A Christmas Spark

Pride and Pranks #0.5

by Cindy Steel

Snowed in at a cabin with the most infuriating man in the world. I may take my chances with the wolves...

When my best friend found out I’d be alone over Christmas, she hooked me up with a week stay in her family’s cabin in Idaho. I was on a publishing deadline for my latest book and was really looking forward to a cozy week by the fire, cuddled up in flannel pajamas with my laptop and hot chocolate.

Alone.

So imagine my surprise when I arrived at the cabin during a blizzard, and found it already occupied. By an all too familiar face and a fine pack of chiseled abs. Even though it had been ten years since I’d last seen Chase, he had no problem picking up exactly where we left off. I had a big problem with it. It didn’t matter what he threw at me—the old nickname, the teasing, his charming grin, or even those chiseled abs (did I already mention those?), I refused to let him get to me after…the incident. Nope, not me. I was made of stone.

Unfortunately, I’m beginning to understand that when you strike Chase against stone…you get sparks.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Audiobook, Contemporary, Novella, Enemies To Lovers

131 pages, ebook

First published December 5, 2020

About the author

Cindy Steel was raised on a dairy farm in Idaho. She grew up singing Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire songs at the top of her lungs and learning to solve all of life’s problems while milking cows and driving tractors—rewriting happy endings every time. She met and married a handsome Idaho boy and is the proud mother of two wild and sweet twin boys. Which means she is also now a collector of bugs, sticks, rocks, and slobbery kisses. She loves making breakfast, baking, photography, reading a good book, and staying up way past her bedtime to craft stories that will hopefully make you smile.

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas rom-com 🎄☃️❄️

This is a cute novella and makes me giddy! Childhood enemies to lovers + forced proximity ❤️‍🔥

Penny needs to finish her novel and is spending the week before Christmas alone writing at her best friend's (also sister-in-law) rural cabin in Idaho. Having to abandon her car in the blizzard and walk the rest of the way, she was surprised to see the cabin occupied by none other than her twin brother's best friend, Chase.

This one is a clean PG romcom but still has it all! Funny banter, a lot of angst, and tensions are high! I enjoyed the audio read by Stefanie Kay.

Thanks Lucy!🥰

[Oceana Reads Co. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not much to report here!
It was quick, sweet, and entertaining.
A bit of the dialogue and banter was annoying to me(too much enemies to lovers coming in to play), but they actually had pretty decent communication.

-the abs were a bit much. It’s winter man put a shirt on
-they share a couch in their underwear due to an emergency that happened.
-only kissing
-no language

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This was a cute ‘snowed-in’ romance. This is my third Cindy Steel romance, and she is an author I enjoy. This has a brother’s best friend troupe and a bit of enemies to lovers.

Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Stefanie Kay
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 3h 35m

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas Spark is a super cute, wholesome, holiday romance! The plot is satisfying and has a meaningful story that readers can relate to. Picture this: you’re stranded at a remote cabin with the man who made some hateful remarks about you in middle school. You remember the feelings of pure sadness when you overheard those words and to this day, they still affect you. What would you do?

Penny and Chase are both wonderful characters and seeing the two work through their past was adorable. It starts as an enemies-to-lovers romance and slowly turns into something so much more! Based on this one, I’m excited to see where the rest of this series goes! Cindy Steel is a new to me author, but I’ll definitely be grabbing more of her books!

𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Snowed in Romances
• Wholesome/Sweet Reads
• Enemies-to-lovers

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story 😍. If you're looking for a romance novella to wrap up your Christmastime reads, give this one a try.

Blog: LucyKnowsThings.com

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas Spark by Cindy Steel is a cozy holiday romance novella about Penny, a romance author who hopes for a quiet week of writing at a snowy Idaho cabin only to find it already occupied by Chase, her best friend’s brother and the boy who teased her mercilessly back in middle school, reigniting old tensions and unexpected chemistry as they weather a blizzard together. It’s a closed‑door enemies‑to‑lovers story with witty banter and heartfelt moments that blends snowed‑in charm with warm emotional beats.

Right from the start I was wrapped in the wintery tension between Penny and Chase, feeling that delightful mix of frustration and spark that comes when two people who once rubbed each other the wrong way are forced into close quarters and can’t ignore the pull between them. Penny’s determination not to be rattled by Chase’s teasing and irresistible grin made me laugh, while the gradually softening edges of their connection kept me smiling as their conversations shifted from prickly to playful and genuinely tender.

I loved how this story made me feel the quiet magic of a holiday setting without needing grand festivities, instead letting the shared cabin, snowy nights, and honest moments build a kind of intimacy that felt refreshingly sincere. While it’s short and light, it left me feeling warm and delighted at how a week of unexpected company could turn old misunderstandings into something sweet and promising.

I’m giving A Christmas Spark 4 out of 5 stars because it struck just the right balance between adorable romance and emotional warmth, and reminded me why I adore stories about second chances and sparks that fly when least expected.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me so angry, I just sped through the rest of it from 72% on just so I can write this negative review.

I enjoyed another Cindy Steel book a lot... and tried another... I had to DNF. This one I tried and almost DNF'd as well.

She seems to have a formula... an inciting incident, a guy who "teases" but actually likes the heroine, and a heroine who takes that inciting incident as proof he doesn't like her and, while secretly crushing on the guy, makes him into her "enemy". And maybe, with the book I enjoyed, she finally made a good book. But this one!? No.

These two are so immature. And frankly, the guy is an asshole and the woman is an idiot. This has the "if he teases you, he likes you" crap all over it. Starting with a time in jr high where he says "she looks like my dog, but not as hot". Now, if he had groveled and truly apologized, maybe I could forgive him. But no, he doesn't really apologize. HE DOESN'T EVEN REMEMBER SAYING IT! He basically says "I never said that" and then "I would have probably said anything to try to make [popular guy] think I was cool".

Okay, that's back in Jr High. They're thrown together as adults. She's 28 and I'm not sure how old he is. He consistently teases her and torments her throughout their "stuck in the cabin time". And when he finally confesses that "I've always liked you", he says he knew she didn't like him so he just annoyed her cause he didn't have a chance of making her like him. That this continues to happen when they are both adults is infuriating!

The heroine annoyed me. She supposedly makes her living at being an author but has only sold 2 books and is working on her 3rd. Hm. I can let that pass, but it's super unlikely to be able to support yourself full time at that point writing romance books. Maybe her two books were SUPER successful... but it just doesn't feel likely.

The hero is uber competent. He brings all the food, clothes, knows how to cook, fish, etc. The heroine seems strangely incompetent ALL THE TIME. The culmination of this is when the hero hasn't returned from ice fishing and he tells her "if I haven't returned in two hours, call search and rescue". She gets worried (but also stupidly is concerned more that if there's nothing wrong, he will tease her) and goes out looking for him. HE'S FINE! But she gets on thin ice which breaks and throws her in the water AND HE NEEDS TO RESCUE HER!

Ugh. This book made me so angry!

Oh... and they play poker and he's constantly winning the whole time until the last hand where she gets to win. And, instead of thinking "he threw that hand so I could win... maybe he cheated the whole time", she stops at the "awwww... he cheated to let me win. What a sweetie". Gag!

[Cindy Steel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This seems pretty dang surreal! I may be biased, but I think this book is pretty cute, swoony, and fun! A perfect escape for the holidays! I hope you guys like it as much as I had fun writing it. Available to purchase on Amazon on December 5, 2020!!

[Elisa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

are you looking for an 'i hated you in high school' romance?
do you like snowing romance?

if you answered yes to at least one of the questions, this book is for you!

[Jovana (NovelOnMyMind) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

Loved it!

Full review soon...

☃️🎄❄☃️🎄❄☃️🎄❄☃️🎄❄☃️🎄❄☃️🎄❄☃️🎄❄☃️🎄❄☃️🎄❄☃️🎄❄☃️🎄❄☃️

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! Despite my love of novellas, especially during the holiday season, it's rare for me to be left completely satisfied ... but this was perfect!

Alone for the holidays, Penny is appreciating the chance to use a remote cabin to finish writing her third romance novel. Forced to ditch her car and belongings in a blizzard, the trip doesn't go as planned, especially after discovering the cabin is already occupied by the bane of her existence, Chase.

Best friend of her twin brother and boy that unknowingly broke her heart fifteen years ago, Chase is equally unprepared to share his vacation with Penny. Filled with the wittiest of banter, the tension between them bounces off the cabin walls. With practically nothing but bacon and fish to eat, it's a hilarious week spent together under one roof getting cozy (and nearly catching hypothermia). I legitimately giggled multiple times while reading.

While being a closed-door romance, the connection was so strong that I could feel the heat radiating between them. With one moment being able to change the course of your life, I absolutely loved the explanation for holding a fifteen year grudge. And this is one of my favourite novella endings! It was such a clever, full-circle finish.

[Alysha (For The Love of Christian Fiction) · Rating 5 out of 5]

That
Was
So
Cute


I’m not normally a “hold onto a grudge” rom-com troupe girly but this one was done. So. Well!!!!

The forced proximity! The shared history! The poker games. The snarky/flirty interactions. The mice.

I just can’t say how much I loved this story!
5/5 stars

[Anne OK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somewhere in the middle of the night, a loud snap sounded. And just like that, Harold was gone. -- "A Christmas Spark", Cindy Steel

Christmas surprises are always great — unless, of course, you find yourself trapped in a cabin during a snowstorm with your twin brother’s best friend –who just happens to be the same guy who broke your heart in junior high school when you heard him tell another guy, “She looks like my dog, but not as hot.”

Give yourself a merry holiday treat that serves up plenty of laughter and heart flutters in equal measure. Fun and sassy with lovable characters and just the right amount of holiday spice.

Make yourself a cup of hot chocolate, cuddle up in a warm fuzzy blanket and feel the love in this adorably fun-to-read enemies-to-lovers holiday romance.

[Emilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun & lots of snarky banter in this Christmas novella. enemies to lovers is my favorite trope. If you need a quick light read check this one out!

[Mira · Rating 3 out of 5]

He calls her "Blister"🤦🏻‍♀️

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! If this is what we get from a little novella from a new author, I am very excited to see what else she offers the world in the future!

I will not lie, this book is steamy. But it is not descriptive or really even suggestive. I would still classify it as clean. But the kissing scenes are definitely *steamy!*

This little novella is so adorable. As I have said before, usually novellas feel a bit rushed and improbable to me. But these I’ve read recently where the protagonists knew one another before work. And this one definitely works! I got confused occasionally on the time line but I think it all worked out. I loved the confessions at the end. Very appropriate—and necessary! I really wanted the Blister and mouse stories! Thanks for including those, Cindy.

The banter, the snark and sarcasm, and chemistry, were all super. This is the perfect light read that was just all-around fun and I loved it. I can see this being an annual reread for me. There is no question as to whether I will be purchasing the paperback when it comes available. Great work, Cindy! I can’t wait to see what else you come up with!

Note: protagonists end up sleeping in the same place, but literally just sleeping; nothing else happens so don’t get your panties tied in a knot. As I said, fairly steamy kissing scenes. If you can’t stand that, don’t read this book. But you’ll be missing out. 1 swear word and I couldn’t even be mad about it because it delivered in the best possible line.

**I received an ARC of this book, with the option to review. All opinions are 100% my own.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable!

The Christmas season often puts me in the mood for a sugary sweet and humorous love story and what better treat than being snowed in with your enemy for the holidays?

This story is such a fun RomCom with a series of mishaps, laughs, swoons, and more. Penny and Chase have a past, but things aren't always as they seem to be and being stuck together helps them uncover their buried secrets and discover what matters. I loved their prickly banter just as much as I adored the undeniable chemistry.

From the festive cover, to the impeccable amount of swoon and romantic tension, this story will hit the holiday sweet spot. This debut author is definitely one to keep an eye on!

Content: mild romance

[Johana P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute! Stupidly cute.. Loved it!

Quick little read to help add to my December cold snowy Christmas romance escape..
Although the Christmas theme rarely made an appearance
Still, it had the feels.. enemies to lovers, snow stormy, bacon, cabin in the woods—forced proximity, board/games
You can just feel the warmth emanating from these two after the incident while he was fishing.. Was a cute story.

I have to give more novelas like these a try 🩵🤍

[JoyfulJules · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

She just has a way of writing that’s so funny!

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute and sweet romance! Chase and Penny make a fun couple. I felt her pain in the beginning during the 8th-grade setting. I could totally relate to that. I'm glad they both had a chance to clear the air.

Rating: PG -some kissing (swoon-worthy) :-)
Language: clean read, some implied swearing (nothing was actually spoken)
Recommend: absolutely!

[sincerely · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read everything Cindy has written.
I will now go into mourning.
Okay that's dramatic.
I'll just start them all over again (some for the third time 😳😂)
SHE CAN DO NO WRONG.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. Gosh.
This novella was hysterical and swoony, all wrapped up into one delectable miniature package.
I don't think I can express how much I loved it. Like, really, really loved it.
It was... PERFECT.

I don't do a lot of highlighting when I read on Kindle, but I couldn't NOT highlight in this book. The banter was AMAZING. And hilarious! And, to my delight, very plentiful. After highlighting about 50% of the book, I thought, "I'm going overboard...," while sheepishly highlighting another paragraph. It was just so funny! This is probably the best compliment I can give to a hero, but he really reminded me of my husband. What a tease! (But with a sweet "I'm devoted to you"/"Get over here and kiss me" undercurrent to it.) No wonder I loved the novella so much!

But it wasn't just funny. It was also super romantic. The chemistry was off the charts. Some awesome scenes here and swoony situations. What a great example of a "clean" book that has amazing sexual tension. It can be done, people! So, so good...

I really liked both the H and the h. Their dynamics were perfect. I liked the snark (because it wasn't cutting - it was funny) and I liked the sweet. This had a perfect balance. It also had a great balance between their roles. I liked that Penny wasn't too bold. It was the guy who did the chasing and she allowed herself to get caught. I'm into that. (Especially considering he had some distance to make up based off their past.) She was funny and witty, but when he was coming on to her, she got a little shy. It was endearing and perfect. That last scene when he bared his heart to her was swoony! And that last kiss... well, I can't do the writing justice - it was so perfect. I'll make my kindle highlight public, but you have to read the whole novella to get the full yummy effect! (*Nevermind - I didn't make that one public - you just have to read it in context.)

PS Speaking of tender kisses - I liked how this author made the kisses delicious and sexy instead of violent and forceful. She nailed it. Besides, it matched Penny's personality better. I read another novella recently that had the latter sort of kissing and instead of increasing the chemistry it was just... jarring. (Beauty & the Duke by Nadine Millard - I gave it 2 stars - wouldn't recommend.)

(Oh, one more thing - sometimes 2nd chance books make me feel kinda sad that they wasted all that time when they could have been together. In this book, they are 28 yrs old but I never felt sad about the years they spent single. This author did a great job of portraying their adult lives as being fulfilling, successful and happy instead of them pining away for years and years.)

K. Gotta go. I'm going to spend the next 10 minutes adding all Cindy Steel books to my TBR list and deciding which to read first. Yay! Can't wait!

Content:
Language - just one "damn"
Sex - no sex scenes; very mild innuendo. Some making out and high sexual tension, but still very much 'clean.'
Violence - none
I read this on Kindle Unlimited.

****I have crushing news. Apparently this is the only book the author has written so far (1/21). I'm going to go cry a river of tears. This author was so entertaining - I thought I had a month's worth of books lined up! Well, I'm first in line for her upcoming release. Can't get it soon enough. :)


REREAD NOVEMBER 2022
This was just as good as the first time! And I don’t ever reread books. No joke. But I absolutely loved it all over again! It’s still my favorite Cindy Steel book. So much chemistry, so much delightful banter. This is one of my all time favorites.

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun!

I was surprised after I finished the book, to learn that this was Ms. Steel's first published book! I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

I thought this was a fun holiday read, takes place at a remote cabin the week leading up to Christmas. I loved the setting and I'm always a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers trope and thought it was handled well here. Lighthearted fun, some swoony moments and just an overall enjoyable read.

Content: Clean, kissing, no language or violence

2021 Swoony Nominee: https://tinyurl.com/y593ce67

[Tasha (the_clean_read_book_club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am becoming the biggest Cindy Steel fan!

After reading Faking Christmas I've gone back and bought everything this author has ever written and after finishing each and every book I'm definitely having NO REGRETS!

This book was light, fun and super swoony. I love a brother's best friend, forced proximity Christmas romance.

Grab this one because it's super fun!

[Sarah Monzon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was perfectly just what I needed. My only complaint is that there isn’t a backlist for me to binge now!

[Ed Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars because I liked it. Was this an original idea? It’s two people stuck in a cabin during a snowstorm and they don’t like each other. Penny heard Chase say she was uglier than his dog in 8th grade. It hurt a lot, and she’s never really completely got over it. Probably because she really liked Chase. For his part Chase doesn’t even remember saying it. Maybe not the most original plot, but it was well written and kept my interest.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute!!!

I have officially found a favorite RomCom writer and it’s Cindy Steel! I love the banter, the non-cheesiness of the dialogue, and the internal angst, pining, and mortification of the narrators. I cannot wait to read more by the author who leaves me laughing out loud and swooning over her couples!

[Emma Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute cozy romance that gives off Hallmark vibes. We always love when there’s an awful snowstorm and a couple gets trapped in a cabin 😏

[Kaylee Robertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short and sweet enemies to lovers Christmas listen. It was very cute and cozy but would have been better if it didn’t feel the need to remind me how “cozy” it was in every description 😅