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Hartbridge Christmas #3
Merry Christmas Cupid
After a year of tragedy, forty-four-year-old Gunter Zuniga is leaving heartbreak behind and moving to the peaceful and picturesque town of Hartbridge, Montana. He buys an old house in need of some work, which he naively thinks he can manage now that he’s single and retired—he has nothing but time.
Clay Henderson runs the local sawmill with his dad, and it’s the busiest time of year. Firewood and Christmas trees are in high demand, and a delivery of firewood to the old house on Cedar Bark Road leaves him curious about the new man in town.
Clay has never had time for romance and Gunter certainly isn’t looking, but Hartbridge has a way of working its Christmas magic; the jingle of Christmas bells, snow, and love are ringing in the air. And Gunter and Clay are about to get the best Christmas gift they never asked for.
Clay Henderson runs the local sawmill with his dad, and it’s the busiest time of year. Firewood and Christmas trees are in high demand, and a delivery of firewood to the old house on Cedar Bark Road leaves him curious about the new man in town.
Clay has never had time for romance and Gunter certainly isn’t looking, but Hartbridge has a way of working its Christmas magic; the jingle of Christmas bells, snow, and love are ringing in the air. And Gunter and Clay are about to get the best Christmas gift they never asked for.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2022
248 people are currently reading
534 people want to read
About the author
N.R. Walker
133 books5,260 followersAuthor also writes as A. Voyeur
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.
She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who she gives them life with words.
She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love. She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
She’s been writing ever since...
https://www.facebook.com/N.R.WalkerAu...
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.
She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who she gives them life with words.
She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love. She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
She’s been writing ever since...
https://www.facebook.com/N.R.WalkerAu...
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November 7, 2024
Merry Christmas Cupid is book three in the Hartbridge Christmas series by N.R. Walker. I’ve been loving this series. Every book is just so heartwarming, sweet, and wonderful. There is little angst, just all Christmas goodness.
Gunter Zuniga is forty four years old. The last year has been hard. The loss of his father and then the end of his marriage left him needing a fresh start. He has fond memories of Hartbridge, Montana so the picturesque town is the perfect place to start over. He found a beautiful, old home that was a definite fixer upper. He has limited skills in doing things himself but he also has plenty of time on his hands and it will be a project of love. Bringing an old house back to life at the same time as bringing himself back to life. But one thing he hadn’t counted on was the oh so sexy lumberjack that delivered his firewood on his first day!
“You’re in Hartbridge at Christmastime. I’m telling you, the Christmas bells and holiday lights they put up in this town have romantic powers.”
Clay Henderson is thirty five years old and runs the local sawmill with his dad. Clay has dated women here and there and enjoyed his time with whoever he was with but has never felt that special connection. There is a part of Clay that he always knew was there but never let out, his attraction to men. He always knew it existed but never felt it strong enough towards any particular man to risk telling anyone. Until that day. The day he delivered a load of firewood to the new guy in town.
This was so cute. Clay just stole my heart right out of my chest. When he first met Gunter, he was so thrown off balance. And I loved that even though Clay had been hurt, it didn’t close off his heart. He was actually more inclined to grab at any happiness he found. And I loved the way he just dove right in to fixing up his house.
One other thing is that I have such a soft spot for found family. And these three couples from these three books all become such good friends. Gunter was older than both Hamish and Jayden from books one and two but it didn’t stop them from becoming good friends and supporting him in his new life adventure. These books are just such feel good, holiday books. Now I can’t wait to start the last one, Holiday Heart Strings.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Gunter Zuniga is forty four years old. The last year has been hard. The loss of his father and then the end of his marriage left him needing a fresh start. He has fond memories of Hartbridge, Montana so the picturesque town is the perfect place to start over. He found a beautiful, old home that was a definite fixer upper. He has limited skills in doing things himself but he also has plenty of time on his hands and it will be a project of love. Bringing an old house back to life at the same time as bringing himself back to life. But one thing he hadn’t counted on was the oh so sexy lumberjack that delivered his firewood on his first day!
“You’re in Hartbridge at Christmastime. I’m telling you, the Christmas bells and holiday lights they put up in this town have romantic powers.”
Clay Henderson is thirty five years old and runs the local sawmill with his dad. Clay has dated women here and there and enjoyed his time with whoever he was with but has never felt that special connection. There is a part of Clay that he always knew was there but never let out, his attraction to men. He always knew it existed but never felt it strong enough towards any particular man to risk telling anyone. Until that day. The day he delivered a load of firewood to the new guy in town.
This was so cute. Clay just stole my heart right out of my chest. When he first met Gunter, he was so thrown off balance. And I loved that even though Clay had been hurt, it didn’t close off his heart. He was actually more inclined to grab at any happiness he found. And I loved the way he just dove right in to fixing up his house.
One other thing is that I have such a soft spot for found family. And these three couples from these three books all become such good friends. Gunter was older than both Hamish and Jayden from books one and two but it didn’t stop them from becoming good friends and supporting him in his new life adventure. These books are just such feel good, holiday books. Now I can’t wait to start the last one, Holiday Heart Strings.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
November 23, 2025
Sweet as sugar cubes. That's all there is to say, just as light and fluffy as the first two books. And the couples from the first two books make some very nice appearances. A tiny bit repetitive in the short monologues, but otherwise another wonderful book.
“Did he check your mouth? Perform CPR?”
“No. Not required.”
“You could have faked a sore jaw. Tell him you bit your tongue and you need him to take care of it. You need to think of these things on the spot.” 🤭☃️🤭
He was still smiling. “What you’re wearing is fine. More than fine, actually. It’s practical and warm and a little bit sexy.”
“Sexy?” I looked down at my old coat and dirty overalls. “Well, if this floats your boat, I got a whole wardrobe that’ll blow your mind.” 😳☃️😳
My god, this man could kiss.
He was so much bigger than me, taller, wider, stronger. He outweighed me easily, and he could certainly best me if he’d wanted to. And I had no idea how much that turned me on until now.
Until Clay. 🫠☃️🫠
“Did he check your mouth? Perform CPR?”
“No. Not required.”
“You could have faked a sore jaw. Tell him you bit your tongue and you need him to take care of it. You need to think of these things on the spot.” 🤭☃️🤭
He was still smiling. “What you’re wearing is fine. More than fine, actually. It’s practical and warm and a little bit sexy.”
“Sexy?” I looked down at my old coat and dirty overalls. “Well, if this floats your boat, I got a whole wardrobe that’ll blow your mind.” 😳☃️😳
My god, this man could kiss.
He was so much bigger than me, taller, wider, stronger. He outweighed me easily, and he could certainly best me if he’d wanted to. And I had no idea how much that turned me on until now.
Until Clay. 🫠☃️🫠
December 10, 2022
Am I going to have a rage-y review for a holiday book?
Yes I am. An author as established as Walker should know better.
You cannot convince me that the same person who wrote Red Dirt Heart, wrote this. The writing first off, was very juvenile. It started out ok but then by 25% it’s like she handed it off to a 15 year old girl to finish. It was very MF-y. 45 year old men don’t talk the way Gunter does. The sex was also written like an amateur MF writer. And the end? It was like watching a scene from Mean Girls but with a bunch of grown ass men. Seriously… she has to be using a ghost writer. It was… embarrassing to read.
This is also MASSIVELY bi-phobic. The commentary around being bi was… really gross. Some of the worst I’ve ever read. Check my highlights because there are too many to discuss here.
I am growing weary of MM authors riding on the coat tails of gay/bi stereotypes and cliche’s. They cry “Love is love” on their author and personal pages, but many of them don’t carry that into their writing. As a queer person, it’s exhausting. This genre relies on clueless straight women who don’t know any better when it comes to the community. And it’s not going to get any better unless the authors are called out. But this is the demand. Quietly phobic and stereotyped writing to appeal to people these books aren’t even about.
I understand this is fiction. I understand that people read this for an escape. But if your escape is stereotypes that feed into the misinformation of a community of people that the world actively hates, you’re a part of the problem.
So yes. Books like this stupid holiday book by a very financially comfortable seasoned author are a part of the problem.
This book infuriated me. Is it so much to ask for consistent writing that doesn’t make gross stereotypes or cliches? I guess so.
I tried to give this author another chance but I just can’t after this. I think it’s time to take a break from the genre.
Yes I am. An author as established as Walker should know better.
You cannot convince me that the same person who wrote Red Dirt Heart, wrote this. The writing first off, was very juvenile. It started out ok but then by 25% it’s like she handed it off to a 15 year old girl to finish. It was very MF-y. 45 year old men don’t talk the way Gunter does. The sex was also written like an amateur MF writer. And the end? It was like watching a scene from Mean Girls but with a bunch of grown ass men. Seriously… she has to be using a ghost writer. It was… embarrassing to read.
This is also MASSIVELY bi-phobic. The commentary around being bi was… really gross. Some of the worst I’ve ever read. Check my highlights because there are too many to discuss here.
I am growing weary of MM authors riding on the coat tails of gay/bi stereotypes and cliche’s. They cry “Love is love” on their author and personal pages, but many of them don’t carry that into their writing. As a queer person, it’s exhausting. This genre relies on clueless straight women who don’t know any better when it comes to the community. And it’s not going to get any better unless the authors are called out. But this is the demand. Quietly phobic and stereotyped writing to appeal to people these books aren’t even about.
I understand this is fiction. I understand that people read this for an escape. But if your escape is stereotypes that feed into the misinformation of a community of people that the world actively hates, you’re a part of the problem.
