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Book Review: Mr. Frosty Pants, by Leta Blake

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I picked up a copy of Leta Blake‘s Mr. Frosty Pants last November with every intention of reading it by Christmas. But we had kitchen construction going on last year and just about nothing went to plan. I don’t think I managed any Christmas reading, which means I have it available to read during this year’s Christmas Reading Challenge.
Mr. Frosty Pants Cover

Can true love warm his frozen heart?

When Casey Stevens went away to college four years ago, he ghosted on his straight best friend, Joel Vreeland. He hoped time and distance would lessen the unrequited affection he felt, but all it did was make him miss Joel more. Home for the holidays, Casey hopes they might find a way to be friends again. But Joel’s frosty reception reminds Casey of just how hard he had to fight to be Joel’s friend in the first place. It’s going to take a Christmas miracle to get past that cool façade again.

Joel isn’t as straight as Casey believes, and his years of pining for Casey have left him hurting and alone, caring for his abusive father and struggling to get by. Unable to trust anyone except his rescue dog—and with no reason to believe Casey is interested in him for more than a holiday fling—Joel’s icy heart might shatter before it can thaw.Can Casey and Joel’s love overcome mistrust, parental rejection, class differences, and four long years apart?

Mr. Frosty Pants is a stand-alone, Christmas gay romance by Leta Blake featuring a virgin hero, childhood friends-to-lovers, second chance romance, and steamy mm first times.

my review

I really appreciated having a male main character here who had spent some time in therapy and learned to recognize and ask for what he wants. Seeing Casey openly and honestly pursue Joel and Joel learn to be more open and honest in return was a pleasure to read. Blake faked me out several times, presenting scenarios that might turn into the tedious misunderstanding plot device, but I was relieve with what I found instead. I could have taken or left about half the sex scenes. There was a certain repetitiveness to them that bored me after a bit. But, all in all, I enjoyed this a lot (sunshine and Grumpy Pants being a favorite pairing of mine) and am awful happy to have book two at my fingertips.

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Other Reviews:

Mr Frosty Pants

Review of Mr. Frosty Pants by Leta Blake

Come back tomorrow. I’ll be reviewing The Christmas Lights Battle, by Skylar M. Cates and Dreaming Of a White Wolf Christmas, by Terry Spear. Yep, I’ve had to start doubling up on my posts to fit all the reviews in by Christmas.

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Book Review: The Plight Before Christmas, by Kate Stewart

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I accepted a review copy of Kate Stewart‘s The Plight Before Christmas for review through Wordsmith Publicity. The book was also on Sadie’s Spotlight, shortly thereafter.  When I got the offer, I thought it would be the perfect addition to my Christmas Reading Challenge (not that I was short on books).
plight before christmas ebook

Clark Griswold was onto something, at least with his annual holiday meltdown. And since the last three weeks of my life have been riddled with humbug—another breakup, a broken toe, an office promotion I deserved and didn’t get—I’m not at all in the mood to celebrate nor have the happ, happ, happiest Christmas EVER.

When Mom insisted that we all gather at my Grandparent’s ancient cabin for an old school family Christmas, I fully intended to get into the holiday spirit with the help of the three wise men, Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniels, and Jim Beam. But those boys did absolutely nothing to offset the shock or temper the sting of seeing my EX on our doorstep the first day of our holiday soiree.

Apparently, Santa missed the memo, and this elf is pissed.

Stuck for a week with the man who obliterated my heart nearly two decades ago, I did the only thing I could do and put on my game face, thankful for the home advantage.

I knew better than to drink that last cup of eggnog.

I knew better than to get tongue tangled beneath the mistletoe with the only man to ever break my heart.

I knew better than to sleep with Satan’s wingman on the eve of the Lord’s birthday.

I could blame the nog. I could blame the deceitful light blue eyes, thick, angelic hair, and panty evaporating smirk…but mostly, I blame Eli because he always knew exactly which of my buttons to push.

I foolishly thought a family Christmas filled with nostalgia was going to turn my inner Scrooge around, but this year’s festivities went up in flames. Leave it to the ghost of my Christmas past to be the one to light the match.

Fa la la la la, la FML.

my review

I have to admit, I’ve been doing a Christmas Reading Challenge this year. So, I’ve read A LOT of Christmas books recently. A LOT. This was one of my favorites, top three for sure. The writing was sharp and readable. Even though I had an ARC I didn’t notice any editing mishaps. There is real humor here, characters I could relate to, a second chance romance I rooted for, with leads that I enjoyed, and a satisfying ending.

I did have a couple complaints. One of which is a spoiler, so be warned. The non-spoiler is that I think the book is longer than need be. The spoilery complaints are 1) the serendipitous way the couple was brought back together. If I’m to believe he loved her as much as he did for as long as he did, then I have a hard time also believing he never came back for her. It’s very briefly addressed in the book, but it wasn’t enough for me. And 2) the whole birthday bucket list would have enraged me if I’d been in her shoes. Those were her dreams and he went and did the all WITHOUT HER, while she never had the opportunity. I understand what was supposed to be romantic about it, but I would still feel like something had been stolen.

All in all, though, I liked this a lot.

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Come back tomorrow. I’ll be reviewing A Hopeful Christmas, by Walker, Bessey, Kelly & Jensen.

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Book Review: Merry Elf-ing Christmas, by Beth Bolden

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I won an ARC copy of Merry Elf-ing Christmas from the author (Beth Bolden) on Facebook, which was just in time to include it in my Christmas Reading Challenge.
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Aidan might be a bad elf, but he’s never been naughty.

Aidan has always landed on Santa’s nice list, thank you very much. But that doesn’t mean he’s cut out to be a North Pole elf; instead of worrying about the dwindling magic of Christmas, he’d much rather be back in Tir na Nog, calculating where the next end of the rainbow is going to land.

Instead he’s freezing his butt off in Santa’s sleigh.

His situation seems grim despite all the decking the halls, until on Christmas Eve, during a milk and cookies run, he meets Dexter, an engineering student.

They couldn’t be more different, and Dexter couldn’t be more forbidden, but Aidan is drawn to the handsome human anyway. Over the next year, their emails start out as a entertaining way to pass the time in all his interminable elf meetings, but soon, hearing from Dex becomes the very best part of his day.

And when they meet up on the next Christmas Eve? Aidan and Dex discover that their infatuation is so much more than just attraction. If they believe in each other and in the love they share, together their magic might be powerful enough to save Christmas.

my review

Often times reading and what someone likes is 100% subjective. That was very apparent to me while reading this book. I’ll say up front that it’s not a bad book. It’s cute and sweet, Christmas focused, and full of likeable characters. But it wasn’t a  good book FOR ME for one pretty solid reason.

I am not someone who shies away from cursing or sex. But Christmas books that use Santa and his elves as fodder walk a very fine border with childish. Look at that cute cover. Imagine that elf up and walking around, talking and laughing and eating milk and cookies. Now imagine him cursing, giving head, and getting f*cked. For me those disparate images never fully merged and I felt like F-bombs and sexual tension (and eventual sex) got dropped in a children’s book and it didn’t work FOR ME. But I know it will 100% work for others.

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Other Reviews:

Review: Merry Elf-ing Christmas by Beth Bolden

Come back this evening. I’ll be reviewing The Plight Before Christmas, by Kate Stewart and tomorrow, when I’ll be reviewing A Hopeful Christmas, by Walker, Bessey, Kelly, and Jensen.