Let Your Hearts Be Light: MM Holiday Romance by Fae Quinn

 

Fae Quinn author site

From Amazon:
Baxter: As a 42-year-old single father the last thing I expected before Christmas was for my daughter to sign me up for a community matchmaking event. The Christmas Buddies program becomes a challenge I can’t wait to overcome when I realize the man that has been assigned as my buddy for the holiday season is none other than Paxton Montgomery. He’s massive, grumpy, incredibly gorgeous (in a lumberjack kinda way), and also—weirdly enough—the only person in town who doesn’t like me. Can I change Paxton’s tune by the end of the holiday season? Or am I destined to spend yet another Christmas craving companionship and someone to hold my head up before I drown in the stress of my broken bakery?

Paxton: I’m not a people person. I know this about myself and I am at peace with it. The only exception I have is my son. He’s the most important person in the entire world to me. So I had no choice but to go along with his scheme as he rigs the Christmas Buddy drawing so we can spend the holiday season with the girl he’s had a crush on since junior high. The only catch: her father is a crucial part of the bargain. Can I survive the holiday season with sunshine golden boy Baxter bombarding me with his jokes and his too-bright smiles? Or will I succumb to my dark desires and strangle the grin right off his too-pretty face?

Let Your Heart Be Light! Is a standalone slow burn Holiday MM romance with high heat, a HEA, and no cliffhangers. It features a relationship between two adorable single fathers as they navigate the Holiday season. Together they’re warm, young, and tooth-achingly sweet. If you like funny stories with too many dad jokes, Christmas magic, grumpy x sunshine, and lots of steam then read on!

My Thoughts:

I started this book on New Years day as a quasi-cleanse from my regular reading habits (litrpg/fantasy) knowing full well that it was going to be hokey, cheesy, with a dash of predictability. It delivered on all accounts, but it was a like warm hug (with some sexy times added), that I was glad to read. 

We start off meeting Baxter, single dad, baker, and small town homo with a smile for each and every person. His daughter forces him to sign up for a Christmas Buddies event the school is doing, since in her words "he needs more friends". Next, we meet Paxton, single dad, handyman, and small town bisexual who is built like a sexy lumberjack, but dislikes most people and shows it... often. His son signs him up for the same Christmas Buddies program as a way to get closer to his crush (Baxter's daughter), and Paxton goes along with it since he loves his son. 

Drama ensues as Paxton's gruff demeanor clashes with Baxter's adorable golden retriever personality. It's rather predictable at times, but there are several curveballs thrown in to the mix that are refreshing to read. Without giving too much away, it was a rather adorable read, giving both men time to be vulnerable with each other and allow the other to be comfort in return. In this time of toxic masculinity, it is a reminder that we are all human, and none of us know what is going on behind closed doors for people. When you can, be kind, because sometimes the people hurting the most have the biggest smiles. 

The ending was quite adorable, and as someone in a committed relationship, was def really fun to see them blossom from almost enemies to acting almost like teenagers. (I really enjoyed that. Shows that just because you are in your 30s-40s, it doesn't mean you have to give up having fun and being silly at times.) 

If you are looking for a predictable yet wonderful Queer holiday romance, this book is for you!! 

Final Report:
318-320 pages
Adult ages
$0.00 (Kindle Unlimited)
$4.99 (Kindle)
$18.99 (Paperback)
$28.99 (Hardcover)
9/10