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Let Your Heart Be Light
FOR SERVICES RENDERED
Dr. David Christmas has heard every joke in the book when it comes to his name. Weary of the festive season and from his long shifts in the emergency room, David is also tired of his lonely single life. His only hope for Christmas is a glimpse of the shy but gorgeous neighbour who lives above him.
Christmas-loving Julian has nurtured a crush on the grumpy man downstairs for years now. Still hurting from his ex-boyfriend's cruelty, he hasn't yet dared to say hello. When an injury on Christmas Eve puts Julian directly into David's careful hands, a little healing might be on the way.
KIND OF A BIG DEAL
and
THE FARRINGDON CLUB
Up-and-coming comedian Zack Wynn splits his time between the stage and the London pizza restaurant where he works, until life hands him one hell of a Christmas present. Richard Garston is the handsome and clever older man of Zack's dreams, but what exactly is it that Richard does?
Soon, Zack learns the truth: Richard's classified role in the British government makes him a much bigger deal than he claimed.
Is Zack ready for the politics and power of Richard's world?
And is Richard's world ready for him?
Dr. David Christmas has heard every joke in the book when it comes to his name. Weary of the festive season and from his long shifts in the emergency room, David is also tired of his lonely single life. His only hope for Christmas is a glimpse of the shy but gorgeous neighbour who lives above him.
Christmas-loving Julian has nurtured a crush on the grumpy man downstairs for years now. Still hurting from his ex-boyfriend's cruelty, he hasn't yet dared to say hello. When an injury on Christmas Eve puts Julian directly into David's careful hands, a little healing might be on the way.
KIND OF A BIG DEAL
and
THE FARRINGDON CLUB
Up-and-coming comedian Zack Wynn splits his time between the stage and the London pizza restaurant where he works, until life hands him one hell of a Christmas present. Richard Garston is the handsome and clever older man of Zack's dreams, but what exactly is it that Richard does?
Soon, Zack learns the truth: Richard's classified role in the British government makes him a much bigger deal than he claimed.
Is Zack ready for the politics and power of Richard's world?
And is Richard's world ready for him?
199 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 13, 2019
27 people are currently reading
1155 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Lawrie
2 books122 followersJ.R. Lawrie was born in Manchester in 1989, received a first-class degree in English Literature from the University of Leeds in 2011, then vanished into the thorny undergrowth of fanfiction and was never seen again.
Their first novel The Sheltering Tree has been described as 'heart wrenchingly beautiful', 'a powerful and passionate story', and '1/5 never delivered'.
Their first novel The Sheltering Tree has been described as 'heart wrenchingly beautiful', 'a powerful and passionate story', and '1/5 never delivered'.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
December 21, 2023
when am i gonna meet a handsome, older, dark-haired unexpected millionaire who takes me to his favorite 5-star fancy, posh restaurant, puts me on the testing menu, orders me a cab that ends up being a brand new, jet black audi owned by the government to take me back to my apartment, takes me to italy for a week for my birthday where i don’t have to get up before noon, invites his colleagues and friends to my comedy show to fill up the crowd, leaves me flowers and a note on the table when he needs to leave for work, calls me sweetheart, mine, darling, and dear heart, buys me a first class ticket to new york, proposes to me with the new york skyline view and a white-gold band, inlaid with a row of tiny diamonds, books us a penthouse, helps me quit my measly, part time job at a pizza place, picks up my last name so we have each other’s last name when we marry, and spoils me with gifts on christmas? like, WHY is that too much to ask for? 🙄 pfft!
richard is so hot for being so rich. he’s not a pompous asshole, he listens to zach, treats him equally, reassured him, reminds him of his own worth, ensures he’s treated with the respect he deserves, and knows he would go against his own rules for him. he treats zach so well and spoils him. we don’t see everything but we have the idea and see enough. he’s gentle and rough in the bedroom. sexual action isn’t the biggest part of the book, so there’s no overbearing sex, but it isn’t fade to black either. we can assume that zach and richard might explore some kinks in their future, although we don’t see much. there’s cuffing, being pinned to the wall, bent over a desk, mild edging, some nipple play because of zach’s nipple piercings. richard makes sure zach is comfortable and gives his consent. enough mine and possessiveness too. richard is clearly the dominant but nothing aggressive, and zach loves being at his mercy. it’s fair to say richard is also at zach’s mercy, given he’s a softie for him and him only who will buy a whole country for zach if he could. he probably could, financially speaking.
"You enthrall me," Richard whispered, brushing the words against his mouth. Zack's heart kicked happily. "I don't doubt for a moment that you will for the rest of my life. If you seek proof of your own power, Zachary... here I am."
as for david and julian, they were so adorable! the fact that this author pulled off writing their story taking place in 24 hours is amazing. i could feel the chemistry between the two. of course there isn’t much room for development but i can’t complain much. they got to know each other fairly well, and it’s not like the author graced them with love. it was a perfect example of two people seeing the opportunity and taking it. we end the story with them giving a relationship a shot, which is exciting and i wish we had more of them.
overall, not that christmassy but still fun and lovely. definitely requires suspension of disbelief as there are some eye-rolling moments, but i didn’t care. the story is a novella separated into three parts—kind of a big deal and the farringdon club are about richard and zach, and for services rendered is about david and julian.
now i want more romances with hot rich characters.
richard is so hot for being so rich. he’s not a pompous asshole, he listens to zach, treats him equally, reassured him, reminds him of his own worth, ensures he’s treated with the respect he deserves, and knows he would go against his own rules for him. he treats zach so well and spoils him. we don’t see everything but we have the idea and see enough. he’s gentle and rough in the bedroom. sexual action isn’t the biggest part of the book, so there’s no overbearing sex, but it isn’t fade to black either. we can assume that zach and richard might explore some kinks in their future, although we don’t see much. there’s cuffing, being pinned to the wall, bent over a desk, mild edging, some nipple play because of zach’s nipple piercings. richard makes sure zach is comfortable and gives his consent. enough mine and possessiveness too. richard is clearly the dominant but nothing aggressive, and zach loves being at his mercy. it’s fair to say richard is also at zach’s mercy, given he’s a softie for him and him only who will buy a whole country for zach if he could. he probably could, financially speaking.
"You enthrall me," Richard whispered, brushing the words against his mouth. Zack's heart kicked happily. "I don't doubt for a moment that you will for the rest of my life. If you seek proof of your own power, Zachary... here I am."
as for david and julian, they were so adorable! the fact that this author pulled off writing their story taking place in 24 hours is amazing. i could feel the chemistry between the two. of course there isn’t much room for development but i can’t complain much. they got to know each other fairly well, and it’s not like the author graced them with love. it was a perfect example of two people seeing the opportunity and taking it. we end the story with them giving a relationship a shot, which is exciting and i wish we had more of them.
overall, not that christmassy but still fun and lovely. definitely requires suspension of disbelief as there are some eye-rolling moments, but i didn’t care. the story is a novella separated into three parts—kind of a big deal and the farringdon club are about richard and zach, and for services rendered is about david and julian.
now i want more romances with hot rich characters.
December 7, 2019
Absolute perfection.
This book focuses on two couples with three short stories which give the initial meetings of each pair and a bonus second dip into Zach and Richard's life.
JR's writing has such charm to it. Both romances are set in London but they're different in tone.
David and Julian's is the filling being bookended by Zach and Richard's extraordinarily impressive storyline and I'd absolutely kill for a full length novel with them.
Not to take anything away from the doctor and his upstairs neighbour come patient.
Theirs is a sweet, bumbling fall into feelings after Julian has an accident which puts him in David's loving hands.
But Zach and Richard are special. If you've ever seen the British TV show Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, then you'll see little nods and hints in this book to what goes on behind the scenes of the "corridors of power".
I loved it so hard. The first story, of how they meet, is wonderfully funny, although I internally cried when Zach described Richard as an older man when his Twitter handle included a 1978 birthdate.
Guess it's time to face up to my own impending half century 🤣
But The Farringdon Club had me howling with laughter. I want Richard Curtis to get hold of this book because OMG, some of the scenes in this are prime material for a film from him.
Although he'd have to take the sex down a notch to get it shown on Christmas Day 😉
Just brilliance from start to finish, I was sad when I realised I'd reached the end of the book.
Do yourselves a favour and pick up this one when it comes out next week, it's a joy.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
This book focuses on two couples with three short stories which give the initial meetings of each pair and a bonus second dip into Zach and Richard's life.
JR's writing has such charm to it. Both romances are set in London but they're different in tone.
David and Julian's is the filling being bookended by Zach and Richard's extraordinarily impressive storyline and I'd absolutely kill for a full length novel with them.
Not to take anything away from the doctor and his upstairs neighbour come patient.
Theirs is a sweet, bumbling fall into feelings after Julian has an accident which puts him in David's loving hands.
But Zach and Richard are special. If you've ever seen the British TV show Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, then you'll see little nods and hints in this book to what goes on behind the scenes of the "corridors of power".
I loved it so hard. The first story, of how they meet, is wonderfully funny, although I internally cried when Zach described Richard as an older man when his Twitter handle included a 1978 birthdate.
Guess it's time to face up to my own impending half century 🤣
But The Farringdon Club had me howling with laughter. I want Richard Curtis to get hold of this book because OMG, some of the scenes in this are prime material for a film from him.
Although he'd have to take the sex down a notch to get it shown on Christmas Day 😉
Just brilliance from start to finish, I was sad when I realised I'd reached the end of the book.
Do yourselves a favour and pick up this one when it comes out next week, it's a joy.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
May 5, 2025
Reread 05/2025
Love the novella For Services Rendered so, so much (this time around I only reread one of the three novellas).
After my last beautiful read (The Sheltering Tree) I didn't want to part with the author's lovely writing, so I just reread this gem.
Sadly the author has published only two books.
-------------
Reread 02/2025
Still enjoyed Kind of a Big Deal a lot (4,5 stars), didn't read The Farrington Club this time, and... ABSOLUTELY LOVED For Services Rendered!! Who cares that it's not Christmas, this was simply lovely.
I didn't remember For Services Rendered was so, so beautiful, and romantic, and just really swoony. I loved both David and Julian with all my heart. 5 stars.
----------
Read 10/2023
4,5 stars rounded up.
The first novella KIND OF A BIG DEAL and last novella THE FARRINGDON CLUB are about Zack and Richard, and the second novella FOR SERVICES RENDERED is about David and Julian.
There's no connection between Zack/Richard's novellas and David/Julian's novella.
KIND OF A BIG DEAL
5 stars.
I took this as a fairy tale, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to suspend my disbelieve about the novella's setting so much. Although it's set in contemporary London, there's no way the novel's plot could be realistic. But no matter.
I loved the heck out of it.
Maybe it was a case of the right book at the right time, but to me Jack and Richard were wonderful characters, perfect for each other.
I loved their meet cute, their banter on twitter and through text massages, and the whole storyline.
FOR SERVICES RENDERED
5 stars.
David and Julian's novel only covers about 24 hours, but it was perfect to me. I enjoyed their getting closer, despite the short time frame it felt like slow and steady to me and I adored them both.
THE FARRINGDON CLUB
3,5 stars.
Sweet but so unrealistic, even considering it a fairy tale I kept rolling my eyes over Zack's shenenigans and Richard's fond accteptance.
Love the novella For Services Rendered so, so much (this time around I only reread one of the three novellas).
