Reviewed by Chris
TITLE: Not Just For Christmas
AUTHOR: Annabelle Jacobs
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 207 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 28, 2017
BLURB:
Ben has Christmas, cats, and mistletoe on his side…. Jason doesn’t stand a chance
For Ben Slater, moving back to Bristol means being closer to his family, living with his best mate, and volunteering at the local animal shelter. But there’s also Jason, his best mate’s eldest brother. Ben’s had a crush on Jason for as long as he can remember, but the eleven-year age gap has always seemed insurmountable.
Jason Armitage works as a vet at his uncle’s practice. He owns a cute cottage on the outskirts of the city, and a loving dog. The one thing missing is someone to share it all with. His brother’s best friend seems a bad choice, but Jason can’t help taking a second look. Ben’s changed a lot since Jason last saw him; both in appearance and attitude. Gone is the shy young boy, replaced with a confident, twenty-four-year-old man.
In the run up to Christmas, the festive period gives Ben the ideal opportunity to show Jason what he has to offer. But concerns for his brother’s feelings hold Jason back. If they have any chance of making this work, Ben must convince Jason that he’s old enough to know what he wants, and Jason needs to believe that a relationship with his brother’s best friend won’t ruin their friendship.
REVIEW:
Pet owners be ready to get your cuddles on…because Annabelle Jacobs’ new holiday story is full of the fluffy.
Christmas time is probably my second favorite time of year, especially in bookland, because it is when all the sweet and wonderful comes out to play. Not Just For Christmas–despite what is on the tin–is a great example of why this time of year is loved by so many.
I so easily feel in love with this story and the MCs, Ben Slater and Jason Armitage. Ben has just moved back to town, and is going to share his best friend’s new apartment. They have been close since their childhoods and are really looking forward to being near each other again. But it is his best friend’s older brother, Jason, that sets Ben’s heart spinning. Again–since Ben has long harbored a crush for the man, even though their decade age difference meant that Jason was never going to see Ben as anything other than a younger brother back in the day. But Ben is an adult now, and he fully intends on making Jason see that.
In between bouts of kitten cuddles. So many kitty cuddles.
This is a sweet story that embraces its slow burn romance. You never really mind that it is taking them a bit to get around to that romance, though, because the secondary characters are entertaining, and the pets keep you awwwing at the page. And honestly the time spent building up to their relationship makes since because Jason needs to shake the image of Ben he had for so long, and finally see the man in front of him.
And I know I keep mentioning the animals–especially the cats–in this story, but they actually take up a considerable portion of the story and they are so gosh darn adorable that I had to keep reminding myself that my two furballs would be most put out if I started adding to their numbers.
Love might not be just for Christmas, but if you looking for another book to keep you company for the holidays, well this one is a great bet. Especially if you are as big of an animal lover as I am.
RATING: 
BUY LINK: