Hell for the Holidays

by K.C. Wells

A December wedding, a blizzard, two guys who loathe each other, forced to share a hotel room… It’s going to be one hell of a weekend.

Zach Tate: No. No. No. I do not want share a hotel room with my very straight wet dream of a boss who can’t stand me. And it gets worse. His dad is marrying my mom. I didn’t even know until I walked into the hotel. Someone kill me now.

Nick Brent: Are you kidding me? I do not want Zach for a stepbrother. Working with him these last four months has been torture. One look at his face and body, and I’m aching to bend him over my desk. But I’m the manager, so hell no to that. I’ve done my best not to show favoritism, but I might have gone overboard. If looks could kill… This is really, really bad.

Yeah. You just know something’s gotta give….

Genres: M M Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Romance, Christmas, Holiday, Ebooks

85 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2020

About the author

K.C. Wells lives on an island off the south coast of the UK, surrounded by natural beauty. She writes about men who love men, and can’t even contemplate a life that doesn’t include writing.
The rainbow rose tattoo on her back with the words 'Love is Love' and 'Love Wins' is her way of hoisting a flag. She plans to be writing about men in love - be it sweet and slow, hot or kinky - for a long while to come.

If you want to follow her exploits, you can sign up for her monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cNKHlT

You can stalk – er, find – her in the following places:

E-mail: k.c.wells@btinternet.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld
Twitter: @K_C_Wells
Website: https://www.kcwellswrites.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/k.c.wells
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/k-c-w...


And for those who like things a little hotter?
There's KC's alter ego, Tantalus, who writes gay erotica.

Reviews

[Jesslan Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hell For The Holidays
By K.C. Wells

Zach is a nice guy who can't understand why his new temporary boss, Nick, hates him so much. He's tried being nice, polite, and give good suggestions to better their bank, but Nick always shoots him down. When he finds out his Mom is marrying Nick's Dad and they'll be stepbrothers he's furious.

Nick has had a thing for Zach ever since he took over the running of the bank. As he knows he'll soon be off in another part of the country whipping another bank into shape and he doesn't want to be accused of favoritism he treats Zach like crap. However he went seriously overboard on that front.

It was an okay short holiday book, but you kind of had to suspend belief a couple of times. Considering how much I love most of this authors books I found it rather disappointing.

[Ed Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of K. C. Wells, but this book really doesn’t work for me. They went from hating each other to lovers so quickly that it left my head spinning. The entire book seemed too rushed.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love KC Wells stories because they're so full of emotions. And I'm so disappointed that I didn't love this one. It's too short, too rushed, too shallow, too contrived. The characters don't feel the age they supposedly are, and the relationship development from enemies to lovers is too quick to make sense or feel realistic.

Sadly, this wasn't my cuppa. Oh well. Can't win 'em all.

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

You mess up my head, you turn my life upside-down, and the shocker is... I like it. — Nicholas Brent

Hell for the Holidays is tropey as hell and I love it. At this time of year, all I ask for is lovely tropes written well and for novellas that I can pick up and put down as I need to while I get ready for Christmas. Basically, it's never going to win any awards but it's a cute ride. The whole lack of communication between Zach and Nick and distance-for-your-safety/my-sanity is just one of the trope elements it uses but it is effective in this case. Protagonists Zachary Tate and Nicholas Brent are a bit older than some of the protagonists in MM fiction, in their early 30s but here it does work. Particularly given the set-up, their single parents getting married. These two are just cute okay. They are all kinds of nerdy and it's a joy to read because so few people write nerds (okay and they both swim). I just like them, their chemistry and the character choices involved. Even if they will likely end up being forgettable.

I like the way the whole novella is balanced, from slight animosity to confrontation and intimacy. The confrontation is done well not too short, not too long and in the right place, for the right reason. Their intimacy is unlike anything I've read for a while. It's just written to be a lot of fun, they are clearly enjoying themselves, it's not emotionally heavy. But that unusual element is the focus on utilising their vers selves there is no top or bottom set, and no battle for it. K.C. is possibly the first author I've ever read use it so well rather than just saying that they were both vers. Oh and the focus on safe sex, consent, and potential professional ramifications. That was also much appreciated.
• Zach says he was 'prevaricating'. I hadn't read the word before so had to look it up. To "avoid telling the truth or saying exactly what you think".

Have a bit of a note dump.
• I adore Becky and Lee. They are just so happy and loved up and we do love to see it. They are funny and made me laugh. Their mixed reactions to Zach and Nick are right. Well suited to their life experiences, particularly Lee and his serial monogamy. His outlook on love is perhaps more accepting.
• I laughed at the universal sign for a displeased parent... full naming. And Becky does it to her stepson too.
• The title is smart. I quite like it. Particularly when you think of the title and the line. "They could keep him closer to him, right? Except where was home?" (Nick)
• I hope you find a gorgeous hunk under your Christmas tree this year. — (Penny) I'm sorry this might be one of the best Christmas wishes I've read because Penny knows Zach wants a man.
• For those who want to know what is Kalanchoe looks like

• A slight complaint about the formatting. The final chapter is a two day time jump to Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, that can be hard to see. The subheading that indicates the change is in the same formatting as the unspoken thoughts throughout the novella. There must have been a better way to do it.
• "There were guys I appreciated for their looks, their humor, their intellect... You? There was something different about you. It... scared me." — (Nick) I appreciate this line. It acknowledges something that we don't think about much in society. That we can be attracted to very different aspects of people. Our 'type' will never be simple.

