Merry Measure

The Wright Brothers #2

by Lily Morton

Arlo Wright’s introduction to his sexuality came when he saw his older brother’s best friend, Jack Cooper, in his sweaty football kit. Unfortunately, he didn’t have long to enjoy the revelation because he promptly knocked himself out on a table.

Relations between them have never really moved on from that auspicious beginning. Arlo is still clumsy, and Jack is still as handsome and unobtainable as ever.

However, things look like they’re starting to change when Arlo finds himself sharing a room with Jack while on holiday in Amsterdam at Christmas. Will the festive spirit finally move them towards each other, or is Arlo just banging his head against a wall this time?

From bestselling author, Lily Morton comes a warm romantic comedy set in chilly Amsterdam.
 

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Christmas, Contemporary, Holiday, Friends To Lovers, LGBT

198 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 2, 2020

About the author

Lily is a bestselling gay romance author.

She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven't had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.

She has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?

Her latest release is Under Gorse and Stone, which is a magical Christmas story about a centuries-old dragon and his human mate.

https://getbook.at/UnderGorseAndStone

You can keep up with Lily's latest releases and read the exclusive short stories '3 Dates' and ‘Best Love’ by subscribing to her newsletter: https://bit.ly/LilyMorton-Newsletter

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Reviews

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness but how I loved this story! It's brimming with sweetness, romance, longing, friendship, and humor.

The main characters, Arlo and Jack, are so intensely lovable, I did not want the book to end, and when it did, I immediately started at the beginning again. I know the holiday season is far from over, but I can't imagine another Christmas romance topping this one.

Part of the magic is the Amsterdam setting: the canals, leaning houses, museums, cafes, old bicycles, and friendly people. Jack and Arlo fall in love with the city and with each other. How could they not?

Jack is all structure and sleekness. He always looks perfectly put together, and he dates men who are just like him and the exact opposite of Arlo, who exudes chaos and brightness.

Jack and Arlo have always gotten on. Arlo is Tom's little brother, and Tom is Jack's best friend. Arlo has been smitten with Jack for ages (since age 11 to be precise), but he had no idea Jack returned his affections. Jack didn't either, until last Christmas when Arlo passed out under the kitchen table (how's that for romantic?).

I liked the secondary characters, especially Tom and his boyfriend Bee, a great deal. Tom's proposal was epic! I giggled like a lunatic when the police showed up. No worries, though. Tom's only crime was getting drunk and sappy.

I can't say I liked Jack's ex, Steven, much, but Arlo let him have it, and it was brilliant the way Jack stood up for Arlo. The juxtaposition of uptight Steven who stifles Jack and sunny Arlo with whom Jack can be himself was startling. How could Jack have put up with that arse for so long?

Treading lightly, Jack and Arlo hide their newfound relationship from everyone, but then Tom finds Jack in a rather *ahem* compromising (and utterly hilarious!) situation, and the heat is on.

Speaking of heat, this story has just enough steam to make me happy. I wish the shower scene hadn't been summarized, but we don't always get what we want.

Like all of Lily Morton's books, Merry Measure made me smile. It made me laugh out loud. It (especially the epilogue) made me swoon. And, like a cup of hot chocolate on a snowy day, it warmed me right up.

Grab this book with both hands. It's just that good!

[☆ Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was signature Lily Morton, in all the best ways.

She took the tried and true "my brother's best friend" trope and added just the right amount of snark in the form of a klutzy guy named Arlo and paired him up with the nicest (hot) guy ever, Jack, so the setup and execution both worked perfectly for me.



This time around, Arlo had been crushing on the slightly-older guy since before puberty, so when recently-single Jack had to double-up in Arlo's hotel room in Amsterdam, Arlo's heart immediately began to skip a beat.

The towel clings to his narrow hips, showing off the V-line of his pelvis, while beads of water glisten in the curling hairs on his chest and slide over chiseled abs. If I had a stack of money, I would seriously be making it rain right now.

