I mean, I assume it’s exploitive. It is Amazon.
Having had some success with the Improbable Meet Cute collection for Valentines Day, and, as someone who absolutely loves a Christmas novella, I paid for one (the Ali Hazelwood) and borrowed the other four of these Under the Mistletoe “get to know a romance author with a free read” stories. I imagine Amazon is doing the same thing as telling someone to work for free for the exposure. I hope they were compensated in some way. I should just buy all of them as a gesture, shouldn’t I?
Three of these novellas trade wisely on the “I’ve been waiting for my chance” trope which is a wonderfully efficient way to bolster the accelerated timeline required by a quick read.
Coming Back to this Review After Several Weeks Note: Okay, so when I thought of these again this morning, all I could remember was that one guy had a toolbelt. Let’s read on together and see how I did with the original draft and what else comes to mind…
The Under the Mistletoe Collection:
Cruel Winter with You – Ali Hazelwood
I’ve known you all my life and I have always loved you and now we’re snowed in and this is my big chance! Plus, he has ensured her financial stability and she is blissfully unaware of it.
Enjoyable and well-written as is the case with Hazelwood. I’ve been reading her steadily anyway, so this won’t garner more business.
All by My Elf – Olivia Dade
It’s taken me a minute to remember this one, but now I do I know I liked it. The characters were sensible grownups who just needed a push to start a relationship– or a blizzard, as the case may be.
I’ve never really gotten into Olivia Dade, though I know I’ve tried a few. Maybe I should revisit her.
Merriment and Mayhem – Alexandria Bellefleur
I couldn’t remember anything about this one and had to go back and read the synopsis to be sure I had actually read it.
A young woman is working on her recently inherited grandmother’s house and keeps getting into unlikely scrapes. By coincidence, the same firefighter keeps being the one on call.
It was cute and I kept thinking it was a standard, Harlequinesque romance. That means: nice, predictable, nothing special.
I do love how many contemporary romances these days feature some kind of deus ex machina home ownership to provide all the Millennials and Gen Z protagonists with place to live and call their own. I guess it may have always been common as I just notice it more now.
Only Santas in the Building – Alexis Daria
I’m almost positive this was the one with one with the toolbelt. Sweet and down to earth, as I recall.
Stevie has been receiving daily anonymous Christmas tree decorations from someone in her new building. She needs them as she is trying to get settled and has serious work priorities. Maybe if she attends the Santa-themed holiday party (dressed as Mariah Carey from All I Want For Christmas Is You) she can figure out who her secret gift giver is or see the local hot guy from the building. You can guess what happens next.
Merry Ever After – Tessa Bailey
It was extraordinarily unlikely that I was going to like this novella as Bailey is so emphatically not my cup of tea; therefore, Merry Every After neither disappointed/surprised. A single mum new to a small Texas town falls in instalove with a very large “daddy” type.
As you know, the patriarchy is doing everything in its power to keep its boot on all women’s necks. The last thing I want to read about is a woman with a daddy proclivity falling for and under the largest traditional man she can find. Adding to that the fantastically outdated “jeepers, I don’t know if it will fit,” trope and I wanted to start lobbing things across the room.
“He’s so big and strong and silent, I can’t wait for me to crush me under his weight like a bug while I literally call him Daddy.” I’m not here to yuck someone’s yum, but the fantasy of a old-fashioned relationship in our current climate (and my advancing years) is repugnant to me. “Who needs autonomy, when I’m sure I can trust this man.”
Even though this one was free, it was still too expensive.
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It occurs to me now that I might not be allowed to include this review as the books were read in 2024. I await moderation. Updated: It turns out the timing wasn’t an issue, just my brevity. It has been addressed. Lesson learned.