Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: A Present for Parker
SERIES: Merry Everything #5
AUTHOR: Jodi Payne and BA Tortuga
PUBLISHER: Tygerseye Publishing, LLC
LENGTH: 206 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 10, 2026
BLURB:
Parker Stephens is a cowboy looking for a place to call home. His only family has kicked him to the curb, leaving him with his truck and the clothes on his back. He doesn’t even have his dog. So when he shows up at the Vermont home of his friends Skyler and Beckett, he’s got no idea what he’ll do beyond the holidays. For now, he just needs to visit and breathe.
Heath Wooledge is used to being alone, working on his vintage farmhouse, and eating a frozen pizza or two. Since he’s never been invited to his business partner Beckett’s house to eat dinner, it stands to reason they’re asking him for a favor. Luckily for him, when they ask if he’ll let Parker stay at his place because their guest room is a mess, Heath can’t believe his good luck. Parker is a sweetheart of a cowboy, and he’s never been more attracted to anyone in his life.
The two have immediate chemistry, but will magic of snowy holiday Vermont make the two of them accept the gift they’ve been given?
A Present for Parker is an opposites attract, forced proximity, holiday romance between a rodeo cowboy who’s ready to retire and a Vermont attorney who thought his only love would be his historic farmhouse.
REVIEW:
If you are at all familiar with the Wrecked Universe then you will immediately recognize Parker Stevens. He is Sky’s best friend/rodeo partner and the man Beck accused of Sky cheating on him with. We all know that wasn’t true and Parker was there for them when Sky was near death. He knew Beck needed to see Sky at least one last time. Thankfully Sky survived and they are now raising their three kids together in Vermont with Uncle Parker, their favorite, coming to visit and spoil.
When Parker calls early in the morning a bit before Christmas, Beck and Sky know something’s wrong. Of course they tell him to head straight there. Uncle Parker is always welcome. However, unfortunately their home had a plumbing situation, and there simply is no room. They had assumed Parker would have his trailer Sky gave him, in tow. But Beck knows that his business partner/fellow lawyer Heath Wooledge has plenty of extra room at his vintage farmhouse that he is renovating piece by piece. When Beck suddenly invites his frozen pizza eating partner to dinner, something he has never done before, Heath knows something’s up. But being asked to have their extremely handsome bull rider friend come stay with him wasn’t ever on his radar.
I have always wanted to know about Sky’s best friend and fellow bull rider Parker. I know that Beck finally figured out the truth that they were never lovers and he has become a good friend to Beck too now. He has always stepped up whenever Sky and Beck needed him and has loved on their babies since they first brought them home. He is their Uncle Parker and it is obvious to anyone surrounding them that those kids loved him too. I was thrilled when I finally discovered that he was finally going to get his HEA too. I know we didn’t know much about Parker’s life with his family but I had no idea that it was so heartbreaking.
This was a nice, sweet story that was much needed. There is very little angst (Does he like me???) and a whole lot of lovin’. They just slide immediately into the thought of being with each other without much drama. And I was glad we finally got Parker his HEA and retirement. He needed it. I just hope we get a novella with their wedding and babies. Because one thing is perfectly clear, Parker is a dad through and through and they need kids. That and to take some cooking lessons! LOL 🤣
RATING: 
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