Kissing Santa Claus

by Ann Malley

Worst mistake or the best thing since Adam woke up to Eve?Career climber, Victoria “Tori” Barkley lied about being married to keep promotions coming and offers best refused off the table. A girl’s gotta eat and eat well. But when her mistletoe mistake—a Finnish meat bus with a full beard and hair to spare—presented himself as Santa Claus with a tempting sprig, instinct said, “YES!” And with all the passion she’d pent up far too long.



Must be why she got pregnant!



But when Edvin Arn Auliksen, shunning career crazies and gobs of cash inherited by a family whose lifestyle he hates, discovers he’s a father, the high-mountain hermit swaps snowy peaks for New York City. Victoria won’t get away with her lies. Or her attempt to have a fake “husband” show up at a corporate Christmas party where he’ll be paid to make a scene and quietly agree to a divorce. Edvin will play that part but with a different end in mind.



The question now is if Victoria will recognize her baby’s father. Tall as ever. Clean shaven. Mountaineer skills and rippling muscles wrapped in Armani instead of red velvet. The meat bus is on a roll. And he’s not stopping until he secures a very Merry Christmas. For his baby girl and Victoria, the only woman he ever thought of marrying. If she’ll let him.



#reunionromance #secretbaby #Christmas #forcedproximity #fakerelationship #contemporary romance #steamycleanromance #sweetromance #romanticcomedy #secondchanceromance

182 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 18, 2020

About the author

Honestly? I'm an empty-nesting mom looking for fun and plenty of distraction. Don't let the Snap Chat filters fool you.

I love my husband. Good thing since we passed our 30 year anniversary years ago. I adore our inside kitty, Boo, and her opposite twin, Sweet Peanut, the feral beastie my husband and I are trying to tame. She has us SO wrapped and Boo knows it. She resents it, but that's another story. Poor prima kitty.

Meanwhile, I crave someone or something to control, most often when my thoughts are running like a psychotic command and control station with zero control. (Can you feel me? If not, please, have mercy. My condition is very real.) Sadly, my Special Teams Navy vet counterpart doesn't take orders anymore. Like he ever did. Neither do my home schooled kiddos who have all flown states away. Lucky them... and, no, I don't wonder why.

So, what's a girl to do?

Write. Reach out. And create ongoing fantasies of what could be, should be, and will be for endless characters who--if they're fussy--can be written out. Bwahahah. I prefer tagging these willful ones with a happily-ever-after. Post torture, naturally, and could use your help! With far more than writing... but I'll leave that up to you.

Be gentle.

Reviews

[Isabelle Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ann Malley has crafted another heartwarming love story that keeps the reader turning the page to see what happens next. Kissing Santa Claus is a second chance romance with a clever plot, a goal-oriented yet sassy heroine, and an intriguing hero who is sexy is a sin. This book has it all: a bit of mystery, a hint of suspense, an abundance of sparks, and a couple worth rooting for. Throw in a little mistletoe and all bets are off. Very enjoyable read.

[Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

"No touching. Her precise enunciation came off like a dare. "Incentivize that"—Edvin quirked his lips—"and I may have better recall."

Kissing Santa Claus is a heartwarming holiday read. It's a second chance romance with a bit of redemption, and a family coming together in time for Christmas gift unwrapping, and did I mention the hero's a big, husky Finnish "meat bus"?

This short novella follows uptight, career-focused Victoria "Tori" Barkley as she faces down her boss's annual holiday party at his splashy mansion. Apparently she MUST bring a spouse - instead of the usual BOYW / BOYB. Fortunately, Tori told the whole company she's got a man. In fact, she kinda did, but that was four years ago and everything happened in a short whirlwind under a mistletoe that ended with her having her little girl, Molly. It's for Molly that she's keeping up the ruse that she's this power woman who can juggle a family and being a shark in a designer suit. Bad news, now she's gonna be caught on her longtime lie unless she can get an actor hired to take her "husband's" place for the event.

And while she's scheming to save her suit, her baby daddy, Edvin Arn, has tracked her down and, to his great disappointment, discovers she's hidden their little girl from him. Hello, secret baby trope!



Daredevil mountain-man Edvin wants revenge. He's already planning to announce the takeover of Tori's company, but he wants to prove to his heart - a heart still longing for her - that she's a no-good rotten gold-digger. What better way than to pretend to be that actor she's looking for and fake being her "husband"? But instead of the holiday party getting frosty, things between Tori and Edvin heat up very quickly.

I loved that Tori was bristly. I like a thorny heroine who hides her soft mushy insides from the hero until she's sure she's safe with him.

And Edvin was the perfect combo of cheeky and humma-humma hottie. An alpha, but one who knew when to step up and back down.

So, if you enjoy your romances with a lotta sweetness and the smallest, but spiciest dash of heat, and of course a HEA, then Kissing Santa Claus is sure to take your breath away (no mountain climbing required... Unless that mountain's named Edvin 😉).