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Burying the Hatchet

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4.11  ·  Rating details ·  54 ratings  ·  38 reviews
Home for the holidays for the first time in five years, Clayton Osborne steps off the plane with a chip on his shoulder and a suitcase full of grief…only to come face to flannel-covered chest with his worst nightmare. It’s Jake Carver, his high school nemesis and guilty crush. Clayton never expected Jake to still be working on his family tree farm. Of course, now that he’s ...more
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Published December 7th 2020 by NineStar Press
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Average rating 4.11  · 
Rating details
 ·  54 ratings  ·  38 reviews


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Trio
A new author for me, I'll be looking at whatever A.C. Thomas brings us next.

Ms. Thomas writes a fabulous sex scene. Spectacular dirty talk, great chemistry between the characters, and their unique personalities really come through. The dynamic between the men, present throughout the whole story, culminates in their love making and works perfectly.

With flashes of some really lovely stuff, A.C. Thomas overdoes the descriptors a bit, and there's lots of similes between emotions and the winter weath
...more
Shweta
Get to this goodness! Get to it now!
Home-for-the-holidays, second chance at love, enemies to lovers, former bully novella? Sign me up !
I was hooked in from Page 1 and completely devoured the book in under 3 hrs!


This holiday romance follows Clayton who returns home to look after the family farm only to come face to face with his former bully and long time man-of-his-fantasies -Jake.
As the duo butt heads, Clayton realises that Jake is no longer the brutish bully he remembers from high school and
...more
Lisa Scott-Thacker
Dec 07, 2020 rated it it was amazing
Ok, so you want some romance? You want your heart to fill with love and joy, but you also want a compelling plot and developed, well-rounded characters?
And, don't be shy, you want some glorious sex scenes.
But it's been a hard year, so maybe you also want something with that sparkle of festive magic too? Something cosy, comforting, warm?

Burying the Hatchet has got your back!

The premise is utterly delightful.

Clayton's fresh from the city and a high powered job that keeps him busy, but not exactl
...more
Online Eccentric Librarian
More reviews at the Online Eccentric Librarian http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This was a very quick read - felt like it took maybe an hour to complete. The story itself was paint by numbers; none of the characters felt fleshed out and we never got much in terms of a back story. Strip out the overly long sex scenes and what remained was a skeleton of a plot with some cardboard characters.

Story: Clayton returns to his small town New England home to take on the running of his mother's Christmas Tr
...more
Joyfully Jay
Dec 22, 2020 rated it liked it
A Joyfully Jay review.

3 stars


This story is nothing but sprinkles and spun sugar. It’s two men looking at each other, lusting after each other, and giving into temptation, all while chopping down trees, making wreaths and garlands, and stringing up colorful lights. Neither character is developed, and while Jake has a bit of a background, Clayton doesn’t really. The bullying is dropped once Jake apologizes and it feels like Clayton has zero interest in Jake as a person.

For me, this book just didn
...more
Jessica Svajgert
Jan 08, 2021 rated it liked it
Shelves: netgalley-arc
*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: December 7, 2020

This LGBTQIA+ novella was a cute small town enemies to lovers holiday romance. While It’s short and sweet with minimal character background and so many cringey pet names in the sex scenes, I still enjoyed the characters together and was rooting for them.
Bedside Book Review
Nov 27, 2020 rated it it was amazing
Burying the Hatchet by A.C. Thomas is a Christmas M/M romance novella that will give you all the feels.
Clayton Osbourne has to return to his family home and Christmas Tree farm when his mother is suddenly taken ill. He ran away from his emotional heartache over his childhood nemesis and guilty crush several years before and hasn't returned since.
The object of his heartache Jake Carver, still works on the farm and is still causing Clayton's heart to flutter. Will sparks fly this Christmas between
...more
Fal
Dec 13, 2020 rated it really liked it
Burying the Hatchet by A.C. Thomas is a short and sweet holiday novella following Clayton and Jake after Clayton’s mother falls ill and can no longer take care of the family’s tree farm. Clayton is happy to be back in his small town but not so happy to have to work with his high school bully, Jake.

This was really cute. I think the author did a good job of balancing tone in this novella. It’s dealing with heavy subjects like past bullying and internalized homophobia. However, I think the novella
...more
Anke
Feb 04, 2021 marked it as nope
Tried the sample - didn't work for me.
...more
A.C. Thomas
Nov 23, 2020 added it  ·  (Review from the author)
Shelves: my-books
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Category: Romance

Genre: Contemporary, Seasonal

Word Count: 32800

Sex Content: Explicit

Pairing: MM

Orientation: Gay

Identity: Cisgender

Warning: discussion of past homophobia and bullying. The MC inadvertently outs the love interest (only between the two of them). The story includes the depiction of an ailing elderly relative in hospital

Available at most major retailers:

https://www.amazon.com/Burying-Hatche...

https://ninestarpress.com/product/bur...

https://m.barnesandnoble.co
...more
Book Gemz
Dec 07, 2020 rated it it was amazing
What I liked
Not going to lie, I was interested in reading this book the minute I read the premise. My husband and I have talked many times about starting a Christmas tree farm. Now, here is an m/m romance book, Burying the Hatchet, that is based on one. SIGN ME UP!

A.C. Thomas did a wonderful job building this novel. It has well-developed characters. While there are a few ancillary characters around them in a few scenes, the story is truly all about Clayton and Jake. This really helped to develop
...more
Jonas Sheckler
Nov 22, 2020 rated it it was amazing
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
CapesandCovers
Despite the fact that my kindle app has a bunch of holiday books on it from the time I bought some massive romance bundle on a whim (back before I had even started reading adult romance too lmao), I decided to request a few wintery/Christmas themed books from NetGalley, Burying the Hatchet included to try to make things feel more normal and holiday like. And while I'm not sure that part actually worked since my life is pretty far from Clayton and Jake's, it was a really sweet holiday romance tha ...more
Sherry
Dec 14, 2020 rated it really liked it
This book is going on my list of favorite Christmas reads for the holiday season.

The plot is pure Hallmark. You’ve got the guy who’s left his small town for the big city of Chicago but has to return home when his mother becomes seriously ill. There he encounters his sometimes friend, sometimes tormentor—and, always, his secret crush—and the two of them are forced to work together to save his mother’s Christmas tree farm. Romance blooms, but with one of them having a life elsewhere, it’s surely d
...more
Jenn
Jan 16, 2021 rated it really liked it
Shelves: arc, mm, lgbt, contemporary
3.5 stars
Burying the Hatchet is a sweet little holiday novella about coming home again and second chances for a first love.

Clayton Osborne hasn't been home in five years but when his mother falls ill he returns to his country roots to help the family's tree farm and see his ailing mother. Little does he know the source of all his teenage angst and lust happens to be working at the farm is all his burly, flannel, ax-wielding glory.

Jake Carver has been working at the NorthStar Tree Farm since as
...more
Autumn Breeze
Dec 07, 2020 rated it it was amazing
If you're looking for a holiday romance on a tree farm with all the feels, look no further because Burying The Hatchet by A.C Thomas is it. It's the perfect book to enjoy a hot cup of cocoa with on a cold night. I will certainly be reading it again next Holiday season!

Jake and Clayton were like oil and water as teenagers. Jake picked on and teased Clayton until he fled to Chicago. Unfortunate circumstances brought Clayton home, back to Jake. Together, they have two weeks to get North Star, the
...more
Daniel
Clayton returns to his ailing mother's Christmas tree farm from his fancy job in Chicago to find that his high school nemesis and secret crush, Jake, is still helping out on the farm and living in the guest house. With Clayton's mother unconscious in the hospital, the the two men will have to put their differences aside and keep the farm running through the holiday season. But as secrets from the past are revealed, they realize they're developing more than a working relationship.

Burying the Hatc
...more
Caitlyn
Dec 07, 2020 rated it it was amazing
Burying the Hatchet is like the gay, Hallmark Christmas story we’ve all been waiting for. YES, IT IS OUR TIME NOW. Clayton is home for the Holidays to run his mothers tree farm, but as it would turn out… his old high school bully still works there. Now if you ask me that's just the perfect setup for some Holiday themed enemies-to-lovers goodness.

The Christmas vibes are so strong in this book and it got me so in the mood for the Holidays and honestly, it is everything I needed for this year. Jak
...more
Sid Blackwood
Dec 12, 2020 rated it really liked it
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a nice read if you don't expect it to be anything that it isn't. It's a quick holiday romance with a nice bit of steam that'll give you a warm feeling and a couple hours of escape from the holiday stress. I would recommend not delving to deep into the background though. Bullies to lovers is always a bit problematic and the resolution is okay, so if you don't enjoy this type of trope you may want to pass on this one.
While I do like the
...more
Caitlin Garza
Dec 07, 2020 rated it it was amazing
Clayton makes it home for the holidays under the worst circumstances. He comes home to a mother in the hospital, a family business in chaos, and his childhood bully living in his backyard. But Jake isn't the tormenter Clay remembers from his youth -- he may just turn this Christmas around.

This is a perfect cozy, winter read that transported me to NorthStar Tree Farm. I definitely loved the atmospheric feel of this story; I could perfectly envision Jake pulling felled trees on his sled and Clay m
...more
Sally
Dec 12, 2020 rated it liked it
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Iz
Dec 13, 2020 rated it it was amazing
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Excuse me while I go and cry for a few hours.
"Burying the Hatchet" was the most perfect holiday romance.
I absolutely adored it, from start to finish, and the only thing I could have asked for was maybe a hundred pages more of Clay and Jake cutting down trees and celebrating Christmas and being adorable and lovely.
It's full of some of my favourite tropes (childhood enemies to lovers? Check. Size difference? CHECK.) plus a whole
...more
Phoebe
A.C. Thomas gives us a second chance romance this holiday season with Burying the Hatchet. I will admit that while reading, I would not have been surprised if the hatchet had ended up buried in someone. (smile)

Thomas deals with some tough issues that range from the illness of a loved one, bullying, homelessness, and homophobia. Then they add in some holiday romance...oh and plenty of donuts. I will also confess to really wanting to go to the jubilee, it sounds so cool and a lot of fun.

A carniva
...more
Thieving Magpie
Dec 31, 2020 rated it really liked it
Former-Enemies-to-lovers? Perfect!
A sweet little read, easily finished in one sitting? Awesome!
Two very graphic sex scenes? No, thank you.
I was so mad about those two sex scenes, this book was perfect for a five star-rating! It had a sweet Christmas rep, former enemies to lovers, two characters that were not perfect but also no assholes - they were human. Probably the most realistic characters I've been reading about for today.
And then there came the sex-scenes and my five stars rating went dow
...more
Mary Tokeidai
Dec 07, 2020 rated it it was amazing
I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

When I read this book I was expecting an easy going, holiday themed comedy romance like in the movies. I received all that and then some! The setting is amazingly fleshed out, with the tree farm and the cozy old house. Even Clay’s mother feels like a woman I know. A woman who loves Dolly Parton just like my mother.
Jake and Clay are so fun to read. The tension between them is so thick, like a melted marshmallow over some rich homemade hot
...more
Jennifer
Dec 19, 2020 rated it liked it
It's nice to see some LGBTQ representation in this genre. Burying the Hatchet is a fun, light-hearted Christmas romance a la Hallmark, but with steamy sex scenes! The characters are likeable, if a bit underdeveloped (no more so than most romance characters).

Clayton returns home to his family's tree farm just before Christmas to help out while his mother is hospitalized. He finds his old high school frenemy, Jake, working at and living on the farm. As the men spend more time together, and Clayton
...more
Isabelle Adler
Dec 09, 2020 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: 2020
4.5 stars

If you're looking for a sweet, heartfelt, and sexy holiday novella about second chances, look no further than Burying the Hatchet.
My only criticism is that I wish the past bullying was addressed more directly and in more depth than it was. I got the impression it had been a huge influence on Clayton, and the issue hasn't been dealt with quite as I expected.
That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and was rooting for the characters all the way. Definitely will be checking
...more
Jenny
Dec 13, 2020 rated it it was amazing
This was such a good holiday read! It’s short and sweet and you can practically smell the evergreens. It has everything you would want in a holiday romance. Mutual pining! Holiday novelty hats! Candy canes! Hot cocoa! A little smidgen of sadness (but it turns out ok). If you’re still trying to get in the right frame of mind for the holidays, reading this book is a good start.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Which is that it was super cute and you should read it.
Alex (soulfullyalex)
Dec 22, 2020 rated it really liked it
Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press

This was a very sweet story about a man who returns home to his family Christmas Tree farm and finds that the boy he had crushed on in high school was now a man and working on the farm. I really enjoyed this one. I read it in one sitting. I really loved the second chance aspect of this.

I think I would have enjoyed this way more if there was more character development and discussion of their past, though this was a novella so it is understandable that ther
...more
RACHEL REED
Dec 11, 2020 rated it really liked it
This was a sweet, cosy and feel good read overall.

A.C. Thomas is a new to me author and I absolutely loved their writing style.

This book brings sweetness, holiday cheer and feel good vibes.
Clayton and Jake were adorable together and I loved the build of the chemistry between them.

If you like a sweet, opposites attract, holiday romance that is bound to put you in a good mood.
Be sure to give this one a go.
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