Gigolo All the Way

by J.N. Welsh

All Noelle "Elle" Rudolph wants this Christmas is for her Caribbean family to back off. Sick and tired of the constant ridicule and nagging about her nonexistent love life makes her want to skip the holidays altogether. After all, she's happy with her friends, her work, and her quaint and charming Brownstone apartment. But when her friend gives her an idea to appease her family, Elle's curiosity is sparked.It's time to break a few rules...Hiring an elite gigolo from an escort service isn't exactly her fairytale, but Elle's desperate for some solace this season. Encountering Nicolas "Cole" Partridge isn't the magic and make-believe she'd hoped for. But Cole knows they can pull off the facade easily and effectively. What Elle doesn't expect is the fire that burns under the mistletoe. As the lines blur between business and pleasure, will Elle get more than she's ever wanted this holiday?

Genres: Romance, Holiday, Christmas, Contemporary Romance

207 pages, Paperback

Published December 13, 2016

About the author

JN Welsh is a native New Yorker and natural storyteller. As a child in school, she was a voracious reader who stole her older sister’s romance novels. She graduated to writing entertaining love stories for her friends and the writer was born.

Her love for romance continued to grow and she published her first novel in 2005. Her stories are entertaining and provocative, leaving her readers breathless and coming back for more.

For recent releases, updates and to connect with her on social media visit: www.JNWelshAuthor.com.

Reviews

[b.andherbooks]

alas, dnf. too sex-work shamey for me. He's a gigolo not like those other sex workers. eye roll, especially when they jump into bed right away anyway.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a heartwarming tale and hit a lot of great notes. But the “issue” to overcome was whorephobia. And the whole book comes off as anti sex work. From the constant refrains of how he’s an escort not a prostitute, and what a big difference that is, and the fact that he was an escort being the worst thing ever, and it is never defended and accepted. It’s just something that is grudgingly gotten over.
No thanks.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Noelle (Elle) Rudolph needs a fake boyfriend for the Christmas Holiday so she hires an escort named Nicholas (Cole) Patridge. Cole is the man she encountered days earlier at a bar where they shared a good bottle of wine and had a very short conversation. When a hot blonde sidles up to Cole and gives him a scorching kiss, they walk away together and Elle is left standing alone and utterly humiliated.

A few days later she discovers the escort she hired is none other than the hot hunk from the bar, Nicholas/Cole. Noelle is his very last client because Cole has parlayed his experience as a escort into an opportunity to own a business that will capitalize on his expertise.

Noelle is incredibly judgmental and despite the number of times that Cole tells her, he is not a gigolo or prostitute, she uses the offensive term (20+) over and over again. So much so that I came to dislike her and her labels.

Meanwhile, her family embraces Cole and shows him what's it like to have a family that loves the Christmas Holiday. When an inebriated house guest spills the beans about something from Cole's past, the sh*t hits the fan. Noelle loses both her lunch and her hired escort turned boyfriend, because she can't handle the truth.

After returning home and to work she suddenly has an epiphany, how she got there, I don't know. Still, I enjoyed lots of the elements of this story. I'm a fan of this author and will continue to read her books. Recommended: Read It!

Bar Scene Rewind: I understood why Noelle was upset, but what did Cole owe her? They were just two strangers having a pleasant conversation. However, she neglected to ask a very attractive man if he had a girlfriend or was waiting for someone -- so, that's on her. Just because she had a stimulating conversation with Cole at a bar, it didn't necessarily mean that phone numbers would be asked for or exchanged.

Happy Holidays to All!

[h · Rating 4 out of 5]

where has this author been hiding?

incredibly sweet and sexy fake boyfriend, which isn’t my fave trope but this author really made it work. kinda wish I discovered this closer to the holidays!

[Inês Campelo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the premise of this, and it had a satisfying conclusion. But it just wasn’t for me. To be fair, I am picky and hard to please with contemporaries. And this one has way too much cheese for me. Gag-inducing nicknames that were used every other second. I also don’t love a ton of sex in my romance novels that doesn’t move the plot forward. And this definitely had that.

Her family is way too up in her business and she needs boundaries. That was never resolved successfully, in my opinion.

Someone will love this book. I’m just hard to please with both contemporaries and Christmas books, so that’s a tall order for any author.

[Aisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The author made me feel like I was with my family for the holiday all the pressure. I love the story and the attraction they felt for each other. The Elle did frustrate me at times due to her constant focus on Coles past but I am glad they over came it in the end. Cole had a great insight on women; their wants needs an ideal man and a total hottie too.

[Stacy Aube · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received and voluntary reviewed a copy of this book.

What started out as a simple arrangement gets more difficult as emotions start to take over. Elle thought hiring Cole would solve all her problems, little did she know everything was about to be blown away. Can Elle get past her hangups about Cole's career choice?

This was a quick entertaining story.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's fun, witty, sweet, heartbreaking, squee-worthy hero, and has a fabulous HEA. Romance lovers, this is the perfect Christmas novella (almost a novel length) but not quite.

[Jerrica (Mrsmar10Reads) Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gigolo for Christmas

This book was an unexpected tale of love from the beginning. “Who does a girl have to fuck to get a drink,” can get you into a world of trouble. Especially when you’re being hounded by your family about having a man and bringing someone home for Christmas. As soon as Cole heard Elle utter those words and see her Christmas light adorned Afro, he knew he was in for a world of trouble. Fun, frustrating, laugh out loud, grab your man, HEA!

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute read. I liked the idea of the heroine falling in love with a gigolo that she hired to keep her family from bothering her about being single. I thought their actual meet-cute was fun. There was definitely room for the characters to expand and the scenes to have more depth, but I think this was an enjoyable novella.

[Amris · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[katie m · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 15% for heteronormativity and anti-sex worker vibes. read with care!