Unleashed

Hamilton Christmas #1

by Donna Kauffman

A raging winter storm and a holiday spent pet-sitting reveals there’s more than one kind of animal in the house . . .

When Emma Lafferty is hired by a billionaire CEO to watch his pets over the holidays, she expects to enjoy a quiet Christmas in opulent surroundings. What she doesn’t expect is to spend the week trapped in the mansion with Trevor Hamilton, the CEO’s sexy great-nephew—and heir—whose motives are as shady as his desire is crystal clear . . .

Originally in the To All a Good Night anthology

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Novella, Holiday, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult

116 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 25, 2018

About the author

USA Today bestseller and award winning author of the Cupcake Club series and the Blueberry Cove series, DONNA KAUFFMAN has been gratified to see her books get rave reviews in venues ranging from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal to Entertainment Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, where she is happily working on the next book in her brand new Blue Hollow Falls series, set right in her mountain home area. When she's not writing, she can be found recapping the popular tv show NCIS for USA Today, or escaping into her garden to play in the dirt. Donna also works as a volunteer wildlife transporter for two local sanctuaries, giving orphaned and injured wildlife a second chance at survival. You can catch up on all of her adventures via her author page on Facebook, or on Twitter, or Instagram @writerchick. Donna loves to hear from readers!

Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma has a job for Christmas pet-sitting at a billionaire's mountaintop mansion. She doesn't expect to be keeping company with her employer's handsome great-nephew, Trevor, who seems to have a secret agenda for being there. A winter storm traps the two there and sparks fly. A fun and flirty romance with likable lead characters, two cute dogs, and a funny parrot.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unleashed by Donna Kauffman is the first novella length contemporary romance in the Hamilton Christmas series. This story was originally published in the To All a Good Night anthology but is being republished as part of it's own Christmas collection. Each book in the series can be read as standalone stories with each featuring a different set of main characters. 

Emma Lafferty found the corporate world to be a downer and decided to take a chance and do something she loved starting her own pet care business. When Emma is hired to pet-sit in a billionaire's mansion over the Christmas holiday she couldn't pass the opportunity by hoping for future business references. 

When Emma arrives at the mansion she immediately takes care of the pets before she begins to explore the mansion. As Emma explores she runs into Trevor Hamilton, the CEO’s sexy great-nephew. Trevor had been using his uncle's absence to search out family documents and never expected to fall for the sexy housesitter. 

Obviously being novella length there isn't a lot of time for depth to this quickie romance read so expect some insta-love folks. However, for those that don't mind a fast paced moving relationship on occasion like myself the characters in the story are quite likable and along with some humorous moments along the way the story is really enjoyable. Looking forward to seeing what the next book in the series brings. 

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - "Santa is being very, very good to me this year!" Stars!

Novella one of Donna Kauffman’s Hamilton Christmas series, sees us snowed in with pet-sitter Emma Lafferty.

He was one very fine-looking man, with far too much charm and the kind of confidence that naturally came along with it…

Emma is expecting a quiet Christmas looking after two dogs and a chatty parrot, however what she actually gets is snowed in with Trevor Hamilton, great-nephew to the man who hired her, and not being entirely honest about his reasons for turning up at his Great-Uncles mansion while he is out of town for the holidays.

He’d come looking for one thing… And, it appeared, had found something else entirely…

Being trapped together in a house, while the snow falls, the temperatures drop and the fires roar, brings out all sorts of ‘insta’ connections between our pair, and produced the perfect little Christmas interlude, for anyone looking for a few hours of escapism from what is generally a hectic season.

"I’ll have you warmed up in no time."

ARC generously provided, in exchange for the above honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unleashed is a novella by Donna Kauffman that was previously published in the To All a Good Night anthology and has now been rereleased as an ebook as part of the Hamilton Christmas series in time for the holidays. I've not read anything by this author before but I love Christmas stories at this time of year so I couldn't resist giving this one a try.

Emma is a pet sitter who has been hired to look after a billionaire's pets over the holidays, she didn't really want to spend Christmas alone but the money is too good to resist and she's hoping a recommendation for doing a good job could bring an influx of wealthy clients to her new pet care business. She's supposed to be the only one in the mansion so it comes as quite a shock when her client's nephew turns up & thanks to a storm they end up stuck there together.

Since this is a novella events happen very quickly and the relationship between Emma and Trevor develops at warp speed, in fact I think the entire story happens within 24 hours with a short epilogue set about a year later, but I can forgive that in a sweet Christmas read. The characters were fun, there was a nice amount of banter and they had good chemistry. The addition of the animals Emma was looking after was cute and the story left a smile on my face which is all I ask for from a quick holiday read. I'm looking forward to reading the next one!

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

In need of a little pick me up with a holiday theme? This novella may be just what you need to read!

Emma Lafferty meets Trevor Hamilton amidst a blizzard. With no power and zero visibility, they make the best of their situation while watching the lovable pets of Trevor’s billionaire uncle.

Emma has opened a pet care business and she couldn’t down this job even with it being over the holidays. Trevor knows his uncle is away for the holidays and sneaks into his house to try to uncover a family secret not knowing that a pet sitter has been hired.

I really liked these characters. The novella-length suits this situation as readers get to know the characters as they get to know each other. I loved the pets, especially the parrot but the dogs were great too. The best thing for me was that Emma was a strong, independent woman. She asked questions and expected answers. Even with her attraction to Trevor, she was never a damsel in distress.

The setting was ideal. A huge mansion with plenty of rooms to get lost in. While the snowstorm made it hard for the dogs to do their business I bet it was beautiful. Losing power was handled with fireplaces and candles which plays right into the romantic theme.

I was intrigued by the important family mystery Trevor was trying to reveal. Mysteries are just my thing. While Trevor’s sleuthing brought some funny moments to the story I was a little disappointed with the way his investigation wrapped up.

This is my first experience with this author and it definitely won’t be my last.

Unleashed is a fast-paced romantic romp. Heartwarming and entertaining. A great romance to escape into on a wintry afternoon.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unleashed is the first book in the Hamilton Christmas novella contemporary romance series. Each of the 3 books contains their own set of main characters but we do meet up again with characters in past books so each can be read as a standalone or a combined set. A sweet touching romance that leaves me wanting to come back and read more of this authors books. Emotions run high in this frolicking fun snowed in story!
Pub Date 25 Sep 2018
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley. I was provided with a complimentary copy and all opinions are my own.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This the first novella in the Hamilton Christmas series by Donna Kauffman. It is a short, sweet, insta-romance story set at Christmas. Emma Lafferty is working for billionaire Lionel Hamilton. She has been hired to look after his pets at his getaway home while he is out of the country. What she is not expecting is for a snowstorm to cause a power outage and for his handsome great-nephew to show up to find some kind of evidence of family secrets while Lionel was out of town. Emma is a great character, very serious about her job, but also a bit insecure about herself and her future. Trevor is just trying to find his own place in the world as well as a woman who is smart, challenging and not after him for his name or money. This is a novella, so there is not a lot of time for character development, but Emma and Trevor don't mind that. I enjoyed this story and now want to read the next two in the trilogy to find out more about the Hamilton family.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet and funny story with a bit of heat to warm up the winter chill. Emma has been hired to watch over the pets and house of billionaire Lionel Hamilton. It's just the boost her fledgling pet sitter business needs. She walked away from her perfectly good, but extremely boring accounting job, but it's a slow process to build up her clientele. I enjoyed Emma's running commentary to herself as she drove through the ice storm, then once she arrived at the house. I loved her happiness at being with the animals. The dogs were adorable and the parrot was a hoot! But Emma got quite a shock when she discovered that she wasn't alone in the house.

Trevor got quite a shock too. He knew his uncle and the staff were gone but didn't know that there was going to be someone staying at the house. He had hoped to have the place to himself to find what he was looking for and get out, with no one the wiser.

The development of the relationship between Emma and Trevor is very fast. There were sparks between them from the moment they met, but there was also a real connection. It was fun to see Trevor try to talk his way around why he was there, and Emma not fall for it. There were some pretty funny scenes as he tried, and I loved the moment in the library as he finally realized he'd have to come clean. I felt for him as he explained it all to her, and loved the way that she understood how important it was to him. The attraction between them also grows quickly, and it doesn't take long for them to stoke their own flames. Trevor is fascinated and enthralled by Emma, who isn't the least bit impressed by or interested in his bottom line, something he isn't used to. Emma has a little trouble believing that rich and sexy Trevor is interested in more than just a quick fling, but is eventually convinced.

My only disappointment is that the answers Trevor was looking for were left hanging. I did get the feeling that they will come up again in the next book, so I will definitely be on the lookout for it.

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this wonderful romantic short we are introduced to Emma, who was hired to watch the pets of a billionaire business man. Emma changed her life around eight months ago and went from a steady job at Hamilton industries to starting her own pet sitting business. She is looking forward to this new job, hoping it will open doors to working with other wealthy pet owners. While exploring the large house and animals that she will be looking after for the next twelve days she runs into what she thinks is an intruder but ends up being the nephew of the wealthy owner. She isn't sure what to make of Trevor and wonders what brings him to his Uncles home while he is away. With a storm raging outside the two are thrown together whether they like it or not. Follow along as they circle each other in an age old ritual, will they each find what they are looking for or will they let love pass them by.

[Bette Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great holiday story that was originally published as part of the To All a Good Night anthology. It's the first of three holiday novellas in the Hamilton Christmas series being individually released this season. In this one we meet Emma Lafferty and Trevor Hamilton. Emma is animal sitting for Trevors uncle and she expected to have the mansion to herself. Trevor came to the mansion because he knew his uncle was away and Trevor wanted free run of the mansion. He wasn't expecting the animal sitter to be there already. Then they are stuck together with a blizzard raging outside. One thing leads to another and well...they end up having a very merry good time!

I highly recommend this one.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unleashed By Donna Kauffman is my favorite type of story. Not because it's put out as a Christmas story or a contemporary romance, but because the characters just have such a strong connection almost from the start.
That said, Emma and Trevor weren't obnoxious or sappy about their attraction to each other. Trevor knew there was something special about Emma from the start and he wasted no time acting on his attraction to her. Kauffman was smart enough to give Emma a backbone. She didn't fall at Trevor's feet--far from it. She questioned him and demanded his honesty. Their growing respect for each other added to the sexual encounters and made this a totally swoon worthy read for me.
If you enjoy this novella, you should try Kauffman's Halfmoon Harbor. It hit me the same way--directly in the heart. I loved them both!

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute Christmas story. The story was fast moving and an easy read, but there wasn't a lot of depth. I was disappointed that Trevor, after spending years searching for answers about his ancestry, just dropped the whole idea so quickly. The story between Trevor and Emma, though, was a fun romance. I read this book knowing its part of a trilogy with a bit of mystery, so I was intrigued by the set-up in the epilogue. I look forward to the next book.

[Sofia Lazaridou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unleashed is a short, but very good story written by Donna Kauffman. It was previously published in the To All a Good Night anthology, but now is just the first novella in a series of short stories. The stories are connected and it's better if you read them in order, so pick this baby up ASAP. It's a light, Christmas-y story that's perfect for a cold afternoon. It has romance, pets and the discovery of some family secrets that will change a lot of things in many people's lives. The book also has a positive vibe and in some ways it was unexpected. I would certainly recommend it.

[Melike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful and quick read.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

First off, this short Christmas novella was originally published in the Christmas anthology To All A Good Night along with Jill Shalvis and HelenKay Dimon in 2009… I mention this up front because it is possible you have this story. I happen to love the fact that authors can re-release their novellas from anthologies after a certain time frame as individual stories… but I, personally, want to know if I might already have bought it, back then.

I had fun with Unleashed, and if you love pets, a touch of a mystery and a good old fashioned Christmas Romance then I’m pretty sure you will, too. Because it is a short novella I’m also going to be brief in talking about it. Simply put, Emma has changed careers to do what she truly loves which is taking care of pets. She has the chance for a great recommendation, as well as possible future work by taking on a house/pet sitting job for one very wealthy client. What she didn’t expect was to find her client’s great-nephew also in residence searching for… something. Or being snowbound with adorable dogs, one talkative parrot and one sexy as sin male. This job is about to get interesting – and just might lead to a life time of Happy Christmases.

Unleashed is light, it’s funny, it’s definitely sexy and simply… so much fun. If you’re looking for a quick, satisfying Christmas romance to fit in between all those holiday activities, then Unleashed is perfect.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

[Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unleashed is a funny and loving holiday story with a bit of mystery thrown in! This is a re-release of a novella by Donna Kauffman but as I re-read my holiday stories many times throughout the year(s), I had much fun revisiting Emma and Trevor.

Emma has a newly formed pet-sitting company and she is hired by a rich CEO to watch his dogs over the holidays, while he (the CEO) is out of town. Unbeknownst to her, Mr. Hamilton’s great-nephew has also shown up at the mansion…not knowing that Emma will be house and pet sitting while his uncle is out of town. That’s a bare bones set up of the story; I don’t want to give away any details. Know that Emma takes her job seriously – she and the pets are hilarious! Trevor has a “mission” but oh boy, is he ever falling for Emma, even while trying to keep her in the dark about why he is really at his uncle’s home.

These two are adorable together. Emma’s bible/list, from Mr. Hamilton, will make you roll your eyes one minute and laugh the next. I can just picture someone handing me one of these lists… This is the first story of three, is a standalone, and although this story “ends”, an overall theme carries on to the next book. It was fun and a wee bit different for a holiday read. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Whitley Birks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Emma takes a house/pet sitting job from a finicky millionaire and figures she hit gold. She gets to stay in a fabulous mansion with some cool dogs over the holiday, and get paid for it? Great! But her employee's nephew comes by for a surprise visit, just in time for both of them to get trapped in an ice storm with the power out. And Trevor has a secret reason for visiting his uncle's house when he did.

I loved the set up of this; it hits all of the high points of a great, contrived tropey romance in the best way possible. But once it was all set up, it was actually extremely dull? Most of the page time was given to long winded discussions of extremely mundane logistics. Like, several pages on who's going to carry bags inside and how to move Trevor's car into the garage. It was really weird and stilted? Their flirting was okay, when it showed up in between the weirdly convoluted discussions of "searching for candles."

The only thing that kept me reading was Trevor's mystery (he's looking for information he suspects his uncle is hiding) and...well, without giving away too many spoilers, that ending was MASSIVELY disappointing. Like, I got actively mad at the book when I reached the end. Textbook anticlimax, frankly.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Trevor and Emma’s story in Unleashed by Donna Kauffman, book one in her Hamilton Christmas series. This holiday love at first sight romance features Emma Lafferty and Trevor Hamilton. Emma is pet-sitting at the Hamilton House, for Trevor’s uncle, and expected the mansion to be empty. The trip getting there was difficult given the winter weather. However, once she arrives, she is surprised to find another person in the house when she was supposed to be alone. Trevor came to the mansion while his uncle was away so he could search for a family secret, knowing he will find the answers somewhere in the house; he just wasn't expecting the pet-sitter to already be there. Thanks to a full-on blizzard outside, they are forced to stay together in the house while searching for that family secret. One thing leads to another and sparks are flying between Trevor and Emma; leading to them having a very good time.

Ms. Kauffman wrote a wonderful and moving story filled with sexual chemistry, wonderful dialogue, banter and endearing characters that is not to be missed. I highly recommend this book to other.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Sue Galuska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma Lafferty is a pet sitter and she is hired to watch the pets of the billionaire Lionel Hamilton while he is out of the country over the Christmas holidays. Emma finally makes it to Lionel's mansion after driving through an ice storm in the dark! Emma gets into the house, feeds and walks the dogs and then feeds the parrot. Just as she is about to go wandering around the dark house, a very deep male voice catches her off guard. Turns out the voice belongs to Trevor Hamilton, Lionel's great-nephew—and heir. She wasn't told anyone would be there and she suddenly gets very suspicious.

Trevor does have a reason to be there sneaking around. He needs to find out answers from his past. When it is obvious that Trevor can't leave because of the storm, him and Emma call a some what truce. It doesn't help that they are both wildly attracted to the other.

It takes a great leap of faith, and a little holiday magic for these two to come together. This was a fun, flirty Christmas novella that was fun to read!

[Jackie Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donna Kauffman is a new author and what better place to start than with her new Hamilton Christmas Novella Trilogy after finishing this quick read I have to ask why she hasn’t crossed my radar before now and make no mistake I will be reading the other two books in this series plus I will be looking at other books by her.
Pet sitter Emma Laffererty is expecting a quiet Christmas looking after a billionaire CEO’s pets which consist of two dogs and a very talkative parrot what she didn’t expected was to get snowed in at the mansion with not only the pets but with Trevor Hamilton the sexy great nephew........
The temperature may be dropping outside but inside the temperature is soaring with an instant attraction for each other and nothing but roaring fires to keep themselves occupied the setting is set for a perfect romantic holiday interlude......
Christmas is my favourite time of year and I love Christmas romances and this one did not disappoint and I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the trilogy.

[Doreen Prentiss Gabriellini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unleashed by Donna Kauffman

Unleashed by Donna Kauffman is the first book/novella romance in the Hamilton Christmas series. This story was originally published in the To All a Good Night anthology but is being republished as part of it's own Christmas collection. Each book in the series can be read as standalone stories with each featuring a different set of main characters.

Donna Kauffman has done it again. She has created another set of characters who are likeable, funny, full of their own insecurities and in need of love. The story is very touching and enjoyable. Obviously being a novella the story is fast paced. This is definitely a nice Christmas interlude. If you are looking forward to a few hours snatched away enjoying a good book in the midst of the holiday hecticness this is the book for you.

I am looking forward to the next in the Hamilton Series “Lock, Stock and Jingle Bells”.

I would like to thank Donna Kauffman, Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and 1/2 Stars

I liked the main characters in this story. The heroine, Emma Lafferty takes on the job of house and pet sitting for a CEO billionaire. I like that she takes on jobs for all kinds of critters. She is a very caring person. The hero, Trevor Hamilton is the CEO's great-nephew and heir, but Trevor wants to make it on his own so he hasn't touched his trust fund. I admire his toughness and determination. He has his doubts about some family history and wants to find answers. As both Emma and Trevor end up getting snowed in at CEO Lionel Hamilton's mountain retreat they will have time to get answers to Trevor's questions or will they?

This is a well-written story but I didn't find the instant relationship between the two main characters to be very realistic. I can believe in love at first sight but this story went beyond that. Other than my disbelief of the instant relationship I enjoyed this story.

[Norma Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma Lafferty is pet sitting/house sitting for billionaire, Lionel Hamilton while he is away during the Christmas holiday season. After a nerve wracking drive through an ice storm, she finally arrives at the Hamilton mansion. She takes care of her pet charges and starts to explore the mansion when she encounters Hamilton’s great nephew, Trevor, who has “visited” his uncle’s home in search of information.

The storm increases in intensity and Trevor, who had planned to find the information he was seeking and leave, is stranded with Emma. Suffice it to say they are attracted to each other.

I enjoyed this lighthearted Christmas story and I recommend it to anyone who likes a sweet romance with a little bit of mystery.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Princess Thuy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very quick wintery romance. Basically a love at first sight love story so the relationship between Trevor and Emma was super intense super fast. Which I didn't mind at all. Sexy, sweet and romantic banter between the two with an HEA so I am very satisfied. The only thing I want to know is the family secret that Trevor was searching for. In the end it was no longer important to him but I still wanted to know. So as to a cliffhanger, that is the only one for those who would like all their romances wrapped up in one book. However there are two more books in this Hamilton series which I think will reveal the secret with two new couples which I want to read, Lock, Stock, & Jingle Bells and Naughty But Nice. All Christmasy/winter themed romances perfect for reading in front of a warm fire.

[Quinn Fforde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella is an excellent example of why I like to read Donna Kauffman. I rarely give novellas 5 stars because they rarely feel like full stories to me, but this one did deliver the character development that I love while telling the story of two strangers who get snowed in together.
I loved Emma so much. She knows exactly who she is. She is full of integrity and self-effacing humor. She is not afraid to work hard or to trust her gut. I want to be her best friend and be an imperfect human with her.
Trevor hasn't quite locked down who he is yet. He has some questions that need to be answered before he gets everything settled in his mind. He is completely blindsided by Emma. However, he allows her insights to help him find his way forward. That helps the reader feel that, even though this happens really quickly, these two are going to be an excellent couple.
I also loved the humor in this novella. Humor is one of the biggest reasons I read DK's books, and Emma and Trevor both cracked me up. I highlighted so many lines that made me laugh.
I definitely recommend this one if you are looking for a short holiday read with humor and depth.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story. Emma had a corporate job because she hated it and became a pet sitter. She took a job over Christmas to a very rich older gentleman. After she got there, someone else was in the house and it was a little unnerving at first. She was there for the pets and didn't really trust his first reason on why he was there. A brutal storm hits and they lose power. As they get to know each other, the secrets start to come out. They get to know each other and the attraction grows.
This was a shorter story than usual for Donna, but I enjoyed it very much. It's worth reading and I look forward to finding more about these characters. I got this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

[Shireen Hakim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made no sense for several reasons!
1. Emma would have called the people who hired her when she saw someone else in the house.
I hate when books pretend technology doesn't exist.
2. They could have used the flashlight on their mobile phones when the power went out. (Also once they found the fireplace matches they could have lit the candles.)
3. He could have taken a DNA test to find out if he was a Hamilton.
The couple's chemistry was ok but the guy was shady:
1. He tried to make her leave her job when he hadn't even been invited.
2. He joked about killing the dog. Creepy.

I gave the book 3 stars instead of 2 because there were pets involved, although there should have been a cat.

[Alisha Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Unleashed by Donna Kauffman, Emma is hired as Lionel’s live in pet/house sitter 2 weeks while he’s out of the country and his staff is given a holiday. She arrives in the middle of an ice storm and after taking care of the immediate needs of the animals decides to go exploring in the massive mansion. She gets totally turned around and while trying to figure her way around she bumps into Trevor, Lionel’s nephew. The ice storm is too much for the power and everything goes dark. By the next morning Emma knows why Trevor is there and they both realize that they want to be together forever.
A lovely story about falling in love and accepting ones family no matter what.

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun short read that is the perfect read this holiday season. Emma has been hired to pet sit for a billionaire businessman during the holiday season. Looking for a quite time until she meets Trevor, the nephew of her client. Trevor has arrived to do some exploring on his own, not expecting Emma to be there. Soon a blizzard develops, so both are stranded there and a connection develops between the two.

This is a reprint, first published as part of the To All a Good night anthology. This is the first book in the Hamilton collection. A fun holiday read that I recommend during this busy holiday season.

[Patricia Bello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok this was my first book by this author. Not sure why the title is such... it made me think it there was some force or spirit or power that was going to be unleashed... It's just passion and feelings I guess. And while not OTT like some novellas, this couple fell rather fast for each other and there wasn't much challenge for them to go through together so this feels waaaaay light. So still insta-lust/love with more pacing and less heat. I do like Trevor and Emma and for a novella, they're personalities are clear in my mind.

Wonder what the rest of the series is like...

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of the book.