Reviewed by Ro
TITLE: Canceled for Christmas
Series: New York Knights #1
AUTHOR: Oliver Takely
PUBLISHER: MM Romance Press
LENGTH: 212 Pages
RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2025
BLURB:
Ryder Quinn is one of the hottest fitness influencers on the planet. All abs, charm, and viral workouts. He loves indiscriminately, but it’s only for one night. Behind the curated perfection is a man quietly unravelling. His friends are coupling up, his health is in question, and the holidays are closing in, reminding him that he’s alone. But he can’t face having his heart broken again.
Felix is a broke-but-brilliant photographer trying to make it in New York. Disowned by his family and still reeling from a cheating ex, he’s poured everything into his latest photo project, and Ryder is his next subject. The spark between them is instant, but Felix refuses to be another notch on the influencer’s bedpost. He’s looking for happily ever after, and he knows Ryder is well out of his league.
Not able to ignore the chemistry between then, they agree to take it slow by starting with dates. When a photo of the couple goes viral, the cancel mob comes roaring. They hunker down from the chaos, but there’s a perfect storm waiting outside. When another photo goes stratospheric, their lives will never be the same again, but which of the couple is today’s social media villain?
As the pressure mounts and the internet shows no sign of moving on, both men must confront their pasts, their fears, and the terrifying possibility that love might not be enough.
This Christmas, will they fight for each other, or let the world tear them apart?
REVIEW:
Ryder Quinn is a fitness influencer with millions of followers, making millions of dollars doing it. He likes it, even when they are “…obsessed with everything about his life.” Still, it benefits him to share, so he does. They especially like his “…scantily clad workouts…” and he progressed from having clients one-on-one to spending his time on influencer and brand deals. He has a solid friend group who take the piss out of each other and support each other loyally. That being said, when it said he threw a “tantrum” about the couples in the group ditching their annual Friendsgiving for a couples cruise, I was completely on his side. Ryder is also a self-defined “fuckboy”, and at nearly 40 I wasn’t impressed by that. You don’t want a relationship, cool, but find another name!
Felix, for his part, was disowned by his family when he came out so for seven years he’s been on his own, other than his BFF and platonic soulmate, Laura. It broke my heart a little that “Every year, he thought his family might reach out to him.” I have friends who have had that happen, and the families never do. He’s a photographer just beginning to make a name for himself, working weddings to pay the bills. At one such wedding, he gets bumped by Ryder. He’s setting up a Pride project exhibition, and Laura convinces him to call Ryder’s agent to be in the project, although she says no.
Some things have the two crossing paths again (omg, Sapphire needs a slap in the face), and Ryder agrees to be in the project and gets his friend group to participate as well. Except Ryder crosses a line (sort of), Felix reacts badly, and that’s off. Felix has some serious self-esteem issues, which, due to his history, you can understand.
This was a tough one for me to rate. While I liked Felix, I wasn’t as hot on Ryder. More than that, a lot is happening that sometimes feels like it was added just for reaction, and I wonder where some things went. The exhibition that got them started fades off until the epilogue. There is the prejudice on the part of Fiona that I didn’t get (she doesn’t seem like a jerk, but…). There is a wager that seemed like something they’d maybe do, but then I couldn’t figure out how the bitches knew. Ryder’s friends don’t make all their stuff public, so how did they know this?
There are other things that I won’t spoiler, some I loved, some I didn’t. The language is very raw for a lot of the book, so if that bothers you be aware. Ryder’s reaction about Sam was OTT, and for someone who is money savvy, seemed out of character. The friend group is a very positive thing, as is Ryder’s mom, who I loved.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
