane chemistry between Brooks and Annie, there just wasn't enough talking between them. Did really enjoy the book though and would recommend.
I love a Christmas book and this was one was lovely.
This was spicy, funny and swoonworthy.
Annie is a single mother to her 7 year old daughter. She is a self employed caterer and has a massive job booked for around the Christmas holidays. Annie's ex husband let's her down last minute and so Annie has to post a listing for a live in nanny online.
Annie goes out that night and a tall, tattooed, handsome, lumberjack style man walks into the bar. They flirt and there's clearly some tension building. Annie then leaves the bar.
Annie gets a few replies to online job advert but one stands out the most. A person names Brooks applies and they're perfect for the role! Annie gives her address so that Brooks can come to the house to discuss the role more.
The next day, Brooks arrives for the job. Annie opens the door to find the tall, tattooed, handsome, lumberjack style man on the the other side. Annie is confused and feels like he managed to track her down only to discover that the man's name is Brooks and he will be the new live in nanny.
Parts of this story was hilarious! especially because Annie's daughter has an amazing sense of humour and Brooks is completely smitten with her. She has Brooks wrapped around her little finger.
The spice between Annie and Brooks was definitely spicing and I was completely hooked from start to finish. I actually finished the book last night but I haven't had chance to write my review until now.
I deducted 1⭐️ as even though there is insane chemistry between Brooks and Annie, there just wasn't enough talking between them. Did really enjoy the book though and would recommend.
October 15, 2025
✨Book Review✨
Tied Up in Tinsel
Rating: 5⭐️
Spice: 2.5🌶️
Tied Up in Tinsel totally surprised me in the best way! I didn’t expect a holiday novella to make me laugh, cry, and swoon but here we are!
This book has all the cozy Hallmark Christmas vibes with just the right sprinkle of spice to keep things fun and flirty. Holiday cookies and tinsel won’t ever be the same. IYKYK. Maggie really nailed it with a heartwarming story that gave me all the feels.
I LOVED that the nanny was a guy! Brooks is everything: ex bull rider, sweet as can be, and just the right amount of sinful. Annie was such a breath of fresh air! She’s bold, confident, and totally lovable. And little Ruby? She absolutely stole the show (and my heart)!!
If you’re in the mood for a feel good holiday read that’s equal parts sweet and steamy then definitely add Tied Up in Tinsel to your TBR! 🎄Releases 10/27🎄
Tropes
•single mom
•male nanny
•Christmas town
•fun banter
•not so slow burn
•sassy little girl
Tied Up in Tinsel
Rating: 5⭐️
Spice: 2.5🌶️
Tied Up in Tinsel totally surprised me in the best way! I didn’t expect a holiday novella to make me laugh, cry, and swoon but here we are!
This book has all the cozy Hallmark Christmas vibes with just the right sprinkle of spice to keep things fun and flirty. Holiday cookies and tinsel won’t ever be the same. IYKYK. Maggie really nailed it with a heartwarming story that gave me all the feels.
I LOVED that the nanny was a guy! Brooks is everything: ex bull rider, sweet as can be, and just the right amount of sinful. Annie was such a breath of fresh air! She’s bold, confident, and totally lovable. And little Ruby? She absolutely stole the show (and my heart)!!
If you’re in the mood for a feel good holiday read that’s equal parts sweet and steamy then definitely add Tied Up in Tinsel to your TBR! 🎄Releases 10/27🎄
Tropes
•single mom
•male nanny
•Christmas town
•fun banter
•not so slow burn
•sassy little girl
October 27, 2025
Annie and Brooks.
Tied Up In Tinsel follows the story of Annie and her sassy daughter right around Christmas time. Annie needs someone to look after her. Enter Brooks, a former bull rider and now rodeo clown. Apparently, that is a thing.
Anyway, this cute novella covers all the marks for a fast paced, high heat Christmas novella. I really loved how integrated Annie's daughter was in the story and how well her and Brooks got along.
If you're looking for a quick Christmas novella with a HEA add this to your list.
Thank you to the author for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Tied Up In Tinsel follows the story of Annie and her sassy daughter right around Christmas time. Annie needs someone to look after her. Enter Brooks, a former bull rider and now rodeo clown. Apparently, that is a thing.
Anyway, this cute novella covers all the marks for a fast paced, high heat Christmas novella. I really loved how integrated Annie's daughter was in the story and how well her and Brooks got along.
If you're looking for a quick Christmas novella with a HEA add this to your list.
Thank you to the author for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2025
Tied up in Tinsel || M. Hartley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC review
Annie is a single mom to a 7 year old, Ruby. When Annie’s ex husband flakes, she’s left scrambling to find someone to help with her daughter during the holiday season so she can cater the biggest event of the year.
Brooks is tall, dark and handsome and the last thing Annie expected when she posted her nanny ad online.
From the very beginning, Brooks and Annie have a pull towards each other. The looks, the feelings, the energy. Their chemistry is unmatched.
This cutie novella has really made me so excited for more holiday content!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC review
Annie is a single mom to a 7 year old, Ruby. When Annie’s ex husband flakes, she’s left scrambling to find someone to help with her daughter during the holiday season so she can cater the biggest event of the year.
Brooks is tall, dark and handsome and the last thing Annie expected when she posted her nanny ad online.
From the very beginning, Brooks and Annie have a pull towards each other. The looks, the feelings, the energy. Their chemistry is unmatched.
This cutie novella has really made me so excited for more holiday content!
October 9, 2025
ARC READ🤍
devoured in less than 24 hours like omg!!
A MANNY! give me more man
He was downright obsessed with her and her daughter which had me dyingggg
Insta attraction going on but it was not too much at all. Definitely to be expected with a shorter novella like this!
perfect for cozy christmas vibes
there were a few cringey moments for me personally but it kinda fit their personalities
the pony 😭😭
devoured in less than 24 hours like omg!!
A MANNY! give me more man
He was downright obsessed with her and her daughter which had me dyingggg
Insta attraction going on but it was not too much at all. Definitely to be expected with a shorter novella like this!
perfect for cozy christmas vibes
there were a few cringey moments for me personally but it kinda fit their personalities
the pony 😭😭
December 18, 2025
This was a super spicy and also sweet Christmas novella! I loved the way Brooks had such an instant connection with Annie’s daughter Ruby, their adventures were so fun to read about. And I did love him and Annie together I just wish we got more of their story and what it looked like after Christmas.
October 1, 2025
extremely hot i need like 67 novellas like this one please
October 22, 2025
✨ ARC Review ✨
Tied Up in Tinsel by M. Hartley
4.5 ⭐️ 3 🌶️
If M Hartley writes it, I’m going to read it! When I saw she was releasing a little Christmas novella I knew I was going to love it - and I did!! This book is putting me into the Christmas spirit early 😂
A little gender switch - single mom and MMC nanny, this was so fun to read! And the MMC’s (Brooks) background being a retired bull rider, now rodeo clown, that was such a fun little detail that the FMC’s (Annie) daughter loved too!
This short book was perfect little Hallmark vibes and if you’re in the mood for a fun holiday romance, I definitely recommend this one! It releases on 10/27 via KU and paperback!
Tied Up in Tinsel by M. Hartley
4.5 ⭐️ 3 🌶️
If M Hartley writes it, I’m going to read it! When I saw she was releasing a little Christmas novella I knew I was going to love it - and I did!! This book is putting me into the Christmas spirit early 😂
A little gender switch - single mom and MMC nanny, this was so fun to read! And the MMC’s (Brooks) background being a retired bull rider, now rodeo clown, that was such a fun little detail that the FMC’s (Annie) daughter loved too!
This short book was perfect little Hallmark vibes and if you’re in the mood for a fun holiday romance, I definitely recommend this one! It releases on 10/27 via KU and paperback!
December 8, 2025
WHAT A FUN TIME. THE SPICE WAS SPICIN😜
December 27, 2025
Small town, cowboy nanny holiday romance! Ruby is so spunky and Brooks is the perfect nanny for her and her mom, Annie. Sweet, spicy and holiday vibes!
January 12, 2026
Spicy little read! Nothing special but a spicy little Christmas romance.
February 1, 2026
Very cute spicy short read for the holidays! I just wish there was a part where she saw Brooks in his job field somehow. But I love their chemistry in the book!
February 6, 2026
yk what.. yes please
December 24, 2025
“Take it, Annie. Take everything you need from me.”
🎄Single Mom Romance
♥️Male Nanny
🎄Reverse Age Gap
♥️Forced Proximity
🎄Holiday Novella
♥️Tinsel as a Teammate
This was my first book by M.Hartley and I couldn’t put it down!! This is also my second book with a male nanny and I loved it! The relationship between Brooks and Ruby was the cutest and made my heart swell!!
Brooks and Annie had the best dynamic from the beginning! I loved their banter so much!! What Brooks did with tinsel…yes sir!! I’m all for it!!
I can’t wait to read more!!
🎄Single Mom Romance
♥️Male Nanny
🎄Reverse Age Gap
♥️Forced Proximity
🎄Holiday Novella
♥️Tinsel as a Teammate
This was my first book by M.Hartley and I couldn’t put it down!! This is also my second book with a male nanny and I loved it! The relationship between Brooks and Ruby was the cutest and made my heart swell!!
Brooks and Annie had the best dynamic from the beginning! I loved their banter so much!! What Brooks did with tinsel…yes sir!! I’m all for it!!
I can’t wait to read more!!
October 28, 2025
ARC review
4 ⭐️
4 🌶️
This was soooo cute! A quick lil novella with a single mom and a hot Manny who wears a princess dress for her daughter (swoon 🥰) This was the perfect way to kick off my holiday reading! I loved these characters! Ruby was so freaking funny and cute and the way Brooks was immediately smitten with her was adorable!! Sometimes I am a sl*t for a fast burn and Annie and Brooks DE👏🏼LIV👏🏼ERED 👏🏼The spice was 🌶️🥵 GAHD DAMN I needed to go fan myself! So hot, so spicy, so magical. I couldve read 100 more pages of this one!!
🎄 single mom x manny
🎄 holiday novella
🎄tinsel as teammate 😉
🎄not so slow burn
🎄 banter
Thank you to the author for the eARC!🫶🏼
4 ⭐️
4 🌶️
This was soooo cute! A quick lil novella with a single mom and a hot Manny who wears a princess dress for her daughter (swoon 🥰) This was the perfect way to kick off my holiday reading! I loved these characters! Ruby was so freaking funny and cute and the way Brooks was immediately smitten with her was adorable!! Sometimes I am a sl*t for a fast burn and Annie and Brooks DE👏🏼LIV👏🏼ERED 👏🏼The spice was 🌶️🥵 GAHD DAMN I needed to go fan myself! So hot, so spicy, so magical. I couldve read 100 more pages of this one!!
🎄 single mom x manny
🎄 holiday novella
🎄tinsel as teammate 😉
🎄not so slow burn
🎄 banter
Thank you to the author for the eARC!🫶🏼
November 3, 2025
ARC read✨
This book was so cute! I absolutely loved the characters. Ruby especially was so sweet, she melted my heart. Annie and Brooks were so lovely, I thought their chemistry was great & definitely left me swooning over Brooks. Annie was also a firecracker which was refreshing. This was a great quick read to jump into holiday vibes.
This book was so cute! I absolutely loved the characters. Ruby especially was so sweet, she melted my heart. Annie and Brooks were so lovely, I thought their chemistry was great & definitely left me swooning over Brooks. Annie was also a firecracker which was refreshing. This was a great quick read to jump into holiday vibes.
December 26, 2025
♡ “She was…something. The kind of something you notice and keep noticing, even when you tell yourself not to.” ❄
This was such a cute, spicy, and genuinely funny Christmas novella, and it ended up being a really pleasant surprise for me. I typically don’t gravitate toward Hallmark-vibe reads because they can feel overly predictable or saccharine, but this one completely worked. It was well written, hit all the right emotional beats, and balanced warmth, humor, and spice without tipping too far into ultra-cheesy territory.
❄ “You look like you’re plotting something.” ♡
Annie was a truly admirable FMC. Between managing her business during the holiday rush, navigating issues with her ex-husband, and caring for her daughter, she embodied strength and resilience in a way that felt authentic. She was a wonderful representation of single mothers and the emotional and mental load they carry. Ruby, meanwhile, completely stole the show. She had me laughing in nearly every scene she appeared in, and her fiery personality brought so much charm and energy to the book, adding a layer of warmth and humor that made the story even more enjoyable.
❄ “If your family sucks, you can share my mom. She’s pretty great. We can be your family.” ♡
Brooks was equally easy to love, especially in the way he interacted with Ruby. He was patient, kind, and consistently respectful, never ridiculing her or making her feel small no matter what she asked of him. That dynamic alone added so much heart to the story and spoke volumes about his character. These interactions made the pull Annie felt towards him that much more understandable. There was some instant attraction and fairly rapid emotional development between Annie and Brooks, but it was handled in a way that felt subtle rather than glaringly obvious. Even though instant attraction isn’t usually my favorite trope, it worked well here and never felt jarring, partially due to the length of the book.
♡ “You are trouble, Brooks Bennett.” ❄
The chemistry between Annie and Brooks was nearly palpable, especially for such a short read. Watching their relationship develop was genuinely fun, and I loved how insistent Brooks was about supporting Annie and encouraging her to let him take some of the weight off her shoulders. While I do wish there had been a bit more direct communication between them, their connection still felt natural and emotionally satisfying. Overall, this was an easy, festive, and rewarding read that I’d absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a quick holiday romance with “Hallmark meets HBO” vibes: cozy, heartfelt, and just spicy enough to keep things interesting.
Stars: 3.5/5 (Rounded Up)
Spice: 2/5
Tropes:
♡ Single Mom x Nanny ❄
❄ Christmas ♡
♡ Small Town ❄
❄ He Falls First ♡
♡ “I thought, you know…you being an ex-bull rider and all, you’d be the ride of my life.” ❄
This was such a cute, spicy, and genuinely funny Christmas novella, and it ended up being a really pleasant surprise for me. I typically don’t gravitate toward Hallmark-vibe reads because they can feel overly predictable or saccharine, but this one completely worked. It was well written, hit all the right emotional beats, and balanced warmth, humor, and spice without tipping too far into ultra-cheesy territory.
❄ “You look like you’re plotting something.” ♡
♡ “And you look like you’ve just stepped out of a lumberjack calendar.” ❄
Annie was a truly admirable FMC. Between managing her business during the holiday rush, navigating issues with her ex-husband, and caring for her daughter, she embodied strength and resilience in a way that felt authentic. She was a wonderful representation of single mothers and the emotional and mental load they carry. Ruby, meanwhile, completely stole the show. She had me laughing in nearly every scene she appeared in, and her fiery personality brought so much charm and energy to the book, adding a layer of warmth and humor that made the story even more enjoyable.