Although Arlo may have been clumsy, I loved his self-confident bluntness, compared to Jack's more mild-mannered avoidance of conflict.

“I just hate to hurt people’s feelings. Don’t you?”

I think of the bloke who stuck his hand down my trousers on the dancefloor and how I’d told him to go fuck himself.

“Oh, I detest it,” I say quickly. “It’s terrible to be rude to people.”

And speaking of rude, one thing that did make me audibly groan was when Jack's obnoxious, pretentious ex-boyfriend, Steven, showed up unexpectedly in Amsterdam.

However, I was thrilled to see that none of the people on the trip put up with the childish attempts to cause drama, so my groaning was thankfully a little premature.

I also really loved hearing how Arlo and Tom's oddball family had truly been an emotional anchor for Jack growing up, seeing as how his own parents were so unloving and controlling.



There were several instances when I feared that the story may go the route of "The Big Misunderstanding", but praise the lord, that never actually happened.

I'd rate this one at around 4.25 stars for the tons of amazing banter and Arlo's eccentricities, plus, highly recommend it to anyone looking for an all-around upbeat, feel-good story. : )

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[Snjez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Update 2/2025:

2.5 stars

After reading and really enjoying On Circus Lane, I decided to give this story another chance. I wanted more of Tom, Bee and Jack.
I liked the first part, before anything happens between Jack and Arlo. And I thought the epilogue was cute. Everything else didn't work for me. For two people who have known each other so long, the relationship doesn't develop in a way that I'd find believable or enjoy (being intimate while drunk or on that boat with other tourists sitting nearby!). Arlo is often OTT, the story a combination of convenient and ridiculous, and Steven's reason for joining the group doesn't make sense. I liked Jack, Tom and Bee more in the other book.


Original review:
dnf @ 62%

I should have known when I read Renée's review that I wouldn't like this one. But I love the brother's-best-friend / best-friend's-brother trope and I couldn't resist giving it a try.

This story reminds me too much of some other stories I've read by this author and didn't enjoy. We have two MCs, one of them snarky and the other one more serious, a group of friends and an evil ex. I just can't deal with characters like Steven anymore – one-dimensional and unrealistic.

I enjoyed some humor and I like that the story takes place in Amsterdam, but I'm not feeling the MCs enough and I'm too annoyed by certain things to enjoy the story overall. I've loved some of this author's books, but those that follow a similar formula as this one are just not to my liking.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and light, but I don't think Lily Morton is the author for me.

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need a shelf that has more than just Favourites (I know, I can make custom shelves, I'm being overly dramatic 😉 ) because this one would be right at the top.

It's like all the best snarking characters in Lily's world got together and donated parts of their DNA to add into an egg which had been created from all the most loving and caring protective cinnamon buns found in her books and then Arlo was born.

He's an absolute joy, a snarker of the highest calibre and as clumsy as a baby. Fortunately he's had Jack, his older brother Tom's best friend, on hand throughout most of his life to rescue him from all these mishaps he keeps landing in.

The crush level has been intense, but when the two end up sharing a room on a long weekend trip to Amsterdam, not long after Jack's broken up with the latest version of his hideously perfect and tedious boyfriends that the sparks really fly.

Because Jack's got a crush too...

I'm not going to go into more detail for this one. Except to say that Lily might have broken her record for how quickly I almost choked to death while drinking a cup of tea (within the first couple of paragraphs) and also how big the smile was on my face while reading.

It almost hit



levels when I saw the dedication in that book (did I say yet that Lily wrote me a Rare Breeds Farmer and then gave him a supermodel boyfriend?!
😁❤💕🐑🐏 )

This book is a guaranteed pick-me-up if you feel down, it's a mini travel guide to the delights of Amsterdam (I reckon the Netherlands Tourist Board owes Lily some dosh from how many readers are planning a trip there now because of this book) and it's about as festive romance as they can get.

It has enough UST to fuel a rocket, it has soulful stares and lusty looks, it's got a brilliant cast of secondary characters, and the meet/cute for Arlo's parents might just be the best I've ever read in any book, #justsaying #HotGossipWereHot along with an Epilogue that will have you doing one of those heartfelt sighs that something could be so perfect.

Get it, read it and give yourselves a Merry Little Christmas.

And that cover?! Natasha Snow outdoing herself yet again.

#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review

[Jilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I usually like a little murder-mystery in my romance novels, this was so cute and happy that I don't have any complaints at all. I know, so unlike me!

It's a "brother's best friend" romance where the younger brother had been crushing on the older boy forever. Arlo is the younger brother and he's one of those lovable hot messes who is clumsy and disorganized. He's also so upbeat and funny that you can't help but fall for him.



The older guy is Jack and he's one of those super nice guys who hates to hurt people's feelings and tries to be perfect all the time for approval. He is attracted to Arlo, but since he feels like Arlo's family is his own family he is afraid to act on it. Of course he gets over that quickly. Thankfully! I am not big on too much angst and there was very little in this story.


Gah! I love pandas!

So, a little fluffy, amusing, and maybe some cheese. Kinda perfect for the end of a crappy year!

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

1. Adored the setting. Lily Morton should get brownie points (or a free trip) from the tourist board in Amsterdam. It sounds really fun and idyllic. I’m looking at the place with different eyes now.

2. Loved Jack. He’s so genuine and nice.
3. Arlo and his clumsiness and disorganization are partly cute, but sometimes a bit over the top and too unbelievable for me. Surely, he must have some teeny organization skills if he is a teacher? (I’d hope!)

4. The plot is mainly enjoyable, with some good UST and nice banter.
However, I could have done less with the ploy of “Did you remember when we did this, and then that silly thing happened to Arlo?”. It happens a lot.

And the storyline with Jack’s ex is a bit on the odd side, Why on earth would the guy follow them to Amsterdam, not to mention stick to their group (that blatantly dislikes him) like superglue? Saying that Jack’s parents made him do it is not working for me here. I mean WTH? with Steven drawn as a very one-dimensional ‘bad guy’.

All in all though, this is a fun Christmas novella that many readers will enjoy.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read #1

Ok, I had to re-read this after On Circus Lane was released! Kinda weird that book two in the series came out years before book one, but that just meant getting to see Jack and Arlo fall in love all over again!

The humour in this book is so good and I adore the whole Wright family. It was also way more satisfying seeing Steven get shut out after seeing his relationship with Jack in more detail in book one. It made me much more protective towards Jack's character too and I was cheering him on!

I do wish we'd seen Steven's reaction to Jack and Arlo being official though, his brain would have exploded 😂

I was also way more invested in Tom and Bee's relationship now that On Circus Lane has given all the background to their relationship. Before it was nice to see this part of their story, but it felt more complete having the beginning of their relationship too.

My only real gripe is the timeline though, because it's mentioned in this book that Bee has been part of the group for years, when after reading the new book one they'd only met a year ago? Just a little thing, but it's more noticeable when you read the books back to back.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read November 2021

Hmm, I liked it a little less this time. Might be the whole Amsterdam atmosphere. I know tourists love that city, but for me it's just way too busy and crowded.

------------------------------

3.5 stars

Lily Morton has often been a hit or miss for me, but I have really enjoyed her last few books. And this one was just great!

I don’t think I have ever read a book set in my country that wasn’t all wrong. But Lily Morton got everything right! Even though we haven’t had snow in years, it could happen. :)

What I like most about Lily Morton books is that she doesn’t really do the awkward morning after thing. Arlo and Jack woke up from their sex marathon night and instead of thing being awkward, they were hilarious together.

“Did we have sex?” I say. “Please say no. I’d hate to think I’d forgotten that.” He groans and pulls me next to him. “Stop moving the bed,” he says pitifully. I settle down and he pats my hip.
“We didn’t have sex. Although you did climb on me and order me to suck your cock.”
“Did I? How alarmingly forceful of me.” I crane my neck to look at him. “And were you okay with that?” I ask hesitantly. He hums. “I think the fact that you’re wearing more of my come suggests that I was fine with the idea.” I relax and he pats my arse.
“Although I was a bit put off by you twirling imaginary guns and shouting, ‘Ride ‘em, cowboy.’”
“Oh dear,” I say faintly. “Alcohol brings out a very slutty side in me.”

So lighthearted and fun.

I did hate Steven and I thought he was just a bit too evil. I mean, why would anyone ever date such an openly hostile and nasty person?

But to balance out the nastiness that was Steven, I really LOVED Arlo’s brother Tom and his boyfriend Bee. I not only connected with Arlo and Jack, but with all the other characters as well. They all felt so real.

This was an absolutely lovely Christmas story and one I will re-read often I can already tell.

[Lisazj1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! This had pretty much everything I could ever want in a holiday story. It was adorable, sweet and sexy. Amazing characters *all of them* *except the one asshole 😒*, no angst or misunderstandings, it was completely and genuinely lovely. I laughed, grinned like a fool and swooned and it left my heart all warm and happy. 💖 Loved it!

[Eugenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fluffy and oh so FUNNY!

What a delightful, ANGST-FREE Christmas tale!!

Here’s what you get in this HEA:

A clumsy, bright, and unfiltered Arlo
A polite, ordered, and kind Tom
A holiday in Amsterdam
Family
Friends
An ex (what a twat!)
A water-logged proposal
Snowflakes
And a furry squirrel

Conflict? Who needs it or wants it this year? Not me.

I inhaled this sweet & funny novel for the sole reason that it wrapped me up in a fluffy blanket of love. Love, Amsterdam style (no, no red lights).

My rec? COMPLETELY ANGST FREE! Yessssssss!

[Renée · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very cute, typical Lily Morton story. There were a few things that didn't appeal though, so I'll settle on 3 stars.

- Jack was a bit of a doormat, particularly with the ex. Steven was a caricature of a wholly awful person, and Jack doesn't seem like the type of person who would stay with someone like that for over a year.

- There were WAY too many reminiscing stories. Every page included someone sharing a funny memory from the past. It was so many that it took me out of the story a lot.

Otherwise, it was a lovely holiday book, and Morton fans will enjoy.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was alright.

[Ele · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4,25 stars*

I LOVE Amsterdam! One of the best European cities and this book has such a strong sense of place, it took me back for sure.

I absolutely loved Morton's trademark OTT-ness, the banter, the romance and the smexy times. Oh and the ensemble cast, of course.

Recommended!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful ...
perfect ...
checks every single box!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 Stars. Wavering on rounding up or down. Subject to change when/if I do a full review.

This book was a soothing balm to my soul and made my Grinch heart grow three sizes. The perfect Christmas read. It was warm and sweet, sincere and funny. I fell for Arlo and Jack in a big way. Possible full review to come.

**Usual disclaimer applies: Review may be slightly biased based on my, for real, not at all fake, actual, medical illness. I am an unrepentant Lily-aholic. **

[Gustaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my. This book is 100% pure fluff and warm feelings all over the place. And hilarious. Of course it's hilarious. It was exactly what I needed. It's everything you want and expect from a Lily Morton book. If you are a fan of her work, you won't be disappointed.

Arlo has had a crush on Jack for years, never thinking anything would come out of it. Jack started noticing his feelings for Arlo the Christmas before the one this book is taking place. Traveling to Amsterdam to attend Arlo's brother proposing to his boyfriend and being forced to share a room things are taking a turn for the hotter. And for the both men to realize that they fit together perfectly.

I want to go back and reread it straight away, not ready to say goodbye to Arlo and Jack.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book got me laughing out loud so loud till the end 😂



Love this one with all its funny, sexy and crazy cozy 💝

....and I thought I was so over romance!


💖 Valentine's season gets better 💝


The perfect rom-com I needed. Steven is the villain. Jack is ❤️ Arlo is 💝 Both together are 💖

I am so happy for them!!!!


The other characters are quite understanding and helpful. Such a feel-good one 🎉


And Tom? He's a riot 😂😂😂😂😂

With his Beethoven Amadeus Bannister (yes, it's real 😂)

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

It worked for what it was - a cozy and sweet Christmas story.

[Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp · Rating 2 out of 5]

|| 1.5 stars ||

Unfortunately, I was just really not feeling this.

That's not to say that there aren't quite a few cute moments in here, because there were, but they just didn't do anything for me, and I actually found myself completely and utterly bored more often than not.

I was genuinely waiting to be done with this one not all that long after I started reading. It did not grip me at all, and actually became slightly annoying after a while.
It gave me a bit of a headache, if I'm being completely honest.

The two main characters are nice guys, and they do appear to have perfectly fine personalities, but.. they somehow never really grew on me. They never breached that basic surface level, and rather remained a bit stereotypical and simple.
I know that these two were supposed to be this duo where one is perfect and one is all clumsy, but that got old rather quick and it actually felt like I was being told this more than shown.
Arlo was supposed to be the dorky, clumsy one of the two, but aside from being clumsy in the physical sense of the word with him walking into stuff, he was actually extremely confident and sassy. Not at all awkward or ‘clumsy’.
It was this weird clash where I was being told that Arlo was this lovable geek, but then he acted just like a normal funny dude. It was a jarring mix of two personalities, where it seemed like the author could never quite decide who exactly she wanted her characters to be.

I think the unclear personality portrait that we have of Arlo also shines through when it comes to his feelings for 'perfect' Jack.
He was so wishy-washy and flippant; sometimes he seemed to be totally in love, and other times he wasn't even sure if he still had something as simple as a crush on his childhood hero. Did he really want to be with Jack? Or did he not?
Arlo was the least adamant person ever, and I really needed him to pull his head out of his arse. He could have at least tried to fight a little bit more for what he wanted, as he really did not do this once. If it wasn't for Jack's perseverance, these two would have never gotten together. No way.

Now, when it comes to the actual plot, I have to say that I did like the sightseeing and ‘hanging out’ they all did in Amsterdam. I think it had quite a warm feel to it, and their trip was even more enjoyable for me personally because I'm Dutch myself and was therefore incredibly familiar with all the references.
However, I do have to say that I think the plot could have been a little bit more expanded than just sightseeing, as it's, of course, quite a bit of an empty story on its own.

I also thought the whole sub-plot concerning the evil ex-boyfriend was so strange, as I couldn't for the life of me understand why he was even in Amsterdam.
I mean, why the others couldn't just tell him to bugger off was completely beyond me, but more importantly, it was never made very clear to me why the ex-boyfriend even wanted to be there. He wasn't particularly in love with Jack, and he also wasn't exactly trying to win him back very effectively. So what the hell was he doing, then?
The ex-boyfriend coming to Amsterdam just because he was sort of obsessed with Jack's parents was the weirdest thing ever and seemed like a very unsatisfactory explanation.
I actually think it would have made a lot more sense for him to simply just be in love with Jack, yet being a dick about it, hence not being what Jack wants. It would have given the same amount of angst, if not even more, without it being completely nonsensical.
Unfortunately, this easy option was not chosen, and instead a very strange and peculiar route was taken, which I could have gladly done without.

Something that was frequently mentioned in this book were the tiresome amount of childhood memories. There were so many of them, and I quite frankly could not have cared any less.
I didn't feel connected to these stories, as I hardly felt connected to the characters as they were now, let alone to when they were years younger.
It just felt as if they were trying way too hard to be all fun and 'oooh, happy vibes', which in the end just felt off and more cringy than heart-warming.

