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dinohakari's review against another edition
4.0
First of all, this book contains taboo content, and very explicit sexual scenes, so please, read the warning triggers before you read the book. Second, that by writing this review I'm going to write a couple of SPOILERS so if you don't want to read them, please stop here.
Having said this...
.
.
.
This is a fairly new author to me, I think I've only read one or two of her books, so I'm not familiar with the kind of stories she writes.
I liked this story quite a bit. I am all for stories with that forbidden touch, so this book was very attractive to me. However, I do have a couple of things that bothered me, and obviously, it wasn't the taboo part, but James.
The whole first part where we meet the main characters, their background etc was pretty good. We have how Jesse gets into James' hands and why James becomes his guardian. So we know that James dedicated himself full time to raising Jesse from the age of two, focused on providing him with a stable childhood and adolescence, trying to always be there when Jesse needed him, raising him practically as a son, although always reminding him of his biological parents. This didn't leave him much room for more, eg., having a stable relationship with a woman. He always kept them at arm's length, not wanting them involved in Jesse's life. But never once did he look at him other than as the child he raised. Not once did he question the codependency that existed between them. Or why he wanted Jesse practically to himself.
And this is the part that bothers me. Either he was in complete and utter denial, or then I don't understand how all of a sudden he's not only attracted to another man, but that man is the child he raised. And yes, I get that's the taboo part, but that change from being a staunchly straight man to one attracted to the other sex, and to Jesse in particular was pretty drastic. He only hesitated a few hours, a day at the most and then? He fully entered the sexual part, practically without hesitation. Suddenly and in a matter of days it was all planning the future, moving to another place to be free and leaving behind what was "forbidden" in their relationship. It was all joy and enjoyment. There was no more drama, no angst, no transition from being straight to queer.
Don't get me wrong, I hope that one day everyone feels free to love whoever they want to love, without prejudice or doubt, and that everyone accepts that sexuality is fluid and therefore changeable, but we all know that is not what currently happens. So yeah, this is what bothered me about the book. And that's the only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars.
It's different with Jesse. He always knew he was gay, and it's been years since he's secretly lusted after James. He never saw him as his father, just as a father figure, something that once he entered his adolescence was changing. So when he saw that his dreams came true, he couldn't be happier, throwing himself fully into this new relationship.
Other than that part of James, it's a good story, full of sexual scenes and unconditional love and support between two people.
It is a book that I recommend reading and for my part, I hope to read more of her books.
Having said this...
.
.
.
This is a fairly new author to me, I think I've only read one or two of her books, so I'm not familiar with the kind of stories she writes.
I liked this story quite a bit. I am all for stories with that forbidden touch, so this book was very attractive to me. However, I do have a couple of things that bothered me, and obviously, it wasn't the taboo part, but James.
The whole first part where we meet the main characters, their background etc was pretty good. We have how Jesse gets into James' hands and why James becomes his guardian. So we know that James dedicated himself full time to raising Jesse from the age of two, focused on providing him with a stable childhood and adolescence, trying to always be there when Jesse needed him, raising him practically as a son, although always reminding him of his biological parents. This didn't leave him much room for more, eg., having a stable relationship with a woman. He always kept them at arm's length, not wanting them involved in Jesse's life. But never once did he look at him other than as the child he raised. Not once did he question the codependency that existed between them. Or why he wanted Jesse practically to himself.
And this is the part that bothers me. Either he was in complete and utter denial, or then I don't understand how all of a sudden he's not only attracted to another man, but that man is the child he raised. And yes, I get that's the taboo part, but that change from being a staunchly straight man to one attracted to the other sex, and to Jesse in particular was pretty drastic. He only hesitated a few hours, a day at the most and then? He fully entered the sexual part, practically without hesitation. Suddenly and in a matter of days it was all planning the future, moving to another place to be free and leaving behind what was "forbidden" in their relationship. It was all joy and enjoyment. There was no more drama, no angst, no transition from being straight to queer.
Don't get me wrong, I hope that one day everyone feels free to love whoever they want to love, without prejudice or doubt, and that everyone accepts that sexuality is fluid and therefore changeable, but we all know that is not what currently happens. So yeah, this is what bothered me about the book. And that's the only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars.
It's different with Jesse. He always knew he was gay, and it's been years since he's secretly lusted after James. He never saw him as his father, just as a father figure, something that once he entered his adolescence was changing. So when he saw that his dreams came true, he couldn't be happier, throwing himself fully into this new relationship.
Other than that part of James, it's a good story, full of sexual scenes and unconditional love and support between two people.
It is a book that I recommend reading and for my part, I hope to read more of her books.
meatloafqueen's review against another edition
3.0
If you’re looking for..
✅ Taboo relationship
✅ Steamy sex scenes
✅ Daddy kink
✅ Candy cane play..
This is a really hot little Christmas novella. A nice change from sweet Hallmark type Christmas stories. I liked it a lot but I felt the end dragged on a bit
✅ Taboo relationship
✅ Steamy sex scenes
✅ Daddy kink
✅ Candy cane play..
This is a really hot little Christmas novella. A nice change from sweet Hallmark type Christmas stories. I liked it a lot but I felt the end dragged on a bit
obsessivelyanxiousreader's review against another edition
5.0
This was even better the 2nd time around
literallynish__'s review against another edition
5.0
This little novella did a little somethin’ something’ for me!
rachrenfro's review against another edition
5.0
Oh man, this was so good. Nyla continues to write a great story with both plot AND smut.
James has raised Jesse since he was little after his parents died in a terrible accident. Jesse started to see James differently as he’s gotten older, but he never acted on it…until now. Lines eventually cross and the tension is HIGH!
I liked James a lot, and I understood his emotions running around his head. However, I LOVED Jesse. He was so sweet & I just wanted to hug him.
James has raised Jesse since he was little after his parents died in a terrible accident. Jesse started to see James differently as he’s gotten older, but he never acted on it…until now. Lines eventually cross and the tension is HIGH!
I liked James a lot, and I understood his emotions running around his head. However, I LOVED Jesse. He was so sweet & I just wanted to hug him.
darkromance_queen's review against another edition
4.0
✨ ARC REVIEW ✨
If you love taboo, MM and steamy AF, this is the book of the year
If you love taboo, MM and steamy AF, this is the book of the year
laykeyb_21's review against another edition
2.0
I was really disappointed with this novella. It started out so well but just past the half way mark it became so cheesy and I was actually quite bored with the story. Also for some reason after James and Jesse get together their dialogue became sooooo cringey! I literally wanted to puke with some of the things James would say to Jesse. I ended up quickly scanning through the last 20% as I just wanted it to be over.
kays_nook's review against another edition
5.0
I love me a good holiday romance and when I found out Nyla was writing one I knew I was gonna be in for a naughty treat
getbookedwith_ae's review against another edition
5.0
Yall already know I’m obsessed with everything Nyla K writes. This novella was perfection. It was taboo, age gap, angsty and spicy af…all my favorite things
kingawoj's review against another edition
5.0
Ho, Ho, HOOOOLY Hotness
So scorching hot, it could melt all the snow in the North Pole. I may also never look at a candy cane the same way again.
This novella has more spice and heat than some full-length spicy novels. This holiday story is very taboo and forbidden due to James being Jesse's guardian since he was 2, so if that is not your jam, please listen to the trigger warnings and don't read the book, because it's not for you.
For those that love the taboo and forbidden, this book has it in spades. The chemistry between Jesse and James is insane. I did like fact that we got to read about the struggles both of them face in coming to terms with this new relationship they find themselves in. Being a novella, it wasn't as flushed out as it could have been and James seemed to come to terms with not only being attracted to a man, after being staunchly straight his entire life, but also being attracted to his adopted son a little too quickly in my opinion.
Once they go all in on their relationship, they go 0-100 real quick. They quickly realize that if they want to make this relationship work, they need a fresh start away from their hometown, and end up moving away together. I liked seeing the cute, fluffy light side to their relationship. And obviously the spice is immaculate.
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. All in all, 10/10. I could read 5 more books about Jesse and James.
So scorching hot, it could melt all the snow in the North Pole. I may also never look at a candy cane the same way again.
This novella has more spice and heat than some full-length spicy novels. This holiday story is very taboo and forbidden due to James being Jesse's guardian since he was 2, so if that is not your jam, please listen to the trigger warnings and don't read the book, because it's not for you.
For those that love the taboo and forbidden, this book has it in spades. The chemistry between Jesse and James is insane. I did like fact that we got to read about the struggles both of them face in coming to terms with this new relationship they find themselves in. Being a novella, it wasn't as flushed out as it could have been and James seemed to come to terms with not only being attracted to a man, after being staunchly straight his entire life, but also being attracted to his adopted son a little too quickly in my opinion.
Once they go all in on their relationship, they go 0-100 real quick. They quickly realize that if they want to make this relationship work, they need a fresh start away from their hometown, and end up moving away together. I liked seeing the cute, fluffy light side to their relationship. And obviously the spice is immaculate.
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. All in all, 10/10. I could read 5 more books about Jesse and James.