❄ “If your family sucks, you can share my mom. She’s pretty great. We can be your family.” ♡
Brooks was equally easy to love, especially in the way he interacted with Ruby. He was patient, kind, and consistently respectful, never ridiculing her or making her feel small no matter what she asked of him. That dynamic alone added so much heart to the story and spoke volumes about his character. These interactions made the pull Annie felt towards him that much more understandable. There was some instant attraction and fairly rapid emotional development between Annie and Brooks, but it was handled in a way that felt subtle rather than glaringly obvious. Even though instant attraction isn’t usually my favorite trope, it worked well here and never felt jarring, partially due to the length of the book.
♡ “You are trouble, Brooks Bennett.” ❄
❄ “Maybe, but I’m your kind of trouble.” ♡
The chemistry between Annie and Brooks was nearly palpable, especially for such a short read. Watching their relationship develop was genuinely fun, and I loved how insistent Brooks was about supporting Annie and encouraging her to let him take some of the weight off her shoulders. While I do wish there had been a bit more direct communication between them, their connection still felt natural and emotionally satisfying. Overall, this was an easy, festive, and rewarding read that I’d absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a quick holiday romance with “Hallmark meets HBO” vibes: cozy, heartfelt, and just spicy enough to keep things interesting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stars: 3.5/5 (Rounded Up)
Spice: 2/5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tropes:
♡ Single Mom x Nanny ❄
❄ Christmas ♡
♡ Small Town ❄
❄ He Falls First ♡
♡ “I thought, you know…you being an ex-bull rider and all, you’d be the ride of my life.” ❄
November 3, 2025
✦ 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 ✦
𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Tied Up In Tinsel
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Standalone, Novella
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: M. Hartley
𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: 187
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Romance
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 🌶🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: October 27, 2025
This book was perfect to get into the holiday spirit! I wish I could be at Snowberry Peak right now. ❄️ M. Hartley is a new to me author and I enjoyed her writing. I love Annie & Brooks chemistry, but I absolutely adore Ruby. There’s some humor in the book that had me laughing, especially the banter between the main characters. I know this is a novella, but I’m hoping to see more of Snowberry Peak. The place sounds like Heaven!!
Tied Up In Tinsel is a book about a single mother named Annie who has a daughter named Ruby. The father isn’t quite present and Annie needs help as Christmas season is very busy for her catering busy, so she needed to hire a nanny. Lo and behold, Brooks applied and ended up being the manny! Though it’s a short-term position, Brooks ended up loving being in this little family, as does Annie. It was a nice journey from how they met to where they ended up! By the way, Brooks reminded me a lot of my husband as they both play dress up and being a good sport when it comes to girlie stuff, lol. We have 3 girls, so it was a nice little memory lane to our older girls. 🥹
This was definitely a spicy, spicy book which I can’t complain about. There was a spicy scene though where I felt a bit uncomfortable because I am a germaphobe lol. Let’s just say the kitchen scene where Annie is kneading the dough 😂 but overall, I enjoyed reading this book and want to read more of her books! 💕
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲: “He was a distraction in the best and most unexpected way—a steady hand when my days blurred with responsibility, an anchor when my thoughts wanted to drag me under. With him around, I could breathe just a little easier, laugh just a little more often.”
❄️ Single Mom x Male Nanny
❄️ Banter
❄️ Second Chance
❄️ Smalltown
❄️ Spicy 🥵
❄️ Found Family
Thank you to M. Hartley for providing an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
#mhartley #kindleunlimited #holidayromance #tiedupintinsel #newrelease #bookstagram #romance #spicyromance #romanceauthor #newtomeauthor
𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Tied Up In Tinsel
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Standalone, Novella
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: M. Hartley
𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: 187
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Romance
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 🌶🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: October 27, 2025
This book was perfect to get into the holiday spirit! I wish I could be at Snowberry Peak right now. ❄️ M. Hartley is a new to me author and I enjoyed her writing. I love Annie & Brooks chemistry, but I absolutely adore Ruby. There’s some humor in the book that had me laughing, especially the banter between the main characters. I know this is a novella, but I’m hoping to see more of Snowberry Peak. The place sounds like Heaven!!
Tied Up In Tinsel is a book about a single mother named Annie who has a daughter named Ruby. The father isn’t quite present and Annie needs help as Christmas season is very busy for her catering busy, so she needed to hire a nanny. Lo and behold, Brooks applied and ended up being the manny! Though it’s a short-term position, Brooks ended up loving being in this little family, as does Annie. It was a nice journey from how they met to where they ended up! By the way, Brooks reminded me a lot of my husband as they both play dress up and being a good sport when it comes to girlie stuff, lol. We have 3 girls, so it was a nice little memory lane to our older girls. 🥹
This was definitely a spicy, spicy book which I can’t complain about. There was a spicy scene though where I felt a bit uncomfortable because I am a germaphobe lol. Let’s just say the kitchen scene where Annie is kneading the dough 😂 but overall, I enjoyed reading this book and want to read more of her books! 💕
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲: “He was a distraction in the best and most unexpected way—a steady hand when my days blurred with responsibility, an anchor when my thoughts wanted to drag me under. With him around, I could breathe just a little easier, laugh just a little more often.”
