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Im Notfall
Ex – Stiefbrüder finden Romantik unter dem Weihnachtsbaum
Nach Jahren des Alleinseins ist Daniel Diaz endlich bereit, sein geordnetes Single-Leben radikal zu ändern. Er will gerade mit seinem neuen Mann zu einem gemütlichen Weihnachtsurlaub aufbrechen, da bekommt er einen Anruf aus der Notaufnahme: Sein Ex- Stiefbruder wurde mit Gehirnerschütterung und einer gebrochenen Hand ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert – und Cole hat ihn als Notfallkontakt angegeben. Wie kommt er nur dazu? Daniel kennt den Kerl kaum. Schließlich hat die Ehe ihrer Eltern nicht mal ein Jahr lang gehalten, und das ist zehn Jahre her!
Aber Cole hat sonst niemanden, der sich um ihn kümmern könnte, und er darf laut strikter ärztlicher Anweisung nicht allein gelassen werden. Na schön, dann wird Daniel ihn eben in den Urlaub mitnehmen, um dafür zu sorgen, dass er nicht verhungert oder ins Koma fällt. Der Urlaub sollte eigentlich Daniels Chance werden, die Romantik neu zu entdecken, nachdem er seine Gefühle viel zu lange verschlossen gehalten hatte – doch dann stellt sich heraus, dass sein potenzieller neuer Freund mehr daran interessiert ist, Party zu machen und sich wie ein arroganter Kotzbrocken aufzuführen. Daniel schickt ihn in die Wüste, und jetzt sitzt er mit einem wildfremden Typen in einer isolierten Berghütte fest.
Cole Smith war als Teenager schwer in den mürrischen Daniel verliebt. Diese Gefühle erwachen zu neuem Leben, als er in einem romantischen Winter-Wunderland mit ihm alleine ist. Obendrein hat er einen Blick auf den fürsorglichen, verletzlichen Mann erhascht, der sich unter Daniels frostiger Fassade verbirgt, und er sehnt sich danach, ihm näher zu kommen. Weihnachten ist eine Zeit der Überraschungen, und Daniel und Cole entdecken eine Leidenschaft füreinander, die heiß genug sein könnte, um ihre Herzen zu schmelzen.
Ein zuckersüßer schwuler Weihnachtsroman von Keira Andrews über zwei ehemalige Stiefbrüder, die sich als Erwachsene neu kennen und lieben lernen, mit erotischen Blödeleien im Whirlpool, Kuscheln vor dem offenen Kamin und natürlich mit einem Happyend.
Nach Jahren des Alleinseins ist Daniel Diaz endlich bereit, sein geordnetes Single-Leben radikal zu ändern. Er will gerade mit seinem neuen Mann zu einem gemütlichen Weihnachtsurlaub aufbrechen, da bekommt er einen Anruf aus der Notaufnahme: Sein Ex- Stiefbruder wurde mit Gehirnerschütterung und einer gebrochenen Hand ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert – und Cole hat ihn als Notfallkontakt angegeben. Wie kommt er nur dazu? Daniel kennt den Kerl kaum. Schließlich hat die Ehe ihrer Eltern nicht mal ein Jahr lang gehalten, und das ist zehn Jahre her!
Aber Cole hat sonst niemanden, der sich um ihn kümmern könnte, und er darf laut strikter ärztlicher Anweisung nicht allein gelassen werden. Na schön, dann wird Daniel ihn eben in den Urlaub mitnehmen, um dafür zu sorgen, dass er nicht verhungert oder ins Koma fällt. Der Urlaub sollte eigentlich Daniels Chance werden, die Romantik neu zu entdecken, nachdem er seine Gefühle viel zu lange verschlossen gehalten hatte – doch dann stellt sich heraus, dass sein potenzieller neuer Freund mehr daran interessiert ist, Party zu machen und sich wie ein arroganter Kotzbrocken aufzuführen. Daniel schickt ihn in die Wüste, und jetzt sitzt er mit einem wildfremden Typen in einer isolierten Berghütte fest.
Cole Smith war als Teenager schwer in den mürrischen Daniel verliebt. Diese Gefühle erwachen zu neuem Leben, als er in einem romantischen Winter-Wunderland mit ihm alleine ist. Obendrein hat er einen Blick auf den fürsorglichen, verletzlichen Mann erhascht, der sich unter Daniels frostiger Fassade verbirgt, und er sehnt sich danach, ihm näher zu kommen. Weihnachten ist eine Zeit der Überraschungen, und Daniel und Cole entdecken eine Leidenschaft füreinander, die heiß genug sein könnte, um ihre Herzen zu schmelzen.
Ein zuckersüßer schwuler Weihnachtsroman von Keira Andrews über zwei ehemalige Stiefbrüder, die sich als Erwachsene neu kennen und lieben lernen, mit erotischen Blödeleien im Whirlpool, Kuscheln vor dem offenen Kamin und natürlich mit einem Happyend.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 27, 2017
403 people are currently reading
1015 people want to read
About the author
Keira Andrews
65 books3,056 followersKeira aims for the perfect mix of character, plot, and heat in her M/M romances. She writes everything from swashbuckling pirates to heartwarming holiday escapism. Her fave tropes are enemies to lovers, age gaps, forced proximity, and passionate virgins. Although she loves delicious angst along the way, Keira guarantees happy endings!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 522 reviews
November 26, 2017
~3.75~
Two former stepbrothers meet again in this sexy holiday story by one of my favorite authors, Keira Andrews.
Daniel and Cole lived together for a few months when Daniel was 18 and Cole 13. Daniel was resentful, wrapped up in his new boyfriend, and basically ignored Cole. But Cole worshiped Daniel.
Ten years later, the men are thrown together during the holidays at a luxurious chalet Daniel rented for himself and Justin, a colleague he's sort of seeing who turns out to be a grade A douche canoe.
The story includes some very steamy scenes (two words: HOT TUB), which I really appreciate, as most holiday stories are more pristine than newly fallen snow.
While the MCs move from awkwardness to a fierce connection very quickly, I chalked that up to the constant togetherness. Cole is no longer a kid, and sometimes people just click. There's also an element of hurt-comfort, as Cole has a concussion and broken hand.
I had a couple niggles with the story, which kept me from giving it a full 4 stars. For one, Daniel acts like an arrogant, disdainful asshat when he first sees Cole. He acts sooo put out that Cole needs his help.
We later find out that Daniel was wounded by an ex, and I warmed up to him, albeit slowly.
The second issue is that the way Daniel was described (as an uber successful, stoic, distant HR director) didn't jive with his actions toward Justin. I get that Daniel was lonely, but what HR director allows an employee to give him head in the work parking lot? It's incredibly unprofessional, bordering on unethical.
Plus Justin (who thankfully is never really in the picture) was a little OTT in the douchenozzle department. He was so obnoxious as to be almost a caricature.
Despite these relatively minor niggles, I really liked In Case of Emergency. I love Andrews' writing style and the "cabin in the mountains" feel of the story. Cole was such a sweetheart, and the epilogue warmed my heart.
Two former stepbrothers meet again in this sexy holiday story by one of my favorite authors, Keira Andrews.
Daniel and Cole lived together for a few months when Daniel was 18 and Cole 13. Daniel was resentful, wrapped up in his new boyfriend, and basically ignored Cole. But Cole worshiped Daniel.
Ten years later, the men are thrown together during the holidays at a luxurious chalet Daniel rented for himself and Justin, a colleague he's sort of seeing who turns out to be a grade A douche canoe.
The story includes some very steamy scenes (two words: HOT TUB), which I really appreciate, as most holiday stories are more pristine than newly fallen snow.
While the MCs move from awkwardness to a fierce connection very quickly, I chalked that up to the constant togetherness. Cole is no longer a kid, and sometimes people just click. There's also an element of hurt-comfort, as Cole has a concussion and broken hand.
I had a couple niggles with the story, which kept me from giving it a full 4 stars. For one, Daniel acts like an arrogant, disdainful asshat when he first sees Cole. He acts sooo put out that Cole needs his help.
We later find out that Daniel was wounded by an ex, and I warmed up to him, albeit slowly.
The second issue is that the way Daniel was described (as an uber successful, stoic, distant HR director) didn't jive with his actions toward Justin. I get that Daniel was lonely, but what HR director allows an employee to give him head in the work parking lot? It's incredibly unprofessional, bordering on unethical.
Plus Justin (who thankfully is never really in the picture) was a little OTT in the douchenozzle department. He was so obnoxious as to be almost a caricature.
Despite these relatively minor niggles, I really liked In Case of Emergency. I love Andrews' writing style and the "cabin in the mountains" feel of the story. Cole was such a sweetheart, and the epilogue warmed my heart.
November 30, 2020
Now *FREE* on Amazon, 2020-11-30:
https://www.amazon.com/Case-Emergency...
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You know when you're reading a perfectly fine story, but you just don't feel the *zing* of the excitement and romance that you were hoping for? Sadly, that's pretty much what happened for me with this book. : (
I loved the premise of the story, where Cole at age 13 and Daniel at age 18 were step-brothers for a hot minute, with Daniel largely ignoring Cole at the time, then they're thrown back together a decade later and it's suddenly hearts and flowers.
So yeah, this one should have had my heart zinging all over the place, but it never quite got there for me.
I really enjoyed the beginning, where Cole was in the emergency room and Daniel swoops in to take care of him. That part was great.
But once they got to the cabin, only to find that Daniel's “kind-of boyfriend or whatever” Justin decided to 'surprise' Daniel by inviting along a horde of partying co-workers for their romantic weekend, nope. It sort of took a nose dive interest-wise for me at that point.
Then even after Le Douche & Crew were finally voted off the island, I just never felt the romance. Yes, there was on-page attraction, but I was never truly sold on the feelings. The "why was it so right and special" behind them.
Don't get me wrong, Keira is a phenomenal author and I typically love everything she publishes; however, I never really got the deep level of "feels" that I've come to expect in her books here.
I did really enjoy the epilogue, showing them happily together with their families the following Christmas, with them making plans for *all* of their holidays to come. That really helped cement their HEA more solidly in my mind.
I do fully admit that I might have just been in an odd reading mood, since many other readers loved this one, but this story did leave me wanting deeper feelings.
I'd rate this book at around 3.25 stars and recommend it to Keira fans looking for a light, laid-back holiday read.
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December 16, 2017
3.5
Daniel is looking forward to letting go a little.A workaholic,he's rented a chalet for a week and is hoping to see how things progresses with a guy from work,Justin....could he be boyfriend material??
His plans come to an abrupt halt when he gets a call from the Emergency Room saying someone has put him down as their emergency contact.Turns out it's his step brother,Cole.He hasn't had any contact with Cole in ten years.At that time Daniel was 18 and Cole was 13 and Daniel didn't have a lot of time for Cole.....
As Cole needs someone to take care of him,Daniel hasn't got much choice but to take Cole with him to the chalet.He's fully expecting Justin to be waiting for him there....and he is....but with a group of friends in tow as well.
This started off pretty well,as usual with this Author,the writing is engaging but it just became a bit too predictable for me.Justin turned out to be a complete asshole and the more I read about him the worse he became.I started to get really irritated by him and his 'friends'.
Once Justin and his entourage left things developed pretty quickly between Daniel and Cole.The sexy times were hot but I wasn't completely feeling their connection.
Overall,an enjoyable enough Christmas story and the Epilogue was cute.
An Arc of In Case of Emergency was kindly provided by the Author to DirtyBooksObsession in exchange for an honest review.
Daniel is looking forward to letting go a little.A workaholic,he's rented a chalet for a week and is hoping to see how things progresses with a guy from work,Justin....could he be boyfriend material??
His plans come to an abrupt halt when he gets a call from the Emergency Room saying someone has put him down as their emergency contact.Turns out it's his step brother,Cole.He hasn't had any contact with Cole in ten years.At that time Daniel was 18 and Cole was 13 and Daniel didn't have a lot of time for Cole.....
As Cole needs someone to take care of him,Daniel hasn't got much choice but to take Cole with him to the chalet.He's fully expecting Justin to be waiting for him there....and he is....but with a group of friends in tow as well.
This started off pretty well,as usual with this Author,the writing is engaging but it just became a bit too predictable for me.Justin turned out to be a complete asshole and the more I read about him the worse he became.I started to get really irritated by him and his 'friends'.
Once Justin and his entourage left things developed pretty quickly between Daniel and Cole.The sexy times were hot but I wasn't completely feeling their connection.
Overall,an enjoyable enough Christmas story and the Epilogue was cute.
An Arc of In Case of Emergency was kindly provided by the Author to DirtyBooksObsession in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2017
It’s sad that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted to because this one has so much potential but it kinda fell short. The blurb pretty much explains everything, two former stepbrothers meeting again after 10 years and find attractive to each other. The biggest problem in this book is that there is too much assholeness of the side character, Justin, than the actual plot and the characteristics of two MCs. 😒 Seriously, there were too many frowning and frustrating moments for me. Instead of having a sweet Christmassy novella, I was irritated most of the time. 🙄 Word of advice: If you wanna really enjoy the novella, skip from 30% of the book until 69% of the book which is almost half of it .. that’s all about annoying Justin. 😏
Usually I have a format when I write reviews. I’d start by introducing a bit about the blurb and I will write specific characteristics of MCs and then about the skeleton of the storyline and what I feel about the story. But for this novella, I have nothing to write about two MCs because there aren’t basically any distinct features. Daniel Diaz has been alone for over 6 years since the break up with his ex-boyfriend, hurt, broken and untrusting to people. Cole is just a sweet, comforting guy who has been crushing head over heels for Daniel since he was a kid.
And these two guys meet again after many years and one is love starved and one has been mooning over him for many years so they inevitably ended up with each other. The end. 😁 Keira is one of my very favorite authors so frankly, I’m a bit disappointed with this novella. But I have to salute her on one thing, you know that a writer is really talented when he or she can makes you cry, laugh, hurt and irritated for real and when I was reading about the endless bitching and assholeness of Justin, it was so vivid and lifelike and real and sooooo irritating, I literally wanted to smash my kindle. 😂 So well done to that. And for that reason, I’m going to be a bit more generous with my rating. However, I do wish to see more of the connection and realationship building between Daniel and Cole rather than about the elaborate bitchiness of a side character. 😑
3.5 I wish it was better stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Usually I have a format when I write reviews. I’d start by introducing a bit about the blurb and I will write specific characteristics of MCs and then about the skeleton of the storyline and what I feel about the story. But for this novella, I have nothing to write about two MCs because there aren’t basically any distinct features. Daniel Diaz has been alone for over 6 years since the break up with his ex-boyfriend, hurt, broken and untrusting to people. Cole is just a sweet, comforting guy who has been crushing head over heels for Daniel since he was a kid.
And these two guys meet again after many years and one is love starved and one has been mooning over him for many years so they inevitably ended up with each other. The end. 😁 Keira is one of my very favorite authors so frankly, I’m a bit disappointed with this novella. But I have to salute her on one thing, you know that a writer is really talented when he or she can makes you cry, laugh, hurt and irritated for real and when I was reading about the endless bitching and assholeness of Justin, it was so vivid and lifelike and real and sooooo irritating, I literally wanted to smash my kindle. 😂 So well done to that. And for that reason, I’m going to be a bit more generous with my rating. However, I do wish to see more of the connection and realationship building between Daniel and Cole rather than about the elaborate bitchiness of a side character. 😑
3.5 I wish it was better stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
December 11, 2017
4 Stars
Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!
