Book 876: Mr. Frosty Pants (Home for the Holidays #1) – Leta Blake

I hadn’t planned to start my MM Holiday Romance binge this early, but when I started getting requests for reviews, including the third book in this series, it was inevitable that I’d start sooner than expected.

The challenge I face when I get sucked in by a blurb is whether or not to go back and read the books earlier in the series. Even if they’re “stand alone” I truly love it when they’re inter connected even if it’s just quick glimpses of future characters. That common thread is just the best to me. Thankfully, when I saw Mr. Jingle Bells I liked the idea of this one (the first) and am sort of meh about the second in the series Mr. Naughty List so thought why not.

This is the story of Casey and Joel, childhood best friends who grew apart when Casey left for college in NYC. Casey goes out to explore the world and runs away from his feelings for “straight” Joel. He has physical relationships, learns that his relationship with his parents healthy, and confirms that Joel is the only one he’s ever wanted. Joel, in the meantime, has had to deal with his abusive father losing his health and sinking further into poverty to barely stay afloat all while secretly pining for Joel.

In the span of less than twenty-four hours, he’d gone from never-been-kissed to having Casey Steven’s tongue in his mouth two entirely different times, and now he was on a date. Life was weird. He didn’t even know if he liked the way that it was weird, but he was on the ride for better or worse now. (105)

Casey, knowing what he wants, decides to reach out to Joel and the story heats up from there. Their first meeting after four years is frosty at best, but the temperature quickly rises as Casey realizes that Joel has always had feelings for him and he just has to get past his gruff exterior and pushing away of who he really wants.

For the most part I enjoyed the story and the writing. I felt some of the dialogue/description was pretty stiff, but not all the time. It was weird, almost like Blake was really into some parts and less so into others. I’m wondering if it’ll improve or be less noticeable as I make my way through the series. This book is three years old and she’s written quite a few since then, but this also wasn’t her debut novel so maybe?!

‘Can I say you’re my boyfriend?’
‘Probably safer than calling me the love of your life and personal sex god.’
Casey grabbed Joel close against him. ‘You are, you know.’
‘Your personal sex god? Of course. I’m pretty good for being so recently a virgin,’ Joel said, smirking. ‘Just wait until I have a few years of experience under my belt.’ ‘The love of my life.’
‘You can’t just say things like that.’
‘Why?’
‘Because you can’t mean them.’
‘But I do. I mean everything I say to you.’ (217)

I really appreciated that Blake brought the humor and banter to her characters. It definitely brought levity to Joel’s seemingly constant breakdowns/clamming up and the situations both Joel and Casey found themselves in with their parents.

The sex scenes were well written, but I was definitely a little annoyed at the lack of versatility. They definitely had one conversation about it and I like to think that as they grew in their relationship and Joel become more accepting of himself and Casey became more settled in their actual being together they’d revisit the conversation and change it up, but maybe that’s just wishful thinking.

Recommendation: A decent MM Holiday Romance. The protagonists were believable and relatable, if a little repetitive in what they had to say and their worries over 300 pages. I liked the minor characters we go to know and am on the fence about whether I’m looking forward to Mr. Naughty List and Mr. Jingle Bells. Thankfully, Blakes’ writing didn’t put me off so I’ll definitely read them, just not sure chomping at the bit to get to them.

Opening Line: “If Casey Stevens ignored the gaudy multicolored Christmas lights strewn through the bushes and trees—and the massive air-blown, glowing Santa popping in and out of a big, green box in the front yard—his old house looked the same as it had before they moved out.”

Closing Line: “There, in sight of Mary, Joseph, and the precious glowing baby Jesus, he kissed Joel silly, basking in their love and determined to hold onto it forever.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)

Additional Quotes from Mr. Frosty Pants
“Poetry class had turned out like life in general for Casey: an exercise in pretending to show everything while actually showing as little as possible.” (3)

“The plot for a new book dropped into his head. He’d call it Merry Christmas From Your Undead Lover, because why not? When his first (and of course unrequited) love rose from the dead during the holiday season, he was obligated to work it into a novel, wasn’t he? It was either that or burn the world down around him. One or the other. No in between.” (23)

“‘Just to be clear, I left you behind because I wanted to kiss you,’ Casey called from his seat on the bench.
‘And I let you go because I wanted you to kiss me,’ Joel called back. He turned around slowly to meet Casey’s eyes for the next bit. ‘And I wanted a hell of a lot more than that back then.'” (69)

“He screamed out his window again. He shouldn’t get ahead of himself. But it was too late. He wanted Joel. And Joel wanted him in return. And it was Christmastime. They both deserved a miracle.” (73)

“Casey’s strong arm around his middle woke a strange need in him, something he’d ignored for a long time: a need to be cared for, to be protected. It swelled in him, huge and uncomfortable, pressing at his skin and threatening to burst through in a sudden, inexplicable wail. He shivered hard, cold terror creeping into his gut.” (123)

“Maybe when all was said and done, if he didn’t let himself hope with Casey, he’d finally be able to move on. Though, honestly, deep down, he didn’t want to. In the most secret part of himself, he knew he’d given his heart to Casey forever ago, and he had no idea how he’d ever take it back.” (124)

“But if he doesn’t want to accept me as I am, and for who I’m going to be, then I guess it’s better than pretending to be someone I’m not for some version of love that isn’t even real.” (129)

“Had he really thought Casey wasn’t going to want to see him again? And again? And again forever? Did he not get what was happening here?” (146)

“Don’t you dare ruin this, Joel. This thing with you and Casey? It’s meant to be. It’s always been meant to be. Destiny. Fate. Whatever you want to call it. It’s beautiful.” (168)

“‘Listen, if it’s not going to work out because of the things your dad said, just be honest with yourself and with him now. Don’t drag it out, okay? Make it quick and complete. He’ll live. And you’ll live too. But if you’re going to do this thing? Do it all the way. Because he deserves someone who’ll go all in for him. Who’ll give up everything and everyone to be with him. He’s that good of a guy. Understand?’
‘I do.'” (227)