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The Coventry Carol
Instead of eggnog and peppermint lattes, Caspar Payne prefers to drown his hatred of the most obnoxious holiday ever with whiskey. Except, alcohol and sadness can be a deadly combination and when he finds himself teetering on the edge of a bridge on Christmas Eve, the last thing he expects is a hot AF guardian angel in a Santa coat.
To make matters worse, the mysterious stranger claims he’s the son of Santa—as in the Santa Claus. Caspar isn’t inclined to believe him until a cannibal hitman shows up with every intention of collecting Caspar’s soul.
If they can make it to January, it’ll be a Christmas miracle.
THE COVENTRY CAROL is a darker MM Christmas romance standalone novella. If you love Christmas and cozy Hallmark movies with all the sweet, swoony romance, this is NOT the book for you. It's heavy on Christmas folklore (i.e. dark traditions) in addition to insta-lust and steam, and a lot of triggering themes. Consider it an anti-Christmas story, if you will, that still manages to end in a HEA. It is intended for a mature audience and reader discretion is advised. A full list of triggers can be found in the front matter of the book and at my website under Tropes & Triggers.
To make matters worse, the mysterious stranger claims he’s the son of Santa—as in the Santa Claus. Caspar isn’t inclined to believe him until a cannibal hitman shows up with every intention of collecting Caspar’s soul.
If they can make it to January, it’ll be a Christmas miracle.
THE COVENTRY CAROL is a darker MM Christmas romance standalone novella. If you love Christmas and cozy Hallmark movies with all the sweet, swoony romance, this is NOT the book for you. It's heavy on Christmas folklore (i.e. dark traditions) in addition to insta-lust and steam, and a lot of triggering themes. Consider it an anti-Christmas story, if you will, that still manages to end in a HEA. It is intended for a mature audience and reader discretion is advised. A full list of triggers can be found in the front matter of the book and at my website under Tropes & Triggers.
124 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 27, 2021
15 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Ashlyn Drewek
20 books930 followersInternational best-selling and award-winning author Ashlyn Drewek has always been fascinated by "weird" things like Edgar Allan Poe, Halloween, and witchcraft. Not necessarily in that order. But she's also a hopeless romantic who lives for stories about true love conquering all. Since variety is indeed the spice of life, she writes a mix of MM tropes and subgenres to satisfy her rapidly changing whims.
For information on upcoming releases, go to ⇢ https://www.ashlyndrewek.com/upcoming
Have a question? I might have an answer! ⇢ https://www.ashlyndrewek.com/faq
Looking for links? Go here ⇢ www.ashlyndrewek.com/main
For information on upcoming releases, go to ⇢ https://www.ashlyndrewek.com/upcoming
Have a question? I might have an answer! ⇢ https://www.ashlyndrewek.com/faq
Looking for links? Go here ⇢ www.ashlyndrewek.com/main
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
March 5, 2023
•| ⊱✿⊰ |• 4,5 Stars •| ⊱✿⊰ |•
A Christmas story very different from the usual...
Nick is Santa Claus's son.
Caspar is an orphan, and he's on Santa naughty list since he was a kid, and that's when Nick saw him...
Caspar, on his twenty-third Christmas, tries to kill himself, and that's when Nick appear to him.
Sparkles flies between the two of them.
Nick realizes he's been in love with Caspar since he was a kid and saw him for the first time.
But Nick has to go back to North Polo and deal with his tyrant father, who wants him to marry a woman and give him grandkids to pursuit the family name and tradition.
Nick, being the older son, and though he prefers his brother Noel to do it, Klaus, his father doesn't allow.
When Caspar wakes up, he thinks all was just a dream...
This is a hot, sexy and sweet story, where Nick has to fight for his love...
Caspar is the grumpy one, and Nick is the sweet one.
Klaus the bad guy.
But, since is a Christmas carol: All's well that ends well 😉 😈
December 27, 2021
OUT NOW
Did I mention how much I'm loving darker Christmas themed novellas all of sudden? Gosh-darn-it this one was just so good 🥴
Here are the deets:
Santa is a villain, he has a son Nick who falls in love with a human, Caspar, at a very young age, Caspar struggles with depression, and hates all things Christmas, Caspar is also probably a lumberjack, it has Santa smut!!!, Nick's uncle who sometimes eats children, the nasty mf, shows up and they have this epic battle scene. Did I mention it has Santa smut 🥵?
Was that recap vague and kind of confusing? Sorry 😬 I just think you need to read this one for yourself 👀
It's honestly the perfect set up for a captivating Christmas love story. And the moment I read the first chapter, captivated was I. If you're not a fan of the fluffy, sugary sweet stuff that is usually mass produced during this season, then pick this up. Trust me.
Ashlyn Drewek knows how to write dark MM romance and this one, while not as dark as her usual, does have its dark elements, so I'd recommend taking note of the trigger warnings just in case 🖤
Happy reading lovelies!
Did I mention how much I'm loving darker Christmas themed novellas all of sudden? Gosh-darn-it this one was just so good 🥴
Here are the deets:
Santa is a villain, he has a son Nick who falls in love with a human, Caspar, at a very young age, Caspar struggles with depression, and hates all things Christmas, Caspar is also probably a lumberjack, it has Santa smut!!!, Nick's uncle who sometimes eats children, the nasty mf, shows up and they have this epic battle scene. Did I mention it has Santa smut 🥵?
