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North Pole City Tales #3

The Valor of Vixen

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alternate cover edition of ASIN B081BBZPKJ

Rein Dear is a prestigious title, accompanied by admiration, devotion, and celebrity status, all of which one saucy Vixen thrives on. Alas, Vixen’s only concerned with having fun, unlike his stuffy and sensible best friend, Rudy Rein Dear, who Vixen has always been jealous of. Aside from being chosen by Mayor Kringle to be Captain the Rein Dear Squadron, Rudy’s managed to snag himself a prince, even if that prince is the dangerous and imposing Jack Frost.

All’s not lost for Vixen though. He discovers Jack’s cousin Vale has a soft spot for him. Vale Frost might not be a dashing prince, but he’s the next best thing: a decorated Lieutenant for the Toy Soldier Army, and a member of the Frost monarchy.

Determined to get what Vixen feels he deserves, he sets off on a mission to ensnare the kind-hearted lieutenant. But Vixen’s selfish ways are sure to lead to disaster, and it’ll take more than a little courage to set things right.

95 pages, ebook

First published December 3, 2014

27 people are currently reading
324 people want to read

About the author

Charlie Cochet

126 books3,572 followers
Step into a world of romance, humor, and heart-pounding action with Charlie Cochet, the international bestselling author behind the captivating THIRDS series. Embrace a fusion of Cuban flair and American charm as you dive into her stories with unforgettable characters and a dash of delightful mayhem.

Fueled by a love for classic rock and Cuban lattes, Charlie resides in Central Florida with her rascally Doxiepoo and a very opinionated German Shepherd. When she isn’t writing, she’s losing herself in a whirlwind of books and movies.

Charlie’s stories will stir your imagination and ignite your passion. So grab your favorite coffee, turn up the music, and prepare for your next adventure.



Website: http://www.charliecochet.com
Patreon: http://www.thirdshq.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/charliecochet
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5 stars
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265 (38%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
Profile Image for Meags.
2,512 reviews702 followers
November 25, 2018
3.5 Stars

Vixen’s Valor is yet another cute and magical little North Pole City story, but not quite as endearing as its predecessors.

Vixen, the flirtiest member of the Rein Dear Squadron, was a bit of a nitwit and a bit too flighty for my liking, but boy, oh boy, his love interest Vale was a dreamy bastard! That first date Vale took Vixen on was super romantic and had my heart all aflutter, so major points for the swoony lieutenant of the Toy Solider Army.

On the downside, I felt Vixen and Vale's love story developed at breakneck speed, and as a result of this, I didn’t connect to their relationship the way I would have hoped.

Having said that, I still adore the world-building in this series and I’m excited to see a few of these lovely secondary characters find their North Pole loves!
Profile Image for * A Reader Obsessed *.
2,737 reviews586 followers
November 28, 2018
3.5 Stars

Another enjoyable visit to North Pole City!

Beware shallow Rein Dear Vixen, who’s set on prestige and attention but really deep down, only wants to be loved for who he is. Vixen has some tough lessons in store for him but good thing prince Vale is around to show him what true love and commitment is.

Sweet and charming with that good ole holiday vibe and Christmas overtones, the elfin world up north reimagined by Cochet continues to enchant!
Profile Image for Adam.
611 reviews374 followers
October 24, 2015
I've lost count of how many Christmas/holiday-themed books I've read since November, but I know it's quite a few. Vixen's Valor is by far the most creative one of them.

description

Vixen is a Rein Deer, in charge of delivering presents to children around the world on Christmas night. Vale Frost is a cousin of Jack Frost, and is the head of the Toy Soldier Army.

The two are an unlikely pair, as Vixen is quite conceited and only concerned with his own status, and Vale is a quiet and very serious person. But the two begin seeing each other, and eventually Vixen realizes that perhaps he's worth more, both to Vale and others, than just a pretty face.

I love the concept behind the North Pole City Tales. It reminded me a lot of the animated Christmas movies I used to watch as a kid. There are elves and fairies, toy soldiers, gingerbread houses and even a couple of classic holiday-themed bad guys thrown in.

This book is just plain fun! The romance was very sweet and gave me warm fuzzy feelings on the inside. And you can read this as a standalone, as there is world-building and an explanation of past events within the first two chapters.

