Caroled

The Bureau #7

by Kim Fielding

Charles Grimes hasn’t celebrated Christmas in years, so spending December in San Francisco while keeping an eye out for monsters sounds like an easy way to earn a few bucks. He should have learned by now that nothing is ever easy—not his job, not his existence as the son of an angel, and not his relationship with a formerly captive demon. It’s going to take more than a few rounds of Jingle Bells to make Charles feel the joys of the season.

Genres: Paranormal, M M Romance, Romance, Historical, Fantasy, Holiday, Demons

118 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2020

About the author

Kim Fielding lives in Oregon and travels as often as she can manage. A professor by day, at night she rushes into a phone booth to change into her author costume (which involves comfy clothes instead of Spandex and is, sadly, lacking a cape). Her superpowers include the ability to write nearly anywhere, often while simultaneously doling out assistance to her family. Her favorite word to describe herself is "eclectic" and she finally got that eighth tattoo.

Reviews

[Lisazj1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! This was the closer look at Charles and Tenrael together that I wanted. And who would expect magic for an angel and a demon? 🥰🥰

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know those couples that stick with you? The ones that you remember for a long time and maybe think about at odd times or in unusual places?

Charles and Ten are that couple. They have a special mojo that appeals to me. Maybe it's because they're both outcasts? Outcasts who enjoy a bit of kink is probably closer to the truth.

Regardless, I'm glad I got to spend a little more time with them in this holiday novella that was heartfelt and quaint with an interesting case that held my attention but didn't overpower the romance.

[Kaity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread/Relisten: June 2023

Some holiday spirit with my favorite Angel and Demon haha

4 stars: December 2022

Back with Ten and Charles!! Love them and seeing them again was a treat, it was a little bit of a holiday book… if that book included finding a murderer haha!

It was also good to see Abe and Thomas again!

Now on to book 8!

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1942, 3 years after Corruption and 15 after Conned, Caroled sees Charles and Tenrael in San Francisco for a few weeks during the holidays to act as substitutes for Abe and Thomas, put temporarily on the sidelines by an accident on the job for Thomas.
Charles and Tenrael are one of my favorite couples in this series, I’ve loved the little glimpses that I got in the other books of them at different time periods, but their previous book was so short that I felt some essential parts of their relationship development were missing, so I was happy to see those gaps addressed in this book. Not only that, I also got to see them a few years down the line, solid but with still some issues to deal with. I really felt them as a couple in this story and got to know them better as individual characters, while they both had some interesting character development.
I knew from the previous (in series order although not always in terms of timeline) books that Charles’s mortality “problem” would be solved in some way eventually and I was glad to get to see how that worked out in this book. There was also a little nugget at the end from Townsend that I’m assuming referred to Charles’s father and I hope that means that this is not the last book planned with this couple as MCs.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

More about my favorite couple in The Bureau series, Charles and Tenrael. Just wonderful! Happy Holidays to me!

[Claudie ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

So sweet it pretty much gave me cavities! I loved it. Now Charles and Tenrael can be together forever. ❤️

I really hope Kim Fielding continues the Bureau series, and that we’ll revisit these lovely couples in the future installments.

[Kim]

It's always a treat to revisit the Bureau series, and this novella was especially fun because I got to spend some time with Charles and Tenrael. If you're new to the series, you might want to read Corruption first, but you should be fine if you'd rather start with Caroled.

This is a holiday story, so it's a tad bit lighter than the other books in the series. But it's still a Bureau book, so expect some angst, a dead body or two, and some paranormal surprises.

[Eugenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ADORE this series!!

What a joy it was to get back to Charles and Tenreal! 😍😍

The set-up:
A half angel and a demon (Charles & Ten)
1942
3 years after Charles set Tenreal free
San Francisco
WWII
Men are disappearing
Charles and Ten are sent to investigate
BIG SURPRISE for them and us!!


If you haven’t yet picked up this series, do so now! You can jump in anywhere since the stories aren’t chronological, but characters do appear throughout the time of the series.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oops, she did it again, she played with my heart... aaaaand.... put it back together!!!
Indeed, Kim Fielding put my heart through a huge wringer with Charles and Ten's story. It hurt, it made me sad and it was beautiful!

I haven't expected anything particularly 'meaty' out of this short read but what I got made me an even bigger fan of this extraordinary Bureau series and of my fave agent-and-his-partner couple.

So, instead of a sweet and fluffy Christmas short, I got an emotionally packed story with Abe and Thomas from Conned as side characters and a very satisfying HEA :)

TBH, I liked Abe and Tom even more in Caroled than I did in 'their' book, even though they mainly stayed at home and supported our MCs from afar. But they made up a great, quaint quartet and I simply loved how their mutual story evolved :) :) :)

And now I want similar stories and veeeeery long-term happy endings for all of the other pairings from The Bureau universe!!!! Please, Kim Fielding, make it happen! :)

P.S. I did find a few hints at possible further stories, lovely re-appearances and surprising MCs. I really hope I'm correct about this! ;)

[Achim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I liked these characters and I loved the resolution, this one was very slow and I had to push to get to the interesting parts near the end, hence the three stars. Also, there's quite a plot hole that would have been ridiculously easy to close for a critical plot point, had anyone caught it. Tsk.

[Lieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great catching up again with Abe ,Thomas ,Charles and black-winged demon Tenrael .And ’Caroled’ certainly is a lovely and sweet holiday novella but it’s totally different from the others . I would lie if I said I didn’t liked it.
This is also Charles and Tenrael’s story where they discover their true and undeniable love for each other ,with a great and surprising HEA.
I’m already hooked on this Bureau series and hope they’ll continue because I really love this author’s impressive world building .

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book in the series so far that revisits a previous couple (from the first book, Corruption). It was interesting to revisit them as an established couple, and it's certainly one of the most unusual pairings and dynamics I've come across in the genre. Unfortunately, while I can appreciate that the author did something different here, it just wasn't really my thing. Still, I enjoyed it well enough, even with an underbaked mystery.

[JoAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved catching up with Charles and Tenrael.

Seriously Corruption is one of my favorite gut wrenching shorts, and to be able to visit this couple again was amazing. I’ll admit that while I enjoyed it, there were parts that did drag on. I mean Corruption was only 45 pages and filled with 10 times the feels this one was, but it was also dark and painful while this story is more of holiday and acceptance of love.

I also want to mention I was so thrown with Thomas and Abe being in this story... and only because they were in the last book, but the last book was a prequel. The timing just really threw me off, and I had to really focus and remember the time line, rather than the story run natural.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing like spending the holidays with Tenrael and Charles. A forever kind of love, our demon and his angel. The sleuthing is fun too.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up

It's December 1942, Charles Grimes and his demon partner of three years, Tenrael, are going to San Francisco as a favor to Chief Townsend, Charles' former boss from the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs. There's not much happening at the moment, but Townsend requires extra help to cover the city as his agents are indisposed.


I was happy that the story returned to the original couple, Charles and Tenrael, who first appeared in Corruption. We also had Donne and Ferencz from Conned, older of course, but still working for the Bureau. It was great to see the two sets of couple becoming friends when they were there.

This story has more of contemplating from Charles though, than any mystery involving supernatural being. Oh, we still have that near the end, but the bulk of the story is about Charles.

He's mulling over his relationship with Tenrael, his mortality (Charles has angel's blood since he's son of angel father and a human mother, but he's NOT immortal), his seemingly inability to love (that he's too dark, too icy shark), and whether or not he's a good Master for Tenrael. There were a number of sweet moments, in my opinion, because Charles seemed to learn a lot about himself and his demon in this holiday season.

I hope that there are more stories coming in this series 🤞🏻

[William Kibler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda messy, but intriguing

The story was slow moving and fairly boring until the later chapters. There was a lot of material that was rehashed from Charles and Tenreal's previous story. There were a lot of sex scenes between the two of them, as well. I always feel that when an author inserts gratuitous sex scenes into a story it is because they don't know how to move the story along. They are unnessary and take away from the storyline. Additionally Charles distrust of others and the enormous chip on his shoulder make him less likable than the other characters in the story. Lighten up! This story, to me, felt forced and uncomfortable.

[Marzipop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still don't like Abe and Thomas. Haven't forgiven them from the last book.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[morten · Rating 5 out of 5]

大・満・足！人ではないものたちを扱うエージェントたちの連作短編シリーズ７作目。１作目の主人公２人のその後（と、６作目の主人公２人のその後）が描かれる。１作目で「ええっ、これで終わり？この２人の話をもっと読みたい」と思った読者たちへの、作者様からのプレゼントですこれは。物語は、１作目の３年後。サンフランシスコで隠遁生活を送るCharlesは、頼まれて一定期間LAで再びエージェントとして働くことに。彼のパートナーの悪魔Tenraelを連れて──。／悪魔Tenがいちいち可愛くてニヤニヤ。また、私は６作目の２人も、とても好きなので、AbeとTomが相変わらずの２人で、しかもすっかり良いふうふになっているのが分かってすごく嬉しかった。クリスマスは過ぎてしまったけれど、少し遅れたクリスマスプレゼントをいただきました。ああ良かった！

[Kassu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A holiday novella and a needed sequel for the 1st book Corruption, which was way too short for its interesting characters. We also revisit people from Conned but they're only supporting characters here.

The bureau case/mystery is on the background in this book which is fine because this story is about the relationship between Charles and Tenrael as well as other relationships between the human and not-so-human characters. Another solid title for the series.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to see these guys again! I actually thought the story was a little slow at first, but once I got into it I really got into it. There were so many other things I was supposed to be doing, lol, but I didn't put this one down until it was over.

This series just continues to impress.

[Kobie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this author so much. Think everything she writes is terrific, so was surprised when I could put this down. It just didn't grab me. By the end, I liked it more, but overall, meh. I think there wasn't enough story.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

The completion of Charles and Tenrael's story from Book #1, "Corruption" with Abe and Tom joining in from Book #6 (Conned). This book is longer than most of the others and but has the greatest HEA ever. I really enjoyed this series.

[kathyblue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another chapter in a favorite book series!

I have very much enjoyed this series, so it was really nice to have a holiday addition. Looking forward to the next book!

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of the Bureau stories from the start and this was wonderful; a small dose of supernatural horrors, and a very satisfying revisit with Charles and Tenrael.

[Nix Buttons · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet continuation of the first instalment. It was lovely to read more about Grimes and Ten - with Thomas and Abe as side characters 14 years after their story.

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice. I liked the insight in Ten's and Charles' relationship, after everything poor Tenrael had gone through.
Not one of my favorites in the series though.

[msbjbxb · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Love this couple from the original story and good to see them get more time, but the story was a little dull.

[Gail Overholt · Rating 5 out of 5]

July 2026
It's Christmas in July!

I initially read Caroled out of order, and that affected my score of 4 stars (I think). Well, that and two deaths I'd hoped were false flags.. This time I'm reading The Bureau books in order, so I'd already re-read Conned and refreshed my memory—and my love for Abe and Thomas.

In my first reading, I'd skipped over Tenreal's story. That was a mistake because Kim Fielding added much to his background and explored the ways in which he'd been damaged.

“I used to be… lost. I became nothing. And then I met you and now I am becoming something new."

Charles and Tenreal interacting with Abe and Thomas made them feel almost like a regular couple. And I think they enjoyed the experience. They now have a new set of friends with a promise to stay in touch.

Two profound quotes from Townsend had been throwaway lines when I first read the book.

... softened Townsend’s tone. And then his eyes grew incredibly sad. “You don’t have to offer yourself up for slaughter to be a hero, Charles.” Had a touch of British accent suddenly crept in?

A reference to Birdie.

“Remember what I said about a badly injured angel needing time to heal?”
“Yes.” Charles’s heart was tap-dancing in his chest.
“Maybe what looks like abandonment might, in fact, be something else.”

Something that hints at the far future, all the way from 1942 to 2025.

Original review, December 2022—4 stars (I think)
Heh. I thought this was Kim Fielding's Christmas book for 2022. Nope. That would be A Very Genre Christmas. Hell, Caroled wasn't even published in 2022!

It's been a while since I've read The Bureau books and only three at that. Most can stand alone, but Corruption (book #1) really should be read first, since Charles and Tenreal seem to show up in several of the others.

Caroled focuses on Charles and Tenreal, so I thought I'd be okay having not read books #4-6. I was. I haven't yet read Conned but was still able to enjoy Abe and Thomas. And even though their book revealed what Townsend is, I still don't know the answer. Very clever what you did there, Ms. Fielding!

Charles and Tenreal are possibly Fielding's two best creations, so it's nice to see them front and center again.

Caroled was very enjoyable. It focuses on the growth of their relationship. Mainly Charles, because Tenreal is already content. But Charles still has his (emotional) demons. This is his chance to grow, and he does. He changes. And I don't mean just his physical change. He ends up being more at peace than he's ever been, and it's lovely to see.

The book might actually be 5 stars, but I've noticed my reviews for this series have been off. I need to reread them to see how I really feel. I can think of worse ways to start 2023.

One thing "spoiled" the story for me. It's a MAJOR spoiler so I probably shouldn't post it here, or even put it behind spoiler tags. But I will. Detective Collins' death hit me hard. It was unexpected and very depressing. At least it wasn't brushed aside. Maybe it was necessary. It helped Charles become more focused.

Now Charles and Ten have a true HEA. Emphasis on the EA.