As promised I am 100% leaning into the MM Christmas Romances. I would say I’m going to limit myself to 12 to parallel the days of Christmas (this is the 4th of six I’ve already read), but who knows what is going to happen. I have now found so many I want to read and every time I find one I truly enjoy I add the author to my list of authors to look into for other non-holiday books.
I was of course going to read this one after finishing The Problem with Mistletoe and Bring Me Edelweiss and thoroughly enjoying them. And, when you add in that in the front matter Baxter explicitly states the reason he wrote these was because there were no LGBTQ+ holiday romance movies when he was growing up, I am here for it.
Not only do the protagonists from the first two novels appear, but both of the protagonists, Larry and Quino, appear briefly at the end of Bring Me Edelweiss in the super big romantic moment. They’re both actors (to varying success) and of course that’s going to bring the drama to the table with most of it being self-created.
I love that Baxter continues to include diverse characters from a diversity of ethnicities and nationalities in his main characters to a wider spectrum of LBTQIA+ individuals represented in the minor characters.
“‘But . . .’ Jaime interjected. She was not only Enrico’s fiancé but a longtime friend of Joaquín’s as well. Assigned male at birth (AMAB), Jaime was nonbinary and gender fluid, though she normally presented and lived as a woman.” (23)
My biggest gripe about the last novel was the awkward (and rushed) sex scene. There was at least one more on the page in this novel and he got better, so yay for progress! I do sort of wish he’d kept it as clean as the first one and stayed true to the Hallmark/Lifetime holiday movie feel where if anything does happen its off screen, but I’ll take improvement over exclusion any day.
The one gripe I had about it being self-published was a continuity error:
After he unzipped Larry’s slacks, he pulled them down. Boxers, of course. Joaquín chuckled. He found that fitting but couldn’t say why. (202)
Definitely not a Hollywood scene, but it was perfect nonetheless. He tossed the man’s boxer briefs over his shoulder. (203)
I mean magic underwear could exist? But, honestly in the grand scheme of things (oh hey Starbucks cup in Game of Thrones) this is miniscule and for a self-published work this is very well edited and proofread. AND I could be mistaken, but I did read it a few times trying to connect the dots over whose underwear were whose.
The other thing I think Baxter did well with this one was he brought the humor. Maybe not as much as in the last book—I LURVE ME SOME NERD HUMOR AND BANTER—but he still brought it with this one.
‘Mind you, I always thought he was a THOT.’ To their blank stares, he continued. ‘That ho over there? An InstaGay? What with all the shirtless posts . . . But after last night I’m revising my opinion.’ (56)
And to be honest I immediately texted a few people asking if they 1) knew what THOT was, one did in addition to myself, and 2) if they knew it was an acronym and the one who knew what it was knew it was an acronym; meanwhile my mind was blown 😀
The best part of the novel for me was the setting. I’ve never been to New Orleans, but he really seemed to capture the weird mystical quality of it from the descriptions of the streets and the nods to all the famous places and people and the weirdos that make it what it is (I’m assuming). The city came alive for me and made their budding relationship that much more magical!
Recommendation: I really enjoyed this one. I think I’d probably say of the three this is the middle one; the second is the best (personal preference for adorkable nerds and soldiers); and the first is a very close third. I’m not quite sure I’d say these are Hallmark/Lifetime worthy (they’re a little too meaty), but they’re definitely enjoyable reads and I’ll keep an eye out for more from Baxter in the future.
Opening Line: “‘You’re saying that no one wants to work with me?’ Wide-eyed, Larry slumped in the chair opposite his agent.”
Closing Line: “Larry and Joaquín looked at each other and laughed.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)
Other Books in Five Points Stories
Additional Quotes from Mistletoe in the Marigny
“‘Promise me that you will not do anything like that when you walk down the aisle,’ Larry said. The prospect of Joel marrying his boyfriend grew more real every day, though the engagement wasn’t official and no date was set.
Joel’s eyes went wide. ‘I don’t think Her Royal Highness would allow that.’
‘When is Astrid’s coronation?’ It still amazed Larry that his best friend’s boyfriend was the prince of a sovereign nation. It definitely kept things interesting. They were always flying off somewhere, playing gay mystery archaeologists, and Larry helped pick up the slack at work.” (13)
“The Village reminded him for all the world of a small town, a little city within the big city. It pulsed to its own rhythm. When he got his own place—maybe this summer, if it went well and he got the show—he was determined to move down here. Summer. He made a silent prayer as he passed New York University and headed toward Broadway.” (28)
“Unf. Love a man that reads, he thought. “But I prefer Lawrence.” Of Arabia. Joaquín smirked. He’s got that young Peter O’Toole thing going on. Quirky and mesmerizing . . .” (29)
“‘Who knows?’ Mark asked. ‘Maybe he’ll do it for a laugh. He does seem to like teasing people. Or maybe the Christmas spirit will take him over—’
‘Already texting Enrico.’ Joel typed with a mischievous smile. ‘I only wish I could come and watch the fireworks. I love the fake boyfriend trope.’
‘—and maybe he really likes you,’ Mark finished under his breath.” (60)
“But inwardly he cringed. What was I thinking? They kissed earlier. Not much more than a peck, but he was going in for more when they were interrupted. Something about this city, the romance of it all. Intoxicating. It worked on him like an enchantment, pulling him in. It didn’t help that he was pretending to be Lawrence’s boyfriend.” (163)
“‘Isn’t that what we all do as we go through life? Casting out energy, trying to create and affect the world around us.’ She leaned forward and said in a low tone, ‘The whole world is magic. It’s just easier to see it in cities like New Orleans.’ (216)
“‘All right . . .’ Larry scowled. They were being reasonable and he didn’t want reasonable at the moment. I want to sulk.” (261)
“‘I do love the songs, but the whole thing where the queer character dies of AIDS while the cis straight girl is saved by the power of heterosexual love? Well, it bugs the hell out of me,’ Larry opined. It was a long-standing problem he had with the show.” (263)
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