Unexpected Company

by C.S. Autumn

Garrett

Unmotivated and facing the biggest writer's block of my career, my agent sends me to a remote cottage in the hopes that a change of scenery will do me good. It's quiet. Secluded. Cut off from the world. I should be alone with my thoughts and the start of another best seller. But when I walk out of the shower to find someone eating my dinner, saying that he's rented the same cottage for Christmas, it appears my plans for solitude are out the window.

Roman

I’m a disgraced social media superstar, destined to spend Christmas sad and alone, reading the world's nasty comments about me. My best friend insists I take a trip somewhere remote, where the internet doesn't exist and I can take time to let the whole ordeal pass. I expect to find peace and quiet. Just me and my collection of tea and biscuits. What I don't expect to find in the little cottage is the man of my dreams.

Unexpected Company is a strangers to lovers, age gap, one bed romance between two characters who spend Christmas exploring their fantasies, falling in love and finding a home in each other. This book is a standalone.

Genres: M M Romance, Christmas, Forced Proximity, Holiday, LGBT, Romance, Cozy

249 pages, Paperback

Published November 18, 2025

Reviews

[Pauline]

Nothing wrong with it, just not my kinda thing apparently. Too insta and a few tropes and kinks I don’t mesh too well with 🤷‍♀️

Dnf @ 51% 🫣

[Drusilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

My goodness, that really got my ears burning... This author seems to have a knack for combining super cute characters with overly hot scenes.
One could perhaps argue whether the watersports scene was really necessary, as the primal play alone would have been enough to make it super hot.
But anyway, I had my fun.
As I said, both characters are wonderfully portrayed and together they are so incredibly cute, you could just melt. That's almost all you need. Another wonderful Christmas book.

The grumpy lumberjack scowling at me from across the kitchen counter is hot. Very, very hot. He’s probably a good ten years older than me, with light brown hair, a neatly cropped beard, and a body I’d love to hug. He’s put on clothes (shame) and is now leaning against the counter wearing a green flannel shirt and baggy blue jeans. 🤩

His bright eyes sparkle and he bites his bottom lip. The move is so fucking sexy and I want to lean forward and save his lip from his teeth. Or slide my thumb into his mouth or… No. I will not flirt with or hit on Garrett.
I will behave.
I will try to behave. I will aim to try to behave. 🤭😳🤭

“What?” I pant. “What do you want? Tell me.”
He growls, his movements increasing.
“I want to chase you through those woods, hunt you down, piss on you and fuck you till you scream.”
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
And BOOM. I explode. My orgasm hitting me so hard, my eyes slam shut and white light sparks behind my closed lids. 🤤🤤🤤

[patrícia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected Company by C.S. Autumn
MC: Roman & Garrett 4.5⭐

“What do you need?” Garrett asks, pulling away to meet my gaze.
“Anything.” I shake my head. “Everything.”

Tropes & tags
Opposite attracts
Writer x content creator
strangers to lovers
age gap
Size difference
only one bed
Cabin in the woods
Kinky exploration
Hurt/Comfort

Micro Tropes
More kisses, all the kisses
A tea for every occasion
Gare Bear x Sweet thing or short stick or Supernova
Wearing his clothes
Drama queen
Mc loves being manhandled
Clingy coala
Caretaking is a love form
Daddy/boy vibes
Sassy brat

I really liked this—my face honestly hurts from smiling, and I’m still all blushy from the heat 🥰🔥super insta delicious ✨✨✨

This is a romance about two men who spend Christmas exploring their fantasies, falling stupidly in love, and finding a home in each other. The tropes tell you exactly what you’re getting: sweetness, heat, comfort, and a whole lot of emotional warmth.

It’s the perfect balance of romantic and steamy. Between romanticising the hell out of each other, they also dive deep into their fantasies with so much trust and care. Expect comfort food, endless teas, caretaking heaven, movies, and cosy Christmas-date shenanigans… and loads of sex, making love, and so many kisses I felt bruised 🥹💗 Plus, the pet names?? Adorable. I melted.

About the watersports: it isn’t really my thing, and I still don’t fully “get it”, but there’s zero degradation here. It’s portrayed more like an intimate, marking-each-other moment. There are two scenes, both handled gently and consensually.

What I loved most, though, was the neediness. They’re needy in completely different ways, but the way those needs fit together? Ugh, delicious. Soft and feral at the same time.

This was warm, kinky, Christmas-glazed little package—and I inhaled it 🥰

“Garrett’s movements stutter, his breath hot on the back of my neck. “Mine, sweet thing. All mine.”
He comes with a growl, his teeth finding the top of my shoulder, his entire weight crowding me.
“I love you,” he rasps.
“Love you too, Gare Bear.”

⚠️Author Content Warnings
Mention of parental death
Mention of parental alienation due to MCs sexuality
Mention of vomit
Watersports
Somnophilia
Primal play

❣️Book Safety & Content
Cheating: No
Other Person Drama: No
Sharing: No
Third-Act Breakup: Yes, temporary
Role Dynamics: Strict roles
POV: 1st person (dual)
Format: Standalone
Ending: HEA
Angst Level: Low
Spice Level: Medium / High heat
Communication: Some miscommunication
Pining: None

[kaye taz · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
format: ebook

CUTE. HOT. CHARMING. enough said really.

will probably reread for christmas.

[Bree | breesoleilreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugggh, I loved these two so much! This was short and sweet but packed with so much heat, heart, and depth for both characters that it was easy to fall in love with both of them and root for their love story. And damnnnnn, was the sex fucking hot 🥵 plz go read so you can have the best time.

PS I am now a huge fan of golden showers, thank u, author 🥰

[⋆★taylor★⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this-it was SO sweet & cute (but also steamy) & I loved the way they opened up to each other 🥹

[Megan (feral hearts club) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this was so cute!! I couldn’t put it down. The perfect mix of sweet and spicy.. hoooo boy it was spicy! I smiled pretty much the entire time I read this, loving every moment. The chemistry between Garret and Roman is incredible, the spark that ignites on their first encounter grows wild and is red hot by the time you reach the end. I’m obsessed- this was so cozy.

Check the tags below for tropes / kinks.

[Monikat · Rating 5 out of 5]

They couldn't be more different, they have an age gap, and they are forced to live together in a cabin in the woods. Add in the Christmas setting and falling in love was inevitable.
This was a perfect Christmas romance. Delicious moments, spice and just enough drama to enhance the HEA .

also ...
New kink lightly unlocked 💦💧☺️

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this.
Both MCs are adorable and needy.
And Oh, the delicious, dirty kink.

[Angela I. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic holiday read!
I loved everything about this story. The characters couldn’t be more different, yet somehow they click perfectly and balance each other in the best ways.

All the top-tier holiday tropes are here: double booking, only one bed, snow shenanigans, plus a handful of spicy (and very wet) fantasies.

Short, sweet, and hot : honestly, what more could you want?

GO READ IT. YES, THIS IS YOUR SIGN. 🎄🔥

*proof reading - Thanks for trusting me C. ❤️*

[martina (the life of a chaotic reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

i didn’t read the content warnings or the dedication or pretty much anything else, so imagine my face when a sweet shower turned into the golden kind.

that’s when i went back and realized this book had water sports, primal play and somnophilia.
what a nice little surprise!!

also, this way it sounds way spicier than it actually is. it’s actually a very fluffy book, with some spice on top. (and a couple of golden showers)

[unhingedreaderaunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this one. Roman’s a cheeky and hilarious social media megastar laying low after a scandal, Garrett’s a hot lumbersnack author with writer’s block, a computer glitch messed up their reservation so they’re sharing a rental house, and they pee on each other. What more could you want?!

Join me on IG @unhingedreaderaunt for more MM reviews and reccs 💕

[JonathanSamuelReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sensitivity Read!