There was also the not-so-insignificant detail that they were about to be related.
Not by blood though. Not that it mattered. — Zachary Tate

Two gifs for this one both have some context. One is kinda in the book, the other is just something that sprung to mind while I was reading.

This is the funniest and cutest thing that happens in this novella and I can't even with it.

Look as messed as these two can be I adore them. Don't judge me. Their story almost killed me and it really shouldn't have.

[fishreads (back? from hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

It might be the current head space I'm in but I am 33% in and getting bored with the plot and both Zach and Nick's characters. Maybe I'll get back to this one but at the moment I seriously don't care about anything happening in this story.

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Okay, but nothing to write home about.

[Tam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nick has been brought in to clean up Zach's department and appears to hate Zach on sight. Refuses to speak to him, acknowledge any of Zach's ideas, is just a general asshole. Zach tells him he needs time off to attend his mother's wedding and Nick is bitchy but agrees. Then it turns out Nick is also going to his father's wedding (#6) and finally asks his father his fiancee's name and sure enough, it's Zach's mother. Nick is sure she's a gold digger like the other 4 and is very smirky when he arrives at the hotel where Zach was clueless who the groom was (seriously, do you not ASK your mother the last name of the guy she's marrying?). Due to a incoming storm (they are in NJ) Nick and Zach are forced to share a room.

Zach was all hot for Nick but thought he was straight, meanwhile it turns out that Nick was SO hot for Zach the only way he could function was by treating him like shit. What? You are 30ish and you can't control your hormones? I was glad when Zach finally called him on his bullshit and shitty treatment (he should have gone to HR to complain about the shitty treatment), they of course decide to get freaky while they are snowed in and figure it out later. Nick's job is to go around to different offices to fix things so in theory he'd be moving somewhere else for 4-6 months.

These guys were in their 30's? I think they were 13. When they return to the office Nick has 2 more days before his job finishes and they are both just basket cases because for 48 whole hours they have to pretend they don't want to rip each other's clothes off. I have NEVER been so attracted to someone that I was unable to act like an adult and do my job without having to resort to treat someone like shit, or be so distraught that for 8 hours a day I couldn't be all over my new boyfriend every minute of it... at the office. And they decide to live together immediately. Okay, they "knew" each other at the office for 4 months but considering Nick refused to speak with him, they didn't know anything until the weekend at the hotel when they turned out to be actual twins, same books, same sports, same life. *shrug*

So I couldn't get past their immature response to a new relationship, so it was eh for me.

[Christy Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This at first I wasn't sure if I'd like, but I ended up enjoying it so much. I gave it a four star because I didn't think there was enough Christmas in it. The wedding I thought happened on Christmas or something the way the title is, but I was wrong. There only one scene with Christmas tree as well so seemed little disappointed there.

The rest was great though and when Zack and Nick found out they were about to be step brothers I laughed so hard imagining their faces. They have been so negative to each other for four months because they liked each other but both hid it well.

Then finding out that Nick's dad had been married five times before had put Zack off. Nick thought Zack's mom was after his dad's money at first too, but once they got to know them realized wasn't true. Then Zack and Nick clicked over dinner one evening when they found out we're into same books.

The ice was broken with friendship then but when Zack found out Nick was gay things got little scary for me but thankfully it worked out. The dinner with their parents was hilarious.

All in all was good book just needed more Christmas.

[DC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick enjoyable read. A bit unrealistic - the whole “I’m really attracted to you so I’ll treat you like crap” followed by fawning over each other at their parents wedding - took it down a notch for me. I also found it a bit strange that Nick’s dad and Zach’s mom dated for a year before their wedding and their sons had no clue about it. Still, flaws and all, it was still enjoyable.

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enemies to lovers with a veneer of plausibility. A lot of logistics, but they were well-navigated.

[Sakuko · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. Characters fell a bit flat for me and the story wasn't the most believable, but all in all I felt well entertained.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute enemies to lovers, forced proximity novella. Quick read, fun dynamic between the characters. Nicely done evolution of the relationship.

[CAROLINA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, fun short story.
Enemies to lovers, co-workers, flip-flop sex.

[leanne hedley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another brilliant read by my favourite author the only fault I have with this read is that it is a short read and I'm that person who need all the details in as much detail as possible.

[GlamLawyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Idamus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. Pretty much a hate to pwp.

[Anny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet and I liked it ☺️

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was enjoyable, if unbelievable at times, the MCs acted very young. Not very Christmasy though.

[Suze · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one delivered what the burn indicated
A lovely enemies to lovers, with a family tie in as well, snow storms, a wedding and a happy for now ending.
Great for a coffee/lunch break read

[Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars