Elf on the Edge: A Holiday Romantic Comedy

The Wynter Brothers #3

by Alina Jacobs, Maeve York (Narrator), Jack Calihan (Narrator)

Hire a hitman to take out my cheating ex? It was an eggnog-fueled mistake, I swear!

On Christmas Eve, my perfect fiancé stands up at the altar to declare his pure undying love… for my evil stepsister. Cue public humiliation, a ruined wedding, and me crawling back to my small hometown to work minimum wage at my granny’s Christmas café.
Just living the holiday dream.

But I refuse to show up sad and alone to my cheating ex and man-stealing stepsister’s engagement party. I’ll be devoured by gossipy small-town vultures. So I do what any rational woman empty her bank account, max out her credit cards, and hire a high-end escort with the Merry Christmas package. Too bad I mess up the number and accidentally hire… a hitman. Oops. This is why I hate making phone calls.

I realize I’m screwed when Talbot Wynter crashes the party all combat boots, dirty jeans, and washboard abs. He feels me up, drinks all the booze, flirts with my grandmother, then tries to off my cheating ex in his hotel room. I scream and make him stop him because I may or may not still pathetically have feelings for my ex.

Talbot thinks I’m insane. He might be right. But his company has a strict no-refunds policy. Now I’m stuck dragging this six-foot-five, potty-mouthed menace of an ex-Marine to Christmas tree cuttings, gingerbread baking, and holiday parties—All while he tries to convince me to let him take out my ex so he can go snowboarding.

But what if my ex is moved by the holiday spirit and realizes he still loves me and comes home for Christmas? Or, he would if I could just get this hitman out of my bedroom… and my panties.

Genres: Christmas, Holiday, Romance, Rom Com, Hockey, Contemporary, Dark Romance

Audible Audio

Published November 4, 2025

About the author

If you like steamy romantic comedies with a creative streak, then I'm your girl!

Architect by day, writer by night, I love matcha green tea, chocolate, and books! So many books…

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Reviews

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this book, but almost DNF’d it when the FMC with very low self esteem took her ex fiancé back. It honestly just pissed me off because she was actually showing some character growth and it all evaporated when her internal monologue said “I didn’t love him, but I was going to marry him anyway.” 🙄🙄🙄

Also, her stepdad Ryan should’ve long ago put his mother and sister in their place for constantly berating his wife and stepdaughter. And while he tried to rebuild his relationship with his stepdaughter exactly how genuine was the effort if he still wasn’t standing up for his family??? But sure, buy her a house because that fixes everything 🙄

[Paige · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not finish this book.

It was all over the place and I couldn’t keep up.

I hated all of the characters. No one had redeeming qualities.

Skip.

[Jacquie Kerr · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t understand how this book got so many 5 stars. All of the characters are horrible and not likeable at all. Plot was also all over the place and extremely hard to follow. Also, I’m seriously suppose to accept that she just “happened to know” hitmans passwords and managed to hire an assassin instead of an escort…. Sure coz it’s just that easy 🤦‍♀️

[SelkieReader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Instagram click bait got me again
Rage bait, trauma dumping and just the same plot for the third time in one series
Hard pass

[Mara Ines · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, this was a super generous rating, in the spirit of Christmas and Talbot.
It was a a tad (okay more than a tad) disappointing. Normally I love Alinas books, they're right up my alley and that's why I kinda had high hopes for this one too, since I also loved the previous Wynter brothers books. This one was more annoying than anything. In this case, Misty was the annoying one who kinda ruined the book. She was just GAHHHHHHH, I couldnt stand her. I thought that after the locker room scene I was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel but, alas, guess I was just blind. Not even in the end I could get the pleasure of her being changed and maybe grown a bit of backbone. Nop. I just can't with characters like her. And like I said, instead of getting better she just kept on disappointing. There was some funny scenes during the book, which made it a bit more bearable, and then we also had Tolbot that I liked..... But that was about it. 😭😫

[Kristin Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, these are some of my favorite romcoms. If Alina Jacobs writes it, I’m gonna read it.


Misty accidentally hires Talbot, a hitman, when she meant to hire an escort to be her fake boyfriend for her step-sister’s wedding (where she’s marrying Misty’s ex, who basically left her at the altar). Absolute insanity ensues as Talbot spends almost the entire time trying to convince Misty to just let him finish the job, all the while, he’s falling in love with her. The things that come out of Talbot’s mouth are literally laugh out loud funny, and we get a new unhinged grandmother!


4🌟
3.5🌶️

[Gracealynn94 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Misty is painfully pathetic… Talbot and the dog are okay but I just can’t bring myself to finish this book.

[Krystina K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve never wanted to shake a FMC more…

Rate: 3.25
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book irked me. I felt like I spent the entire book rolling my eyes HARD at the FMC until literally 85% in. I pushed through because I was determined to see her wake the eff up! She was a pushover, annoyingly naive, she had loved ones that tried HARD to make her see differently and she still refused to see the light. Yea I ain’t like it. BUT tho it took FOREVER, I’m glad her and the MMC made it.

The spice was spicyyyyyyy! That basically made it up for it.

I mean…yay Christmas but I could have gone a different route.

[Mikes Baby Mama · Rating 3 out of 5]

I realize that I haven't finished this book (87% finished so far). but Jeez, can the MFC (Misty) please get it together?! I have read multiple of this authors books, I know what I'm getting into. They're usually pallet cleansers after reading a dark romance. And I've read the other Wynter brothers books, they like the same type of chic. But Misty is just too much for me, like how are you still thinking you should get with your ex. even if you didn't want the MMC. Like, girl, get some self respect. I'm about to DNF this one.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

SO.MUCH.DIALOGUE

Let’s just say the books is…eh. From the family dynamic to how much dialogue there is, makes it soooooo bad. She’s still a pushover in the end, her family is weird, their chemistry isn’t it.

[Shaineinok · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I detest Misty. This is a weird story. It could have been hilarious. the idea of accidentally hiring a hitman and the story behind it.

[Lolo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, Maplewood Falls, you never fail to deliver on the unhinged, alcohol fueled Christmas shenanigans. Honestly, this was the best one in the series. It actually had a coherent plot and some decent character & relationship development. If the writing wasn’t so damn choppy and chaotic I could have easily rated this higher. Misty and Talbot are my favorite couple so far.

Until the next Christmas season, Maplewood Falls!

[Anne Dwyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Brielle ruined Misty's wedding to Austen, her friends decided she needed a fake boyfriend to make him jealous. What they didn't realise was that they had really hired an assasin. But as Talbot gets to know Misty, he really doesn't want to hurt her - and it seems that she is still in love with her ex. How will this situation be resolved? Will Talbot go through with the the contract? Loved the characters and the twists and turns!.

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

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

The blurb for this book was so intriguing, I thought I'd give this author another go after the trainwreck that was the first book in this series. But alas, at 3% read I could tell it was going to be the same. Same doormat female main character. Same horrible supporting characters. Unrealistic. DNF. I'm moving on. This author clearly isn't!

[Becca Mour · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't usually DNF books but this was... horrible. Was reading waiting for a dentist appointment first time I was happy to be called in.
- Cover art is stunning though I totally give you that!
(DNF 10%)

[Mindy M · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 59% This book is so bad. Every chapter, I asked myself why I was still reading until finally I couldn't do it anymore. There is not a single likable character, except for maybe the 9-year-old stepsister. She seemed fun. How am I supposed to root for a couple when the woman is the dumbest doormat ever, and the man constantly talks down to and embarrasses her? And the stepdad seems like he supports Misty, but for someone bankrolling the lives of everyone around him, you would think he would have a backbone and put an end to the crappy behavior. I'm sorry, Alina Jacobs, but I hate this book.

[Sandra R · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many stupid things happen in this romantic comedy set at Christmas. There are many clueless ice hockey players, a hunky Hitman hero and a confused heroine - who bakes, knits, etc. She's completely downtrodden by her family and horrible ex fiance. There's a cute Corgi, a wicked stepsister, and many, many, many, family members, townsfolk, friends and enemies.

I usually can't stand this amount of side characters, but this story needs them and dare I say, it would make such a fun Christmas movie. Providing the dialogue didn't change...

Read it slowly though, or you'll miss something. A great escapist, very long, and steamy romance that is also making fun of the genre - just a teeny bit.

It's silly, fun, wacky. 4.5 stars.🤣❄️🎄

[Samantha Case · Rating 5 out of 5]

Repetitive but Fun

So maybe the characters are far too similar to the other books. Maybe the dialogue and the smut scenes are too. Maybe maybe. I'm still a fan because I get to escape the real world and cackle like a goon at grannies and best friends.

Misty and Talbot are a riot. As per usual I hated him in the beginning and wasn't a huge fan of her. But he improved and gained a real person and Misty found a backbone. I do wish that the family got a real wakeup call or comeuppance. They definitely deserved one.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy and hilarious

What did I just read?! Like other Alina Jacob books, this one starts out so outrageous and unbelievable you think it can get any more absurd...then it does! A hilarious misunderstanding turns into a bizarre fake relationship.  I loved the dynamic: Talbot is determined to get his mark and Misty just wants to win her ex back.  I enjoyed Talbot being morally gray and just as crazy as Misty and watching their outlandish chemistry grow.  This book has everything; an adorable corgi, sex-crazed granny, and some extremely spicy moments. Another masterpiece!

[M Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where to start

I guess I am just plain old. Did a lot of page skipping, as in,"Are they done yet? No? Lets skip some more pages then." Did not find the main characters to be all that likeable. Did like the family hockey game. That was fun. Really enjoyed the first series of Harrowgate Svennsons.

[Missy Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hohum

It was a hard read because Misty is SUCH a doormat. An unbelievably gullible doormat. But I wanted to see her get an HEA anyway and kept reading. The sex scenes would've been hotter if the choreography made sense. Half the time I didn't know who was doing what and whether their clothes were on or off. Also, a few abrupt scene changes were jarring. Overall, it was entertaining even if some of the characters were over the top ridiculous.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was chaos! The characters were hilarious, wild, annoying, all over the place, and so much fun! I did get annoyed with Misty and her continuous Austin obsession, like girl, get a clue, but Talbot made up for it by being persistent! A very fun read!

[MMLZ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf’d so quickly I got whiplash. Someone tried to mash up a Hallmark Christmas movie with a hitman-client romance novel AND a hockey romance. It could have been cute and charming. It is not. Do yourself a favor and skip this one

[Kiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the back and forth between the main characters but found the FMC not relatable at all

[Maria Diodati · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a hot mess. The FMC was miserably insecure, the MMC was an asshole, I had no clue what people were even saying most of the time, and why was everyone always so drunk?? A wild read and not in a good way.

[Melissa Hanono · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually going to rate this one much lower until the very end when the FMC had a real heart to heart conversation with her stepfather and I fucking bawled. Any book that can make me cry is automatically 5 stars because the thing is… to me, at least, that’s real writing. If an author can make me feel something I didn’t know was there… that is magic.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars for Misty and Talbot. This story was full of hilarity, back and forth banter, truth, lies and the spiciest smut this side of the North Pole.

Talbot is a hired hit-man and self professed playboy who loves his cheese. He works with/for his brothers and has one job to do before he can head off to his vacation.
Misty is a doormat for her whole family. She's engaged and about to be married to Austen, who is a prominent NHL player on her step-father, Ryan's team.

