A review by allingoodtime
Axes & O's by Kayla Grosse

hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

This was the spicy insta-love snowed-in holiday romance I didn’t know I was looking for. The majority of the story takes place over the few days leading up to Christmas, but these three characters go through a lot of emotions over that time.

Morgan and Fox have been together since they were 14 and their relationship is rock solid, so a lot of the character growth was Nathan’s. Not that Morgan and Fox didn’t have growth, too. Both of them are scared after having other partners that didn’t quite fit with them. There was love with those partners and they understood why it didn’t work out, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt them and leave scars. The couple waffles between the intense feeling that Nathan is the one they’ve been looking for and being afraid of Nathan’s rejection. Or even of not being able to be enough for Nathan.

Although this book isn’t very long for there being three main characters, the author is able to fit in growth on so many levels. There are the relationships between each duo as well as the trio that need to be addressed. I was most touched by the Nathan and Fox pairing and how Fox helped Nathan understand himself. Yet all of the different aspects of this relationship worked.

This was my first book by this author and I’ll be seeking out more. There is a ton of heart and heat, both things I look for in my books. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Grief, Death of parent