After my last beautiful read (The Sheltering Tree) I didn't want to part with the author's lovely writing, so I just reread this gem.
Sadly the author has published only two books.
-------------
Reread 02/2025
Still enjoyed Kind of a Big Deal a lot (4,5 stars), didn't read The Farrington Club this time, and... ABSOLUTELY LOVED For Services Rendered!! Who cares that it's not Christmas, this was simply lovely.
I didn't remember For Services Rendered was so, so beautiful, and romantic, and just really swoony. I loved both David and Julian with all my heart. 5 stars.
----------
Read 10/2023
4,5 stars rounded up.
The first novella KIND OF A BIG DEAL and last novella THE FARRINGDON CLUB are about Zack and Richard, and the second novella FOR SERVICES RENDERED is about David and Julian.
There's no connection between Zack/Richard's novellas and David/Julian's novella.
KIND OF A BIG DEAL
5 stars.
I took this as a fairy tale, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to suspend my disbelieve about the novella's setting so much. Although it's set in contemporary London, there's no way the novel's plot could be realistic. But no matter.
I loved the heck out of it.
Maybe it was a case of the right book at the right time, but to me Jack and Richard were wonderful characters, perfect for each other.
I loved their meet cute, their banter on twitter and through text massages, and the whole storyline.
FOR SERVICES RENDERED
5 stars.
David and Julian's novel only covers about 24 hours, but it was perfect to me. I enjoyed their getting closer, despite the short time frame it felt like slow and steady to me and I adored them both.
THE FARRINGDON CLUB
3,5 stars.
Sweet but so unrealistic, even considering it a fairy tale I kept rolling my eyes over Zack's shenenigans and Richard's fond accteptance.
November 27, 2020
4.5 stars! Flat out adorable. Three short stories, two with the same couple. The title is perfection, because that's exactly what it does. Loved it! 💖😊
December 20, 2023
Reread 2023- because I saw it around here the other day and I couldn’t remember anything about it. It’s still a 3⭐️ read , still sweet and still unbelievable and eye rolling but it has an air of cosiness that makes it a perfect Christmas read. I must confess that I’m a bit jealous of Zach because damn, who wouldn’t want a sugar daddy like THAT : tall dark and handsome, kind, smart, tender, romantic, good in bed and filthy rich (see, I told you it’s eye-rolling 😁).
I also have to add that I ADORED Zach. He’s the best part of this book. He’s so funny and snarky . Loved his tweets and his jokes.
The other story was meh and I already forgot it.
Good writing but I knew that because The sheltering tree is one of my comfort reads and an amazing book (THAT one is a must if you like older characters and sappy but beautiful romances)
An eyerolling fest but a sweet read.
I also have to add that I ADORED Zach. He’s the best part of this book. He’s so funny and snarky . Loved his tweets and his jokes.
The other story was meh and I already forgot it.
Good writing but I knew that because The sheltering tree is one of my comfort reads and an amazing book (THAT one is a must if you like older characters and sappy but beautiful romances)
An eyerolling fest but a sweet read.
December 27, 2024
Just had to re-read it for Christmas!
I didn't hold on, had to read it again. This must be some kind of record, twice in one day!
Adorable and sweet
Anyone who's read my reviews knows how much I was surprised to have loved Red, White and Royal Blue, considering I doubted its quality because of the overwhelming positive reviews.
This is a new favourite gay romance, and I'm seriously considering making it tradition to read it every Christmas (definitely re-reading it this one).
Two love stories, separate but sweet and gentle, nonetheless. I am partial to Zack and Richard's story, and I am very glad at the ending.
Zack is adorable, like a pink haired puppy. And I live for Richard's love for Zack. It's so cute how protective he is of him.
Plus, it's kind of great that the man all of the powerful people bow to and scamper to heed his every whim, while also openly gay and married to a man.
Cannot over-recommend this book. I'm honestly tempted to re-read it straight away.
I didn't hold on, had to read it again. This must be some kind of record, twice in one day!
Adorable and sweet
Anyone who's read my reviews knows how much I was surprised to have loved Red, White and Royal Blue, considering I doubted its quality because of the overwhelming positive reviews.
This is a new favourite gay romance, and I'm seriously considering making it tradition to read it every Christmas (definitely re-reading it this one).
Two love stories, separate but sweet and gentle, nonetheless. I am partial to Zack and Richard's story, and I am very glad at the ending.
Zack is adorable, like a pink haired puppy. And I live for Richard's love for Zack. It's so cute how protective he is of him.
Plus, it's kind of great that the man all of the powerful people bow to and scamper to heed his every whim, while also openly gay and married to a man.
Cannot over-recommend this book. I'm honestly tempted to re-read it straight away.
November 26, 2020
Three stories, two couples.
Charming, hilarious and full of the Christmas feelings. Read this book and you'll be in the right mood for the holidays. I dare to say it's a promise.
Charming, hilarious and full of the Christmas feelings. Read this book and you'll be in the right mood for the holidays. I dare to say it's a promise.
September 18, 2022
Unexpected delight
I’ve never read this author before, but thought I’d give this a try after seeing a positive review. I LOVED it. Lots of wit, warmth, and even some smoking-hot scenes. Going into my (virtual) pile of Christmas favorites!
(This is a wonderful comfort reread, regardless of season!)
I’ve never read this author before, but thought I’d give this a try after seeing a positive review. I LOVED it. Lots of wit, warmth, and even some smoking-hot scenes. Going into my (virtual) pile of Christmas favorites!
(This is a wonderful comfort reread, regardless of season!)
May 15, 2021
3.5 ⭐️
These three short stories were so cute! I really liked the authors writing style, I found it really unique, it had a poetryish feel that gave it that Christmas magic.
The two couples were really likeable especially Zach and Richard (like swooning at Richard’s willingness to protect Zach at all cost😭).
I will say that it did feel that readers were kind of dropped in the middle of the story for David and Julian, I would have loved it if had been longer but I guess you can only do so much with short stories!
These three short stories were so cute! I really liked the authors writing style, I found it really unique, it had a poetryish feel that gave it that Christmas magic.
The two couples were really likeable especially Zach and Richard (like swooning at Richard’s willingness to protect Zach at all cost😭).
I will say that it did feel that readers were kind of dropped in the middle of the story for David and Julian, I would have loved it if had been longer but I guess you can only do so much with short stories!
December 9, 2019
I love it when I find a new author and in particular one that I can recommend to my readers. With the proviso that I went into the book not knowing it was three separate stories (and so got a little confused, more below), I can highly recommend this book to everyone.
What I love about JR's writing is that it just pulled me right into the story, and I couldn't put the book down. She has a way with words that meant I could just lose myself in the story itself, and I can't wait to read more from JR.
I was given an ARC, but as you know, I don't automatically review the ARCs I have been sent unless they are a five *, so you can guess I loved it! LOL.
[As an aside - The three separate stories are couple 1, couple 2, then back to couple 1. I genuinely think this should be two separate novels - one with JUST couple 1, and then another with JUST couple 2. So if I was you, I would read both parts of couple 1 and THEN go read the couple 2 part.]
What I love about JR's writing is that it just pulled me right into the story, and I couldn't put the book down. She has a way with words that meant I could just lose myself in the story itself, and I can't wait to read more from JR.
I was given an ARC, but as you know, I don't automatically review the ARCs I have been sent unless they are a five *, so you can guess I loved it! LOL.
[As an aside - The three separate stories are couple 1, couple 2, then back to couple 1. I genuinely think this should be two separate novels - one with JUST couple 1, and then another with JUST couple 2. So if I was you, I would read both parts of couple 1 and THEN go read the couple 2 part.]
December 7, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up for this lovely Christmas Cracker tale.
A joy to read and beautifully written, with lots of laughs along the way. I particularly liked...no, make that adored Zack and Richard's Twitter exchanges, and the headings Zack used to get his replies sent 😀😀.
The 'meat' filler in the Zack and Richard double story sandwich, For Services Rendered, was also sweet and made me tear up I have to say. Dr David Christmas and Mr Julian Reynolds, 2 professional men, but both sooo lonely and blissfully unaware that fate would happily bring them together for Christmas.
I'll definitely be looking out for more stories from J.R. Lawrie. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Want to read
May 15, 2021(edited: I’ve seen others posting search/result issues across Amazon & Audible, so hopefully it’s just a glitch and will be fixed soon.)
I don’t know how authors survive. I went to Amazon. I typed in the full name of this book. I added the author. I searched just the author. Absolutely NOTHING came up as a result for any of those searches. I had to go to the author’s website and get the link from there.
Anyway - for anyone else who may stumble across this and think maybe it’s been pulled down or something. It exists! It’s there!
I don’t know how authors survive. I went to Amazon. I typed in the full name of this book. I added the author. I searched just the author. Absolutely NOTHING came up as a result for any of those searches. I had to go to the author’s website and get the link from there.
Anyway - for anyone else who may stumble across this and think maybe it’s been pulled down or something. It exists! It’s there!
December 7, 2019
LOVE LOVE LOVE this book, sweet and sexy with lots of humour. Highly recommended.
December 8, 2020
3.75 stars
This contained three different stories involving two couples.
Kind of a Big Deal
This is the story of Richard and Zack. To me, it was more of a summary of how they met and fell in love. We just see snapshots of the highlights of their love story. I do wish the author would have went into it more. I liked it but craved the details and not the sort of faded scene jumps. I still enjoyed what I read just wanted more of it.
For Services Rendered
This is about Julian and David. Two neighbors who pass in their buildings stairwell but have never interacted more than small talk. One slippery shower that ends with a trip to the A&E changes that. This story is more of the beginning of their relationship which was nice.
The Farringdon Club
The third was a revisit with Richard and Zack. I really enjoyed this one because we got more on the two. I would totally read a full story of them. Zack is a fun character and him and Richard together is just 😍 In this one Zack is introduced into Richards exclusive club where the who's who of political and business world spend time. Zack works his mischievous ways to bring some life to the club.
Overall an entertaining read.
This contained three different stories involving two couples.
Kind of a Big Deal
This is the story of Richard and Zack. To me, it was more of a summary of how they met and fell in love. We just see snapshots of the highlights of their love story. I do wish the author would have went into it more. I liked it but craved the details and not the sort of faded scene jumps. I still enjoyed what I read just wanted more of it.
For Services Rendered
This is about Julian and David. Two neighbors who pass in their buildings stairwell but have never interacted more than small talk. One slippery shower that ends with a trip to the A&E changes that. This story is more of the beginning of their relationship which was nice.
The Farringdon Club
The third was a revisit with Richard and Zack. I really enjoyed this one because we got more on the two. I would totally read a full story of them. Zack is a fun character and him and Richard together is just 😍 In this one Zack is introduced into Richards exclusive club where the who's who of political and business world spend time. Zack works his mischievous ways to bring some life to the club.
Overall an entertaining read.
December 29, 2024
Kind Of a Big Deal - 4 stars
Zack and Richard meet at an art fair, and immediately hit it off. Due to circumstances, they have to date for a while before they can go home with each other, which was secretly very lovely. This story was really romantic, and I liked their instant connection and how they both went straight for a relationship. I liked how their relationship progress could be measured by the number of x's at the end of a tweet or text. My only niggle was that many time skips were summarized, which resulted in most of the relationship development happening off-page.