Was that recap vague and kind of confusing? Sorry 😬 I just think you need to read this one for yourself 👀
It's honestly the perfect set up for a captivating Christmas love story. And the moment I read the first chapter, captivated was I. If you're not a fan of the fluffy, sugary sweet stuff that is usually mass produced during this season, then pick this up. Trust me.
Ashlyn Drewek knows how to write dark MM romance and this one, while not as dark as her usual, does have its dark elements, so I'd recommend taking note of the trigger warnings just in case 🖤
Happy reading lovelies!
December 27, 2021
*** I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.***
A perfectly dark Christmas tale. Loved the grim and surprising ways this story manifested so many classic tropes but added a fresh and original spin. This is absolutely my idea of a Christmas Carol.
The Coventry Carol is the perfect Alternative Grim Christmas Story. It features a depressed main character, Caspar who is in desperate need of some hope and he finds it in Nick, who possesses a strong magical spirit while giving Caspar joy and a reason to maintain his existence.
Unfortunately, their romance is short-lived due to Nick's responsibilities for his family business, which occurs at the North Pole. He is the son of Santa Claus, who is not the jolly Old Saint Nick you know from Christmas traditions.
Because of Caspar and Nick's forbidden romance, there is a delicate thread tightly wound between the characters, and seeing their HEA is a joyful surprise that warms my heart. I love this alternative Holiday novella and its fantastic original spin on a classic holiday tale. This author has delivered another winning story that has me eager for more.
A perfectly dark Christmas tale. Loved the grim and surprising ways this story manifested so many classic tropes but added a fresh and original spin. This is absolutely my idea of a Christmas Carol.
The Coventry Carol is the perfect Alternative Grim Christmas Story. It features a depressed main character, Caspar who is in desperate need of some hope and he finds it in Nick, who possesses a strong magical spirit while giving Caspar joy and a reason to maintain his existence.
Unfortunately, their romance is short-lived due to Nick's responsibilities for his family business, which occurs at the North Pole. He is the son of Santa Claus, who is not the jolly Old Saint Nick you know from Christmas traditions.
Because of Caspar and Nick's forbidden romance, there is a delicate thread tightly wound between the characters, and seeing their HEA is a joyful surprise that warms my heart. I love this alternative Holiday novella and its fantastic original spin on a classic holiday tale. This author has delivered another winning story that has me eager for more.
February 13, 2022
This was cute, cute, cute.
Lonely boy meets Santa’s son and it’s magic
ETA: on a mini-vacation so it’s super short review
Lonely boy meets Santa’s son and it’s magic
ETA: on a mini-vacation so it’s super short review
November 23, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
How does Ashlyn continually do this to me?!
This is by far the best and most realistic re-telling of A Christmas Carol I’ve ever experienced. Of course there was magic involved because Santa, but this was dark and depressing and a little hard to stomach at times.
But you know what they say? You’ll never truly appreciate the light without enduring darkness. Or however your version goes.
Caspar is done in every sense of the word and on Christmas Eve he decides to end it until he’s stopped by a strange man in weird renaissance style clothes that are eerily similar to Santa Claus.
What proceeds is a night of debauchery between the two but when Caspar wakes he’s alone and convinces himself that it was all a dream.
Much more happens, it’s crazy how much great storyline the author stuffed into such a short novella. It’s like The Tardis, bigger on the inside.
If you’re looking for a non-traditional Christmas tale, I couldn’t recommend this more. It’s dark yes but like I said it’s worth it.
How does Ashlyn continually do this to me?!
This is by far the best and most realistic re-telling of A Christmas Carol I’ve ever experienced. Of course there was magic involved because Santa, but this was dark and depressing and a little hard to stomach at times.
But you know what they say? You’ll never truly appreciate the light without enduring darkness. Or however your version goes.
Caspar is done in every sense of the word and on Christmas Eve he decides to end it until he’s stopped by a strange man in weird renaissance style clothes that are eerily similar to Santa Claus.
What proceeds is a night of debauchery between the two but when Caspar wakes he’s alone and convinces himself that it was all a dream.
Much more happens, it’s crazy how much great storyline the author stuffed into such a short novella. It’s like The Tardis, bigger on the inside.
If you’re looking for a non-traditional Christmas tale, I couldn’t recommend this more. It’s dark yes but like I said it’s worth it.
July 31, 2022
2.5 ⭐️
Another “Dark” Romance with Hugo
It was a great story, not dark, and apparently the son of Santa’s dick can solve everything even suicide attempts LOL. I liked the fantasy and all the magic involve it was a nice concept. And the plotline was kinda interesting. BUT….
spoilers!
spoilers! byeee 👋
you’ve been warned…spoilers!!
The fucking cheating trope. Ofc it has to exist 🙄 Even though it was quite unnecessary in this one 🙄🙄🙄 You can do other “naughty” stuff than fucking Ryan, Caspar 🙄🙄 And what’s the point of Ryan’s existence if he just cease to exist after they got together 🥴 Cheating for the first time didn't sit right with me but still was acceptable - they weren’t anything else yet, but the fucking SECOND TIME—oh, I was about to throw hands on someone. Fuck off and I do not care about anything else.
Another “Dark” Romance with Hugo
It was a great story, not dark, and apparently the son of Santa’s dick can solve everything even suicide attempts LOL. I liked the fantasy and all the magic involve it was a nice concept. And the plotline was kinda interesting. BUT….
spoilers!
spoilers! byeee 👋
you’ve been warned…spoilers!!
The fucking cheating trope. Ofc it has to exist 🙄 Even though it was quite unnecessary in this one 🙄🙄🙄 You can do other “naughty” stuff than fucking Ryan, Caspar 🙄🙄 And what’s the point of Ryan’s existence if he just cease to exist after they got together 🥴 Cheating for the first time didn't sit right with me but still was acceptable - they weren’t anything else yet, but the fucking SECOND TIME—oh, I was about to throw hands on someone. Fuck off and I do not care about anything else.
December 9, 2022
I have never cried from reading a novella till now. I felt all the characters pain and emotions. I loved every minute of it. The Coventry Carol is hands down the beast and my favorite Christmas tale.
Who knew Saint Nicholas could be so dark. I mean I had a clue with a naughty and nice list, but damn I wasn’t prepared.
Nick, Santa’s Son came into Casper life at a time he needed someone the most. Casper has a hard life going up and not a bug fan of the holiday’s. I can’t say I blame him. With Nick as a stalker and lived and breaths Christmas year round. Make no mistake he is not all peppermint and coco. He wants what his father doesn’t want him to have.
My “predicament,” Susan, was none of your fucking business, so take your sugar plum danish and your peppermint mocha latte and fuck right off.
Who knew Saint Nicholas could be so dark. I mean I had a clue with a naughty and nice list, but damn I wasn’t prepared.
Nick, Santa’s Son came into Casper life at a time he needed someone the most. Casper has a hard life going up and not a bug fan of the holiday’s. I can’t say I blame him. With Nick as a stalker and lived and breaths Christmas year round. Make no mistake he is not all peppermint and coco. He wants what his father doesn’t want him to have.
My “predicament,” Susan, was none of your fucking business, so take your sugar plum danish and your peppermint mocha latte and fuck right off.
My favorite quote and almost died with laughter. So going to use this in the future.
Let’s not forget the spice. It’s smokin’ hot. Surprise the snow didn’t melt. Very detailed and well written. The book isn’t as dark as I expected. However, it didn’t take away from the book, and it’s a must-read.
December 11, 2022
"Safe from a cannibal hitman sent by Santa Claus? Does that place even exist?"
In the Author's Note, she describes this book as an anti-Christmas story. That's certainly accurate. While Christmas stories are fluffy and Hallmark-esque, The Coventry Carol doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of the holiday; the loneliness and consumerism, also having an evil santa thrown in the mix.
There's also a lot of heart here, which is a staple for a christmas story. Caspar and Nick's romance, while not the most healthy of relationships, was so passionate and heartwarming.
For a novella, this packs in so much story and romance. It's great as a novella, even if I would have loved for it to have been expanded into a full-length novel (but I'm greedy like that).
December 27, 2021
"I wouldn't break that candy if I were you," I said, setting the candle to the side. "Otherwise I'm going to have to find something else to put in your mouth to keep you from interrupting. And I'll make sure it's not pleasant."
An Ashlyn Drewek MM Christmas romance novella, but a dark version, you say?! How could I resist.........😈
Well, it seems as though my dislike of novellas is really coming back to bite me this holiday season, when several of my fave MM authors are putting them out! And (as if it was ever up for question) with The Coventry Carol Ashlyn totally hits the mark once again 🖤.
The Coventry Carol is 12 chapters and an epilogue of steamy, thrilling, unexpected, desperate, anti-christmas deliciousness. Whether you struggle through these holidays, or embrace the whole Christmas story, this is the novella for you.
It's an Ashlyn Drewek book, so you can expect:
🖤 MM (dark) romance
🖤 Fantasy elements
🖤 High steam 🔥🔥🔥🔥
🖤 Mild BDSM/dubcon
🖤 Murder and mayhem
🖤 Flawed MCs
But also:
❄ Snow globes
❄ Saint Nick
❄ Peppermint and cinnamon
❄ Frosted windows
❄ HEA
Highly recommended.
5 ✨✨✨✨✨
An Ashlyn Drewek MM Christmas romance novella, but a dark version, you say?! How could I resist.........😈
Well, it seems as though my dislike of novellas is really coming back to bite me this holiday season, when several of my fave MM authors are putting them out! And (as if it was ever up for question) with The Coventry Carol Ashlyn totally hits the mark once again 🖤.
The Coventry Carol is 12 chapters and an epilogue of steamy, thrilling, unexpected, desperate, anti-christmas deliciousness. Whether you struggle through these holidays, or embrace the whole Christmas story, this is the novella for you.
It's an Ashlyn Drewek book, so you can expect:
🖤 MM (dark) romance
🖤 Fantasy elements
🖤 High steam 🔥🔥🔥🔥
🖤 Mild BDSM/dubcon
🖤 Murder and mayhem
🖤 Flawed MCs
But also:
❄ Snow globes
❄ Saint Nick
❄ Peppermint and cinnamon
❄ Frosted windows
❄ HEA
Highly recommended.
5 ✨✨✨✨✨
December 26, 2022
✧ ”A lo largo de toda mi vida fantástica, Caspar era lo único verdaderamente mágico.”
✧ Historia corta navideña con un dark romance, encontramos a Caspar, un joven que se la ha pasado solo toda su vida y que en una navidad a sus 23 años decide terminar con su existir, hasta que de repente aparece Nick para convencerlo de no hacerlo. Lo que Caspar no sabe es que Nick es en realidad el primogénito de Santa Klaus, destinado a tomar una esposa que no quiere y cumplir con su legado familiar. Nick ha cuidado de Caspar desde que lo conoció a los 16, poco a poco se ha ido enamorando de él, es el único que entiende lo que es sentirse solo y no tener a nadie, solo podía ver de lejos como Caspar hacía su vida hasta que lo vio intentando terminarla y rompió todos los protocolos que le prohíben interactuar con los mortales, para ir a salvar al hombre que ama, aún cuando Caspar no tiene ni idea de quien es Nick.
✧ Me gusta la idea de que Santa Klaus sea en esta historia el villano, la autora plantea muy bien todo el concepto de cómo la navidad ha ido cambiando con el tiempo y ahora no es más que una festividad para el consumismo; el propio Santa ha perdido el objetivo que estas fechas, que es la convivencia con la familia, el amor de un hogar, compartir con quienes lo necesitan, etc. Ahora vemos a un hombre que solo le interesa el poder que tiene sobre los niños para mandar a algunos regalos y otros a la lista negra y así poder castigarlos o condenar sus almas; pese a ser el hombre que representa todo lo que es la navidad, es pésimo con su familia, es controlador con sus hijos, no dejándolos escoger las vidas que quieren vivir y queriendo moldearlos a su gusto.
✧ La historia de ¿romance? Entre Caspar y Nick es un poco más difícil de procesar para mí. No estoy muy acostumbrada a lo que es el dark romance y por eso se me hizo más complicado justificar o entender ciertos comportamientos entre ellos que son un tanto dudosos. Para empezar, cuando recién se conocen y tienen su primer encuentro sexual, Caspar esta borracho y Nick esta en sus cinco sentidos, por lo que eso claramente para mí es una situación de abuso o consentimiento dudoso. Después, cuando se separan, me molesta que los autores en sus libros hagan que alguno de los protagonistas tengan algún tipo de relación sexual con otra persona, soy muy celosa en esa parte de una historia de romance. Y finalmente, es que leo mucho romance entre hombres, por lo que ver las escenas en las que tenían sexo y no era tratado de manera un tanto realista, me hacía sentir que era incómodo para el pobre Nick, que era a quien no preparaban adecuadamente antes de la penetración; además de que Caspar tenía encuentros con otro tipo y luego cuando estaba con Nick no había mención a ningún método de protección como lo es el condón o prueba de ETS y simplemente lo hacían así sin medir consecuencias, espero que la magia de Nick lo haga inmune a enfermedades venereas😖.
✧ Entonces, ¿por qué le estoy dando 3 estrellas? Pese a todo lo mencionado que me pareció mal tratado o que no puedo ver con buenos ojos, la trama es muy buena: Santa Klaus siendo villano; Nick queriendo llevar una vida normal con el hombre del que está enamorado; el drama de tener que dejar a Caspar para salvar su alma y en el proceso rompiendo el corazón de ambos; el tema de la depresión de Caspar y el enterarnos de cómo es que su vida ha sido tan solitaria desde que era niño; cuando ya están juntos, ver como es que luchan contra el matón que fue enviado para separarlos; el enfrentamiento final entre Santa, Nick, Caspar y Noel, para finalmente ser libres de la tiranía de su padre y que Nick pueda irse al mundo de los mortales a vivir junto a su hombre.
✧ Recomiendo leerse antes las advertencias de contenido, ya que se mencionan algunos temas como el suicidio, depresión, abuso o consentimiento dudoso, violencia física, acoso, entre otros. Que como ya mencione anteriormente, algunos se manejan dentro del dark romance y son tratados como muestras de amor entre los protagonistas o actos románticos. Siempre y cuando se lea este libro con el criterio de saber que lo que ocurre aquí no debe ser romantizado en la vida real y detectar los comportamientos que obviamente están mal, creo que es una buena lectura para pasar el rato. La nota final de la autora me parece muy buena, nos da su punto de vista acerca de que cada quien vive estas fechas como quiere y que no debemos dejarnos llevar por lo que dicen los demás, hagamos lo que queramos y que se vayan a la mierda quienes digan lo contrario.
✧ Historia corta navideña con un dark romance, encontramos a Caspar, un joven que se la ha pasado solo toda su vida y que en una navidad a sus 23 años decide terminar con su existir, hasta que de repente aparece Nick para convencerlo de no hacerlo. Lo que Caspar no sabe es que Nick es en realidad el primogénito de Santa Klaus, destinado a tomar una esposa que no quiere y cumplir con su legado familiar. Nick ha cuidado de Caspar desde que lo conoció a los 16, poco a poco se ha ido enamorando de él, es el único que entiende lo que es sentirse solo y no tener a nadie, solo podía ver de lejos como Caspar hacía su vida hasta que lo vio intentando terminarla y rompió todos los protocolos que le prohíben interactuar con los mortales, para ir a salvar al hombre que ama, aún cuando Caspar no tiene ni idea de quien es Nick.
✧ Me gusta la idea de que Santa Klaus sea en esta historia el villano, la autora plantea muy bien todo el concepto de cómo la navidad ha ido cambiando con el tiempo y ahora no es más que una festividad para el consumismo; el propio Santa ha perdido el objetivo que estas fechas, que es la convivencia con la familia, el amor de un hogar, compartir con quienes lo necesitan, etc. Ahora vemos a un hombre que solo le interesa el poder que tiene sobre los niños para mandar a algunos regalos y otros a la lista negra y así poder castigarlos o condenar sus almas; pese a ser el hombre que representa todo lo que es la navidad, es pésimo con su familia, es controlador con sus hijos, no dejándolos escoger las vidas que quieren vivir y queriendo moldearlos a su gusto.
✧ La historia de ¿romance? Entre Caspar y Nick es un poco más difícil de procesar para mí. No estoy muy acostumbrada a lo que es el dark romance y por eso se me hizo más complicado justificar o entender ciertos comportamientos entre ellos que son un tanto dudosos. Para empezar, cuando recién se conocen y tienen su primer encuentro sexual, Caspar esta borracho y Nick esta en sus cinco sentidos, por lo que eso claramente para mí es una situación de abuso o consentimiento dudoso. Después, cuando se separan, me molesta que los autores en sus libros hagan que alguno de los protagonistas tengan algún tipo de relación sexual con otra persona, soy muy celosa en esa parte de una historia de romance. Y finalmente, es que leo mucho romance entre hombres, por lo que ver las escenas en las que tenían sexo y no era tratado de manera un tanto realista, me hacía sentir que era incómodo para el pobre Nick, que era a quien no preparaban adecuadamente antes de la penetración; además de que Caspar tenía encuentros con otro tipo y luego cuando estaba con Nick no había mención a ningún método de protección como lo es el condón o prueba de ETS y simplemente lo hacían así sin medir consecuencias, espero que la magia de Nick lo haga inmune a enfermedades venereas😖.
✧ Entonces, ¿por qué le estoy dando 3 estrellas? Pese a todo lo mencionado que me pareció mal tratado o que no puedo ver con buenos ojos, la trama es muy buena: Santa Klaus siendo villano; Nick queriendo llevar una vida normal con el hombre del que está enamorado; el drama de tener que dejar a Caspar para salvar su alma y en el proceso rompiendo el corazón de ambos; el tema de la depresión de Caspar y el enterarnos de cómo es que su vida ha sido tan solitaria desde que era niño; cuando ya están juntos, ver como es que luchan contra el matón que fue enviado para separarlos; el enfrentamiento final entre Santa, Nick, Caspar y Noel, para finalmente ser libres de la tiranía de su padre y que Nick pueda irse al mundo de los mortales a vivir junto a su hombre.
✧ Recomiendo leerse antes las advertencias de contenido, ya que se mencionan algunos temas como el suicidio, depresión, abuso o consentimiento dudoso, violencia física, acoso, entre otros. Que como ya mencione anteriormente, algunos se manejan dentro del dark romance y son tratados como muestras de amor entre los protagonistas o actos románticos. Siempre y cuando se lea este libro con el criterio de saber que lo que ocurre aquí no debe ser romantizado en la vida real y detectar los comportamientos que obviamente están mal, creo que es una buena lectura para pasar el rato. La nota final de la autora me parece muy buena, nos da su punto de vista acerca de que cada quien vive estas fechas como quiere y que no debemos dejarnos llevar por lo que dicen los demás, hagamos lo que queramos y que se vayan a la mierda quienes digan lo contrario.
December 17, 2023
ashlyn is just really good at fast-paced dark mm. actually adored this
August 16, 2022
This twisted Christmas novella was everything I needed to help me curve my Christmas appetite!!
I really had no idea what I was getting into with this book. I expected a different take on Scrooge which I kind of got but what Ashley Drewek delivered was so much more than that.
Casper wasn't the only with his own set of problems and not feeling like he had anyone that truly cared about him. Nick was in the same position. He had the family, but he couldn't truly be himself. When Nick and Casper came together it was pure lightning with the touch of instalove I adore in my holiday shorts.
Seriously, if you are looking for something a little dark and steamy to get you ready for the holiday season or to read during the holiday season than look no further. This book will give you an abundance of different feels and I was here for all of them.
I really had no idea what I was getting into with this book. I expected a different take on Scrooge which I kind of got but what Ashley Drewek delivered was so much more than that.
Casper wasn't the only with his own set of problems and not feeling like he had anyone that truly cared about him. Nick was in the same position. He had the family, but he couldn't truly be himself. When Nick and Casper came together it was pure lightning with the touch of instalove I adore in my holiday shorts.
Seriously, if you are looking for something a little dark and steamy to get you ready for the holiday season or to read during the holiday season than look no further. This book will give you an abundance of different feels and I was here for all of them.
November 24, 2022
DNF @ 34%.
Darker? Darker than what, exactly? Maybe it gets darker (and maybe it gets a plot, too). The writing isn’t compelling enough to stick around and find out if this marshmallow world becomes something more sinister.
Darker? Darker than what, exactly? Maybe it gets darker (and maybe it gets a plot, too). The writing isn’t compelling enough to stick around and find out if this marshmallow world becomes something more sinister.
December 2, 2022
This was a unique spin on Christmas and Santa. I liked it! My only complaint is that I felt like I was missing a bit of something. Maybe a bit more of an emotional connection buildup? Idk. Still enjoyed it.
July 31, 2022
Dark Romance Buddy read with @iman
3.5
I really like the the emotional moments with these two I really do, I feel Caspar struggle because he grew up alone but this book just circle around his struggles over and over again without really addressing Caspar depression and suicidal thoughts and it all changed just because he just wanted to have sex and a guy mind you this happens 3 times, i mean come on it all changed just because of a one guy.
I don't know why the author decides to make Santa homophobic I thought he had beef with Jesus or something anyway.
At what point I just want to rip my hair out of my scalp because Caspar decides to fuck another guy while this going on nick suffer to watched it all.
But I really get the christmas vibe to it
It'd be a really great Christmas read.
I don't think this was dark at all tbh
This was vanilla compared to most of the dark books I've read.
3.5
I really like the the emotional moments with these two I really do, I feel Caspar struggle because he grew up alone but this book just circle around his struggles over and over again without really addressing Caspar depression and suicidal thoughts and it all changed just because he just wanted to have sex and a guy mind you this happens 3 times, i mean come on it all changed just because of a one guy.
I don't know why the author decides to make Santa homophobic I thought he had beef with Jesus or something anyway.
At what point I just want to rip my hair out of my scalp because Caspar decides to fuck another guy while this going on nick suffer to watched it all.
But I really get the christmas vibe to it
It'd be a really great Christmas read.
I don't think this was dark at all tbh
This was vanilla compared to most of the dark books I've read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2024
Best worst read of the year 🤣
January 25, 2023
Were the dark parts that one MC was f**king another dude on the regular while the other MC, through Santa magic, got to unhappily watch it? And, that Santa was a downer and a bossy dick?
I never thought I’d write that about a great symbol of kindness and love. I was waiting, after Caspar finally understood who Nick was, for him to go off about having crummy Christmas’ as a child. I’m not going to reread, but I’m sure foster homes and no or few presents were mentioned. I thought that would be brought up. Maybe the magic dick healed all. I was skimming by that part, determined that I should try and finish to give it a review. I do like the novella length. Okay, I just read the Rupert is here to take your soul to hell part, and I’m out. DNF
I never thought I’d write that about a great symbol of kindness and love. I was waiting, after Caspar finally understood who Nick was, for him to go off about having crummy Christmas’ as a child. I’m not going to reread, but I’m sure foster homes and no or few presents were mentioned. I thought that would be brought up. Maybe the magic dick healed all. I was skimming by that part, determined that I should try and finish to give it a review. I do like the novella length. Okay, I just read the Rupert is here to take your soul to hell part, and I’m out. DNF
January 3, 2022
What do you do when your father is not only Santa, but basically an evil Santa? Well, you fall for a human man you know you can't have and wish more than anything that you could be with him. But your evil Santa dad won't let you because he's a man and Santa must have a wife, and Nick, Santa's oldest son, is set to take over as Santa himself one day, and then carry on the legacy.
But Nick doesn't want it. He just wants a life with Caspar, a 23-year-old man who he's pined for for years, but who doesn't know he exists, until one night when Caspar is thinking of and Nick comes to him to stop him.
For me, they fell into bed too fast. Given what Caspar was just doing, it felt strange to me that they just kinda forgot that and got to fucking.
To me, that didn't establish the connection well, and then Nick has to go back to the North Pole or be found out by his dad, and so Caspar, who had been drinking somewhat, ends up thinking it was all a dream. Then we have to suffer through Nick watching through a snow globe filled with magic as Caspar fucks some other dude.
Then Nick breaks the rules again and sees Caspar months later, when he's and they end up sleeping together again, but then Caspar is pulled back magically by his father back to the North Pole again. (And we have to see him have sex with that other guy once again *sigh*)
I only started to feel their connection when they meet up for the third time. So much more happens there. It went by faster for me then as well, but then it was over fairly quickly by then.
So I enjoyed parts of this, but it was too slow and too fast at the same time in parts. The romance happened quickly but also not, the story went by slow at times and then picked up near the end.
I think this being a novella hurt the story, actually, because having read The Kidnapping of Roan, I know this author is a good author who can write a good story. And this novella had some good parts, some likable parts, overall, it just suffered from being too short and not taking time to establish the connection well between the two MC's. It took toward near the end for me to start to feel it between these two.
So overall, an okay read for me. It also wasn't as dark as I was expecting, given the premise of it. But it has points for definitely be darker than any other Christmas short out there haha.
Still very excited for the second installment in the Kidnapping Roan duet, can't wait for that!
But Nick doesn't want it. He just wants a life with Caspar, a 23-year-old man who he's pined for for years, but who doesn't know he exists, until one night when Caspar is thinking of and Nick comes to him to stop him.
For me, they fell into bed too fast. Given what Caspar was just doing, it felt strange to me that they just kinda forgot that and got to fucking.
To me, that didn't establish the connection well, and then Nick has to go back to the North Pole or be found out by his dad, and so Caspar, who had been drinking somewhat, ends up thinking it was all a dream. Then we have to suffer through Nick watching through a snow globe filled with magic as Caspar fucks some other dude.
Then Nick breaks the rules again and sees Caspar months later, when he's and they end up sleeping together again, but then Caspar is pulled back magically by his father back to the North Pole again. (And we have to see him have sex with that other guy once again *sigh*)
I only started to feel their connection when they meet up for the third time. So much more happens there. It went by faster for me then as well, but then it was over fairly quickly by then.
So I enjoyed parts of this, but it was too slow and too fast at the same time in parts. The romance happened quickly but also not, the story went by slow at times and then picked up near the end.
I think this being a novella hurt the story, actually, because having read The Kidnapping of Roan, I know this author is a good author who can write a good story. And this novella had some good parts, some likable parts, overall, it just suffered from being too short and not taking time to establish the connection well between the two MC's. It took toward near the end for me to start to feel it between these two.
So overall, an okay read for me. It also wasn't as dark as I was expecting, given the premise of it. But it has points for definitely be darker than any other Christmas short out there haha.
Still very excited for the second installment in the Kidnapping Roan duet, can't wait for that!
December 24, 2021
This novella sure does pack a punch!
Caspar, a wildly unhappy guy has had enough of what life has to offer, especially when it comes to Christmas. He drowns his sorrows in whiskey and finds himself on the edge of a bridge on Christmas Eve, but who else should show up to save him than the son of Santa Claus himself, Nick.
Nick may love Christmas but he’s destined to take on a job he doesn’t want and so he spends his time watching ordinary people going about their ordinary lives and Caspar is one of those people. But the question is, can Nick save Caspar from himself?
This story is perfect for those of us who want a slightly darker and sexier Christmas themed book. It took me no time at all to fall for Nick and Caspar, and my heart broke seeing just how defeated Caspar was. But Nick swooping in, time and time again, yes! He’s the true Christmas hero here, forget Santa!!
I love what Ashlyn created within this story, bringing in old traditions and folklore and making them flow seamlessly. There’s nothing ‘cringey’ in this story as can be typical of Christmas themed books, it really does work and this is the kind of Christmas story I want to read every year.
This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but for those of you who do love dark romances and want a Christmassy spin, please give this a read!
Caspar, a wildly unhappy guy has had enough of what life has to offer, especially when it comes to Christmas. He drowns his sorrows in whiskey and finds himself on the edge of a bridge on Christmas Eve, but who else should show up to save him than the son of Santa Claus himself, Nick.
Nick may love Christmas but he’s destined to take on a job he doesn’t want and so he spends his time watching ordinary people going about their ordinary lives and Caspar is one of those people. But the question is, can Nick save Caspar from himself?
This story is perfect for those of us who want a slightly darker and sexier Christmas themed book. It took me no time at all to fall for Nick and Caspar, and my heart broke seeing just how defeated Caspar was. But Nick swooping in, time and time again, yes! He’s the true Christmas hero here, forget Santa!!
I love what Ashlyn created within this story, bringing in old traditions and folklore and making them flow seamlessly. There’s nothing ‘cringey’ in this story as can be typical of Christmas themed books, it really does work and this is the kind of Christmas story I want to read every year.
This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but for those of you who do love dark romances and want a Christmassy spin, please give this a read!
December 15, 2022
STEAM LEVEL: 🔥🔥🔥
𝙸𝚏 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚐𝚕𝚞𝚝𝚝𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎, 𝙸’𝚍 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎. 𝙸’𝚍 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚍.
———
𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎, 𝙲𝚊𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚢 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝.
So this is not a happy-go-lucky Christmas novella. It’s heartbreaking and emotional and at times fairly brutal. Caspar is depressed af and Nick is chained to his duties. The push and pull is vicious and I found myself tearing up many times. The HEA was beautiful but the trip there was rocky. I wanted to hug these guys so many times and bash their heads together at other times.
Caspar is ready to end his life when he meets Nick. Nick stops him and they share an amazing night. But when Nick disappears, Caspar falls back into depression. This cycle continues with Caspar seeking comfort in a friend while Nick has to watch from his “cage.” These parts broke my heart.
When Caspar finally reaches his limit, Nick has to break all the rules to save him and he pays for it. But that cost gives him freedom and a life with Caspar that is unique and beautiful. I loved these guys but the story was a bit dark for this time of year (for me right now).
November 22, 2022
If you’re looking for a short, twisted, Christmas-themed fantasy read with a steam-filled centre, then look no further.
This hot little gem was a perfect filler.
This was exactly what I was looking for between reads and I definitely enjoyed it.
As a novella, I knew going in that it wouldn’t have time for any sort of super-detailed character-growth, so this definitely worked for me…💙💙
This hot little gem was a perfect filler.
This was exactly what I was looking for between reads and I definitely enjoyed it.
As a novella, I knew going in that it wouldn’t have time for any sort of super-detailed character-growth, so this definitely worked for me…💙💙
December 28, 2022
As much as I love Christmas, this was a refreshing take on the holiday that in its own way still captures some of the spirit of the season. Nick and Caspar were a bit chaotic, but still very sweet together, and while their connection was very fast, they made sense. There was a surprising amount of angst in this, but it led to an intensely romantic finale that proved how committed they were to each other.
December 24, 2021
This novella was just what the doctor ordered to get me through the last hours of the Christmas Rush of 2021. I fell in love with Casper immediately and wanted him to find happiness and feel cherished and loved❤ Nick is an absolute force of nature, peppermint firecracker who doesn't care about rules and reason when it comes to love❤
January 1, 2024
What you'll get:
Dark Christmas
Old magic
Santa is a bad guy
Gay rep
TW: Suicide attempt/ideation, domestic violence
Setting: Maine, North Pole
This was dark but not quite as dark as I was bracing myself for. We had an interesting old gods mythology feel to this because Santa was willing to send your whole soul to hell if he didn't like you which is a huge flex. Nick (Santa's son) has been watching Caspar for years but doesn't make himself known until Caspar almost does something he can't take back. I never know why characters ask questions if a mystery boyfriend is filling your gas tank or buying your groceries. Just roll with it boo.
I thought these two were sweet together. I'm completely happy with where the story ended up.
Dark Christmas
Old magic
Santa is a bad guy
Gay rep
TW: Suicide attempt/ideation, domestic violence
Setting: Maine, North Pole
This was dark but not quite as dark as I was bracing myself for. We had an interesting old gods mythology feel to this because Santa was willing to send your whole soul to hell if he didn't like you which is a huge flex. Nick (Santa's son) has been watching Caspar for years but doesn't make himself known until Caspar almost does something he can't take back. I never know why characters ask questions if a mystery boyfriend is filling your gas tank or buying your groceries. Just roll with it boo.
I thought these two were sweet together. I'm completely happy with where the story ended up.
December 1, 2022
An erotic Christmas novella on the darker side. A man Who keeps wanting to die is saved by Nick, the son of Santa, whenever he attempts to commit suicide and results in sexy time each time . 😂
September 6, 2022
A quick Christmas novella in September! I’m trying to manifest cooler weather, thoughts and vibes to get me through this awful heat wave were I live. This was definitely not your typical Christmas story and I loved it! Nick was possessive as hell and Caspar was such a broken man. The author lacked a solid punch in this novella. Though I didn’t like that there was some sleeping with others, it really couldn’t be helped/there’s no blame. Idk. That stuff bothers me sometimes in books but it was okay here. Great read for anytime of year. And also I love the message at the end about telling the Susan’s of the world that they can eff off if they don’t like how you celebrate.
December 29, 2023
4 1/2 Stars
“Did that mean one day he was going to be the head of the whole fucking Christmas shit show? Like a mafia don, except with elves and tinsel?”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Finally! A unique and clever twist on a holiday story. I loved that this had darker themes, but was still a light and sweet read.
Caspar has been alone his whole life and was ready to end it one Christmas Eve when Nick showed up to save him. Finally Caspar had someone who wanted him. But, good things don’t last long and Nick disappears. Just when Caspar started to hope for good things again, he felt worse off than he was before. Would Nick find his way back to him?
I loved both of these characters and the story is so creative. I mean, it has a magical snow globe! How cool is that?
If you’re looking for something different than the same ‘ol fluffy holiday reads, this is it. There was a great little story packed in to this novella and I really enjoyed Ashlyn Drewek’s writing. I wish she’d write more.
“Did that mean one day he was going to be the head of the whole fucking Christmas shit show? Like a mafia don, except with elves and tinsel?”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Finally! A unique and clever twist on a holiday story. I loved that this had darker themes, but was still a light and sweet read.
Caspar has been alone his whole life and was ready to end it one Christmas Eve when Nick showed up to save him. Finally Caspar had someone who wanted him. But, good things don’t last long and Nick disappears. Just when Caspar started to hope for good things again, he felt worse off than he was before. Would Nick find his way back to him?
I loved both of these characters and the story is so creative. I mean, it has a magical snow globe! How cool is that?
If you’re looking for something different than the same ‘ol fluffy holiday reads, this is it. There was a great little story packed in to this novella and I really enjoyed Ashlyn Drewek’s writing. I wish she’d write more.
December 6, 2022
OOOOH YES YES
I loved Nick and Caspar so much!! I hate that some stories are novellas when you really want to know so much more about them!!
But this book did a really great job of explaining as much of the background as it could in the characters and a bit of Nick’s world!! I kinda wanted to know more about Rupert to be honest lol but it’s fine.
I loved Nick and Caspar so much!! I hate that some stories are novellas when you really want to know so much more about them!!
But this book did a really great job of explaining as much of the background as it could in the characters and a bit of Nick’s world!! I kinda wanted to know more about Rupert to be honest lol but it’s fine.
December 13, 2023
Interesting Story
This was a very unique and interesting story. The good bits start right from the first chapter and everything wraps up within the novella timeline. I found myself wanting more from this story though, and not even from Nick and Caspar.
This was a very unique and interesting story. The good bits start right from the first chapter and everything wraps up within the novella timeline. I found myself wanting more from this story though, and not even from Nick and Caspar.
December 9, 2022
read Dec 9, 2022 - Dec 9, 2022: 3 stars
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