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Hot Wishes and Cold Kisses
Oliver
At sixteen, I stupidly confessed my love to Zachary Coleman, my best friend’s older brother, only to be shattered by his rejection. In the ten years since, I’ve made it through college, stayed best friends with Susie, and moved back home to teach five-year-old how to count and not put pencils up their nose. I’ve barely seen Zachary during this time. According to Susie, he has an aversion to fun, spending time with his family, and Christmas.
When Susie is injured in an accident, Zachary is forced to come home and help take care of her three adorable but lively children. Zachary thinks because he manages an office full of staff this will be easy. I’m still worried for my friend, but I enjoy watching Zachary fall flat on his gorgeous ass. And all those pesky feelings from ten years ago? Still a problem. The more I’m around Zachary, the harder it’s going to be when he leaves again.
And should I mention I’m engaged to his sister?
Zachary
I avoid going home as much as I possible. I love my family. But I feel like I’m suffocating in our small town. And honestly, I’d rather keep busy than deal with the pain of the holidays. Spending time with family is overrated. Christmas is overrated. It’s all a ploy for people to spend money they don’t have and get more time off work.
But when my sister has an accident and ends up in a coma, I rush home to help take care of her children. It would be much easier if I didn’t have to also deal with Oliver Pattinson. I still remember the kiss Oliver—Liv—gave me that cold winter day on his sixteenth birthday. And the look on his face when I had to push him away. I didn’t mean to hurt him, but I was an adult. Oliver was not.
The more time I spend with Oliver and the kids, the more my priorities shift. The kids tug at my heart and this man has a way of making everything better…making everything fun. Is that from hanging around kindergarteners all day? Oliver is a grown up now but wanting him still feels wrong. Forbidden.
Especially when I find out he’s engaged to my sister.
Can Oliver and I put our differences aside, ignore the growing attraction between us, and focus on what’s really important? Making sure these kids have a Merry Christmas. Which isn’t easy when it’s only a few weeks away, the kids need costumes for the school Christmas program, and Susie has successfully hidden all the presents.
Hot Wishes & Cold Kisses is a 47,000+ standalone MM small town holiday second chance romance with sassy kids, a clueless caregiver, snowball fights, moonlight kisses, and a HEA.
At sixteen, I stupidly confessed my love to Zachary Coleman, my best friend’s older brother, only to be shattered by his rejection. In the ten years since, I’ve made it through college, stayed best friends with Susie, and moved back home to teach five-year-old how to count and not put pencils up their nose. I’ve barely seen Zachary during this time. According to Susie, he has an aversion to fun, spending time with his family, and Christmas.
When Susie is injured in an accident, Zachary is forced to come home and help take care of her three adorable but lively children. Zachary thinks because he manages an office full of staff this will be easy. I’m still worried for my friend, but I enjoy watching Zachary fall flat on his gorgeous ass. And all those pesky feelings from ten years ago? Still a problem. The more I’m around Zachary, the harder it’s going to be when he leaves again.
And should I mention I’m engaged to his sister?
Zachary
I avoid going home as much as I possible. I love my family. But I feel like I’m suffocating in our small town. And honestly, I’d rather keep busy than deal with the pain of the holidays. Spending time with family is overrated. Christmas is overrated. It’s all a ploy for people to spend money they don’t have and get more time off work.
But when my sister has an accident and ends up in a coma, I rush home to help take care of her children. It would be much easier if I didn’t have to also deal with Oliver Pattinson. I still remember the kiss Oliver—Liv—gave me that cold winter day on his sixteenth birthday. And the look on his face when I had to push him away. I didn’t mean to hurt him, but I was an adult. Oliver was not.
The more time I spend with Oliver and the kids, the more my priorities shift. The kids tug at my heart and this man has a way of making everything better…making everything fun. Is that from hanging around kindergarteners all day? Oliver is a grown up now but wanting him still feels wrong. Forbidden.
Especially when I find out he’s engaged to my sister.
Can Oliver and I put our differences aside, ignore the growing attraction between us, and focus on what’s really important? Making sure these kids have a Merry Christmas. Which isn’t easy when it’s only a few weeks away, the kids need costumes for the school Christmas program, and Susie has successfully hidden all the presents.
Hot Wishes & Cold Kisses is a 47,000+ standalone MM small town holiday second chance romance with sassy kids, a clueless caregiver, snowball fights, moonlight kisses, and a HEA.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 25, 2022
110 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Sutton
32 books116 followersD.K. SUTTON has a background in social work. In her off time from writing, she enjoys crocheting and spending time with her family. As an introvert, she has always been a little awkward (and a lot geeky). Turns out, those are handy traits for a writer. Her Broken series is M/M fiction, full of love and angst, and it challenges the rhetoric around being gay and religious. Her Trials of Love series and Sloan Brothers series are both M/M romance. She doesn't believe in hate and believes that people have a good side within them.
She enjoys writing about slightly flawed characters in compromising situations. She has a passion for writing LGBTQ+ stories, because the world needs more love and inclusion.
Connect with DK Sutton on Social Media
Facebook @dksuttonwrites
Facebook group facebook.com/groups/dkcafe/
Twitter @debraelq
She enjoys writing about slightly flawed characters in compromising situations. She has a passion for writing LGBTQ+ stories, because the world needs more love and inclusion.
Connect with DK Sutton on Social Media
Facebook @dksuttonwrites
Facebook group facebook.com/groups/dkcafe/
Twitter @debraelq
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
November 27, 2022
I don’t know how to rate this one since there were some things that bugged the hell out of me. First of all I didn’t like Susy..Like at all. And I hate this cliché hags slash friendships between a gay dude and a woman, where they’re all touchy feely and cuddle and they’re joined at the hip and especially when it becomes a gay/beard relationship. Second of all, Oliver’s boss had a gay son, Oliver had a gay co-worker and yet he reacted viciously every time Zach touched him. It became very very annoying especially when with a bit of investigation he would have realized that nobody in his work environment was homophobic.
Then there was the whole Zack thing that we aren’t told until the very end (the “why” of his estrangement from the family) and also the details of Oliver’s past. The author tried very hard to make us like Oliver but I found him insufrible, sorry. I liked Zach a bit more to be honest even though,again, the author tried to make us see him as a grumpy cold meany bastard. She failed again lol.
In conclusion, I liked the book but I liked it a bit more because of the writing than the story itself, this author writes pretty good . It would have been 4 stars but Oliver’s constant “DON’T TOUCH ME in public!!!!” annoyed the heck out of me..
Then there was the whole Zack thing that we aren’t told until the very end (the “why” of his estrangement from the family) and also the details of Oliver’s past. The author tried very hard to make us like Oliver but I found him insufrible, sorry. I liked Zach a bit more to be honest even though,again, the author tried to make us see him as a grumpy cold meany bastard. She failed again lol.
