Reviewed by Dan

TITLE: Christmas in His Heart

AUTHOR: Havan Fellows & Lee Brazil     

PUBLISHER: Lime Time Press

LENGTH: 119 Pages

BLURB:

Christmastime brings joy to hearts everywhere. Between snow angels, festive clothing, holiday decorations, and of course, all the beautiful lights, it’s hard not to partake in the season. Unless you no longer have Christmas in your heart. Dermot Alasdair has never shared the horrific memories that keep him from celebrating the happiest time of the year, nor does he ever plan to. He’s fine being alone and shut off from everyone; he has his restaurant and that’s all he needs. He believes that, too…until the craft store next door from his eatery hires a perpetually smiling annoyance. Really, it isn’t normal for someone to be that happy all the time. Xander Leahman didn’t know what he was getting into when he accepted an invitation to visit his best friend and help her interview people for the newly created position of manager at Craft Time. When a surly man bumps into him and then walks away with an enticing sway to his hips, Xander decides the position—and Dermot—are perfect for him. Now all he can think of is finding ways to get Dermot out of his clothes. Well that, and how to open this grinch’s heart to the Christmas season and, hopefully, love.

REVIEW:

Xander Leahman just doesn’t get the hot guy who owns the restaurant next to the craft store that Xander manages. He first ran into him in the late summer when he came to town to do interviews for his friend that owns the craft store. After Dermot Alasdair bumped into him and then walked away, Xander decided it was time for him to give up the high pressure corporate world and get into running a small business.  Especially if that hotness worked next door!

When the story opens, it is approaching the Christmas season and Xander has been lusting after the guy ever since, but it doesn’t appear Dermot even knows he exists! It is time to make him notice, so Xander conveniently has to sweep the steps right when Dermot is on his way to the restaurant one morning, and conveniently just happens to have a cup of coffee ready for him when he comes by. All is fine until Dermot looks down at the cup, with its Christmas theme and practically runs off to the restaurant.

Dermot Alasdair runs an up and coming restaurant in the historic district of town, as I said above, right next door to the craft shop where Xander works. Something really bad happened in Dermot’s past that makes him hate Christmas. We get hints along the way, but never learn the truth of his past until late in the book.  When it is revealed it is well justified.  A thing like that would make anyone hate Christmas.

It turns out that Dermot certainly does know that Xander exists. He has had his eye on him but knows that Xander won’t want anything to do with him once he learns that Dermot doesn’t celebrate Christmas. After all, Xander is chronically happy, reminding Dermot of a hyperactive elf!

When Dermot ran off to the restaurant, he did it with the coffee cup clutched in his hand. This is just the opening that Xander needs to go by the restaurant for lunch and to regain the cup.   Thus begins the conquest of Dermot. The road is bumpy, but can they navigate it together?  Can Xander make the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes and make him enjoy the Christmas season.  Will they find a happy ending?  Grab the book and find out!

I really liked this book. I recommend you add it to your holiday reading list!

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon

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