Tidings of Comfort and Toys

by Evita Wren

Amethyst Devine is hiding this Christmas.
She was all set to go home for the holidays—until she learned her ex would be there.
She should be celebrating a landmark deal for her business. Now, instead, her plan is to hole up at her cabin with the R&D case of adult toys manufactured by the new branch of her boutique lingerie company.
But what should be a peaceful visit to the lake sends her reeling when she spots someone drowning in the water—and before Amethyst can stop herself, she’s diving in to save them.

Kit Davies wasn’t drowning in Laurel Vale Lake.
The encounter with his mystery pink-haired ‘savior’ aside, Kit is looking forward to a peaceful Christmas away from the emotional stress of his day job as a relationship therapist.
That is, until he gets to his rented cabin and is surprised right after he showers by the owner who forgot they left the rental up online.
Not only is she the same woman who tried to ‘save him’ from drowning, but she’s world-famous lingerie designer Amethyst Devine.
She refuses to let him stay longer than one night, but Kit believes in fate, so he offers Amethyst a deal: give him twenty-four hours to satisfy her—maybe with a little help from the contents of the R&D case—and if she still wants him to leave, he’ll walk away.
Kit is certain he’s the future Mr. Devine. Now he just needs to convince Amethyst that she’s his future wife.

Tidings of Comfort and Toys is a standalone in the Evitaverse, but it overlaps with both the Edgewater and HART series! This book is intended for adults only and contains mature themes. Content warnings can be found within and on the author's website.

208 pages, ebook

Published October 6, 2026

About the author

Evita Wren is a queer, auDHD indie romance author.
She writes heartfelt, spicy, and funny contemporary romance that'll hurt your feelings a little (or a lot) before you get to that sweet HEA.
She enjoys crafting relatable and realistic emotional conflict, character-driven intimacy, and the odd suspense-adjacent twist here and there.
Evita’s favorite things to write are witty banter, well-earned spice after a good slow burn (with tons of consent), emotionally resonant character arcs, and realistic bodies (you won’t find washboard abs here unless it fits a character’s lifestyle, which is almost never, sorry!). She loves to include realistic representation of disability and mental health issues, a lot of which stems from her own experience with ADHD, autism, hypermobility, Raynaud's, migraines, anxiety... just to name a few. 😅
She mostly writes MF contemporary, but also MM, FF, and MMF triad/poly relationships (throuples, if you don’t dislike the term like she does).
Her current project is the Edgewater Romance series, beginning with Harper's Landing!

Reviews

[Kate Laycoax]

So good, as always! Evita Wren is my go to author and one of my absolute favorites, so it comes as no surprise that I loved this.

First of all, the dakka koshary recipe Amethyst makes sounded so good, and I loved all the recipes included in this! I actually love when a book exposes me to new cultures and I had never heard of these recipes or foods and I loved that. I also really loved the communication between Amethyst and Kit when it came to sex. They were so invested in consent, communicating, making sure they were on the same page, and making sure they were both happy and comfortable, and I loved that.

Their meet cute was freaking hilarious! Amethyst literally jumped into the water to save Kit from "drowning" when he wasn't actually drowning and it was such a funny and unique way for them to meet. This was definitely a snowed in holiday romance with a lot of cooking, eating (of all varieties, hehehe), sex, and closeness between these two in a short amount of time but I really enjoyed it. I know it's summer right now but I loved the novella so much.

I will say they moved pretty fast, like extremely fast. They went from complete strangers to hooking up to being in love very quickly, which I did find a little unrealistic. But this is fiction, and it's a novella, so I totally get it and it wasn't an issue. Novellas are notorious for moving fast, and it didn't really bother me enough to take away from the story.

I also LOVED how obsessed Kit was with Amethyst's body. He loved every curve, stretch mark, blemish, dimple, etc., and I loved that he himself had more of a dad bod. The body representation was so good! I also loved the ADHD, POTS, and LGBTQ+ representation. Evita always does this so well and I always enjoy how she integrates these into her stories. It's always so real and raw and feels like people I actually have in my life and could see happening.

One of my favorite parts was Kit telling Amethyst that she doesn't always have to be the strong one taking care of herself and everyone else, and that she could let someone else take care of HER for once. I felt that with my own eldest daughter energy for sure, and this is something my husband would say too.

I loved the cameos from characters from previous books, all the family drama, the ex drama, and being back in Edgewater. I also really loved that Kit was older, almost 50, because it just felt more realistic and I loved seeing an older couple get their happy ending!

I loved this but it comes as no surprise because I love Evita's books, and I will happily read anything she writes!

Thank you to Evita Wren for the eARC of this book.

[ThatsSomeGoodSmut]

Thank you to the author for a copy of this book.

Another fantastic book by Evita Wren. In every book I’ve read from her, it feels like the characters could actually be real people, with quirks and flaws, not idealized versions of themselves. I don’t know how else to describe it, I love them so so much. Amethyst and Kit fall fast and hard, and it was such a treat to be able to watch it happen. If you want a super fast burn, sassy, banter and spice filled holiday story with toys and family drama, I highly recommend this book.

[Amanda]

Evita did it again! I liked the story and characters. Really enjoyed the banter, chemistry and spice between Kit and Amethyst. The overall plot was entertaining with moments of emotional depth.

[Alisha]

One day Evita won't get me with her dedications, but today was not that day. I was lucky and honored to beta read this for her and oh my GAWD. Buckle up buttercups because this one right here? This one! This one is full of fire and fun and sass and sex and just absolute chaos in the most delicious and best ways. Insta-annoyance turns to insta-lust turn to insta-love in the span of DAYS babes and it is so, so wonderful.

We're familiar with the Amethyst Devine, but if you need a refresher she is the lingerie maker who's name we've seen a handful of times for various reasons. The signature purple label, the perfect fit every time? That's our girl and this year she's hiding from her family for the holidays. She was supposed to go home for the family dinner and celebration but she luckily overheard her mother mention that her ex was going to be there and if they are going Amethyst knows without a doubt she is not. So she grabs her stuff and heads to her cabin. Kit travels every year for Christmas. Taking time off for the holidays helps him ground himself and re-center. Kit's a big fan of ice swimming and after a very awkward encounter between the two of them (how was she to know he wasn't drowning?) they both are very, VERY surprised to find that Kit's vacation is booked in Amethyst's cabin. A storm keeps him there for the night and then another. Their spark and pull to one another keeps him there longer. A way to stick it to her mom may just keep Kit around forever.

Evita sure made it up to us in this one after making us wait until the 65% mark for the first kiss in the last book 😂 by page 12 I was sweating and on the edge of my seat. When he calls her baby that first time? I actually screamed. From the start these two had the absolute best banter. Their back and forth had me laughing one minute and then fanning myself the next. The chemistry between them was electric. One thing for sure is Amethyst wasn't the only one that was weak for Kit Davies. My man was described as "...the kind of build you get from lifting actual furniture and never skipping dessert. I'm utterly powerless against it." and he has tattoos, wears rings on every finger, AND he has sluttly little glasses?! COME ON! Literal perfection 😌 The way he wants her? Unashamed and with his whole chest? "You don't know me." "But I want to." Fuuuck meeeeeee.

I am not exaggerating when I say by chapter 4 I was fighting for my life. Every time I thought they couldn't get better, they did. Every time I thought Kit couldn't make me swoon harder, he proved me wrong. These two were the perfect balance of spice and spunk and fun and fuckery. This book is just a good ass time. Of course some of my favorite Evita micrtropes were sprinkled throughout the story like "sex so good I'm going to die right here and now," "Him taking his time to prove he will never be like the ones before him," and "oh my god was that hot? *reads again* holy shit it WAS hot!" I couldn't get enough of these two and I kept cheering them on and getting excited and loving every minute they found themselves closer to each other than the previous one. Little Miss "I can do it myself" meets Mister "But I'll be damned if you have to" and the explosion that ensues could register on the Richter scale. From Juiced Orange to a roadside elopement the adventure is non-stop. I love love and I LOVE these two and their love story. 🖤

[Torie (Dera) Mastrogianakis]

Review of advance copy received from author

💫Some spoilers as this book connects into the larger Edgewater universe!

🎄😈💍
As always, I love to visit Edgewater courtesy of Evita Wren.
A book about Amethyst was not in my “have to have” list as far as Edgewater characters go but WOW am I glad we got it.
This quickie read {pun probably intended} was so fun and full of cute holiday spirit.
Amethyst Devine becomes more than just a brand name, turning into someone you love almost as instantly as Kit Davies does.
Tidings zippers into the other characters of Edgewater while also leaving room for more places of the landscape of Edgewater to grow.

I’ve never read an insta-love because I didn’t think I’d enjoy it very much but this book solidified that I actually enjoy them as an every now and again read.
🎄😈💍
Kit and Amethyst are so wonderfully compatible on the page it should be illegal. Their chemistry is entrancing, and you feel their pull toward each other immediately. An accidental meeting that turns into a forever unbreakable bond, Kit and Amethyst are almost magnetic.
They share an understanding of one another that makes you believe in soul mates or wonder if they knew each other in their past life and they’re meeting again.
The antics they get up to together are HOT. Not just for the actions but because they’re two people who are yearning to hold such personal pieces of the other with a delicacy and drive to hold all of them.
Amethyst holds a piece of every oldest daughter and woman who’s pushing herself to reach the top of the ladder. She doesn’t need any man, except for Kit — who she desires and adores in.
Kit is a warmth, an understander. His profession requires it of him, but what he offers to Amethyst is more than a professional courtesy or ethical obligation. His desire to take care of Amethyst, to give her all that he can, that just compounds on his appeal. This man is competence kink dialed to 400.
🎄😈💍
Of course, the promise of a happy ending is made good upon with a side of the road, rent a priest wedding; tremendously on brand for these two. Even in a spur of the moment decision, they manage to balance intentionality, spontaneity, and of course - feral desire.

🪩Micro-tropes:
drive through wedding minus an Elvis
a man who accessorizes!
✨new kink unlocked✨

[Emily Knaus]

Kit and Amethyst were the perfect blend of hot, sweet, and healing, and I had such a good time with them.

A cabin rental mix-up forces Amethyst and Kit into each other’s orbit, and honestly, the chemistry was immediate. Amethyst is a lingerie and toy designer who knows exactly who she is. She’s confident, comfortable in her sexuality. Kit, a sex therapist, absolutely worships the ground she walks on, and I ate. that. up.

Yes, this book is spicy. Very spicy. There’s plenty of toy play woven throughout the story, and the author doesn’t shy away from letting these characters explore intimacy in a way that feels playful, enthusiastic, and deeply connected. But what surprised me was how sweet they were with each other beneath all that heat.

What I loved most was the mutual care. Kit sees Amethyst completely and never tries to dim her shine. In fact, when her family doesn't give her the support she deserves, he's right there in her corner, standing up for her and reminding her of her worth. I absolutely loved seeing him have her back. Amethyst, in turn, looks after Kit just as fiercely. Their relationship felt balanced, supportive, and full of little moments that showed they were paying attention to each other's needs. The emotional intimacy matched the physical intimacy, which made every spicy scene hit even harder.

Come for the spice. Stay for the confidence, the caretaking, the family support we all wish for, and an MMC who is completely gone for his woman.

A huge thank you to Evita Wren for the early copy!

[Sara Neves]

First off, the spice level in this novella was absolutely on point! I mean, with a sex therapist and a millionaire lingerie and sex-toy designer and shop owner as the central characters, I wouldn't have expected anything less.

This was such a fun and enjoyable novella that, honestly, I just wanted more! I loved the story, the characters, and the way Evita brings everything together. Even though this can be read as a standalone, I have to ask: why would you want to? There is so much to enjoy in both series that I highly recommend reading them from the beginning.

What made this book even more exciting for me was that it is the first crossover between The Hart Algorithm and Edgewater series. I absolutely loved seeing these two worlds come together, and I couldn't be happier that Evita decided to do this.

As always, Evita has such a wonderful way of writing her characters. She makes their stories feel effortless to read while still giving them plenty of depth and development. I read this one in a single sitting—again!—because once I started, I simply couldn't put it down.

Great writing, a fun story, fantastic character development, and plenty of spice made this such an enjoyable read. I cannot recommend this novella, these series, or Evita's writing enough.

I will happily follow these characters and this author until the very end—which, honestly, I hope never comes!

