Closeted, innocent and lonely, Archie Arandale longs for someone special in his life. A Christmas party organised by his wealth management company is the last place he expects to meet the man of his dreams.
With his leather jacket, tattoos, and piercings, Cal Turner turns heads the moment he walks through the door. He definitely isn't looking for a boyfriend, but Archie's hesitant charm captures his attention, and sneaking off during the party to have a little fun can only make a dull evening more interesting.
After their reckless and thrilling encounter, Archie is keen for more experience and Cal is happy to oblige. The need for secrecy means this can only be a casual fling, yet as they spend time together in the run up to Christmas, their feelings become more intense than either of them had bargained for. How can Archie find the courage to tell his family about Cal, when Cal's the exact opposite of the 'nice girl' they've been hoping for?
Contains: A closeted virgin, a tattooed biker, class differences, a dramatic coming out, a very inappropriate Christmas gift, and a happy ending (of course).
Cal and Archie couldn’t be more different if they tried.
Archie - rich, shy, inexperienced, from a cold family, and very much so closeted.
Cal - working class, tattooed bad boy, has a great mum, and doesn’t hide any part of himself.
Yet from the moment they lock eyes at a posh Christmas party, the mutual desire in undeniable. Cal brings out the daring side of Archie, and for the first time in a long time Archie feels free.
The two men come to an agreement - no strings attached. Archie gets to explore what he’s been missing out on, and Cal is more than happy to be his teacher.
I have to hand it to Jay Northcote - these were some killer sex scenes. The two men aren’t only just sexy together, but fun and willing to explore. The bit of kink and Archie’s submissive streak were very pleasant surprises!
But the simple arrangement gets complicated pretty quickly. It doesn’t take Cal and Archie long at all to begin wanting more than just a romp in the bedsheets.
While the transition from strangers to tentative kind-of-boyfriends happened quickly, it was very sweet. The two brought joy and comfort to each other, which each man needed in his own way.
I thought it was absolutely precious how Cal gave Archie the bit of confidence he needed to feel comfortable trying all the experiences he’d wanted for so long - whether that was in his personal or professional life.
As is to be expected, the big stumbling block is Archie’s family. I thought that dynamic was handled well, and realistically.
Also kudos to Lottie for being much more than originally meets the eye! And to Danny and Fiona for being amazing friends.
The happy ending was sweet, but was just missing a bit of oomph. A bit more relationship development throughout the book would have been nice to really tie everything together.
Overall, this was a sweet and sexy holiday romance; easy to read and fairly low on the angst.
A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
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