althea's review
3.0
3.5/5 Stars
My second favourite of the three novellas! I'm really glad to have read this short trilogy and I can't wait to read more by this author!
Read for the 12 Days of Queermas Readathon!
My second favourite of the three novellas! I'm really glad to have read this short trilogy and I can't wait to read more by this author!
Read for the 12 Days of Queermas Readathon!
emmalita's review
5.0
In Secret Santa, Sage asks her partner, Dove, to find a third person, a stranger to her, with whom to have a sexual encounter. The stranger Dove finds is Isaac, a trans man who is not, in fact, a stranger to Sage. With the new dynamic, new negotiations are required. Isaac is worried about meeting their needs, while Sage and Dove want him to let go of expectations and be himself.
Wray is writing subversive romance on a number of levels. Bodies and identities are allowed to be defined by the people who inhabit them and room is given for fluidity. In the sex scenes, the characters give and receive pleasure with their bodies while also not being defined by their bodies. The joy of being able to define themselves is mixed with the exhaustion of having to create themselves with no pattern. A pivotal moment in each book is when a character, or characters realize they are in a safe place: Mason and Natalie realize their attraction is mutual, Devon realizes he can’t fail Christmas, and Isaac accepts his desire is more important than his function. In being seen and accepted, they lay down a burden and give themselves over to love and joy.
I cannot recommend this series enough. It’s short, fluffy, and shows me a world where people don’t have to be anyone other than who they are to be seen, desired, and valued.
Wray is writing subversive romance on a number of levels. Bodies and identities are allowed to be defined by the people who inhabit them and room is given for fluidity. In the sex scenes, the characters give and receive pleasure with their bodies while also not being defined by their bodies. The joy of being able to define themselves is mixed with the exhaustion of having to create themselves with no pattern. A pivotal moment in each book is when a character, or characters realize they are in a safe place: Mason and Natalie realize their attraction is mutual, Devon realizes he can’t fail Christmas, and Isaac accepts his desire is more important than his function. In being seen and accepted, they lay down a burden and give themselves over to love and joy.
I cannot recommend this series enough. It’s short, fluffy, and shows me a world where people don’t have to be anyone other than who they are to be seen, desired, and valued.
voiddragon117's review
5.0
Very sweet. I loved the discussions on navigating a relationship with everyone.
annas_sweets_and_stories's review
4.0
Hi. Hello. This is my formal request for more kinky queer trans books please. Okay thanks.
But for real, can we just talk about the absolute joy that stories like this exist. Books with all non-binary trans MCs and with a happily ever afters. Brings me joy.
Anyway, this is the third book in the A Very Enby Christmas series and it is about an established couple who brings in a third. Dove is non-binary stone butch who uses they them, Sage is non-binary femme who uses she her, and Isaac is trans non-binary and uses he him. Dove and Sage have experimented with adding an additional partners in the past and so when Sage asks Dove to orchestrate a scene with a third who is a stranger, the last person that Sage expects to show up is Isaac, who is a friend she knew before. Obviously they're Stranger Santa scene gets derailed a little bit but it becomes so much more with a lot of emotions and communication and connection between the three of them that's potentially turns into a poly relationship.
But for real, can we just talk about the absolute joy that stories like this exist. Books with all non-binary trans MCs and with a happily ever afters. Brings me joy.
Anyway, this is the third book in the A Very Enby Christmas series and it is about an established couple who brings in a third. Dove is non-binary stone butch who uses they them, Sage is non-binary femme who uses she her, and Isaac is trans non-binary and uses he him. Dove and Sage have experimented with adding an additional partners in the past and so when Sage asks Dove to orchestrate a scene with a third who is a stranger, the last person that Sage expects to show up is Isaac, who is a friend she knew before. Obviously they're Stranger Santa scene gets derailed a little bit but it becomes so much more with a lot of emotions and communication and connection between the three of them that's potentially turns into a poly relationship.
dragonetti117's review
5.0
Very sweet. I loved the discussions on navigating a relationship with everyone.
anniekslibrary's review
4.0
This was my first read for the 12 Days of Queermas readathon, and it was such a good start! I'm really loving this author's work, and I can't wait for more. This gave me so many fluffy feelings!
halfwaytoaugust's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
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