Adorable!!

This was a sweet opposites attract, forced proximity fluffy holiday romance

This one gave me all the feels and I absolutely enjoyed this adorable romance.


Nick Hudson performed an amazing audio delivery and narration.

Definitely recommend this gem

2 people found this helpful

Loved this for me!

What a great story about love and addiction and that healing and trusting can prevail if u take the time

Great book

Loved this book from beginning to end and been disappointed when it finished. 🤔 What next I read next wonder! I'll need to look for something kind of festive 🤔 I will need to plough through and see what I have. We are off for to my cousin's in Laurencekirk for the week to help her see out the old year and welcome in a far a God blessed 2022!!

loved it

love the story love the narration well worth the money spent for this audiobook

Like a Hallmark Christmas from the dark side

I really liked this Christmas-themed story, although it broke my heart many times before showing that broken faith and trust can be restored. I really liked that not everything turned out rosy. It made the story so much more realistic. There is a dark side to Christmas. It isn't always joyful for everyone, and this story handled the stress and drama very maturely. Poor Ashton touched my heart from the start. It seemed that everyone, EVERYONE, had betrayed him...parents, (step) siblings, other family, the system. The cover of the book really belies the traumatic emotion and angst that runs through much of the story. There are a lot of triggers here - religious abuse, parental abandonment, drug use, PTSD, homophobia. There is an HEA, but the MCs really have to work for it. If you are looking for a sweet, fluffy Christmas story, this isn't it. But, if you want a realistic story that includes challenges and triumphs, highs and lows, joy and sorry, then this is a perfect choice.

The narration by Nick Hudson is good, but I don't really like his voice for this type of story. To me, he is meant to narrate warm, fluffy tales. This is a purely personal thing.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Christmas with some bite

I love all the soft, marshmallow Christmas romances, but realistically, Christmas can be a hard time for folks for lots of reasons. It was, nice, therefore to get this story with great characters and a lovely HEA that had some struggle and angst to it. Ashton and Walker are carrying around some serious baggage from toxic family members, abuse, addiction and it is harrowing at times as they work through these issues. They eventually start doing it together and it's clear they are building a strong foundation. Come for the fogs, snow, holiday treats and steamy romance and stay for a deeper character study. Nick Hudson perfectly captures the wide range of emotions in this story.

Long…but worth it

I’ll address the length first of all. Most audios I listen to are between eight and twelve hours. A few shorter, the odd one longer. Ten hours is about my sweet spot. Anything longer than twelve takes a planned commitment. When this one landed in my player, I planned on it taking almost a week. It didn’t. I sped through it because I wanted to know what came next. I had read the previous two books in the series, but it would’ve been okay if I hadn’t.

Ashton pulled me in from the beginning. I’ve never had bed bugs, but after having rented in some dodgy places, it’d always been a worry of mine. I felt complete empathy for him when he was turfed from his place. His creative offer to play fake boyfriend to anyone willing to give him a couch was cute. It fit his personality. He glowed. But that glow is a veneer that covers deep emotional pain – another thing I can empathize and that resonated with me.

Walker is a great guy. Yeah, he had a short fall from grace, but he’s done okay for himself. He’s a partner in an advertising agency along with Ashton and Casey. They make a good team. Ashton being the flamboyant one while Walker is the straight man and Casey’s somewhere in the middle. Walker doesn’t understand Ashton. He worries about the reputation of the firm, and wonders if Ashton’s antics might cost them clients. Never has, but one can never be too careful. So when Ashton puts the outrageous offer on Facebook, Walker feels the need to shut it down. He offers Ashton and place to live.

Now, there were surprises at Walker’s house that I wasn’t anticipating. Especially because he comes across as a bit of a Scrooge in the opening scene.

When Walker’s sister needs a distraction at her wedding, Ashton is all-in. The men devise a plan to pull focus away from the bride and groom. Yes, that’s not the usual plan, but Walker’s sister is desperate. Personally, I think they should have eloped. But what fun would that be? Ashton is at his sparkly best, and Walker’s right there with him. I laughed. A lot.

Then a dark incident from Walker’s past comes to light and Ashton feels the need to walk away. He’s fallen into this trap too often with his own family. A highly dysfunctional family. He’s not getting suckered in again.

I admit feeling a moment of despair. I knew everything would be alright, but I also knew it’d be a high mountain for the men to climb. Climb it they did, and I got my happily ever after.

I can’t end this review without mentioning Nick Hudson. He’s a narrator I trust to deliver a great performance and he did just that. I especially like how he did the kids’ voices.

Worth the time investment? You bet. Glad I listened to it.

Me. Jingle Bells

Overall, I think this was a decent listen. For me, it dragged a little and could have benefited from more editing. That said, the characters were good, and the plot was perfect for a Christmas-themed read. I go back and forth with Nick Hudson’s narration. I did speed it up, which I usually do with him, and I mostly enjoy it once I adjust to his style.

Engaging holiday romance

Enjoyed this story. The characters had a lot of depth and developed over the course of the romance and the way the romance unfolded felt believable despite the two characters' initial issues with each other. My only pet peeve was that one of them kept saying "love that for me" about everything and it got to be a little much, but I can overlook that for the fun holiday feels this book captured that warm and fuzzy hallmark holiday movie feeling and the romance was good without being cheesy. The familial relationships on one side could be triggering for some due to homophobia and addiction, but it was handled well imo. I enjoyed the narration.

Jingle Bell Sass

Mr. Jingle Bells is the third book in the Home for the Holidays series, but it can easily be read as a standalone.

I absolutely loved this book. The fake relationship trope can be a bit predictable, but Leta Blake has created a fantastic story with incredibly compelling characters. There's so much depth and complexity to the story. This isn't a book simply about a fake relationship that becomes real, but about two men who have to face their demons and overcome their fears. To keep the book from getting too angsty, there is a lot of humor and sass interwoven throughout the book. I love the banter between the main characters and secondary characters. The romance is beautiful and touching, and I was rooting so hard for their happy ever after.

The audiobook was narrated by Nick Hudson who does a fantastic job. Nick has a wonderfully smooth voice that he distinctively fits to each character. This, along with a great audiobook production, creates a lovely listening experience.