In conclusion, I liked the book but I liked it a bit more because of the writing than the story itself, this author writes pretty good . It would have been 4 stars but Oliver’s constant “DON’T TOUCH ME in public!!!!” annoyed the heck out of me..
November 13, 2022
So in this one we have Zach, a fella who lives for work and is that horrible boss we have all had - at one time or another and Oliver, someone who has had a crush on Zach since he was very young. This is considered a second chance romance because Oliver kissed Zach on his 16th birthday and since Zach was 18, rejected him.
Slight spoilers ahead
Zach gets called home because his sister is in a coma. His brother had died from a blow to the head so this was horrible for him and his family. Zach has not been close to his family since the death and basically tortures the people who work under him.
Oliver, or Ollie or Liv, depending on who is talking, is the best friend of Zach's sister. These two have known each other basically all their lives. After being rejected by Zach, Oliver decides to go to a college far away and make a life there. Then he finds out that being a kindergarten teacher and gay is just ripe for homophobic attacks. He decided not to fight for the job and comes back home and pretends he is not gay. Susie, the best friend, decides to tell everyone they are engaged.
These two of course bond and fall in love during the two weeks that Susie is in the coma. Some drama happens and then there is a hallmark movie ending.
Now about the actual writing. One can tell this is a arc because there back end of the book basically is not done. I would really love to read about Jamaal, but alas, that literally is a line of text. Also, this was written really stiffly. Meaning, while I understand the sex scene and what happened, the true text of it made it sound like it was not at all long enough to be counted as sex.
I would have loved more backstory on Oliver. To be honest, we know more about Zach than Oliver. The book waits until the very end to mention that Oliver was kicked out of his house at 15 because he was gay. Then in the epilogue it was mentioned that they were going to meet them for Christmas dinner. Really? With no talking or even a thought about the whole being homophobes thing?
I truly do not believe that just because you are related to someone that you have to hide or hate who you are to get mom and pop to love you. Screw that. On top of all the scenes of Ollie not allowing Zach to touch him as he was not out the parents thing was just too much.
Slight spoilers ahead
Zach gets called home because his sister is in a coma. His brother had died from a blow to the head so this was horrible for him and his family. Zach has not been close to his family since the death and basically tortures the people who work under him.
Oliver, or Ollie or Liv, depending on who is talking, is the best friend of Zach's sister. These two have known each other basically all their lives. After being rejected by Zach, Oliver decides to go to a college far away and make a life there. Then he finds out that being a kindergarten teacher and gay is just ripe for homophobic attacks. He decided not to fight for the job and comes back home and pretends he is not gay. Susie, the best friend, decides to tell everyone they are engaged.
These two of course bond and fall in love during the two weeks that Susie is in the coma. Some drama happens and then there is a hallmark movie ending.
Now about the actual writing. One can tell this is a arc because there back end of the book basically is not done. I would really love to read about Jamaal, but alas, that literally is a line of text. Also, this was written really stiffly. Meaning, while I understand the sex scene and what happened, the true text of it made it sound like it was not at all long enough to be counted as sex.
I would have loved more backstory on Oliver. To be honest, we know more about Zach than Oliver. The book waits until the very end to mention that Oliver was kicked out of his house at 15 because he was gay. Then in the epilogue it was mentioned that they were going to meet them for Christmas dinner. Really? With no talking or even a thought about the whole being homophobes thing?
I truly do not believe that just because you are related to someone that you have to hide or hate who you are to get mom and pop to love you. Screw that. On top of all the scenes of Ollie not allowing Zach to touch him as he was not out the parents thing was just too much.
December 29, 2022
lukewarm, at best
The premise is your basic holiday romance. The seemingly cold-hearted city-person returns home to the country for some reason or other, meets old flame that soured over one thing or another years ago, eventual redemption and happy happy ending. I have no problem with that premise. Sometimes I want something sweet and simple and clichéd. Heck, that’s why I chose picked this up.
While I didn’t expect spectacular prose, I did expect more than all this telling. I don’t think there is one instance of proper showing. Every sentiment and internal struggle - including things that should be subconscious, at least the first time around - are narrated by the characters. It reads like a draft. A bunch of place holder scenes and beats to be expanded later.
However, if it was just this, I would have given the boom a solid three stars. Why the two stars, then? The conflicts and resolutions. I could forgive their triteness and hyperbolic drama if they were set up right. Forget set up right, set up at all. Yes, if you go into this book not knowing who Zachary will end up with the moment his name is mentioned, you’re really not versed in the romance genre. Yet, even if I knew from the get go all the milestones the main couple would go through, it still needs to be prepared properly. The conflicts between the two MCs are not potent enough in the book. And it’s a shame, because both conflicts have so much potential. At least one of them should have reached a fever pitch. Instead, they fizzle.
And these are the two that do make some kind of sense. The big denouement is one big cringe fest. No normal person would be in that situation and not speak up about the impropriety of love confessions in a crucial work meeting. Let alone how everything is resolved so. Damn. Easily. I like a happy ending as much as the next person, and I’m okay with some kitsch on occasion, but it needs to make sense, and in “Hot Wishes and Cold Kisses” it doesn’t.
All of this is particularly frustrating because the general ideas (some of them), the characters, the rich backstories have so much potential. This could have been one of those holiday romances that offer not just some comfort reading, but also some depth, very much like the title. But it wasn’t.
The premise is your basic holiday romance. The seemingly cold-hearted city-person returns home to the country for some reason or other, meets old flame that soured over one thing or another years ago, eventual redemption and happy happy ending. I have no problem with that premise. Sometimes I want something sweet and simple and clichéd. Heck, that’s why I chose picked this up.
While I didn’t expect spectacular prose, I did expect more than all this telling. I don’t think there is one instance of proper showing. Every sentiment and internal struggle - including things that should be subconscious, at least the first time around - are narrated by the characters. It reads like a draft. A bunch of place holder scenes and beats to be expanded later.
However, if it was just this, I would have given the boom a solid three stars. Why the two stars, then? The conflicts and resolutions. I could forgive their triteness and hyperbolic drama if they were set up right. Forget set up right, set up at all. Yes, if you go into this book not knowing who Zachary will end up with the moment his name is mentioned, you’re really not versed in the romance genre. Yet, even if I knew from the get go all the milestones the main couple would go through, it still needs to be prepared properly. The conflicts between the two MCs are not potent enough in the book. And it’s a shame, because both conflicts have so much potential. At least one of them should have reached a fever pitch. Instead, they fizzle.
And these are the two that do make some kind of sense. The big denouement is one big cringe fest. No normal person would be in that situation and not speak up about the impropriety of love confessions in a crucial work meeting. Let alone how everything is resolved so. Damn. Easily. I like a happy ending as much as the next person, and I’m okay with some kitsch on occasion, but it needs to make sense, and in “Hot Wishes and Cold Kisses” it doesn’t.
