Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Grinch Kisses
SERIES: Christmas Falls
AUTHOR: D.J. Jamison
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 202 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 11, 2023
BLURB:
I’m the grinch who saves Christmas …
Yep, you read that right. Every year I save Christmas–and Christmas Falls–by organizing a massive festival that sustains tourism for our little town.
But it turns out when Christmas is your life 24/7, the shine wears off the twinkly lights after a while. The holidays are a heck of a lot of work, and when I go home, I want peace and quiet, not fa-la-la’ing on my porch.
That all changes when my sister brings me an early Christmas gift. One I didn’t ask for. One that’s tall, broad, and handsome…
Suddenly this season got a whole lot brighter.
Christmas Falls is a multi-author M/M romance series set in a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie.
REVIEW:
Logan is taking his first vacation in quite a while at the behest of his friend Jess who is looking for a fake boyfriend to take home to Christmas Falls for the Thanksgiving holiday. She’s broken up with her boyfriend and moved to Granville for her career. They couldn’t make a long distance thing work and she doesn’t want to deal with her family trying to a) hover over her lamenting about her broken heart or b) try to set her up with someone. Logan, her gay friend who needs a holiday is the perfect excuse. But she needs someplace for him to stay that is NOT with her overcrowded parents. The perfect solution? Her divorced workaholic brother, Griffin. He’s got a spare room. It’s perfect.
Griffin is in his busiest work season of the year running the town holiday festival. He needs things to run perfectly. Christmas Falls depends on the income generated during the holiday season to set them up for the year. He’s busy busy busy. This also keeps him from missing his kids who he hasn’t seen in forever and who live in California with their remarried mother and their stepfather. His parents keep him busy as well and when Jess calls asking for a favor, he reluctantly gives in. He’s known as Grinch to the town since he’s not really with the holiday spirit himself. He just wants to make sure all is going to plan.
When Griff and Logan meet when Logan needs a breather from all the peopling at Griff’s parents house, there is an instant awareness/attraction. Griff is actually tongue-tied. When’s the last time that’s happened – with either a man or a woman? Not any time in recent history. But nope, he’s here with Jess. No matter it’s a ruse, Griff doesn’t know that.
Logan stays with Griff and when Jess gets called away, she asks Griff to let Logan hang with him. She’s got to be in Chicago to solve a very serious work problem. Griff agrees. He sees how much Logan loves the Christmas/Holiday events and the town. He isn’t sure why exactly, but it’s important to him that Logan really enjoys his time in Christmas Falls. Eventually Logan shares why and Griff is even more touched. They grow closer and it is beyond time to let Griff in on the truth – because Logan isn’t sure he can stay away from Griff any more 😉
Once the truth is out, well there are still some obstacles for Griff and Logan to overcome. Jess’s situation changes as well. The whole town of course is interested in what is going on with their Grinch who is now participating in the Holiday Festival like he hasn’t done in year. Logan is as good for him as he is for Logan. But this was only supposed to be a holiday for Logan. Will he stay after the holiday is over??
This is a very fun holiday story! I loved the damaged sunshiny and the workaholic avoidance grumpy dynamics here. Logan appears to be a charming and easygoing guy from the outside – which he generally is. But deep down he’s got abandonment issues, so he tends to move on before he is “moved on” outside of his control. He never wants to have the run pulled out from under him again as he spent his childhood having that happen to him again and again. Griffin has poured all his attention into his job to distract him from the pain of not having his family. Logan is the first person to really see through Griff’s (or “Grinch” as the town has nicknamed him) gruff and rigid exterior to the softie underneath. He see’s the heartache that Griff tries to hide. He encourages Griff to make the changes he wants in his life. Griff and his family do their best to convince Logan that he’s not in danger of losing them. Griff and Logan each have their little freakouts in this and they are so sweet and loving and full of reassurance for each other. The epilogue was perfect! I really enjoyed everything about this story. Highly recommended for those looking to rediscover the joy of the holidays especially.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: