Reviewed by Lesley
TITLE: Just a little Joy
SERIES: Just a Little #4
AUTHOR: Kerry Kilpatrick
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 234 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 26, 2025
BLURB:
A retired NHL player and a waiter walk into a bar—this holiday, they find what they’ve been missing.
Travis Langford
I’ve always been the strong, silent type. After walking away from my NHL career, I’ve finally found peace running a neighborhood bar in the Pacific Northwest. But deep down, there’s something I’ve always craved: the chance to be a Daddy. I joined a club and…yeah, that’s about it. But when Casey Gutierrez walks into my bar? I vow to figure it out.
Casey Gutierrez
My life has always been full of different roles: construction worker, ski bum, salesman, and now, a waiter in a small café. But the one thing I’ve never been able to find is someone to care for me the way I need. I want a Daddy, someone to guide me, to take control—but asking for it? That’s a whole different story.
When Casey takes a holiday shift at Travis’s bar, sparks fly between them. But neither of them knows how to navigate the connection. Travis wants to be everything Casey needs, but he’s unsure how to make it happen. Casey has no idea how to explain his needs. It’ll take more than mistletoe and good intentions—but maybe love doesn’t need a perfect plan.
This Daddy/little includes sea glass hunts, ice skating, and an unhealthy amount of hot chocolate. This low-angst, heartwarming story can be read as a standalone, but recurring characters appear throughout the series.
REVIEW:
Travis is a retired NHL player. There was no great drama about his retirement, it was time just time. Playing hurt physically more than not playing did emotionally. He always planned to run a bar when he retired, he just thought it would be his dad’s bar. Instead, he has his own neighbourhood bar in the Pacific Northwest. Now he is no longer playing hockey professionally he can finally think about having a relationship again and become the Daddy he knows he is.
Casey is a restless soul, never wanting to stay in one area too long. Although he has found himself here longer than normal, in no small part due to the people and customers where he works. Casey currently works at Stone & Vine, one of Barretts restaurants and it is where he knows the rest of our favourite group of Littles from. Rory Owen, Jakob, Nico and of course “babysitter” Anders.
After “accidently” meeting Travis in their gym’s sauna he ends up with a second job for the holidays. He is going to be a barback at Travis’s bar. Little does he know that Travis is a Daddy and Travis doesn’t know that Casey is a Little until they are both at Wild Dandies (the local kink club) open Little night with the same group of friends.
Can Travis’s love and Daddiness be enough to keep Casey permanently in one place?
If Casey’s name sounds familiar that’s because we first met him in Just A Little Fling, when he had a failed hook-up with Nico. With hindsight that was probably for the best as they are both Littles.
I really love this series and how Kerry’s worlds merge. I love that we get to see the continuation of all my favourite characters stories and the fact that despite the fact they are all so different they all get on so well and support each other.
I am so excited for Emil, which is Kerry’s next book to published because finally we get Anders story !!!!!!!
RATING: 
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