Sleigh My Name

by Tarin Lex

A sticky-dirty-sweet, friends to lovers romance

All I want for Christmas is Ari King. But we’ve been best friends ever since we were little kids and her family took pity on me. Everything I have now, I have them to thank. And I have them to thank for the one thing I can’t have—her. Now we’re all grown up and I’m tired of watching Ari date other guys. I’m tired of watching her heart get pulled from her chest and squeezed dry. Until one night my impulses—or are those instincts?—take over. I possess her. It should scare her. I’m about to lose everything and it starts with losing my mind over her.

Hey Readers,
Welcome to a filthy dirty Christmas! Forget sugar and spice and everything nice … this year we want to show off our naughty side. ;) Taboo, dangerous, and over-the-top, we’re bringing you everything you were too scared to ask Santa for.
**Don’t worry, loves, these are still packed with the heroes you crave and the HEAs you deserve. <3

Welcome to a filthy dirty Christmas! Forget sugar and spice and everything nice … this year we want to show off our naughty side. Taboo, dangerous, and over-the-top, we’re bringing you everything you were too scared to ask Santa for. **Don’t worry, loves, these are still packed with the heroes you crave and the HEA’s you deserve!

Genres: Friends To Lovers, Romance, Contemporary, Christmas, Novella, Erotica, Holiday

53 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 13, 2021

About the author

Hi! I’m a mama of four living my dream writing romance out in the country with the love of my life! I’m a busy bee like you, so writing & reading short romance is my jam. I hope each of my stories makes you smile, makes you sigh, makes you...swoon. ;) Most of all I hope you reach “The End” feeling ever-inspired and optimistic. With me, it’s always safe, steamy & sweet, with happily-ever-afters guaranteed!

Write to me: tarin@tarinlex.com
Join my tribe: facebook.com/groups/tarinlexreaders
Visit my site: www.tarinlex.com

Reviews

[Kimmylongtime · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know y’all caught the Destiny Child Reference !! So I won’t have to sing it for you guys !!

This book has by far been the sweetest and cutest in this series. I was rooting for these two to make it from page 1. This type of love only comes in true fairytales and it was lovely to see. Ari has just had another awful breakup and Everett is there to save her yet again. What Ari does not know is that this time Everett is going to finally take the woman he loves !!! I can’t stop smiling and we all know that’s the sign of a good book.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review and I am leaving this voluntarily.

Happy holidays everyone 🥰😍!!

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went in wanting to like this, but it was bad. I may be being generous with two stars.

I checked and it looks like I’ve read two other books by this author (always part of multi author series) and didn’t rate those above three stars. I may just not enjoy this authors style.

God, the repeating!!! She repeats certain words and phrases incessantly. And no I don’t mean she uses the same words or phrases a lot. She repeats them right next to each other like some weird stutter. I think she was trying to build anticipation or tension? All she really built was annoyance. Was she low on word count or something? I have it a pass at first thinking MAYBE it was just how she wrote Everett, trying to give him a unique voice. Nope, everyone in two, both MCs included, are infected with the weird stutter.

Half the book is one scene and most of that is an oral sex scene. Which, whatever is fine, except that it was boring. I can see why Amazon placed it into the erotica category at first, it’s not because it’s exceptional steamy it’s just that mostly the book is sex, not even entertaining sex.

I read the “extended scene” Amazon made her cut out to get out of the erotica category and that was a let down too. I thought it would be steamier. It was just longer. So even if this was classified as erotica it’s not very good erotica.

The plus on this book was that Everett’s dirty talk was hot.

Pass on this one.

[Emma (emjbookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everett & Ari

This has been one of my faves in the Filthy Dirty Christmas series. A friend's to Lovers story which was fast paced but believable. This was a hot steamy Christmas novella which only took about 30 minutes to read.

[Tiff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everett has a dirty mouth. It was hot.
3 Stars

[madtrekkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everett finds Ari waiting for him. He hears her cries. Ari has just broken up with a boyfriend. Everett has been in love, watching, and waiting for her for 10 years. He's her best friend. It's time he changes that...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this engaging, entertaining and compelling story. Everett hadn't known love, but he does love Ari. Since meeting in detention at 11 they have been best friends. There's plenty of chemistry between them, there's angst, passion, shared experiences, friendship and instalove. Told from dual POVs reveals intimately their thoughts feelings and emotions as they explore their relationship! Theres an HEA 💓

[casvec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everett has known Ari since they were kids, and he has loved her just as long. He has always been there to protect her, even if she did not realize. When she and her boyfriend take a break, she can't understand why his ex keep interfering. Not wanting to see her hurt, Everett decides it is time to let his feeling known.