I received a free copy of this book as an ARC reader, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carly Fay]

I love everything Evita has written. Just when I think her MC’s can’t get any better; she goes & releases another book & proves me wrong.

Amethyst Devine is a lingerie & adult toy designer. She’s an absolute badass of a FMC - sassy & sexy with a literal suitcase of toys 😂

Kit Davies is a sex therapist (you see what Evita’s done there - right?!) He’s a mountain of a man, soft all the right places, large all over (yup, there too!) & he’s a goner for our girl.

They don’t exactly hit it off on their first meet; or their second to be honest! But hey, what better way to get to know someone than being snowed in with them.

Kit knows he’s in trouble with Amethyst. He also knows within hours of meeting her that he’s the future Mr Devine. Amethyst takes a little more convincing, she had already resigned herself to the fact she’d never get married - so how had this 6ft 7 sec therapist broken down her defences in such a short space of time?

This is a quick burn novella that I read in 3 hours. I laughed out loud, I cheered both MC’s on & the icing on the cake was Kit standing up for Amethyst, even when she couldn’t herself.

Tidings of Comfort & Joy is another fantastic addition to the Edgewater series - & those Easter eggs were *chefs kiss*

[Aniek]

Amethyst & Kit

I flew through this book and I LOVE it. It is fantastic. If I could read it again for the first time, I would.

More generally, I always love Evita Wren's writing - it is inclusive, warm and she always makes her characters seem so real. Also important to me is that the reader discovers more about each character through their interactions with the other: sure, we learn some things through internal dialogues, but the really important aspects are revealed to us at the same time as the other MC. The book is written in first person present-tense alternating POV.

As promised, it's an early-burn, inventive spice (how could it not be, given Amethyst and Kit's jobs!) novella, which has been written with such care and attention to detail. This is shown, for example, in the way Kit and Amethyst communicate - they constantly check in with each other, ensure that the other consents, and see what the other wants. It's a fast developing story that goes from lust to love quickly - it has to be, as a novella - but I found it realistic enough to believe it all, and given that Kit and Amethyst are essentially immediately trapped together, they do spend a lot of time with each other. They cover a lot of ground in little time, and cover it well.

This story takes place at Christmas and I had no issues whatsoever reading a festive story in September. In fact, it put me in a festive post-summer mood! It being the season also gave the story perfect setting for Kit and Amethyst to spend time and do some festive things together.

Both characters are a bit older (Kit's in his later 40s), which was perfect for their level of experience and their way of dealing with each other. The 'body count' discussion was amusing and I really enjoyed that, despite Kit being the more experienced of the two, Amethyst was still able to surprise him. I loved how they both enjoy each other's bodies and take the other as they are. Body acceptance is SO important, as are the other reps in this book such as Amethyst's non-binary ex - who, incidentally, I really liked as a side character. Amethyst's brothers and sisters also play an important role, although I was surprised that they apparently hadn't realised what was going on between Amethyst and her mother over the course of - what sounds like - years, and needed Kit to step up and point this out.

In short, Evita's managed to pack A LOT into a relatively short book. Would I have liked to see more of Kit and Amethyst's work, building out that side of their lives a bit more? Yes, but that would've likely messed with the novella-length (I also seem to have this with all of Evita's novellas - I like the characters so much that I just wanna read more about them!). Amethyst's name has been mentioned in some of Evita's other Edgewater books and I enjoyed the quick visit of the Edgewater world. If you haven't read any of those books yet then I strongly recommend those too.

Thank you to Evita for the ARC!

[Chantelle]

This was such a fun, spicy little Christmas romance! 🎄❤️

I absolutely loved the setup of Amethyst and Kit meeting under the most chaotic circumstances possible 😂 The accidental lake rescue, the cabin mix-up, the R&D case of toys and Kit being completely convinced they’re destined to be together made for such an entertaining read.

Kit was definitely giving “I’ve decided you’re my future wife, now you just need to catch up” energy, and honestly… I was here for it 😂 Their chemistry was 🔥 and there were plenty of fun, steamy moments alongside the romance.

A quick, festive, spicy read with plenty of humour, chemistry and Christmas vibes. 🎄✨

[Megan Key]

The perfect spicy romance to get you ready for the holiday season!! The pages practically turned themselves! I loved getting to learn about new foods from different cultures and “fun time” devices as well (who says romance isn’t educational haha). Kit and Amethyst play off of each other so well, and their love is the embodiment of “when you know, you know.” Since it is a standalone tied to the Evitaverse, it was great to get glimpses of other characters that we’ve already grown to love sprinkled throughout. Start your holiday season off right with this super fun, super spicy romance!

[The Book Ssirren]

Dear Santa,

For Christmas I would like a box of toys and Kit under my tree. I’ve been very good this year, so if you could make that happen, I would appreciate it so much.

Thx 💋 XOXO

LOL book was a blast. I absolutely loved Another and Kit. He was pretty confident in himself with that bit of give him 24 hours lol. I loved the steam and the banter in this one. It was so good.

[Tina]

Great holiday read

This book doesn't take place in Edgewater but I love that is still part of the Evitaverse and it's a familiar character we know about, and that we still get those cameos from Edgewater citizens.

All of Evita's books have had great communication and consent, but this one was probably the best about that so far. Definitely an open door spicy read, but also plenty of story outside of that, that pulls the characters together and into my heart.

The way Amethyst and Kit take care of each other, want to take on the world for each other, is so sweet. They are both protective and caring and I loved that it wasn't just Kit, but Amethyst too. They saw each other, they saw the difficulties and pain they've each been through, they saw the way they hadn't been taken care of the way they should've been, and they both want to help the other heal that.

I loved seeing both Amethyst and Kit's relationships with their siblings. Both families have hardship and pain in completely different ways, but how the siblings pull through and are so close is so nice to see.

Another fantastic read by Evita Wren and I cannot wait for the next. I am patiently (not) waiting for Sadie's story!

[Pamela Rosen]

As per your books this was also a great read. You are an amazing author. I devoured this book.

Having not perfect people but yet utterly perfect people warmed my heart. I loved the way they flowed together. 3 days though so quick, but hey if you know you know

[Ashley Smith]

This book was my first one by Evita and I think it’s a great place to start! I love the bi and neurodiversity representation she writes! Makes me feel seen! It’s super fast paced and high heat! I read this book in no time and it’s absolutely worth the pick up!

[Alli]

I could not put this down! From the banter to the very forward Kit Davies, I was in love. The body positivity that didn’t feel pre-packaged and stale was *chef’s kiss* and the spice was HOT. I was kicking my feet and screaming in delight the whole way through this book.

[Lisa Kimbrell]

ARC review:

This was such a fun spicy read. The ultimate love at first sight. That quintessential snowed in rom com. The banter is on fire. And the spicy scenes….swoon. I live the experimentation with each other and always checking in. Highly recommend this read!

[April Smith]

Evitas books just keep getting better

So good. Love all the rep you get in Evitas books. Queer, plus size, sex positive. I really really enjoyed this one and always wish they were a little longer.

[Christina]

I loved everything about this book. It was absolutely funny right from the first time she met her future husband. This book had me laughing at every turn. I highly recommend this book!!

[Kyana]

The title of this book is fantastic! I loved reading Kit & Amethyst's story. Thank you Evita Wren for this spicy short story!

[Bee 📚🐝]

Perfect short and spicy read for the fall/winter season

[chloe bolton]

I really enjoyed this book I could not put it down. If you have t read any of Evita Wrens books then this could be a good place to start.

It was a fast paced book with great descriptions about the characters and the world around them, and was written in a great way.

It is a fairly short book but found it didn’t need to be any longer to get the story across. The representation for neurodiversity was done brilliantly.

It’s not the first book I have read by this author and it won’t be the last.

[Amanda]

Amethyst + Kit

Tidings of Comfort and Toys is going to have you in stitches throughout most of the book. Evita does an amazing job of weaving even the most serious conversations into a book with still having emotional depth for our MCs as well as a lighter air about the baggage both of these characters have... in short, she's done it again.

Her dialogue may be her bread and butter but the stories are paramount. This is one of the more banter filled stories. The ping pong between our MCs makes is to much more angsty. This book is filled with angst, consent, and an ending that will have your heart growing three sizes. Anyway, I could go on and on about how great book this is.. but just go get it.

Like yesterday.

I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily reviewing.