Tangled In Tinsel

by M. Hartley

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 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?

Genres: Christmas, Holiday, Novella, Romance, Small Town Romance, Forced Proximity

194 pages, Paperback

Published October 29, 2025

About the author

M. 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.

Reviews

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads)]

⭐️ 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. 🎄✨

[Afton]

I was really loving this book but the spice was a bit too cringy for me and the consent part was a bit too rough.

[Maddie]

4.25 ⭐️’s
Holiday Romance 🤝 Single Parent x Nanny Romance

Maggie Hartley reigns as Queen of cozy small town romance!! In this book, she captures the magic of Christmas in this green flag of a man.

Brooks Bennett is EVERYTHING. His love for Ruby is honestly what sets this book apart for me. He’s patient, thoughtful and so good to this sweet, spunky girl. Their interactions had my heart beaming. And the way he took care of Annie and embraced her grief was so sweet and tender🥹

And their chemistry??? Give me any book where they sneak around and find creative uses of holiday decor🤭 Santa wasn’t the only one coming this Christmas….

Overall, this was so much fun to read and I kept catching myself smiling throughout it!! Maggie Ilysm and hope we get an Ollie story please!!!

[Marissa | Readswith_marissa]

“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! 🫶🏻

[Shelby]

this novella was everything one could possibly want in a christmassy read. for a magical christmas small town during the holidays, to a hottie ex bull rider who is AMAZING with kids, to tension and spicy moment. it has everything.

i ate this one up.

the chemistry between Annie and Brooks from the first time they meet was the definition of sparks! they gravitated towards one another and the universe brought them back together in a way i’m sure neither of them expected…

but brooks becoming the live in nanny for annies 7 year old Ruby. their bond is such a cute one and the love they share for one another is adorable.

highly recommend if you wanna be in your feels and also feel a certain type of way 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

[Susa]

e very very cute story, I enjoyed it! If only it were a little bit longer.

[Yarlene ♡]

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

[Becky Parker]

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.

[hellothriftypages]

✨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

[Marlee Elizabeth]

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!🫶🏼

[Abigail Stephens]

✨ 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!

[Amanda]

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.

[Kelsey Elledge]

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!

[Rebecca Roberson]

“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!!

[Lexi Belle]

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 😭😭

[sab]

see how annie and brooks talked and communicated and there was no silly third act breakup over something stupid like being incapable of talking about feelings? yeah that’s how it’s down.

this was such a sweet holiday romance and i ate up every single moment of it. though i will admit some parts dragged just a little for me.

also annie and brooks fucked A LOT for someone who had a 7 year old down the hall.. just saying

[Jessica-Amber H]

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.

[Nicole]

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.

[fozi]

extremely hot i need like 67 novellas like this one please

[Ashley]

WHAT A FUN TIME. THE SPICE WAS SPICIN😜

[Kelly]

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!

[Abby Vail]

Way too smutty like oh my word I had to skip so much

[Emily]

Spicy little read! Nothing special but a spicy little Christmas romance.

[Kanoelani Sabalboro]

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!

[tiraleighhh]

yk what.. yes please

[Mikaili]

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.

[Cheyenne]

A very cute Christmas book! It was an adult version of a Hallmark movie ☺️🩷

[Marloes]

I’ll never look at coffee the same way again ☕️✨

[Theresse (Tess) Gregory]

♡ “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.” ♡

♡ “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.” ❄

[Nettie]

✦ 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.

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