❄️ Single Mom x Male Nanny
❄️ Banter
❄️ Second Chance
❄️ Smalltown
❄️ Spicy 🥵
❄️ Found Family
Thank you to M. Hartley for providing an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
#mhartley #kindleunlimited #holidayromance #tiedupintinsel #newrelease #bookstagram #romance #spicyromance #romanceauthor #newtomeauthor
October 28, 2025
Tied up in tinsel with the nanny by @mhartley_author
So much yes! A super quick read (under 3 hours),
not so slow burn, the funniest kid in the most snowy, christmasy town this was sure to be a new firm fav for the Christmas season. This is out now you have to add to your e reader or grab the paperback!
What to Expect:
🩷 Not so slow burn
❤️ Male live in Nanny
🩷 Single mom
❤️ Ex bull rider / rodeo clown
🩷 Sassiest little girl
❤️ Snowy Christmas town
🩷 Tinsel as a teammate
❤️ Banter
Blurb:
Annie Cringle needs a Christmas miracle. With her ex-husband bailing at the last minute, she’s desperate to find someone to watch her seven-year-old daughter while she caters the biggest holiday event in Snowberry Peak. On a whim, she posts on the town’s online forum. She expected maybe a sweet retiree or a teenager looking for extra cash.
She did not expect Brooks Bennett.
Tatted, rugged, and impossibly handsome in his worn cowboy boots and Wrangler jeans, Brooks is the last man Annie imagined answering her call for a nanny. But the ex-bull rider turned rodeo clown has a surprising gift: he knows exactly how to win over Ruby’s heart. From fashion shows with glitter and tiaras to tea parties in too-small dresses, Brooks proves he can wrangle more than just bulls—he can wrangle her daughter’s laughter.
And Annie’s heart, too.
What begins with playful teasing and stolen glances soon sparks into heated nights and breathless moments neither of them can resist. The more time Brooks spends in Annie’s home, the harder it is to remember he was only supposed to be temporary.
Because what’s the harm in falling for your live-in nanny… especially at Christmas?
#bookstagram #booktok #bookrecommendations #bookreview #kindle #christmasreads
So much yes! A super quick read (under 3 hours),
not so slow burn, the funniest kid in the most snowy, christmasy town this was sure to be a new firm fav for the Christmas season. This is out now you have to add to your e reader or grab the paperback!
What to Expect:
🩷 Not so slow burn
❤️ Male live in Nanny
🩷 Single mom
❤️ Ex bull rider / rodeo clown
🩷 Sassiest little girl
❤️ Snowy Christmas town
🩷 Tinsel as a teammate
❤️ Banter
Blurb:
Annie Cringle needs a Christmas miracle. With her ex-husband bailing at the last minute, she’s desperate to find someone to watch her seven-year-old daughter while she caters the biggest holiday event in Snowberry Peak. On a whim, she posts on the town’s online forum. She expected maybe a sweet retiree or a teenager looking for extra cash.
She did not expect Brooks Bennett.
Tatted, rugged, and impossibly handsome in his worn cowboy boots and Wrangler jeans, Brooks is the last man Annie imagined answering her call for a nanny. But the ex-bull rider turned rodeo clown has a surprising gift: he knows exactly how to win over Ruby’s heart. From fashion shows with glitter and tiaras to tea parties in too-small dresses, Brooks proves he can wrangle more than just bulls—he can wrangle her daughter’s laughter.
And Annie’s heart, too.
What begins with playful teasing and stolen glances soon sparks into heated nights and breathless moments neither of them can resist. The more time Brooks spends in Annie’s home, the harder it is to remember he was only supposed to be temporary.
Because what’s the harm in falling for your live-in nanny… especially at Christmas?
#bookstagram #booktok #bookrecommendations #bookreview #kindle #christmasreads
November 5, 2025
Annie Cringle is the town caterer with a ton of events happening this holiday season. Her ex husband has left her high and dry for help with their spitfire of a daughter, Ruby, while he takes a vacation with his brand new wife. Annie is desperate, and so she posts on the town community webpage that she is looking for a nanny for the holiday season. To celebrate her last night of freedom before things really ramp up for the holidays, she goes to have a drink at a bar, and meets a very attractive stranger. They don’t exchange names or anything other than some fun banter, but Annie needed to get through this holiday season with her catering business, so she leaves it up to fate, if the attractive stranger comes into her path again, she’ll take it as a sign.
Brooks Bennett is a retired rodeo clown looking for some work after his last job wrapped up. He’s ended up in Snowberry Peak and he’s now on the town website and applies to be a nanny. After meeting an attractive woman at the bar last night, he’s considering hanging around for a while, but isn’t completely sure yet, so he applies for the job that is guaranteed just through the holidays. So imagine their shock when the pretty stranger from the bar is the woman who is looking for a nanny, and he’s just walked right up to her door asking for the job.
M. Hartley really has something special in this book. I devoured it the first time I read it as a beta reader, and now reviewing everything again for my ARC review, I fell back in love with these characters. Annie and Brooks have such chemistry and heat together, and add in my favorite character, Ruby, and it’s the perfect equation for a holiday novella!
Thank you so much to M. Hartley for trusting me to be a beta, as well as the ARC opportunity!
Brooks Bennett is a retired rodeo clown looking for some work after his last job wrapped up. He’s ended up in Snowberry Peak and he’s now on the town website and applies to be a nanny. After meeting an attractive woman at the bar last night, he’s considering hanging around for a while, but isn’t completely sure yet, so he applies for the job that is guaranteed just through the holidays. So imagine their shock when the pretty stranger from the bar is the woman who is looking for a nanny, and he’s just walked right up to her door asking for the job.
M. Hartley really has something special in this book. I devoured it the first time I read it as a beta reader, and now reviewing everything again for my ARC review, I fell back in love with these characters. Annie and Brooks have such chemistry and heat together, and add in my favorite character, Ruby, and it’s the perfect equation for a holiday novella!
Thank you so much to M. Hartley for trusting me to be a beta, as well as the ARC opportunity!
October 16, 2025
• ARC REVIEW •
• TIED UP IN TINSEL: BY M.HARTLEY •
• BROOKS & ANNIE•
•⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️•
I was so lucky to receive an ARC for M.Hartley’s new Christmas Novella! This little book was sooo good and I couldn't wait to read it to get me into the Christmas spirit! And boy did it do just that! I think I'm in the Christmas spirit for the rest of the year!
Single Mum
Sassy 7 year old
Christmas Town
Manny
Fun Banter
Not So Slow Burn
This book was literally like reading a Hallmark movie! I was so obsessed with the characters, the writing, the story line, EVERYTHING! The pacing of the book is perfect for the size of it, and I really enjoyed the storyline as well!
Brooks, the man that you are! Seriously, who doesn't want a tall, tatted up country boy who happens to be soooo good with kids, house chores and loves his women unconditionally! Look no further than Brooks! He loves those girls like no other and I'm so happy that they get to have a man like him in their lives.
Annie is such a sweetheart. She has her troubles and heartbreak and the Christmas period made this even more difficult, so having someone there to distract her and help her out when she needed it the most was so sweet to read. And her confidence! I was obsessed and loved reading about it! I adored her relationship with Ruby, it was literally perfect.
And speaking of Ruby! Gosh that girl is a sweetie! I loved her attitude, confidence and feelings and relationship with both her mum and Brooks! She stole my whole heart and I hope my kids will be like her haha
I hope that this isn’t the last novella that Maggie writes, I desperately need more lol.
• TIED UP IN TINSEL: BY M.HARTLEY •
• BROOKS & ANNIE•
•⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️•
I was so lucky to receive an ARC for M.Hartley’s new Christmas Novella! This little book was sooo good and I couldn't wait to read it to get me into the Christmas spirit! And boy did it do just that! I think I'm in the Christmas spirit for the rest of the year!
Single Mum
Sassy 7 year old
Christmas Town
Manny
Fun Banter
Not So Slow Burn
This book was literally like reading a Hallmark movie! I was so obsessed with the characters, the writing, the story line, EVERYTHING! The pacing of the book is perfect for the size of it, and I really enjoyed the storyline as well!
Brooks, the man that you are! Seriously, who doesn't want a tall, tatted up country boy who happens to be soooo good with kids, house chores and loves his women unconditionally! Look no further than Brooks! He loves those girls like no other and I'm so happy that they get to have a man like him in their lives.
Annie is such a sweetheart. She has her troubles and heartbreak and the Christmas period made this even more difficult, so having someone there to distract her and help her out when she needed it the most was so sweet to read. And her confidence! I was obsessed and loved reading about it! I adored her relationship with Ruby, it was literally perfect.
And speaking of Ruby! Gosh that girl is a sweetie! I loved her attitude, confidence and feelings and relationship with both her mum and Brooks! She stole my whole heart and I hope my kids will be like her haha
I hope that this isn’t the last novella that Maggie writes, I desperately need more lol.
October 21, 2025
🎄𝓽𝓲𝓮𝓭 𝓾𝓹 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓮𝓵 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓪𝓷𝓷𝔂 𝓫𝔂 𝓶 𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓵𝓮𝔂🎄
5⭐️!!!
3.5🌶️
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺.
Omg ya'll, the way I consumed this cute, lil holiday romance novella was UNREAL.
Like cmon, the mouth on Brooks Bennett?? Knees = weak. I was a feral cat in heat for Brooks and Annie. Obsession does NOT even begin to cover how much I loved them.
And this was my first time reading a holiday romance novel, I've always typically avoided Christmas themed romance novels, but this one sounded so so good (and it was, expectations blown away) and I loved Maggie's debut novel (i arc read it and i still need to finish the rest of the faircloud series but adhd sometimes hates me), and then I seen it was single mom, age gap adjacent, and he's the nanny? I was like gimme, pls. 😍
“𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥?”
𝙄 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙬. “𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙧. 𝙎𝙤, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙍𝙪𝙗𝙮.”
“𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. “𝘖𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥.”
“𝙉𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙮 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨. 𝙉𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.”
“𝘉𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴?”
“𝙉𝙤𝙥𝙚. 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙨—”
The banter was next level guys, I was giggling and kicking my mother lovin' feet, I swear it. The smile was on my face literally the entire time I was reading this book and I actually mean that. My face had started to hurt just from how much their interactions had me cheesing! 😅
And my god, the sass on lil Ruby, I honestly think I fell for her character first & foremost. I have a 10 year old daughter, so this little girl's character felt so special and close to my heart. She's so full of life & color and I loved that!🥹
𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴. 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦? 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵.
5⭐️!!!
3.5🌶️
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺.
Omg ya'll, the way I consumed this cute, lil holiday romance novella was UNREAL.
Like cmon, the mouth on Brooks Bennett?? Knees = weak. I was a feral cat in heat for Brooks and Annie. Obsession does NOT even begin to cover how much I loved them.
And this was my first time reading a holiday romance novel, I've always typically avoided Christmas themed romance novels, but this one sounded so so good (and it was, expectations blown away) and I loved Maggie's debut novel (i arc read it and i still need to finish the rest of the faircloud series but adhd sometimes hates me), and then I seen it was single mom, age gap adjacent, and he's the nanny? I was like gimme, pls. 😍
“𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥?”
𝙄 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙬. “𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙧. 𝙎𝙤, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙍𝙪𝙗𝙮.”
“𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. “𝘖𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥.”
“𝙉𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙮 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨. 𝙉𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.”
“𝘉𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴?”
“𝙉𝙤𝙥𝙚. 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙨—”
The banter was next level guys, I was giggling and kicking my mother lovin' feet, I swear it. The smile was on my face literally the entire time I was reading this book and I actually mean that. My face had started to hurt just from how much their interactions had me cheesing! 😅
And my god, the sass on lil Ruby, I honestly think I fell for her character first & foremost. I have a 10 year old daughter, so this little girl's character felt so special and close to my heart. She's so full of life & color and I loved that!🥹
𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴. 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦? 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵.
January 20, 2026
Okay, overall this book is fine. It’s a cute, sweet, spicy, and short Christmas novella. I downloaded it before Christmas and now how read it at the almost end of January, but sue me, I got busy. Anyway, it’s probably one of the better Christmas novellas I read and I’ve read quite a lot just this past December alone let alone other years too. They’re all pretty similar and this one is too. The town is cute, the FMC is sweet and probably doing a little too much, the MMC is a little more rugged and slower paced but slots in pretty nice. Annie and Brooks were no exception to this, bonus point for her parents to have both died and for him because he’s a rodeo clown. Ruby is cute and both an integral part of the story, obviously, but not too annoying or overbearing as a child in a romance book can sometimes get. The writing is not that great and was more obvious during the first half of this and I get that novellas are short and to the point but that doesn’t mean the quality should be sacrificed when it comes to writing. Also something that kind of made me really mad here at the end is that Annie never gets Brooks a Christmas present…I know that overarchingly her and her daughter are the present but he gets both of them one (he buys several things for Ruby throughout he book) and the one he gets Annie is pretty damn big. I kept waiting for her to pull out something small or cute or something and she never did. Idk how much that actually matters but it kind of made me mad…Overall it’s a fine read as Christmas novellas are never life changing things.
October 14, 2025
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of M. Hartley’s first Holiday novella, Tied Up In Tinsel. Thank you so much🤍
Annie Cringle needs a Christmas miracle. Her ex husband bailed on her at the last minute, leaving her in a pinch, trying to find someone to watch her seven year old daughter, so she can focus on catering the biggest holiday event in Snowberry Peak!
On a whim, she posts on the town’s online forum. She expected maybe a sweet retiree or a teenager looking for extra cash.
She did not expect Brooks Bennett.
Tatted, rugged, and impossibly handsome in his worn cowboy boots and Wrangler jeans, Brooks is the last man Annie imagined answering her call for a nanny.
“Annie was the spark. Bright. Beautiful. She just needed someone to remind her.”
This was a perfect holiday read, and everything a novella should be! The pacing was perfect, and the writing was easy to follow along with. The chapters were short, but never lacked any detail.
This is a cheerful Christmas story, but, M. Hartley added elements of holiday grief, with the difficulty of being a single parent, which added depth to the characters, while still maintaining a fun, magical Christmas story!
“For the first time in a long time, the season didn’t feel heavy. It felt alive. It felt like hope.”
A Hallmark Christmas movie, in a book, but make it SPICY!
🎄Single mom
🤍Forced proximity
🎄Male nanny
🤍Holiday grief/loss (talked about)
🎄Tinsel as a teammate
🤍Banter
Annie Cringle needs a Christmas miracle. Her ex husband bailed on her at the last minute, leaving her in a pinch, trying to find someone to watch her seven year old daughter, so she can focus on catering the biggest holiday event in Snowberry Peak!
On a whim, she posts on the town’s online forum. She expected maybe a sweet retiree or a teenager looking for extra cash.
She did not expect Brooks Bennett.
Tatted, rugged, and impossibly handsome in his worn cowboy boots and Wrangler jeans, Brooks is the last man Annie imagined answering her call for a nanny.
“Annie was the spark. Bright. Beautiful. She just needed someone to remind her.”
This was a perfect holiday read, and everything a novella should be! The pacing was perfect, and the writing was easy to follow along with. The chapters were short, but never lacked any detail.
This is a cheerful Christmas story, but, M. Hartley added elements of holiday grief, with the difficulty of being a single parent, which added depth to the characters, while still maintaining a fun, magical Christmas story!
“For the first time in a long time, the season didn’t feel heavy. It felt alive. It felt like hope.”
A Hallmark Christmas movie, in a book, but make it SPICY!
🎄Single mom
🤍Forced proximity
🎄Male nanny
🤍Holiday grief/loss (talked about)
🎄Tinsel as a teammate
🤍Banter
October 24, 2025
A Christmas cowboy romance? Count me in! Tied Up In Tinsel (maybe literally 👀) gives all the cozy, feel-good vibes. I was smiling like a fool the entire time. It’s pure “cinnamon and sugar with just enough spice,” and I loved every bit of it.
Snowberry Speak feels like the setting of a Hallmark movie. The kind of small town where it’s Christmas all year round, and honestly, I want to visit.
Single mom Annie stole my heart right from the start. She’s so relatable, doing her best for her daughter, Ruby, while juggling everything life throws her way. When her ex bails on spending Christmas with Ruby, Annie’s plans start to fall apart, but enter Brooks Bennett. A hot ex–bull rider now rodeo clown turned nanny (yes, you read that right). He’s not what Annie was expecting, but he’s exactly what she needed.
There’s this instant spark between them. Filled with immediate desire and temptation which made their connection feel so natural and easy and playful, with that perfect mix of heart and heat. What I loved most was how Brooks brought the Christmas spirit back into Annie and Ruby’s lives. He gave them the love, laughter, and warmth they both deserved.
If you love Christmas and small-town charm filled with romance, this book is so for you. 10/10 I’ll be recommending this one always.
Thank you so much for the E-Arc!
Snowberry Speak feels like the setting of a Hallmark movie. The kind of small town where it’s Christmas all year round, and honestly, I want to visit.
Single mom Annie stole my heart right from the start. She’s so relatable, doing her best for her daughter, Ruby, while juggling everything life throws her way. When her ex bails on spending Christmas with Ruby, Annie’s plans start to fall apart, but enter Brooks Bennett. A hot ex–bull rider now rodeo clown turned nanny (yes, you read that right). He’s not what Annie was expecting, but he’s exactly what she needed.
There’s this instant spark between them. Filled with immediate desire and temptation which made their connection feel so natural and easy and playful, with that perfect mix of heart and heat. What I loved most was how Brooks brought the Christmas spirit back into Annie and Ruby’s lives. He gave them the love, laughter, and warmth they both deserved.
If you love Christmas and small-town charm filled with romance, this book is so for you. 10/10 I’ll be recommending this one always.
Thank you so much for the E-Arc!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2025
I’ve never read a character written by M. Hartley who I didn’t love and that streak continues! This Christmas novella was such a fun read and was packed full of holiday cheer and small-town vibes.
Annie, our FMC, is struggling to juggle everything as a single mom and business owner during the holiday season. Enter Brooks, our MCM, and he doesn’t think twice about helping out. These two have undeniable chemistry from the very first interaction – before they even know who the other is. I enjoyed the way Annie let Brooks help her and how she let her guard down around him.
Ruby, Annie’s daughter, was the perfect touch to this story. Her enthusiasm for Christmas was palpable and the sass she gave was top tier. I love the way Brooks treated Ruby. Their conversations were so funny and he was not afraid to rock a princess dress!
Novellas are sometimes too short for me to fully get into the story but the MALE nanny x single mom tropes were carried out perfectly in the length of this story! The slow build up to the relationship helped me feel more connected to the story and I found myself laughing, kicking my feet, and flying through the pages.
If you’re in the mood to start Christmas early, I definitely recommend checking this one out! Thank you so much to author M. Hartley for the opportunity to read this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Annie, our FMC, is struggling to juggle everything as a single mom and business owner during the holiday season. Enter Brooks, our MCM, and he doesn’t think twice about helping out. These two have undeniable chemistry from the very first interaction – before they even know who the other is. I enjoyed the way Annie let Brooks help her and how she let her guard down around him.
Ruby, Annie’s daughter, was the perfect touch to this story. Her enthusiasm for Christmas was palpable and the sass she gave was top tier. I love the way Brooks treated Ruby. Their conversations were so funny and he was not afraid to rock a princess dress!
Novellas are sometimes too short for me to fully get into the story but the MALE nanny x single mom tropes were carried out perfectly in the length of this story! The slow build up to the relationship helped me feel more connected to the story and I found myself laughing, kicking my feet, and flying through the pages.
If you’re in the mood to start Christmas early, I definitely recommend checking this one out! Thank you so much to author M. Hartley for the opportunity to read this eARC! All opinions are my own.
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