Reviews

Havoc for the Holidays by Jay Leigh

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booksafety's review against another edition

5.0

Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

“Shy doesn't always equal submissive, Ez.”

I feel like such a silly fangirl every time I review a Jay Leigh book, but man, their writing just works for me so well. Until now I’ve only read this author’s more suspenseful and action-y books, so this was my first contemporary. I can confirm that I enjoyed this just as much (although I’ll always be a hoe for suspense).

This little book had a bit of everything, and it surprised the heck out of me when it made me cry. There’s something about a young single dad who is doing his very best to give his child the world while struggling through work, school and some anxiety that tugged on my heartstrings hard. I just wanted to give him a massive hug.

There’s plenty of small-town charm, christmas cuteness without being overwhelmingly Santa-in-your-face, and a kid who will make you smile.

“Oliver Branson, you can't possibly be this hopeless. Please tell me you actually know how to flirt?” I scoffed so hard, I started coughing as the chilly air hit the back of my throat.

There’s also a mix of fast feelings and push and pull, which sounds mental, but it worked because it felt genuine and real for these character. They cared about each other so much, but that doesn’t always mean it’s easy or straightforward.

Can highly recommend this sweet little book.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Short novel
Small town
Single dad
Dancer MC
Christmas themed
Chaotic dad
Redhead MC
Paralegal MC
Awkward and shy MC
Flip-fucking
Fast feelings
Docking
Push and pull

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Mentions of MC being a teenage parent
Mentions of teenage pregnancy
Mentions of severe injury altering career (past)
Anxiety and mild symptoms of depression
Financial insecurity
Minor car accident (no injury)
SC with chronic migraines

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Holiday romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 22 and 25
Kid’s age: 5
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 147
Happy ending: Yes

I was a hot mess on a good day. Evidently, in front of gorgeous men in dance tights, I turned into a full scale spicy disaster.

I wanted him in ways that overwhelmed me, but my mind couldn't reconcile being a father and a partner at the same time. I'd never known anything more than being a parent and the concept of trying to add more to that left me panicking.

You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

thousandlifetimestbr's review against another edition

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5.0

Dull of holiday sweetness

Adorable boys falling in love ♥️
Perfect sweet novella for the holiday season.
Sassy Ez and shy Olly made such a gorgeous pair

bookshelvesandtealeaves's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was TOO cute! I loved this pairing so much.

I really loved the way Ezechiel fights for Oliver instead of giving up on him when things get difficult. I love the way he just understands Ollie and the way his brain works, the way his life has made him build walls around his heart. I love that he doesn’t want to tear those walls down, only be let in to help carry the burden. And I loved how quickly he loved Oliver’s kid like she was his own.

dolewhipdanielle's review against another edition

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3.5

I have very mixed feelings about this novella. On one hand I really enjoyed Ez & Ollie together. They have great chemistry and a genuine connection. I struggled though with some of Ollie’s actions. I understood why he acted the way he did at points but at others there was no clear explanation for why he would pull away and go into a tailspin. He also sometimes seemed to change personalities on a dime and it was very odd.