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Unwrapped By Him
Avery Kane has always felt invisible and constantly outshone by her older sister, Shannon, who seems to have a perfect life. Being alienated by some of her friends after dumping her cheating boyfriend and navigating her parents’ messy separation has her head in a spin, but the final straw is her latest exam results, which confirm she is failing her degree at university. All she wants is to be happy and for one person to look at her like she is the only girl in the world.
With her life spiraling out of control, the last thing Avery expects is to reconnect with her childhood best friend who vanished off the face of the earth several years ago. Marley Jacobson looks nothing like the teenage boy she last saw. He was once a sweet young man who made her feel seen, but his absence crushed her. Though Avery wants to keep her heart guarded and protected, there is no denying the chemistry between them. If only she knew Marley’s reasons for returning and if she can trust him not to vanish again. In the meantime, he seems intent on unwrapping all of Avery's layers, especially the ones protecting her fragile heart.
Can Avery take a chance on Marley this Christmas?
With her life spiraling out of control, the last thing Avery expects is to reconnect with her childhood best friend who vanished off the face of the earth several years ago. Marley Jacobson looks nothing like the teenage boy she last saw. He was once a sweet young man who made her feel seen, but his absence crushed her. Though Avery wants to keep her heart guarded and protected, there is no denying the chemistry between them. If only she knew Marley’s reasons for returning and if she can trust him not to vanish again. In the meantime, he seems intent on unwrapping all of Avery's layers, especially the ones protecting her fragile heart.
Can Avery take a chance on Marley this Christmas?
- GenresSpicy
199 pages, Paperback
Published October 16, 2025
8 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 15, 2025
If good reads allowed 4.5 that would be my rating instead. Truthfully though this doesn't rate as high as her other works for me, so I can't give it the full 5 stars. While I absolutely loved the characters some of the intimacy scenes threw me. Marley's description of eating her like a "certain bear that loves honey" 😭😭😭 ma'am I love you but I closed the book and did something else for a while.
February 6, 2026
Unwrapped by Him is the first book in a new series by Emma Lee-Johnson. It is a spicy, childhood friends to lovers, it's always been you, forced proximity, snowed in romance.
Avery Kane has always felt second place to her beautiful, successful, perfect sister. Now more in the dumps than ever with a failing class, a cheating ex-boyfriend and her parents' ugly divorce, she has returned home (to what is now her mother's house) for the holiday season. Picking up a seasonal job at her sister's store should keep her occupied and help her to get in the festive spirit. It also brings Marley Jacobson, the childhood best friend who vanished years earlier, back into her life. But is Avery ready for what Marley wants.
I loved the character development in this book. Avery at the beginning of the book is not the same Avery at the end of the book. Thanks in part to Marley, mutual friends, her seasonal job and a winter storm, she gets to grow, feel like herself and find what truly makes her happy. And enjoy some enjoyable spicy moments.
Emma did a wonderful job of including the side characters in this book. After reading the epilogue, I am very interested in reading more of this series, especially Shannon's story, because not everything/everyone is as perfect as they seem.
"I needed to find my worth before I could see what you saw."
"I didn't come back here to be your friend, Avery. I came back to make you mine and tell you exactly how much you mean to me."
Avery Kane has always felt second place to her beautiful, successful, perfect sister. Now more in the dumps than ever with a failing class, a cheating ex-boyfriend and her parents' ugly divorce, she has returned home (to what is now her mother's house) for the holiday season. Picking up a seasonal job at her sister's store should keep her occupied and help her to get in the festive spirit. It also brings Marley Jacobson, the childhood best friend who vanished years earlier, back into her life. But is Avery ready for what Marley wants.
I loved the character development in this book. Avery at the beginning of the book is not the same Avery at the end of the book. Thanks in part to Marley, mutual friends, her seasonal job and a winter storm, she gets to grow, feel like herself and find what truly makes her happy. And enjoy some enjoyable spicy moments.
Emma did a wonderful job of including the side characters in this book. After reading the epilogue, I am very interested in reading more of this series, especially Shannon's story, because not everything/everyone is as perfect as they seem.
"I needed to find my worth before I could see what you saw."
"I didn't come back here to be your friend, Avery. I came back to make you mine and tell you exactly how much you mean to me."
November 12, 2025
I loved reading Unwrapped By Him. This second chance love story gave me all the cosy feels. I really loved the direction it went in and thought Marley and Avery were the perfect fit. I really enjoy Emma Lee Johnson's writing style, she makes everything and everyone seem relatable and the way the storyline plays out feels believable. The characters are created with a realism which makes the reader connect, they're relatable which makes the story resonate more and you find yourself rooting for the main character to get his girl! I loved the interactions between the character and how the romantic connection or the steamy scenes didn't feel forced. Everything in this novel seemed natural and felt it developed organically. The only jarring thing (not bad fyi) for me was in the five years later epilogue... Excuse me? What happened?! I do need book 2 now 😆
November 9, 2025
Absolutely amazing Christmas romance 🥰 said you love a school friends to adult lovers romance then this is definitely for you! Thank you Emma for another amazing book 🥰
November 12, 2025
Marley is a possessive cinnamon roll and I love it! He has always known what and who he wants. Such a sweet christmas story, definitely a must read for the festive season
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews