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Christmas Town #1
The Christmas Fling
Sometimes it takes a village to fall in love.
Eccentric, reclusive, socially awkward project designer Evan Myles doesn’t date. Paying for sex with professionals is so much more efficient and suits his needs well enough. But when he’s on assignment in rural Logan, Minnesota, for the Christmas Town project and a handsome stranger at the bar catches his attention, Evan decides it’s time to break his rule. It doesn’t matter that he’s never so much as flirted before. It can’t be that hard, can it?
Davidson Incorporated lead architect Terry Reid hasn’t been hit on so clumsily in his life. Terry’s the first to admit he’s a neurotic Prince Charming, and he’s kissed his share of male and female frogs, but he’s never met anyone quite like Evan Myles. Evan calls Terry by the wrong name, mistakes Terry for a simple construction worker, and picks apart his work as an architect. Despite this rough start, Terry is lured by the brilliance of Evan’s ideas, his quirky personality, and once they’re alone in Evan’s cabin, the man’s mad skills in bed. Yet Terry knows it takes more than a single night of passion to make a relationship work, and after so many failures, he’s just not ready to try again.
Evan and Terry’s path is strewn with stones neither of them can dislodge. Fortunately, they’re not alone on the road to romance. They’re in Christmas Town, home to matchmakers, meddlers, and more “fairy godfathers” than they could possibly know what to do with.
Most importantly, in Logan, Minnesota, happy ever after is guaranteed.
Eccentric, reclusive, socially awkward project designer Evan Myles doesn’t date. Paying for sex with professionals is so much more efficient and suits his needs well enough. But when he’s on assignment in rural Logan, Minnesota, for the Christmas Town project and a handsome stranger at the bar catches his attention, Evan decides it’s time to break his rule. It doesn’t matter that he’s never so much as flirted before. It can’t be that hard, can it?
Davidson Incorporated lead architect Terry Reid hasn’t been hit on so clumsily in his life. Terry’s the first to admit he’s a neurotic Prince Charming, and he’s kissed his share of male and female frogs, but he’s never met anyone quite like Evan Myles. Evan calls Terry by the wrong name, mistakes Terry for a simple construction worker, and picks apart his work as an architect. Despite this rough start, Terry is lured by the brilliance of Evan’s ideas, his quirky personality, and once they’re alone in Evan’s cabin, the man’s mad skills in bed. Yet Terry knows it takes more than a single night of passion to make a relationship work, and after so many failures, he’s just not ready to try again.
Evan and Terry’s path is strewn with stones neither of them can dislodge. Fortunately, they’re not alone on the road to romance. They’re in Christmas Town, home to matchmakers, meddlers, and more “fairy godfathers” than they could possibly know what to do with.
Most importantly, in Logan, Minnesota, happy ever after is guaranteed.
320 pages, Paperback
First published December 12, 2017
19 people are currently reading
350 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Cullinan
50 books2,875 followersAuthor of over thirty novels, Midwest-native Heidi Cullinan writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because they believe there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. Heidi’s books have been recommended by Library Journal, USA Today, RT Magazine, and Publishers Weekly. When Heidi isn’t writing, they enjoy gaming, reading manga, manhua, and danmei, playing with cats, and watching too much anime.
Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them.
Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
December 13, 2017
I am going with 3 stars for this book because:
~ I love Heidi Cullinan's work and writing style; she's a master of prose.
~ Both MCs, while not necessarily likable, were complex and utterly real.
~ I really liked the Minnesota Christmas series and enjoyed visiting with the happy couples (except the whole Arthur/Gabriel/Dale situation, which I'm pretending doesn't exist *la la la I can't hear you* because way to fuck with a HEA).
~ The ending was kind of adorable, if a bit abrupt (I never got a good sense of Terry and Evan as a couple).
I have five-starred TEN of Heidi's books (and four-starred numerous others), but The Christmas Fling was definitely not my favorite.
It took me days to get through this (relatively short) novel. I couldn't relate to either of the main characters. Plus, the "misunderstanding / deception" plot went on for WAY too long and wasn't entirely believable to me.
There's a long kinky sex scene right out of the gate that I . . . WAIT FOR IT . . .
*whispers*
skimmed
because the weird pseudo dub-con setup, forced enema, and humiliation aspect—in the context of a hook-up with two strangers, particularly when one of them is withholding information from the other—made me slightly uncomfortable.
And I'm a perv, you guys, so that's saying something.
I'm sure this book will find its audience, but sadly I was totally let down. Trust, no one's more disappointed than me. I had to eat my weight in latkes to numb the pain.
~ I love Heidi Cullinan's work and writing style; she's a master of prose.
~ Both MCs, while not necessarily likable, were complex and utterly real.
~ I really liked the Minnesota Christmas series and enjoyed visiting with the happy couples (except the whole Arthur/Gabriel/Dale situation, which I'm pretending doesn't exist *la la la I can't hear you* because way to fuck with a HEA).
~ The ending was kind of adorable, if a bit abrupt (I never got a good sense of Terry and Evan as a couple).
I have five-starred TEN of Heidi's books (and four-starred numerous others), but The Christmas Fling was definitely not my favorite.
It took me days to get through this (relatively short) novel. I couldn't relate to either of the main characters. Plus, the "misunderstanding / deception" plot went on for WAY too long and wasn't entirely believable to me.
There's a long kinky sex scene right out of the gate that I . . . WAIT FOR IT . . .
*whispers*
skimmed
because the weird pseudo dub-con setup, forced enema, and humiliation aspect—in the context of a hook-up with two strangers, particularly when one of them is withholding information from the other—made me slightly uncomfortable.
And I'm a perv, you guys, so that's saying something.
I'm sure this book will find its audience, but sadly I was totally let down. Trust, no one's more disappointed than me. I had to eat my weight in latkes to numb the pain.
January 29, 2018
*2.5 stars*
I put off writing this review for long enough, so it's about time I sucked it up and got on with it. This book was... underwhelming. Not bad, but not what I've come to expect from Heidi Cullinan.
The amount of deception, tiptoeing around, and hand-holding in this book is remarkable and went on WAY past the point of my patience. At don't mind a little mistaken identity "oops" plot-twistiness, but when the majority of the book is a total lack of communication, WILLFUL lack of communication, I start to loose steam.
What I did like was a the sex. I'm a kinky girl at heart and are actually favorites of mine. I wish the kink and the sex was more at the forefront because DAMN. I need more books where people go beyond the so-called "norm" in terms of sex and really embrace their kinks. The story just touched upon what it could have been, and I didn't think the relationship-building was strong enough to carry the story on it's own.
I love Heidi, I love holiday stories, and I love the Minnesota Christmas series, but I just felt like something was missing from this one.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
I put off writing this review for long enough, so it's about time I sucked it up and got on with it. This book was... underwhelming. Not bad, but not what I've come to expect from Heidi Cullinan.
The amount of deception, tiptoeing around, and hand-holding in this book is remarkable and went on WAY past the point of my patience. At don't mind a little mistaken identity "oops" plot-twistiness, but when the majority of the book is a total lack of communication, WILLFUL lack of communication, I start to loose steam.
What I did like was a the sex. I'm a kinky girl at heart and are actually favorites of mine. I wish the kink and the sex was more at the forefront because DAMN. I need more books where people go beyond the so-called "norm" in terms of sex and really embrace their kinks. The story just touched upon what it could have been, and I didn't think the relationship-building was strong enough to carry the story on it's own.
I love Heidi, I love holiday stories, and I love the Minnesota Christmas series, but I just felt like something was missing from this one.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
not-gonna-happen-because-reasons
August 7, 2018"he’s kissed his share of frogs of both genders"
This is now the 3rd or 4th time I've come across this author being insensitive and/or exclusive. I'm saddened by this, especially since she writes (I believe, solely) LGBTQ+ romances. As someone whose newer releases I've found have crossed over into "preachy" territory, I'm just surprised.
Shame Ms. Cullinan.
December 11, 2017
While The Christmas Fling is the first book in a new series it is in the same location as the Minnesota Christmas series, Logan, Minnesota, and centers around "Christmas Town", which was first developed and introduced there. Cameos are plentiful, as the main characters in The Christmas Fling, Evan and Terry, get lots of help from the characters first introduced in those original holiday stories.
There were some things that I really liked about the story, like the dual third person POV that really allows the reader to know and understand the motivations of Evan and Terry, which I think was really key in the "misunderstanding" at the core of the story to not to completely overwhelm everything else. I also liked that both characters had to modify certain behavior in order to work around issues they both have.
I really loved the first 28% of the story, but after the big misunderstanding happens...the way everything plays out, unfortunately, really impacted my enjoyment of the story.
I didn't personally care for the humiliation/shame kink aspect, as it makes me supremely uncomfortable. I felt like the whole "mistaken identity" plot went on for far too long lending a tension to the story that I was unable to get past waiting for the inevitable shoe to drop. Finally, Terry's reaction to Evan's confession really made me sad, though I was happy they get their HFN in the end.
Don't get me wrong, the characters here are beautifully rendered, and I think the writing is excellent. The story flows well, with great pacing, an obvious love for the location, and an understanding of people on the spectrum and with social anxiety.
I suppose it boils down to my expectation to get a lower angst, less tense, Christmas-themed fluffy romance and getting a far different kind of romance instead.
It just all worked together to affect my enjoyment of the story in the end. I know others who love these kinds of elements though and this will be right up their alley.
It was interesting to see how Heidi Cullinan has begun developing this new series, while still keeping the older characters from the Minnesota Christmas series involved, and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Advanced Review Galley copy of The Christmas Fling (Christmas Town #1) provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.
There were some things that I really liked about the story, like the dual third person POV that really allows the reader to know and understand the motivations of Evan and Terry, which I think was really key in the "misunderstanding" at the core of the story to not to completely overwhelm everything else. I also liked that both characters had to modify certain behavior in order to work around issues they both have.
I really loved the first 28% of the story, but after the big misunderstanding happens...the way everything plays out, unfortunately, really impacted my enjoyment of the story.
I didn't personally care for the humiliation/shame kink aspect, as it makes me supremely uncomfortable. I felt like the whole "mistaken identity" plot went on for far too long lending a tension to the story that I was unable to get past waiting for the inevitable shoe to drop. Finally, Terry's reaction to Evan's confession really made me sad, though I was happy they get their HFN in the end.
Don't get me wrong, the characters here are beautifully rendered, and I think the writing is excellent. The story flows well, with great pacing, an obvious love for the location, and an understanding of people on the spectrum and with social anxiety.
I suppose it boils down to my expectation to get a lower angst, less tense, Christmas-themed fluffy romance and getting a far different kind of romance instead.
It just all worked together to affect my enjoyment of the story in the end. I know others who love these kinds of elements though and this will be right up their alley.
It was interesting to see how Heidi Cullinan has begun developing this new series, while still keeping the older characters from the Minnesota Christmas series involved, and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Advanced Review Galley copy of The Christmas Fling (Christmas Town #1) provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.
December 28, 2017
I'm really torn on this one...
'The Christmas Fling' is the first book in Heidi Cullinan's series 'Christmas Town' a spin-off from her series 'Minnesota Christmas' which I diligently read and loved...even, 'Santa Baby' pulled 3.5 stars out of me, but while the first book in the 'Minnesota Christmas' series started off with a solid 4 star read for me...'Christmas Town' hasn't gotten off to such a good start.
Interestingly enough while I liked Terry and Evan individually...Terry and Evan as a couple, well...not so much. Terry and Evan went from a rather kinky, hot and frantic one-night stand to co-workers who for all intents and purposes as far as Evan is concerned they've never met but even more bizarrely while Evan is frantic to find Kevin, he's less than happy with Terry and upon first meeting him doesn't seem to like him very much but he puts up with him because he thinks Terry is his best chance of finding the elusive Kevin...Oh, if Evan only knew.
As Terry and Evan work together they start to build a relationship as both co-workers and friends and while Evan finds himself wanting to take the relationship to the 'next level', Terry's attraction is tempered by his own quirks and insecurities. It quickly becomes apparent that if Terry and Evan are going to make a go of things they're going to need more than a little help from their friends...friends that we've met previously in the 'Minnesota Christmas' stories. Needless to say this was one of my favorite parts of the story with Kyle & Paul, Gabriel, Arthur & Dale, Frankie & Marcus and a few other residents of Logan.
As much fun as it was to revisit some of the residents of Logan and to meet some new characters like Levi and Charlotte. Where I found I occasionally had an issue was the fact that while Evan and Terry periodically each had people managing their needs to keep them on track personally and/or professionally as they both tended to become singularly focused on a task at times forgetting that they needed to do things like eat or sleep as well, I've known a few people like this and truthfully at times I've been one of those people having to manage someone's needs to ensure they eat, sleep, take meds, etc. and to a degree that means managing the person but at times it felt like it was going beyond managing their time to managing them and given that these are suppose to be two mentally competent men capable of managing their own lives I can't say that I was very comfortable with this course of action by people who were suppose to be their friends...I'm still pondering this one because I'm just not sure how well the idea sits with me...managing...manipulating...it's a fine line we're walking here.
Somehow out of all this and in spite of some fun and quirky moments between these two I just couldn't get a sense of them as a couple...as co-workers...yes, in this capacity I liked them and I could easily imagine them working together as architect and designer. At times I was even beginning to get a sense of them as friends but that's where the connect stopped for me. I think the biggest obstacle to me seeing more of a connection between these two men was the fact that Evan spent a very hot and steamy evening getting up close and personal with Terry and yet, in the light of day because of a name, a beard and few pounds difference in weight Evan didn't recognize Terry as Kevin when the man was standing right in front of him. Add in the fact that Terry made some comments that only Kevin would have known and yet in spite of all these things Evan couldn't see what was right in front of his eyes...so for me, Evan and Terry as a couple was more of a stretch than I could imagine. Maybe if Evan had managed to connect the dots without the proverbial brick to the head I might have been able to get behind this pairing. But he didn't which leads me to wonder 'how can he be so fixated with someone when he can't even pick him out in a crowd so to speak'. I understand that Evan isn't suppose to be good with names and faces but this...wow, this was so far outside of that concept for me, that I just couldn't buy into it.
My final issue was the epilogue while it started to sort things our a bit for me. Unfortunately it was to short and abrupt to finish the job and while the story was complete I was still left hanging and feeling like there just needed to be a bit more to finish things off and put a bow on the package.
I have to admit this one took a little extra effort to get through it was an ok read but unfortunately failed to grab my interest as strongly as stories in the 'Minnesota Christmas' series did previously, but I can be a bit of a die hard about these things so I'm going to hang in there and see what Ms. Cullinan has in store for us next year when we hopefully once again visit 'Christmas Town'.
*************************
A copy of 'The Christmas Fling' was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
'The Christmas Fling' is the first book in Heidi Cullinan's series 'Christmas Town' a spin-off from her series 'Minnesota Christmas' which I diligently read and loved...even, 'Santa Baby' pulled 3.5 stars out of me, but while the first book in the 'Minnesota Christmas' series started off with a solid 4 star read for me...'Christmas Town' hasn't gotten off to such a good start.
Interestingly enough while I liked Terry and Evan individually...Terry and Evan as a couple, well...not so much. Terry and Evan went from a rather kinky, hot and frantic one-night stand to co-workers who for all intents and purposes as far as Evan is concerned they've never met but even more bizarrely while Evan is frantic to find Kevin, he's less than happy with Terry and upon first meeting him doesn't seem to like him very much but he puts up with him because he thinks Terry is his best chance of finding the elusive Kevin...Oh, if Evan only knew.
As Terry and Evan work together they start to build a relationship as both co-workers and friends and while Evan finds himself wanting to take the relationship to the 'next level', Terry's attraction is tempered by his own quirks and insecurities. It quickly becomes apparent that if Terry and Evan are going to make a go of things they're going to need more than a little help from their friends...friends that we've met previously in the 'Minnesota Christmas' stories. Needless to say this was one of my favorite parts of the story with Kyle & Paul, Gabriel, Arthur & Dale, Frankie & Marcus and a few other residents of Logan.
As much fun as it was to revisit some of the residents of Logan and to meet some new characters like Levi and Charlotte. Where I found I occasionally had an issue was the fact that while Evan and Terry periodically each had people managing their needs to keep them on track personally and/or professionally as they both tended to become singularly focused on a task at times forgetting that they needed to do things like eat or sleep as well, I've known a few people like this and truthfully at times I've been one of those people having to manage someone's needs to ensure they eat, sleep, take meds, etc. and to a degree that means managing the person but at times it felt like it was going beyond managing their time to managing them and given that these are suppose to be two mentally competent men capable of managing their own lives I can't say that I was very comfortable with this course of action by people who were suppose to be their friends...I'm still pondering this one because I'm just not sure how well the idea sits with me...managing...manipulating...it's a fine line we're walking here.
Somehow out of all this and in spite of some fun and quirky moments between these two I just couldn't get a sense of them as a couple...as co-workers...yes, in this capacity I liked them and I could easily imagine them working together as architect and designer. At times I was even beginning to get a sense of them as friends but that's where the connect stopped for me. I think the biggest obstacle to me seeing more of a connection between these two men was the fact that Evan spent a very hot and steamy evening getting up close and personal with Terry and yet, in the light of day because of a name, a beard and few pounds difference in weight Evan didn't recognize Terry as Kevin when the man was standing right in front of him. Add in the fact that Terry made some comments that only Kevin would have known and yet in spite of all these things Evan couldn't see what was right in front of his eyes...so for me, Evan and Terry as a couple was more of a stretch than I could imagine. Maybe if Evan had managed to connect the dots without the proverbial brick to the head I might have been able to get behind this pairing. But he didn't which leads me to wonder 'how can he be so fixated with someone when he can't even pick him out in a crowd so to speak'. I understand that Evan isn't suppose to be good with names and faces but this...wow, this was so far outside of that concept for me, that I just couldn't buy into it.
My final issue was the epilogue while it started to sort things our a bit for me. Unfortunately it was to short and abrupt to finish the job and while the story was complete I was still left hanging and feeling like there just needed to be a bit more to finish things off and put a bow on the package.
I have to admit this one took a little extra effort to get through it was an ok read but unfortunately failed to grab my interest as strongly as stories in the 'Minnesota Christmas' series did previously, but I can be a bit of a die hard about these things so I'm going to hang in there and see what Ms. Cullinan has in store for us next year when we hopefully once again visit 'Christmas Town'.
*************************
A copy of 'The Christmas Fling' was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 6, 2018
Unicornian Buddy Review with Adam!
2 .5 Hearts
I love Logan, MN and its inhabitants with all my Christmas heart so I was very excited to get my hands on The Christmas Fling. I’ve missed this author’s prose and have always fallen into her stories easily and have a hard time putting them down.
The Christmas Fling begins with a sorta kinda mistaken identity premise which leads to some incredibly filthy and delicious play between Evan and Terry (who wasn’t Terry at the time to Evan) and the premise was set. But, then it kind of was derailed. I had some fundamental issues that I had a hard time reconciling in the end.
Both MC’s are very complex characters and I appreciate the author taking on both of these guys and making them mesh. That was no small feat, I can tell you that. I had too many problems with the dynamics between the MC’s and their friends to let them go and it did affect my attitude while I was reading.
Evan does not recognize Terry after their one night and while Terry felt the connection, he is also afraid to connect. So, they work together and pretty much everyone knows but Evan and Terry is so tightly wound about the whole thing he can’t function or bring himself to come clean to Evan. This deception by omission went on way too long. And while it wasn’t meant to be, it felt cruel to do that to Evan as it’s not like he didn’t recognize Terry because he’s such a player, he literally can’t and the whole thing felt incredibly unfair.
Terry has his own mental health struggles and I couldn’t help but feel for him as well. He obviously needed help and was in no way able to get to that at the time, but his “handlers” weren’t nearly as helpful as I expected them to be. I’m giving you the side eye right now Levi. You allegedly have experience with what Terry struggles with and you never really talk to him about it??? WTF??? The only suggestion Levi had was to talk to his therapist bro (which was always hidden under the guise of dating him) or he gave Terry crap for being a fuck up with his personal life. It was all in jest and if he was a casual friend, I wouldn’t be able to blame him, but, sorry this is slightly spoilerish, but not really, it turns out he has personal experience and I just thought back to their previous interactions and got pissed. Dude, Levi, my friend, you did not do well by Terry.
I wanted Evan and Terry to get together and I so enjoyed reading the time they spent together as they “got to know” one another. Unfortunately, the whole misunderstanding hung over them and that was a bummer. It was a good thing these two were also brilliant at their careers with ideal dream jobs and handlers who took care of regular everyday life for them. Good for them, but very much a fairy tale for most, especially those struggling with mental health or social issues. Most people don’t have the luxury to make themselves a bed nest and not go out for days or just disappear when things get to be too much. Most people don’t have that kind of financial security. Those aren’t options and the fact that two characters had those safety nets kind of cheapened the reality of those struggles.
I absolutely loved being back in Logan and I will most definitely be reading the next in the series. I hope to get more of Evan and Terry together because the ending was wonderful if a little abrupt considering everything that built to that moment, but damn it was sweet and I would really like to revisit these guys once they settle into themselves and one another.
**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**
2 .5 Hearts
I love Logan, MN and its inhabitants with all my Christmas heart so I was very excited to get my hands on The Christmas Fling. I’ve missed this author’s prose and have always fallen into her stories easily and have a hard time putting them down.
The Christmas Fling begins with a sorta kinda mistaken identity premise which leads to some incredibly filthy and delicious play between Evan and Terry (who wasn’t Terry at the time to Evan) and the premise was set. But, then it kind of was derailed. I had some fundamental issues that I had a hard time reconciling in the end.
Both MC’s are very complex characters and I appreciate the author taking on both of these guys and making them mesh. That was no small feat, I can tell you that. I had too many problems with the dynamics between the MC’s and their friends to let them go and it did affect my attitude while I was reading.
Evan does not recognize Terry after their one night and while Terry felt the connection, he is also afraid to connect. So, they work together and pretty much everyone knows but Evan and Terry is so tightly wound about the whole thing he can’t function or bring himself to come clean to Evan. This deception by omission went on way too long. And while it wasn’t meant to be, it felt cruel to do that to Evan as it’s not like he didn’t recognize Terry because he’s such a player, he literally can’t and the whole thing felt incredibly unfair.
Terry has his own mental health struggles and I couldn’t help but feel for him as well. He obviously needed help and was in no way able to get to that at the time, but his “handlers” weren’t nearly as helpful as I expected them to be. I’m giving you the side eye right now Levi. You allegedly have experience with what Terry struggles with and you never really talk to him about it??? WTF??? The only suggestion Levi had was to talk to his therapist bro (which was always hidden under the guise of dating him) or he gave Terry crap for being a fuck up with his personal life. It was all in jest and if he was a casual friend, I wouldn’t be able to blame him, but, sorry this is slightly spoilerish, but not really, it turns out he has personal experience and I just thought back to their previous interactions and got pissed. Dude, Levi, my friend, you did not do well by Terry.
I wanted Evan and Terry to get together and I so enjoyed reading the time they spent together as they “got to know” one another. Unfortunately, the whole misunderstanding hung over them and that was a bummer. It was a good thing these two were also brilliant at their careers with ideal dream jobs and handlers who took care of regular everyday life for them. Good for them, but very much a fairy tale for most, especially those struggling with mental health or social issues. Most people don’t have the luxury to make themselves a bed nest and not go out for days or just disappear when things get to be too much. Most people don’t have that kind of financial security. Those aren’t options and the fact that two characters had those safety nets kind of cheapened the reality of those struggles.
I absolutely loved being back in Logan and I will most definitely be reading the next in the series. I hope to get more of Evan and Terry together because the ending was wonderful if a little abrupt considering everything that built to that moment, but damn it was sweet and I would really like to revisit these guys once they settle into themselves and one another.
**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**
December 16, 2017
The one thing that I will always say for Heidi Cullinan is that she writes complex characters and relationships that you see rarely - if ever - on the pages of a typical romance novel. They're usually intriguing, but sometimes difficult to relate to.
I think that was my case with this novel. I liked the story overall (and the naughty bits particularly) but the way that both of these characters were managed by every damn person in their lives seemed like they would be fucking exhausting as real human beings. Maybe that makes me a terrible person, but I'll own it.
I think that was my case with this novel. I liked the story overall (and the naughty bits particularly) but the way that both of these characters were managed by every damn person in their lives seemed like they would be fucking exhausting as real human beings. Maybe that makes me a terrible person, but I'll own it.
February 3, 2018
Tag team review with Ann!
‘The Christmas Fling’ is a spinoff from Cullinan’s Minnesota Christmas series. The previous series provides context for the ‘Christmas Town’ plot, and existing characters do appear in secondary roles, but I think this book could work fine as a standalone.
The premise of this book requires a bit of a suspension of disbelief. The entire story rests on Evan’s inability to recognize Terry as Kevin. Granted, “Kevin” had a full beard and was skinnier when a drunken Evan met him on a dark night, but it’s a bit of a stretch. The explanation is that Evan’s just not that great with faces.
But I didn’t mind the somewhat flimsy premise. It was a different twist on the one-night stand trope, and I was just excited to get back to the land of never-ending Christmas and gay men galore - Logan, Minnesota.
Plus, that one-night stand definitely brought the heat. Terry - or “Kevin” - gets off on humiliation and submission, though he doesn’t play often. Evan, with his slightly awkward but very upfront manner, makes Terry feel safe enough to indulge in a night of kinky passion.
But Terry struggles with accepting his kink, and with social anxiety, so he runs in the middle of the night. When Terry meets Evan again a few weeks later, it’s as a well-groomed architect, not as the scruffy construction worker Evan had assumed he was.
Their first meeting doesn’t go well. Evan has no clue who Terry is, and Terry’s a bit hurt by that, even if he’d been dreading meeting Evan again. But even so, Terry decides to not let Evan in on the truth about “Kevin”.
I could understand where Terry was coming from at first. Anxiety disorders can force people into poor decisions. Also, it was clear that Terry really did care for Evan, regardless of how he handled the situation.
Evan is easier to understand and connect to. His pining for Kevin was sweet, as was his slow realization that he really liked Terry, once Terry wasn’t so stand-offish.
Both men have their hang-ups and struggle with social cues, but they click well together. I thought the slow build-up of their relationship was sweet - from strangers, to coworkers, to tentative friends, and then more.
What I really didn’t enjoy was how the whole issue of Kevin/Terry just dragged on and on. Though I could empathize with Terry’s inability to tell Evan that he was Kevin, the whole thing just went on way too long for me to be comfortable with it.
The constant repetitiveness of Terry’s inner monologues, and his actions in order to hide his identity, just got tiresome, and detracted from what was otherwise a cute romance.
Though I was glad to see the two get their happy ending, I was no longer invested in their story by that point.
‘The Christmas Fling’ is a spinoff from Cullinan’s Minnesota Christmas series. The previous series provides context for the ‘Christmas Town’ plot, and existing characters do appear in secondary roles, but I think this book could work fine as a standalone.
The premise of this book requires a bit of a suspension of disbelief. The entire story rests on Evan’s inability to recognize Terry as Kevin. Granted, “Kevin” had a full beard and was skinnier when a drunken Evan met him on a dark night, but it’s a bit of a stretch. The explanation is that Evan’s just not that great with faces.
But I didn’t mind the somewhat flimsy premise. It was a different twist on the one-night stand trope, and I was just excited to get back to the land of never-ending Christmas and gay men galore - Logan, Minnesota.
Plus, that one-night stand definitely brought the heat. Terry - or “Kevin” - gets off on humiliation and submission, though he doesn’t play often. Evan, with his slightly awkward but very upfront manner, makes Terry feel safe enough to indulge in a night of kinky passion.
But Terry struggles with accepting his kink, and with social anxiety, so he runs in the middle of the night. When Terry meets Evan again a few weeks later, it’s as a well-groomed architect, not as the scruffy construction worker Evan had assumed he was.
Their first meeting doesn’t go well. Evan has no clue who Terry is, and Terry’s a bit hurt by that, even if he’d been dreading meeting Evan again. But even so, Terry decides to not let Evan in on the truth about “Kevin”.
I could understand where Terry was coming from at first. Anxiety disorders can force people into poor decisions. Also, it was clear that Terry really did care for Evan, regardless of how he handled the situation.
Evan is easier to understand and connect to. His pining for Kevin was sweet, as was his slow realization that he really liked Terry, once Terry wasn’t so stand-offish.
Both men have their hang-ups and struggle with social cues, but they click well together. I thought the slow build-up of their relationship was sweet - from strangers, to coworkers, to tentative friends, and then more.
What I really didn’t enjoy was how the whole issue of Kevin/Terry just dragged on and on. Though I could empathize with Terry’s inability to tell Evan that he was Kevin, the whole thing just went on way too long for me to be comfortable with it.
The constant repetitiveness of Terry’s inner monologues, and his actions in order to hide his identity, just got tiresome, and detracted from what was otherwise a cute romance.
Though I was glad to see the two get their happy ending, I was no longer invested in their story by that point.
December 20, 2017
I enjoyed this sweet read. Heidi sure knows how to write about unique souls and her MCs came with their own issues. Mix an Aspy with an Anxiety disorder ( not to the level of Emmet & Jeremy ) and throw in a humiliation kink and you have quite a blend ! Watching these two get together was like trying to hold onto fairy floss in the wind !
I actually enjoyed it because as always Heidi pays respect to her characters and highlights their challenges as more of celebrations- and I love her for this ❤️ if you enjoyed the town of Logan and the characters in it then you’ll enjoy this easy read 😊
I actually enjoyed it because as always Heidi pays respect to her characters and highlights their challenges as more of celebrations- and I love her for this ❤️ if you enjoyed the town of Logan and the characters in it then you’ll enjoy this easy read 😊
December 11, 2017
3.5*
One thing I can guarantee getting from Heidi Cullinan is a story with a twist and this one was no different.
Not a traditional Christmas romance in any shape or form but very much a tale of connections and emotions and love nevertheless.
Set in the delightful Logan, home to her Minnesota Christmas series, this is the first spin off and it retains much of the wonderful heart and soul of that community feel.
There are appearances from all the Logan couples/triads as this story focusses on Dale's on going creation of Christmas Town but it centres on two quite radically different main characters.
Both are atypical, one on the spectrum, one with chronic anxiety, but together they just work. This book is also kinky, not always to my tastes as humiliation BDSM doesn't really work for me. But here it is completely in keeping with the narrative and never feels out of place.
I don't think this one will be for everyone, but I enjoyed it.
#ARC received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
One thing I can guarantee getting from Heidi Cullinan is a story with a twist and this one was no different.
Not a traditional Christmas romance in any shape or form but very much a tale of connections and emotions and love nevertheless.
Set in the delightful Logan, home to her Minnesota Christmas series, this is the first spin off and it retains much of the wonderful heart and soul of that community feel.
There are appearances from all the Logan couples/triads as this story focusses on Dale's on going creation of Christmas Town but it centres on two quite radically different main characters.
Both are atypical, one on the spectrum, one with chronic anxiety, but together they just work. This book is also kinky, not always to my tastes as humiliation BDSM doesn't really work for me. But here it is completely in keeping with the narrative and never feels out of place.
I don't think this one will be for everyone, but I enjoyed it.
#ARC received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
September 24, 2018
****3.5 Stars****
Man, the first sex scene in this novella was SCORCHING HOT. I loved every dirty, humiliating, sexy second of it. This was why I rounded up. Seriously. Just read that first hookup scene. It’s hilarious and beyond hot.
Then the plot began. It wasn’t bad. I totally dug Evan, who was somewhere on the spectrum. Terry/Kevin I thought I could like, especially after the first scene.
Unfortunately, while Evan and his quirks delighted me, Terry started racking up asshole points really quickly.
Granted, we learn the reason for his assholean tendencies late in the book, but it’s still hard to forgive his behavior. I suppose it’s enough that Evan forgives him.
The ending was abrupt and I would have loved a final smexy scene, but it wasn’t to be.
You’ll find all the previous couples and trio from the previous books in the series.
A quick read, sexy at points, frustrating at others. A good addition to the series, though. Worth the read for that first scene. Truly.
Man, the first sex scene in this novella was SCORCHING HOT. I loved every dirty, humiliating, sexy second of it. This was why I rounded up. Seriously. Just read that first hookup scene. It’s hilarious and beyond hot.
Then the plot began. It wasn’t bad. I totally dug Evan, who was somewhere on the spectrum. Terry/Kevin I thought I could like, especially after the first scene.
Unfortunately, while Evan and his quirks delighted me, Terry started racking up asshole points really quickly.
Granted, we learn the reason for his assholean tendencies late in the book, but it’s still hard to forgive his behavior. I suppose it’s enough that Evan forgives him.
The ending was abrupt and I would have loved a final smexy scene, but it wasn’t to be.
You’ll find all the previous couples and trio from the previous books in the series.
A quick read, sexy at points, frustrating at others. A good addition to the series, though. Worth the read for that first scene. Truly.
Read
December 20, 2017Review originally posted at Sinfully.
3.5 stars
This is a spin-off of the Minnesota Christmas books, where the idea of turning the small town of Logan into Christmas Town began. Here we meet two of the men involved in that undertaking, Evan and Terry. You can easily read this as a standalone though the characters from the prior series all appear here in support.
Both men have their own issues. It’s pretty clear from the start that Evan has Asperger syndrome or a similar condition. Commitment is a huge issue for Terry, but the exact reason isn’t really revealed until near the end of the story and that made it tough to completely warm up to him. He runs when things get intense, and things get very intense the first night he is with Evan, who thinks Terry is a construction worker named Kevin when he takes him home for a night of kinky sex. Regret hits Terry and he bails before Evan wakes up. Terry realizes that running won’t change things since he is set to work directly with Evan on the Christmas Town project. Meanwhile, Evan is devastated that Kevin disappeared so much so that, when he can’t find anything about him, he is unable to function for quite a time.
There was a lot I liked about the book, especially Evan, but let me get it out there right now, I was uncomfortable with how long everyone lied to Evan about Kevin and the more I read and the longer it went on, the angrier I became at the way his friends and coworkers “handling” Evan. I understand some of the reasoning, but it bordered on cruel, especially Dale’s involvement, knowing how Evan perceives things and seeing just how devastated and obsessed Evan became.
Now, that aside, Heidi Cullinan created another character I loved from the start. Evan is unique. He’s not your typical leading man. Blunt and socially awkward, he has gotten by, getting what he needs with the least possible complications. But Kevin/Terry gets under his skin quickly and intensely. I adored Evan and his relationship with employer and friend Dale in general. Dale gets him. Dale sees his genius and is more than willing to do what Evan needs in order for him to be comfortable. He also is protective of Evan, but I didn’t like the way Dale handled Evan with respect to Terry/Kevin. Really, the whole situation upset me enough that it greatly affected my enjoyment of the story.
I did like Evan and Terry together. They get along well, they have the same interests and they appreciate each other’s work. In fact they are perfect together, which they discover even as Evan still feels something for Kevin. The more time they spend together, the more Evan’s attraction and confusion grows. Unfortunately, Terry’s lame attempts to tell Evan who he is as they get to know each other and work and live together were weak and frustrating and I spent more time being aggravated at him then trying to get to know him. Eventually, after way too long, things come out in the open and Evan is pretty forgiving in the hopes of moving forward with Terry, but of course, that doesn’t go smoothly either.
The story starts off with a majorly kinky sex scene. If humiliation kink is not your thing, the sex scenes will make you uncomfortable, though there are only a couple. This plays into Terry’s issues and again, after the identity issue is resolved, causes him to bail on Evan for weeks. We finally get some insight into Terry towards the end of the story and he does regret what he did and proffer an apology, but it seemed a bit abrupt at the end. I think I would have liked Terry a bit better if we had more insight into his mental state a bit earlier in the story.
I was happy to be back in Logan and revisit all the men of the Minnesota Christmas series. I especially was happy to see Gabriel, who felt as I did about the whole situation. I loved the way they all supported Evan and made him a part of their family. I did love the characterization of Evan and the growth of his friendship with Terry. Although I wasn’t thrilled with the way the mistaken identity plot played out and would have liked more time with the two men together without this secret between them, it won’t stop me from continuing on with this series.
3.5 stars
This is a spin-off of the Minnesota Christmas books, where the idea of turning the small town of Logan into Christmas Town began. Here we meet two of the men involved in that undertaking, Evan and Terry. You can easily read this as a standalone though the characters from the prior series all appear here in support.
Both men have their own issues. It’s pretty clear from the start that Evan has Asperger syndrome or a similar condition. Commitment is a huge issue for Terry, but the exact reason isn’t really revealed until near the end of the story and that made it tough to completely warm up to him. He runs when things get intense, and things get very intense the first night he is with Evan, who thinks Terry is a construction worker named Kevin when he takes him home for a night of kinky sex. Regret hits Terry and he bails before Evan wakes up. Terry realizes that running won’t change things since he is set to work directly with Evan on the Christmas Town project. Meanwhile, Evan is devastated that Kevin disappeared so much so that, when he can’t find anything about him, he is unable to function for quite a time.
There was a lot I liked about the book, especially Evan, but let me get it out there right now, I was uncomfortable with how long everyone lied to Evan about Kevin and the more I read and the longer it went on, the angrier I became at the way his friends and coworkers “handling” Evan. I understand some of the reasoning, but it bordered on cruel, especially Dale’s involvement, knowing how Evan perceives things and seeing just how devastated and obsessed Evan became.
Now, that aside, Heidi Cullinan created another character I loved from the start. Evan is unique. He’s not your typical leading man. Blunt and socially awkward, he has gotten by, getting what he needs with the least possible complications. But Kevin/Terry gets under his skin quickly and intensely. I adored Evan and his relationship with employer and friend Dale in general. Dale gets him. Dale sees his genius and is more than willing to do what Evan needs in order for him to be comfortable. He also is protective of Evan, but I didn’t like the way Dale handled Evan with respect to Terry/Kevin. Really, the whole situation upset me enough that it greatly affected my enjoyment of the story.
I did like Evan and Terry together. They get along well, they have the same interests and they appreciate each other’s work. In fact they are perfect together, which they discover even as Evan still feels something for Kevin. The more time they spend together, the more Evan’s attraction and confusion grows. Unfortunately, Terry’s lame attempts to tell Evan who he is as they get to know each other and work and live together were weak and frustrating and I spent more time being aggravated at him then trying to get to know him. Eventually, after way too long, things come out in the open and Evan is pretty forgiving in the hopes of moving forward with Terry, but of course, that doesn’t go smoothly either.
The story starts off with a majorly kinky sex scene. If humiliation kink is not your thing, the sex scenes will make you uncomfortable, though there are only a couple. This plays into Terry’s issues and again, after the identity issue is resolved, causes him to bail on Evan for weeks. We finally get some insight into Terry towards the end of the story and he does regret what he did and proffer an apology, but it seemed a bit abrupt at the end. I think I would have liked Terry a bit better if we had more insight into his mental state a bit earlier in the story.
I was happy to be back in Logan and revisit all the men of the Minnesota Christmas series. I especially was happy to see Gabriel, who felt as I did about the whole situation. I loved the way they all supported Evan and made him a part of their family. I did love the characterization of Evan and the growth of his friendship with Terry. Although I wasn’t thrilled with the way the mistaken identity plot played out and would have liked more time with the two men together without this secret between them, it won’t stop me from continuing on with this series.
December 12, 2017
Ummm....well, I liked the beginning of this book. The first few chapters start with some pretty kinky sex that jumps off the page with chemistry and anticipation of something fated, inescapable.
Then the next chapters start and we wait until practically the end of the book to get back to any kinky sex which is scaled way back when it does happen again because of Terry's issues with his kink. The misunderstanding in between is drawn out way too long and makes everyone seem manipulative rather than supportive. The enabling is strong in this book. It's nice that Evan and Terry get to know each other outside of sex but starting with such a strong bang makes the rest of the book seem like we ate dessert first and now we have to eat our vegetables.
Both Evan and Terry have strong, strong personality quirks that are supported by their luck in finding an employer who is willing to work around their special needs to get to their special genius but it was frustrating to watch. These guys seemed to have no real understanding or appreciation for just how outside of regular allowances these accommodations were. Because of that they too often seemed spoiled and self centered.
In the end, although I came to find Evan and his quirks more toward endearing, I found Terry to be annoying and I just never could warm up to him. Again, the enabling in this book was a severe detriment to Terry who fortunately, finally got some professional help.
All the past Logan couples come out to play which is always nice but I didn't really like this one as much as the past books in the Logan universe.
Then the next chapters start and we wait until practically the end of the book to get back to any kinky sex which is scaled way back when it does happen again because of Terry's issues with his kink. The misunderstanding in between is drawn out way too long and makes everyone seem manipulative rather than supportive. The enabling is strong in this book. It's nice that Evan and Terry get to know each other outside of sex but starting with such a strong bang makes the rest of the book seem like we ate dessert first and now we have to eat our vegetables.
Both Evan and Terry have strong, strong personality quirks that are supported by their luck in finding an employer who is willing to work around their special needs to get to their special genius but it was frustrating to watch. These guys seemed to have no real understanding or appreciation for just how outside of regular allowances these accommodations were. Because of that they too often seemed spoiled and self centered.
In the end, although I came to find Evan and his quirks more toward endearing, I found Terry to be annoying and I just never could warm up to him. Again, the enabling in this book was a severe detriment to Terry who fortunately, finally got some professional help.
All the past Logan couples come out to play which is always nice but I didn't really like this one as much as the past books in the Logan universe.
July 16, 2018
Overall book rating: 4
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3.5
So I’m thinking.. under “normal” circumstances, I may or may not have enjoyed this book a little “less” than I did this time around.
The reason? Terry.
But seeing as I’m in an “early –Christmas” read mood I decided that not even his erratic jumping around crazy ass would get me totally wound up.
I really enjoyed Evan Myles. He kept me interested in finishing this book solely because of his unique ways.
He made an interesting out of the norm character and at my current state of mind, I thought he was something else. I decided not to try and “understand” him, because I really still can’t, even after a whole book. I just enjoyed him for keeping me intrigued.
Therefore, my verdict will be 4 stars. Cause that’s how I feel TODAY ;-)
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3.5
So I’m thinking.. under “normal” circumstances, I may or may not have enjoyed this book a little “less” than I did this time around.
The reason? Terry.
But seeing as I’m in an “early –Christmas” read mood I decided that not even his erratic jumping around crazy ass would get me totally wound up.
I really enjoyed Evan Myles. He kept me interested in finishing this book solely because of his unique ways.
He made an interesting out of the norm character and at my current state of mind, I thought he was something else. I decided not to try and “understand” him, because I really still can’t, even after a whole book. I just enjoyed him for keeping me intrigued.
Therefore, my verdict will be 4 stars. Cause that’s how I feel TODAY ;-)
December 24, 2017
2.5 stars
Synopsis: Evan is a project designer who is on location in Logan in order to make Christmas Town a reality. He's not very good with people, so when his assistant challenges him to go pick someone up in a bar since he can't get escorts in Logan, he does. Kevin is not his usual type, but he comes home with Evan and they have a great time together. When Evan wakes up in the morning, Kevin is gone, and Evan and everyone working in Logan can't figure out who he is or where he went.
Terry is the architect of the Christmas Town project and has been working with the crew a lot. Because he wasn't exactly expecting that, he had to buy clothes at the thrift store in town, and one of them happened to have someone else's name on it. When Terry is hit on clumsily at the bar the night before he leaves town, he is intrigued enough by Evan to go with him. He leaves before Evan awakens, though, and isn't looking forward to when they meet to work on the project together in St. Paul.
When they do start working together, though, Evan doesn't recognize him, and Terry can't quite admit that he is the Kevin that Evan is still determinedly looking for. They do work well together, though, so when their boss sends them to Logan to start the next phase together, they share the cabin that Evan originally had when he was there. As they get to know one another better, Evan is torn between Kevin and Terry, and Terry just knows that he will do something to mess it up.
What I liked: the fact that there was no Walter/Kelly, Ed/Laurie, Sam/Mitch/Randy/Ethan (that would have been interesting trying to keep the two names straight) in this story. I liked that the two men were flawed and had friends who understood them. I also liked that, although they started with a bang, they actually got the opportunity to get to know one another as the story went on.
This story made me think, because I was so obsessed with what Evan was and it completely took over the story for me. So, it made me think about labels, and what they mean to me. I'm not sure if I was obsessed with what label Evan should have because once the label was there, I could relate to it and go "oh, yes, I understand how this is supposed to be and how to get to know Evan now", or if I wanted a label so that I could put Evan in his little box and move on. I like to think that it is the former.
I also didn't realize that Terry's reactions weren't because of something tragic in his past, but because that was who Terry was. I mean, I know anxiety; I have a 7 year old nephew with anxiety, but for some reason, in the context of this story, I was expecting there to be a reason for his reactions, not that his reactions were the reason.
What I didn't like: I would actually really like to see standalone books that aren't part of a series, because this story felt as though it leaned really heavily on characters from previous books, and that they propped up the story when it would have faltered. As happy as I am to revisit them, maybe the story would have developed better between Terry and Evan. As much as I felt that the misunderstanding about Terry/Kevin went on too long, it did give Evan and Terry an opportunity to meet each other again for the first time.
Overall impression: the fact that I had to think, and to face my own perceptions of labels, along with what felt like a realistic portrayal of both disorders should have made this a 4 to 4.5 star read for me. However, since it felt as though this wouldn't be a story without the characters from previous books, my final rating got lowered quite a bit. I couldn't quite connect to Evan, and the deception was really drawn out, to the point of being wafer thin.
Synopsis: Evan is a project designer who is on location in Logan in order to make Christmas Town a reality. He's not very good with people, so when his assistant challenges him to go pick someone up in a bar since he can't get escorts in Logan, he does. Kevin is not his usual type, but he comes home with Evan and they have a great time together. When Evan wakes up in the morning, Kevin is gone, and Evan and everyone working in Logan can't figure out who he is or where he went.
Terry is the architect of the Christmas Town project and has been working with the crew a lot. Because he wasn't exactly expecting that, he had to buy clothes at the thrift store in town, and one of them happened to have someone else's name on it. When Terry is hit on clumsily at the bar the night before he leaves town, he is intrigued enough by Evan to go with him. He leaves before Evan awakens, though, and isn't looking forward to when they meet to work on the project together in St. Paul.
When they do start working together, though, Evan doesn't recognize him, and Terry can't quite admit that he is the Kevin that Evan is still determinedly looking for. They do work well together, though, so when their boss sends them to Logan to start the next phase together, they share the cabin that Evan originally had when he was there. As they get to know one another better, Evan is torn between Kevin and Terry, and Terry just knows that he will do something to mess it up.
What I liked: the fact that there was no Walter/Kelly, Ed/Laurie, Sam/Mitch/Randy/Ethan (that would have been interesting trying to keep the two names straight) in this story. I liked that the two men were flawed and had friends who understood them. I also liked that, although they started with a bang, they actually got the opportunity to get to know one another as the story went on.
This story made me think, because I was so obsessed with what Evan was and it completely took over the story for me. So, it made me think about labels, and what they mean to me. I'm not sure if I was obsessed with what label Evan should have because once the label was there, I could relate to it and go "oh, yes, I understand how this is supposed to be and how to get to know Evan now", or if I wanted a label so that I could put Evan in his little box and move on. I like to think that it is the former.
I also didn't realize that Terry's reactions weren't because of something tragic in his past, but because that was who Terry was. I mean, I know anxiety; I have a 7 year old nephew with anxiety, but for some reason, in the context of this story, I was expecting there to be a reason for his reactions, not that his reactions were the reason.
What I didn't like: I would actually really like to see standalone books that aren't part of a series, because this story felt as though it leaned really heavily on characters from previous books, and that they propped up the story when it would have faltered. As happy as I am to revisit them, maybe the story would have developed better between Terry and Evan. As much as I felt that the misunderstanding about Terry/Kevin went on too long, it did give Evan and Terry an opportunity to meet each other again for the first time.
Overall impression: the fact that I had to think, and to face my own perceptions of labels, along with what felt like a realistic portrayal of both disorders should have made this a 4 to 4.5 star read for me. However, since it felt as though this wouldn't be a story without the characters from previous books, my final rating got lowered quite a bit. I couldn't quite connect to Evan, and the deception was really drawn out, to the point of being wafer thin.
December 23, 2017
I feel like my reading habits have been tuned to the Hallmark channel because this if the 4th holiday book I've read in a row. Heidi Cullinan is a favorite author of mine (I particularly love Dance With Me and Dirty Laundry). What she excels at is the rare combo of sweet/kink. I don't know how she does it, but she's great at creating sweet love stories with a high degree of depraved, kinky sex. It's such an odd combination that it *shouldn't* work...but somehow it does.
What I liked about this book was that sweet/kink mix, the Christmas theme, being able to revisit MCs from her previous book, and the overall setting of Christmas town. I also like how these two odd MCs--who didn't seem compatible at first--truly were as the story progressed. I also liked their shop talk about architecture and design and even though it's a fictional town, I found myself excited about the developments and improvements being made to the town.
I rated this story 3 stars because I had a hard time liking/understanding the MCs at first. I knew pretty quickly that Evan had Asperger's, but because we weren't invited into his inner thoughts as much as, say, Cullinan's Asperger characters from Carry the Ocean, it was just harder to connect, empathize and root for Evan.
Still, if you are a fan of holiday stories or Cullinan, I suspect you will reading this holiday story. :)
What I liked about this book was that sweet/kink mix, the Christmas theme, being able to revisit MCs from her previous book, and the overall setting of Christmas town. I also like how these two odd MCs--who didn't seem compatible at first--truly were as the story progressed. I also liked their shop talk about architecture and design and even though it's a fictional town, I found myself excited about the developments and improvements being made to the town.
I rated this story 3 stars because I had a hard time liking/understanding the MCs at first. I knew pretty quickly that Evan had Asperger's, but because we weren't invited into his inner thoughts as much as, say, Cullinan's Asperger characters from Carry the Ocean, it was just harder to connect, empathize and root for Evan.
Still, if you are a fan of holiday stories or Cullinan, I suspect you will reading this holiday story. :)
December 13, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
The Christmas Fling is the first book in Heidi Cullinan’s new Christmas Town series. The series is a spinoff of her fabulous Minnesota Christmas series, and those books lead very directly into this one. All of the main characters from that series appear here, some in significant roles, and Christmas Town gets its start in that series. So while this is officially the start of something new, I really think that having that background will be a big help in understanding the set up here, as well as being familiar with the side characters that show up. In fact, even having read that entire series, I did wish for a bit more background on the Christmas Town project, just to get me back up to speed. So I definitely think reading those will be useful here, but they are fabulous and that is definitely no hardship!
I actually quite loved how the two series tie together and enjoyed the expansion of the Christmas Town storyline. It is a nice way to catch us up on the folks (and the town) we know and love, while at the same time taking things in a somewhat new direction. With the guys as the project’s head architect and designer, as well as both working for Dale (who stars in Santa Baby), we get kind of a behind-the-scenes feel as we see them developing the designs and planning how the town will look. Most of this story takes place in Logan, and I am really interested to see how future books will develop and what new directions Cullinan will take the series.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
The Christmas Fling is the first book in Heidi Cullinan’s new Christmas Town series. The series is a spinoff of her fabulous Minnesota Christmas series, and those books lead very directly into this one. All of the main characters from that series appear here, some in significant roles, and Christmas Town gets its start in that series. So while this is officially the start of something new, I really think that having that background will be a big help in understanding the set up here, as well as being familiar with the side characters that show up. In fact, even having read that entire series, I did wish for a bit more background on the Christmas Town project, just to get me back up to speed. So I definitely think reading those will be useful here, but they are fabulous and that is definitely no hardship!
I actually quite loved how the two series tie together and enjoyed the expansion of the Christmas Town storyline. It is a nice way to catch us up on the folks (and the town) we know and love, while at the same time taking things in a somewhat new direction. With the guys as the project’s head architect and designer, as well as both working for Dale (who stars in Santa Baby), we get kind of a behind-the-scenes feel as we see them developing the designs and planning how the town will look. Most of this story takes place in Logan, and I am really interested to see how future books will develop and what new directions Cullinan will take the series.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
December 21, 2017
Sexy and sweet. Started out with a bang, but most of story simmered on the slow burn.
Enjoyable, but Terry let the mistaken identity go on for too long
Enjoyable, but Terry let the mistaken identity go on for too long
December 11, 2017
2.5 Stars rounded up. I really dislike giving a less than stellar review to an author I usually enjoy reading. Unfortunately, this particular story just didn’t work for me on too many levels. It seemed to start out well, with a promising mistaken identity trope. Evan was a wonderful character, on the autism spectrum, but highly functional, quirky, eccentric and often lacking in interpersonal skills. I enjoyed his dynamic with Charlotte and Dale, who also helped him manage his life. Terry was quite likable too, having his own rather anomalous characteristics, depending on his best friend Levi for guidance and advice, not that he always listened. The major sex scene early in the book gets quite hot and kinky, but made me a little uncomfortable too. Not the kink itself, but the way Evan seemed to push Terry too hard. Even though Terry consented to Evan’s suggestions, he was not very verbal about it, and there was no safe word discussed. During it, Terry’s own thoughts led me to anticipate some type of a negative reaction after the fact.
The mistaken identity scenario could have been fun, but became annoying because from 20% through 65%, Evan still never realizes Kevin is Terry, or Terry is Kevin. Terry does sort of try to tell him but allows Evan to stop him the few times he tried. Dale throws them together, living and working side by side, but nothing physical happens between them again other than work. It’s all about the town, the building, the other characters and then some dialogue between the two. After the truth comes out, things do move forward slowly, yet still without much romance being shown. I couldn’t feel much romantic connection at all. The little there was seemed to get lost in the separate, and frequent, internal dialogues and discussions with all the other characters. When it finally reaches a second sex scene, it becomes telling, not showing, only describing what Evan does to Terry, and sets up a crisis point. I know it was intentional on the author’s part but the cause of Terry’s issues was left undisclosed until near the end of the story. I couldn’t recognize the problem and knowing might have let me enjoy some scenes, or at least not been so annoyed. The ending was a grand gesture sort of thing but I wish we’d seen them as a real couple for a while beyond that.
The Minnesota Christmas men and their families did become friends to both guys, as they’re all working to transform the town into a holiday-themed tourist destination. Dale is quite present, and he tends to coddle Evan quite a lot and Terry as well. I’m ambivalent about Dale because his story wasn’t a favorite either. I did like the first three Minnesota Christmas stories a great deal. There’s going to be a difference of opinion between my view and other reviewers who will find this story delightful, but no two people will ever read the same book in quite the same way.
*An ARC was provided by the author or publisher and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review for Hearts On Fire Reviews blog*
The mistaken identity scenario could have been fun, but became annoying because from 20% through 65%, Evan still never realizes Kevin is Terry, or Terry is Kevin. Terry does sort of try to tell him but allows Evan to stop him the few times he tried. Dale throws them together, living and working side by side, but nothing physical happens between them again other than work. It’s all about the town, the building, the other characters and then some dialogue between the two. After the truth comes out, things do move forward slowly, yet still without much romance being shown. I couldn’t feel much romantic connection at all. The little there was seemed to get lost in the separate, and frequent, internal dialogues and discussions with all the other characters. When it finally reaches a second sex scene, it becomes telling, not showing, only describing what Evan does to Terry, and sets up a crisis point. I know it was intentional on the author’s part but the cause of Terry’s issues was left undisclosed until near the end of the story. I couldn’t recognize the problem and knowing might have let me enjoy some scenes, or at least not been so annoyed. The ending was a grand gesture sort of thing but I wish we’d seen them as a real couple for a while beyond that.
The Minnesota Christmas men and their families did become friends to both guys, as they’re all working to transform the town into a holiday-themed tourist destination. Dale is quite present, and he tends to coddle Evan quite a lot and Terry as well. I’m ambivalent about Dale because his story wasn’t a favorite either. I did like the first three Minnesota Christmas stories a great deal. There’s going to be a difference of opinion between my view and other reviewers who will find this story delightful, but no two people will ever read the same book in quite the same way.
*An ARC was provided by the author or publisher and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review for Hearts On Fire Reviews blog*
December 29, 2020
I didn't really vibe with this one, mostly because I couldn't relate to the kinks (humiliation is not a kink for me, it's absolute terror. I'm sorry, I'm not gonna find it sexy) and I felt like a lot of the plot could have been settled with just the bare minimum of communication.
I do agree Terry needed professional help, and wouldn't have been any good to anyone, least of all himself if he didn't. But as interesting as that part was, it took a really round-about way of getting "solved" that I didn't like.
Also, there were a few occasions where Evan is Terry and vice versa, which were obvious enough and should have been caught. Maybe if every single character in the entire town wasn't listed all at once....
I do agree Terry needed professional help, and wouldn't have been any good to anyone, least of all himself if he didn't. But as interesting as that part was, it took a really round-about way of getting "solved" that I didn't like.
Also, there were a few occasions where Evan is Terry and vice versa, which were obvious enough and should have been caught. Maybe if every single character in the entire town wasn't listed all at once....
January 5, 2018
2.5 Stars
Don't know what happened with this story but I struggled with it all the way through. There were a few shiny moments but not enough for me to get excited about it.
December 8, 2017
You always know you're going to get something special from Heidi Cullinan, especially when it comes to her Christmas stories. The Christmas Fling is book 1 in her new Christmas Town series, set in the same location as her Minnesota Christmas series. This is subtly different from the Minnesota Christmas stories even though we have a perfect cross-over from that series and many of the characters are involved in Terry and Evan's story.
Both MCs have A LOT to work out - socially, personally and within their burgeoning relationship they both see themselves as lesser than they are within their own minds and need to discover their own worth within a relationship and they both struggle with conditions that can make understanding social and romantic nuances difficult (aspergers/spectrum and anxiety). The opening premise of this story, that of a misunderstanding/misrepresentation of identity could have been treated in a trite, even mean manner, however it is not and as the foundation of the mens' relationship it sets an interesting frame to the rest of the romance. The romance in this story is not one that is in your face, or even sickly sweet in that typical Christmas romance way. It's nuanced, challenging at times and fascinating to watch unfold. It's quite a bit kinky too (go Heidi!!).
One of the things I really appreciate and love about Heidi's books is the fact that many of her characters are not what society would consider 'normal' (whatever the hell normal is interpreted as anyway). Her characters may have a mental illness, a physical disability, an acquired injury or a potentially debilitating neurological condition however these are treated with a great amount of respect and whilst the characters themselves may struggle with the reality of their condition, we as readers are able to feel empathy for them due to the way they are written and represented. The characters who interract with the MCs too on the whole see these men as not flawed, just as being who they are. It's a rare thing in romance and it truly is wonderful to see.
I enjoyed this series starter and look forward to not only more stories from Christmas Town, but also the opportunity to see where Evan and Terry's relationship takes them. I look forward to seeing what others think of The Christmas Fling.
Both MCs have A LOT to work out - socially, personally and within their burgeoning relationship they both see themselves as lesser than they are within their own minds and need to discover their own worth within a relationship and they both struggle with conditions that can make understanding social and romantic nuances difficult (aspergers/spectrum and anxiety). The opening premise of this story, that of a misunderstanding/misrepresentation of identity could have been treated in a trite, even mean manner, however it is not and as the foundation of the mens' relationship it sets an interesting frame to the rest of the romance. The romance in this story is not one that is in your face, or even sickly sweet in that typical Christmas romance way. It's nuanced, challenging at times and fascinating to watch unfold. It's quite a bit kinky too (go Heidi!!).
One of the things I really appreciate and love about Heidi's books is the fact that many of her characters are not what society would consider 'normal' (whatever the hell normal is interpreted as anyway). Her characters may have a mental illness, a physical disability, an acquired injury or a potentially debilitating neurological condition however these are treated with a great amount of respect and whilst the characters themselves may struggle with the reality of their condition, we as readers are able to feel empathy for them due to the way they are written and represented. The characters who interract with the MCs too on the whole see these men as not flawed, just as being who they are. It's a rare thing in romance and it truly is wonderful to see.
I enjoyed this series starter and look forward to not only more stories from Christmas Town, but also the opportunity to see where Evan and Terry's relationship takes them. I look forward to seeing what others think of The Christmas Fling.
January 18, 2018
I really struggled to finish this book. The MCs were difficult to like so I honestly didn't care what happened to them. I really should have moved it to the DNF shelf rather than continue reading. I kept hoping for it to turn around, but it never did.
January 3, 2018
Minnesota Winter Freezes Brains
You have to have already read the "Minnesota Christmas" series (which I loved) to get past Chapter Two of this one which features two of the most complex, conflicted, confounding and, in the end, totally confused MC's you will ever hope to meet. You will be itching to be able to smack them upside their heads.