All of this is particularly frustrating because the general ideas (some of them), the characters, the rich backstories have so much potential. This could have been one of those holiday romances that offer not just some comfort reading, but also some depth, very much like the title. But it wasn’t.
November 17, 2022
Swoon 💕
I ALMOST put this book down in the opening pages because Zachary is just horrible. But boy, he sure does manage to redeem himself.
I'm not even sure where to start with gushing about this book. It's just... so good. I love the tension and yearning between Zach and Oliver. They both view what happened the last time they'd seen each other through their own lens, and when they FINALLY talk about it, it's so cathartic. Oliver is so sweet and sassy and I want to be best friends with him and Susie please. Then there's poor Zach, who is so emotionally stunted and guilt-ridden over the death of his younger brother a few years prior that he's basically closed himself completely to all emotion.
There is so much dramaaaaa in this book - Zach doesn't come home for the holidays because he's completely messed up over the death of his brother, until he has to come home because his sister is in a coma and isn't waking up. He's got to help take care of her three children along with his sister's best friend, Oliver, whom he guiltily sort of crushed on back when he was about to leave for college and Oliver was still only 16. Then there's EVEN MORE DRAMA around Oliver and Susie, but you're going to have to read it for yourself because I don't want to spoil it for you!
This was the first book I've read by D.K. Sutton but you'd better believe she's on my radar now!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
I ALMOST put this book down in the opening pages because Zachary is just horrible. But boy, he sure does manage to redeem himself.
I'm not even sure where to start with gushing about this book. It's just... so good. I love the tension and yearning between Zach and Oliver. They both view what happened the last time they'd seen each other through their own lens, and when they FINALLY talk about it, it's so cathartic. Oliver is so sweet and sassy and I want to be best friends with him and Susie please. Then there's poor Zach, who is so emotionally stunted and guilt-ridden over the death of his younger brother a few years prior that he's basically closed himself completely to all emotion.
There is so much dramaaaaa in this book - Zach doesn't come home for the holidays because he's completely messed up over the death of his brother, until he has to come home because his sister is in a coma and isn't waking up. He's got to help take care of her three children along with his sister's best friend, Oliver, whom he guiltily sort of crushed on back when he was about to leave for college and Oliver was still only 16. Then there's EVEN MORE DRAMA around Oliver and Susie, but you're going to have to read it for yourself because I don't want to spoil it for you!
This was the first book I've read by D.K. Sutton but you'd better believe she's on my radar now!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
November 27, 2022
Hot Wishes and Cold Kisses is a second chance romance. When Oliver was 16, he kissed Zach and because Zach was 18 he decided to reject Oliver and ever since, things had been awkward between the two of them.
Zach's mostly lived for his work and had very little contact with his family ever since he left. The death of his brother left him with an emotional wound that hadn't healed and is basically is that one terrible boss that people have who tortured those under him.
When Zach returns home because his sister was in a coma, he and Oliver met again. The two slowly bond and fell in love in the course of the time Susie was in a coma. It has the feel of a Holiday story complete with the Hallmark happy ending.
I'll be honest that the romance between the two leads didn't work out for me. Some parts of the story felt a bit stilted and the flow though mostly fine were a bit slow in some areas. I found Oliver's character to be a bit one-dimensional and I wished he had been fleshed out more and was given a bit more backstory.
Still, this wasn't a bad story overall and I do recommend giving this a try if you're looking for a holiday story to tide you over.
This would be a 3.5 stars out of 5 for me.
I received an ARC of this book and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
Zach's mostly lived for his work and had very little contact with his family ever since he left. The death of his brother left him with an emotional wound that hadn't healed and is basically is that one terrible boss that people have who tortured those under him.
When Zach returns home because his sister was in a coma, he and Oliver met again. The two slowly bond and fell in love in the course of the time Susie was in a coma. It has the feel of a Holiday story complete with the Hallmark happy ending.
I'll be honest that the romance between the two leads didn't work out for me. Some parts of the story felt a bit stilted and the flow though mostly fine were a bit slow in some areas. I found Oliver's character to be a bit one-dimensional and I wished he had been fleshed out more and was given a bit more backstory.
Still, this wasn't a bad story overall and I do recommend giving this a try if you're looking for a holiday story to tide you over.
This would be a 3.5 stars out of 5 for me.
I received an ARC of this book and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
November 16, 2022
Zachary & Oliver: This was a sweet easy read full of family and Christmas. When forced to work together to help Susie, sister and best friend, their attraction is brought full circle. Zach had pushed Liv away when he was 16 compared to Zach’s 18. A devastated Liv avoided him from then on which was easy because Zach barely came home. But now as adults, they are having a hard time resisting each other. They rely on each other for comfort, strength and to be there for the kids. The attraction grows. Zach is learning to let loose a bit, not everything is about work, Liv is trying to hold it together, he can’t be found out as gay as a teacher. I enjoyed this sweet holiday story.
November 15, 2022
Zach and Oliver made me smile. Zach is a grumpy workaholic, the type to bah humbug everything after Labor Day. Oliver is a kindergarten teacher, dedicated to his best friend and her family, the people who have really been there for him in life. After fate (and an accident) brings Zach back home, he and Oliver need to decide if they can leave the past in the past, or if they want to make the most of the new chance they’ve been given and redefine the future. Cheers to childhood crushes, second chances, and once in a lifetime loves.
November 25, 2022
This is an awesome holiday romance by D. K. Sutton and it was engaging, romantic, witty, and with truly wonderfully engaging characters. I loved Zach and Liv's story! The kids are adorable too! I read an advanced copy of this story and this is my unbiased review! I LOVED it!
November 14, 2022
This was a sweet, warm, Christmas read that tugged at my heartstrings.
Zach is... well, a bit of a scrooge, really. He's a perfectionist accountant in Chicago, and expects people to fall in line. When a traguc accident forces home for the holidays, Zach has to come to trrms with his cold nature, and his teenage crush.
Things happened fast for Zach & Oliver. It was nice to see them get to know one another again as adults.
This was a quick, warm read for me that I truly enjoyed.
Zach is... well, a bit of a scrooge, really. He's a perfectionist accountant in Chicago, and expects people to fall in line. When a traguc accident forces home for the holidays, Zach has to come to trrms with his cold nature, and his teenage crush.
Things happened fast for Zach & Oliver. It was nice to see them get to know one another again as adults.
This was a quick, warm read for me that I truly enjoyed.
November 25, 2022
Good Story
This is a 3.5 star one for me. I had a few small issues with but, in the end, I did enjoy the story.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This is a 3.5 star one for me. I had a few small issues with but, in the end, I did enjoy the story.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
December 10, 2022
I absolutely loved this. It was a perfect Christmas story, a Grinch who finds love at Christmas and at the same time rediscovers his love of Christmas and what family means.
Glorious.
Glorious.
November 13, 2022
A second chance that has no chance, yet…
A lot of grief over an earlier death and more over an injured sibling. The mother, brother, best friend and kids can barely cope, and right on Christmas, but somehow fun and happiness still happen. Shared love, and individual love and guilty lust, I could barely wait for the epilogue to resolve the impossible and deliver two HEAs.
A lot of grief over an earlier death and more over an injured sibling. The mother, brother, best friend and kids can barely cope, and right on Christmas, but somehow fun and happiness still happen. Shared love, and individual love and guilty lust, I could barely wait for the epilogue to resolve the impossible and deliver two HEAs.
November 25, 2022
Amazing
This is such a great book. I loved Oliver and Zach and the kids were absolutely amazing as well. I thought this book was so well written and loved how it managed to be upbeat with still the family issues in the background as well. The history between everyone was just so sweet and I loved learning more about them all as the book progressed.
This is such a great book. I loved Oliver and Zach and the kids were absolutely amazing as well. I thought this book was so well written and loved how it managed to be upbeat with still the family issues in the background as well. The history between everyone was just so sweet and I loved learning more about them all as the book progressed.
November 25, 2022
I love a good second chance romance and this novel falls squarely into that category. Obviously the circumstances surrounding Zachary returning home were heavy and stressful but it was lovely to see multiple pairings getting their HEAs in the end. Oliver is such a sweetheart and really brought out the best in Zach and it was easy to end up liking a seemingly unlikeable character in the beginning.
January 3, 2025
Hot Wishes and Cold Kisses stars Oliver, a kindergarten teacher, and Zachary Coleman, a manager or something like that. This is told in first person from Oliver and Zachary’s povs.
I like the cover and the wintery feel of it. I’m not sure which character the cover model is supposed to be, but it’s possibly Zachary.
The blurb does a good job of describing the plot so I won’t go over it. I do want to talk about the writing style. I pushed myself to finish reading this. It’s written with a tremendous amount of inner monologue on the part of both characters. The monologue is written as if reading a phone book. The characters told what they thought, felt, saw, were going to do, and what happened. There was no showing, all telling so that I didn’t feel for the characters or their situation. It also didn’t help that both character voices sounded the same. There was no inflection in their voices or differences in their speaking cadence. I had trouble figuring out who was speaking and had to return to the beginning of the chapters where the character’s name was labeled.
Another problem with the action, was that it was based on what I call the ‘whip-lash’ effect. The story starts with Oliver berating Zachary after they meet all the while thinking he hated how Zach rejected him but he still wanted him desperately. Zach bickered with Oliver and at the same time wanted to kiss him. The author jerked the characters back and forth from ‘I want to kiss you’ to ‘Leave me alone, don’t talk to me.’ They pretty much didn’t stop thinking or acting like this until about the eighty percent mark. This emotional jerking around, felt like a flimsy manipulation on the part of the author to create conflict.
Zachary wasn’t a good character. He was highly disrespectful of Oliver’s boundaries from the beginning. Zach called Oliver ‘Liv’ when they met again. Oliver corrected him and said his name was Oliver or Ollie, but Zach continued to call him ‘Liv.’ This to me is like dead-naming someone against their wishes. Total lack of respect. Not only that, Oliver was not ‘out’ in the town because he’d had trouble at his previous job because he was gay. Oliver was afraid he’d have the same problems if the school discovered he was gay. Oliver told Zach he didn’t want to be kissed or touched in public. So, what did Zach do? He kissed and touched Oliver in public even though Oliver repeatedly told Zach not to. Zach’s excuse was he couldn’t keep his hands off Oliver and wanted to kiss him. A total disregard and lack of respect for Oliver’s boundaries. Zach was a jerk. I couldn’t find the characters believable in any way as a couple due to Zach’s lack of respect for Oliver, and for the fact the story was written in heavy monologue that didn’t create interesting, ‘living’ characters.
The one good thing about this story, was that the author did have the plot deal with a lot of holiday and Christmas ideas.
To sum it up, I wouldn’t recommend Hot Wishes and Cold Kisses to anyone. I give this book, 2 Stars.
I like the cover and the wintery feel of it. I’m not sure which character the cover model is supposed to be, but it’s possibly Zachary.
The blurb does a good job of describing the plot so I won’t go over it. I do want to talk about the writing style. I pushed myself to finish reading this. It’s written with a tremendous amount of inner monologue on the part of both characters. The monologue is written as if reading a phone book. The characters told what they thought, felt, saw, were going to do, and what happened. There was no showing, all telling so that I didn’t feel for the characters or their situation. It also didn’t help that both character voices sounded the same. There was no inflection in their voices or differences in their speaking cadence. I had trouble figuring out who was speaking and had to return to the beginning of the chapters where the character’s name was labeled.
Another problem with the action, was that it was based on what I call the ‘whip-lash’ effect. The story starts with Oliver berating Zachary after they meet all the while thinking he hated how Zach rejected him but he still wanted him desperately. Zach bickered with Oliver and at the same time wanted to kiss him. The author jerked the characters back and forth from ‘I want to kiss you’ to ‘Leave me alone, don’t talk to me.’ They pretty much didn’t stop thinking or acting like this until about the eighty percent mark. This emotional jerking around, felt like a flimsy manipulation on the part of the author to create conflict.
Zachary wasn’t a good character. He was highly disrespectful of Oliver’s boundaries from the beginning. Zach called Oliver ‘Liv’ when they met again. Oliver corrected him and said his name was Oliver or Ollie, but Zach continued to call him ‘Liv.’ This to me is like dead-naming someone against their wishes. Total lack of respect. Not only that, Oliver was not ‘out’ in the town because he’d had trouble at his previous job because he was gay. Oliver was afraid he’d have the same problems if the school discovered he was gay. Oliver told Zach he didn’t want to be kissed or touched in public. So, what did Zach do? He kissed and touched Oliver in public even though Oliver repeatedly told Zach not to. Zach’s excuse was he couldn’t keep his hands off Oliver and wanted to kiss him. A total disregard and lack of respect for Oliver’s boundaries. Zach was a jerk. I couldn’t find the characters believable in any way as a couple due to Zach’s lack of respect for Oliver, and for the fact the story was written in heavy monologue that didn’t create interesting, ‘living’ characters.
The one good thing about this story, was that the author did have the plot deal with a lot of holiday and Christmas ideas.
To sum it up, I wouldn’t recommend Hot Wishes and Cold Kisses to anyone. I give this book, 2 Stars.
November 23, 2022
Ok, first of all, I did like the book. It is an entertaining story, with well-defined main characters, with real problems or fears.
One of them is the typical Scrooge and the other the Christmas spirit, cheerful and easy going. They've known each other since they were kids and Oliver always had a crush on Zach, but Zach rejected him as a teenager. Years later they meet again due to an accident involving Zach's sister and Oliver's best friend and the sparks reignite. But... Zach is still grieving the loss of his brother, which happened years before and kept him away from his family, and Oliver is not out in the town where they live, and he is afraid that if his sexuality comes out, he will lose it. his work.
