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toshi21's review
4.0
Max and Dominic are so sweet in this holiday from the normally action packed Cari Z.
I loved the story as Max tries to do right by his best friend’s family and still manages to find time to fall in love with his best friend’s brother, with Hal’s blessing.
They are absolutely adorable in the way that Max cares for the family while professing he doesn’t need to be there all the time, when you can see he needs to be there and he wants to be there.
There is so much love in this book, familial love, friend love and lover love and it’s beautiful.
I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a feel good holiday read.
I received a copy for an honest review.
I loved the story as Max tries to do right by his best friend’s family and still manages to find time to fall in love with his best friend’s brother, with Hal’s blessing.
They are absolutely adorable in the way that Max cares for the family while professing he doesn’t need to be there all the time, when you can see he needs to be there and he wants to be there.
There is so much love in this book, familial love, friend love and lover love and it’s beautiful.
I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a feel good holiday read.
I received a copy for an honest review.
jordb1213's review
4.0
* Many thanks to Engtangled Publishing for giving me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *
As a long time fan of Christmas romance movies, I was excited to finally dip my toes into holiday romance novels. His Holiday Crush follows Max, an career-centered lawyer, on his trip to his small, quirky hometown for Christmas. When he accidentally gets snowed in, his one day trip becomes much longer, letting a new relationship form and leaving Max time to rediscover his priorities and home.
I really enjoyed the romantic aspects of this book, and Cari Z writes with a perfect balance of sexual and romantic attraction. The conflicts in the third act were some of the few romance conflicts that didn't frustrate me or feel forced. Max and Dominic's relationship also played into their character arcs well. It did feel a little insta-love, especially at the beginning of the book, but considering it's a novella, that's to be expected.
In addition to being a delightful romance, the side characters were lots of fun and the setting was cute. It felt very reminiscent of Stars Hollow in it's particular brand of quirkiness. I would love to read more stories in this universe.
His Christmas Crush was the epitome of a self-care romance novel for me. I could just get lost in the story and enjoy the ride. It felt like the book equivalent of a mug of hot cocoa and a fuzzy blanket, which coincidentally, would go perfectly with this book.
AO3 tags: m/m, small towns, returning home, lawyers, veterans, puppies, nsfw, caught in the snow, found family, best friend's brother, PTSD, one of them has to rescue the other, multiple times, comfy reads
As a long time fan of Christmas romance movies, I was excited to finally dip my toes into holiday romance novels. His Holiday Crush follows Max, an career-centered lawyer, on his trip to his small, quirky hometown for Christmas. When he accidentally gets snowed in, his one day trip becomes much longer, letting a new relationship form and leaving Max time to rediscover his priorities and home.
I really enjoyed the romantic aspects of this book, and Cari Z writes with a perfect balance of sexual and romantic attraction. The conflicts in the third act were some of the few romance conflicts that didn't frustrate me or feel forced. Max and Dominic's relationship also played into their character arcs well. It did feel a little insta-love, especially at the beginning of the book, but considering it's a novella, that's to be expected.
In addition to being a delightful romance, the side characters were lots of fun and the setting was cute. It felt very reminiscent of Stars Hollow in it's particular brand of quirkiness. I would love to read more stories in this universe.
His Christmas Crush was the epitome of a self-care romance novel for me. I could just get lost in the story and enjoy the ride. It felt like the book equivalent of a mug of hot cocoa and a fuzzy blanket, which coincidentally, would go perfectly with this book.
AO3 tags: m/m, small towns, returning home, lawyers, veterans, puppies, nsfw, caught in the snow, found family, best friend's brother, PTSD, one of them has to rescue the other, multiple times, comfy reads
thebookishren's review
5.0
I was not expecting such an emotional, sweet, swoon-worthy MM holiday romance!
Complete honesty? I LOVED this book. Max was a NYC lawyer with a big promotion in his near future. Dominic was an ex-military turned small-town police officer fighting his PTSD while helping out his brother, Hal, with his 2 girls after their mother ran off. Hal, who also happens to be Max's best friend (and their bromance was adorable).
When Hal convinces Max to return home after 10 years, he ends up running in to a snowbank. When a sexy-as-sin officer comes to the rescue, imagine his surprise finding out it's his best friend's younger brother. They had a spark from the first moment and while it was steamy, it was also SUPER sweet. I seriously loved their interactions, their sexy times, and their innocent, yet deeply developed love in such a short time frame.
What follows is a tale of discovery, truth, festive spirit, forgiveness, and acceptance. With an amazing supporting cast from the diner to the police force, two adorable girls, a well-behaved dog, a house in need of repair, and some insane sexual tension, this book was a PERFECT holiday escape.
doseofromance's review
5.0
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a quick and fun holiday read. I absolutely loved it. It's light but with enough depth to make it interesting and give it substance. Dominic is so sweet and shy and Max complements him so well by being more outgoing and experienced. There's also a nice amount of steam ;) This is the perfect book for curling up in the holiday season and believe in happily ever after. Highly recommend!
This was such a quick and fun holiday read. I absolutely loved it. It's light but with enough depth to make it interesting and give it substance. Dominic is so sweet and shy and Max complements him so well by being more outgoing and experienced. There's also a nice amount of steam ;) This is the perfect book for curling up in the holiday season and believe in happily ever after. Highly recommend!
frogy927's review
3.0
I think this is the third book in a row where my review is 'it was fine.' It was cute I guess, very of it's genre.
823sisi's review
4.0
This is an ARC review. All opinions are solely my own.
His Holiday Crush by Cari Z. is a sweet and hot second chance, brother's best friend/best friend's brother Christmas romance.
Max and Nicky have known each other their entire lives. Max comes home to visit his best friend and gets rescued by his best friend's brother, Nicky.
Minus the incredibly hot scenes I could see this being made into a television movie for a certain television channel's Christmas series.
This book was everything I was needing to read to get ready for Christmas.
His Holiday Crush by Cari Z. is a sweet and hot second chance, brother's best friend/best friend's brother Christmas romance.
Max and Nicky have known each other their entire lives. Max comes home to visit his best friend and gets rescued by his best friend's brother, Nicky.
Minus the incredibly hot scenes I could see this being made into a television movie for a certain television channel's Christmas series.
This book was everything I was needing to read to get ready for Christmas.
redlynnk's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
librarypatronus's review
4.0
The perfect way to kick off holiday book season! I loved the characters and the chemistry, so much, even the side characters were great. I loved that there were scenes that made me laugh (raccoons, child describing shepherds’ pie) and that made me cry (misunderstandings, shitty family). I really liked that they had some history but the romance didn’t rely on that and kinda felt new too. Their work schedules seemed a little convenient (Max had to be back in one day but gets stranded and somehow that’s chill and only causes a little friction?) but I’m willing to ignore it for the magic of Christmas romance. I love a good Hallmark movie and they’re just too dang straight sometimes, and this is the kind of story I need mixed in this holiday season <3