Misty is jilted at the alter when her step-sister Brielle objects and announces to everyone that Austen is in love with her and they will be married instead (prologue). Misty has loved Austen forever but as heartbroken as she is she agrees to plan and throw them an engagement party a year later. She feels like a loser showing up with no date so her Grandma, friend and younger step-sister, Lucy make her call an escort service which ends up being Talbot's business. She spends an unknown yet ridiculous amount of money on what she thinks is someone pretending to be her boyfriend yet, she gets Talbot who just wants to off Austen.

Talbot sees the situation and is committed to get the job done--there are no refunds after all, and he leaves no job unfinished. She refuses to let him off her ex, or any other member of her extended awful family. Misty is just a complete doormat for her family, which is frustrating but with Talbot and his filthy mouth full of innuendos it turns to a hilarious mess. He figures the only way to get her to see that Austen needs to go is to get in her pants but he starts to see Misty for who and what she really is and starts falling for her too.

Now, I had a hard time believing Talbot was truly falling for her throughout the book and was constantly waiting for him to be just like her ex. I also was completely frustrated with Misty and it wasn't until more towards the end when I understood why she was like she was. Talbot was really a filthy talking smut monster who acted on his words, a lot. I really went into this book blind and did not expect the way this turned out. I do wish that more than Austen got what was deserved. I did laugh a lot and sometimes with tears throughout this book.

A good read even with the back and forth from Misty.

[Xanny Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elf on the Edge — Alina Jacobs | 3.5★ 🎄🔪✨
Another Wynter brother… Lord help me.

Listen. I opened this thinking, “Surely this FMC won’t get screwed over as badly as the last one.”
HAHAHAHA. 😭

We start at a wedding. She’s walking down the aisle. Big moment. And then…

Her stepsister objects.
Because she has been sleeping with the groom — THE CAPTAIN OF THE HOCKEY TEAM.
I wanted to throw myself into a snowbank. ❄️

So what does our girl Misty do next?
Hire an escort to make the ex jealous.
Except she calls the wrong number —
Instead of a sexy rent-a-date service, she books…
✨ A HITMAN ✨
to take out the ex. AND SHE DOESN’T KNOW.
Girly, no. Just… no. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Enter Talbot Wynter.
Assassin. Menace. Grade-A asshole.
My first impression? Dumpster fire.
But then the chaos starts making sense — the flirting, the sabotage — he thought she wanted the ex dead, not a fake boyfriend.
And Misty? Still scheduling the ex’s haircuts while he’s planning a wedding with her evil stepsister. I physically cringed.

Talbot gets obsessed.
“I’m going to make her fall in love with me.”
A man with a plan… a morally questionable plan, but a plan.
Knife play? ✔️
Dates that make you swoon? ✔️
Accidental feelings? Oh absolutely. 😌

Meanwhile Misty is out here accidentally taking out a ONE MILLION dollar loan for the ex.
Bestie, blink twice if you need help. 😭

The billionaire subplot???
Rich men treating her like she’s a dangerous femme fatale because she “hired” a hit?? I was unwell.

Then the end…
She chooses the ex again.
AFTER EVERYTHING.
I nearly saw red.
Luckily, karma comes in hot — mafia trouble, fake death, chaos, tears… finally, finally Misty wakes up.

The HEA hits eventually (barely). And honestly her stepfather? Best character in the whole damn book.

The bonus novella A Hitman Walks Into a Christmas Cafe 🎅
Chaos, a hit gone wrong, a house gifted, and a proposal.
Cute. Needed that emotional support ending.

Final thoughts:
This book stressed me out.
It made me yell.
It made me laugh.
It made me threaten fictional characters with violence.

3.5★ — entertaining, spicy, but ohhhh the frustration.
Talbot deserved a medal for not committing additional crimes purely out of spite.

Next Wynter brother?
…send help 😵‍💫🎄🔪

[MaryLovesRomance · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @7%

Does this author even like women? How could you write a character that is such a pathetic excuse of a woman and then also apparently not give her a character arc?!?!

Misty gets left at the altar by her ex for her stepsister while simultaneously finding out he has been cheating on her with her stepsister and they are “in love.” She accidentally hires a hitman to kill her ex when she thinks she is hiring an escort to be her date to their engagement party. And that is as far as I’ve gotten.

Already the heroine has proven to be the most pathetic character I have ever read. When she finds out AT THE ALTAR that the man who is “the love of her life” doesn’t give a shit about her and has been cheating on her with her stepsister and is going to leave her in this scene that has clearly been planned for maximum humiliation, she actually FALLS TO HER KNEES AND BEGS THIS PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A MAN TO MARRY HER ANYWAY!!!! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ARE WE DOING HERE?!?!

Then she is forced to forgive him and her stepsister by the whole gathering including her own damn mother! I would have performed a scene the likes of which no one in that church has ever scene, complete with several punches thrown, women being dragged by their hair and a threat to sue all wedding vendors if they in any way provided services for these garbage people.

Then! THEN! She is at the engagement party and dying her hair back to her natural brown and her ex had the audacity to call her Mousy Misty!! AND her first thought is “he still likes me?!?!” I actually had to reread the paragraph because I was so confused by the pathetic leap. Not only that but it is almost a year later and she is still calling her ex the love of her life and waiting for him to come back to her!!!!

Thank goodness for other reviews because I immediately came here to see if I should continue in spite of wanting to throw my phone to the floor and stomp on it multiple times. Spoiler: I shouldn’t. She apparently takes him back! Not to mention all of the other pathetic ways she lets her family and her ex take advantage of her in just the first 7%. Just no!!

[Casey Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t usually DNF and I don’t love giving bad reviews especially one as honest as I’m about to give, but dear god, how I have struggled to finish this book. But enough is enough. Reached 88% and couldn’t do it anymore. Like many other reviews, I don’t know how any of this could be considered enjoyable when overall, there are often too many characters on page exchanging dialogue that it’s hard to follow. The FMC Misty just makes me sad and then throw kindle at the wall angry. I sometimes feel bad for her, and feel bad for saying this, but she is another level of entirely unrealistically pathetic - like if she was a real person, she would be better off with a lobotomy. She’s so obsessed with not being alone and being married and liked and needed that she takes straight up emotional and physical abuse from Austen and her family - and I’m not talking slight digs or backhanded compliments - Austen and family members (her aunts, step grandparents, step sister and her OWN MOTHER) call her trash TO HER FACE and tell her she should be grateful to be in their presence, while treating her like Cinderella, doing everything for everyone always but it’s never good enough and so they continue to call her trash, and she convinces herself that she is happy with this and it’s enough. No real person that’s not brainwashed could accept this. It’s truly disgusting and I just CANNOT anymore. When her relationship with Talbot becomes real, she shows a little bit of growth but the second Austin shows her any interest again, she actively acknowledges that he treats her like garbage and doesn’t appreciate her, but he’ll give her the marriage and house and babies which, who wouldn’t want that, so crawls back to him. Talbot didn’t even lie to her, but she thought he did, and she has the self respect to not go back to him, though simultaneously acknowledges that he treated her better than Austin ever did and she loves him but she feels this sick and twisted devotion to Austin simply for the childhood dream she had to marry him, regardless of him being human scum. It’s honestly a headache- towards then end, I kept waiting for her to come to her senses, but I think there have been 3 instances she could have grown the backbone she knows that she needs, but she continuously bends over for people who tell her to her face that she is easy to manipulate and will always do what they want because she’s broken and pathetic. Which is, in fact, pathetic. Like, she actually chooses these people over Talbot. I’m out, can’t do it anymore, it’s gross. Also, the people are so cruel and directly offensive that it’s not believable, very 2 dimensional.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.