Book: Ducked For Christmas by Y. Maria
Reviewed by Weird | weird.reads.books
Rating: 4/5
Oh man. Where do I even start? I picked this up as a palate cleanser from my usual dark reads, and it delivered exactly what my brain needed. Ducked for Christmas is that sickly sweet Hallmark-core romance with just enough spice to warm your cheeks and kick off the holiday mood. Told in dual POV, we’ve got our grumpy MMC, Montgomery (Monty), and our sunshine FMC, Evie.
I felt so seen by Monty at the beginning. His loathing of all things Christmas and allergy to relentless cheer? Same, bro. Same. He keeps people at arm’s length and treats solitude like a safety blanket—partly because of his shifter nature and the lack of a community to anchor him. Enter Evie, his neighbor’s sister, who’s caring for her adorable niece, Scarlett, while her brother is deployed. Fate by the name of a cold snap and a power outage later, Evie and Scarlett end up at Monty’s place, and those glacial walls of his start to thaw. The man has rules, but Evie becomes an exception. Watching him negotiate that truth is half the fun.
Like any good Hallmark movie, conflicts resolve quickly; this isn’t about labyrinthine drama so much as it is about two people choosing each other, day by day. It’s character-centric and cozy—grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, found family vibes, and a soft undercurrent of “you are safe with me” that made my cold, black little holiday heart grow three sizes. The shifter element adds a playful twist without hijacking the warm rom-com theme.
Is it sappy? Absolutely. Did I grin anyway? Also absolutely. The chemistry has a dash of spice (hehe), the pacing is breezy, and the emotional beats land where they should. If you’re craving an entirely feel-good holiday romance that tastes like peppermint cocoa with a tiny cinnamon kick, add Ducked for Christmas to your TBR. You won’t regret it.
Thank you to Crowns and Chaos PR and Y. Maria for the ARC. All opinions are my own.