Book: A Crimson Ridge Christmas by Elliott Rose
Reviewed by Maggie Hayes
Rating: 4.5/5
A Crimson Ridge Christmas by Elliott Rose
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
This book features two holiday novellas set in Crimson Ridge, each following a taboo (YES!!!) relationship. And they're connected in the messiest way possible: one of the MMCs from the first novella is best friends with the FMC from the second, who falls for his DAD. SO MESSY, SO DELICIOUS.
Saddles & Snowfall
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
I ATE. IT. UP. Brad and Flinn's ultra-steamy frat-house hookup has all the makings of a hilarious meet-cute. Brad thinks Flinn is the other man in a proposed threesome, while Flinn has wandered into the room looking for his sister. Until the shock of all shocks is revealed (post fooling around): Flinn is the older brother of Brad's cheating ex-girlfriend, Izzie! Once the truth comes out, they desperately try to keep their hands off each other, but their connection is undeniable. The instalust quickly gives way to instalove, and somehow, it feels completely genuine.
Brad is SO sexy, dirty-talking Flinn through his firsts. I love that he's an out-and-proud bisexual cowboy who isn't afraid to go after what he wants. My heart broke for him a little when he learned the full extent of Izzie's deception. She is seriously THE WORST EVER, and I was rooting for her to find out about Brad and Flinn in the ugliest possible way (alas, they're not nearly as petty as I am).
And Flinn? After a crappy relationship with his ex, he just wants to feel wanted and desired. He's been seriously lacking intimacy, and it warmed my heart to see him finally find what he's been looking for, even if he believes he can't keep Brad. He's also incredibly selfless, willing to drop everything to help Izzie move back home or drive out into the snow to find a drunk cowboy.
Bouquets & Buckles
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Brad's best friend, Skylar, finds herself in an emergency and accidentally dials Brad's father, Luke, for help. They end up snowed in together on his ranch, and SPARKS FLY. Not wanting to lose Brad, they try to deny their attraction, but eventually they can't help but give in. It was SO obvious that their "just until the storm clears" arrangement wasn't going to stay that way, but I admire them for trying.
Luke is a DIRTY-TALKING KING—I guess that's where Brad inherited it from. He's so grumpy and secretly lonely, and watching him care for Skylar both in and out of the bedroom makes a super convincing case for the age-gap trope. And yes, he's known Skylar since she was young, and she spent summers with Brad while crushing on Luke. But Luke never saw her romantically or sexually until she was an adult, which keeps the dynamic from feeling creepy.
I also liked how Brad's reaction to their relationship was handled. It felt authentic to the relationship he has with his father rather than being drama thrown in just for the sake of it.
Thank you to the author and The Smuthood for providing an ARC!