The Jock Who Stole The Nerd’s Christmas

by Evan Barnes

All I wanted was one perfect Christmas. Instead, I got the King of the Ice.

Planning Ashford College’s Christmas party is my one chance to reclaim the holiday joy my family forgot long ago. Twinkling lights, hot chocolate, an ice rink... I had it all planned out.

Then he got involved.

Raiden Blackwell is a scarred, six-foot-three enforcer on the hockey team.

We should be invisible to each other. Instead, he's made my life a misery of shoulder checks and mocking smiles.

But when I snap and challenge him in front of the entire college, the game changes.

Now he's my partner in organizing the party he seemed determined to ruin. And he was supposed to mock my festive spirit.

Instead, he's cornering me everywhere, turning our arguments into breathless, stolen moments in the dark. And when a saboteur begins to tear my plans apart, my sworn enemy is the only one who seems to know how to fight back.

Is he the monster who wants to steal my Christmas, or the dark protector sent to save it?

With every stolen touch and furious kiss, I'm less and less sure. This holiday season, I'm finding out that the greatest danger and the greatest desire come wrapped in a package I never expected.

Genres: Contemporary, LGBT, M M Romance, Sports, College, M M Sports Romance, Sports Romance

113 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 8, 2025

Reviews

[D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn it! Can't wait to read more of Evan Barnes' books.

How I wish Artie and Raiden's story was longer; I needed it to have more pages and more interactions between them after the incident. I can see glimpses of how sweet Raiden treated Artie, especially when he puts his scarf on Artie's neck; I'm swooning.

[Monikat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am obsessed with these short bully stories. Grabby hands wanting more!!! This was so good!
Not perfect, a little frustrating, a lot mystery and I always want to see them together MORE!!!! But still, I loved it☺️

[Camila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fue un poco raro pero estuvo bien.

[Venus Dott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Artie and Raiden had me kicking my feet and twirling my hair! They are too cute together. Like, the fact that Raiden is almost everywhere on Campus that Artie is, and is always trying to talk to him, or touch him? Adorable! I can see how Artie interpreted Raiden actions as bullying, especially when, to him, it really really did seem like Raiden was just harassing him for shits and gigs.
I really love that Raiden bought the painting that Artie had sell for his tuition, and was planning on give it back to him because he love the beauty that Artie created when he painted.
Artie is such a sweet character, he’s been through so much and just wanted to have a good Christmas party with his friends and show others what he season and the arts college that had burned down the year before meant to him. Raiden rescuing him from a person who was willing to publicly humiliate him, and ruin all the hard work that Artie had put into the party really tugged at my heart strings.
I also really loved the fact that they both had been harboring feelings for each other for a long time and it just took a major event between them to get them to finally open up about said feelings

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Artie was to have a Christmas to remind him of when he was younger. Raiden has made his life a misery for the last 6months and now he has to work with him.
I liked Raiden straightaway, he reminded me of that boy or girl in the playground who pulled your pigtails, just because they liked you. He was an imposing character, who commanded the room. Artie was really creative and I loved following his thought process.
Whilst we follow Artie and Raiden, there is also a mystery to be solved and I loved trying to guess who was behind it.
I really liked these two and wished I could get more of them. I hope we get another story for Valentine's day

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

MM
🌶️🌶️
College
Gay awakening

Artie hates Raiden because he thinks Raiden is bullying him. But Raiden just wants Artie’s attention. Now they are paired together to work setting up a Christmas party. True feelings are revealed. Artie discovers he is gay.

Pretty boring. At least the last installment had some Halloween fun thrown in.

[rinia carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

artie wanted to be the victim so bad….he jumped to conclusions every chance he got.

raiden is better than me because i would’ve walked away! i can show you better than i can tell you!

raiden was one of the nicest jocks i’ve ever read about in this trope!

[Bella Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Kyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

trying to get heated rivalry crumbs waiting for next episode 😔😔😔😔😔

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this quick holiday read.

[Jourdan Fenwick · Rating 3 out of 5]

IM SORRY I HATE THE BULLY TROPE. But other than that cute story.

[flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

the idiots you are raiden & artie. the idiots you are.

[Loli Guindo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entretenido!!

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

This was pretty good, a little predictable. Certainly pretty hot! These guys were fun to read about, especially a hot hockey possessive man 😉

[Madeline Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved getting more depth from the characters in this one. The ending actually took the time to wrap everything up instead of feeling hurried.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

It was a nice cute Christmas story. Its well balanced with some spice and sweet moments. I really enjoyed it ☺️