And this is the part that I didn't like so much. And if you don't want SPOILERS, please stop reading.
.
.
.
Until a little more than halfway through the book everything was fine, but towards the end and when Susie wakes up from her coma is where everything changes for me. At first, she did not like me. The whole plot where she and Oliver pretend to be dating or engaged, it seems like she is helping Oli keep up his facade of him because of her fears of him, but she also has her own motives. The problem is that much of the book revolves around Oli's fears, and that he can't bring himself to face them in order to have something real with Zach, besides believing that Zach, now that Susie is okay, will leave again.
My issue is that the resolution of Oliver's problems end up being off page. It turns out that near the end of the book, the director calls a meeting during which one thinks is going to be where Oli is going to be outed by one of his coworkers, who caught them kissing and got mad thinking they were cheating on Susie. Zach shows up suddenly at said meeting to save him only to discover that Oliver had already talked to his boss and everything was fine, and instead of having that part in the book and seeing how he was able to solve that obstacle, it turns out that we find out why Susie pretended to be Oli's fiancée and resolves her situation with the man she was in love with (the same coworker who had discovered them). I mean, all of a sudden we have Susie's story? That would all be fine, in her book. But I'm reading ZACH and OLI's story, so I want to read how THEIR problems are solved, not find out about them OFF PAGE. I don't want a declaration of love from Susie to a co-worker and find out that the meeting at school was to help her get back to work.
I mean, I understand that the author will have wanted to increase "the suspense" and end with something nice. Sort of like a happy ending for everyone, and that's fine, but I feel like for that reason, we're kind of missing the path to Zach and Oliver's happy ending.
I was given an advance copy and wrote voluntarily a review.
One of them is the typical Scrooge and the other the Christmas spirit, cheerful and easy going. They've known each other since they were kids and Oliver always had a crush on Zach, but Zach rejected him as a teenager. Years later they meet again due to an accident involving Zach's sister and Oliver's best friend and the sparks reignite. But... Zach is still grieving the loss of his brother, which happened years before and kept him away from his family, and Oliver is not out in the town where they live, and he is afraid that if his sexuality comes out, he will lose it. his work.
And this is the part that I didn't like so much. And if you don't want SPOILERS, please stop reading.
.
.
.
Until a little more than halfway through the book everything was fine, but towards the end and when Susie wakes up from her coma is where everything changes for me. At first, she did not like me. The whole plot where she and Oliver pretend to be dating or engaged, it seems like she is helping Oli keep up his facade of him because of her fears of him, but she also has her own motives. The problem is that much of the book revolves around Oli's fears, and that he can't bring himself to face them in order to have something real with Zach, besides believing that Zach, now that Susie is okay, will leave again.
My issue is that the resolution of Oliver's problems end up being off page. It turns out that near the end of the book, the director calls a meeting during which one thinks is going to be where Oli is going to be outed by one of his coworkers, who caught them kissing and got mad thinking they were cheating on Susie. Zach shows up suddenly at said meeting to save him only to discover that Oliver had already talked to his boss and everything was fine, and instead of having that part in the book and seeing how he was able to solve that obstacle, it turns out that we find out why Susie pretended to be Oli's fiancée and resolves her situation with the man she was in love with (the same coworker who had discovered them). I mean, all of a sudden we have Susie's story? That would all be fine, in her book. But I'm reading ZACH and OLI's story, so I want to read how THEIR problems are solved, not find out about them OFF PAGE. I don't want a declaration of love from Susie to a co-worker and find out that the meeting at school was to help her get back to work.
I mean, I understand that the author will have wanted to increase "the suspense" and end with something nice. Sort of like a happy ending for everyone, and that's fine, but I feel like for that reason, we're kind of missing the path to Zach and Oliver's happy ending.
I was given an advance copy and wrote voluntarily a review.
November 15, 2022
Hot Wishes and Cold Kisses is the story of two men who knew each other at one time and got back together after a tragedy struck one of them. Zachary is an accounting supervisor for a large company and seems to have no compassion for his employees, often ridiculing them because he doesn’t have any patience and only wants to get on with his work. He hasn’t visited his home town in a while because he had a younger brother who died in an accident and he doesn’t want the memories to bring back how devastated he was. But then he is called home because his sister fell and hit her head and is in a coma. He hurries home to help out with her 3 kids and his mother and that’s where he sees Oliver again. Oliver is his sister’s best friend and had a long time crush on Zachary when he was 15 and that crush hasn’t seemed to go away. He has become a Kindergarten teacher and has one of Zachary’s nephews in his class and he helps him with the children and what they are going through, worrying that their mother may not wake up. Oliver has also had a hard time because he left his first job because there were homophobic people who harassed him and he was worried that the same thing would happen now so he never told anyone he was gay. Both men are attracted to each other but it takes a while for them to get together because of all that is happening. When they do it’s like fireworks but things happen when they are outed before they can have their happy ending. I liked this book. There was so much angst and worry with all of the characters because of what was happening with Zachary’s sister and family. There were also moments of happiness during several parts when they were able to forget for a while and be themselves as they fell in love. The side characters added to the story because they made the situations they found themselves in very realistic. Parts of the ending were also unexpected which made it very satisfying and what I like the most was that Zachary learned compassion and patience for others that he was able to take back to his job. If you like angsty stories with a happy ending then you will enjoy this one. I recommend it and am looking forward to reading more of Ms. Sutton’s books.
November 29, 2022
DK Sutton easily climbed the list to be one of my favorite authors with her Not-So University series. And this is my first time venturing out of that universe and into something else of hers. I have zero regrets about this, because Oliver and Zachary were adorable. This book also gave me so many damn feelings that there were several points where I got teary eyed.
Which not an easy thing to do for me, honestly.
And this story has a lot of feelings. Zachary, a workaholic with some trauma following the death of his younger brother five years prior to the start of the story, is called back home to Missouri when his younger sister, Susie, is in an accident. She's in a coma and his mom is an emotional mess. Because Zach's younger brother, Joey, died of a head injury five years before. Then we have Oliver, Susie's best friend since childhood, who is trying to help with her three kids, work as a teacher, and is also worried about his best friend.
Add into the fact that Oliver had a huge crush on Zach when they were younger - and they were one another's first kiss? Well then you just have the recipe for something that works. And this works. I liked the reason that they didn't become more than a kiss back in the day. Zach was 18, Oliver was 16. Zach, while having a crush on Oliver, also recognized that his sister's best friend was still legally a child and wouldn't let anything happen there. Given how rarely we see this stuff, it was nice. And it laid the groundwork for some great longing and yearning.
I loved the dynamic between Oliver and Zach. I could really feel their emotions. I wish we would've gotten to know more about Oliver outside of Zach before the last few chapters when we finally learn his personal trauma, but I didn't feel like it was missing. I hope we get a story about Jamaal and Dusty later, because the little tease between them meeting and the epilogue was not enough. I want a full novel now.
All in all, this book was great. It had a medium-low angst level, some great steam, and characters that pine more than a Christmas tree farm. Which is not a bad thing for me - because I like to get up in my feelings sometimes. Highly recommend.
Which not an easy thing to do for me, honestly.
And this story has a lot of feelings. Zachary, a workaholic with some trauma following the death of his younger brother five years prior to the start of the story, is called back home to Missouri when his younger sister, Susie, is in an accident. She's in a coma and his mom is an emotional mess. Because Zach's younger brother, Joey, died of a head injury five years before. Then we have Oliver, Susie's best friend since childhood, who is trying to help with her three kids, work as a teacher, and is also worried about his best friend.
Add into the fact that Oliver had a huge crush on Zach when they were younger - and they were one another's first kiss? Well then you just have the recipe for something that works. And this works. I liked the reason that they didn't become more than a kiss back in the day. Zach was 18, Oliver was 16. Zach, while having a crush on Oliver, also recognized that his sister's best friend was still legally a child and wouldn't let anything happen there. Given how rarely we see this stuff, it was nice. And it laid the groundwork for some great longing and yearning.
I loved the dynamic between Oliver and Zach. I could really feel their emotions. I wish we would've gotten to know more about Oliver outside of Zach before the last few chapters when we finally learn his personal trauma, but I didn't feel like it was missing. I hope we get a story about Jamaal and Dusty later, because the little tease between them meeting and the epilogue was not enough. I want a full novel now.
All in all, this book was great. It had a medium-low angst level, some great steam, and characters that pine more than a Christmas tree farm. Which is not a bad thing for me - because I like to get up in my feelings sometimes. Highly recommend.
December 30, 2023
Oliver lleva desde que tenía 15 años enamorado del hermano de su mejor amiga, Zach, dos años menor que él. Le besó cuando cumplió 16 pero Zach le rechazó porque en ese momento tenía 18 años y se iba en pocos meses a la universidad y, aunque el interés fuera recíproco, no le parecía bien. Han pasado muchos años sin verse después de que Zach pasara años lejos del pueblo donde vivían, tras estudiar en la universidad y encontrar trabajo en Chicago.
Zach es un adicto al trabajo y, desde que murió su hermano hace unos años, se ha alejado de su familia, está malhumorado todo el rato, trata mal a sus empleados y no vuelve casi nunca al pueblo donde viven su madre, su hermana y sus sobrinos (y también Oliver). Cuando su hermana tiene un accidente que le deja en coma con la navidad a la vuelta de la esquina, Zach tiene que volver a casa para acompañar a su madre y apoyar en el cuidado de los tres hijos de su hermana.
Oliver, por su parte, es profesor de educación infantil y está dentro del armario ya que en un anterior trabajo tuvo que lidiar con muchas actitudes homófobas. Para ocultar su sexualidad finge que está comprometido con la hermana de Zach.
Oliver y Zach tienen que trabajar unidos y coordinados para cuidar de los tres sobrinos de Zach y todo el tiempo que pasan juntos les hacen revivir sentimientos que llevaban años escondidos. La atracción entre ellos es increíble pero el hecho de tener que mantenerlo en secreto lo complica todo.
La hermana de Zach no me ha caído nada bien, entre la idea del falso compromiso con Oliver y muchos de los comentarios que hace me ha causado bastante rechazo. Tampoco he pillado la resolución de la trama de la posible homofobia en el trabajo de Oliver; todo ocurre de manera precipitada y rápida. Quitando esos dos detalles que me han hecho bajarle una estrella a la puntuación del libro, me ha gustado bastante y la trama me ha parecido que tenía mucho potencial.
#M-M-romance
Zach es un adicto al trabajo y, desde que murió su hermano hace unos años, se ha alejado de su familia, está malhumorado todo el rato, trata mal a sus empleados y no vuelve casi nunca al pueblo donde viven su madre, su hermana y sus sobrinos (y también Oliver). Cuando su hermana tiene un accidente que le deja en coma con la navidad a la vuelta de la esquina, Zach tiene que volver a casa para acompañar a su madre y apoyar en el cuidado de los tres hijos de su hermana.
Oliver, por su parte, es profesor de educación infantil y está dentro del armario ya que en un anterior trabajo tuvo que lidiar con muchas actitudes homófobas. Para ocultar su sexualidad finge que está comprometido con la hermana de Zach.
Oliver y Zach tienen que trabajar unidos y coordinados para cuidar de los tres sobrinos de Zach y todo el tiempo que pasan juntos les hacen revivir sentimientos que llevaban años escondidos. La atracción entre ellos es increíble pero el hecho de tener que mantenerlo en secreto lo complica todo.
La hermana de Zach no me ha caído nada bien, entre la idea del falso compromiso con Oliver y muchos de los comentarios que hace me ha causado bastante rechazo. Tampoco he pillado la resolución de la trama de la posible homofobia en el trabajo de Oliver; todo ocurre de manera precipitada y rápida. Quitando esos dos detalles que me han hecho bajarle una estrella a la puntuación del libro, me ha gustado bastante y la trama me ha parecido que tenía mucho potencial.
#M-M-romance
November 27, 2022
3.5 stars
In this story we have Zachary, a curmudgeon who loathes the holidays. He works in some form of finance or accounting (not entirely clear, but it's math involved) and is known for making his employees cry. A true gent. It's not hard to figure out this was meant to have a sort of Scrooge vibe, at least regarding Zac, especially with his colleague Lissa playing the role of the past, present, and future ghosts meant to get Zac to recognize that his work should not control his life.
In comes Oliver aka Ollie aka Liv. Surprised this dude didn't have another nickname. :) He's a kindergarten teacher working in small town Missouri. A closeted gay male kindergarten teacher working in a deep red state. I immediately felt for him. It's a harsh reality that a lot of queer educators have to contend with, and I hate that he had to go along with a faux engagement to keep busybodies out of his business.
When Zachary is called home, we are given a glimpse into what made his hard turn so cold or at least closed off. I won't spoil it because I think that insight leads into spoilers. I liked how the attraction between Ollie and Zac was palpable, but the continued push and pull from them got kind of old at times. Additionally, Zac's sister was justified in her anger towards Zachary (her brother), and I wish Ollie would have acknowledged that instead of bristling over her being upset at Zac.
All in all, I did enjoy the book and its characters. Interested in what could come next for this series.
*ARC provided by GRR, and I have given my honest and voluntary review.*
In this story we have Zachary, a curmudgeon who loathes the holidays. He works in some form of finance or accounting (not entirely clear, but it's math involved) and is known for making his employees cry. A true gent. It's not hard to figure out this was meant to have a sort of Scrooge vibe, at least regarding Zac, especially with his colleague Lissa playing the role of the past, present, and future ghosts meant to get Zac to recognize that his work should not control his life.
