[Novella Review] Santa Wore Leathers By Vonnie Davis & Paramount Coffee Cup O' Cheer

Title: Santa Wore Leathers
Series: None
Author: Vonnie Davis
Publisher: HarperCollins UK/ HarperImpulse
Publication date: November 28th 2013
Page Count: 112 pages
Age Rating: Adult (explicit sexual scene)
How I got my hot little hands on it: Received a copy to review
Publisher’s page: Santa Wore Leathers

Take one man-shy reporter, a gorgeous ex-Navy SEAL turned firefighter, add in a thong-stealing dog… and Christmas will never be the same again!

There’s only one thing on Becca Sinclair’s Christmas list this holiday season – her very own column in the local paper. And if she can build a huge blog following, her wish just might come true.

Enter Dan ‘Wolf’ Wolford aka the man-whore next door and the new star of Becca’s popular, post-divorce blog about men. A Navy SEAL turned commander of the Florida Marine Rescue Unit, Wolf’s the very definition of the word alpha – and with an endless rotation of women on his doorstep, this hunk on a Harley has Becca and her female followers all hot and bothered!

All Becca wants for Christmas is her newspaper column, right? But when she finds herself the target of Wolf’s irresistible attentions, her snarky comebacks become less and less convincing and, suddenly, she’s not so sure anymore…

My Review

It’s Christmas time and Becca Sinclair has little interest in celebrating. Having been hurt by men in holidays past, now she just wants to focus on her career as a reporter. Told she can have her own newspaper column if she can get fifteen hundred followers on her blog, Becca uses the exploits of her man-whore neighbor to attract followers – only it turns out her neighbor is actually a pretty good guy. A pretty great guy actually.

Dan ‘Wolf’ Wolford is a firefighter who heads the Florida Marine Rescue Unit and a devoted brother who raised his siblings after his parents’ death. Sparks fly when the two meet face to face for the first time – both good and bad. Becca is attracted to Wolf, but not interested in starting anything and actually would rather run the other way. Wolf finds Becca’s fiery nature a big turn on and sets out to woo her with all the romance the holiday season has to offer.

This book is super short, novella length, and it flies by. From first impressions, to first meeting, to getting down and dirty – it all seems to happen so fast. Maybe a little too fast. But it’s still a romantic and charming little story with holiday touches that make it a great little piece of naughty holiday fun. I love me some Alpha male so of course I loved Wolf (mostly – there were some parts were I wanted to slap some sense into that boy) and I also liked how Becca was feminine, but not a wilting flower by any means (her bedroom is purple and girly, but she rides a motorcycle – a pink motorcycle with matching helmet, naturally).

The only thing I wish is that the book had been longer and maybe fleshed a bit more. Becca’s blog and her endeavor to get her very own news column are important threads in the plot and yet they are left to dangle in the end. Does she get the needed followers? Is she ever rewarded for her hard work with her own column? The reader never finds out.

There’s great humor in this story (Becca’s thong stealing dog cracked me up, as did her endearingly hilarious elderly neighbor), but also some drama. The drama felt serious to me and not so easily forgiven (I think Wolf really messes up here and Becca should have made him squirm longer), but forgiveness is given and the two live happily ever after.

I would recommend Santa Wore Leathers if you’re looking for a quick holiday romance with a steamy love scene, humor, a tiny bit of drama, and an assured happily ever after.

Holidays just haven’t been all that jolly for Becca. She hasn’t really celebrated since her dad walked out on her and her mom years ago and last year her husband moved out on Christmas Eve. At least this Christmas she’s got a sexy Santa in leathers to heal her poor bruised heart and give her a reason to celebrate. For Becca, and anyone who needs a little pick-me-up when the holiday season get tough, I suggest Paramount Coffee Cup O’ Cheer – it’s full of all those lovely holiday spices to bring a bit of festive, warm comfort to your season.