So yes. Books like this stupid holiday book by a very financially comfortable seasoned author are a part of the problem.
This book infuriated me. Is it so much to ask for consistent writing that doesn’t make gross stereotypes or cliches? I guess so.
I tried to give this author another chance but I just can’t after this. I think it’s time to take a break from the genre.
January 18, 2025
3 Stars
A very sweet and very heartfelt small-town M/M romance, set at Christmastime in the friendly mountain town of Hartbridge, Montana.
There is low angst, low heat, a slight age gap, a decent bi-awakening, charming secondary characters, and small-town Christmas spirit for days.
It was nice, if somewhat unmemorable in the aftermath.
For me, it was a bit too simple in plot and character/relationship development—which, I guess, is fair enough for a holiday romance series known for its Hallmark-y setting and vibes.
I think this story caught me at the wrong time, perhaps, because it took me two weeks of pockets of reading to get it finished, as I was more engaged with other holiday stories that crossed my path at the time. (Keep in mind, I fondly remember loving book one, so timing probably is everything here).
*************************************
Audio Edition:
I spent my time hopping between physically reading and listening to the audio of this one, which may also have played a part in my middle-fare rating.
Usually, I’m someone who sings Glen Lloyd’s praises from the rooftops, ABSOLUTELY LOVING his authentically Aussie narrations of Australian set books, with Australian characters. I wish all M/M stories featuring Aussie characters as leads would use this guy, because I'm hard pressed to think of any other narrator (in M/M) who doesn't drive me mad with their Australian vocal theatrics.
That being said, I really struggled with a few of Lloyd's vocal choices in this American set story with these American lead characters. Gunter was a bit too sugary sweet in his delivery, and poor sweet Clay sounded like such a dope to me. Think Patrick Warburton voicing Kronk in The Emperor’s New Groove—THAT’S what I was hearing here (and even though I love that movie and that character, his is not the kind of voice I want to hear in my romance audiobooks).
So, I think I’ll be sticking to Lloyd’s Australian narrations for now, because it feels like a safer bet after my experience here.
A very sweet and very heartfelt small-town M/M romance, set at Christmastime in the friendly mountain town of Hartbridge, Montana.
There is low angst, low heat, a slight age gap, a decent bi-awakening, charming secondary characters, and small-town Christmas spirit for days.
It was nice, if somewhat unmemorable in the aftermath.
For me, it was a bit too simple in plot and character/relationship development—which, I guess, is fair enough for a holiday romance series known for its Hallmark-y setting and vibes.
I think this story caught me at the wrong time, perhaps, because it took me two weeks of pockets of reading to get it finished, as I was more engaged with other holiday stories that crossed my path at the time. (Keep in mind, I fondly remember loving book one, so timing probably is everything here).
*************************************
Audio Edition:
I spent my time hopping between physically reading and listening to the audio of this one, which may also have played a part in my middle-fare rating.
Usually, I’m someone who sings Glen Lloyd’s praises from the rooftops, ABSOLUTELY LOVING his authentically Aussie narrations of Australian set books, with Australian characters. I wish all M/M stories featuring Aussie characters as leads would use this guy, because I'm hard pressed to think of any other narrator (in M/M) who doesn't drive me mad with their Australian vocal theatrics.
That being said, I really struggled with a few of Lloyd's vocal choices in this American set story with these American lead characters. Gunter was a bit too sugary sweet in his delivery, and poor sweet Clay sounded like such a dope to me. Think Patrick Warburton voicing Kronk in The Emperor’s New Groove—THAT’S what I was hearing here (and even though I love that movie and that character, his is not the kind of voice I want to hear in my romance audiobooks).
So, I think I’ll be sticking to Lloyd’s Australian narrations for now, because it feels like a safer bet after my experience here.
December 4, 2023
4.5 stars
Merry Christmas Cupid is another great entry to thehallmark Hartbridge Christmas series. It's a heartwarming small town romance featuring a new owner of a house that's in need of renovating and a lumberjack to supply all his wood needs. (Clay actually runs a sawmill but that doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely as 'lumberjack'.)
As it's set in the same town, we get to see and interact with the couples of the previous books which just added to the fun.
Merry Christmas Cupid is another great entry to the
As it's set in the same town, we get to see and interact with the couples of the previous books which just added to the fun.
December 17, 2022
I absolutely adored this book. It was a super sugary sweet story. I loved both Clay and Gunter and I was excited that we got to see all the previous couples. Clay's father cracked me up, such a sweet person.
This is a perfect quick holiday read that will put a smile on your face.
This is a perfect quick holiday read that will put a smile on your face.
December 14, 2022
~3.5~
I didn't like Merry Christmas Cupid as much as I liked the first two books in this series, but it's still a no-angst, easy, and enjoyable holiday read.
While the story dragged a bit in the beginning, I liked Gunter and Clay together. Clay owning the truth about his bisexuality felt real.
Cliff, Clay's dad, was a great character and so supportive. The interactions between father and son were genuinely funny.
I liked visiting with the two previous Hartbridge Christmas couples, although Jaydon and Hamish were overly present in this story.
Also, Gunter's ex appearing out of nowhere in the epilogue was pointless; it didn't add anything to the story.
The ending is a tentative HEA, but I think that's appropriate for these MCs.
I didn't like Merry Christmas Cupid as much as I liked the first two books in this series, but it's still a no-angst, easy, and enjoyable holiday read.
While the story dragged a bit in the beginning, I liked Gunter and Clay together. Clay owning the truth about his bisexuality felt real.
Cliff, Clay's dad, was a great character and so supportive. The interactions between father and son were genuinely funny.
I liked visiting with the two previous Hartbridge Christmas couples, although Jaydon and Hamish were overly present in this story.
Also, Gunter's ex appearing out of nowhere in the epilogue was pointless; it didn't add anything to the story.
The ending is a tentative HEA, but I think that's appropriate for these MCs.
December 21, 2024
Favourite in this series so far.
There were so many funny moments, but I especially enjoyed Clay's dad giving him the safe sex talk - I laughed so loud I made my kid jump 😂
I love how the couples from each book are really building a strong community and their friendships are so wholesome yet hilarious. I love how gossipy Jayden and Hamish are, and how Cass and Ren just roll their eyes at their antics now!
I also wish I had Gunter's energy! Dude pretty much renovated most of his house in a three week period, whereas it's taken me three weeks to summon the energy to get through my pre-christmas house cleaning 😂🤦🏼♀️
There were so many funny moments, but I especially enjoyed Clay's dad giving him the safe sex talk - I laughed so loud I made my kid jump 😂
I love how the couples from each book are really building a strong community and their friendships are so wholesome yet hilarious. I love how gossipy Jayden and Hamish are, and how Cass and Ren just roll their eyes at their antics now!
I also wish I had Gunter's energy! Dude pretty much renovated most of his house in a three week period, whereas it's taken me three weeks to summon the energy to get through my pre-christmas house cleaning 😂🤦🏼♀️
December 12, 2022
DNF ~44%
Life is too short to read boring Christmas romances with phoned in characters with the same backstories I've read a million times, gratuitous and forced cameos of previous couples and characters, and just super lazy, phoned-in writing. This was not the vibe. Walker has been SO spotty the last few years, it's truly baffling to me.
Life is too short to read boring Christmas romances with phoned in characters with the same backstories I've read a million times, gratuitous and forced cameos of previous couples and characters, and just super lazy, phoned-in writing. This was not the vibe. Walker has been SO spotty the last few years, it's truly baffling to me.
November 24, 2023
My favorite of the serie so far 🩷
December 12, 2022
Gunter moves to town after the death of his father and post divorce (his husband left him the day after his dad's funeral). We did briefly meet Gunter and his father in the last book when they stayed at Cass's B&B. Here, he returns to town buying an old 'fixer-upper' whilst he debates what to do with his life. Preparing for the rest of the winter, he orders a load of wood, which is delivered by Clay (gruffly handsome lumberjack - like an ACTUAL lumberjack) on his first day looking at his house.
From this, a friendship develops between the two. We find out that Clay is not as straight as he has appeared and the progression of their relationship, Gunter's sweet support and Clay's bi-awakening (or more like 'coming outing') is handled well and just too cute to read. Gunter is a bit older than Clay and is just a delight. Clay? Ohm y heart Clay. A poetry reading, 'has a way with words', gruff, gorgeous, finding his way lumberjack? It filled my heart with happiness.
As with the rest of this series, this installment was just really sweet. Yes it was a bit 'Hallmarky' but it was just a lovely cosy Christmas read.
From this, a friendship develops between the two. We find out that Clay is not as straight as he has appeared and the progression of their relationship, Gunter's sweet support and Clay's bi-awakening (or more like 'coming outing') is handled well and just too cute to read. Gunter is a bit older than Clay and is just a delight. Clay? Ohm y heart Clay. A poetry reading, 'has a way with words', gruff, gorgeous, finding his way lumberjack? It filled my heart with happiness.
As with the rest of this series, this installment was just really sweet. Yes it was a bit 'Hallmarky' but it was just a lovely cosy Christmas read.
December 4, 2023
We have Gunter and Clay who are as different as night and day, with a decent age gap between them also. However, they, inexplicably, work as a couple, naturally slipping into each other's hearts and lives, with nothing dissuading them from pursuing what is developing between them. They are also fortunate to live in a small town that seems almost too good to be true and is also entirely non-homophobic. It was nice, though fairly unrealistic, to read a story that is endearing, sweet, and funny, without any angst whatsoever. just a lovely relationship filled with patience and understanding as Gunter and Clay navigate their lives. Clay had it made. He felt free to embrace his sexuality, experiment, and exposing his true self to his father, best friend and coworkers as well as the small town. Two couples from the first two books in this Christmas series make brief appearances so it's like "old home week without taking anything away from this story. Jayden and Hamish from the first book appear here as Gunter's "new" best friends. Gunter is restoring an old house in town that he has purchased, and he meets Clay when Clay brings a load of cut lumber from the sawmill that he and his dad run. I absolutely fell in love with Clay's dad. He was humorous, and always supportive of Clay and Gunter. Like many of N.R. Walker’s shorter novels, she gives us an uncomplicated story that’s fun, heartwarming, amusing, swoony as well as romantic, with colorful characters within a family-like setting. Glen Lloyd, the narrator of this audiobook is so much fun to listen to. He’s energetic in his delivery, thoughtful in his pacing, and executes the fundamentals exceedingly well. He has just the right pitch and intonations for both of the leading men, as well as the side characters. What I felt was most important was that Glenn Lloyd appeared to be emotionally invested in these characters that he was giving voice to. Overall, this entire little story is a very pleasant, warm fuzzy feel-good story that puts a smile on your face while having you laughing out loud in many places, then giving a happy sigh when Gunter and Clay get the ending that they so deserve.
December 26, 2022
Every bit as delightful as the first two 'Hartbridge' rom-coms ... deliciously delightful! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
December 18, 2022
Another wonderful Hartbridge festive romance
Well that makes it three for three in this brilliant festive small town series from N.R.
I absolutely adored both Gunter and Clay and their slow and careful steps into friendship, dating and then a full blown relationship.
Gunter appeared briefly if I remember rightly in Cass and Jayden's book, travelling with his elderly father.
Now he's back for good having lost both his father and his rotten ex-husband. Jayden and Hamish, our two Aussie incumbents, take him under their wings and - like both of them beforehand - he falls not only for the charms of the town but one of its residents.
Clay's the local lumberjack essentially, he's known he was bisexual but has never told anyone or acted on it. I very much appreciated the care Gunter took once he realised Clay's inexperience and his fears over coming out.
As this is a festive romance, it's pretty low angst so thankfully there's no dramady and Clay's dad Cliff is utterly fantastic and supportive, letting out a few secrets of his own relating to his late wife, Clay's mum!
I think overall this might have sneaked to the top as my favourite one so far but it looks like three may be another one to come involving the local law enforcement officer.
A lovely read for this time of year.
Well that makes it three for three in this brilliant festive small town series from N.R.
I absolutely adored both Gunter and Clay and their slow and careful steps into friendship, dating and then a full blown relationship.
Gunter appeared briefly if I remember rightly in Cass and Jayden's book, travelling with his elderly father.
Now he's back for good having lost both his father and his rotten ex-husband. Jayden and Hamish, our two Aussie incumbents, take him under their wings and - like both of them beforehand - he falls not only for the charms of the town but one of its residents.
Clay's the local lumberjack essentially, he's known he was bisexual but has never told anyone or acted on it. I very much appreciated the care Gunter took once he realised Clay's inexperience and his fears over coming out.
As this is a festive romance, it's pretty low angst so thankfully there's no dramady and Clay's dad Cliff is utterly fantastic and supportive, letting out a few secrets of his own relating to his late wife, Clay's mum!
I think overall this might have sneaked to the top as my favourite one so far but it looks like three may be another one to come involving the local law enforcement officer.
A lovely read for this time of year.
Read
December 3, 2024Bah humbug to me! This was not a great start to the Christmas reading season 🫠
Time of death - 20%
I don't know why I decided to start my Christmas reading with this book considering how much the last one didn't work for me 🙃 Theoretically, I should like this series, but I simply don't. I can't put my finger on what exactly isn't working for me, but I've embraced the DNF lifestyle more this year, and I'm not going to push through. I'm not going to rate it though because I don't think I gave it enough time for a fair rating. Maybe it's me, maybe it's the book. Either way, it's not the book for me 🤷🏼♀️
Time of death - 20%
I don't know why I decided to start my Christmas reading with this book considering how much the last one didn't work for me 🙃 Theoretically, I should like this series, but I simply don't. I can't put my finger on what exactly isn't working for me, but I've embraced the DNF lifestyle more this year, and I'm not going to push through. I'm not going to rate it though because I don't think I gave it enough time for a fair rating. Maybe it's me, maybe it's the book. Either way, it's not the book for me 🤷🏼♀️
February 5, 2023
Hartbridge is one of my top ten favorite fictional places.
I LOVE visiting.
Gunter has recently moved to Hartbridge, looking for a place to mend the broken pieces of his life. When he bought an old house in dire need of restoration he figured that would require all his focus. The last thing he expected was a handsome lumberjack appearing on his doorstep. He is distracted and although the timing isn't the best, Gunter is overcome with hope when Clay is around.
He is a promise, to what he's not exactly sure....yet. But he's desperate to find out.
Clay hasn't ever taken the final step out of the closet, because he had no reason to. Gunter is suddenly a reason, a very good reason.
Their passion is off the charts, their fall is swift but sure, and the romance will make you melt.
And Clay's dad is a welcome addition! Garlic bread. Ha! I'll never forget that scene.
I can't wait for the next Hartbridge couple!!
I LOVE visiting.
Gunter has recently moved to Hartbridge, looking for a place to mend the broken pieces of his life. When he bought an old house in dire need of restoration he figured that would require all his focus. The last thing he expected was a handsome lumberjack appearing on his doorstep. He is distracted and although the timing isn't the best, Gunter is overcome with hope when Clay is around.
He is a promise, to what he's not exactly sure....yet. But he's desperate to find out.
Clay hasn't ever taken the final step out of the closet, because he had no reason to. Gunter is suddenly a reason, a very good reason.
Their passion is off the charts, their fall is swift but sure, and the romance will make you melt.
And Clay's dad is a welcome addition! Garlic bread. Ha! I'll never forget that scene.
I can't wait for the next Hartbridge couple!!
December 12, 2025
I don't know, if it wasn't because I am obsessed with Glen Lloyd's voice, I probably wouldn’t have read it.
The story was ok, very Christmassy with extreme Hallmark vibes, nothing outstanding, just fine.
The story was ok, very Christmassy with extreme Hallmark vibes, nothing outstanding, just fine.
December 26, 2022
Hartbridge Cupid strikes again!
NR Walker is three for three! I've loved the entire series and will read a fourth if she writes one next year! Book two is probably my favorite but this one did not disappoint! Highly recommended if you're looking for a sweet Christmas story!
NR Walker is three for three! I've loved the entire series and will read a fourth if she writes one next year! Book two is probably my favorite but this one did not disappoint! Highly recommended if you're looking for a sweet Christmas story!
December 8, 2022
A sweet and steamy small town Christmas romance with first times, floor picnics, juiceboxes, fixing up an old house, garlic bread, family and rom com movie moments.
January 14, 2023
🎄♥️
It's a very sweet, low angst, Christmas romance with a dual POV, Bi awakening, some humor, plenty of heat, and a very happy ending.
It's a very sweet, low angst, Christmas romance with a dual POV, Bi awakening, some humor, plenty of heat, and a very happy ending.
“No, that’s not true. I’ve always known. I just did nothing about it. I liked girls just fine, and the women I dated were all super nice, and we had a good time. The part of me that liked guys, well, I just pushed it to the side, for twenty-something years. I ignored it. There was no need to go disrupting my entire life, risk losing people I cared about, because the chances of me finding any guy here in Hartbridge were slim to none. So I just ignored that part of me. Pretended it doesn’t exist.”
December 10, 2022
I’m going to hope this was written by a ghost writer.
Ugh. Biphobic tropes and stereotypes. It was embarrassingly gross. I could not even finish it.
Stay far away like I will from all future NR Walker books.
Ugh. Biphobic tropes and stereotypes. It was embarrassingly gross. I could not even finish it.
Stay far away like I will from all future NR Walker books.
November 24, 2025
3⭐️ All the books in this series have the exact same plot. So while they’re all decent and cute on their own—as a collection, they’re repetitive and a bit boring.
December 19, 2022
3.5 Sweet-Christmassy Stars!! 💕 Both Gunter and Clay were sweet adorable MCs and the story was low-angst and sort of insta-love with the two falling in love pretty fast in the weeks before Christmas as was the case for the previous couples in this series. Recommended to all fans of sweet holiday M/M romances 👍
December 11, 2022
I usually enjoy NR Walker, but this book fell flat. Gunter seemed like a character outline, rather than a fully developed character. He also seemed more like a young man than a man in his 40s. Clay’s character was better developed.
Lots of repeated words of encouragement, even in the same conversation.
A few doubts, but little to no tension. I kept waiting for something to be at stake for the characters.
Lots of repeated words of encouragement, even in the same conversation.
A few doubts, but little to no tension. I kept waiting for something to be at stake for the characters.
December 24, 2023
These two were cute and sweet together. No miscom, no drama, just wholesome romance with all the festive shenanigans we love. I did like the bi coming out storyline, though unrealistically, everyone was kinda cool with it, but this is a Christmas romance, so good vibes only. I also loved the characters were in their late 30s early 40s.
The dad-son relationship was funny and great (the party hat and garlic bread puns killed me).
The dad-son relationship was funny and great (the party hat and garlic bread puns killed me).
December 5, 2025
I laughed so much, snorted even.
And I swooned. Hard.
And I swooned. Hard.
December 9, 2022
The garlic bread 😂
January 30, 2023
As someone who has been a fan of N.R. Walker for years now, it's painful for me to say how bad this was. Like Upside Down is one of my all time favorite books. Red Dirt Heart, a masterpiece. Spencer Cohen, Tallowwood, Galaxies and Oceans, etc are all examples of wonderful and complex stories written by Walker. This one on the other hand felt like a cross between a teenage girl and a ghost writer. I can't figure out what's going on because her books used to be so great, but I feel like the most recent are full of repeated phrases (down to the exact structure and word choices), cliches, and bad jokes.
The only thing memorable about this story is that at one point they accidentally gave the dad a bag full of condoms and lube instead of the garlic bread then intended to give him bc they were both in white bags and that was genuinely funny. I laughed at that. Also I will forever associate this book with Kronk. Yes Kronk from emperor's new groove. The narrator (who I might add does a fantastic job on other books, especially upside down) did not do a good job and ended up using some bad American accent for the lumberjack character that legitimately sounds like Kronk. I can't un-hear it.
Nothing happens in this book. 44-year-old Gunter, who literally sounds like a lovestruck 19-year-old the entire time, moves to Hartbridge and starts renovating this old house. Gunter who supposedly has this complex emotional history with losing his father and being in a bad marriage and recently divorced etc had no personality. He meets Clay when Clay comes to drop off around a firewood. Clay is a closeted bisexual who is nervous about coming out and that's his entire story. His only personality is that he is a lumberjack and that he is full of bisexual stereotypes. Those stereotypes unfortunately include the fact that all of a sudden he's questioning all of his experiences with women. Now bisexuality is complex and it always rubs me the wrong way when authors create bisexual men who have only ever been with women who have a by awakening and start to mention how they didn't enjoy it with women as much etc. If you want to write a gay character, just write a gay character. Obviously bisexuality is not 50/50 and people obviously have preferences, but to all of a sudden discredit any sort of experiences with women is misogynistic and biphobic. Bisexual people are attracted to multiple genders. That's literally the whole thing. You can in fact enjoy romantic and sexual experiences with men and still know that you enjoyed romantic and sexual experiences with women without degrading them. Okay cool.
So this whole book takes place over a month I think and it consists of Gunter renovating his house, Clay coming out to his dad and coworkers, and I'm going to a lighting festival. That's it. And there is a fair amount of sex. Oh and conversations that take place in the past tense. Maybe if you gave us more conversations on page and less sex on page you would have had some character development.
Then there's a scene at the very end where they run into Gunter's ex-husband who is an asshole and it's like seriously a movie about teenagers bullying each other. Look I get it the ex-husband was a piece of shit, but why did they resort to petty ass mean girls era jokes. And what's up with the black hair and orange tan. This book isn't set in 2005.
It's safe to say this was a really big disappointment for me. I really enjoy tic tac mistletoe which is the first book in the series Even though it is so saccharine and cutesy but it's done well. I feel like both this one and the one prior to it or just not given the same amount of attention as Walker's previous books. It's almost like she's trying to get more books out there instead of really quality control the ones that she's writing. I'd much rather have fewer books that are excellent, then multiple mediocre books.
The only thing memorable about this story is that at one point they accidentally gave the dad a bag full of condoms and lube instead of the garlic bread then intended to give him bc they were both in white bags and that was genuinely funny. I laughed at that. Also I will forever associate this book with Kronk. Yes Kronk from emperor's new groove. The narrator (who I might add does a fantastic job on other books, especially upside down) did not do a good job and ended up using some bad American accent for the lumberjack character that legitimately sounds like Kronk. I can't un-hear it.
Nothing happens in this book. 44-year-old Gunter, who literally sounds like a lovestruck 19-year-old the entire time, moves to Hartbridge and starts renovating this old house. Gunter who supposedly has this complex emotional history with losing his father and being in a bad marriage and recently divorced etc had no personality. He meets Clay when Clay comes to drop off around a firewood. Clay is a closeted bisexual who is nervous about coming out and that's his entire story. His only personality is that he is a lumberjack and that he is full of bisexual stereotypes. Those stereotypes unfortunately include the fact that all of a sudden he's questioning all of his experiences with women. Now bisexuality is complex and it always rubs me the wrong way when authors create bisexual men who have only ever been with women who have a by awakening and start to mention how they didn't enjoy it with women as much etc. If you want to write a gay character, just write a gay character. Obviously bisexuality is not 50/50 and people obviously have preferences, but to all of a sudden discredit any sort of experiences with women is misogynistic and biphobic. Bisexual people are attracted to multiple genders. That's literally the whole thing. You can in fact enjoy romantic and sexual experiences with men and still know that you enjoyed romantic and sexual experiences with women without degrading them. Okay cool.
So this whole book takes place over a month I think and it consists of Gunter renovating his house, Clay coming out to his dad and coworkers, and I'm going to a lighting festival. That's it. And there is a fair amount of sex. Oh and conversations that take place in the past tense. Maybe if you gave us more conversations on page and less sex on page you would have had some character development.
Then there's a scene at the very end where they run into Gunter's ex-husband who is an asshole and it's like seriously a movie about teenagers bullying each other. Look I get it the ex-husband was a piece of shit, but why did they resort to petty ass mean girls era jokes. And what's up with the black hair and orange tan. This book isn't set in 2005.
It's safe to say this was a really big disappointment for me. I really enjoy tic tac mistletoe which is the first book in the series Even though it is so saccharine and cutesy but it's done well. I feel like both this one and the one prior to it or just not given the same amount of attention as Walker's previous books. It's almost like she's trying to get more books out there instead of really quality control the ones that she's writing. I'd much rather have fewer books that are excellent, then multiple mediocre books.
December 9, 2022
Very fluffy entry in the Hartbridge Christmas series. Closeted bisexual Clay, who has never acted out on his same-sex attracted side, meets newcomer Gunter (briefly seen in Cass and Jayden's book), who's recently divorced from a rather uninvested relationship with a guy that seems like a real prick (forget his name). Gunter has just bought a rather run-down Victorian house and after meeting Clay, who delivers some firewood one day, sparks fly, rather quickly.
Although there is a little bit of hemming and hawing on Clay's part about being out and seen dating a man, his coming out process is sure-footed once he figures out that he has to stand up for himself. It provides some comic relief with one character, and although there is another character who is unsure of things at the beginning, with Christmas magic in the air everyone comes around in favor of Clay and Gunter.
There are lots of Hamish and Jayden, the two Aussies who moved to Hartbridge and fell in love with a couple of natives in the first two books, and I kinda felt maybe there was *too* much of them. Walker neatly divides her couples into stoic, masculine men and their outgoing, flirtatious boyfriends, and that's what we get here, too. I don't think Walker goes overboard, but it's hard not to read Hamish, Jayden, and Gunter as being at least a little bit on the stereotypical effeminate side of things (gossipy, sex obsessed, all about the Hallmark movie aspects of the town, etc.). This is actually nice for a change, as most M/M romances seem to depict their MCs as more "straight-acting" men (yes, I hate that word, too). There is a wide variety of gay men out there and it's always nice to see the full spectrum, stereotype or not.
So this is kinda insta, definitely a bi-awakening story with very low angst. Walker writes well and her dialog is believable and smart. Clay works in a lumberyard and Walker has a good grasp, at least in this book, on how lumberyards operate and some of the processes of woodworking. She also has a very good eye for American culture. Definitely check this out if you're feeling some hometown Christmassy magic this year.
Although there is a little bit of hemming and hawing on Clay's part about being out and seen dating a man, his coming out process is sure-footed once he figures out that he has to stand up for himself. It provides some comic relief with one character, and although there is another character who is unsure of things at the beginning, with Christmas magic in the air everyone comes around in favor of Clay and Gunter.
There are lots of Hamish and Jayden, the two Aussies who moved to Hartbridge and fell in love with a couple of natives in the first two books, and I kinda felt maybe there was *too* much of them. Walker neatly divides her couples into stoic, masculine men and their outgoing, flirtatious boyfriends, and that's what we get here, too. I don't think Walker goes overboard, but it's hard not to read Hamish, Jayden, and Gunter as being at least a little bit on the stereotypical effeminate side of things (gossipy, sex obsessed, all about the Hallmark movie aspects of the town, etc.). This is actually nice for a change, as most M/M romances seem to depict their MCs as more "straight-acting" men (yes, I hate that word, too). There is a wide variety of gay men out there and it's always nice to see the full spectrum, stereotype or not.
So this is kinda insta, definitely a bi-awakening story with very low angst. Walker writes well and her dialog is believable and smart. Clay works in a lumberyard and Walker has a good grasp, at least in this book, on how lumberyards operate and some of the processes of woodworking. She also has a very good eye for American culture. Definitely check this out if you're feeling some hometown Christmassy magic this year.
December 13, 2022
A very sweet story, but it felt slow and dragged and I dunno, didn't feel like I read Nic's writing?
Nic is better than this
I adored RDH, Tallowwood, and her other series.
This Heartbridge series though. It was good in the beginning with Hamish and Ren, the it came downhill..
Sorry.
Nic is better than this
I adored RDH, Tallowwood, and her other series.
This Heartbridge series though. It was good in the beginning with Hamish and Ren, the it came downhill..
Sorry.
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