If you're looking for a slightly different holiday romance, with a magical twist, I'd definitely recommend this!
Profile Image for Gerbera_Reads.
1,730 reviews160 followers
December 18, 2019
I enjoyed this story as much as the others! Vixen was more than what he showed on the surface. The small unnoticed things he did for others spoke volumes about him as an elf, and Vale, Jack's cousin, saw him as no one else. Told from dual POV, this was a story about two men who were overlooked but had more substance and character anyone could have ever guessed. It was a bit angsty, somewhat sweet with a side helping of action and winter romance. Wonderful entertaining read.
Profile Image for Kit (Metaphors and Moonlight).
977 reviews166 followers
December 15, 2024
This third book in the series was about Vale (Jack's cousin) and Vixen (one of the Rein Dear). Vale was quiet and sweet, and Vixen was flirty and confident on the outside but kind and a little sad on the inside. I think Vixen might be my favorite in the series so far. I especially liked how honest he was, always admitting to it when he did something wrong, not wanting to keep secrets from those he cared about. He was a good person. This one also had a brief sex scene. Oh, and I loved Vale's coming out scene. *MILD SPOILER* *END SPOILER* Also, "His disposition is hardly my reason for wanting to jingle his bells." I can't. I just can't with these Christmas euphemisms---in the best way possible. I love them so much lol. My main complaint about this one though is that I kind of felt like the only reason Vixen fell for Vale was because Vale was the first person to treat him as more than a quick lay. But if you can overlook that and some of the more corny things, this was another book that managed to have some serious moments and angst while still being sweet and fluffy and fun!

*Note: Even though each book has different main characters, I recommend reading these in order.*

*I've read this book multiple times. This review was written after my 1st read.*

*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2017 // Format: Ebook*
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2024 // Format: Ebook via TTS*

Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Profile Image for ♣ Irish Smurfétté ♣.
717 reviews162 followers
December 8, 2014
Dialogue is a strength of Cochet’s. It reads and therefore feels natural, flowing like conversations do, unpredictable and ever shifting. The personalities of her characters maintain their clarity, never losing potency between thought and voice. Their humor and uncertainty, grumpiness and kindness all shine through, helping me build those necessary connections for an enjoyable read.

And what an enjoyable read this was. :)

Vixen and Vale front and center, and deservedly so. Their burgeoning relationship is filled with unexpected traits and wonderful back and forth, both in humor and emotion. An unlikely duo from the outside, to some, but lovingly and strongly matched on the inside, in their hearts.

We do get glimpses of some of the other familiar characters in this series in Rudy, Jack, King of Frost, Blitzen, Dasher and the gang. Their roles are minor, honestly, which felt right to me because this is all about Vixen and Vale.

The climactic action scene felt a bit unnecessary and was skated over. As an external conflict, it paled in comparison to everything happening internally twixt Vixen and Vale. There is so much going on here with these two, so much on which to chew my romantic sweetness loving heart that I didn’t need the physical danger and tension. V & V have enough of their own difficulties and discoveries to work through and enjoy. There’s a lot more of their story to be explored and I have no shame in asking for more. ;)

Themes of acceptance, don’t judge a book by its cover and self-discovery are deftly woven throughout this story. I think I have to call it a gem. When someone has a way of helping you see a part of yourself to which you were previously blind, that’s a priceless gift that translates to love.

You all know that I don’t do teeth rotting sweet reads very often, not by choice. For some reason, some crazy awesome magical reason, I love the sweets that lay claim to this author’s stories. She’s done it again with this enchanting tale of Vixen and Vale.
Profile Image for Melissa.
1,440 reviews95 followers
January 26, 2018
This is such a cute series! I loved reading about Vixen and Vale, and seeing Jack and Rudy again. This is such a clever adaptation of the classic tale about reindeers and Santa. I highly recommend this series. 4.25 stars.
Profile Image for Cadiva.
4,056 reviews452 followers
December 31, 2019
That was utterly delightful, the date Vale takes Vixen on is just beyond beautifully romantic.

I loved finding out the was much more to the flirty Christmas elf and Rein Deer pilot than first appeared.

Where can I find my own Vale though? Definitely the swooniest of heroes.
Profile Image for Serena Yates.
Author 104 books771 followers
December 14, 2019
North Pole City is the setting for this enchanting series of stories about a world where the North Pole is run like a modern company, the Rein Dear are a group of nine elite pilots in charge of the annual Big Flight, and toy soldiers and sugarplum fairies abound. Mayor Kringle (the spirit of Christmas) is in charge, and the Frost family (spirits of winter of various talents) provides a hint of royalty and mystery. I love coming back to this imaginative place every year, and this year was no exception. The story's focus is on Vixen, one of the Rein Dear and Rudy's best friend, and Vale, one of Jack Frost's cousins.


Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Profile Image for Len Evans Jr.
1,504 reviews223 followers
December 10, 2017
While this story is not quite as good as book 2 it is still a wonderful tale. My only issue with it is that the second half of the story just seems a bit rushed. I think if it was a bit longer a better job of dealing with the theft of the scepter could have been written. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and especially liked Kale. He was such a gentleman and so dreamy. Looking forward to Blitzen's story next!
Profile Image for Danielle  Gypsy Soul.
3,183 reviews82 followers
April 24, 2021
2.5 Stars. I really enjoyed the first two books but this one just didn't work very well for me. I didn't like Vixen much and the book was very predictable - I knew who the villain was going to be and how it was all going to play out long before it actually did. Still I enjoyed the first two so much I'm going to assume this was a one off and continue the series.
Profile Image for Sandra.
4,127 reviews13 followers
January 2, 2016
This is a nice continuation to the series, although certainly not my favorite. It felt really short to me, but I'm not sure if it actually is shorter than the previous two books or if that's just my perception. Maybe I'm too much like Vixen, but I also found myself getting annoyed with Rudy and his stick-in-the-mud attitude, and although I loved him in his own book, I often found him patronizing here. But then Vixen got annoying too when he was childishly jealous of Rudy when he should be happy for him.

But Vixen did end up giving Vale a chance, and that ended up being so sweet. I only wish we had more time to enjoy it. Vale surprised him with his thoughtfulness and care, and Vixen showed some hidden depths (although not really enough to justify Vale's feelings). More of this would have helped to really accept their chemistry and feelings for each other, but it all happened a little fast.

Once it was clear where the drama would come from I was honestly cringing. Maybe because Vixen had been so cocky early on that it makes the fall from grace all the more painful, but it was hard to watch to the point where I debated speeding up the narration... but I held strong. There was a bit that didn't get explained, that would have helped me be more accepting of the HEA .

Vixen's parents were something that was mentioned early on and that I kept expecting to pop back up in some way for closure or resolution or a full-circle bringing the themes of trust and love together... and it never did. It seemed incredibly odd to bring them up as a justification for why Vixen acted the way he acted, yet never resolve it , for better or worse.

Lastly, with regards to the audio version, I stand by my assessment that this series is perfect as an audiobook. The narration doesn't necessarily stand out as over-the-top-wonderful but that's because the story doesn't demand too much of it. Even with life-threatening drama and declarations of undying love, this is a light and fun series and the narration conveys that perfectly. Although not my favorite of the series, the narration remains consistent and I would recommend continuing on with series in audio if that's how you started.

Received audio version from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
Profile Image for Nerea.
759 reviews33 followers
November 22, 2017
I like that all the books continue the storyline and that we could see the past characters again!

Vale is so niceee I really can´t understand why fall for Vixen at all xD Vixen is very self-centered and his personatily... humm not atractic at all sorry!

But at the end we could see how he changes of course and have a HEA ending ;)

I really want to read about Tim and Noel again!!
Profile Image for Becca.
3,257 reviews47 followers
December 31, 2018
Awwwww. Vixen's story was sweet. He had to learn some lessons in this story. But his bravery in the end showed people can truly change if they want to. And he got his man.
Profile Image for Elaine White.
Author 45 books263 followers
November 27, 2018
Book – Vixen's Valor (North Pole City Tales #3)
Author – Charlie Cochet
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 81
Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 3rd person, dual POV
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – LGBT, Holiday, Fantasy, Christmas


Another year, but even better. I thought book 1 was my favourite, as Tim was just too adorable for words. But I've been corrected. This one is my favourite.

Vale is adorable, in so many ways. Romantic, charming, old fashioned, understanding, thoughtful, considerate. Can I have one? Oh, and can I just say I loved the charming little nod to A Princess Bride with Vale's “As you wish.” Loved it!

And then there's Vixen. Gosh, what a bundle he is. All he wants is to be loved and appreciated, but no one ever gives that to him. No one treats him like the Prince he wishes he was. Until Vale comes along. And Vale doesn't care about the rumours and whispers of Vixen being a floozy, too free with his vices and too concerned with himself. Vale sees that he's just trying to be happy and find that love and appreciation he's always wanted.

It was great to see Rudy and Jack pop up again, though we didn't get any of Tim and Noel in this one and that was okay. I do have a niggling wonder of why it was never mentioned in books 1 or 2 that Vixen was Rudy's very best friend, but I let it slide since Rudy went through some pretty monumental things back then and mostly it all revolved around Jack, so it might be understandable that he wasn't thinking of others too much.

Again, I loved the continuity of the plot. The stories don't overlap majorly, but just enough to show progress and a timeline. I'd say you could read them out of order if you wanted to, but the best enjoyment always comes from reading in order, where you can spot those little nuances that I love so much. Like the Mouse King making a reappearance.

Unashamedly, I'll admit that this one is my favourite, so far. I cried like the Dickens multiple times. Truly brilliant.

~

Favourite Quote(s)

“Because only truly brave elves can wear Rein Dear goggles.”

“Could Vale be the prince Vixen had been waiting to sweep him off his feet since he was but a fledgling elf? What if he left himself exposed and placed his heart in Vale's hands? It would take so little for Vixen to fall.”

“Vale dropped to his knees beside him and swiftly gathered him into his arms, his eyes filled with unshed tears. “Vixen, what have you done?””
Profile Image for Morgan  Skye.
2,775 reviews28 followers
December 21, 2014
By now we’ve grown familiar with Charlie’s alternate Christmas world and if you haven’t read books one and two I highly recommend that you do. This can probably be read as a stand-alone, but it might not make as much sense and certainly won’t be as good without reading the other two.
Vixen is one of Rudy’s co-pilots and Vale is Jack’s cousin. Vixen is a … well, Vixen is a slut. He lost the love of his adoptive parents when they had a baby of their own (way to break my heart Charlie!) and he substitutes the arms of any willing male for that missing affection.

Vale is a quiet, studious soldier. He mostly follows the footsteps of his father and does nothing to stir trouble. He admires Vixen from afar, but never dares to push himself in among the throngs of admirers for fear of a trampled heart.

Vixen decides to set his cap for Vale when he considers that – with Jack officially off the market – Vale is the closest thing to a Prince Charming he’ll get. What he doesn’t figure on is that Vale is more than a step up the social ladder. He’s a good guy, warm, tender, and truly devoted to Vixen.

Jealousy causes Vixen to do something unthinkable and it ends up putting the entire kingdom at risk. In order to right the world, both Vixen and Vale must put their lives on the line and risk themselves and their hearts.

**
It was hard to like Vixen at first – as we are supposed to – he’s quite vain and shallow. But… there are hidden depths to him that we discover and pretty soon, we are rooting for him and Vale to make a love connection.

Vale is the perfect hero. Steadfast, true, honorable, but capable of making mistakes, just like the rest of us.

I really enjoyed the excitement and couldn’t read fast enough to see if Vixen could save the day.

The story moves quickly but there is just enough there to make all the characters feel really well developed and the plot gripping.

I hope we see more from this Christmas world and I highly recommend this book in the series.

I give it 4.5 of 5 hearts.

Profile Image for Joana.
603 reviews54 followers
December 22, 2014
3.5 Stars!

Just as adorable was the other two but unlike the others that I like both of the boys in this one I only love Vale.

I don't like Vixen. I think he is selfish and self-centered and to me he doesn't deserve Vale.

I hated the way Vixen was always jealous of Rudy and the way he betrayed Vale. Seriously, Vale is way to good for him.

I love Vale even more that I thought I would. He's so amazing. I love him. <3

I love that Jack and Rudy are now truly connected , in every way possible. I love that Rudy draws power from Jack. But I don't like that Vixen can do the same with Vale, on the the grounds that I don't think he deserves such gift.

I wish there were more books in this series by now, I'm really enjoying this.

Charlie's writing is amazing and I love how she's playing with this amazing world.

I can't wait for more books.
Profile Image for Brandilyn.
1,126 reviews50 followers
January 27, 2016
Reviewed by Brandilyn for Prism Book Alliance. If you have enjoyed the first two installments of the North Pole City Tales series by Charlie Cochet, then you are probably as excited for this year���s installment as I was. If you haven���t read Ms. Cochet���s take on the North Pole mythos and the creatures of the snow, I highly recommend this series. Find the whole review at http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?pos...
Profile Image for Deeze.
1,849 reviews286 followers
December 22, 2016
Another enjoyable trip to The North Pole city.

I didn't think I would like Vixen as much as I did. Vale I knew I was going to love.

I admit I was expecting a different plot but I'm so glad I was wrong.

Very entertaining read

ETA I love these little shorts. Full of Christmas magic and a little excitement too
Profile Image for Gin.
228 reviews22 followers
December 7, 2014
I wait all year for these stories, devour them in a day and spend the next 364 days waiting!! My absolute favorite holiday series and cannot say enough Merry and Bright things about these books!
Profile Image for Lily.
1,172 reviews11 followers
December 7, 2014
3.5 stars. I enjoy reading more about this creative and unusual universe and its characters, but a bit more plot and romance development would have been much appreciated.
Profile Image for Pates.
384 reviews
December 19, 2014
Super cute! I loved that we got Vixen in the third book of The North Pole City Tales series. And I adored Vale soo much!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews