Book 971: The Christmas Leap (Festive Fakes #2) – Keira Andrews

We all knew this was coming . . . the MM Holiday Romance extravaganza. Honestly, I thought it’d be later but realizing just how little reading time I have these days and how quickly I got through these when they started to arrive on Gay Romance Reviews of course I started looking.*

I grabbed this one because it’s set in the same universe as Andrews’ The Christmas Deal that I read last year and thoroughly enjoyed. We get a brief check-in with Seth and Logan who offer some savvy advice to Will as he’s figuring stuff out because he works with them and they encourage the fake boyfriend caper.

This is a friends-to-lover, bisexual awakening, one-bed romance. I loved that both characters were bisexual, not something I come across that frequently or seek out if I’m honest, but it was a nice change.

There was only so long you could secretly love your best friend before self-preservation kicked in. I’d never have gotten over him if I still saw him all the time. And it worked! I was very much over him. (Chapter 1)

Michael has been carrying the torch for Will since they were in school together and when he met a nice enough guy he cut Will off cold, but when that relationship comes crashing to the ground his first instinct is to call Will and boom. Will has spent the last two years mad and upset and realizing that he probably has feelings for Michael and when he sees him again they come roaring to life.

The plot was a little too neat, but there’s nothing wrong with that when you go into this genre it’s 100% expected and I enjoyed it very much. I also genuinely appreciate when the protagonists have a history it makes the accelerated timeline of most romance novels a little less nauseating.

‘Me and Michael? We’re friends, Mum. Nothing more.’ Were we even friends these days? Barely. ‘I’m straight, remember?’
‘Oh it’s the twenty-first century. It’s all much looser now.’
I knew she was kidding. After all, she’d called me a “ladies’ man” only a moment ago. Mum didn’t know. No one knew. It was fine. ‘Course it was.
Knuckles white on the steering wheel and heart thumping, I exited the freeway. Sure, I’d fantasized about men occasionally, but I’d certainly never confessed my curiosity to my mum. Or anyone else. There was no need. (Chapter 2)

Andrews did a great job with the intensity of the first two kisses and the building of tension to the first time they get off together and it was explosive, but each time it got more and more intense. I was hoping they’d both be verse and I feel like it was hinted at, but I don’t think explicitly so I can’t fault her for if they are and didn’t walk the walk, damnit!

That’s why it’s a whole spectrum. I think it’s demisexual when you really only want sex with other people if you’re in love with them. Like with Amelia. Although I’m sure there’s not just one way people experience being demi or anything else. There are a bunch  of labels on the ace spectrum. (Chapter 19)

I very much enjoyed the minor characters and adored that Will forced Michael to be himself and be picky and have opinions and tell people his name was Michael and not Mike. It was just so BFF to boyfriend adorable and they hadn’t even kissed yet. He saw how Will’s ex had made him erase himself to be with him and Will didn’t want that, he loved Michael for who he was.

Recommendation: Great book! I loved the juxtaposed locations of upstate New York and Western Australia they provided two totally different experiences in the book and gave Will and Michael the time to figure out just what was going on with each other. It was great to revisit Seth and Logan and I really hope Andrews keeps going in this shared universe. There was another couple that I might go look up their story, but honestly, I am here for Andrews’ holiday romances.

*I received a copy of The Christmas Leap via Gay Romance Reviews in return for my honest opinion. No goods or money were exchanged.

Opening Line: “There was an old saying about best-laid plans.”

Closing Line: “We’d waited long enough.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)