I gave ample warning more were coming 😀
I stumbled across this one after finding this list of MM Holiday Romances on Goodreads and so you know there is no going back at this point.
I started with this series (because of course it is) since it had the cute illustrated covers I’ve come to appreciate as I’ve read more mm romances this year. There’s something about being able to fill in your own details when the covers are illustrated. I mean sure, the chiseled abs are nice but let’s at least get some variety going!
Baxter set off very clearly to replicate the Hallmark/Lifetime holiday movies with this book and did a great job. This book is a former-friends to lovers’ story with one being a single dad (David and son Eric) thrown into the mix who re-kindle what was a repressed love for each other over one’s return back to a small town from NYC (Alex). I mean could you get any more Hallmark?
Can you be friends with someone once you’ve rejected them?
And of course Alex came to mind. He rejected him, yet here they were, years later. But that was different; they were kids then. And now? Now, the truth was, he didn’t want Alex to go back to New York. He wanted him to stay, for them to be a family. That was his Christmas wish.
Really? He chided himself for his Hallmark Christmas movie thoughts. It’s the holidays. (261)
The story was saccharine sweet so of course I loved it. The slow reveal of the background story between Alex and Dan was interesting and engaging and didn’t overwhelm the here and now which often times is the case. And, overall, the amount of tragedy in the book from Dan’s ex-wives treatment of their son, Eric, to the abusive relationship Alex had with his dad prior to being kicked out.
One of the big things I enjoyed about this book was representation. And that’s something that really comes from the fact this is an #ownvoices story and not another white woman writing mm romance (and there are plenty doing great jobs), but there’s an extra dose of authenticity that comes that could definitely come across as lip service or tokenism.
He called his matchmaker, Bonnie. They were friends since she moved to town in middle school and she was ‘Benjamin.’ Her deadname, he reminded himself. (3)
He was more than happy of his mother’s acceptance, but her views on gender and sexual identity were still old-school. Lately, he’d been identifying as pansexual, at least to himself. Coming out was an ongoing process. (302)
I also really liked that the book was a clean romance. There was some kissing, but all the sex happened off page which just worked perfectly and kept this firmly in the Hallmark/Lifetime movie line. And there were just enough adorkable moments that I was able to smile and sigh.
Recommendation: Baxter set out to write his own version of a Hallmark/Lifetime holiday romance but for LGBT+ individuals and I think he succeeded. He checked all of the boxes from the small-town friend coming home from the big city, single parent, nonprofit worker, you really name it and it works. I’m already moving forward in the series.
Opening Line: “Oh my God, did you see their outfits? Do you think they know they look ridiculous?”
Closing Line: “‘Let’s get it right this time,’ David said and pulled Alex into a deep kiss.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)
Other Books in Five Point Stories
Additional Quotes from The Problem with Mistletoe
“We’ll also have to decorate, and someone has to take point and run the actual event. We need someone calling the shots, and let’s be honest, dear, you’ve never been much of a decorator. You may be queer, but your design sense is alarmingly straight male, and by that, I mean sad.” (45)
“‘Do you speak Filipino?’ Eric asked.
‘Tagalog. The language is Tagalog,’ Alex explained. ‘I understand some, but growing up in a mixed household—my mom’s family is Armenian—we all just spoke English. It’s the same at the restaurant. Aunt Claire is Latina, and Uncle speaks Spanish too, so I learned some from them, but if anyone talks too fast, I get lost very quickly.'” (53)
“Mama finished her stack of napkins and pushed them aside. Taking out her yarn and knitting needles, she set to work. She hummed along with the Rat Pack Christmas music playing through the restaurant. Papa loved that channel.” (69)
“‘You aren’t too bad yourself.’ John held his hands out like he was measuring David’s shoulders. ‘You’ve got that whole Captain America thing going on. Specimen.‘” (166)
“I’m going to have to start locking the bedroom door.’ David waggled his eyebrows. They ran upstairs, laughing. David grabbed Alex’s butt, making him squeal.
An hour later, they lay in bed in a heap of sweaty but satisfied flesh.” (348)
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