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The Game #1

Holiday Games

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After the worst year ever, August Pointe can’t wait to spend Friendsmas with her besties at her uncle’s mountain house. She could really use the comfort of a few familiar faces. But when a blizzard hits, August ends up stuck at the house with a mutual acquaintance she’s never met instead.

But Jack Harris is a hot, TikTok famous chef. And something about his easy going nature and excellent drink making skills are thawing out August’s icy exterior. Plus, he’s brought a kitten with him!

August is reluctant to get involved, but some Christmas presents are too tempting to keep wrapped up. And her friends think she deserves a little holiday cheer. Still, August isn’t sure if it's worth playing bedroom games with a stranger or if she’ll just end up doubly heart broken by New Years.

99 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 26, 2022

30 people are currently reading
258 people want to read

About the author

Cat Wynn

10 books156 followers
Cat is a writer, a night owl, and a lover of dogs. She often stays up deep into the night crafting her stories for hopefully lots and lots of people to read. She also really enjoys being home and doing things that people do at home like lounging in sweatpants and staring at instagram.

www.catwynnauthor.com

www.instagram.com/catwynnauthor

www.twitter.com/catwynnauthor

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5 stars
87 (19%)
4 stars
150 (33%)
3 stars
145 (32%)
2 stars
50 (11%)
1 star
18 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
Profile Image for Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels).
1,283 reviews1,709 followers
January 9, 2023
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from the heroine’s perspective


Should I read in order?
This is book 1 of Wynn’s Game Series

Basic plot:
August and Jack get snowed in together before the holiday break.

Give this a try if you want:
- Contemporary romance
- novella length
- snowed in
- lots of forced proximity
- kitten loving, southern accent speaking chef hero (also, he’s a bit of a naughty talker!)
- bristly, accountant heroine
- celibate heroine (it’s been 7 months)
- hero is described as a ‘himbo’
- established consent – hero is very into the heroine asking for what she wants
- higher steam – 4 full scenes with some good girl kink in a short page count

My thoughts:
I ended up REALLY enjoying this steamy holiday novella. I wasn’t sure how well it would work for me because I’m always a grump about contemporary and the heroine was on the prickly side at first. I wasn’t sure if I would warm up to her, but I did!

But Jack stole the show here. I loved him so much. With his love for kitties, his dirty mouth, and sweet personality I was head over heels. Loved the steam in this one and all the time they spent together (forced proximity is my favorite it! I just want them together all the time.)

I’ll definitely be trying more Cat Wynn in the future!

Quotes/thoughts:


Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Profile Image for Nady.
144 reviews9 followers
December 19, 2024
This was terrible. Sorry.

August is an awkward, boring accountant (like a literal accountant) who over thinks everything and doesn’t have an ounce of confidence in her body. Jack is a chef whose specialty is making grilled cheese and say yes’mam during s*x. Please make it stop. Also, there’s a cat involved for some reason and its name is Holiday…

Terrible.
Profile Image for Mikayla.
117 reviews76 followers
December 1, 2022
After absolutely devouring Cat Wynn's full length novel, Partner Track, I've been eagerly anticipating her next release.
Imagine my delight when this perfect start to the festive season came about.
Finished this in one sitting then read the interconnected novella, Hotel Games, in the same
day.
Five stars, absolutely adored August & Jack
Profile Image for Brenda Marie.
1,424 reviews67 followers
December 16, 2022
Quick lovely steamy romantic holiday story!
This author does an amazing job writing a realistic woman - an introvert who struggles to connect with people. A woman who struggles to embrace her sexuality, lacks confidence.
August arrives at her uncle's mountain house - to find a seriously hot friend of a friend. Her besties are stuck at the airport - leaving August alone. With Jack.
A very lovely, cozy romantic holiday read.
Profile Image for Mely.
74 reviews
January 5, 2025
Honestly I thought I hate it but it was cute lmao 🤣 it was like idk it felt like a cute holiday episode vibe I hated the main character at first. Easy read thank god.
Profile Image for Shannon.
136 reviews7 followers
March 2, 2023
is this good or is it just exactly what i need to be reading rn?? idk. its probably both.
Profile Image for ☾⋆⁺ Nurse After Dark.
1,033 reviews15 followers
December 12, 2024
She didn’t often date men taller than her, and she had to admit she kind of liked it.
One hot man and all the feminism leaves your body, huh?

The FMC's inner voice was entertaining and I loved the snowed in, forced proximity storyline! Elliot was super relatable too - all these inner thoughts but sometimes its so hard to physically or socially put them into something relatable to other people. I'm also loving that she became a at the end - Elliot needed that little bit of softening up!

"Well?”
She stood next to the bed. “Well, what?”
He gave a wicked smile and then gestured to his lap. “Come sit on my lap, baby.”

Jack was a great male lead - early himbo/golden retriever vibes sometimes give me pause but he surprisingly confident between the sheets!

I definitely plan to continue the series with Hotel Games next!
Profile Image for Ashley.
718 reviews1 follower
January 25, 2023
Stumbled upon this book on my kindle and decided to read it simply because I thought the cover looked pretty. Definitely didn’t read the description so I suppose it’s my fault being that I was not expecting it to be spicy hahah. A quick and good read for sure though! August and Jack were such a good match in my opinion.
Profile Image for lived_athousandlives.
199 reviews13 followers
December 4, 2022
Snowed in with a sexy chef who saves kittens?! Yes please!

August has planned a holiday get together with her friends and a couple unexpected tag alongs. The weather takes a turn and she gets snowed in with the social media famous chef friend one of her besties invited last minute.

August is a little on the awkward side and sticks her foot in her mouth a few times. Jack however is cool and collected…until things take a steamy turn…

The holiday spice was spicing 🥵

This short, sweet, and spicy holiday novella was released as a pair. The second one is Hotel Games with August’s brother and the bestie that did her a solid by inviting Chef Jack 😏

Check out my review on that one too 😁
1,443 reviews1 follower
December 26, 2023
...drinks for two...

This was alright. There were some continuity issues for me that stopped me from delving into the story. Instead, I read it looking for issues and problems so I probably didn't enjoy it as much as others.

I don't think I'll be continuing on with this holiday series.
Profile Image for chestercopperpot_reads.
571 reviews166 followers
December 21, 2022
cute and steamy

This was a quick, cute and steamy holiday themed novella where she is trapped in a snowstorm with a guy she’s never met before.
Profile Image for Chantal Aleman.
109 reviews
December 19, 2025
Awful. Forced myself to eventually finish this one. Took me an entire year. That should be enough explanation.
Profile Image for Contina.
1,028 reviews4 followers
December 7, 2022
Oh My! I Need a Jack

So this is a new to me author that a bookish friend suggested and I'm so glad I listened. I think this is a first time for me to experience the female main character as the awkward grump. August was tough character for me to connect to but I appreciated her point of view after reading more. But Jack was definitely my favorite. I loved everything about him. Their relationship started off rocky but it naturally just happened with ease. Perfect romantic pairing.
Profile Image for Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog).
5,877 reviews213 followers
December 2, 2022


Amazon



August was supposed to be celebrating Friendsmas with her besties, but instead she's snowed in with a gorgeous chef and the kitten he rescued from under the porch. Will she let her normally closed-off heart be so Scroogey that Jack is scared away? Or will his laid back charm and dirty mouth be the keys to unlocking her holiday spirit?



This is a spicy little holiday treat. Jack is one hot and naughty chef, and August is awkward but ultimately no match for Jack's chefly wiles. I wasn't sure at first I was going to like this story because August is a lot, but she, they, won me over once they started opening up to each other.



ARC provided by Wordsmith Publicity for an honest review.

Review Tour: Live Through Books Blog.

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Profile Image for Elena.
1,159 reviews1 follower
December 29, 2022
This review is just me recounting the events of what happened in the book so I can I remember what I've read.

I suggest not reading this if you don't want to know all the details I'm recounting.

Okay, I already don't like her aggressive aversion to the little kitten. How can you not like kittens! Like, wth! This bk is already in a bad place of the main character doesn't like kittens!

Okay, we got August & jack. August is apparently awkward & a social freak who doesn't like kittens (jerk) & jack is tiktok famous chef who saved said precious kitten, named it holiday, & works at a shelter to boot. Already, he's looking more like the winner of this book than she is any day, I'd say.

Ugh, wow, this girl is a jerk. 1st she's insulting, ride, & snotty, then she acts stupid, like shes never kived a day on earth kind of stupid - those are 2 personality traits I absolutely loathe in a character.

And aww, as she's failing to make a drink & "accidently" say innuendo at him, he fixes them a better drink & once she's uncomfortable w/her "slip-up, he admits to holding the baby tiny kitten in his pocket hoodie! This guy is seriously winning me over & will probably be the only reason this read has any good stars⭐️ behind it

Oh, I don't know, she sure comes off as completleybdevoid of emotions - this is a response of her suggesting she isn't when he tells her that hebheard her talking on the phone cause she wasn't exactly subtle nor quiet about it, which is when he also suggested he could leave at a moments notice if he made her that uncomfortable.

Let's ask each other simple questions, that way they won't lead to any small talk" He suggests. To which she says, "yeah, thats great, I hate small talk" to which he says, "I know l, I heard you" to which they both engage in small talk right after the 1st question is asked of her - ughhhh! This author is way into contradictory elements apparently.

I know she's supposed to come off as shy & tidied, at least I think that's what the author is going for, but really, she just comes off as an uptight bitch. And that's alot for me to say about woman since I'm usually on their side in romance reads, more so than on the guys, but man, this girl needs a chill pill or something or a sedative, cause dang, she is really annoying.

Okay, the 2 ⭐️ are for only holiday & jack. She gets none. Have no idea how anyone would like this woman. What a b****! The lights go out, she freaks out like she's never been alive, then while using electronics, accidently has siri reading her text messages out loud so jack can hear them. She treats holiday like the plague which is just bs - its a kitten l, not a tyrannosaurus Rex for crying out loud. Ugh. Then she's like, "hey, let's have sex" souds like she has turetts.

Her friends show up & he even gets more awkward & uptight. Gee, who would have figured that...

This book was pure torture. August was a jerk. & now you're suggesting that the cat holiday prefers her to jack? Yeah, no, not buying it. They have some more sex, Elliot in the morning brings the cat in, jack & she decide to date when they get back into town, the same town they both live in. Oh, the joy.

Fix your woman character! She was a complete jerk who no one in their right mind would fall for!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Dominique Jackson.
753 reviews40 followers
December 17, 2022
loveeee

❄️ 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬❄️

Holiday Games is a cute, smutty novella that features an awkward August, and a very confidently sexy Jack. The fun part? August and Jack don’t know each other! He showed up on her doorstep (so to speak) for a holiday getaway because he was invited by a mutual friend but then NO ONE ELSE COULD MAKE IT BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER! Jack is a cat lover… both the mammal and the female anatomy, which makes him endearing yet a little odd but I loved him nonetheless. The way he wanted August to take the reins with what SHE wanted to do so she’d be comfortable was awesome to me. And August… sweet, poor, awkward August hHahaha. Let me just say, the shower scene? I FELT THAT hahahahaha.

This novella was quick, smutty, enjoyable, and is definitely getting a thumbs up from me! If you’re someone who’s looking for a quick holiday read, definitely jump into this one! Beware, it IS 3rd person, but that didn’t take away the enjoyability for me! Can’t wait to jump into Hotel Games this weekend!

P.S.
I’m not ashamed to say I called my dad to ask him the difference between a wet and dry martini since they are both liquid… safe to say, I would dislike both options lmao.
Profile Image for  •Cici• Theory of A Dreamer Book Blog♥.
3,437 reviews156 followers
December 6, 2022
Having first picked up Ms.Wynn's work recently i've been so looking forward to more from this author! As soon as i found out about this story i knew i had to read it next. I picked it up and got right into The Game world! I so enjoyed it!

August's journey captured my attention and didn't let go! August is on much needed getaway to a mountain house to spend Christmas with her best friends. Things don't go according to plan though thanks to a blizzard and her friend inviting Jack. As August and Jack are stuck together, will they give into the sparks between them?

I really liked how August as well as Jack pulled me into this story quickly. I enjoyed getting to see these two handle being close to one another. I found August to be super relatable. Jack had me falling! The chemistry between these two was so great and spicy!

With Holiday Games, Ms.Wynn has created such a good and entertaining read that'll be sure to make you blush! Be sure to check it out this holiday season! I am so looking forward to picking up Hotel Games next!



*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Wordsmith Publicity / the author*
Profile Image for Tammy - .
1,107 reviews139 followers
December 15, 2022
This novella was exactly what I needed. It's sweet and sexy, and it's guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit.

August has had a rough year and she's looking forward to a much needed break. She plans to celebrate "Friendsmas" with her besties, but a snow storm derails their plans. Much to August's dismay, her BFF Olivia invited her friend Jack to join in their little celebration. Jack makes it to the getaway before the snow storm hits, so August is stuck with this hot stranger and the stray kitten that he rescued.

This story gave me plenty of smiles, a few laughs, and all of the feels. August is adorably awkward and Jack is adorably hot. Together, these two definitely light up the holidays. Since this is a novella, it's a quick read and although this story takes place over a matter of days, it still feels complete. I was a little worried about how this story was going to end, but it was all wrapped up perfectly, like the best Christmas package. I was excited to see that there is a second book in this series featuring August's brother and her friend Olivia, and I can't wait to read that story next.
Profile Image for Courtney | romancereadswithcourt.
245 reviews129 followers
December 11, 2023
eARC review
⭐️4 🌶️2

Did someone say quick, spicy holiday novella? 🎄😏

This story follows Lara and Leo. To put it plainly, Lara is a Scrooge. And yet, she’s temping at one of the best Christmas stores in the country! Leo’s family owns the store, and he’s definitely got the holiday cheer in him.

He’s been pining for her the entire 3 months she’s worked there, and she has NO idea. Honestly, it’s so cute. He’s a cinnamon roll to the public, but he flipped a switch and became Daddy Leo QUICK 🥵.

What else are you supposed to do when you’re locked in a closet with your hot boss? Play a naughty card game you find, of course. Let’s just say… Christmas lights are used in a very fun way 😈.

The way this story bounces between cute and spicy was fun. It gave it a good balance for me! It ends on a sweet note, which is what we all love! Thank you so much Cat for letting me ARC read! 🫶🏼

Tropes: cinnamon roll MMC • boss/employee • black cat/golden retriever • reverse age gap • dom/sub • role play
Profile Image for Katie.
95 reviews1 follower
January 8, 2024
This was ok. A little too instalusty for me, wasn't convinced by the chemistry. Also all from POV of the FMC who was the self-admitted "Ice Queen". Which isn't bad but I'm not convinced when the POV comes only from the one who is constantly second guessing herself. I did like her opening up through the book and that process was cool to follow.

The one thing that super bugged me was lack of discussion regarding protection with the love scenes. Like zero. Consent was discussed which is super important, but then, just rando unprotected sex with this dude you just met? When your friend just texted and said make sure you use a condom? Ok...

Also if you are gonna allude to a shower scene, you need to give a full description of said shower scene. That is just a rule and everyone knows it. 😉
Profile Image for Emily Johnston (Booked.Up.With.Emily).
1,580 reviews114 followers
November 28, 2022
Holiday Games is an adorable holiday novella with added spice!

August has invited her best friend Olivia to spend the holidays with her at her family’s home. Olivia invites her friend Jack, who August has never met. Talk about awkward when Jack arrives and the socially awkward August doesn’t know how to handle it. When Olivia gets stuck in a snow storm and isn’t about to make it that night, things turn even more awkward.

August and Jack try and make the best of the situation and make small talk. When the power goes out and they are forced to get up close and personal to stay warm.

Will their awkward night turn into something more?

If you are looking for an insta-love, holiday novella with forced proximity, this book is for you!
323 reviews5 followers
November 29, 2022
short sexy holiday read

Okay, so I’m going to be brutally honest here. I have a hard time reading 3rd person romance. All those 1st person contemporary romances have ruined me.

But….

Holiday Games were so good, I didn’t mind, AT ALL.

The steam, the spice and the sweetness were top notch. Jack was sexy AH and I loved the sweet alpha vibes…aka he was a dominant good guys that was Ry always so good if you know what I mean **wink wink**

Holiday Games - After looking forward to having a much needed Friendsmas, August is disappointed being stranded with a stranger, aka sexy hot chef Jack. These two put a new meaning to sexy and adorkable. I loved August’s personality, the kitten and Jack’s casual sexiness.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
6,571 reviews236 followers
December 28, 2022
This is a quick, holiday read. If I had to be stuck with someone, I would want it to be a sexy chef like Jack. While, I am more of a dog person, Jack still wins brownie points for rescuing the cute kitten. When it came to the attraction between August and Jack, I felt it. That moment when Jack asked August if she was turned on and then he grabbed her face and they kissed. That was a hot moment where you could feel the sparks flying.

It was nice that he allowed August to take control. AS he said, he is a nice guy that likes a woman to tell him what she wants. The chemistry between August and these two was hot enough to melt the snow. Christmas may be over by that does not mean that so is the holiday reads. So treat yourself to this quick, spicy read called Holiday Games by Cat Wynn.
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