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Christmas Hideaway: A Small Town MM Forced Proximity Holiday Romance
I signed up for a writing retreat to save my manuscript. He showed up to save himself. Neither of us expected to find each other.
Jason Foster has spent years as Juniper Bluff's quiet librarian and aspiring novelist—watching his friends find love, documenting their stories, always the observer. When writer's block threatens to defeat him, his friends practically shove him toward a week-long mountain writing retreat. One week. One finish the manuscript or give up the dream entirely.
Except bestselling thriller author "B.L. Cross" is the surprise guest instructor.
Brent Lafferty didn't come to teach. He came seeking an escape from the pressure to write another commercial hit when all he wants is to create something meaningful. The last thing he needs is being announced as the week's celebrity mentor—or being assigned a roommate who might recognize him.
But Jason isn't a starstruck fan. He's a fellow writer who sees past the bestselling brand to the burned-out man underneath. When they're paired as roommates, professional collaboration becomes something more. And two writers discover that sometimes the best stories are the ones you never planned to write.
A heartwarming small-town M/M romance
Forced proximity (surprise roommates at a writing retreat!)Aspiring writer meets disillusioned bestselling authorLate-night manuscript readings that lead to early morning confessionsHeat 3-4 (steamy open-door romance)Christmas Hideaway is the fourth and final book in the Juniper Bluff Christmas Collection—a series of interconnected standalone romances set in a charming Colorado mountain town. Each book features a different couple, complete with holiday magic and guaranteed happy endings.
Jason Foster has spent years as Juniper Bluff's quiet librarian and aspiring novelist—watching his friends find love, documenting their stories, always the observer. When writer's block threatens to defeat him, his friends practically shove him toward a week-long mountain writing retreat. One week. One finish the manuscript or give up the dream entirely.
Except bestselling thriller author "B.L. Cross" is the surprise guest instructor.
Brent Lafferty didn't come to teach. He came seeking an escape from the pressure to write another commercial hit when all he wants is to create something meaningful. The last thing he needs is being announced as the week's celebrity mentor—or being assigned a roommate who might recognize him.
But Jason isn't a starstruck fan. He's a fellow writer who sees past the bestselling brand to the burned-out man underneath. When they're paired as roommates, professional collaboration becomes something more. And two writers discover that sometimes the best stories are the ones you never planned to write.
A heartwarming small-town M/M romance
Forced proximity (surprise roommates at a writing retreat!)Aspiring writer meets disillusioned bestselling authorLate-night manuscript readings that lead to early morning confessionsHeat 3-4 (steamy open-door romance)Christmas Hideaway is the fourth and final book in the Juniper Bluff Christmas Collection—a series of interconnected standalone romances set in a charming Colorado mountain town. Each book features a different couple, complete with holiday magic and guaranteed happy endings.
153 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2025
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16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 22, 2025
Two writers fall in love at a retreat about writing, and find a new style
In this Christmas series about Juniper Bluff and its people, author Bree Hollis writes about a well-established author who relies on writing books that sell but has lost his drive for writing what has worked for him in the past. Brent Lafferty is sent to the retreat and learns he's to teach it while his team awaits his new manuscript for yet another bestseller.
Juniper Bluff librarian Jason Foster is there because he's an aspiring writer, often stuck on plot and character development while writing, and hopeful he'll overcome that during this retreat. He's also lucky to be paired in the same room with Brent for the week-long retreat.
This leads to late-night confessions about futures, about writing, and about attraction to each other. Hollis seems to have taken this course as she is deep into character development, sense of place, and new love. While her excellent storytelling is evident in the budding romance between the two men, it is even more on display as she describes Jason's 'family," a group of three men he met in Juniper Bluff who are his confidants, best friends, and support. The three ensured Jason made it to the retreat because they knew it was a dream of his and important to support his writing.
After the romance blossoms between Brent and Jason, they require Brent's presence before them and become his friends as well, even though they warn him of the consequences of hurting their friend Jason.
But this love survives the retreat and writes a new chapter in another couple in Juniper Bluff.
This is an excellently told story, without a lot of insufferable angst to drive page count. The writing beautifully describes the emotions of Jason's family and how Jason and Brent communicate through writing to express their love for each other.
In this Christmas series about Juniper Bluff and its people, author Bree Hollis writes about a well-established author who relies on writing books that sell but has lost his drive for writing what has worked for him in the past. Brent Lafferty is sent to the retreat and learns he's to teach it while his team awaits his new manuscript for yet another bestseller.
Juniper Bluff librarian Jason Foster is there because he's an aspiring writer, often stuck on plot and character development while writing, and hopeful he'll overcome that during this retreat. He's also lucky to be paired in the same room with Brent for the week-long retreat.
This leads to late-night confessions about futures, about writing, and about attraction to each other. Hollis seems to have taken this course as she is deep into character development, sense of place, and new love. While her excellent storytelling is evident in the budding romance between the two men, it is even more on display as she describes Jason's 'family," a group of three men he met in Juniper Bluff who are his confidants, best friends, and support. The three ensured Jason made it to the retreat because they knew it was a dream of his and important to support his writing.
After the romance blossoms between Brent and Jason, they require Brent's presence before them and become his friends as well, even though they warn him of the consequences of hurting their friend Jason.
But this love survives the retreat and writes a new chapter in another couple in Juniper Bluff.
This is an excellently told story, without a lot of insufferable angst to drive page count. The writing beautifully describes the emotions of Jason's family and how Jason and Brent communicate through writing to express their love for each other.
December 3, 2025
Christmas is in the title and in the cover pic but it doesn't show up until the very end, but that doesn't matter because this is a gorgeous tale full of instant attraction and an inn full of eager novel writers. That bit was rather fascinating as a renowned author gave talks on successful writing. Sharing a set of rooms makes the attraction between that renowned author and an up and coming writer run rampant giving us a wonderful read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews