Christmas with Saint

by J. Sterling

Ivy
I've been in love with Saint my whole life. At least that's how it feels. He's never looked at me as anything more than his best friend's little sister. Being stuck in the friend zone is my literal nightmare when it comes to him and I want out.

Saint
Ivy has no idea the way I see her. It kills me that she thinks I don't want her the same way she wants me. But I made a promise to her brother. One I knew I'd end up breaking at some point.
Can I get the girl without losing my best friend in the process? It's time to find out.

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Audiobook, Holiday, Novella, Friends To Lovers, Holiday Romance

128 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2022

About the author

J. (jenn) Sterling is a New York Times and USA Today best selling author of multiple contemporary romances. She lives in California with her only son, Blake. If you can't find her sitting behind a computer screen writing new stories, then there's a good chance she's sitting in the bleachers of a baseball stadium watching him play.

Jenn enjoys traveling to new places, meeting her readers and spending time with the love of her life, the one & only, Jack F'n Carter! Oh yeah, it's true. <3

Stay in touch with Jenn here:
Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/619557...
Website: http://www.jsterlingbooks.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJSterling
Instagram & TikTok: @AuthorJSterling

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rated R for super spicy adult content 🔥🔥🔥 Brothers best friend story with a splash of Christmas theme.

[Jo - •.★Reading Is My Bliss★.• · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ivy has been in love with Saint since the moment she met him. He is her brother’s best friend, that old cliche right? Not quite though… it seems that Saint has been crushing on her too but Davey made him promise to never do anything with his little sister. Ivy tried to get his attention at every opportunity but she never seemed to get a reaction from him.

It’s been years since that promise was made and after her best friend Cori tricks both of them into helping her at a Christmas event, the flirtation and attraction takes over. Saint is tired of pretending when it comes to Ivy, it’s time to put it all out there with her and hope that she feels the same way still. Could Ivy’s Christmas wish be about to come true?

Another fab story in the fun for the holidays series that Jenn has been publishing recently. I don’t get too hyped up over Christmas but this story was a great holiday read :)

[Shannon Mayhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute and fun listen/read. There is some spice but not a whole lot.

[Brianna Bourque · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 ⭐️ - Quite possibly the stupidest book I’ve ever read. Genuinely nothing happened the whole book

[Marian. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, short and lovely christmas novella with the spicy on point.

She had a crush since she was little with her brother's best friend and never hiding it even when she is older enough and he was a teenager when he noticed her but did nothing for her brother; one day completely together doing kind of volunteering at christmas makes them see some things and boom things happens.

I LOVED THIS LITTLE STORY!!!! 💖🥰

I was missing pages, I was left wanting more of this lovely couple🥹💕

A completely enjoyable story that is worth reading these times of December.

Thank you J. Sterling for the ARC of this book 💖💖

[Erika Sampson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Garbage book, but one step closer to completing my reading challenge.

[Ginger_BrownieReads “Michelle aka Chely” · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok but instantly when I read it was brother’s best friend I was 100% in!
I don’t think I have EVER read a book/novella in one day!
This was sexy! Hahaha he’s dressing as Santa, she’s an Elf and they come together for an event where he realizes there will never be anyone else for him. He’s making his move ages later because he promised her brother (his best friend) at 17, he would never make a move on her. They’ve both loved their lives pining for each other but never making a move until this night. It was so much fun!!
I love J. Sterlings novellas!

Brothers best friend ✔️
It’s always been you ✔️
Childhood friends ✔️
Found family ✔️

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quick read

[Lina · Rating 5 out of 5]

With each book from the "Fun for the holidays", I am hooked more and more within those stories. Ivy and Saint's story was a very cute, sexy Christmas story with a brother's best friend trope (which is one of my favourite).

I was so immersed with their story, that I read the book in a flash.

I received an ARC copy of this book and this is my voluntary review ♥️.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrific Christmas novella with all the feels! I love a brother’s best friend story and add in a sexy Santa and I am all in!

Ivy has been in love with Saint forever and somehow volunteering together as Santa and his elf have them finally giving into their feelings.

I love a short story that totally sucks you in and this one totally did that. The epilogue was amazing and I loved when Saint explained how he’d liked her for so long too!

If you are looking for a sweet and spicy holiday short story, this is for you!

I requested an early reader copy of this story and these are my honest opinions.

Edited: Audiobook is amazing! Loved it just as much the second time!

[Sarah Bergan · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’re looking for something super short with little to no plot or background, it’s fine I guess. The writing wasn’t great, super rushed, and a bit cringe? Don’t let all its downfalls make you think that there might be good spice, because there wasn’t.

[Anne OK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short (too short) but cute! Fast track didn't leave much room for character development -- although I liked what I read. Loved that Santa finally filled Ivy's Christmas wishlist.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Cute novella with a steamy storyline and lovable characters! I mean, hot Santa and his hot elf? 😏

🌶️/5
For being a steamy/spicy novella, I was expecting a lot more. It’s closed door for the actual act in bed! Boo 🍅


⚠️Ho ho ho there are spoilers below⚠️


✒️Favorite Quotes🖋️
“How do you remember that?”
“I remember everything.”

“There has never been and will never be another woman on this planet meant for me.”


What I liked👍:
- I mean he was Santa and his name is “Saint” like Saint Nick. That’s clever.
- He was running late for work but still scraped off all the snow from her car 😭
- that man was yeaaaaarning

What I didn’t like👎:
- could’ve been spicier
- everyone knew that Ivy and Saint loved each other. They knew they were meant to be together. The only thing that held them back was Saint’s promise to Davey, but then we know Davey didn’t mean it anymore. Why was he still bringing it up? Why was he holding it over his head, like how good of a friend Saint is should be some kind of joke? Why punish them by making sure they don’t get together when that’s what everyone actually wanted? The whole thing is BS. 🚩

[❤️Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a fun, cute holiday read. I love a good brothers best friend romance

[Miranda Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how loyal Saint is to his best friend. Overall a cute read

[Lindsey Domokur · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute and just the right size. Everything was wrapped up with a bow and it was light on angst and high on steam.

[ReadingTilTheBreakOfDawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and fun holiday novella about brother's best friend.
Ivy has had a crush on Saint, her brother's best friend and now partner in business for as long as she can remember, but being the little sister, she's of course off limits. And she doesn't think Saint sees her that way. But when Saint is playing Santa and Ivy is his sexy little elf, they both let go of all preconceived notions and let their feelings fall.

This was such a cute and very short holiday read. My first of the month. While I do like novellas and the fact I can fit them in between longer reads, sometimes they make me miss the build up of the relationship. And that's what I definitely missed here. I wanted to see them when they were teens trying to fight their attraction, feel all the angst. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed this sexy little romp set during the holidays and the fun the family and best friend had with their attractions toward one another. 3.5 stars

[Booked on Lattes · Rating 4 out of 5]

POV: Dual
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️

Another fun holiday novella from this author! All of the different holiday books have been cute but I have been most excited for the Christmas one. I love novellas where the characters have some kind of prior relationship because that makes them falling for each other in such a short time more believable, and in this case Saint and Ivy grew up together as Saint is Ivy’s brother’s best friend. While I was pretty annoyed with Ivy’s brother, I’m glad everything worked out for these two who were so obviously meant to be together.

Christmas with Saint is a light easy read that has less spice than the previous books in this collection and kept a smile on my face!

[FG (Lectoradepantalla) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Divertida novela corta para festejar esta temporada.

Ivy ha estado enamorada toda su vida de Saint, pero nunca ha dado el paso porque él no parece parar en ella. Saint le hizo una promesa a su mejor amigo, nunca tocar a su hermana, pero a veces las reglas están para romperse.

“-You’ll be the death of me, -he said.
-When did you realize? -I asked, wanting at least that answer before we took this any further.
-Realize what?
-That you had feelings for me.”

Última historia corta de la colección de Fun for the Holidays. Amé poder leer cada mes una de estas novelas, sobre todo porque cada una tiene un toque especial que, sin duda, alegraba mis lecturas del mes.



Esta vez veremos un romance entre mejor amigo de mi hermano, el cual me ha gustado y he disfrutado de inicio a fin. Creo que ha sido de los más cortos, sin embargo, te aseguró que la trama y el romance están muy bien plasmados.

“I know it sucks, waiting for the guy to reach out when all you want to do is talk to him and make sure you’re on the same page. Or at least heading in the same direction. We let them make the first move because we don’t want to come off as needy or clingy. But, Ivy, if a guy can’t handle a little communication after a night of insanely hot sex, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

Adoré la serie, cada historia; me encanto como J. Sterling puede variar tan bien cada romance y que no se sienta estar leyendo siempre lo mismo. Ojalá pueda volver a encontrar algo parecido el próximo año.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you J. Sterling for send me this ARC.

This was a cute holiday novella with an all-time favorite troupe, brother's best friend. I loved the equal long time love the main characters had for each other and the HEA. Good quick read with a low to low medium level of spice. I would have loved a bit more spice, but that's just me. If you're a sucker for a good holiday novella, this book is worth reading!

[Karrie Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super fun Christmas read about brother's best friend. Ivy has been in love with Saint for as long as she can remember and one night after spending the entire day volunteering together is about to make her dreams come true. Now of only they can get her brother on board. These two were fun to read and the epilogue was so cute!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little novella to listen to for the holidays. Nothing substantial but is a free listen on audible plus. There is limited spice, but still not recommended for anyone under 18 (IMO). The only holiday related bits is that he dressed as Santa and she dressed as an elf for first part of the book as a volunteer-type activity.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, fast read for Christmas Day!

A little predictable, but still enjoyable!

This follows Ivy & Saint…. Saint swore a promise to Ivy’s brother to never touch her even as adults. But when he sees Ivy dressed up as an elf all bets are off! Will this ruin their brotherhood? His relationship with The Simpson family? After all they did take him in years ago!

[Mom_likestoread · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This is a short and spicy Christmas story with a brother’s best friend trope. I found it lacked tension since they both like each other from the beginning, so it felt repetitive for the reasons why they wouldn’t give in to their feelings

[JillFranP · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute holiday novella with a little spice and one of my favorite troupes, brothers best friend! I enjoyed the quick read and getting to know Ivy and Saint.

[Nicole Bangert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holiday Spice

In need of a little spicy holiday read? This is it. Check out her other holiday books as well. This was a great quick but not rushed story. With all the naughty and nice.

[Kate R · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun, entertaining brother's best friend holiday read. it was short and sweet but I felt like there was closure in here.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what I like in a holiday book a sweet simple to the point story with a little spice. This is a brothers best friend and I loved it. Easy to read and so much fun!

[Shella Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute short story.

[Rissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sterlings books are just so fun and easy to read!