Pine-ing for You

Codename: 3Magi #1

by T.S. Ankney

The weather outside is frightful, but the sparks between them are delightful…

Christmas is right around the corner, but after jilting his fiancé at the altar and creating yet another tabloid scandal, Mason Hyde-Ellis has nowhere to turn. Cut off from his inheritance and his family, Mason is penniless, homeless, and disgraced. He returns to the condo he shared with his ex as a last resort and finds Arif Ramzi—a handsome former counter-terrorism officer and his ex’s best friend—staying there.

Arif has spent his career dealing with delicate and dangerous situations, but nothing compares to the desperate, dripping-wet man on his doorstep. At first, Arif thinks Mason is a typical spoiled rich boy, except the more he learns about the man, the more he likes. But when the past crashes into his possible future with Mason and his obligation to help his friends, Arif’s highly organized life suddenly gets very complicated.

The streets of Manhattan are frozen, but can love thaw Arif and Mason’s hearts?

Genres: Christmas, Contemporary, M M Romance, LGBT, Holiday, Romance, Gay

173 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2022

About the author

T.S. Ankney read her first romance novel at age twelve, when she snuck a book with a risqué cover out of a relative’s cabinet and read it at night under the covers with a flashlight to avoid getting caught relishing the “good parts." She is a tiny blue dot in a big red state in the Midwest US and she loves a sad song, a happily ever after, and believes representation matters. When not writing, you can find T.S. streaming documentaries, reading new books by her favorite authors, or indulging in reality TV competition shows like Project Runway or Great British Baking Show.

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little Christmas read for this time of year. I am hooked with the story and love mason and Arif a lot their chemistry grew a lot throughout the book and I can’t wait to read the other 2

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

I enjoyed this. It’s probably the least Christmassy Christmas story I’ve read, but it’s still cute. It’s more of a mystery romance story.

Arif and Mason came together unexpectedly but ended up getting to know each other and ultimately falling in love. I think it’s hard not to feel some empathy for Mason; he’s misjudged by everyone and just wants someone to see the real him. Arif has been running since he called off an arranged marriage and fears he doesn’t know how to love someone.

Alongside that story is a missing person case that Arif is working on with his friends. It’s an interesting concept for a holiday romance, and unfortunately, because it doesn’t go into much detail, I found myself not really concentrating on that side of things. But it’s an enjoyable story, and I loved Arif and Mason’s chemistry.

[Thor Twinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked the romance. The protagonists had great chemistry and tons of sweet moments. Even the sex scenes, which I usually don't care for, were quite good. However, there was this sub-plot about a missing person that should have been an important part of the story but instead felt too much like an afterthought. It doesn't help that it didn't get a conclusion in this book. In general, the ending left me with a bittersweet feeling. The romance wraps up too quickly considering how it was being developed. I want to read the other books now but it's a pity that this one can't really stand on its own.

[Patroclus · Rating 2 out of 5]

DnF

[Sophie Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute romance and loved the Christmas in NYC setting!
Annoying that there were so many typos throughout the book.
We also never find out what happened to Adrian which was one of the main storylines… doesn’t really qualify as a stand alone book.
2.5 stars

[Urszula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and developed story. Interesting characters morę complex than they seem. Lots of emotions flying around. Good plot full of twists and turns. All together an enjoyable read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Caila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 ⭐️
Spice: 3.5 🔥
Tropes: MM romance, ex-fiancé’s best friend, ex-military, grumpy x sunshine

I wanted to read more MM romance, and oh boy what a great holiday read!

Mason and Arif were so special to watch grow together. I felt that even with how short it was I was given enough character depth, BUT I do think it maaaay have felt a bit rushed at times. I do like that there will be the continuing plot line across the next book

Also fully called book two going to be about Saba and Nash!

[Alisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - proofreading killed me

I got 40% through before the horrendous proofreading frustrated me too much to continue. Frankly, I was enjoying the characters, and the plot was not bad, but when every other sentence has an error, I just can’t do it. I won’t read anything else by this author and can’t recommend them.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story that unfortunately had at least 6 obvious editing errors that one basic reread should have caught. They were distracting as I began to count them in dismay. Otherwise I liked this new to me author and will give the next book in the series a shot.

[Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love and suspense

Arif and Mason are definitely complete opposites. How they manage to work out their differences will be worth exploring. The heat between them is definitely A+.

[Core Helmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute but lacked some plot points and had a decent amount of grammatical errors that were distracting and made it more difficult to read.

[Tabetha Slade · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was good, just let down a bit by the editing.

[Vic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, short MM story. Could've done with a bit more editing but if you just need a quick, no frills pick me up, this will do.

[Jenni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars for the amount of times the word alpha was mentioned / said

Definitely not the cosy Christmas romance I was expecting

[Flick · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting start to the series

This realistically is a 3.75 rounded up. There were parts of this story I loved and parts that irritated me and parts that just didn’t entirely make sense to me. On the whole though, the enjoyable parts outweigh the rest and I’ll be giving the second book in the series a go. Mason and Arif were clearly the stars of the show, and not just because they were the MCs. Personality wise they were the most interesting and I liked the way their relationship developed (albeit quickly). There were lots of cute wintery moments and overall the book hit the right notes for a winter holiday romance. What caught me up were some of the less important but distracting side elements. Hollis (Mason’s ex fiancé) was honestly really dislikable. He took zero responsibility for his role in the absolute travesty that was their engagement. Everything was Mason’s fault despite the fact that it quite clearly wasn’t. Yes, Mason contributed to the problems but honestly he had more sympathy from me because of the position he was in. There were also quite a few moments that just didn’t make sense - these guys are meant to be trained but Mason seemed to run circles around them. I don’t have anything against Mason being particularly good at something you wouldn’t immediately pick as a likely skill but he should still have been less capable on a fair number of fronts. I think the problem I’ve had is that the core romantic story was solid but the sun-plot and some secondary characters needed more work. It was still enjoyable and I’ll be interested to see where it goes in the second book.

[Juniper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a quick and mostly fun holiday read that doesn’t take itself terribly seriously, and that’s part of the appeal. The narrative has a tendency to appropriate plot devices like a magpie hoarding shiny objects: a team of (nebulously connected and supposedly competent) special ops soldiers who do a lot of their planning/deducting in cafes? You betcha. Is one a prince of a generically charming island nation? Indeed he is. Is his love interest not only one of his compatriots’ exes but also both somehow a hot mess and the most competent person in the whole story? All the yeses. And let’s not forget this love interest’s killer eye for fashion, gift for breaking codes, and surprising diplomatic acumen that appears when needed most. Truly, Mason is this story’s MVP and I will not be taking questions on that. The setting is charming (there will be holiday cheer and hot chocolate) the love story is compelling enough if somewhat breakneck in pace, and all-in-all, you can skim along the surface here and enjoy the ride. As an added bonus, there’s a mystery in the background that I assume will continue to unfold into further installments of the series. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book in the 3Magi series by new to me author TS Ankney.

On the surface, Mason was a rich boy who had always relied on his parents and their money to make his way through life. His parents forced him into an engagement to Hollis, a family friend who he had no connection with. Everything fell apart for Mason when he made a bad decision with a musician he'd just met.

Mason meets Arif when he shows up on Hollis's doorstep with no money and nowhere to stay. Arif allows Mason to stay with him and they begin to form a friendship that quickly develops into a romance once Arif figures out Mason has much more depth than he originally thought.

Meanwhile Arif and his friends Hollis and Nash are trying to find Nash's brother who disappeared. Mason helps the men decipher some clues that will hopefully lead to them finding Nash's brother in another book in the series.

I would have loved to have a little more character development, but am looking forward to reading the other books in the series, although Hollis will need to have one heck of a redemption for me to forgive him for not taking any responsibility in his failed engagement with Mason.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sara Sigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mason went to Fiji with a rock band singer to be dumped at the airport had to hock his engagement ring to get home. His parents disowned him, took his trust fund, and was homeless because he wouldn’t marry the person they wanted. He showed up at Hollis’ condo hoping that Hollis would let him if he spend the night out of the rain but Arfir was staying there and let him stay. Arfir and Hollis were helping Nash a co worker and friend find his brother. Found a cryptic note in a book which Mason was able to solve so Mason and Arfir went to check what businesses were in the building was a dead end. Mason and Arfir had a great night until his fiancé’s personal secretary came and told him that the parents still wanted the two get married. Saba and Mason became friends, gave Saba moral support to tell both parents that wasn’t happening so got fired but Saba through a friend of his got Mason a job. So Mason went to get ready to move in the guest bedroom since Arfir told Saba that there wasn’t anything between them. That gave Arfir the push to admit the truth to Mason. Good book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Manon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book took me to a variety of feelings. I am not a fan of cheating so Mason didn't really sit well with me. When the story developed it become clear that he was manipulated and not just the villian the book made out in the beginning.
I like him and Arif as a couple, Arif shows him that there is more to Mason than the tabloid persona. I don't like how Hollis is not taking on any responsiblity despite being even less commited to their engagement than Mason.

But, the story had quite a number of holes. Arif's background: muslim prince turned US military? A SEAL living in New York? Hollis was shown with a limp and is an active SEAL?

Also Mason's background had quite a number of not-really-thought through problems. No money, than a bit, than a sudden job.

I also felt that there was too much background missing, either previous book or the author tried to hard to establish Hollis and Nate, making it just confused.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new series 'codename 3Magi' about three (ex) special Ops friends: Atif Hollis and Nash who are searching for Nash his missing reporter brother

I like the idea about this, but some things about that given did not make sense. How can a foreign national be a special op for the USA? And how can Mason run rings around them finding clues as 'a civilian'.?
I did like the chemistry and dynamic between Atif and Mason. However some things to me felt left open f.i. there is mention of Mason needing to sell posessions and all of a sudden it is not mentioned anymore. I found Mason his character way more likeable than his ,arranged, ex fiancee Hollis who sems to lack personal insight on all levels. Nash felt a bit flat till now, and I hope his character will develops more in the coming book and we get to know more about him and his missing brother. I rate this as 3,5/4-.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maria771 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Mason and Arif. It is the first book in the Codebname: 3Magi series. This is a quick read that is written well with wonderful characters. The suspense keeps you turning the pages. Definitely recommended.

I received this book as an Arc and I am happily reviewing it voluntarily.

[Johanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not entirely stand alone, as characters and plot lines intended to be resolved in other books keep interrupting. I found them annoying, as I didn't care for that situation or characters, and none of it is resolved in this book.

I never got a sense of Mason as a person, as opposed to manipulated paper doll, and Arif is flatly unrealistic -- military super-spy who's also an island prince? Mason is supposed to be former tabloid fodder who's got hidden strength he doesn't realize, but showing up at his ex-fiance's house doesn't make a lot of sense.

I like the two together, though, and it's a quick read set in New York City for Christmas. That seasonal flavor is the strongest part of the book. (I received a digital advance review copy for the purpose of review.)

[Raven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short holiday romance with a bit of suspense.

Mason is down on his luck after leaving his fiancée and a set-up marriage. He’s forced to go to his ex’s apartment when he’s soaking wet and with nowhere to go. But his ex isn’t the one opening the door, it’s his ex’s best friend Arif. Arif is furious at Mason for leaving his friend so he plans to shut the door in his face but ends up taking pity on him.

Throughout the book we get to see them falling for each other and their relationship grow. We also get visits from the ex, who was not very likeable, but it seems like he gets his own book later in the series so I’m expecting a bit of a redemption arc from him.

All in all an okay holiday romance with the ex’s best friend trope.

[Raven and Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not quite sure how I feel about this one. I had to really suspend my disbelief to enjoy it. I felt very sorry for Mason. He has spent his whole life feeling invisible and unloved. I thought he and Arif had some great chemistry. The thing that bothered me though is that the jilted ex-fiancé never took any responsibility for their situation. Hollis basically puts it all on Mason, when he was just as guilty in their “relationship.” I have to wonder if that resolves at all in the rest of the series. Not sure if the rest of it is for me or not. The whole subplot part of this book felt a little forced, but I did enjoy Mason and Arif.

[Shana_Bobana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit hard for me to rate because I have some pretty mixed feelings about it. I absolutely loved parts of it and other parts just didn’t work for me. I don’t want to spoil anything because I know for others this story will be amazing! I did enjoy the writing style overall and really enjoyed both Mason and Arif. The side characters weren’t as great to me, especially Mason’s ex. Hollis was very annoying and was too mean to Mason. He blamed him way too much for everything. I am interested in this series and I want to give the second book a chance.

I did receive a free ARC of this book but that did not influence my review.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mason's relationship with his fiance' blows up and he is not able to lean on his family's wealth to move on. He winds up back at the place he had lived in with Hollis, the ex. Hollis' friend Arif is staying there and at first is not feeling charitable towards Mason. But as they spend time together they get to know one another as they help a co-worker and as Mason starts to grow up. This is a cute messy mystery romance with the interesting element that Mason winds up with a good friend of his fiance's. More to come as the series continues!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[casvec · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and quick holiday read that I kept me entertained with a few twists and turns. I love Mason and the drama he brought along with Arif who has a big heart. Thrown in the mystery of the lost brother and I was caught up in the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Mason and Arif make an interesting couple and I like the way Mason grows up and learns to take responsibility for his life apart from his parents' control, how Arif and Hollis deal with the complications of his relationship with Mason and the mystery of finding Nash's brother that Mason actually helps with. A nice mix of intrigue and romance. I very much look forward to the rest of the series.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a few grammar errors in an otherwise sweet book. Finding love in the most unexpected place is such a perfect fit for sweet vulnerable Mason and stoic Arif. Hollis, however leaves something to be desired. He’s the perfect person to hate in this book for how he treats port Mason and I love how Arif is swift to come to his defense. I can’t wait to read the other books!

[Jos Trinidad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that this was a cute book. I think i would have liked it and been invested more if there was a book before it. there just seemed to be so many already established plot lines that we were getting introduced to in the middle of the plots. I think that this definitely could’ve been a longer book that took you through all of the plot lines and their beginnings.