[Seraphina Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected Company
C.S. Autumn

Garrett & Roman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

Double booked
Only one bed
Fantasies come to life
Age Gap
Size Difference
Water sports / Primal Play


So this was a super hot and super sweet Holiday romance.


I loved this

Roman and Garrett both need to get away from their everyday life, both for different reasons.
Roman, an influencer, needs to get out of the public eye after an incident gone wrong. Garrett needs to find his spark to finish his writing deadline.

These two are double booked at a perfect little Cabin in a wonderful little town just before Christmas

I adored Roman, he was so sweet, tender, clingy and needy. I loved it. SO did Garrett lol

These two were perfect for each other

They instantly connect. Garrett the care taker and Roman, needy and love starved, work perfectly together

I read this in one sitting.

Super hot and super sweet

As time goes on, these two bond and get to live out each other's fantasies tucked away in his cabin away from the world.

This was a perfect Spicy little Holiday Romance

I loved the epilogue too.

They were so perfect for each other. I loved this.

[fortheloveofmmromancebooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Garrett Reed has just been dumped by his boyfriend, saying he is boring. Garrett is a little boring, he is set in his ways and likes the quiet life. Garrett is an author but is struggling with writers block. He needs to find a muse. His agent books him into a cabin in the woods to relax and regroup.

Roman Otley is a daredevil, he takes dares from his many followers online and does them on camera. Being a content creator, one of his dares goes a little wrong. His online persona ‘Supernova’ is berated on social media, he flees to a cabin to be out of the spotlight.

When arriving at the cabin Roman is met with Garrett. They soon discover the company has double booked the cabin for the week. The weather is awful and they decide to bunk down for the night and sort out the problem in the morning. They try to make the best of a bad situation. Will they go their separate ways or learn the share the cabin?

I just loved this from CS Autumn. This opposites attract, forced proximity mm romance, was just the sweet book I needed.
I loved how Garrett thought he was boring until Roman made him feel otherwise. Roman was a brat and the perfect partner for Garrett. Their relationship went from zero to infinity in a heartbeat.
Cute Christmas book.

[Lore · Rating 4 out of 5]

❄️💫You know how each of us has that author who brings us our perfect comfort reads? Those stories we need in the middle of winter, accompanied by a cup of hot chocolate and our favorite blanket, that make us all warm and fussy inside?

Well, CS Autumn is one of those authors for me and she never fails.
Unexpected Company is the perfect holiday novella, which shows us that sometimes you can find love in the most unexpected places, but at the most appropriate moment.

❄️📚This story is sweet and swoony and follows two very different strangers - Garrett & Roman - that end up spending Christmas together, exploring their fantasies ( expect the appropriate amount of smut) and finding the perfect home in each other.
What pleasantly surprised me about this read, besides the flawless narrative, is Ronan's sassiness—and boy, isn't he just adorable :

“No. I will not flirt with or hit on Garrett. I will behave. I will try to behave. I will aim to try to behave.”

Are we honestly surprised our man Garrett calls him "chaos kitten" ?

“He’s like a little demon creature, causing chaos in my mind while I’m trying to circle back to what he’s doing standing in my space.”

✨ ❄️If you’re craving a short, cozy & swoony romance for the holidays, this one is perfect for you.❄️✨

[Daje1968 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really 2.5 stars but I rounded up because it was a sweet easy palate cleanser.

Really not much to it. I got it because I saw a quote in someone else’s review and it sounded like it would be super sexy, even though water sports and primal play are not my thing, it felt like it would be a book that embraced out of control possession, which is my thing.

It was a bit fluffier than that. No edge, really. But like I said, sweet. I really didn’t like the nickname Short Stack, but weirdly came to the realization that I love the endearment sweetheart, but only when it is uttered by a bigger top MC. Which I will admit is weird, but there is something weirdly possessive but patronizing about it that floats my crazy little boat.

[Madam Ra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great winter read! Sweet, sexy and entertaining. If you love almost trapped in cabin, strangers to lovers this story is for you. I had a great time reading this. Roman is a content creator and Garett is a writer stuck in a writers block. They have an overlapping reservations for a cottage as a Christmas retreat and the rest is history. It’s lovely and HOT in that lil cottage.The after is hmm flimsy, but the epilogue is sweet.

