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The Power of Peppermint
The most wonderful time of the year?
When Jamison Pritchett is roped into replacing the mall photographer at Santa’s Village a week before Christmas, he’s certain he’ll be spending the holidays recovering from a nervous breakdown. A throng of sugar-frenzied kids might be enough to send this uptight photographer back into the darkroom permanently. Inappropriate thoughts about his far-too-attractive—and far-too-young—assistant aren’t helping fight that urge to hide, either.
For Noah Hawkins, adulting is a snap. Too bad relationships aren’t. With his business temporarily closed for repairs, he’s happy to help his sister out of a jam, even if the costume he’s given to wear borders on obscene. Constantly being mistaken for a teenager is no treat either, especially when he discovers his temporary new co-worker is sexy as hell and 15 years his senior.
Can Noah convince Jamison that age is just a number? Or will Jamison resist the gift Santa seems to be handing him on a platter?
❆The Power of Peppermint is a 19k word standalone short story with no cliffhanger and a bonus holiday cocktail recipe!❆
When Jamison Pritchett is roped into replacing the mall photographer at Santa’s Village a week before Christmas, he’s certain he’ll be spending the holidays recovering from a nervous breakdown. A throng of sugar-frenzied kids might be enough to send this uptight photographer back into the darkroom permanently. Inappropriate thoughts about his far-too-attractive—and far-too-young—assistant aren’t helping fight that urge to hide, either.
For Noah Hawkins, adulting is a snap. Too bad relationships aren’t. With his business temporarily closed for repairs, he’s happy to help his sister out of a jam, even if the costume he’s given to wear borders on obscene. Constantly being mistaken for a teenager is no treat either, especially when he discovers his temporary new co-worker is sexy as hell and 15 years his senior.
Can Noah convince Jamison that age is just a number? Or will Jamison resist the gift Santa seems to be handing him on a platter?
❆The Power of Peppermint is a 19k word standalone short story with no cliffhanger and a bonus holiday cocktail recipe!❆
68 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 14, 2016
8 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
L.D. Blakeley
15 books135 followersA pragmatist with a romantic soul & a dirty mind, L.D. is a fan of horror movies, hot sex, and Happily Ever Afters. Easily distracted by shiny things, she's a slightly neurotic, highly ambitious dreamer who enjoys dabbling in photography & pretending she can carry a tune.
In another life, L.D. was a newspaper reporter, an entertainment & music writer, travel writer, website content editor, and a marketing shill. Now she prefers to spend her time writing hot, steamy fiction with a healthy dose of romance.
can carry a tune.
Although she dreams of living some place isolated with an endless supply of wine and an infinite number of titles on her eReader, she currently lives in downtown Toronto with her husband and their rock star cat.
In another life, L.D. was a newspaper reporter, an entertainment & music writer, travel writer, website content editor, and a marketing shill. Now she prefers to spend her time writing hot, steamy fiction with a healthy dose of romance.
can carry a tune.
Although she dreams of living some place isolated with an endless supply of wine and an infinite number of titles on her eReader, she currently lives in downtown Toronto with her husband and their rock star cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 24, 2017
This story of Noah and Jamison was a light-hearted slightly older-younger romance about a photographer who definitely needs to loosen up a bit and a very outgoing Christmas elf who is perfect to do the job. I felt like the two MCs were beautifully matched, especially since Noah early on describes himself as a serial monogamist (been there done that) which further helps his chances of snagging and snogging Mr. Too Intense Jamison. A truly awesome and fun Christmas story!
December 9, 2017
*** The elf with the peppermint candy, knows what he wants !
This lighthearted, lovely short romance will cheer you up. Older/younger.
* Jamison, 39, is a photographer with a cranky attitude. He is taking pics of kids and Santa at the local mall.
* Nathan got roped into being a Elf for Santa's Village, by his sister, who works with Jamison. Nathan already looks younger than his 24 years, but in the elf clothes -he looks even younger.
Nathan is interested in the surly camera man, but Jamison thinks he's a teen. The characters are lively and fun, and we get to see the progression of romance and some hot sexy times.
There's a sensuous massage, and family dinner, and more. Free on KU.
Cute ! ENJOY !
============
This lighthearted, lovely short romance will cheer you up. Older/younger.
* Jamison, 39, is a photographer with a cranky attitude. He is taking pics of kids and Santa at the local mall.
* Nathan got roped into being a Elf for Santa's Village, by his sister, who works with Jamison. Nathan already looks younger than his 24 years, but in the elf clothes -he looks even younger.
Nathan is interested in the surly camera man, but Jamison thinks he's a teen. The characters are lively and fun, and we get to see the progression of romance and some hot sexy times.
There's a sensuous massage, and family dinner, and more. Free on KU.
Cute ! ENJOY !
============
November 25, 2017
MMRG Xmas bingo week 1.5: title in red or green letters
Very cute
Likable characters and well-written.
I’ve read some Christmas-themed romance fiction. Unfortunately, some of these don’t integrate the holiday-theme very well because the story seems as if it could take place at anytime. This story really integrates the season in a really good way.
This story misses the extra kick for a 4-5 star rating, but I liked it and will look for other opportunities to read M/M romance fiction by this author.
Very cute
Likable characters and well-written.
I’ve read some Christmas-themed romance fiction. Unfortunately, some of these don’t integrate the holiday-theme very well because the story seems as if it could take place at anytime. This story really integrates the season in a really good way.
This story misses the extra kick for a 4-5 star rating, but I liked it and will look for other opportunities to read M/M romance fiction by this author.
March 20, 2019
3.5 Stars ~ My mood for reading holiday stories varies between "yay, I'm in the mood for a ton" to "yeah, no, I'm not feeling it this year". Unfortunately, I've been more of the latter than the former this year, but when I got the email from the author for her latest release 'The Power of Peppermint', I liked the description, and figured "what the hay", maybe I needed something to knock me out of my grumpy mood.
I really liked Jamison with his anxieties and his "wound too tight" self. It was so easy to understand why he picked up a camera as a teenager in order to hide behind it instead of having to deal with all those awkward social situations. Noah, I adored on sight, even if he is wearing slightly obscene tights, an elf costume, and looks about fourteen instead of his actual twenty-four. The fact that these two men seemed so different made reading their story just that much sweeter.
Noah takes great delight in teasing and flirting with Jamison because he inevitably receives a delightful blush and stammer from the man. Jamison can't help doing his own bit of ogling though, even as he keeps reminding himself this "kid" is his business partner's little brother. Of course as Noah keeps reminding Jamison, he's a "kid" who owns his own business and a home. Not exactly young and immature behavior. He's also in the minority with the fact that he's a hopeless romantic and really wants to settle down with that one special guy forever.
A delightful holiday story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Noah and Jamison made me smile and I adored their romance.
I really liked Jamison with his anxieties and his "wound too tight" self. It was so easy to understand why he picked up a camera as a teenager in order to hide behind it instead of having to deal with all those awkward social situations. Noah, I adored on sight, even if he is wearing slightly obscene tights, an elf costume, and looks about fourteen instead of his actual twenty-four. The fact that these two men seemed so different made reading their story just that much sweeter.
Noah takes great delight in teasing and flirting with Jamison because he inevitably receives a delightful blush and stammer from the man. Jamison can't help doing his own bit of ogling though, even as he keeps reminding himself this "kid" is his business partner's little brother. Of course as Noah keeps reminding Jamison, he's a "kid" who owns his own business and a home. Not exactly young and immature behavior. He's also in the minority with the fact that he's a hopeless romantic and really wants to settle down with that one special guy forever.
A delightful holiday story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Noah and Jamison made me smile and I adored their romance.
December 19, 2016
If you're looking for a quick, sexy, and sometimes funny Christmas themed read, then you should definitely give this one a try!
I really enjoyed the writing in this one, I loved how Jamison and Noah first meet (trust me, I've worked retail so I am familiar with the hell that is the Area Where Santa Claus Sits haha) and how Noah is able to make Jamison relax a bit and loosen up. They had great chemistry from the start. This line made me crack up - "Jamison was wound so tight that a lump of coal up his ass would likely result in diamonds inside of a week." See? The guy is tense! Add in a 15 year age gap, some sexy times involving peppermint, and I am all over this story!
I just wish we had more time with these guys. It's a HFN type ending, which with the length of this story that isn't surprising, but I feel like these two definitely have more story left in them.
I received an ACR copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the writing in this one, I loved how Jamison and Noah first meet (trust me, I've worked retail so I am familiar with the hell that is the Area Where Santa Claus Sits haha) and how Noah is able to make Jamison relax a bit and loosen up. They had great chemistry from the start. This line made me crack up - "Jamison was wound so tight that a lump of coal up his ass would likely result in diamonds inside of a week." See? The guy is tense! Add in a 15 year age gap, some sexy times involving peppermint, and I am all over this story!
I just wish we had more time with these guys. It's a HFN type ending, which with the length of this story that isn't surprising, but I feel like these two definitely have more story left in them.
I received an ACR copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2019
Light and funny Christmas short story.
Enjoyed it! :)
Enjoyed it! :)
December 10, 2017
*** The elf with the peppermint candy, knows what he wants !
This lighthearted, lovely short romance will cheer you up. Older/younger.
* Jamison, 39, is a photographer with a cranky attitude. He is taking pics of kids and Santa at the local mall.
* Nathan got roped into being a Elf for Santa's Village, by his sister, who works with Jamison. Nathan already looks younger than his 24 years, but in the elf clothes -he looks even younger.
Nathan is interested in the surly camera man, but Jamison thinks he's a teen. The characters are lively and fun, and we get to see the progression of romance and some hot sexy times.
There's a sensuous massage, and family dinner, and more. Free on KU.
Cute ! ENJOY !
============
This lighthearted, lovely short romance will cheer you up. Older/younger.
* Jamison, 39, is a photographer with a cranky attitude. He is taking pics of kids and Santa at the local mall.
* Nathan got roped into being a Elf for Santa's Village, by his sister, who works with Jamison. Nathan already looks younger than his 24 years, but in the elf clothes -he looks even younger.
Nathan is interested in the surly camera man, but Jamison thinks he's a teen. The characters are lively and fun, and we get to see the progression of romance and some hot sexy times.
There's a sensuous massage, and family dinner, and more. Free on KU.
Cute ! ENJOY !
============
December 9, 2017
3.5 stars
I wasn't expecting much tbh. I'd never heard of the book or the author and I was just reading it for bingo. I really liked it though. It was a sweet, well written Christmas story. I'm going to have to check out more by this author.
I wasn't expecting much tbh. I'd never heard of the book or the author and I was just reading it for bingo. I really liked it though. It was a sweet, well written Christmas story. I'm going to have to check out more by this author.
December 25, 2017
3.8 Stars
November 25, 2017
The first half of The Power of Peppermint got a solid four with me. I enjoyed the characters and I enjoyed the premise, and situation- jingle bills. But then once they connected sexually it got flat and the development cease to happen. So it drop down to a three. It really could've and should've been better. It was so HFN.
December 12, 2016
4.5 Stars
From the first page to the last I greatly enjoyed this cute, sometimes funny, well paced, holiday themed story.
We first meet photographer Jamison Pritchett as he is making his way to "the seventh circle of hell"... otherwise known as Santa's Village in the middle of a very crowded mall. As he's dodging the hordes he's mentally grumbling to himself for taking on this job. It's off to quite an entertaining story.
Which leads us to meeting sweet, laid back, Noah. It's a true delight to watch him work his magic on the crowd. This elf really knows how to handle both excited, sugared up children and grumpy photographers alike.
Of course being a holiday novella I didn't expect a HEA but I am most definitely happy with the HFN that we receive. I truly hope that Ms. Blakeley will revisit these guys in the future so that we could witness more of their romance. They are both such nice, likable characters as are most of the secondary characters that we met along the way.
Truthfully the only thing that keeps me from giving this a 5 star rating is the fact that though highly entertained I could not help but wonder what country this is taking place in. In some ways it seemed to be the U.S. but reading arse, queued and boxing day I was mostly convinced that it's not. However, then a trip to Vermont is mentioned which makes me rethink that. Ultimately, after reading the authors bio and seeing that she resides in Canada, I've come to the conclusion that this must take place there.
I most definitely recommend this wonderful holiday treat to everyone!
I want to thank Ms Blakeley for providing me with an ARC and for acknowledging at the very beginning of this ARC that it is an uncorrected proof. Knowing that truly helped me not let the mistakes bother me. I also must say that I'm impressed with how few mistakes there are considering this is uncorrected.
From the first page to the last I greatly enjoyed this cute, sometimes funny, well paced, holiday themed story.
We first meet photographer Jamison Pritchett as he is making his way to "the seventh circle of hell"... otherwise known as Santa's Village in the middle of a very crowded mall. As he's dodging the hordes he's mentally grumbling to himself for taking on this job. It's off to quite an entertaining story.
Which leads us to meeting sweet, laid back, Noah. It's a true delight to watch him work his magic on the crowd. This elf really knows how to handle both excited, sugared up children and grumpy photographers alike.
Of course being a holiday novella I didn't expect a HEA but I am most definitely happy with the HFN that we receive. I truly hope that Ms. Blakeley will revisit these guys in the future so that we could witness more of their romance. They are both such nice, likable characters as are most of the secondary characters that we met along the way.
Truthfully the only thing that keeps me from giving this a 5 star rating is the fact that though highly entertained I could not help but wonder what country this is taking place in. In some ways it seemed to be the U.S. but reading arse, queued and boxing day I was mostly convinced that it's not. However, then a trip to Vermont is mentioned which makes me rethink that. Ultimately, after reading the authors bio and seeing that she resides in Canada, I've come to the conclusion that this must take place there.
I most definitely recommend this wonderful holiday treat to everyone!
I want to thank Ms Blakeley for providing me with an ARC and for acknowledging at the very beginning of this ARC that it is an uncorrected proof. Knowing that truly helped me not let the mistakes bother me. I also must say that I'm impressed with how few mistakes there are considering this is uncorrected.
January 11, 2017
The Power of Peppermint
By L D Blakeley
Review by Shee Reader for Boy Meets Boy Review
Rating: 5 Hearts
Before I begin, I need a small squeeee and a bit of a gush because, oh my word, I LOVED this book! It was a perfect festive read.
Ok, so our story opens with a stressed out photographer, Jamison, who has picked up the dreaded ‘take photos of kids with Santa at the mall the week before Christmas’ as a favour to his business partner Abi. As some recompense, Abi had promised the attendance of her brother Noah who was available as his own business was closed for remodelling after an old lady crashed into his storefront.
Jamison is ready for a breakdown where he sees what he assumes to be a high-school kid in an elf costume corralling the over excited kids with ease.
Of course, the sexy little elf is not jailbait, but is, in fact Noah!
The tale unfolds beautifully with great characterisation, believable emotion and well written funny dialogue that scans so easily it was like a movie unfolding in my head. It was a quick but thoroughly enjoyable read.
The story is sexy, sassy, sweet and festive. Really what more could you need? I absolutely loved it, and will definitely be going for a re-read whenever I need a boost!
a free copy of the book was provided in exchange for an honest review.
By L D Blakeley
Review by Shee Reader for Boy Meets Boy Review
Rating: 5 Hearts
Before I begin, I need a small squeeee and a bit of a gush because, oh my word, I LOVED this book! It was a perfect festive read.
Ok, so our story opens with a stressed out photographer, Jamison, who has picked up the dreaded ‘take photos of kids with Santa at the mall the week before Christmas’ as a favour to his business partner Abi. As some recompense, Abi had promised the attendance of her brother Noah who was available as his own business was closed for remodelling after an old lady crashed into his storefront.
Jamison is ready for a breakdown where he sees what he assumes to be a high-school kid in an elf costume corralling the over excited kids with ease.
Of course, the sexy little elf is not jailbait, but is, in fact Noah!
The tale unfolds beautifully with great characterisation, believable emotion and well written funny dialogue that scans so easily it was like a movie unfolding in my head. It was a quick but thoroughly enjoyable read.
The story is sexy, sassy, sweet and festive. Really what more could you need? I absolutely loved it, and will definitely be going for a re-read whenever I need a boost!
a free copy of the book was provided in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2017
This was a short quick read that I read for a challenge. Jamison Pritchett is roped into replacing the mall photographer at Santa’s Village a week before Christmas he is not happy about it. Noah knows he looks young for his age, but that's not going to stop him from getting to know this handsome photographer who's also his sister's business partner. Jamison is 15 years older than Noah and they are opposites. This was my first time reading this author. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to reading more from her.
November 29, 2017
The Power of Peppermint is the story of Jamison Pritchett, a photographer, and Noah Hawkins a Christmas Elf. This is told in third person from both characters povs.
2.5 Stars
2.5 Stars
November 26, 2017
This was super cute! Just the right kind of Christmas pick me up story I love.
December 30, 2016
In a word, cute. Jamison is an uptight photographer who has been roped into doing Santa photos at the mall by his best friend and business partner, Abi. The mall at Christmas time and Santa’s village in particular are, in Jamison’s opinion, “…the Seventh Circle of Hell.” Well, at least he will have help, in the form of Abi’s brother, Noah. Except brother is a no show. All Jamison has is a high school age elf, who magically makes the kids (Jamison is sure some of them have 666 tattooed somewhere on their person) actually behave.
When Jamison goes to Abi’s to complain he is confronted with a towel-clad dreamboat. Noah. Noah is staying with Abi due to a breakup with his boyfriend, Travis, who left him with a mortgage he didn’t want. He also had trouble with his salon needing repairs, so it’s closed for a while. Noah is young but not high school and he’s teasing and funny. He’s also responsible and mature, which takes Jamison a little while to realize. I enjoyed the path these two take from meeting to friends to more.
There is an age difference here. Jamison is 39, Noah 24. Jamison initially feels old around Noah and his friends. “When had 39 become so ancient?” He realizes he has let work become the be-all and end-all to his life. “Not even 40 and ready for the retirement home, apparently.” But once he begins to open up a little, he realizes that it was his attitude causing that feeling, not his age. “Apparently it was possible to feel ancient and pubescent all at the same time.” I loved how Jamison unwound.
We get to see the idiot that is Travis and I couldn’t help but wonder, what did Noah see in him in the first place? Jamison is pretty much alone in the world – he doesn’t do well in social situations and so being behind the camera is the ultimate solution. He watches the world more than participates. At least until Noah.
I liked this story very much. I felt it ended more with a HFN, because the relationship is so new, but a solid one and one where both of them are making an effort. A massage with peppermint oil, something I adore, was a big hit with Jamison. There is a recipe for a Candy Cane Martini at the end, which I have to say was delicious.
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
When Jamison goes to Abi’s to complain he is confronted with a towel-clad dreamboat. Noah. Noah is staying with Abi due to a breakup with his boyfriend, Travis, who left him with a mortgage he didn’t want. He also had trouble with his salon needing repairs, so it’s closed for a while. Noah is young but not high school and he’s teasing and funny. He’s also responsible and mature, which takes Jamison a little while to realize. I enjoyed the path these two take from meeting to friends to more.
There is an age difference here. Jamison is 39, Noah 24. Jamison initially feels old around Noah and his friends. “When had 39 become so ancient?” He realizes he has let work become the be-all and end-all to his life. “Not even 40 and ready for the retirement home, apparently.” But once he begins to open up a little, he realizes that it was his attitude causing that feeling, not his age. “Apparently it was possible to feel ancient and pubescent all at the same time.” I loved how Jamison unwound.
We get to see the idiot that is Travis and I couldn’t help but wonder, what did Noah see in him in the first place? Jamison is pretty much alone in the world – he doesn’t do well in social situations and so being behind the camera is the ultimate solution. He watches the world more than participates. At least until Noah.
I liked this story very much. I felt it ended more with a HFN, because the relationship is so new, but a solid one and one where both of them are making an effort. A massage with peppermint oil, something I adore, was a big hit with Jamison. There is a recipe for a Candy Cane Martini at the end, which I have to say was delicious.
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
December 14, 2016
Oh, LD Blakeley knows how to give me what I need. 'Tis the season for all sorts of holiday magic for my Kindle, and "The Power of Peppermint" is definitely magical. Take a rather serious (and maybe a little grumpy) fellow, mix him with Santa's Village, a bunch of screaming children, and a sexy, adorable elf, and you have the perfect formula for the perfect evening of reading.
I love, love, love May/December romances. Jamison, the photographer, is 15 years older than Noah, the elf. Jamison seems so serious, but Noah is lighthearted, so they're wonderful foils for each other. Their chemistry is off the charts (once Jamison realizes Noah is, indeed, an adult), and the smexytimes blew me away. A candy cane, eh? Whodathunk? The power of peppermint, indeed.
I'm not going to give away any spoilers. They're not necessary. Just pick this one up, relax with a blanket, some hot chocolate, maybe a cat in your lap and enjoy the magic of Christmas.
I love, love, love May/December romances. Jamison, the photographer, is 15 years older than Noah, the elf. Jamison seems so serious, but Noah is lighthearted, so they're wonderful foils for each other. Their chemistry is off the charts (once Jamison realizes Noah is, indeed, an adult), and the smexytimes blew me away. A candy cane, eh? Whodathunk? The power of peppermint, indeed.
I'm not going to give away any spoilers. They're not necessary. Just pick this one up, relax with a blanket, some hot chocolate, maybe a cat in your lap and enjoy the magic of Christmas.
February 10, 2017
This is a super cute story of an uptight professional photographer and a young hairdresser who helps out with a job as a favor to his sister - the photographer's business partner. Noah is adorable and Jamison is a bit taken aback by the cute young guy who makes what could have been a very stressful job bearable. But he does a lot more than that - he cajoles and he flirts with Jamison and gets him to agree to go out for drinks with him. One thing leads to another and what starts out as a friendly flirtation definitely leads to more :)
Very fun and sweet and I can't wait to read more!
Very fun and sweet and I can't wait to read more!
December 17, 2016
This was a very sweet little christmas story, but it was a tad too rushed and shallow due to it's lack of length, which meant that you didn't really get that invested in the characters.
Jamieson is a photographer, who ends up agreeing to take holiday snaps of kids with Santa in the mall, despite the fact that he is not really a fan of big crowds or children. His helper, Noah, however, is very outgoing and happy go lucky and a pro at wrangling the stressed out parents and squealing rugrats.
Noah is actually a hairdresser, whose shop is closed for repairs and takes the job as helper Elf to please his sister, Jamieson's business partner.
The two men are as different as night and day, and 15 years apart in age, but there is instant attraction on both sides and christmas drinks, a run in with Noah's nasta ex and a massage with peppermint oil ends up bringing the two together.
A quick little holiday read with a lot of sweetness, which would have benefitted from more length to get more depth to the characters and a less rushed relationship development.
Jamieson is a photographer, who ends up agreeing to take holiday snaps of kids with Santa in the mall, despite the fact that he is not really a fan of big crowds or children. His helper, Noah, however, is very outgoing and happy go lucky and a pro at wrangling the stressed out parents and squealing rugrats.
Noah is actually a hairdresser, whose shop is closed for repairs and takes the job as helper Elf to please his sister, Jamieson's business partner.
The two men are as different as night and day, and 15 years apart in age, but there is instant attraction on both sides and christmas drinks, a run in with Noah's nasta ex and a massage with peppermint oil ends up bringing the two together.
A quick little holiday read with a lot of sweetness, which would have benefitted from more length to get more depth to the characters and a less rushed relationship development.
January 1, 2017
Holiday stories are huge for me. I can only really read them during this time of the year otherwise I can't click with them.
The Power of Peppermint is such a sweet holiday read. Jamison hides behind a camera. He has anxiety and likely having a camera blocking him from people fills him with a certain amount of comfort.
Noah is so adorable. He looks a lot younger than his 24 years. It's likely why he makes such a good elf! Personality wise, Jamison and Noah couldn't be more different. Noah is good for Jamison. He helps take him out of his shell.
Seeing Jamison turn a lovely shade of pink and nervously shake and stutter makes Noah happy. It's clear no one truly ever appreciated Jamison that way.
This is a sweet, romantic holiday read and I enjoyed it.
The Power of Peppermint is such a sweet holiday read. Jamison hides behind a camera. He has anxiety and likely having a camera blocking him from people fills him with a certain amount of comfort.
Noah is so adorable. He looks a lot younger than his 24 years. It's likely why he makes such a good elf! Personality wise, Jamison and Noah couldn't be more different. Noah is good for Jamison. He helps take him out of his shell.
Seeing Jamison turn a lovely shade of pink and nervously shake and stutter makes Noah happy. It's clear no one truly ever appreciated Jamison that way.
This is a sweet, romantic holiday read and I enjoyed it.
December 15, 2016
This is a feel good Christmas themed book that is well written and easy to read. Jamison is a grumpy guy who isn't looking for love, and Noah is a lovely guy dressed as an elf who's gonna knock Jamison off his feet. The characters are really lovely and they keep you hooked and reading the book. You finish this book feeling good. Well worth a read.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
December 16, 2016
This was a fun Christmas story with an older photographer, Jamison, who meets a younger man, Noah, playing an elf at a Santa Village where kids get their picture taken with Santa. The story was well told and had a good flow. The problem was the lack of editing which, while not extensive, was noticeable and irritating. I liked the story.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
February 21, 2017
Jamison and Noah are roped into working at the see Santa village in the mall. Noah is Abi's step-brother and Jamison is her partner. Jamison takes the pictures while Noah keeps the kids and noise to a dull roar which Jamison likes. They flirt with each other until Noah makes the move which Jamison accepts. While not fully clear, the author strongly hints that their relationship will keep on building from their admitted status of boyfriends.
December 18, 2016
I love simple holiday stories that just let me enjoy the romance of the season. This definitely fit right in that groove. I was able to settle in and enjoy the budding romance and sexual tension of a well-written story. Perfect for a cold Saturday night!
December 18, 2016
3 stars
Cute Holiday story.
Cute Holiday story.
January 3, 2017
This is only the second story I've read by L.D. Blakely, but I'm officially hooked. The story is funny, smart, and steamy enough to melt a whole box of candy canes.
I absolutely love May-December romances, especially when they're as sweet and fun as this one. Predictably, Jamison, the older man, is stuffy and uptight; Noah, the younger man, is charming and bubbly. But underneath the obvious exteriors, both of them defy their age stereotypes. They make a perfect match. Neither of them falls into the trap of playing "teacher" or healing each other with magic sex. They're just two guys who happen to fall for each other.
For readers who enjoy it, there's a bit of teasing, a lot of ogling, fluffy instant-love, and meddlesome-but-not-really family. In another context, I might enjoy it less, but it works perfectly for a holiday romance. It all has a tongue-in-cheek feel to it. They have good chemistry, and although they move fast, there are no declarations of forever at the end. They do, of course, have magical sex, but it didn't feel like too much or too perfect. There's a nice balance of sweet and steamy. I highly recommend this for people who aren't looking for anything heavy, just a little Christmas fun.
For a gift-wrapped romance, sexy guys, and a sweet twist on classic tropes, this gets 5 peppermint sticks...er, stars.
I absolutely love May-December romances, especially when they're as sweet and fun as this one. Predictably, Jamison, the older man, is stuffy and uptight; Noah, the younger man, is charming and bubbly. But underneath the obvious exteriors, both of them defy their age stereotypes. They make a perfect match. Neither of them falls into the trap of playing "teacher" or healing each other with magic sex. They're just two guys who happen to fall for each other.
For readers who enjoy it, there's a bit of teasing, a lot of ogling, fluffy instant-love, and meddlesome-but-not-really family. In another context, I might enjoy it less, but it works perfectly for a holiday romance. It all has a tongue-in-cheek feel to it. They have good chemistry, and although they move fast, there are no declarations of forever at the end. They do, of course, have magical sex, but it didn't feel like too much or too perfect. There's a nice balance of sweet and steamy. I highly recommend this for people who aren't looking for anything heavy, just a little Christmas fun.
For a gift-wrapped romance, sexy guys, and a sweet twist on classic tropes, this gets 5 peppermint sticks...er, stars.
January 4, 2017
Reviewed by Cassie for The Novel Approach
This is a holiday winner for sure! Plus, it comes with a holiday cocktail recipe in the back, so you can skip ahead and whip yourself up a cocktail to enjoy while you read this book.
All the characters are nicely developed. Jamison and Noah are fun and likeable as individual characters and as a couple; Noah’s sister and niece are interesting and well-written secondary characters. Pacing-wise, the story felt spot on. Nothing dragged, every scene and conversation felt relevant and streamlined, and the flow allowed plenty of time for a bit of a slow burn, some unresolved tension before everything wrapped up in a lovely Christmas bow. I was pleasantly surprised by how much relationship building L.D. Blakeley was able to cram into such a small page count.
There were a couple places in the text that could have benefited from a second look by a proof-reader, but nothing too bad; and overall, the writing is nicely executed. A missing word here or there ended up being only a minor issue, with no impact on my enjoyment of the story.
So, if you cram in one more Christmas story before the holiday season ends, let it be this one. It’s a lovely little short, with quality writing, fun characters, and is a perfect excuse to make yourself a Candy Cane Martini.
This is a holiday winner for sure! Plus, it comes with a holiday cocktail recipe in the back, so you can skip ahead and whip yourself up a cocktail to enjoy while you read this book.
All the characters are nicely developed. Jamison and Noah are fun and likeable as individual characters and as a couple; Noah’s sister and niece are interesting and well-written secondary characters. Pacing-wise, the story felt spot on. Nothing dragged, every scene and conversation felt relevant and streamlined, and the flow allowed plenty of time for a bit of a slow burn, some unresolved tension before everything wrapped up in a lovely Christmas bow. I was pleasantly surprised by how much relationship building L.D. Blakeley was able to cram into such a small page count.
There were a couple places in the text that could have benefited from a second look by a proof-reader, but nothing too bad; and overall, the writing is nicely executed. A missing word here or there ended up being only a minor issue, with no impact on my enjoyment of the story.
So, if you cram in one more Christmas story before the holiday season ends, let it be this one. It’s a lovely little short, with quality writing, fun characters, and is a perfect excuse to make yourself a Candy Cane Martini.
December 18, 2017
Rating 3.5 This was a really cute novella with a nice Christmas flair. I fell in love with saucy, little Noah right away. He had several things going against him: he looks really young, he actually is 14 years younger than his intended love target, and he's itty bitty at only 5'4". But he's a business owner, a smart cookie, and he knows how to give a great massage. Yep, it's in the bag! The scenes in the mall of them doing their Santa photo gig are quite funny and add a festive air to the story. Noah interjected a lot of humor during his internal POV thoughts as well--he's a naughty little elf! The scenes with Noah's sister and niece contributed a nice holiday family touch. The ending finds our couple celebrating a new relationship with holiday cheer and some mistletoe kisses. I think these guys are going to have a great new year! This was a new to me author but I would definitely follow up with more.
December 2, 2017
This is a festive May-December novella read.
Jamieson has reluctantly agreed to cover the photography for 'meeting Santa' at the local shopping mall. Noah has reluctantly agreed to be Santa's little elf and the pair meet and a friendship begins -but not without some trepidation from Jamieson.
This was an easy read with some nice banter and the growing friendship between Jamieson and Noah was sweet. Noah's sister and niece added some background to Noah, but it was a little sparse around Jamieson. The ending was a little abrupt and left me hanging - a fade to black of sorts, but needed better closure.
Overall, it was a entertaining read.
Jamieson has reluctantly agreed to cover the photography for 'meeting Santa' at the local shopping mall. Noah has reluctantly agreed to be Santa's little elf and the pair meet and a friendship begins -but not without some trepidation from Jamieson.
This was an easy read with some nice banter and the growing friendship between Jamieson and Noah was sweet. Noah's sister and niece added some background to Noah, but it was a little sparse around Jamieson. The ending was a little abrupt and left me hanging - a fade to black of sorts, but needed better closure.
Overall, it was a entertaining read.
November 26, 2017
I really appreciated that the uptight character in this story wasn't just fussy for no reason - his supposed bad attitude was actually due to his anxiety. For me, that made him a much more relatable character and made the story more interesting than the cookie-cutter "Scrooge vs holiday cheer" tale that I was kind of expecting.
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