Review: Reindeer Games by Kenzie Cade

Dashing von Stride has one thing on his mind: winning the window display contest for the Miracle on Main Christmas Contest. His plans are set and ready—and then he walks into his toy store, Reindeer Games, to find a sleigh that shouldn't be there. The mystery sleigh sparks a new plan, however, and now all Dash needs is the perfect Santa to model his display after.

This year, the pranks with his reindeer have gotten out of hand. Instead of preparing for the Big Day, Niklaus Kringle is hunting for his missing sleigh. Locating it should have been easy, but games easily won are seldom worth playing…

How stinkin' cute does this book look and sound? I KNOW. Well, it totally lives up to all the promised cuteness.

Dashing von Stride owns a toy store in a cute little town in Colorado. The town really gets into the Christmas spirit and every year they have a window display contest. This year Dash is determined to win. A sleigh mysteriously shows up in his shop, so he decides to use it as a part of his display.

Who should come looking for this sleigh but one of Santa's sons, Nik. One of the reindeer decided to pull a prank on him by hiding the sleigh. BUT, the little guy had some ulterioir motives, as well...

Kris and Dash instantly hit off and were absolutely adorable together. There was a whole fated-mates deal, but I loved them together anyway, even thought I'm not a huge fan of fated mates. I was so charmed by them and the setting that I couldn't begin to care about anything but their HEA.

The story was very magical with a bit of world-building woven in. There was quite the backstory between the von Strides and the Kringles that really added to Nik and Dash's romance. Dash discovered some secrets from his past and where he's really from. I loved all the bits about the North Pole, and the elves and reindeer. Their role was a little different than what I've read in a Christmas romance before.  Even the town in Colorado had a feeling of magic.

Completely charming, magical, and perfect for a feel-good holiday romance.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Prickly Business (Portland Pack Chronicles #1) by Piper Vaughn and Kenzie Kade

Some people might call Avery Babineaux a prick. He’s a hedgehog shifter from an old-money Louisiana family with a penchant for expensive shoes and a reputation for being a judgmental snob. His attitude is why he and his fated mate are estranged. Not that Avery cares. He doesn’t want to be mated to some blue-collar werewolf anyway. Or so he keeps telling himself.

No werewolf likes to be looked down upon, least of all Dylan Green. He doesn’t need a mate, especially not some snotty hedgehog who sneers at his custom motorcycle shop and calls him a grease monkey. But when Avery gets into trouble with a shady loan shark, Dylan can’t stand by and let him be hurt—whether he wants the brat or not.

Yet once Dylan steps into Avery’s world, he realizes there’s more to Avery than his prickly exterior, and that unexpected vulnerability calls to Dylan’s protective instincts. The sassy little hedgehog needs a keeper, and despite their horrible first impressions, Dylan starts to believe he might be the wolf for the job.

Prickly Business was not half as cute as I was expecting it to be. A sassy hedgehog paired with an alpha wolf? Perfection! I'm sorry to say, I was a little disappointed.

Avery and Dylan are fated mates. They've both felt the pull and the bond, but they never succumbed to their instinct. Dylan's parents were fated mates and he didn't think fate did so well for them, therefore, fate can suck it. He didn't need Avery in his life, he didn't need fate deciding things for him. And Avery certainly wasn't chasing after someone who clearly didn't want him

And so it goes, folks.

Lack of communication, lots of misunderstandings, and basically two guys being stupid. They were so exhausting! Even after they started dating, they still kept things from each other and created more drama than necessary. When they were together and getting along, Avery and Dylan were a very enjoyable couple. They were sexy with fun banter, I wanted more of that. I wanted a whole book of that!

Then there was the mystery that came out of nowhere (IMO). Avery starting working for the pack doing Meals on Wheels, and one elderly man he delivers meals to has a daughter who'd been missing. After Avery asked some questions he found out that the pack and the police gave up on the case. Avery decided he was going to pick it up and start asking around. Now, I liked that Avery was trying harder to be a part of the pack, since hedgehogs are not pack animals doncha know. But to go from being somewhat apathetic towards everyone to becoming this amateur sleuth for them? Huh. It took away from the fluffy romance that I was already not getting.

To be fair, the writing was good and I liked the characters. I think if I went in expecting more of a mystery, instead of an assumed flufftastic shifter story, I might have enjoyed it more.

 A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.