And the odd thing is that even though I finished the first two chapters and put the book away because I did not like Evan in Chapter One and Terry in Chapter 2, I came back a month later, started it over and whipped right through it. Because when you get through the next few chapters, you also will be out of breath and shocked about how hot Heidi Cullinan has devised the first coupling of these two--it goes on and on and you never want it to end even if you don't like mild BSDM, which I can take and usually leave.
Shockingly, it is Evan, whose glasses have thick triple lenses and who never hooks up except with escorts, who emerges as a totally magnificent character, a man you want to get to know and love. And it's Terry who keeps coming up short in your expectations--I actually expected him to screw things up for the thousandth time in the last chapter.
That they are the key professionals in the Christmas Town project in the totally off-the-wall northern Minnesota community of Logan is a hoot because they eventually get to work with each other, and Cullinan does a brilliant job in keeping your interest in this aspect of their relationship. That she involves all the other characters from the first series is very smart--four couples with a bear in each and this one with Terry morphing into an otter early on without anyone realizing it.
I suppose that's him on the cover, and the look in his eye should tell you something--if you think I'm hot, I'm blaming you for thinking that because I have no self esteem beyond my arched eyebrow. It's not that depressing, and I look forward to more from this whacky bunch in the next one.
You have to have already read the "Minnesota Christmas" series (which I loved) to get past Chapter Two of this one which features two of the most complex, conflicted, confounding and, in the end, totally confused MC's you will ever hope to meet. You will be itching to be able to smack them upside their heads.
And the odd thing is that even though I finished the first two chapters and put the book away because I did not like Evan in Chapter One and Terry in Chapter 2, I came back a month later, started it over and whipped right through it. Because when you get through the next few chapters, you also will be out of breath and shocked about how hot Heidi Cullinan has devised the first coupling of these two--it goes on and on and you never want it to end even if you don't like mild BSDM, which I can take and usually leave.
Shockingly, it is Evan, whose glasses have thick triple lenses and who never hooks up except with escorts, who emerges as a totally magnificent character, a man you want to get to know and love. And it's Terry who keeps coming up short in your expectations--I actually expected him to screw things up for the thousandth time in the last chapter.
That they are the key professionals in the Christmas Town project in the totally off-the-wall northern Minnesota community of Logan is a hoot because they eventually get to work with each other, and Cullinan does a brilliant job in keeping your interest in this aspect of their relationship. That she involves all the other characters from the first series is very smart--four couples with a bear in each and this one with Terry morphing into an otter early on without anyone realizing it.
I suppose that's him on the cover, and the look in his eye should tell you something--if you think I'm hot, I'm blaming you for thinking that because I have no self esteem beyond my arched eyebrow. It's not that depressing, and I look forward to more from this whacky bunch in the next one.
January 20, 2018
I was very happy to see the author write a bit of a spin-off to her ‘Minnesota Christmas’ series as that is a definite favorite of mine. I was instantly drawn in by the description, especially of Evan, because I have a serious soft spot for geeky, brilliant, and horribly awkward men. I figured if anyone could help Evan and Terry get to their happy ever after it would be the multitude of fairy godfathers running around Logan, Minnesota.
I am 100 percent positive that I have never, and I mean never, met a character more blunt and completely, socially unskilled than Evan. I loved him. He’s right about two things. The two things he’s best at in the whole world is design and sex. When he and Terry meet at a bar in Logan, it’s a simple miscommunication that leads Evan to believe Terry is a construction worker. Terry follows Evan back to his cabin that night because he’s curious to see these mock-ups Evan mentions that take Terry’s own architectural designs and tweaks them, for the better in Evan’s opinion. Terry has every intention of telling Evan who he really is except somehow, Evan keys into one of Terry’s biggest kinks that he has never really allowed himself to explore or accept, and well, there you have it. When Evan wakes up the next morning and this incredible man is gone, he spends three weeks trying to find him.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
I am 100 percent positive that I have never, and I mean never, met a character more blunt and completely, socially unskilled than Evan. I loved him. He’s right about two things. The two things he’s best at in the whole world is design and sex. When he and Terry meet at a bar in Logan, it’s a simple miscommunication that leads Evan to believe Terry is a construction worker. Terry follows Evan back to his cabin that night because he’s curious to see these mock-ups Evan mentions that take Terry’s own architectural designs and tweaks them, for the better in Evan’s opinion. Terry has every intention of telling Evan who he really is except somehow, Evan keys into one of Terry’s biggest kinks that he has never really allowed himself to explore or accept, and well, there you have it. When Evan wakes up the next morning and this incredible man is gone, he spends three weeks trying to find him.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
December 15, 2017
I loved this, love love love LOVED this book so much!
OK so I'm a card-carrying Heidi Cullinan fan and this one did not disappoint.
Set in the Logan, Minnesota - the home of the Minnesota Christmas series. We see the heroes of the other series here - Dale features prominently in the story but the others get a good look-in too - but it is not necessary to have read the series before delving into this one, just more fun if you have.
Evan and Terry meet in less-than-ideal circumstances, while they have insane sexual chemistry the case of mistaken identity creates a gulf between them. Evan pines after the mysterious 'Kevin' that blew his mind for one night and then ran, while struggling with his growing attraction to Terry. Terry on his part feels guilty for running on Evan and keeping the secret of him being 'Kevin' from him. The tag line 'sometimes it takes a village to fall in love' is the most awesome summary for this story - it literally takes the whole Christmas Village for Evan and Terry to get their happy ending.
This book was the most fun I've had reading a story in a long while. Not that the book was intentionally funny per se, more that it was full of delight and joy, even in the darkest moments of angst and anxiety. Just the most wonderful Christmas story.
OK so I'm a card-carrying Heidi Cullinan fan and this one did not disappoint.
Set in the Logan, Minnesota - the home of the Minnesota Christmas series. We see the heroes of the other series here - Dale features prominently in the story but the others get a good look-in too - but it is not necessary to have read the series before delving into this one, just more fun if you have.
Evan and Terry meet in less-than-ideal circumstances, while they have insane sexual chemistry the case of mistaken identity creates a gulf between them. Evan pines after the mysterious 'Kevin' that blew his mind for one night and then ran, while struggling with his growing attraction to Terry. Terry on his part feels guilty for running on Evan and keeping the secret of him being 'Kevin' from him. The tag line 'sometimes it takes a village to fall in love' is the most awesome summary for this story - it literally takes the whole Christmas Village for Evan and Terry to get their happy ending.
This book was the most fun I've had reading a story in a long while. Not that the book was intentionally funny per se, more that it was full of delight and joy, even in the darkest moments of angst and anxiety. Just the most wonderful Christmas story.
December 23, 2017
I loved these Christmas Town stories and found this one by accident, so great when I get a lovely surprise.
I like the two boys, Terry and Evan and was impressed to see all the townsfolk rally to help them.
A couple of small niggles. Tagging as spoilers just in case.
Hope there's more.
I like the two boys, Terry and Evan and was impressed to see all the townsfolk rally to help them.
A couple of small niggles. Tagging as spoilers just in case.
Hope there's more.
December 19, 2022
I should have DNF’d it
Everyone that works at the company with Evan sucks! Why did no one tell him?
And then Levi had his twin brother George talk to Terry as a physiologist and give him meds? Nope that’s impossible, he could recommend someone but not treated him
The ending should have been 80% and then more making up should have happened and maybe that would have helped. Maybe.
Also this kind of fucks up the HEA for Santa Baby wtf? I will not ever be reading the next one
Everyone that works at the company with Evan sucks! Why did no one tell him?
And then Levi had his twin brother George talk to Terry as a physiologist and give him meds? Nope that’s impossible, he could recommend someone but not treated him
The ending should have been 80% and then more making up should have happened and maybe that would have helped. Maybe.
Also this kind of fucks up the HEA for Santa Baby wtf? I will not ever be reading the next one
lurking-in-kindleland
December 18, 2017Back to lurking on the kindle with this book... I fear that my days of reading this author may be numbered... just so many problems (not just the editing)...
January 6, 2018
3.5 Stars
I am excited about this new Christmas series from Heidi Cullinan. She is one of my favorite writers.
Evan and Terry and both a bit of a mess. I tend to like that. I love the revisit to the setting and the circle of friends.
I do enjoy the dynamic between the heroes. However, the secret goes on too long and takes time that could have been spent building a stronger connection between the heroes. And Terry could have used the therapy he gets for his issues with anxiety earlier in the book.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
I am excited about this new Christmas series from Heidi Cullinan. She is one of my favorite writers.
Evan and Terry and both a bit of a mess. I tend to like that. I love the revisit to the setting and the circle of friends.
I do enjoy the dynamic between the heroes. However, the secret goes on too long and takes time that could have been spent building a stronger connection between the heroes. And Terry could have used the therapy he gets for his issues with anxiety earlier in the book.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
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