Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: We Don’t Need Another Santa: An MM Holiday Hitman Romance with Humor, Pets, and Suspense 
SERIES: Bent Oak, Texas
AUTHOR: Bix Barrow
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 170 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 26, 2024
BLURB:
One retired hitman, one actor just out of rehab, and a Santa sack full of complications…
Even though I don’t need to pose as a third-grade teacher anymore, I stuck around to keep Seth, one of my students, and his brother Robin from being abused by their slimy stepfather. It’s their lucky Christmas Eve when I find out Robin accidentally killed the jerk while protecting Seth, because who better to help them dispose of the body than a retired hitman-slash-operative?
But Santa also delivers the boys’ uncle, famous actor and tabloid headliner Lucas McCord. I’m trying to decide if I can trust him with the boys’ well-being—and possibly my cold, withered heart—when an ill-timed photo has the press announcing I’m Lucas’ boyfriend and the key to fixing his reputation.
The skills I honed in my former life are strangely useful navigating the perils of Hollywood, but when I come face-to-face with an enemy from my past, I’ll use every weapon in my arsenal to keep Lucas and the kids safe.
We Don’t Need Another Santa is a low-angst, humorous holiday romance featuring a retired hitman, an actor trying to turn his life around, two kids in need, stray dogs, an inconvenient body, barbecued brisket, and beaver onesies.
We Don’t Need Another Santa is a novella continuing the hitman’s story from What’s Santa Got to Do with It but can be read as a standalone.
Note: We Don’t Need Another Santa was originally released as part of the MM Book Buzz 12 Days of Christmas promotion in December 2023. The story has not been changed.
REVIEW:
Note: I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, but that it worked fine as a standalone. I’m now intrigued by the rest of these characters though;)
Phillip is a retired “agent” who is working as a substitute teacher. One of his students, Seth, has a bad living situation that Phillip thinks that maybe he’s made better. But then he finds out that there has been an accident and this student and his other brother Robin could be in real trouble. He’s not about to let that happen.
Phillip has also tried to get word to Seth and Robin’s uncle – who happens to be a famous actor – that the boys are in trouble and need to get away from their “stepfather” who is abusive. When said actor shows up just out of rehab at perhaps the worst possible moment, well they join forces to make sure the boys are taken care of. It doesn’t hurt that there is a spark of attraction between them.
Lucas is skeptical of Phillip and his mysterious past, but he seems to know what to do to address the situation they all find themselves in. While taking care of said situation, there is Christmas to prepare for. Robin and Seth haven’t had an easy life and both men want to make things right for them.
Lucas also has career stuff going on and Phillip wants to make sure that he’s taken care of as well. Their initial attraction spills over to more 😉 Phillip’s protective instincts once again go into overdrive – and for good reason it turns out! But all’s well that ends well and they are all above to more forward with their lives.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really enjoyed this novella despite some heavy subjects touched upon here – child abuse/neglect, substance abuse/recovery, loss of parents, etc. Phillip and Lucas do not look like a good match on paper. But in reality, they have more in common and have common goals that make their pairing up more likely. Firstly there is their desire to keep Lucas’s nephews safe and out of the child welfare system. Despite their initial meeting and the grisly task before them, it’s clear that they both have good instincts when it comes to Seth and Robin.
Phillip going above and beyond to protect the boys and make sure they don’t pay for the accident is admirable. He is obviously very protective of the kids that have been left with someone who doesn’t care about them. Lucas is trying to get his life together. He’s obviously got issues and is just out of rehab, but he wants to do the right thing. He’s initially suspicious of Phillip, but he realizes right away that Phillip has his nephew’s best interest at heart and it’s because of him that he even knows he has these nephews. The supporting characters were intriguing too and I can’t wait to go back and read their stories. There were plenty of lighthearted and heartfelt moments to give this story a very much feel good vibe. BONUS! A trip to Buc-ee’s!
If you’re looking for a holiday read with a little bit of angst, some fun and games, some humor and suspense and a real HEA, then I think you’ll enjoy this one.
RATING: 
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