[TC · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ✨

This has the sweetest Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. So cozy and sweet and fun!

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me gusta como escribe la autora aunque siempre siento que le falta más desarrollo al inicio de los sentimientos románticos de los protagonistas ocupa más demostrar y no contar

[Morgan Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

ugh 🥹

Loved everything about it so much. I devoured it in one sitting. Cutie pie Roman is my spirit animal and I love him to bits

[Rae_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a cozy yet sizzling holiday romance, Unexpected Company by C.S. Autumn delivers everything you could want in a festive escape. This story blends heartwarming Christmas vibes with a deliciously steamy edge, making it the perfect read for fans of forced proximity and opposites-attract dynamics.

The premise is simple but irresistible: two strangers, one cabin, and a holiday neither of them expected. Garrett, a bestselling author struggling with crippling writer’s block, retreats to a secluded cottage to find inspiration. Roman, a social media superstar reeling from a public scandal, seeks the same cabin for peace and anonymity. When a booking mix-up forces them to share the space, sparks fly (and not just from the fireplace).

What starts as awkward cohabitation quickly turns into something deeper. Garrett is the quintessential gentle giant, protective, patient, and quietly dominant, while Roman is a chaotic, endearing mess who hides vulnerability behind charm. Their chemistry is electric, and C.S. Autumn does a fantastic job balancing tender emotional moments with unapologetic spice. The progression from sweet banter to exploring fantasies feels organic and satisfying.

The forced proximity trope is executed perfectly, with plenty of tension and humor as they navigate sharing a cabin.

The age gap and size difference add layers to their dynamic, amplifying the caretaking and primal vibes.

The emotional depth—both characters are escaping something, and watching them find solace in each other is beautiful.

The spice? Chef’s kiss. It’s bold, kinky, and fits the characters’ journey without feeling gratuitous. (Yes, there’s primal play, somnophilia, and even watersports so know your comfort zone before diving in.)

Vibes:
-Age gap
-Size difference
-One bed
-Forced proximity
-Author/Social media creator pairing
-Caretaking and protector energy
-Primal play and fantasy gifting

Rating: 4 ⭐️
Spice: 3 🌶

[Sara Husser · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎄❄️A Gare Bear And His Short Stack🎄❄️

"He's like a little demon creature, causing chaos in my mind while I'm trying to circle back to what he's doing standing in my space."

"How anyone could ever call this man boring, I will never know. Though many people are like locks and keys. You either fit together or you don't. Garrett and I fit."

"You're brave, Supernova. Bravest blue-haired troublemaker I've ever met. And one day, you'll fit with someone in a way only soulmates can. And it will all be worth it. Even if it's scary."

"I barely know Roman, yet I feel like we were always meant to be here, in this cottage, at this time. Like he's that mythical missing piece people talk about finding."

This was such a cute and spicy novella. I will read anything by this author. This came out just in time for Christmas 🎄. The spice and kink in this was super hot 🔥🔥🔥🔥.

This story follows Roman and Garrett. They both book the same holiday cottage to get away from life and be alone. Garrett gets there first and settles in. He ends up coming out of his shower to Roman eating his food 😂😂. These two are opposites in every way. They start to bicker but eventually get along. Their love story progresses fast and I'm here for every filthy, sweet minute. I love how Roman became Garrett's muse and his writers block evaporated 🥹🥹.

I loved this couple so much. Garrett was a grumpy rule stickler kinda man who is a writer. Roman was a young, bratty social media star. Their banter at first was firey and so funny. Then they started to flirt and things got hot fast 😏🥵. The spicy scenes in this was chef's kiss and dirty 🥵🔥💦😋. I loved how they slowly fell for each other. They existed in the silence with each other. Seeing Garrett take care of a sick Roman had me swooning. I loved their multiple nicknames for each other. These two deserved each other. Highly recommend this 👌.

[Abigail Beckwith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting of 2026 with a short-term TBR list pick. Here's CS Autumn's "Unexpected Company." It's the second novel in the series A Home in You.

["Garrett
Unmotivated and facing the biggest writer's block of my career, my agent sends me to a remote cottage in the hopes that a change of scenery will do me good. It's quiet. Secluded. Cut off from the world. I should be alone with my thoughts and the start of another best seller. But when I walk out of the shower to find someone eating my dinner, saying that he's rented the same cottage for Christmas, it appears my plans for solitude are out the window.

Roman
I’m a disgraced social media superstar, destined to spend Christmas sad and alone, reading the world's nasty comments about me. My best friend insists I take a trip somewhere remote, where the internet doesn't exist and I can take time to let the whole ordeal pass. I expect to find peace and quiet. Just me and my collection of tea and biscuits. What I don't expect to find in the little cottage is the man of my dreams."]

God, I loved them. Both slightly broken in their own ways, lost, lonely. Until a technical glitch (or Santa?) brought them together. Kept together by weather and far too much tea (and shared kinks).

They were adorable and sooo in love from the very beginning. They brought out the absolute best in each other.

Not to mention some ex snubbing and some seriously perfectly imperfect love declarations.

Trigger Warnings: mention of parental death, mention of parental alienation due to MCs sexuality, homophobia, mention of vomit, and more.

#akissfortheholidays #unexpectedcompany #ahomeinyou #ahomeinyouseries #csautumn #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word: Fabulous!!

Garrett is facing writer’s block, and with a cheating boyfriend who called him boring and left him. His manager booked him a secluded cabin in the woods to recharge his batteries. Away from distractions, completely on his own, he will stay there through the holidays to get inspiration for his next novel.

Roman ruined it, he had so many followers on social media, and with one stupid mistake, he isn’t popular anymore.
His best friend advised him to disappear for the holidays, no internet, no cell phone, no nasty comments, in the hope that people will forget about it by the time he’s back.
A secluded cabin in the woods should do the job.

This ended for both men completely differently than expected. The cabin was double-booked. The weather doesn’t allow them to get out and find something else.

Oh boy, what follows is so so great, I loved the course dearly!!
Sit tight and watch these two guys navigating through the holidays together.
It was sooo good!!

“He was quite possibly made just for me.”

I’ll give just a little detail: throughout the days, the dynamic between them changes slightly, Garrett takes charge and Roman is all-in for it. Who said boring…? Forget it, he was far from it!
I adored their hot fantasies, and I was happy to see them fulfilled. There are some fabulous scenes. The endearments were melting, I was thrilled with the ending, yessss, they have a HEA!

Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews

[Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having enjoyed A Kiss For The Holidays as much as I did, the surprise release of Unexpected Company came exactly at the right time.
I've been stuck in the land of MM Christmas novellas and I'm not mad about it.

This one has been an experience of opposites. I was feeling things on opposing ends of a spectrum, which was fun. Let me give you some examples: the nicknames. I absolutely adored the nickname "chaos kitten" that Garrett gives Roman in the beginning. I was sad it didn't stick. On the other end of the spectrum, we have "Gare Bear". I don't like the nickname at all - never have for any Garrett I've read about. Another example was the intimacy. Them making each other's fantasies come true was such a cool part in the story. And while the whole somnophilia was intriguing, the watersports absolutely threw me off. I do like the kink representation though, since it's not often talked about in literature (at least in my experience).

What you get
- a social media star hiding from the consequences of his actions
- an author trying to write a masterpiece while suffering from a writer's block
- a cabin in the woods
- a booking glitch that enables the paths of both men to cross
- finding your home

📖 Unexpected Company by C. S. Autumn
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

#reading #bookstagram #booktok #mmromance #mmchristmasnovella #novella #christmasnovella #grumpyxsunshine #agegap #unexpectedcompany #csautumn

[Katie M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly adorable in every way, this was exactly the kind of Christmas book I needed. It’s been a rough year, and I was craving soulmates and sweetness, not drama and angst. This book delivered big time!

Garrett and Roman are both lonely people— which is doubly sad because they are both really awesome. I loved that they dove into their holiday affair as soon as they felt the stirrings of attraction instead of hemming and hawing for a dozen chapters. Sometimes, a slow burn is exactly what you need, but this isn’t one of those times. This is one of those books where the two main characters snap together like the last two puzzle pieces and make a beautiful picture.

There’s dancing, cooking, decorating and all sorts of delectable Christmas cheer— as well as enough spice to melt every snowflake that might have fallen. These boys were not vanilla by any means, but, hey! Their unapologetic confidence and honesty about what they wanted was refreshing and fun. I loved how compatible they were. Even the inevitable conflict at the end was minor and satisfying. 🥂Here’s to many more Christmas romances just like this one!

[Ruby Dalegendaryreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Because if a home is the place you go to for comfort, the place you’re most at ease and safe, then he is my home."

Garrett's experiencing writer's block and so his agent book him a remote cabin to write, however the cabin was double-booked and so he got himself a cabin-mate in Roman, a disgraced social media superstar.

I have been wanting to read this, and yes this book is my reward after a week of reading 8 ARCs.

I saw this beautiful cover and I had to ask the author if it's okay to read this one first before book 1 because I didn't know it's part of the series.

"Like he’s that mythical missing piece people talk about finding."

Enough story time ~

This book was just wholesome, sweet and very endearing to read. It gave off Christmas vibes with enough coziness that I wished I was also snowed it (even though we don't have snow here).

Characters are both likeable enough. Garrett's a great caretaker, provider and had a great sense of humor. Roman is a tad young imo but he still had enough maturity to him that he knows what he is doing. Both characters got a complicated family dynamic that they both found each other's home in each other.

[Adrianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌶️Spice Level: 4/5
🎯Plot/Pacing: 4/5
🧲Chemistry: 5/5

tropes:
-strangers to lovers
-primal play/age gap
-grumpyxsunshine ?
-opposites attract


I loved this!! I thought it was so fun and lighthearted as a read. It was such a nice break to read fluff and happiness in a book (plus it’s almost Christmas time). I love how they each had their own voice and personality that really came through on each POV. Garrett being mountain daddy was a huge bonus, and I loved the parts with his own book he was writing intertwining with the story.

Don’t get me started on the smut…it was HOT and just kinky enough to make you rethink what you’re into. I love the exploration and build up they had together, it made it feel so true to life. They were both able to open up about their fantasies and bring them to life (thank you author).

The romance built quickly but gracefully (but the first few chapters of banter and bickering were hilarious) but still realistically. I love how much of a caretaker Garett was and it’s obvious Roman needed someone who truly cared about him.

I highly recommend to read this if you love wholesome love stories with a happy ending. This story will not disappoint!

[QueerBookshelf || Ines ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

»Perfect for those who want to get lost while finding themselves.«

This story is so cosy, full of delicious tea, some hot and spicy moments and a sprinkle of Christmas magic. ✨🎄❄️🔥🫖

Garrett aka Gare Bear is—if you ask his ex—a boring writer desperately looking for his creativity. And Roman aka Sweet Thing is a social media superstar who needs to get away after a certain Santa-incident. So it happens that both book the same remote holiday cottage. 🏠❄️

These two are so adorable and opposites in the best ways. While Garrett is a quiet, reserved, grumpy lumberjack-lookalike, Roman doesn't hold back. He is young, talkative, sassy and oh so needy. It's as if Roman and Garrett were made for each other—literally soulmates. 🤭💙

When they start flirting and talking about their fantasies—kinky ones, oh yes 🙌🔥😉💦—things quickly heat up!! And I was here for every banter, every new nickname, every tight cuddle and every moment full of love. 🥰

This book is the perfect read to get you in the Christmas spirit with just the right amount of spice, kink and sweetness! I highly recommend it! 💙🔥✨

»Though maybe people are like locks and keys. You either fit together or you don’t. Garrett and I fit.«