After spending a week in the slumps of a so-so M/M Christmas book run, I finally found a story I truly enjoyed! Interestingly though, it seems I liked this a tad more than many of my GR friends. Apparently I've been living in opposite reaction world for a while now. Eh, I'll take my wins where I can get them.
The plot of this story grabbed me immediately, with ex-stepbrothers Daniel and Cole reconnecting after ten years, when Cole has a little accident (breaking his hand and receiving a nasty concussion) and needs to be looked after over the holiday period.
Daniel already has holiday plans, having rented a chalet for the week to spend time with his new-maybe-boyfriend Justin. But when Daniel learns that Cole has no one else to turn to, he offers to take care of Cole himself, bringing Cole with him on his holiday.
When Daniel and Cole arrive at their destination Daniel is enraged to find that Justin has taken it upon himself to invite some of their work colleagues along for the weekend. Daniel would kick them all to the curb immediately, including his now never-will-be-boyfriend Justin, but they're snowed in for the weekend and will just have to make do.
Thankfully, intruders aside, Daniel and Cole effortlessly connect and before too long romantic sparks start to fly. Once everyone else is out of their hair Cole and Daniel's romance really begins.
I enjoyed this story a lot. Cole was a total sweetheart from page one, and even though Daniel was a bit on the terse side of things, I actually found myself relating to him quite a bit by the end. It also helped that I found these guys really sweet together. I loved that Cole had been hardcore crushing on Daniel since they were teenagers and I loved that Daniel embraced his new attraction to Cole and ultimately just went with what felt right.
This was another big Keira Andrews win in my book! Hooray!
Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!
After spending a week in the slumps of a so-so M/M Christmas book run, I finally found a story I truly enjoyed! Interestingly though, it seems I liked this a tad more than many of my GR friends. Apparently I've been living in opposite reaction world for a while now. Eh, I'll take my wins where I can get them.
The plot of this story grabbed me immediately, with ex-stepbrothers Daniel and Cole reconnecting after ten years, when Cole has a little accident (breaking his hand and receiving a nasty concussion) and needs to be looked after over the holiday period.
Daniel already has holiday plans, having rented a chalet for the week to spend time with his new-maybe-boyfriend Justin. But when Daniel learns that Cole has no one else to turn to, he offers to take care of Cole himself, bringing Cole with him on his holiday.
When Daniel and Cole arrive at their destination Daniel is enraged to find that Justin has taken it upon himself to invite some of their work colleagues along for the weekend. Daniel would kick them all to the curb immediately, including his now never-will-be-boyfriend Justin, but they're snowed in for the weekend and will just have to make do.
Thankfully, intruders aside, Daniel and Cole effortlessly connect and before too long romantic sparks start to fly. Once everyone else is out of their hair Cole and Daniel's romance really begins.
I enjoyed this story a lot. Cole was a total sweetheart from page one, and even though Daniel was a bit on the terse side of things, I actually found myself relating to him quite a bit by the end. It also helped that I found these guys really sweet together. I loved that Cole had been hardcore crushing on Daniel since they were teenagers and I loved that Daniel embraced his new attraction to Cole and ultimately just went with what felt right.
This was another big Keira Andrews win in my book! Hooray!
December 14, 2017
2.5 Stars
I'm feeling a bit 'bah-humbug', with a side of 'meh' with this one. There's a first time for everything, but this really is the first story by Keira Andrews that did not work for me.
I took me until about 70% to even warm to Daniel a little bit. He was self-absorbed and cold and, well, not all that likable. And then the drama with the would-be boyfriend...ugh.
I liked Cole, but I didn't really feel like I got to know him more than superficially, either. I didn't really get what he saw in Daniel. He was so much of a doormat, when it came to Daniel, too, always jumping anytime Daniel snapped his fingers.
The first 2/3 of the story was awkward and then they are suddenly having sex. A lot of sex. But I wasn't into it at all. <<< ^Sad face^
Unfortunately, In Case of Emergency was a huge miss for me.
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ARC of In Case of Emergency was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
I'm feeling a bit 'bah-humbug', with a side of 'meh' with this one. There's a first time for everything, but this really is the first story by Keira Andrews that did not work for me.
I took me until about 70% to even warm to Daniel a little bit. He was self-absorbed and cold and, well, not all that likable. And then the drama with the would-be boyfriend...ugh.
I liked Cole, but I didn't really feel like I got to know him more than superficially, either. I didn't really get what he saw in Daniel. He was so much of a doormat, when it came to Daniel, too, always jumping anytime Daniel snapped his fingers.
The first 2/3 of the story was awkward and then they are suddenly having sex. A lot of sex. But I wasn't into it at all. <<< ^Sad face^
Unfortunately, In Case of Emergency was a huge miss for me.
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ARC of In Case of Emergency was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2017
3.5 HEARTS--It's that time of year again... Jizzmas time.
Knuckle up, Santa! Baby still ain't swallowing your massive load this year.
Accurate depiction of me battling Santa Jizz
Yourfriendly... er, friendly-ish neighborhood Grinch is back for the miserly allotment of Santa Jizzmas stories. The blurb and the author got me to add this to the short list this year. I came for the former stepbrothers, I'll be honest. It's not even taboo but can you blame me for twisting in such a way in head that I bypassed the Jizzmas fluff and hooked onto the buzzwords: former stepbrothers.
In Case of Emergency is set in Ottawa and features 28 year old workaholic grumperton, Daniel Diaz. He's lonely and cold and he knows it. It's been six years since he had an actually a boyfriend and he's trying to get out of that rut by expanding his horizons. He planned a romantic getaway for his potential boyfriend and co-worker, Justin. Cole Smith, 23 year old grad student and klutzy nerd extraordinaire? Cole throws a wrench in Daniel's plan by injuring himself and making Daniel his emergency contact. Daniel hasn't seen Cole since he was a big eared thirteen year old and doesn't understand why he'd be Cole's emergency anything.
Cole isn't that little teen anymore. The two were barely stepbrothers for even a year, so the title is just name only. Daniel barely paid the pipsqueak any attention. He's paying adult Cole all the attention though.
Cole needs someone to take care of him for the a few days, so he tags along on Daniel's Christmas getaway to Quebec. There is a mixup and an almost cartoonish antagonist in twink Justin. I could hardly see what appealed about him and then I remember how Daniel and Justin initially met... so I'll keep it quiet.
Christmas played a nice background to the budding romance once the extra characters were gone. It was...nice even.
Out of my space, Jizzmas!
Possibly demisexual (his words) Daniel is grumpy light. He calls himself cold and unfeeling, but I didn't really see him that cold. I do like what his character represents, but I'm iffy on buying it. Cole was also very likeable. He's the nerd with a decade long crush who also is snarky. I liked them together and individually. They were written to fit together, that the insta-connection works.
The plot was closer to 3 Hearts. The sex (yes, smutsters banging happens) was hot. Nothing too crazy - rimming, frottage, big guy bottoming, hot tub rubba-dubbing. 4 Hearts for the smexy times. And delivery? 3.5 Hearts Pretty easy unrequited love feels with snow and Jizzmas trees!
The story delivers what it promised, Christmas fluff. But the first half wasn't as strong as the last third of the story. Fluff or not, the plot was simple. The delivery at the beginning was good. Once the two former stepbrothers got into their stride, shared their inner thoughts and feelings, it got better. Would I have liked it if the story to delve a little deeper with the characters? Sure. But it's fluff, Christmas fluff at that! So I'll take my Jizz candy cane and leave.
In Case of Emergency is light, practically no angst, with a medium dose of Jizzmas sugar. Cute, not overly cloying and the characters weren't annoying. It's a good trope - grumpy loner finds love in the most unexpected place. And crushing. Oh how I enjoy unrequited love and finally getting them!
Alright...alright...
Let's call this battle a draw, Santa! Until next time...
A copy provided for an honest review.
Knuckle up, Santa! Baby still ain't swallowing your massive load this year.
Accurate depiction of me battling Santa Jizz
Your
In Case of Emergency is set in Ottawa and features 28 year old workaholic grumperton, Daniel Diaz. He's lonely and cold and he knows it. It's been six years since he had an actually a boyfriend and he's trying to get out of that rut by expanding his horizons. He planned a romantic getaway for his potential boyfriend and co-worker, Justin. Cole Smith, 23 year old grad student and klutzy nerd extraordinaire? Cole throws a wrench in Daniel's plan by injuring himself and making Daniel his emergency contact. Daniel hasn't seen Cole since he was a big eared thirteen year old and doesn't understand why he'd be Cole's emergency anything.
Cole isn't that little teen anymore. The two were barely stepbrothers for even a year, so the title is just name only. Daniel barely paid the pipsqueak any attention. He's paying adult Cole all the attention though.
Cole needs someone to take care of him for the a few days, so he tags along on Daniel's Christmas getaway to Quebec. There is a mixup and an almost cartoonish antagonist in twink Justin. I could hardly see what appealed about him and then I remember how Daniel and Justin initially met... so I'll keep it quiet.
Christmas played a nice background to the budding romance once the extra characters were gone. It was...nice even.
Out of my space, Jizzmas!
Possibly demisexual (his words) Daniel is grumpy light. He calls himself cold and unfeeling, but I didn't really see him that cold. I do like what his character represents, but I'm iffy on buying it. Cole was also very likeable. He's the nerd with a decade long crush who also is snarky. I liked them together and individually. They were written to fit together, that the insta-connection works.
The plot was closer to 3 Hearts. The sex (yes, smutsters banging happens) was hot. Nothing too crazy - rimming, frottage, big guy bottoming, hot tub rubba-dubbing. 4 Hearts for the smexy times. And delivery? 3.5 Hearts Pretty easy unrequited love feels with snow and Jizzmas trees!
The story delivers what it promised, Christmas fluff. But the first half wasn't as strong as the last third of the story. Fluff or not, the plot was simple. The delivery at the beginning was good. Once the two former stepbrothers got into their stride, shared their inner thoughts and feelings, it got better. Would I have liked it if the story to delve a little deeper with the characters? Sure. But it's fluff, Christmas fluff at that! So I'll take my Jizz candy cane and leave.
In Case of Emergency is light, practically no angst, with a medium dose of Jizzmas sugar. Cute, not overly cloying and the characters weren't annoying. It's a good trope - grumpy loner finds love in the most unexpected place. And crushing. Oh how I enjoy unrequited love and finally getting them!
Alright...alright...
Let's call this battle a draw, Santa! Until next time...
A copy provided for an honest review.
May 18, 2025
DNF - a bit of a ragey DNF too.
Stop saying CYC!!
(Change Your Cadence) or some shit. 13 times is 12 times too many. It'd be like saying carpe diem or YOLO more than once (please don't.)
Too many details about shit I don't care about in a novella. Really bad Star Wars geek rep, give me a break.
I don't care if you store your bananas in the fridge, Daniel.
I don't care if you have a purple rug or sod in the yard under the snow, or usually polish your shoes upon entering the house. It isn't building an image of the character, it's just boring me.
And Daniel, if you don't like being called Dan, stop introducing yourself as Dan.
I hated the boner.
I cannot stand this one hand is injured waaah I can't even buckle my seatbelt or undo my pants routine. 🙄
I don't like either character, they are annoying as fuck, and that was before the plastic water bottles are bad ya know lecture – shut up.
Even very cool Star Wars ornaments couldn't save this for me.
Stop saying CYC!!
(Change Your Cadence) or some shit. 13 times is 12 times too many. It'd be like saying carpe diem or YOLO more than once (please don't.)
Too many details about shit I don't care about in a novella. Really bad Star Wars geek rep, give me a break.
I don't care if you store your bananas in the fridge, Daniel.
I don't care if you have a purple rug or sod in the yard under the snow, or usually polish your shoes upon entering the house. It isn't building an image of the character, it's just boring me.
And Daniel, if you don't like being called Dan, stop introducing yourself as Dan.
I hated the boner.
I cannot stand this one hand is injured waaah I can't even buckle my seatbelt or undo my pants routine. 🙄
I don't like either character, they are annoying as fuck, and that was before the plastic water bottles are bad ya know lecture – shut up.
“Right. Thanks. You know you really shouldn’t buy bottled water.” Still, he uncapped it and chugged half. “It’s insanely wasteful. Not just the plastic, but—” He screwed up his face. “Sorry. You don’t need a lecture.”
Even very cool Star Wars ornaments couldn't save this for me.
December 22, 2017
*2.5 stars*
In the world of Keira Andrews, who is currently one of my FAVORITE authors, In Case of Emergency feels a bit like a throwaway. Sure, it's sweet and nice enough, but from her I expect greatness.
The story is a former-stepbrothers romance, which I feel *meh* about. I don't get particularly excited about pseudo-incest, but this was pretty far removed from that because the two men didn't really grow up together.
The set up is fine... just fine... but I didn't feel that spark of chemistry between the two MCs. It felt a little more like a hook-up story, which is something in and of itself, but not something building towards love.
I was also irritated that Justin (the kind of, sort of boyfriend at the start) got as much page-time as he did. For a short story, I wanted him just GONE. Honestly, the two MCs take quite a bit of time to get rolling together, and I didn't love that.
I feel like we get to know the MCs only superficially, and I know it's a novella, but Keira Andrews is talented enough to pull off something greater. This wasn't it.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
In the world of Keira Andrews, who is currently one of my FAVORITE authors, In Case of Emergency feels a bit like a throwaway. Sure, it's sweet and nice enough, but from her I expect greatness.
The story is a former-stepbrothers romance, which I feel *meh* about. I don't get particularly excited about pseudo-incest, but this was pretty far removed from that because the two men didn't really grow up together.
The set up is fine... just fine... but I didn't feel that spark of chemistry between the two MCs. It felt a little more like a hook-up story, which is something in and of itself, but not something building towards love.
I was also irritated that Justin (the kind of, sort of boyfriend at the start) got as much page-time as he did. For a short story, I wanted him just GONE. Honestly, the two MCs take quite a bit of time to get rolling together, and I didn't love that.
I feel like we get to know the MCs only superficially, and I know it's a novella, but Keira Andrews is talented enough to pull off something greater. This wasn't it.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
November 30, 2017
In Case of Emergency by Keira Andrews was a short, sexy, and sweet holiday novella. It's the story of two ex-stepsiblings who get stuck spending a week together after one of them gets hurt and the other feels obligated to take care of him.
I won't lie I felt conflicted on the rating. My initial thoughts fell between 4 to 4.5 Stars. There was quite a bit I enjoyed.
-I love stories about stepbrothers. :) I'd almost say it's a "guilty pleasure" but I won't because I feel no guilt whatsoever. LOL
-Cole. I'll go as far to say that he single-handedly carried this book. He was so damn sweet, and he carried his heart on his sleeve.
-I loved their nerdy personalities. I found it endearing the way they bonded over staying cooked up and watching Star Wars.
-Smexy scenes. This is a KA book, so no surprise there.
BUT I couldn't go as high as my initial feelings wanted. The more I sat on it; the more some niggles made their presence felt.
-Justin. He just fucken irritated me-straight up. He was "too much" of a villain and in the end felt a bit contrived. Luckily he didn't play a significant role in the book.
-And there was no conflict. Everything kind of fell into place and once it did that was it- the end.
Overall though, it was a lovely little holiday novella. 3.8 Stars rounded up to 4.
December 3, 2017
Un novella navideña que aunque entretenida, es un tanto descafeinada, le falta chispa. 2.5 estrellas.
November 26, 2017
~2.5 stars~
It's a sad day when I have to give a Keira Andrews book less than 3 stars. I usually LOVE her work, especially her Christmas stories (btw, if you haven't read If Only in my Dreams and A Very English Christmas, add them both to your list ASAP).
I had issues with this story from the get go. It's a pet peeve of mine when the "vilain" of the story is too much. Justin was just too much, to the point he resembled a caricature.
I never managed to warm up to Daniel. He felt too high strung, too dramatic, snobbish and I hated being inside his head while he was constantly irritated by...everything.
I liked Cole a little bit more, but being constantly ready to eat out of Daniel's hand like an overeager puppy was annoying.
When the sex came, it was hot but came out of the blue. It felt rushed and a little forced.
I appreciated a lot the demisexuality approach, but the whole conversation felt weird and awkward to me.
I did like the epilogue, though. I always appreciate it when we get to see the couple a year down the road.
I believe I'm going to be the minority with this one. If you 're a fan of the author, you should still go for it. But for me, it just didn't work.
It's a sad day when I have to give a Keira Andrews book less than 3 stars. I usually LOVE her work, especially her Christmas stories (btw, if you haven't read If Only in my Dreams and A Very English Christmas, add them both to your list ASAP).
I had issues with this story from the get go. It's a pet peeve of mine when the "vilain" of the story is too much. Justin was just too much, to the point he resembled a caricature.
I never managed to warm up to Daniel. He felt too high strung, too dramatic, snobbish and I hated being inside his head while he was constantly irritated by...everything.
I liked Cole a little bit more, but being constantly ready to eat out of Daniel's hand like an overeager puppy was annoying.
When the sex came, it was hot but came out of the blue. It felt rushed and a little forced.
I appreciated a lot the demisexuality approach, but the whole conversation felt weird and awkward to me.
I did like the epilogue, though. I always appreciate it when we get to see the couple a year down the road.
I believe I'm going to be the minority with this one. If you 're a fan of the author, you should still go for it. But for me, it just didn't work.
November 30, 2018
Deliciously Fun and Sexy!!
I ADORED this Christmas novella! It had all the sugary sweetness my holiday fluff requires! Full recipe follows.....
Ingredients:
A broken arm and a concussion
Romantic mountain chalet
Ex-stepbrothers (that's a thing)
Hot tub
Star Wars (Oh....The Force!)
BeaverTails (it's a Canadian thing)
UST
Old crushes
Holiday dinners with more than food on the menu
A nasty piece of pseudo hook-up trash that gets what he deserves
Love
Love
Love
HEA
Instructions:
Read, preferably with a tasty beverage at hand.
Smile. Sip beverage. Read. Nibble on chocolate. Read. Sip. Fan self. Gush. Smile with a crinkle in your eyes. Take note that your chocolate isn't nearly as sweet as this story. Smile again because that's how it is, love.
I ADORED this Christmas novella! It had all the sugary sweetness my holiday fluff requires! Full recipe follows.....
Ingredients:
A broken arm and a concussion
Romantic mountain chalet
Ex-stepbrothers (that's a thing)
Hot tub
Star Wars (Oh....The Force!)
BeaverTails (it's a Canadian thing)
UST
Old crushes
Holiday dinners with more than food on the menu
A nasty piece of pseudo hook-up trash that gets what he deserves
Love
Love
Love
HEA
Instructions:
Read, preferably with a tasty beverage at hand.
Smile. Sip beverage. Read. Nibble on chocolate. Read. Sip. Fan self. Gush. Smile with a crinkle in your eyes. Take note that your chocolate isn't nearly as sweet as this story. Smile again because that's how it is, love.
October 22, 2023
Hot, sweet, adorable Christmas novella!
Read
November 30, 2017Reviewed for Sinfully.
3.5 stars
Daniel Diaz is an uptight HR director at an app company who is trying to change things up and move out of his comfort zone a bit. This leads him to try a relationship with a co-worker including a week away at a chalet for Christmas. Daniel has a feeling things could be a disaster since Justin isn’t the type he usually goes for, and boy was he right. Before he even starts his vacation though, he gets a call that his former step-brother, who he hasn’t seen in 10 years, is in the hospital and Daniel is his emergency contact.
Cole remembers his step-brother Daniel just fine.Their parents weren’t married long but when Daniel came to live with them (Cole was 13 and Daniel 18) he was Cole’s fantasy man. Cole’s crush hasn’t waned even though they haven’t had any contact in years and Daniel never seemed to care for him when they were younger. Having Daniel turn up at the ER and agree to take care of him while he has a mild concussion and broken hand is a dream come true, though he feels bad about crashing Daniel’s romantic getaway with his maybe soon to be boyfriend. Turns out that won’t be much of an issue.
Justin is pretty horrible and things don’t go as planned from the start as Justin has turned the vacation into an office party. Until Daniel can get rid of Justin and crew, he holes up with Cole as much as possible. He feels protective of Cole and it turns out Cole is a good listener and likes Star Wars as much as he does. Daniel is surprised at the connection he feels with Cole, but Cole is thrilled to have a chance to spend time with the man and basically fall even more in love with him. Once they get rid of the other people in the house the bond gets even stronger as they are free to enjoy their time decorating for Christmas, seeing the sights and just hanging around. I loved the snowy small village and mountain chalet setting which definitely gave off that holiday feel as Cole finds the perfect topper for their Christmas tree.
I had a few small issues while reading the first part of the story. Even though the storyline with the unwanted houseguests was a good way to get Cole and Daniel some alone time to learn about and start to trust each other, it did take over quite a bit of the story, leaving the rest of Cole and Daniel’s time together rushed. Also, even though Justin was not in his department, I find it a bit hard to believe that Daniel had no idea what the guy was like before this considering how open and laid back their office is.
This is a sweet tale of reconnecting at Christmas and taking a chance. Daniel is pretty uptight and not fun at all to start, but it’s clear that as far as Cole is concerned his feelings start to change pretty quickly from annoyed to protective to caring. It takes a while, but we are finally told why Daniel is a bit standoffish and the more time he spends with Cole the happier he becomes. Cole is a sweetheart from the start, if a bit awkward, but his desire for any kind of a relationship with Daniel is quite endearing. I enjoyed their bonding time and there was plenty of it as they hid away from Justin and company. What started off uncomfortable almost strangers, builds nicely to friends and when they finally do give in, the two have some sizzling hot times together.
The Epilogue set in the next year was super sweet and brought the story full-circle. Pick this one up if you’re in the mood for some angst-free holiday romance, with a bit of heat in a snowy winter setting.
3.5 stars
Daniel Diaz is an uptight HR director at an app company who is trying to change things up and move out of his comfort zone a bit. This leads him to try a relationship with a co-worker including a week away at a chalet for Christmas. Daniel has a feeling things could be a disaster since Justin isn’t the type he usually goes for, and boy was he right. Before he even starts his vacation though, he gets a call that his former step-brother, who he hasn’t seen in 10 years, is in the hospital and Daniel is his emergency contact.
Cole remembers his step-brother Daniel just fine.Their parents weren’t married long but when Daniel came to live with them (Cole was 13 and Daniel 18) he was Cole’s fantasy man. Cole’s crush hasn’t waned even though they haven’t had any contact in years and Daniel never seemed to care for him when they were younger. Having Daniel turn up at the ER and agree to take care of him while he has a mild concussion and broken hand is a dream come true, though he feels bad about crashing Daniel’s romantic getaway with his maybe soon to be boyfriend. Turns out that won’t be much of an issue.
Justin is pretty horrible and things don’t go as planned from the start as Justin has turned the vacation into an office party. Until Daniel can get rid of Justin and crew, he holes up with Cole as much as possible. He feels protective of Cole and it turns out Cole is a good listener and likes Star Wars as much as he does. Daniel is surprised at the connection he feels with Cole, but Cole is thrilled to have a chance to spend time with the man and basically fall even more in love with him. Once they get rid of the other people in the house the bond gets even stronger as they are free to enjoy their time decorating for Christmas, seeing the sights and just hanging around. I loved the snowy small village and mountain chalet setting which definitely gave off that holiday feel as Cole finds the perfect topper for their Christmas tree.
I had a few small issues while reading the first part of the story. Even though the storyline with the unwanted houseguests was a good way to get Cole and Daniel some alone time to learn about and start to trust each other, it did take over quite a bit of the story, leaving the rest of Cole and Daniel’s time together rushed. Also, even though Justin was not in his department, I find it a bit hard to believe that Daniel had no idea what the guy was like before this considering how open and laid back their office is.
This is a sweet tale of reconnecting at Christmas and taking a chance. Daniel is pretty uptight and not fun at all to start, but it’s clear that as far as Cole is concerned his feelings start to change pretty quickly from annoyed to protective to caring. It takes a while, but we are finally told why Daniel is a bit standoffish and the more time he spends with Cole the happier he becomes. Cole is a sweetheart from the start, if a bit awkward, but his desire for any kind of a relationship with Daniel is quite endearing. I enjoyed their bonding time and there was plenty of it as they hid away from Justin and company. What started off uncomfortable almost strangers, builds nicely to friends and when they finally do give in, the two have some sizzling hot times together.
The Epilogue set in the next year was super sweet and brought the story full-circle. Pick this one up if you’re in the mood for some angst-free holiday romance, with a bit of heat in a snowy winter setting.
December 17, 2017
Sometimes, it's the things we don't expect, that turn out to be what we want...
Daniel and Cole first met 10 years ago as stepbrothers when they're parents had a passing thought to get married...the thought passed and took the marriage with it just as quickly. But Daniel's mother has reconnected with Cole, so when she learns that Cole's going to be in the same city as Daniel working on his thesis, well of course she insist that Cole use Daniel as his emergency contact and having no other friends or family Cole figures why not what's it going to hurt...after all no one every uses their emergency contact anyways, right? Well, until things happen and in Cole's case it's a trip on some stairs that lands him in the emergency room and has the university calling Daniel...his emergency contact...Daniel who's about to head out of town for a romantic holiday vacation with Justin his sorta'...kinda'...almost boyfriend.
So what's a man to do when he's left to care for his one time almost stepbrother who's got a broken wrist and a mild concussion and he's scheduled to go frolic in the snow with is almost boyfriend? Why take the almost stepbrother with him of course and this is where the fun begins.
It took a bit but I ended up liking Daniel. Initially Daniel was to say the least cold, standoffish and a bit of a jerk about Cole needing his help. While spending the holiday with Daniel is Cole's idea of a holiday in heaven he's also a really decent guy and he tries to convince Daniel to just leave him at home and he'd be fine. But once Daniel sets him mind to something he moves forward and doesn't change his mind.
Once they arrive at the cabin, Daniel discovers in very short order that Justin not only isn't boyfriend material because really how wanted does one feel when the person they're planning on spending a romantic weekend with arrives at their romantic destination with with their own party...nope, Justin showed in real short order that he's someone who's just not even worth knowing. So in true Daniel fashion he makes the decision that things between him and Justin are over before they really started...me likey this.
Finding themselves alone for the holidays the two men start to reconnect and Daniel soon realizes that even though Justin's gone his chance for romance and finding someone to love again is still there in the cabin with him.
I liked the epilogue. It was nice to get that peek ahead in time and see that what started when Daniel and Cole are reunited by an accident ended up as something real, solid and very intentional as these two men came together to make a life as a couple.
'In Case of Emergency' is a sweet, holiday romance with second chances a touch of hurt/comfort, sexy hot tub times, a bit of Star Wars and one of my favorite parts...no, there are no dragons, but Daniel and Cole are living and loving in CANADA!!!
Cole's attending Carlton University...that's my hubby's alma mater. Daniel attended Western (also known as UWO or the University of Western Ontario, it's in London a couple of hours from Toronto). Anyways, my point is that the setting for this one on a personal level just added to how much I enjoyed the story. Yeah, I'm a dork. I get a little bit excited when I read stories that are set in Canada but when it's a story with so many references that are familiar to me...well, it just makes it so easy for me to settle into the story and enjoy, which is exactly what I did.
*******************
A copy of 'In Case of Emergency' was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Daniel and Cole first met 10 years ago as stepbrothers when they're parents had a passing thought to get married...the thought passed and took the marriage with it just as quickly. But Daniel's mother has reconnected with Cole, so when she learns that Cole's going to be in the same city as Daniel working on his thesis, well of course she insist that Cole use Daniel as his emergency contact and having no other friends or family Cole figures why not what's it going to hurt...after all no one every uses their emergency contact anyways, right? Well, until things happen and in Cole's case it's a trip on some stairs that lands him in the emergency room and has the university calling Daniel...his emergency contact...Daniel who's about to head out of town for a romantic holiday vacation with Justin his sorta'...kinda'...almost boyfriend.
So what's a man to do when he's left to care for his one time almost stepbrother who's got a broken wrist and a mild concussion and he's scheduled to go frolic in the snow with is almost boyfriend? Why take the almost stepbrother with him of course and this is where the fun begins.
It took a bit but I ended up liking Daniel. Initially Daniel was to say the least cold, standoffish and a bit of a jerk about Cole needing his help. While spending the holiday with Daniel is Cole's idea of a holiday in heaven he's also a really decent guy and he tries to convince Daniel to just leave him at home and he'd be fine. But once Daniel sets him mind to something he moves forward and doesn't change his mind.
Once they arrive at the cabin, Daniel discovers in very short order that Justin not only isn't boyfriend material because really how wanted does one feel when the person they're planning on spending a romantic weekend with arrives at their romantic destination with with their own party...nope, Justin showed in real short order that he's someone who's just not even worth knowing. So in true Daniel fashion he makes the decision that things between him and Justin are over before they really started...me likey this.
Finding themselves alone for the holidays the two men start to reconnect and Daniel soon realizes that even though Justin's gone his chance for romance and finding someone to love again is still there in the cabin with him.
I liked the epilogue. It was nice to get that peek ahead in time and see that what started when Daniel and Cole are reunited by an accident ended up as something real, solid and very intentional as these two men came together to make a life as a couple.
'In Case of Emergency' is a sweet, holiday romance with second chances a touch of hurt/comfort, sexy hot tub times, a bit of Star Wars and one of my favorite parts...no, there are no dragons, but Daniel and Cole are living and loving in CANADA!!!
Cole's attending Carlton University...that's my hubby's alma mater. Daniel attended Western (also known as UWO or the University of Western Ontario, it's in London a couple of hours from Toronto). Anyways, my point is that the setting for this one on a personal level just added to how much I enjoyed the story. Yeah, I'm a dork. I get a little bit excited when I read stories that are set in Canada but when it's a story with so many references that are familiar to me...well, it just makes it so easy for me to settle into the story and enjoy, which is exactly what I did.
*******************
A copy of 'In Case of Emergency' was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2018
3.5 Hearts!
Highly enjoyable, this Keira holiday short did not disappoint!
Per the blurb, Daniel is none too happy having to play babysitter for his long ago, short lived step brother, but he soon realizes that Cole is obviously a far cry from the awkward teenager when he knew him. Cole on the other hand can hardly believe his luck. He’s just thankful to have some company for the holidays and what better way to spend it than with his old crush!
Things quickly and nicely progress here as Daniel and Cole get to know each other for real this time. Slowly, Daniel’s rigid contained self loosens up under Cole’s thoughtful attention. To their surprise and delight they have a lot in common, get along fabulously, and can’t seem to ignore the huge attraction they have for each other.
Easy Christmas fare that was very sweet and quite smexy. Just the way I like it!!!
Highly enjoyable, this Keira holiday short did not disappoint!
Per the blurb, Daniel is none too happy having to play babysitter for his long ago, short lived step brother, but he soon realizes that Cole is obviously a far cry from the awkward teenager when he knew him. Cole on the other hand can hardly believe his luck. He’s just thankful to have some company for the holidays and what better way to spend it than with his old crush!
Things quickly and nicely progress here as Daniel and Cole get to know each other for real this time. Slowly, Daniel’s rigid contained self loosens up under Cole’s thoughtful attention. To their surprise and delight they have a lot in common, get along fabulously, and can’t seem to ignore the huge attraction they have for each other.
Easy Christmas fare that was very sweet and quite smexy. Just the way I like it!!!
October 21, 2023
3.5⭐️ rounded up.
I was in the mood for some sweet fluff, and that's what I got.
Ex-stepbrothers reconnect, spend the Christmas week in a chalet, and are so sweet, sexy and adorable I can't deal.
Super cute. Read in one sitting.
The only issue I had with this was the changing POV with each chapter. This is usually a good thing, but in this case, there was no name at the beginning of the chapters to tell me which MC pov I was getting, and it was written in 3rd person, so it got confusing.
At times I didn't know who was feeling what, or which character said certain parts of conversations, and would have to reread a sentence to get it.
That said, it was really sweet and cute, and Cole was adorable, so all is forgiven 🙂❤️
I was in the mood for some sweet fluff, and that's what I got.
Ex-stepbrothers reconnect, spend the Christmas week in a chalet, and are so sweet, sexy and adorable I can't deal.
Super cute. Read in one sitting.
The only issue I had with this was the changing POV with each chapter. This is usually a good thing, but in this case, there was no name at the beginning of the chapters to tell me which MC pov I was getting, and it was written in 3rd person, so it got confusing.
At times I didn't know who was feeling what, or which character said certain parts of conversations, and would have to reread a sentence to get it.
That said, it was really sweet and cute, and Cole was adorable, so all is forgiven 🙂❤️
December 3, 2017
3.25 stars
I had such high hopes for this story, but I had a hard time liking Daniel, so this was just okay instead of the amazing read it could have been.
Daniel is the HR director of a trendy company, and damn proud of it. He likes to work hard and doesn’t have a lot of time to relax and make friends (or have boyfriends). So after a ‘Change Your Cadence’ workshop his best friend made him take, he is ready to be more spontaneous, and make more friends.
That’s why he has booked a cabin for Christmas and has invited Justin for this romantic getaway. Normally Daniel wouldn’t think of starting something with a co-worker, but Justin is not in his department, and he has made it very clear he wants Daniel. So Daniel booked the cabin and is on his way when he gets a call..
Cole is attending graduate school in Ottawa, but doesn’t really know anyone there yet. He never expected the school to call his former stepbrother, Daniel, when Cole falls and ends up in the hospital. Daniel and Cole were stepbrothers, 10 years ago. Cole had a secret crush on Daniel when they were kids, but since their parents divorced within 6 months, Cole never saw Daniel again. But when Daniel’s mother tells Cole to contact Daniel when he moved to Ottawa, Cole thought it would be funny to put Daniel down as his emergency contact, never expecting something to actually happen to him.
When Daniel goes to pick Cole up at the hospital, the nurse tells him Cole needs supervision for his concussion and help with his broken hand. So Daniel sees no other solution than to take Cole with him to the cabin he rented…
Daniel kind of ruined this story for me. I just didn’t like him at all. I especially had a hard time thinking he could have ever liked Justin, who was a major asshole. I even felt a bit sorry for Cole for getting Daniel as a love interest.
This is not a bad story per se, since it had a lot of elements I liked. Cole was adorable, there was plenty of hurt/comfort, the bad guy got what he deserved, and the romance ended up being pretty sweet. But, Daniel….. I seriously did not like him.
I had such high hopes for this story, but I had a hard time liking Daniel, so this was just okay instead of the amazing read it could have been.
Daniel is the HR director of a trendy company, and damn proud of it. He likes to work hard and doesn’t have a lot of time to relax and make friends (or have boyfriends). So after a ‘Change Your Cadence’ workshop his best friend made him take, he is ready to be more spontaneous, and make more friends.
That’s why he has booked a cabin for Christmas and has invited Justin for this romantic getaway. Normally Daniel wouldn’t think of starting something with a co-worker, but Justin is not in his department, and he has made it very clear he wants Daniel. So Daniel booked the cabin and is on his way when he gets a call..
Cole is attending graduate school in Ottawa, but doesn’t really know anyone there yet. He never expected the school to call his former stepbrother, Daniel, when Cole falls and ends up in the hospital. Daniel and Cole were stepbrothers, 10 years ago. Cole had a secret crush on Daniel when they were kids, but since their parents divorced within 6 months, Cole never saw Daniel again. But when Daniel’s mother tells Cole to contact Daniel when he moved to Ottawa, Cole thought it would be funny to put Daniel down as his emergency contact, never expecting something to actually happen to him.
When Daniel goes to pick Cole up at the hospital, the nurse tells him Cole needs supervision for his concussion and help with his broken hand. So Daniel sees no other solution than to take Cole with him to the cabin he rented…
Daniel kind of ruined this story for me. I just didn’t like him at all. I especially had a hard time thinking he could have ever liked Justin, who was a major asshole. I even felt a bit sorry for Cole for getting Daniel as a love interest.
This is not a bad story per se, since it had a lot of elements I liked. Cole was adorable, there was plenty of hurt/comfort, the bad guy got what he deserved, and the romance ended up being pretty sweet. But, Daniel….. I seriously did not like him.
December 11, 2017
3.5 stars rounded up for the Clueless reference.
A sexy and sweet holiday treat!
To me, Keira Andrews is almost always on point. I’ve come to regard her as one of my most trusted and favorite authors in the m/m genre. And while I think that the story was somewhat hindered by its shorter length – as far as I’m concerned, additional depth and breadth of emotion is ALWAYS welcome – it nevertheless contained well-crafted characters with a heart-warming and heated connection.
Cole and Daniel were only stepbrothers for a hot second, but it sewed the seeds for Cole’sobsession with crush on Daniel. I found this an especially delicious premise, and every second in Cole’s adorakable head was delightful. His surprise sex god side was a steamy bonus!
I appreciate that Andrews doesn’t write cookie-cutter characters, and I eventually found Daniel, who had been wounded and walked a fine line between reserved and withdrawn, sympathetic. Their relationship, both past and present, could have been fleshed out better, and the closing chapters left me wanting something more tangible than tentative. Fortunately, the epilogue provided a picture perfect glimpse into a solid HEA.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and easy read.
A sexy and sweet holiday treat!
To me, Keira Andrews is almost always on point. I’ve come to regard her as one of my most trusted and favorite authors in the m/m genre. And while I think that the story was somewhat hindered by its shorter length – as far as I’m concerned, additional depth and breadth of emotion is ALWAYS welcome – it nevertheless contained well-crafted characters with a heart-warming and heated connection.
Cole and Daniel were only stepbrothers for a hot second, but it sewed the seeds for Cole’s
I appreciate that Andrews doesn’t write cookie-cutter characters, and I eventually found Daniel, who had been wounded and walked a fine line between reserved and withdrawn, sympathetic. Their relationship, both past and present, could have been fleshed out better, and the closing chapters left me wanting something more tangible than tentative. Fortunately, the epilogue provided a picture perfect glimpse into a solid HEA.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and easy read.
December 14, 2018
Hmmmm...meh 🤷🏽♀️ Could have done with some more Christmas cheer and less of Justin, but it was an alright quick read.
November 3, 2023
3.5 ⭐
- former stepbrothers
- forced proximity
- only one bed
- grumpy x sunshine, ish
An unexpected call from the local university alerts Daniel that he's the emergency contact for his former stepbrother Cole, who he hasn't seen in ten years, and that he has been in an accident and taken to the hospital.
Heading to go check on the younger man just to make sure he's ok, Daniel doesn't realize Cole is about to be a wrench thrown into his spicy holiday plans. Cole cannot be left alone, and with no one to take care of him, what else is Daniel supposed to do but bring him along on his vacation?
As the pair reconnect of the next few days, Daniel begins to see Cole in a new light, and the rest is history...
In Case of Emergency is yet another cute and cozy holiday romance by Keira Andrews. Her holiday romances are slowly becoming my favorite! Daniel and Cole were so adorable, and the chemistry between them was off the charts. Cole was the perfect little ray of sunshine that grumpy, no nonsense Daniel needed!
- former stepbrothers
- forced proximity
- only one bed
- grumpy x sunshine, ish
An unexpected call from the local university alerts Daniel that he's the emergency contact for his former stepbrother Cole, who he hasn't seen in ten years, and that he has been in an accident and taken to the hospital.
Heading to go check on the younger man just to make sure he's ok, Daniel doesn't realize Cole is about to be a wrench thrown into his spicy holiday plans. Cole cannot be left alone, and with no one to take care of him, what else is Daniel supposed to do but bring him along on his vacation?
As the pair reconnect of the next few days, Daniel begins to see Cole in a new light, and the rest is history...
In Case of Emergency is yet another cute and cozy holiday romance by Keira Andrews. Her holiday romances are slowly becoming my favorite! Daniel and Cole were so adorable, and the chemistry between them was off the charts. Cole was the perfect little ray of sunshine that grumpy, no nonsense Daniel needed!
December 4, 2017
3.5 Stars
November 15, 2025
Daniel + Cole
Something about saying "God bless us everyone" right after you cum is a bit weird, yeah?
Anyway, I wasn't a fan of this. It took them almost 3/4 of the book to even kiss. You would think there should have been delicious tension before that, but no. Just a bunch of annoying side characters taking the stage. Once they finally got together, I just felt annoyed. Like I waited this long just to be disappointed anyway. I was buying into their connection more before they started having sex. Which really isn't saying much.
⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists
Tropes/content:
Old stepbrothers (from 10 years previous)
They havent seen each other in a decade
Cabin
Christmas
Hurt comfort
Daniel has to help cole unbutton his pants to use the bathroom
Neither of them brought swim trunks so they decide to get in the hot tub naked. This is before they ever even kiss
Uncut
Hot tub sex
Rimming
Slow burn that barely burns
Warnings:
ER visit for concussion and broken arm
Vomitting
OM drama - Justin who's an ex hookup of Daniel's ends up at the cabin and is stuck there for a few days due to snow, along with others he invited without permission. He's an awful unlikeable character. Daniel wants nothing to do with him after he sees the real side of him.
Versatile roles
Something about saying "God bless us everyone" right after you cum is a bit weird, yeah?
Anyway, I wasn't a fan of this. It took them almost 3/4 of the book to even kiss. You would think there should have been delicious tension before that, but no. Just a bunch of annoying side characters taking the stage. Once they finally got together, I just felt annoyed. Like I waited this long just to be disappointed anyway. I was buying into their connection more before they started having sex. Which really isn't saying much.
⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists
Tropes/content:
Old stepbrothers (from 10 years previous)
They havent seen each other in a decade
Cabin
Christmas
Hurt comfort
Daniel has to help cole unbutton his pants to use the bathroom
Neither of them brought swim trunks so they decide to get in the hot tub naked. This is before they ever even kiss
Uncut
Hot tub sex
Rimming
Slow burn that barely burns
Warnings:
ER visit for concussion and broken arm
Vomitting
OM drama - Justin who's an ex hookup of Daniel's ends up at the cabin and is stuck there for a few days due to snow, along with others he invited without permission. He's an awful unlikeable character. Daniel wants nothing to do with him after he sees the real side of him.
Versatile roles
November 25, 2024
Reading holiday novellas to get into the spirit of the season is a mood
November 27, 2017
3.5*
This one's had mixed reviews from my friends here on Goodreads but I'm happily in the enjoyed it camp.
It's not my favourite from Keira, but it's still a well developed romance featuring a not quite second chance relationship but one in which the two MCs were very briefly step brothers.
I do agree with most of my friends who took a while to warm up to Daniel and those who described Julian as an obvious villain. He was a bit of a caricature and all he was missing was the moustache twirling and a cackle.
But Cole was a sweetie and I thought Keira handled the attraction awakening in Daniel very well too and I loved the whole festive getaway in log cabin element.
Fab epilogue too and a nice cover which actually reflects perfectly the ethnicity of the MCs.
#ARC received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
This one's had mixed reviews from my friends here on Goodreads but I'm happily in the enjoyed it camp.
It's not my favourite from Keira, but it's still a well developed romance featuring a not quite second chance relationship but one in which the two MCs were very briefly step brothers.
I do agree with most of my friends who took a while to warm up to Daniel and those who described Julian as an obvious villain. He was a bit of a caricature and all he was missing was the moustache twirling and a cackle.
But Cole was a sweetie and I thought Keira handled the attraction awakening in Daniel very well too and I loved the whole festive getaway in log cabin element.
Fab epilogue too and a nice cover which actually reflects perfectly the ethnicity of the MCs.
#ARC received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Read
November 30, 2017It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! My fluffy, sexy story about two lonely men who reconnect in a most unexpected way is now available. Buy or borrow in KU at Amazon:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2AdpJii
Amazon global: http://rxe.me/SZQ6Q6
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2AdpJii
Amazon global: http://rxe.me/SZQ6Q6
January 5, 2018
I’m lazy today, so I’m going to make it quick. It was cute, a bit steamy, a quick read with a nice HEA. But nothing more for me.
December 31, 2017
That was a cute Xmas read .. sugar sweet, predictable format but a nice afternoon adventure !
December 11, 2017
3.5 stars
This was a fun, quick holiday read that had some hot sex scenes and some cute romantic scenes - the last scene was really adorable - and had no angst, so it's a fun entertaining read for some cheering up for the holidays but not much else. Not that that's bad, but these two did get together quickly - over a few days - when one is supposedly supposed to be demisexual and maybe an emotional connection can totally happen in a few days, but...I dunno, I still imagine more than a few days of interactions for someone who is demisexual to feel that emotional connection to therefore be attracted.
Also because this was quick not much was explored with things that there brought up and I would have liked to see that, like more about when these two were step-brothers 10 years prior and such.
This felt like the bare bones of a full story and I didn't find that a bad thing with this, I just didn't love it. Enjoyed it, but that's about it.
Recommending it though if someone just wants a quick fun read with some hot sex and some cute romance.
This was a fun, quick holiday read that had some hot sex scenes and some cute romantic scenes - the last scene was really adorable - and had no angst, so it's a fun entertaining read for some cheering up for the holidays but not much else. Not that that's bad, but these two did get together quickly - over a few days - when one is supposedly supposed to be demisexual and maybe an emotional connection can totally happen in a few days, but...I dunno, I still imagine more than a few days of interactions for someone who is demisexual to feel that emotional connection to therefore be attracted.
Also because this was quick not much was explored with things that there brought up and I would have liked to see that, like more about when these two were step-brothers 10 years prior and such.
This felt like the bare bones of a full story and I didn't find that a bad thing with this, I just didn't love it. Enjoyed it, but that's about it.
Recommending it though if someone just wants a quick fun read with some hot sex and some cute romance.
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