In comes Oliver aka Ollie aka Liv. Surprised this dude didn't have another nickname. :) He's a kindergarten teacher working in small town Missouri. A closeted gay male kindergarten teacher working in a deep red state. I immediately felt for him. It's a harsh reality that a lot of queer educators have to contend with, and I hate that he had to go along with a faux engagement to keep busybodies out of his business.
When Zachary is called home, we are given a glimpse into what made his hard turn so cold or at least closed off. I won't spoil it because I think that insight leads into spoilers. I liked how the attraction between Ollie and Zac was palpable, but the continued push and pull from them got kind of old at times. Additionally, Zac's sister was justified in her anger towards Zachary (her brother), and I wish Ollie would have acknowledged that instead of bristling over her being upset at Zac.
All in all, I did enjoy the book and its characters. Interested in what could come next for this series.
*ARC provided by GRR, and I have given my honest and voluntary review.*
January 2, 2024
4.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this one! There’s a little bit of an hate to love vibe, but Oliver doesn’t really hate Zach, he just still feels the sting of rejection from when, at sixteen, he kissed the then eighteen year old Zach and was rebuffed. Add on to that that Zach has made himself scarce for much of the intervening years and Oliver is not impressed when Zach initially shows up at his sister’s (and Oliver’s bff) hospital room. This story has a delicate balancing act in having these two falling in love while Susie (the sister/bff) is in a coma. And I think Sutton does a good job with it for the most part. They’re experiencing lots of emotions, especially with the family’s history on top of it all—worry and fear for Susie, sadness, anxiety about Susie’s children, plus their resurfaced attraction to each other. Zach is, on the surface, a hard man to like, so I’m glad we get his POV right away and gain some insight into why he is the way he is. It also helps that Oliver remembers when Zach was different when he was younger, so when Zach starts to relax it feels more like he’s returning to himself than changing. The kids are well done, their dialogue, interactions, and interests all feel age appropriate. And of course they both help and hinder the growing romance between Oliver and Zach in delightful ways.
I really enjoyed this one! There’s a little bit of an hate to love vibe, but Oliver doesn’t really hate Zach, he just still feels the sting of rejection from when, at sixteen, he kissed the then eighteen year old Zach and was rebuffed. Add on to that that Zach has made himself scarce for much of the intervening years and Oliver is not impressed when Zach initially shows up at his sister’s (and Oliver’s bff) hospital room. This story has a delicate balancing act in having these two falling in love while Susie (the sister/bff) is in a coma. And I think Sutton does a good job with it for the most part. They’re experiencing lots of emotions, especially with the family’s history on top of it all—worry and fear for Susie, sadness, anxiety about Susie’s children, plus their resurfaced attraction to each other. Zach is, on the surface, a hard man to like, so I’m glad we get his POV right away and gain some insight into why he is the way he is. It also helps that Oliver remembers when Zach was different when he was younger, so when Zach starts to relax it feels more like he’s returning to himself than changing. The kids are well done, their dialogue, interactions, and interests all feel age appropriate. And of course they both help and hinder the growing romance between Oliver and Zach in delightful ways.
November 28, 2022
Zach is a grumpy gus of a guy, who is still mourning the loss of his brother, five years after his passing. He has little patience for anyone's problems when it comes to work, but when he is informed his sister is at the hospital in a coma, the first thing he did was to go home 500 miles away. Going home and facing the realities of this situation, he finds himself taking care of his niece and two nephews, all of whom were under the age of seven, and must adjust quickly to their needs and schedules. Fortunately, or unfortunately, his sister's best friend Oliver is there to help guide and help him. Has Oliver gotten over the crush on Zach? Has Zach really gotten over his own secret crush on Oliver?
I really liked this book. Even though there were sad elements with the memories of a deceased loved one and the trauma and sadness of Susies's ongoing condition, I still felt hope was always around the corner. The way that Zach changed his tune from grumpy Scrooge to generous Santa really made my heart sing. I really got into the story and could not put this book down. It was a really sweet love story that will make you sigh, laugh, and cry. You will be glad you read this book.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really liked this book. Even though there were sad elements with the memories of a deceased loved one and the trauma and sadness of Susies's ongoing condition, I still felt hope was always around the corner. The way that Zach changed his tune from grumpy Scrooge to generous Santa really made my heart sing. I really got into the story and could not put this book down. It was a really sweet love story that will make you sigh, laugh, and cry. You will be glad you read this book.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 18, 2022
This was a really enjoyable book. I does have mention of the death of family member in the past so be careful if this is a trigger for you. Otherwise, this was a grumpy/sunshine second chance book. Zachary is a grumpy workaholic living in Chicago and kind of terrorizing his staff. He avoids going home to see his family due to the sad memories it brings of of his brother's death. However, he has to go back to his hometown to help his mother care for his sister's children after Susie falls and hits her head and is in a coma. He runs into his sister's best friend, Oliver, who is a teacher at the same school as his sister. Oliver had a crush on his best friend's brother years ago but thought he was over it until Zachary showed back up in town. As they help to take care of Susie's children and try to make the Christmas holiday cheery for them, they soon start developing feelings for each other but how can it work when Zachary's job is in another state? This is a book about learning to forgive yourself and about learning to prioritize what's important in life because you never know what can happen.
November 19, 2022
Review given In exchange for the book.
This is the 3rd book in this Christmas series.
This is a great Christmas read, my first book by this author.
This book is about Zachery and Oliver.
From a young age they had a brief kiss where Zack pushed Oliver away, after that they both moved on in their lives and hadn’t seen each other for years as Zack avoided going home at all costs.
A family emergency forced Zack to return home where his nephews and baby niece were thrust upon him to take care of.
Mr Scrooge had no idea what we was doing but his sisters best friend who happened to be Oliver stepped in to help out.
Oliver and his best friend had an agreement that worked for them, he also helped to look after her 3 children. When she had a fall her brother was called to come home, it’s his crush who had avoided him for years but now needs his help. All his feelings from being pushed away at 16 all come back, he now has to deal with the rejection from Zack all over again.
This is a low angst, slow burn, grumpy sunshine, sisters best friend read, all based around charismas, it’s a feel good easy read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
This is the 3rd book in this Christmas series.
This is a great Christmas read, my first book by this author.
This book is about Zachery and Oliver.
From a young age they had a brief kiss where Zack pushed Oliver away, after that they both moved on in their lives and hadn’t seen each other for years as Zack avoided going home at all costs.
A family emergency forced Zack to return home where his nephews and baby niece were thrust upon him to take care of.
Mr Scrooge had no idea what we was doing but his sisters best friend who happened to be Oliver stepped in to help out.
Oliver and his best friend had an agreement that worked for them, he also helped to look after her 3 children. When she had a fall her brother was called to come home, it’s his crush who had avoided him for years but now needs his help. All his feelings from being pushed away at 16 all come back, he now has to deal with the rejection from Zack all over again.
This is a low angst, slow burn, grumpy sunshine, sisters best friend read, all based around charismas, it’s a feel good easy read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
November 27, 2022
Wonderful holiday story
Zach is a grumpy workaholic that hates Christmas and hasn't been home in years. We find out why and it's really heartbreaking but understandable. When his sister Susie gets hurt and winds up in a coma, Zach rushes home but doesn't realize how much he will have to help out. He also wasn't expecting Oliver, his sister's BFF and apparently her fiance. Ollie, as Susie's kids like to call him, is sweet and sunshiny and just loves Christmas. He had the hugest crush on Zach growing up and seeing him again brings all these feelings back out. Waiting to see if Susie was going to wake up was heart wrenching, I honestly didn't know which way it was going to go. There was more angst then I thought there would be between Susie's situation, the budding romance between Zach and Ollie, and Ollie being worried about his job. However D. K. Sutton created a wonderful Holiday story with plenty of heart and heat. I loved the school meeting scene near the end and I was happy that Zach realized what was most important in his life.
Zach is a grumpy workaholic that hates Christmas and hasn't been home in years. We find out why and it's really heartbreaking but understandable. When his sister Susie gets hurt and winds up in a coma, Zach rushes home but doesn't realize how much he will have to help out. He also wasn't expecting Oliver, his sister's BFF and apparently her fiance. Ollie, as Susie's kids like to call him, is sweet and sunshiny and just loves Christmas. He had the hugest crush on Zach growing up and seeing him again brings all these feelings back out. Waiting to see if Susie was going to wake up was heart wrenching, I honestly didn't know which way it was going to go. There was more angst then I thought there would be between Susie's situation, the budding romance between Zach and Ollie, and Ollie being worried about his job. However D. K. Sutton created a wonderful Holiday story with plenty of heart and heat. I loved the school meeting scene near the end and I was happy that Zach realized what was most important in his life.
November 19, 2022
Talk about a Scrooge? Zachary was a character that I kinda immediately felt sorry for. He is a tyrant at work and has no personal life because he has let what happened to his family consume him and drive him away from them. He has not dealt with his grief at all and has let everything build into a giant ball of hurt and resentment between them all. Oliver has tried to live his life how he wanted but is back in their hometown and is still the best friend of Zach’s sister. This story packs a bit of a wallop in the feels department because some serious hurt has to be worked through but it is definitely worth it in the end. All it took was some Christmas magic and three young children who love them all.
“Eh,” I say, “Family’s overrated.” “Really?” Oliver stares at me like he doesn’t believe me. “Biological family, I mean. Real family is intentional. It doesn’t just happen. You have to work at it. Make sacrifices.”
“Eh,” I say, “Family’s overrated.” “Really?” Oliver stares at me like he doesn’t believe me. “Biological family, I mean. Real family is intentional. It doesn’t just happen. You have to work at it. Make sacrifices.”
December 11, 2022
Love it!!!
Contains: workaholic, family drama, need to stand up and help his family, bestfriend's brother, second chance, teenage crush.
I love this story. It has some element that I love the girl in coma his brother who need to help with her three kids, the schedule mess, the falling for his first crush. This book is so full of emotions.
After a call that his sister is in a coma, Zach returns to his hometown. Where he will make his debut in the parenting routine. He will take care of his sister's three children. They will put the magic of the holiday season back into his heart. Bring him back to his roots. Bringing back the heart of a child who enjoys every moment. All this with the help of his sister's best friend, Oliver who will give him a second chance, the temptation too great to resist, but they are not teenagers anymore. They can afford to have a few feelings.
Contains: workaholic, family drama, need to stand up and help his family, bestfriend's brother, second chance, teenage crush.
I love this story. It has some element that I love the girl in coma his brother who need to help with her three kids, the schedule mess, the falling for his first crush. This book is so full of emotions.
After a call that his sister is in a coma, Zach returns to his hometown. Where he will make his debut in the parenting routine. He will take care of his sister's three children. They will put the magic of the holiday season back into his heart. Bring him back to his roots. Bringing back the heart of a child who enjoys every moment. All this with the help of his sister's best friend, Oliver who will give him a second chance, the temptation too great to resist, but they are not teenagers anymore. They can afford to have a few feelings.
November 25, 2022
A fantastic holiday tale!
This book rocks! The story of Oliver and Zach is filled with love, laughter and a bit of chaos and is an absolute joy to read! Zach is a workaholic who gets called back to his hometown when his sister Susie has an accident that will leave her in the hospital. He will once again encounter Oliver, who is Susie’s best friend. The two have a bit of a history and it will all come rushing back when they are forced together to care for Susie’s kids. I love how their relationship develops and how Zach changes and the story evolves. Susie’s kids are wild and the littlest one, Josie, is a hoot! It all comes together in the end after a few bumps in the road for Zach and Oliver but they will get to their destination, their happily ever after, when all is said and done.
I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
This book rocks! The story of Oliver and Zach is filled with love, laughter and a bit of chaos and is an absolute joy to read! Zach is a workaholic who gets called back to his hometown when his sister Susie has an accident that will leave her in the hospital. He will once again encounter Oliver, who is Susie’s best friend. The two have a bit of a history and it will all come rushing back when they are forced together to care for Susie’s kids. I love how their relationship develops and how Zach changes and the story evolves. Susie’s kids are wild and the littlest one, Josie, is a hoot! It all comes together in the end after a few bumps in the road for Zach and Oliver but they will get to their destination, their happily ever after, when all is said and done.
I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
November 27, 2022
Zachary is a character to even out-Scrooge Scrooge at the beginning of this book. He needs some serious waking up to any of the joys of life. That doesn't seem possible as he's forced to come home to care for his sister's children when she is injured. In his arrogance, he assumes children can be ordered about just like his fearful employees. When that blows up in his face, he gets some serious lessons in how to get children to love you from Oliver, the man he rejected years ago due to an age difference that begins to seem much less important to him now that both are adults. The complication of Oliver's engagement to Zachary's sister - the one who's been injured - is another roadblock in the way of these two ever getting together. I wasn't sure how the author was going to pull off Zachary's redemption and the engagement problem but everything is wrapped up perfectly for Christmas.
November 27, 2022
Hot Wishes and Cold Kisses is part of the multi-author Home for the Holidays series. This is a wonderfully written small town, grumpy/sunshine, second chance, holiday story about Oliver and Zachary and I didn't want it to end. Though tragic, sometimes bad things have to happen so good things can come out of it. Zach's sister has an accident and ends up in a coma and he finds himself going home to help out with his niece and nephews. He didn't expect to find his sister's best friend, Oliver, there and still as gorgeous as ever. I loved watching Oliver and Zach connect as adults. No more teenage crushes here. I also loved watching Zach's grumpy exterior melt away. He had some touching moments with his Liv and his niece and nephews. I definitely recommend this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book.
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