Sleigh My Name is a hot, steamy and sexy Christmas story that will have melting in your seat. Everett is the great friend and is tired of seeing Ari get hurt. He is afraid that he is not good enough, but this Christmas he wants to give her more that Santa ever could.

Grab a drink and get lost in the pages.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always part of the family!

Always part of the family! This is about Everett and Ari. They became friends when she was sent to detention, a good girl that was letting some cheat just to be liked! He knew detention for other reasons and when she found out about his family, she had to take him home because she knew her parents would be accepting.

Now years later, Everett seems to be in the friend zone because he feels not worthy of her, until he is tired of her heart being broken and decides to take matters into his own hands. The best love relationships starts off by being best friends. Love the epilogue!!!!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dramatic!
This short story brings the drama and the action. I find it hard to believe that Ari and Everett would have never acted on their feelings before - their chemistry was explosive! A great quick holiday read full of steam.

[Mariann Duca · Rating 5 out of 5]

The heat is on!

Tarin Lex delivers with a very Filthy Dirty Christmas story. Best friends finally turned lovers in a steamy, sexy story sure to melt the snow and heat up a cold winter’s night.

[Gladys · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quick read romance was deliciously spicy and sweet. This friends-to-lovers romance tugs at your heartstrings as it bombards you with lots of heart and heat. I loved Ari and Everett. They made may heart ache with how meant-to-be they were. This is my volitional, objective review.

[Ana Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great quick read!

Best friends to more is one of my favorite tropes! This was a super quick read that has some great characters and very smexy NSFW scenes. Loved the HEA.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Everett & ari story is one of my absolute favorite books in the collection of the variety of authors involved. I am so glad that they finally admitted their feelings for one another.

[H.R. Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and sweet, just two best friends coming together, nothing too complicated. Smut is excellent

[HattieB · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one wasn't very interesting.

[Terri Pietrowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since Everett saw Ari in detention when they where in jounior high, he has been secretly in love with her. For the last ten years Everett has watched her get her heart broken from one boyfriend after the next and he was always there to help her through her broken heart, when his has been shattered into a million pieces. But this last time Everett couldn’t hold back his feeling any longer and told Ari how he felt about her. Now it’s up to Ari to except him or deny his affection.
I am volunteering to leave a ARC review of this book.

[Crystal Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everett and Ari

Sleigh My Name was definitely steamy and cute!!!! I absolutely love how sure Everett was even though he didn’t think he could ever have Ari!!!! They make the perfect couple!!!! Ari reminds me of the clueless girls that are out there with good men in front of them and not even realizing it!!!! Looking forward to reading more from this author!!!! Especially if they’re as steamy as this one was!!!!

[Nikki_Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!! This was a nice quick, short read.

Everette and Ari meet when they were eleven years old and have been friend ever since. He was always in detention, it was her first time. He never seen Ari there before and when he did his whole world grinds to a halt. Another boy cheated off her and she received detention. After that day Ari told her family about Everette and they took him under their wing and into their home. Now they are both twenty one, he finds her in the tack room, she’s broken up with her current boyfriend. She tells him how her ex is still hung up on his ex. They have been dating for six months but he still introduces her as his friend. She tells him she wants a guy who knows what he wants and knows it’s her she knows he’s out there. Everette tells her he’s not out there because it’s him. He asks her if she needs him to kiss it all better. He asks her if she needs him to make it all better. She tells him yes she wants that. She asks him if he’s going to kiss her or tease her. He kiss Ari a soul spinning kiss that flips her whole world upside down. He asks her if she thinks of him while pleasuring herself and she does. He tells her he thinks of her. He kisses and cups her face and neck, then slide down her neck and on her breasts. His hands slide down her body and between her thighs his fingers find the most sensitive spot and bring her her pleasure. After she comes down, she needs to get out of there. She gets a message from her ex telling her he is sorry and wants to try again. They hear someone coming in, when they look up it’s her ex’s ex. She tells Ari she needs to talk to her. Ari freezes and she continues to tell her to stay away from her and her now ex boyfriend. They have a history and she tells Ari to leave him alone. Ari tells her they are broken up and she tell her to stay broken up. She tells Ari he’s hurting over her and she tells her to stay out of their lives. Everette tells the ex that is enough and she needs to leave. Ari runs out into the cold night, she needs to get away from everyone and think. She sees two horses tethered to a sleigh, so she climbs in and begins to sob. She doesn’t want her ex anymore, there’s only one person she wants but he’s her best friend. She begins to cry harder and she gets the horses agitated, they launch into a full gallop into the woods. Everette comes out looking for her he calls her name. When he noticed the sleigh with the horses, that should have been put away for the night. He sees the horses take off into the woods and hears Ari scream. He runs as fast as he can after them. He sees the sleight lurch left and right hitting trees. He watches for her to fly out of the sleigh, when the horses break free and the sleigh comes to a stop. He finds her inside with her arms wrapped around her body, she tells him she alive when he asks if she alright. He carries her back and kisses her, she looks into his eyes and realizes his feeling for her have always been there. He kept them hidden under lock and key. He takes her back to the tack room and locks the door. He tells her he knows what she is thinking and she asks him how. He tells her he’s connected to her, he tells her he loves her, he’s been watching her for years. He tells her she left and he wasn’t finished, when he gets up she stands and slides her hands over his body. She takes off his pants and drops to her knees. He guides her reaching for the back of her head, gently helping her. She works him in and out of her mouth and he loses it. He rolls over onto his back, he tells her to strip for him and then saddle him. They moan in pleasure, they go deeper and harder. He tells her he loves her and she tells him she loves him. He tells her her parents are going to kill him she tells him they’ll get over it. One year later they are getting ready for their wedding. Her mom tells her she loves Everett like her own son. Her dad tells them he couldn’t be prouder of their daughter and son. He tells Everette he is their son, they love him and are happy for both of them. Everette tells Ari Merry Christmas and that he loves her. Ari tells him Merry Christmas and she loves him.

[lf · Rating 3 out of 5]

One very filthy dirty Christmas....

Sleigh My Name by Tarin Lex is part of the multi-author A Filthy Dirty Christmas series. This story definitely delivers an amazing amount of extreme hot and steamy sexy passion and naughtiness. It is a friends to lovers story between Ari King and Everett Miller. They first met in detention when good girl Ari ended up there and it was just another day for Everett. They were eleven years old and it is now ten years later. They became immediate best friends as as Everett's family life had imploded her family accepted him as one of their own, a son. Ari is the only daughter from the richest ranching family in town while Everett's life changed drastically when his father was killed in an accident and his mother had to work two or more jobs just to keep a roof over their head and some food on the table. Ari is always trying to be loved but no relationship ever works out and her heart is always broken. Everett is always there to help piece her back together and love her. He knows he inside and out and loves her completely, but has never crossed a line as it would mean losing his job and her family if her parents ever found out. But when he finds her once again crying in the tack room of the barn things may be old and snowy outside but inside they are about to erupt like a volcano.

This story is very naughty, filthy and way OTT on the intense sexiness. But there is no real story to it which for me was a surprise because of the author, who is one of my favorites. I am not sure what to say as one one hand I liked it but on the other I was left wondering what was going on. In the end I am going to just say that overall it was okay and you know what you are getting when you pick up this Filthy Dirty Christmas story.

[Ann Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Sleigh My Name' by Tarin Lex is part of the multi-author A Filthy Dirty Christmas series and tells the story of high school friends, Ari and Everett. They first meet in detention and when Ari learned of Everett's situation her parents decided to look after and treat Everett like their own when he lost both his parents. Now all grown up he has to watch Ari date losers and help her get over her heartbreaks. He can not take it any more and he resolve breaks as he makes his move. Shockingly to him Ari wants him just as badly.

Ms. Lex has written a sizzling addition to the series. This story may be short but it packs a punch. The book is well written with likable characters and a scintillating plot. I liked how Everett finally took things into his own hands and showed Ari his love. I enjoyed the book. Great, quick, steamy, satisfying read.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patti Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everett is in love with his best friend, Ari but has never told her. She is always getting hurt bby the guys she meets and he is there to mend her heart.
Ari heart is broken, again and I'm there to pick up the pieces. I don't mind as I know how to help mend her heart.
Ari is heart broken and upset when Everett comes to her rescue. He's been her best friend for years growing up.
Everett can't hld back any more. He holds her tight and lets his feelings show, He kisses her and she kisses him back Prior to that she leaves and gets in the sleigh that is hooked up to two horses but someyhing spooked them. Everett goes after the sleigh to make sure his love is not hurt.. This is the beginning of their relationship.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kiley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sleigh My Name, part of A Filthy Dirty Christmas series, was about 21-year-old Ari King and Everett Miller(?). (Age unknown)
Okay, so this was a MICRO short story, and it was...not that great. These two main characters had known each other since middle school. While the author gave the FMC's age, she didn't give the MMC's exact age. All she said was he was 8 when he lost his father, and 18 when he lost his mother. So there's no telling if he was older, younger, or the same age as Ari.
All that this story was about was the MMC wanting the FMC and no one doing anything about it. It took place in one night, then the epilogue a year later The FMC was heartbroken because her BF wasn't over his ex, so she told him they needed to take a break from each other. However, by the end of the one-and-only scene, she was having sex with the MMC and they were telling each other they loved one another. Nothing says "fickle" more than this chick.
I can't say I liked it, but I can't say I hated it either. It is what it is, right? It was just a very quick roll in the hay (read it, you'll see what I mean). I couldn't give it more than a one-star rating. It didn't earn anything more.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved Ari and Everett's story. The two met when they were in junior high and Everett befriended Ari. Since then they have been the best of friends and Everett has been in love with her since they first met. Everett has sat back and kept his feelings to himself for years. Afraid of what he may lose if he lets her know. Her friendship and the fear her parents who have helped him and his single mother all these years would think lesser of him. Well, that about to change. After years of seeing Ari get her heart broken by the guys she has dated, Everett has had enough and is going to let her know his true feelings. This was a quick read with all the feels of a longer book. A must read with a great HEA.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

[Hanna Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a part of the A Filthy Dirty Christmas series and focuses on Everett and Ari. Everett and Ari have been best friends for years. Everett has been madly in love with Ari for just as long but has never said anything. He has watched her with boyfriend after boyfriend getting her heart broken repeatedly and him being the person who puts her back together. He finally decides that he can't wait anymore for her to truly know how he feels. This was a really good, fast paced story! Great addition to the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shannon Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lex’s Filthy Dirty Christmas Novella is Hot!
Tarin Lex’s “Sleigh my Name,” Book 21 in the multi-author Filthy Dirty Christmas series of instalove contemporary romance novellas is naughty! Everett is sexy as can be and really intense, and he’s been in love with his best friend since high school. Ari is beautiful and vulnerable, and she seems to be clueless about Everett’s feelings, but things get quite steamy when he comes to comfort her following a breakup with her boyfriend. Deliciously dirty and consuming!!! Lip-biting moments galore on this one. I feel like we got to know Everett far better than we did Ari, and it is all about the sexy bits here.

[Dawnmarie Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everett and Ari have been best friends since they met in junior high school and Everett has been in love with her just as long. He's never said anything because he was afraid that her parents who have been there to help him and his mom for all these years would be upset. The problem is he's watched her get her heart broken by too many boyfriends and then he puts her back together he's finally ready to let her know how he feels. You really need to read this sweet story to see what happens. I would definitely recommend reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and sorta filthy

This book is part of the filthy dirty multi-author holiday series. I think it’s the first story I’ve read from the author but I will be checking out others. The writing is tight, the story contained - I I didn’t feel like I was missing some backstory. I know all of these stores are quick reads, but this one seemed to be really fast. Not sure if it’s shorter than others or if I devoured it faster than the others. While some of the other books didn’t deliver on the filthy dirty promise, this one certainly hit some hit some high notes with some dirty talk. Probably in my top 5 for the series. I will definitely be checking out the authors other work.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas holiday friends to lovers story

I liked this story of friends to lovers. It was entertaining and enjoyable with some exceptions. The characters were interesting and likable for the most part. Ari seemed much younger than she was supposed to be. Her thought process seemed more like a teenager but that may just be me. Everett was super sweet and very patient with Ari. He was amazing once he decided that he was going to take a chance. I liked how the story ended but I wish there was an epilogue further out. I recommend reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

First things first; I like the cover of this book!
Sleigh my name is a novella in the ‘’a filthy dirty Christmas’’ collection.
This story is short, fast paced and an enjoyable read.
I read this book in one sitting and was satisfied throughout. I found the writing style easy to follow, the characters likeable and the storyline enjoyable. Everett has been in love with his best friend Ari for years. Will they confess their feelings and give love a chance?
The chemistry between Everett and Ari is clear to see and I liked them together.
I liked the ending of this story.
The storyline for this book is easy to follow and it is an enjoyable read.

[Bibliophilic Kitten · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this in like under an hour. I skimmed a lot.

The way they talked was horrible. The language was just not realistic.
The wishy-washy ex with the clingy ex. I would have said "Bye!" the second he seemed unsure. If you have to think about it, I'll make it easy for you.
Sex for the first time with the girl you've been pining after for years -and swearing she deserves better- in the tack room of the barn...... Um, no. Take her to a bed and pipe her down properly like you've been dreaming about for years. Sex in the tack room is for later when you're sneaking around before you tell her parents.

I cringed pretty much the whole time. I wish I had skipped this rec.

[Merita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by a great author that you will instantly fall in love with. These two characters have been friends for a long time but he doesn’t want to cross her family as they have helped him become the man he is today. When he watches her get her heart broken over and over again he’s done with playing on the sidelines. He’s going to get want his heart wants and desires and that’s his best friend Ari. Get this book today!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.