Married By Christmas

by L. Shauntel

In a world where legacy comes first and loyalty is nonnegotiable, marriage is inevitable. Love? That was never part of the deal. But it just might be the one thing Wynter and Angelo never saw coming. With the holidays in full swing, they’re about to discover that love doesn’t follow tradition, it creates its own.

153 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 26, 2025

Reviews

[Ebony Essence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Congrats Nish! Your book was so amazing, with an entertaining storyline, sexy/swoon worthy moments and got me trying to find my own Angelo. Definitely had me turned in from jump. Had no idea this was an arranged marriage and i absolutely love it. I love that Angelo and Wynter were already had an attraction to each other. It made it easy for their love to grow and then to grow in general as characters. Very believable. All the family and friends were awesome and added much fun and depth to the story.

Baby Angelo did not play about being the man and standing business. When it came to Wynter all things were “bare minimum” and i need a lot of men to start thinking like this. Wynter set boundaries and he respected that. Giving her a soft, beautiful, and love filled life.

[Isatta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Introduction

This is a fantastic leap into the world of writing by author L. Shauntel. This book is for all the folks who love an insta love with a little twist. I love that there world is real life adjacent but still fantastical. Character development is always a great selling point for me because I am in an era of enjoying character heavy more 5han plot heavy books. The plot is very straight forward and the mafia-like underlying story line made this book even more exciting. I think L. Shauntel is off to an amazing start and I can't wait to see how she continues to flesh out this world!

[Jacquie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ First of all round of applause because my girl wrote a whole ass book and I am sooooooo proud of her for getting behind that keyboard AND letting the story out into the wild!

This was an interesting arranged marriage, actually kind of cool that we got to experience Wynter finding out and see Angelo making sure she didn’t get lost in the arrangement but got to experience a little courting despite the inevitable outcome. He didn’t force himself on her, he still wooed her which I thought was really cool. I loved all Angelo’s my wife energy from the jump. My boy was pulling out all the stops and applying pressure just with his bare minimum.. we love to see it!

I loved the banter from everyone, especially the siblings and friends, and my girl had quips for days! Some of the one liners or quick exchanges had me cracking up and cheesing hard! This was a fun time, I could read so much more from Angelo and Wynter - really the whole gang! I cannot wait to see what else my girl has in store for us.

[Donnakay'sBookWorld · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first completed read of 2026 🎉🎉 and my first Christmas read of the season.

This was a cute and wholesome Christmas novella about to young people coming together to secure their family's future.  I appreciated that even though Wynter and Angelo's relationshi  started in an arrangement, their love grew organically from their own interactions. Marriage of convenience is my all-time favorite romance trope and this story did not disappoint. 

We love an intentional MMC that applies pressure in all the right ways. Wynter was funny, sexy, and held her own in every way. I enjoyed her personality and especially the banter we saw with her bestie, sister, and even the conversations with her mom. 

Congratulations to the author releasing her first published book. Looking forward to reading more stories. 

[Pamela B · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a first time author this was a good story. I was engaged from page 1 and the characters had substance and wasn’t just hunching and living the street life. Characters were 30 and up and were on their grown folk business.

Wynter and Angelo may have been set up in an arranged marriages but they were determined to choose each other. The secondary characters were also really involved and I could see them having their own stories. The family and friends were well developed.

Angelo was my favorite character, you could tell he was about that life and he was also soft when needed. Can’t wait to see what comes next from this author, I’m sure her writing will only improve.

[Toya Davis-Stokley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Congratulations on your debut! Arranged marriages can be tricky for all involved, especially when they are forced. In this case, the groom was very aware of what was to come, he just needed to get his bride onboard. It was adorable how intentional Angelo was about showing Wynter that he was all in. That for him this was more than an arrangement, it was forever.

Wynter didn't know how to take the news that she just learned. However, it didn't hurt that her future was handsome as hell! 😜 She loved being doted on and allowed Angelo to lead her into love.

[Pia Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Congratulations, beautiful debut

Thoroughly enjoyed this Christmas/ arranged marriage story. It’s was done well especially as a debut. Congratulations on taking a step out on faith. I can’t wait for more from L. Shauntel.

A. Claus was a man in all the forms possible 😏. Happy it was a HEA with him and Wynter.

[Carissa G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Congrats on your Debut Novel!!

I’m not gone lie initially I wasn’t feeling Angelo’s approach to Wynter! Although he had a presence that followed him - but that quickly changed as time went on and I loved how the characters developed and how despite the “arrangement” they ended up falling for each other!

I loved that Angelo backed up everything he said he would do!

I also loved Wynter’s Cousin and BFF dynamic!

[Quiantra McGhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am soo proud of you Nish! I smiled the whole time reading this book! From the names to the details I felt every part of this book come alive. And Big Lo did not come to play. That man is the definition of BDE. I know we get more from some of these characters right 🤭

[Memrie J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

Again Congratulations L. Shauntel! This was a great read. Angelo coming in with all the BDE while respecting my girl because we wanted to get down on the first night, lol. I can’t wait to see what’s coming from you in 2026.

[Readwithchan_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I must say this storyline was a really cute one. There were a few small editing errors, but thankfully they didn’t take away from the story or the overall enjoyment. The characters were easy to fall into, and I appreciated how natural the connection between them felt. Nothing felt forced, and the progression of their relationship made sense, which I always love in a romance.

I also enjoyed the pacing of the story it kept me engaged without feeling rushed, while still delivering that cozy, holiday romance vibe you expect from a Christmas read. There were moments that made me smile, moments that made me root for the characters, and moments that felt very real and relatable.

Married by Christmas gave exactly what it promised: a sweet, feel-good love story with growth, heart, and a satisfying ending. L. Shaunti did a great job bringing this story together, and despite the minor errors, the storytelling truly shined through. This was an enjoyable, easy read and a perfect pick if you’re looking for a light, romantic story with holiday charm. Definitely a five-star read for me, and I’d recommend it without hesitation.

[Christina Shonice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light, romantic, feel good, holiday read with no drama or chaos despite dishonesty from the Frost family. Great debut for the author, that has me looking forward to reading more. Maybe a spin off for their siblings, Faith, & Ember. Minus a star for editing

[Terry Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it

I really enjoyed this book. The storyline is one I love to read and I loved how you allowed the characters to make it real instead of pushing it on the character that was unaware. Other than a few grammatical errors job we’ll find on your first book.

[Laurenlovesstories · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great debut!! I love how fast paced this Christmas read was!!

[kiriahsbookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Congratulations Nish on your first book! Arranged marriage done well! 3.5⭐️