For Services Rendered - 5 stars
Julian finds himself at the ER, where he gets treated by his neighbor and secret crush David. When David finds out no one is available to help Julian, he steps into the role of Julian's caretaker. This one was very sweet and I really liked how Julian just used David as a weighted blanket. I was also very fond of the comparison between David and a European badger. (It was kindly pointed out to me that there is apparently also an American badger, which is now forever going to haunt my nightmares. Thanks.) This was just really sweet and full of caretaking.
The Farringdon Club - 5 stars
This short continues the story of Zack and Richard. And oh boy, did Zack cause a lot of mischief. I love how endlessly supportive Richard was, how indulgent, and how unconditional his love. He was also the best secret accomplice ever. Using his power to avenge his boyfriend? Hell yes. Zack felt so safe with him, and their connection was beautiful. Anyway, this story had it all. Revenge on assholes, mischief for the greater good, and an epic conclusion. Yeah, this story was the best.
Quotes
Read in 2022 and 2024. Bought a physical copy for my bookshelf.
Zack and Richard meet at an art fair, and immediately hit it off. Due to circumstances, they have to date for a while before they can go home with each other, which was secretly very lovely. This story was really romantic, and I liked their instant connection and how they both went straight for a relationship. I liked how their relationship progress could be measured by the number of x's at the end of a tweet or text. My only niggle was that many time skips were summarized, which resulted in most of the relationship development happening off-page.
For Services Rendered - 5 stars
Julian finds himself at the ER, where he gets treated by his neighbor and secret crush David. When David finds out no one is available to help Julian, he steps into the role of Julian's caretaker. This one was very sweet and I really liked how Julian just used David as a weighted blanket. I was also very fond of the comparison between David and a European badger. (It was kindly pointed out to me that there is apparently also an American badger, which is now forever going to haunt my nightmares. Thanks.) This was just really sweet and full of caretaking.
The Farringdon Club - 5 stars
This short continues the story of Zack and Richard. And oh boy, did Zack cause a lot of mischief. I love how endlessly supportive Richard was, how indulgent, and how unconditional his love. He was also the best secret accomplice ever. Using his power to avenge his boyfriend? Hell yes. Zack felt so safe with him, and their connection was beautiful. Anyway, this story had it all. Revenge on assholes, mischief for the greater good, and an epic conclusion. Yeah, this story was the best.
Quotes
"You're rather wonderful."
"It's been concluded you're 'extremely unlikely' to pose a security threat to the nation. Given that your main interests in life are chocolate biscuits, board games and my cock, we could possibly have guessed that."
"I didn't marry you for money."
"Of course you didn't. You married me for my body, Zachary. That's obvious to anyone."
Read in 2022 and 2024. Bought a physical copy for my bookshelf.
February 4, 2024
3.75 stars
A slightly odd, nominally-Christmas offering . It's feel-good-conflict-free stuff—which I usually find marshmallowy boring—but Lawrie's got a breezy wit & interesting turn of phrase to leaven the marshmallow. Includes a fun story skewering a London gentlemen's club. I've found myself re-reading this more than once.
Favourite line -
[After an abruptly-ended first meeting.]
'It felt like he'd left part of his soul behind, put it down with his empty glass somewhere then forgotten to pick it up as he left.'
A slightly odd, nominally-Christmas offering . It's feel-good-conflict-free stuff—which I usually find marshmallowy boring—but Lawrie's got a breezy wit & interesting turn of phrase to leaven the marshmallow. Includes a fun story skewering a London gentlemen's club. I've found myself re-reading this more than once.
Favourite line -
[After an abruptly-ended first meeting.]
'It felt like he'd left part of his soul behind, put it down with his empty glass somewhere then forgotten to pick it up as he left.'
December 30, 2024
I looooved those short stories.
Cute and full of Christmas magic ✨
And I need more Richard and Zack ❤️
P.S: What does Richard do for a living???? Super intriguing!
Cute and full of Christmas magic ✨
And I need more Richard and Zack ❤️
P.S: What does Richard do for a living???? Super intriguing!
December 14, 2024
Two beautiful short stories that really got me into the Christmas spirit and made me feel all warm inside.
October 8, 2022
I can’t wait to reread David & Julian’s story 8000 more times 😍
December 3, 2020
'Tis the season for reading sappy holiday-themed romances in hopes of eliciting warm and fuzzy feelings. This collection of three novellas featuring two different couples was sweet, but didn't quite hit the spot. Guess I'll need to read a few more to find one that'll turn me into a happily sighing puddle of goo.
December 24, 2019
I loved this sooooo much! Mushy, insta-lovey, fluffy sweetness at its best. Exactly what I was looking for at the holiday season. Three well-developed stories featuring characters you'll fall in love with.
December 12, 2019
Kind of a Big Deal is first. It's incredibly romantic. Comedian, Zach, goes to his sister's art show trying to kill time on when he can leave, because he's bored, when the most gorgeous man he's ever seen begins to speak to him. He and Richard talk for a while but Richard wanders off to speak with others and Zach never gets his number. But all of a sudden, he has a new follower in Twitter. Little by little, they get to know each other. Spending intimate time together, forging their bond. Neither taking the next step. But as they get to know each other, Zach is falling fast. But does Richard feel the same way? Especially when his job makes things a bit difficult.
This story is adorable. I just love it. Zach is sweet and shy, even with being a comedian and performing in front of a lot of people. He feels Richard is way, way out of his league. Knows he is, but he can't help falling for this spectacular man. Everything from his dreams come true. But for Zach it's hard too, because he's so different, he doesn't want Richard to get bored with him or decide Zach isn't enough. And it made me sad. But I was happy when Richard made of point of making sure Zach was loved for just who he was. He didn't have to be anyone else. Just himself.
It's a sweet romantic story.
In For Services Rendered, two neighbors who meet off and on on the stairs of their homes, pass each other barely talking. Neith having a clue the other is interested in the other. But when Julian takes a tumble in his bathroom and ends up in the ER, his neighbor is the Dr. taking care of him. Dr. David Christmas. What starts out as a painful, crappy day, turns into an evening and night filled with comradery and the beginning of something wonderful. After a night filled with passion, things are definitely changing and Julian hopes it's in a good way.
It's so cute the way these two are fawning over each other from a distance. Both wanting to say something to the other but afraid to. When Julian hits the ER, they have no choice but to talk but it's still hard for Julian considering his past and the effect his ex has had on him. It leaves him leery, nervous and doubtful. But David is perfect for him. They're perfect for each other. They mean well together. They enjoy the same things. It's a miracle for Christmas and Julian too. 😉 It's another sweet romantic story. And I've enjoyed reading it.
In the last one, The Farringdon Club, I was rolling laughing. Oh my word. It’s one of those uppity gentleman’s club that doesn’t allow women and the men think they are better than every one else. But they haven’t gotten to know Zach yet. Zach and Richard have been married a year and he’s got a membership now. At first, he didn’t think he’d like it. Especially when a few choice people had some words to say to him, but at the mention of his hubby’s name, everyone seemed to change their tune. All except one. And he was rude. It almost made Zach not go back, but Richard encouraged him to return and after certain other people thought they could get Zach to do favors for them by talking to Richard for them, Zach decided to turn this club on its ear. What’s the point of having this power if you can’t use it?
This club did not know what hit it when Zach came through those doors. The staff love him, the old stodgy people are not happy, but no one is brave enough to cross Richard. And I was laughing my ass off at the tricks Zach was up to in this club. He turned it into a winter wonderland but just a few words. He had all kinds of games going on and even a secret Santa. All while Richard is doing his best to keep a straight face. Because everyone is trying to gain favor with Zach and not one of them has a clue that Zach isn’t going to Richard for a thing. He’s using it to his advantage. It’s so stinking funny. I mean some of these guys really need to pull the sticks out of their asses and what Zach is doing has it either going further up or something. Oh man, it’s hilarious.
These are so very good short stories compiled into one book. They are romantic and funny, with snark, but love and hope for a future they’ve all been dreaming of and possibly given up on. It’s been a blast to read and I hope you all enjoy it like I have.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
This story is adorable. I just love it. Zach is sweet and shy, even with being a comedian and performing in front of a lot of people. He feels Richard is way, way out of his league. Knows he is, but he can't help falling for this spectacular man. Everything from his dreams come true. But for Zach it's hard too, because he's so different, he doesn't want Richard to get bored with him or decide Zach isn't enough. And it made me sad. But I was happy when Richard made of point of making sure Zach was loved for just who he was. He didn't have to be anyone else. Just himself.
It's a sweet romantic story.
In For Services Rendered, two neighbors who meet off and on on the stairs of their homes, pass each other barely talking. Neith having a clue the other is interested in the other. But when Julian takes a tumble in his bathroom and ends up in the ER, his neighbor is the Dr. taking care of him. Dr. David Christmas. What starts out as a painful, crappy day, turns into an evening and night filled with comradery and the beginning of something wonderful. After a night filled with passion, things are definitely changing and Julian hopes it's in a good way.
It's so cute the way these two are fawning over each other from a distance. Both wanting to say something to the other but afraid to. When Julian hits the ER, they have no choice but to talk but it's still hard for Julian considering his past and the effect his ex has had on him. It leaves him leery, nervous and doubtful. But David is perfect for him. They're perfect for each other. They mean well together. They enjoy the same things. It's a miracle for Christmas and Julian too. 😉 It's another sweet romantic story. And I've enjoyed reading it.
In the last one, The Farringdon Club, I was rolling laughing. Oh my word. It’s one of those uppity gentleman’s club that doesn’t allow women and the men think they are better than every one else. But they haven’t gotten to know Zach yet. Zach and Richard have been married a year and he’s got a membership now. At first, he didn’t think he’d like it. Especially when a few choice people had some words to say to him, but at the mention of his hubby’s name, everyone seemed to change their tune. All except one. And he was rude. It almost made Zach not go back, but Richard encouraged him to return and after certain other people thought they could get Zach to do favors for them by talking to Richard for them, Zach decided to turn this club on its ear. What’s the point of having this power if you can’t use it?
This club did not know what hit it when Zach came through those doors. The staff love him, the old stodgy people are not happy, but no one is brave enough to cross Richard. And I was laughing my ass off at the tricks Zach was up to in this club. He turned it into a winter wonderland but just a few words. He had all kinds of games going on and even a secret Santa. All while Richard is doing his best to keep a straight face. Because everyone is trying to gain favor with Zach and not one of them has a clue that Zach isn’t going to Richard for a thing. He’s using it to his advantage. It’s so stinking funny. I mean some of these guys really need to pull the sticks out of their asses and what Zach is doing has it either going further up or something. Oh man, it’s hilarious.
These are so very good short stories compiled into one book. They are romantic and funny, with snark, but love and hope for a future they’ve all been dreaming of and possibly given up on. It’s been a blast to read and I hope you all enjoy it like I have.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
November 22, 2020
I absolutely love this book! It is sweet, it is fluffy, it is sexy and hot as hell! I really hope the author keeps writing queer romance 😍😍
December 17, 2020
Loooved it so much
I loved every single word of this. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled and laughed this much in a long time. Will definitely be looking for more from this author.
I loved every single word of this. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled and laughed this much in a long time. Will definitely be looking for more from this author.
December 27, 2020
I loved this so much! I'm glad I squeezed it in this year, even if I did have to start it after Christmas.
December 13, 2019
I can't believe this is a debut collection!
I love discovering new authors – especially when their writing is as good as this one. I'm a pretty easy reviewer, and usually generous with my star ratings, but it's sort of rare for me to give a 5-star rating to a new or new-to-me author. J. R. Lawrie deserves every one of the 5 stars and I would probably rate it higher if I could.
I knew going in that Let Your Heart Be Light is a collection of three novellas but I must not have read the blurb all that closely…because I was very pleasantly surprised to find two stories about Zack and Richard.
To explain it a bit better – I read the first story, Kind of a Big Deal, and was blown away by the writing. Then I read the second story, For Services Rendered and was again charmed. Then I came to The Farrington Club and, at first, had no idea that it was another story about Zack and Richard; it was a very welcome surprise.
Kind of a Big Deal is a slow-burn story about strangers who meet at an art show, where one of them feels completely out of place and is only there because of his sister. The witty repartee between Zack and Richard was delightful to read. I absolutely felt the intense connection between them. The story has a great happy ending – thus my pleasant surprise to find the third story was also about Zack and Richard.
For Services Rendered is about two neighbors who don't know each other but finally meet when Julian makes a visit to the ER after a fall. Both men are surprised to see each other here and realize that they are neighbors. This story is kind of an insta-love one but I love those. Again, the writing just sucked me in and kept me fully engaged. This one has a HFN (happy for now) and I wouldn't mind reading more about Julian and David.
Now for the wonderful surprise that was The Farrington Club. I didn't think Richard and Zack's story could get any better but this one is cheeky, a bit irreverent and just a fantastically good read. Richard belongs to a stuffy gentleman's club and, as his husband, Zack is granted membership, too.
At first Zack feels very much out of place when he goes to the club. With his pink hair he is not the usual kind of man found at the club. Richard has a LOT of clout at the club and he makes it clear to everyone that Zack is to be welcomed into the fold or else they might live to regret it.
Zack shakes things up at the club and soon has other members fawning over him. Richard is never embarrassed by what Zack does and the outcome of some of Zack's shenanigans is really good. I laughed out loud more than once while reading this story. Here's an example: Zack and Richard are eating at the club for the first time and other members are listening to their conversation. Zack realizes this and…
In conclusion, I can't say enough good things about this author and this collection of stories. I will certainly be watching for more of her work.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
I love discovering new authors – especially when their writing is as good as this one. I'm a pretty easy reviewer, and usually generous with my star ratings, but it's sort of rare for me to give a 5-star rating to a new or new-to-me author. J. R. Lawrie deserves every one of the 5 stars and I would probably rate it higher if I could.
I knew going in that Let Your Heart Be Light is a collection of three novellas but I must not have read the blurb all that closely…because I was very pleasantly surprised to find two stories about Zack and Richard.
To explain it a bit better – I read the first story, Kind of a Big Deal, and was blown away by the writing. Then I read the second story, For Services Rendered and was again charmed. Then I came to The Farrington Club and, at first, had no idea that it was another story about Zack and Richard; it was a very welcome surprise.
Kind of a Big Deal is a slow-burn story about strangers who meet at an art show, where one of them feels completely out of place and is only there because of his sister. The witty repartee between Zack and Richard was delightful to read. I absolutely felt the intense connection between them. The story has a great happy ending – thus my pleasant surprise to find the third story was also about Zack and Richard.
For Services Rendered is about two neighbors who don't know each other but finally meet when Julian makes a visit to the ER after a fall. Both men are surprised to see each other here and realize that they are neighbors. This story is kind of an insta-love one but I love those. Again, the writing just sucked me in and kept me fully engaged. This one has a HFN (happy for now) and I wouldn't mind reading more about Julian and David.
Now for the wonderful surprise that was The Farrington Club. I didn't think Richard and Zack's story could get any better but this one is cheeky, a bit irreverent and just a fantastically good read. Richard belongs to a stuffy gentleman's club and, as his husband, Zack is granted membership, too.
At first Zack feels very much out of place when he goes to the club. With his pink hair he is not the usual kind of man found at the club. Richard has a LOT of clout at the club and he makes it clear to everyone that Zack is to be welcomed into the fold or else they might live to regret it.
Zack shakes things up at the club and soon has other members fawning over him. Richard is never embarrassed by what Zack does and the outcome of some of Zack's shenanigans is really good. I laughed out loud more than once while reading this story. Here's an example: Zack and Richard are eating at the club for the first time and other members are listening to their conversation. Zack realizes this and…
The entire room seemed to be hanging on this single conversation. Some people hadn't turned their page in five minutes. "So," he chirped, "new topic. Do you think I'm the first ever Farringdon member with nipple piercings?"
As a nearby diner began to choke on his soup, the waiter reappeared with their wine.
In conclusion, I can't say enough good things about this author and this collection of stories. I will certainly be watching for more of her work.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
April 12, 2021
Oh wow, if this is what it’s like to be spoon-fed pure sugar and clever banter, I beg the literary gods above for this moment to never end!
Such a charming debut(!) collection containing three short stories and two couples (Zack and Richard, David and Julian). Yes, there’s some of that jolly holiday instalove magic, but before you say nah I’m good and walk away, I implore you to reconsider. This is an absolute gem of a read from the very first paragraph, and with each delightful passage, my heart did grow lighter and lighter just as promised!
I especially adored Zack and Richard’s storyline. Zack, who is indeed mischievous and as “disarmingly adorable” as he claims to be, please never stop being you. I would love nothing more than to follow you on the twitters. And Richard, the sheer power of this man. A well-dressed civil servant with the ability to level everyone with only his presence, PHEW! How very sexy of you, dear sir.
Having not had read the blurb, I was more than pleasantly surprised to see more of these two in the third short story against the backdrop of Farringdon Club snobbery. It was a treasure trove of hilarity and entertaining shenanigans, as well as undeniable proof that Zack and Richard are a power couple!
I feel truly blessed to have come across this book and can only hope we get more of these two couples in some form or another. J.R. Lawrie, I bow down before you and look forward to all your future releases 🙇🏻♀️
TLDR: Utter fluffy perfection! Read the dang book y’all!
Such a charming debut(!) collection containing three short stories and two couples (Zack and Richard, David and Julian). Yes, there’s some of that jolly holiday instalove magic, but before you say nah I’m good and walk away, I implore you to reconsider. This is an absolute gem of a read from the very first paragraph, and with each delightful passage, my heart did grow lighter and lighter just as promised!
I especially adored Zack and Richard’s storyline. Zack, who is indeed mischievous and as “disarmingly adorable” as he claims to be, please never stop being you. I would love nothing more than to follow you on the twitters. And Richard, the sheer power of this man. A well-dressed civil servant with the ability to level everyone with only his presence, PHEW! How very sexy of you, dear sir.
Having not had read the blurb, I was more than pleasantly surprised to see more of these two in the third short story against the backdrop of Farringdon Club snobbery. It was a treasure trove of hilarity and entertaining shenanigans, as well as undeniable proof that Zack and Richard are a power couple!
I feel truly blessed to have come across this book and can only hope we get more of these two couples in some form or another. J.R. Lawrie, I bow down before you and look forward to all your future releases 🙇🏻♀️
TLDR: Utter fluffy perfection! Read the dang book y’all!
December 9, 2020
Loved it!
I loved the 2 stories, but especially Zack and Richard's one. Told in 2 parts it's hilarious, sweet, fun and has some hot moments. I would love to read more about them in the future, but for now, I'll content myself with future rereads.
Highly recommend!
I loved the 2 stories, but especially Zack and Richard's one. Told in 2 parts it's hilarious, sweet, fun and has some hot moments. I would love to read more about them in the future, but for now, I'll content myself with future rereads.
Highly recommend!
December 10, 2020
This is my first DNF, kind of... This book is a hot mess. It follows two couples, parts 1 and 3 are about couple A and part 2 about couple B. I did not read the story of couple B because I had enough with couple A. The two stories don't merge or intertwine, why the structure of this book is this way is a mystery (there is no other m/m couple in part 3 and I know couple A is m/m as well so..). Now, what was wrong with couple A: everything! I don't usually write rant reviews because sometimes an author is just not to my taste but this book is, in my opinion, bad enough to warrant a very negative review. In couple A we have Richard, the only things that we know about him (I DO mean ONLY) is that he is a 40 something millionaire who is mysterious but very powerful. Why mysterious, we don't exactly know what he does to the end. Does he have a family? Probably but we don't know the first thing about them. After a 100 pages and we all learn that Richard has 1 friend and . The second MC is the narrator but that does not mean we know more about him: he is a 20 something stand-up comedian (but he is not that funny to me), he has 2 sisters who never meet the love interest ... Another review put it perfectly (I don't know how to quote someone else but the name of the reviewer is Gabriella): "[Zack is a] trophy-wife...husband in this case. Meh. A quite vapid or ignorant trophy husband..." I fully agree with that even though, Zack could have been a woman and the story or characterization would not really have needed to be altered: I hate when that happens. An M/M book does not need to deal with homophobia or coming out to be m/m (looking at you my lovely Raze by Roan Parrish, an amazing m/m book that deals with neither theme) but this one reads like an m/f book in which the pronouns have been switched for Zack . Finally, why have a May/December romance if the age difference does not have ANY, and I mean, ANY impact on the story. No hesitation on either side, no one around them cares (I mean they don't really interact with others but still). They could have been the same age and again NOTHING would have been different. Needless to say that I don't recommend this boring and cringing read. This book is so superficial and annoyed me. Onto the next one.
February 4, 2022
2.5 rounded up to three. I like the premise. I like the author's note at the back that states they want to write queer stories that aren't depressing. However, she's a woman writing about gay male sex, so...you know, there are limits to how right on this is, before it just turns into (misinformed) porn.
Richard was boring. Zachary was a manic pixie dream girl with no real defining reason as to why Richard was so besotted with him. I kept on expecting Richard to be shown up to have some dark past and a twist. Nope, turns out the last third of the book was really just a gush-fest of lovely and perfect he is. Yawn.
Neither of them had personalities. Zach had no friends and was the least realistic stand-up comedian I've ever heard. He was a 16 year old on Tumblr's idea of a stand-up comedian.
David and Julian were miles better and it's a pity they didn't get a second section as I was much more invested in them. The part about Julian's ex I thought was a clue about Richard (getting engaged in NY, except it was to a 'her') and I got excited about nothing. Still, we got more info about Julian in that paragraph than we did in 100 pages of Zachary and Richard.
All in all, it's fine. Edited well, only a few grammatical issues. Just needed more world-building and less saccharine (yes, I know, it's a Christmas-themed story)
Richard was boring. Zachary was a manic pixie dream girl with no real defining reason as to why Richard was so besotted with him. I kept on expecting Richard to be shown up to have some dark past and a twist. Nope, turns out the last third of the book was really just a gush-fest of lovely and perfect he is. Yawn.
Neither of them had personalities. Zach had no friends and was the least realistic stand-up comedian I've ever heard. He was a 16 year old on Tumblr's idea of a stand-up comedian.
David and Julian were miles better and it's a pity they didn't get a second section as I was much more invested in them. The part about Julian's ex I thought was a clue about Richard (getting engaged in NY, except it was to a 'her') and I got excited about nothing. Still, we got more info about Julian in that paragraph than we did in 100 pages of Zachary and Richard.
All in all, it's fine. Edited well, only a few grammatical issues. Just needed more world-building and less saccharine (yes, I know, it's a Christmas-themed story)
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