Book 878: Mr. Naughty List (Home for the Holidays #2) – Leta Blake

Kindle Unlimited is both a curse and a blessing. There are some well written and incredibly poor written books on there, and there are SO MANY books. You’ll never really be at a loss for something if you’re cool with self-publishing (which is always hit or miss), don’t want to read anything from most major publishers, and aren’t looking for the hot new release. So yeah, definitely hit or miss.

It was a hit for me after having received a review request for Mr. Jingle Bells, the third book in Leta Blake’s Home for the Holidays series. I was able to grab Mr. Frosty Pants and this one. And let me tell you, this one REALLY picks up the spice and the heat. I’m talking full on kink-tacular Christmas celebration with costumes and spanking and other stuff too.

We met RJ, Casey’s friend and Joel’s bandmate from growing up, in the last book and he referenced his crush on the other protagonist, Aaron Danvers, his high school English/composition teacher.

Aaron was a very complicated character, and I felt he’s the most genuine and deepest character Blake has written. Joel and Casey were great, but they were a little too surface and a little too woe-is-me. Aaron has faced psychological and emotional abuse from his mother for decades and this book is about his overcoming it. He’s been forced to stay in the closet, to hide who he is because his mother has taken advantage of him and one bad situation rather than defend and support him.

‘It’s okay if what William says is true, you know.’
‘Excuse me?’
‘If you’re gay, I mean. My dads are gay and they’re awesome. You’re awesome too.’
Aaron swallowed thickly. ‘Uh, thank you.’
‘I know that there’s still prejudice out there. I deal with it every day. But I think a lot of people are starting to understand that gay people aren’t bad, or whatever. For what it’s worth, I don’t think William thinks gay people are bad, either.’ Elsie pushed a long strand of orange-red hair from her face and shrugged. ‘His dad’s just a jerk, that’s all. My dads say they feel sorry for William because his father is a raging bigot. They say William hardly stood a chance, you know? But, with people like you and me in his life, my dads say William could still turn out all right. He’s just got a lot of learning to do.’
Aaron swallowed, compassion for Elsie and for himself coming to do battle with his anxiety. ‘Thanks for sharing all that with me, Elsie.’ (87)

I adored Aaron’s growth and coming to terms with his sexuality, his love for RJ, and his standing up for himself and leaving his mother in the dust. It showed that when the right person comes along you will go any distance to make not only your relationship work, but to make your life better.

Before I get to the sex scenes and kink, I was happy to see Blake’s inclusion of a  couple of other characters.

• RJ’s younger brother instigates the big crisis of the book out of confusion and insecurity. He’s got a big crush on RJ and doesn’t know how to handle it and when he finds out RJ is dating his teacher he freaks out. How they resolve it and the jokes made are adorable. And the ending with him having a boyfriend his own age was just perfect.
• RJ’s stepfather is bisexual and has to come out to his wife to help his son understand it’s okay. There’s also a brief moment when he comes out to Aaron before either of them realizes their new connection.
• Aaron’s best friend, Lauren. is asexual and maybe aromantic. I wondered this early on, but it was confirmed pretty late in the book.

I love it when authors go beyond the just gay or even just bisexual characters. It always provides a bit of diversity.

‘There’s nothing wrong with you,’ Lauren said reassuringly. ‘What you do in bed with your boyfriend doesn’t matter so long as it gives you satisfaction and pleasure. Aaron, being submissive, if that’s what you’re implying, isn’t a bad thing or a good thing. It’s just a way of being, just like me being asexual is just a way of being. It’s not a big deal one way or another.’
‘You’re asexual?’
‘Yes. Maybe even aromantic. I’m not sure. I don’t really crave being with another person, not like you do, or like my other friends. Or the way my mom seems to think I should.’ She rolled her eyes. (283)

Okay, now on to the sex scenes. Blake did a wonderful job of toeing the line between the whole Dom/sub thing and showing the development of a truly loving and adoring relationship. But ya’ll, this book made me blush—and I’m not talking about the light pink tinge on your cheeks, I’m talking full on crimson cheeks and my face heating need to fan myself type blush. I’ve only read a couple of kink novels (most in the Leighton Green’s Holiday Romance series: Winter Wonders, Taming Tristan, and Star Spanked), and those were okay, but this one got under my skin.

I don’t know if it was the forbidden nature of the former teacher/student relationship (RJ definitely called him Mr. Danvers during sexy time), or maybe it was the cos-play, or the rough play, or the spanking? Who knows, but I definitely blushed a lot. Or maybe it was after each of those, there were such loving and adoring moments that just made me melt. Either way Blake did a wonderful job with the scenes.

Recommendation: Blake wrote a readable MM Holiday Romance with a big dose of kink included. RJ and Aaron were believable and relatable and grew throughout the novel. The sex scenes were well written and made me blush profusely. If I have one complaint the book got a little long, but not too slow at some points if that makes sense. I’m looking forward to reading Mr. Jingle Bells and maybe seeking out some of Blake’s non-holiday romances.

Opening Line: “Freshly scrubbed and eager, Aaron fairly skipped by the glittering storefronts in Market Square.”

Closing Line: “‘I do,’ RJ repeated back, eyes warm with love. ‘Yeah, I like the sound of that.'” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)

Additional Quotes from Mr. Naughty List
“As a teen, he’d worked hard to reduce his so-called lisp, and to prevent his swiveling hips and fluttering hands from outing him before he was ready. Some days, when he really thought about it, the amount of effort he’d put into training himself out of his natural behaviors pissed him off. He could have done something so much more interesting with all that energy and stress. What would it be like to be free and loved for who you were born to be?” (53)

“I don’t know what was said or done in the little bit o’ time since you first showed up here looking like a light had been turned on in your soul. I don’t know what happened to make that light turn off again. But, please, son. Don’t be like your mother. Don’t ruin perfectly good things just because they aren’t what you planned.” (188)

“‘Oh, for fuck’s sake, RJ, we aren’t children. Let’s not be ridiculous here. Love is trust. Don’t you get it?’ She reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing hard. ‘Love is trust.'” (235)

“Staring into Aaron’s beautiful face, so earnest and desperate, RJ’s heart burst with affection. They’d trusted each other with their bodies, passion, and truth. And their trust. Yes, this between them, was the epitome of trust. And love . . . love was trust.” (259)

“‘No matter what happens with my mom, I’m glad we met again.’
‘None of that, Mr. Danvers,’ RJ said gruffly.
‘That sounds like a goodbye and we’ve agreed to pretend that love can last.’
Aaron laughed a little giddily. ‘This is crazy. We’ve barely met.’
‘That’s how it always starts, right? At some point, everyone’s “barely met,” but they choose to keep on meeting and it grows.’ RJ squeezed Aaron’s fingers. ‘When a mother gives birth, she’s barely met her baby, but no one would say she doesn’t love it. What makes us different? Just because we’re grown-ups? Didn’t that Baby Jesus charge us with loving each other?’
Aaron squeezed his fingers back. ‘You’re a strange one, RJ Blitz.’
‘You love it.’
Aaron kissed RJ’s knuckles and said solemnly, ‘I do.'” (321)