Long story short, I was mostly bored out of my mind while reading this, and even a few cute moments can't make this novel all that much better. Especially when none of those moments really packed much of a punch for me, as I simply just didn't care about anyone or anything that happened.


Lily Morton books:
‘Mixed Messages’ series - var. ratings
Spring Strings - 3.5 stars
Merry Measure - 1.5 stars

[.Lili. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Signature Lily Morton; banter, UST, romance, chemistry, and add the holidays' magic.

I would have liked some angst- I know it's the holidays, but I just wanted something. It all fell in place too neatly. Idk; it was missing something for me. I also have to mention; I'm tired of the jerk ex-boyfriend. I feel like we see this in almost every Morton book. I guess it all felt predictable and formulaic.

It was cute, though, and I'm sure everyone will enjoy it.

3.5 stars

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd time read for the sake of Tom and Bee.
Not changing my rating.




Lily Morton never failed me with her stories. Merry Measure is one of my favorite trope, brother's best friend. And knowing that Arlo loves Jack since forever and ever.
Came holiday in Amsterdam where everything looks like in a holiday cards, Jack and Arlo had to be closer than ever. Like shared a room. Yeah.
You know what's going to happen when years of longing trapped in one room.
Arlo is clumsy and funny, while Jack is organized and all mister perfect.
But at some point, they're just like pieces of puzzles, completed each other.
Arlo the merry, Jack the measure. And no one is more perfect for Jack but Arlo.
I love the banters, especially with Jack's ex. Arlo is funny guy, and only with Arlo Jack can let go.
Merry Measure is just what I needed in this season. And I know wholeheartedly, I'll visit them again in a very short time!!!
And the question Jack wanted to ask.....
(Just a perfect ending!🥰)

[Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet, falling for brother's best friend story, with some wonderful characters, great scene-setting (I so want to be in Amsterdam over the holidays), and everything you would expect from a Lily Morton story - banter, humor, steam, and plenty of romance.

Arlo and Jack have great chemistry, and I enjoyed them pining for each other before finally going for it. All the secondary characters were great - except for those not meant to be - and I was just as invested in Tom and Bee's story as I was in the main plot.

I loved the epilogue and while not overtly a Christmas story, it definitely had that wintry holiday season feel.

[D.L. Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty sure Lily Morton is my new favorite author. Thank God, she has a ton of books to lose myself in a riot of laughter. Not to mention the tears that will inevitably ensue. I’ve always said if a writer can make me laugh and cry, it’s an automatic 5 stars. And she’s giving me all that and more!

The Wright family sounds like The Griswolds (National Lampoon Vacation) but even funnier and more lovable.

Arlo’s so adorably flighty that he literally keeps trying to walk into danger. Every time Jack saves him, I swear I swoon.

There’s a difference between courtesy and cowardice, Jack! And don’t even get me started on Arlo’s ridiculousness. Everyone should listen to Bee, he’s obviously the only one with a good head on his shoulders.

I am so head over heels in love with these boys! Seriously, they are the cutest thing ever to not even say how sinfully delicious the steam is between them.

I absolutely hated to see this one end. I want to be a fly on the wall so I can witness their beautiful life together.

[Trio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily Morton's Merry Measure is simply a 100% perfect romance.

Everything we need: friendship, family, love, and laughter (& lots of that!). Plus the chemistry Lily Morton builds between her main characters is alway spectacular. Sweet, geeky Arlo with his longtime crush on his brother's BFF, is irresistable. And handsome, steady Jack, who is just dying to be loved for who he is deep down inside. I adore these two together.

The sassy and clever good humor within this friend group had me laughing out loud through most of the story. Merry Measure is an absolute joy, over the holidays - or any time at all!

Audio performed by Joel Leslie who does a lovely job with the many different characters and accents. Well done.


an audiobook copy of Merry Measure was provided to me for the purpose of my honest review

[Bookreader87(Amanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arlo 💜 Jack

Arlo has had a crush on his brother's best friend since he was 11. He never thought kind, well put together Jack could feel the same. On a trip to Amsterdam for his brother's pending proposal him and Jack grow closer. Arlo soon realizes maybe the feelings are not so one sides.

This was a great read. Arlo is just one of those characters you immediately love. Him and Jack had the right chemistry and the perfect amount of steam. This book hit all the right spots for me and the ending of that epilogue was completely perfect. I loved it.

[Ben Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only read a few of Lily Morton's books, but she hasn't disappointed me yet!

Merry Measure is a hilarious romance set in Amsterdam during the christmas holidays.

Arlo's older brother wants the perfect moment to propose to his boyfriend, Bee. So he's invided his friends to Amsterdam to do it. On the trip is Tom's best friend Jack, who Arlo has had a crush on forever. But it's seems the crush is not so one-sided after all...

Romance and shenanigans in this festive read.

[Amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

✰ 3.75 stars ✰

​“I whine, drunkenly following his mouth, trying to kiss him again.
“Arlo,” he says. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Yes, you should,” I say fervently. “Do it again. Do it right now.​”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ To quote Arlo, our beloved twenty-four-year-old fool in forever love, 'that’s lovely, “Really lovely.' In a word, that's what this was - lovely. 🥰​ Lovely like a warm winter day - an oxymoron phrase - but that is the feeling I had while reading to relax into the embrace of a heartwarming snowy romance. That as it ticked all the formulaic boxes that I have grown to ​love​ - accustomed to Lily Morton's works, there was something so heartwarming and tender about Jack and Arlo falling in love, that I fell in love with their romance. 🥹💞 I felt like Goldilocks where she tried Mama and Papa Bear, and only to find that everything of Baby Bear's was Just Wright.

Y'know I had to! 🙈😌

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I'm still kicking myself that I ​did not​ read this last November so I could have had my full 12 months of Lily Morton reads. 😣 But in a way, I guess it was a blessing in disguise for me to already have been familiar with Jack's annoyingly​, aggravating​, pompous ridiculously absurd ex-boyfriend​, Steven, that ​I knew​ already that he had no real chance to weasel - worm - hey, that's actually a fitting way to describe him! 😆​ - back into Jack's heart. 😤

“Oh my God, we kissed, and it was epic.”

​ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ There was something just so earnest and natural about Jack and Arlo together; Arlo who's crushed on his brother's best friend since he was that bumbling eleven-year-old and he was smitten with the gorgeous than gorgeous fifteen-year-old that didn't laugh or poke fun at him when he stumbled upon seeing such beauty and grace in his parents' kitchen.​ 🤩💘 Still carrying the torch for his first love - youthful infatuation - call it what you will; and who he doesn't think he could ever measure up to the perfect specimen of this genuinely lovely person that is Jack, when he's just a schoolteacher for kids, clumsy and disorganized, but still delightfully quirky and endearing in Jack's ever loving eyes. 🙂‍↕️😌

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ And I loved how he starts seeing the signs that there's something stirring from Jack - akin to yearning. There has been this beautiful and precious friendship between the two - one that is finely evened out by their different personalities - 'the imperfections that make the best stories.' 🥲 ❤️‍🩹 For when they click, it just falls into place so beautifully - where Arlo is the merry and the cheery, Jack is the measure and holds the treasure of Arlo's heart. Or to be less poetic, where Arlo is more precocious and rambunctious, it's Jack's calm and composure that soothes that fiery spirit, but ​one that still yearns for Arlo's delightful joy - a place to feel safe even amidst his chaos and his mess. 🥺

“You fill my head all the way through, so I don’t think about being perfect. Just perfect for you.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I also really appreciated that there was no drama of omg, it's my brother's best friend or he's best friend's bro, and he's going to kill me! 🙅🏻‍♀️ 😅 I liked that Jack did not just have an epiphany upon their friends' retreat of how his feelings have changed for Arlo. The way they fell into each other's arms - through their tourist travels - the jabs and jests - the​ snark and the explorations - of explosive kisses - it was ​R.O.M.A.N.T.I.C.​ 🩵❄️ So full of light and warmth and just this happiness of finally being able to have their confessions laid out. 🫂🤍

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I loved and I smiled - I smiled and that felt like a foreign feeling, considering how heavy my recent reads have been. It was the first time I felt like it was a holiday romcom et al. The wintery vibes of Amsterdam - moderate in riches, but rich with good cheer with a jovial troupe of friends - everything worked in tandem, with just the right amount of everything... Which may be why I still felt it was a Measured Merry - as in, LM restrained herself from going all out... 🤔 But, I think that's why it charmed me so - a Merry Measure with no angst, no drama, just this overwhelming happiness that bloomed into an even greater happiness when the object of your crush for years finally accepted it with open arms. 👌🏻☺️

​ “Is it strange how not strange this feels?”​

“Maybe because it's us.”

​

​ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I can see why readers wanted to know more about Bee and Tom's romance. I loved Arlo's friendship with Bee, a dear and a sweetheart with his heart eyes for Tom. 😍 And Tom? Tom, for all his tomfoolery (yes, I worked really hard to come up with that 😄) of being the perfect gentleman - cock-block to his younger bro and bff's attempts for sexy tim​es​ - that might come off annoyingly irritating after awhile 🤦🏻‍♀️ - a major kudos to 'the obligatory talk' he had with the couple. 🫡 And that ending! That was a romcom ending if there ever was one, the hilarity, the desperation, the cheesy awkwardness of it all - after all his hard-earned efforts. 🫶🏻🫶🏻

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ And that epilogue -- 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻🩷🩷 What a delightful way for it to come full circle - sappy and sweet. And y'know how I cringe at too much sweetness. But, this was just right. If my heart did not have rosy cherubs already singing afloat, I think I burst into smiling stars at the end, and just couldn't help going 'Awwww...'. 🥹💟🥹

[Len Evans Jr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully Sweet Love Story!

Adore these two MCs! And a wonderful supporting cast of interesting and funny people! The author did a great job of making me feel like I was in Amsterdam! Also loved the number of times this book made me laugh!

[haletostilinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful and joyful Christmas holiday story.

It's got that classic Morton humor, which I love, and two men perfect in love. But shenanigans ensue along the way.

See, Arlo Wright has basically been in love with Jack Cooper, his older brother's best friend, since he was 11.

As for Jack, at the last Christmas the year before, he suddenly saw Arlo in a new light, but has been trying to tell himself that his feelings aren't serious and aren't worth potentially ruining his basically lifelong friendship with Tom, Arlo's brother.

But things are about to change when they go on a trip to Amsterdam for the holidays, and for Tom who is planning to propose to his longtime boyfriend, Bee, who is perfect for Tom. (Also their story really intrigued me and I wondered if a story had been done about them and I just missed it, but nope, I don't think one has been done. I would love one anyway. Maybe even a short prequel story or something. They were cute together.)

When they get there, of course well...they have to share a room ;) seeing as Jack cancelled the room he was going to have with his ex, Steven, seeing as they broke up.

And without anyone to keep the separated or anything like that, these two get closer and the long standing attraction and feelings can't long be ignored, and soon enough things boil over between them.

I did give one star off of this because I personally didn't feel the relationship as much as I wished to between these two as I have with a Morton book in the past. It felt a tad rushed, which I get as the main plot takes place over about a few days, maybe a week during this trip, so I felt that things progressed a big quickly. Also the sexual components could have been done better. I didn't quite feel as much chemistry when they got down and dirty as I would have liked. It was still there, it was still good, but not blow my socks off worthy, ya know??

But all that to say, I still enjoyed these two, just maybe not as much as I have enjoyed Morton couples in the past.

Also the humor was spot on, the characters were great, and this was, overall, a very fun read.

So I'd still give this two thumbs up, and I definitely recommend :D