Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Catered All the Way
AUTHOR: Annabeth Albert
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 250 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 4, 2023
BLURB:
Tis the season for a hopeless crush on my older brother’s best friend…
This year will be different. I’m all grown up, my gaming channel is a huge success, and I finally have the confidence to make my move on Atlas Orion, the hottest chief in the navy.
However, I don’t intend for my smooth move to be covering Atlas in cranberry sauce. Not at all how I want to reintroduce myself to my new roomie and coworker. Atlas is in town to help save Seasons, my family’s historic holiday gift shop and event space. Seasons is booked solid with catered parties, so we need to avoid any more disasters.
Like my malfunctioning air mattress. We’re down to one bed, two dudes, and a whole lot of holiday-fling temptation. Atlas has never been with a guy, but I don’t have to do much persuading. And what better way to explore than a secret romp? No strings, and no one has to know.
The problem? With every passing week, I fall harder for Atlas, who’s far more than his drool-worthy muscles and heroic job. He’s kind, funny, makes me breakfast in bed, and each midnight snowball fight brings us that much closer to heartbreak.
Atlas can’t stay in Kringle’s Crossing forever, and I can’t imagine leaving the only place I’ve called home. Our feelings run deep, but is it a holiday illusion? Can we find our way to a lasting future?
CATERED ALL THE WAY is a brand-new, full-length holiday romance from the beloved author of THE GEEK WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS. Lovers of stand-alone swoon-worthy Christmas stories will fall for this geek + military pairing. Full of spicy first times, bisexual awakening, quirky small-town residents, and guest appearances from some fan-favorite characters, this only one bed, brother’s best friend romance is sure to find a place under many trees! Dual POV and the happiest of endings guaranteed.
REVIEW:
Zeb Seasons is helping his brother Gabe at the holidays. It’s Thanksgiving and they are fully booked at their event space. Gabe’s best friend Atlas was supposed to be there to assist as well during the month long leave from the military, but he’s not arrived yet and it may be several days. Just as Gabe and Zeb are getting into it with Gabe criticizing Zeb’s career choices for the umpteenth time, Atlas appears.
Zeb has harbored a crush on Zeb for a decade – since Gabe’s wedding when he was old enough to realize that the Navy SEAL support team guy pushes all of his buttons. Atlas was an extended member of the family when Zeb was a kid as Atlas’s parents gallivanted all over the world and he was left behind. He’s not got a relationship with them any longer. They didn’t support his decision to join the military and they can’t be bothered, so neither can he. Atlas mourned the loss of Zeb and Gabe’s parents in a car accident just before Gabe’s wedding as much as they did as he saw the older Seasons couple as his surrogate parents.
Atlas has been back to Kringle’s Crossing for some time. Now that he’s here though, it appears he’s going to have to bunk with Zeb since Gabe’s MIL is staying with them in anticipation of Gabe and his wife’s impending arrival of twins. Zeb is in Gabe’s old apartment but since he’s got his streaming setup there, there is only one bed. He’s got an air mattress, but the first night, they can’t get it inflated so they end up sharing a small double bed. Waking up together was a bit of a surprise 😉 The is Zeb’s dream come true. It’s now or never to try to see what he could have with Atlas.
Atlas has never had a relationship. He’s been focused on his career and he’s never met anyone who really tickled his fancy. But somehow all of the sudden he is intrigued by Zeb. Zeb is pretty stunned when Atlas kisses him. But then they move on to other things. Atlas admits that he’s not really into sex and that he’s not really considered what flips his switch until now. But Zeb is willing to be his intro into sex with guys and what that means. Atlas is curious. He’s never really considered his sexuality very seriously but now that he’s thinking about it, maybe he’s not all that straight after all 😉
As the season wears on, Zeb and Atlas make a good team. Whether it’s working at the gift shop, making sure elderly residents are taken care of, dealing with winter or putting up with Gabe, they just fit. Maybe there is more here that just a holiday fling after all.
I didn’t love this as much as the The Geek who Saved Christmas and I’m guess it’s because I’m not a gamer and military stories aren’t necessarily my jam. Zeb and Atlas make a good team, but I wasn’t as invested as the previous book. I loved the town and the storyline about the struggles of a small business. The connectedness of the small town citizens was also well written. Zeb’s older brother Gabe, Atlas’s best friend from High School, is a bit of a pain. He’s always on Zeb’s back because he isn’t onboard with Zeb’s streaming business. He wants him to “get a real job” even though Zeb has a full time job AND still helps Gabe at Season’s the family business that he inherited. He’s under a lot of pressure and strain not just due to the business and the holiday make or break season, but his wife is finally pregnant with twins and he’s worried about her and the babies. That doesn’t excuse his behavior and it’s clear he’s got some issues that he needs to address. I didn’t feel like his “awakening” and apology really fit the bill, but that is a minor flaw I suppose. Zeb and Atlas really do make a great dynamic duo. I was happy to see them get their HEA. This is a lovely holiday story with small town vibes and enough steam to make it interesting. Recommended.
RATING: 
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