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Tangled in Tinsel
Dear Santa, please leave a red-headed lumberjack under the tree. I’ve been a very good boy.
Dean Hancock does not have time for the gorgeous, red-haired, cowboy lumberjack that nearly shattered his windshield with a Christmas tree. He’s on the hunt for a long-lost cradle carved by the artistic genius Gustav Gilt. After being lost for a hundred years, the antique appears five days before Christmas in the tiny town of Tinsel.
God has a wicked sense of humor.
On the verge of an academic and financial breakthrough, he doesn’t have time to ‘get friendly’ with the local cowboy Levi Bruce. If he hasn’t authenticated the manger in the middle of the town square before Christmas Eve, he’ll lose his antique shop and any dreams he had to find a real Gilt. But it won’t stop Dean fantasizing about his lumberjack riding in on a white horse and lassoing him just right.
Levi Bruce spends his days waking before dawn, tending his tree farm, going to bed after dark, and starting the cycle all over again. It’s a long, lonely life, but with his dog Harry at his side, he thought it was enough. Then that handsome, charming man from the city had to stroll in and upend everything. The wolves are at the door, a big company threatening to take his family farm out from under him. The last thing Levi needs is distracting dreams of kissing the delectable man under the mistletoe.
Will these two fools open their hearts by the fire of the farmhouse’s hearth? Or will the promise of millions, a family secret, and an eccentric artist’s masterpiece rip them apart forever?
Tangled in Tinsel was created in part thanks to my wonderful readers who voted on what they wanted to see in a Christmas romance. This gay, Hallmark-influenced romance is a heart-warming, hilarious, steamy mug of Christmas cocoa.
Dean Hancock does not have time for the gorgeous, red-haired, cowboy lumberjack that nearly shattered his windshield with a Christmas tree. He’s on the hunt for a long-lost cradle carved by the artistic genius Gustav Gilt. After being lost for a hundred years, the antique appears five days before Christmas in the tiny town of Tinsel.
God has a wicked sense of humor.
On the verge of an academic and financial breakthrough, he doesn’t have time to ‘get friendly’ with the local cowboy Levi Bruce. If he hasn’t authenticated the manger in the middle of the town square before Christmas Eve, he’ll lose his antique shop and any dreams he had to find a real Gilt. But it won’t stop Dean fantasizing about his lumberjack riding in on a white horse and lassoing him just right.
Levi Bruce spends his days waking before dawn, tending his tree farm, going to bed after dark, and starting the cycle all over again. It’s a long, lonely life, but with his dog Harry at his side, he thought it was enough. Then that handsome, charming man from the city had to stroll in and upend everything. The wolves are at the door, a big company threatening to take his family farm out from under him. The last thing Levi needs is distracting dreams of kissing the delectable man under the mistletoe.
Will these two fools open their hearts by the fire of the farmhouse’s hearth? Or will the promise of millions, a family secret, and an eccentric artist’s masterpiece rip them apart forever?
Tangled in Tinsel was created in part thanks to my wonderful readers who voted on what they wanted to see in a Christmas romance. This gay, Hallmark-influenced romance is a heart-warming, hilarious, steamy mug of Christmas cocoa.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2021
57 people are currently reading
1115 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Mint
48 books2,204 followersEllen Mint adores the adorkable heroes who charm with their shy smiles and heroines that pack a punch. She recently won the Top Ten Handmaid's Challenge on Wattpad where hers was chosen by Margaret Atwood. Her books, Undercover Siren and Fever are available at Amazon as well as a short story in the Lucky Between The Sheets anthology. Married, she lives in Nebraska with her dog named after Granny Weatherwax. Her hobbies include gaming, painting, and halloween prop making. The basement is full of skeletons because they ran out of room in the closets.
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January 29, 2025
Tangled in Tinsel is by Ellen Mint. This is a stand alone, MM, holiday, small town romance. This was my first time reading anything by this author!
Dean Hancock is a thirty year old antiques dealer, or more of a historian. He studies the oldest, most rare of antiques but his life’s work, his obsession, is with the artistic creations of Gustav Gilt. He made the most beautiful of creations from wood, creations that seemed alive in their beauty. He was also a recluse and most of his work was feared to be lost in a fire a century ago. But, out of nowhere, his assistant has discovered a cradle in the tiny town of Tinsel. So Dean is moving heaven and earth to get to Tinsel to try to authenticate the piece. This could finally prove the theories he has believed his entire career. Theories no one else would listen to. But Tinsel holds another surprise for him. Someone from his teen years, a cowboy that once invaded his teenage fantasies but now is a full fledged cowboy lumberjack with soulful eyes.
Levi Bruce is thirty four years old and owns and runs a Christmas tree farm and the rest of the year, a firewood business. Levi’s days are solitary ones. Keeping the farm running takes every waking moment. Levi is barely keeping his head above water and has greedy land developers nipping at his heels. But the farm is his legacy, one he will never give up on.
Levi and Dean’s first meeting was cute and the chemistry was real. But even with Dean’s determination to stay focused on one thing only, the cradle, he can’t help but to allow the sexy lumberjack to invade his thoughts.
This was a fun adventure with plenty of blushes, some mistletoe, lots of snow, some horses, plenty of greedy people, and finding true love. It kind of felt like fate had a hand in all of this and I couldn’t help but to love these two. There was also a wonderful epilogue. It was a fun, entertaining holiday story!
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Dean Hancock is a thirty year old antiques dealer, or more of a historian. He studies the oldest, most rare of antiques but his life’s work, his obsession, is with the artistic creations of Gustav Gilt. He made the most beautiful of creations from wood, creations that seemed alive in their beauty. He was also a recluse and most of his work was feared to be lost in a fire a century ago. But, out of nowhere, his assistant has discovered a cradle in the tiny town of Tinsel. So Dean is moving heaven and earth to get to Tinsel to try to authenticate the piece. This could finally prove the theories he has believed his entire career. Theories no one else would listen to. But Tinsel holds another surprise for him. Someone from his teen years, a cowboy that once invaded his teenage fantasies but now is a full fledged cowboy lumberjack with soulful eyes.
Levi Bruce is thirty four years old and owns and runs a Christmas tree farm and the rest of the year, a firewood business. Levi’s days are solitary ones. Keeping the farm running takes every waking moment. Levi is barely keeping his head above water and has greedy land developers nipping at his heels. But the farm is his legacy, one he will never give up on.
Levi and Dean’s first meeting was cute and the chemistry was real. But even with Dean’s determination to stay focused on one thing only, the cradle, he can’t help but to allow the sexy lumberjack to invade his thoughts.
This was a fun adventure with plenty of blushes, some mistletoe, lots of snow, some horses, plenty of greedy people, and finding true love. It kind of felt like fate had a hand in all of this and I couldn’t help but to love these two. There was also a wonderful epilogue. It was a fun, entertaining holiday story!
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
December 9, 2023
Pleasant mm holiday romance without much angst and a happily ever after.
December 22, 2024
4.5 stars
Took off a star for "Yee-Haw" used in a sex scene but gave back half a star for that amazing epilogue.
Full RTC.
This was the sweet, steamy low angst read that I crave during the holidays. Dean is an ambitious historian on the hunt for a cradle designed by a well-known artist. Levi is a hardworking yet lonely cowboy/rancher. The epitome of Opposites Attract, and their romance had me in a chokehold from the first page. I loved how sweet and shy Levi was and how charmed city slicker Dean was by his earnestness. Warning: this is very much a slow burn romance. There's not even a kiss (which leads to more) until the third act of the book. Highly recommend if you're looking for an easy holiday read.
Took off a star for "Yee-Haw" used in a sex scene but gave back half a star for that amazing epilogue.
Full RTC.
This was the sweet, steamy low angst read that I crave during the holidays. Dean is an ambitious historian on the hunt for a cradle designed by a well-known artist. Levi is a hardworking yet lonely cowboy/rancher. The epitome of Opposites Attract, and their romance had me in a chokehold from the first page. I loved how sweet and shy Levi was and how charmed city slicker Dean was by his earnestness. Warning: this is very much a slow burn romance. There's not even a kiss (which leads to more) until the third act of the book. Highly recommend if you're looking for an easy holiday read.
Want to read
December 7, 2022Thank you for the gift, Elfvira, Mistress of the Dark!
October 28, 2021
2.5 rounded to 3
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Tangled in Tinsel is a Christmas romance by author Ellen Mint. A city boy and a cowboy who unexpectedly find love when they aren't expecting it.
Haha I don't know where to start with this one. It's definitely the gay Hallmark influenced romance the synopsis said it would be. It was complete fluff, and I'm all for a fluffy holiday romances. However, on many occasion throughout this one cute went over the line into cringy, especially during the intimate scene. I liked the setting, who doesn't love a small town bathed in Christmas cheer, yet I didn't love the town inhabitants . Our two main characters, Levi and Dean, were endearing and Levi's dog harry was a treat. The two of them together were always getting ridiculously flustered with each other because of their mutual feelings of attraction. Overall, it was enjoyable but sadly forgettable.
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Tangled in Tinsel is a Christmas romance by author Ellen Mint. A city boy and a cowboy who unexpectedly find love when they aren't expecting it.
Haha I don't know where to start with this one. It's definitely the gay Hallmark influenced romance the synopsis said it would be. It was complete fluff, and I'm all for a fluffy holiday romances. However, on many occasion throughout this one cute went over the line into cringy, especially during the intimate scene. I liked the setting, who doesn't love a small town bathed in Christmas cheer, yet I didn't love the town inhabitants . Our two main characters, Levi and Dean, were endearing and Levi's dog harry was a treat. The two of them together were always getting ridiculously flustered with each other because of their mutual feelings of attraction. Overall, it was enjoyable but sadly forgettable.
December 7, 2023
3,5*
The perfect small town slow burn meets cute romance. But in this case a city boy unexpectedly meets the hot cowboy of his dreams. Yes, it is cheesy but that is what I was hoping for.
This was such a cozy Christmas read and it had all the elements that we love from a small town Hallmark movie that is going all out during the holidays.
Two boys that are at very different stages in life meet and are forced to spend time together during a snowstorm. They will end up falling in love and we get to see them compromising for each other.
It was also funny at times and a fast paced read perfect for people that simply need a comforting romcom for the holidays.
The perfect small town slow burn meets cute romance. But in this case a city boy unexpectedly meets the hot cowboy of his dreams. Yes, it is cheesy but that is what I was hoping for.
This was such a cozy Christmas read and it had all the elements that we love from a small town Hallmark movie that is going all out during the holidays.
Two boys that are at very different stages in life meet and are forced to spend time together during a snowstorm. They will end up falling in love and we get to see them compromising for each other.
It was also funny at times and a fast paced read perfect for people that simply need a comforting romcom for the holidays.
January 3, 2023
Exactly the cute and heart-warming Christmas holiday story I wanted to read. I really loved the plot about the antique cradle and its artist Gustav Gilt. The romance is maybe a litte bit too clichéd and the story overall too kitschy. But hey, that's kind of on point for a Chrismas holiday romance story. Kitschy HEA guaranteed.
December 1, 2021
Nice story, cute MCs, small town Christmas. Thought author tried too hard to be amusing at times, and it was a little on the wordy side. However, I did like Levi and Dean, and the premise appealed to me. Certainly very Christmassy. Enjoyed the ending. Three and a half stars.
January 10, 2023
Bought this when it was on sale in early December 2022 and finally got around to reading it.
It was an enjoyable read overall. I liked the plot, the reconnecting of two people after many years with attraction between them burning brightly, and a subplot of a famous wood artist and the priceless cradle he made for his secret lover's firstborn child.
Didn't like the sexfest in the middle. What the heck, you say. Why would I complain about shmexy times in a romance novel, right? Lemme explain. There was lots of UST from the get-go between Levi and Dean, and I was happy to see that this UST finally came to fruition, but my goodness, I didn't need it to go on for what seemed like forever. And how very convenient that they were snowed in on Levi's farm at the time... I skimmed after they first got nekkid and the BJs started, and it kept going and going and going... yeah, it was too much for me. Anyway, YMMV.
The final chapter before the epilogue, and the epilogue itself were brilliant though, and I closed the file with a smile on my face. Not bad. Not bad at all.
It was an enjoyable read overall. I liked the plot, the reconnecting of two people after many years with attraction between them burning brightly, and a subplot of a famous wood artist and the priceless cradle he made for his secret lover's firstborn child.
Didn't like the sexfest in the middle. What the heck, you say. Why would I complain about shmexy times in a romance novel, right? Lemme explain. There was lots of UST from the get-go between Levi and Dean, and I was happy to see that this UST finally came to fruition, but my goodness, I didn't need it to go on for what seemed like forever. And how very convenient that they were snowed in on Levi's farm at the time... I skimmed after they first got nekkid and the BJs started, and it kept going and going and going... yeah, it was too much for me. Anyway, YMMV.
The final chapter before the epilogue, and the epilogue itself were brilliant though, and I closed the file with a smile on my face. Not bad. Not bad at all.
November 8, 2022
Tropes:
- slow burn
- opposites attract
In east jesus nowhere in search of something that could make or break his career, antiques dealer Dean Hancock stumbles across more than the find of the century when he meets sexy cowboy Levi Bruce.
Tangled in Tinsel was beyond adorable! Levi and Dean’s awkwardness was too cute, but I wish there was more steam than what we finally got between them—especially with the instantaneous chemistry. Either way this was cozy and light, and such a fun holiday romance!
- slow burn
- opposites attract
In east jesus nowhere in search of something that could make or break his career, antiques dealer Dean Hancock stumbles across more than the find of the century when he meets sexy cowboy Levi Bruce.
Tangled in Tinsel was beyond adorable! Levi and Dean’s awkwardness was too cute, but I wish there was more steam than what we finally got between them—especially with the instantaneous chemistry. Either way this was cozy and light, and such a fun holiday romance!
October 31, 2021
4 - Stars
Reading Ellen Mint’s Christmas rom/com, Tangled in Tinsel is a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Not only is it a charming romance novel, but, the intrigue and suspense involved in authenticating and establishing the provenance of what may or may not be an extremely valuable antique cradle provides a clever added element of mystery.
The novel’s protagonists, Dean Hancock, the owner of a struggling antique shop in NYC, and Levi Bruce, a former rodeo cowboy and owner of Bruces Tree Farm, had actually met 15 years before this story begins. At that time Levi was a riding instructor at a summer camp where Dean was a young camper who was terrified of horses.
From the moment Dean entered the tiny mountain village of Tinsel, he reminded himself to “forget about any gorgeous cowboys…He had to see a man about a creche.” In fact, as the author noted, “only one thing in the would would get Dean out of the city - a sighting of an actual Gustav Gilt piece.”
Academic intrigue and infighting, corporate greed, struggling home owners, separation of church and state, and holiday hijinks all feature prominently in this delightful story.
Filled with a wonderful cast of secondary characters as well as a large, furry black, white, and brown Bernese Mountain dog-mix named Harry, and a horse named Timber, there’s a lot to enjoy in this holiday read. As others have noted, Tangled in Tinsel really would make a wonderful Hallmark Christmas Movie.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Reading Ellen Mint’s Christmas rom/com, Tangled in Tinsel is a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Not only is it a charming romance novel, but, the intrigue and suspense involved in authenticating and establishing the provenance of what may or may not be an extremely valuable antique cradle provides a clever added element of mystery.
The novel’s protagonists, Dean Hancock, the owner of a struggling antique shop in NYC, and Levi Bruce, a former rodeo cowboy and owner of Bruces Tree Farm, had actually met 15 years before this story begins. At that time Levi was a riding instructor at a summer camp where Dean was a young camper who was terrified of horses.
From the moment Dean entered the tiny mountain village of Tinsel, he reminded himself to “forget about any gorgeous cowboys…He had to see a man about a creche.” In fact, as the author noted, “only one thing in the would would get Dean out of the city - a sighting of an actual Gustav Gilt piece.”
Academic intrigue and infighting, corporate greed, struggling home owners, separation of church and state, and holiday hijinks all feature prominently in this delightful story.
Filled with a wonderful cast of secondary characters as well as a large, furry black, white, and brown Bernese Mountain dog-mix named Harry, and a horse named Timber, there’s a lot to enjoy in this holiday read. As others have noted, Tangled in Tinsel really would make a wonderful Hallmark Christmas Movie.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
November 30, 2021
2.5 stars
This is a cute, low angst Christmas story that was ok but didn’t blow me away. I love the cover and the small town setting but the writing was a bit choppy at first. Overall I think this is a good story if you want a Hallmark like Christmas story.
ARC received via GRR for my honest opinion
This is a cute, low angst Christmas story that was ok but didn’t blow me away. I love the cover and the small town setting but the writing was a bit choppy at first. Overall I think this is a good story if you want a Hallmark like Christmas story.
ARC received via GRR for my honest opinion
November 7, 2021
This was the hallmark-esque light hearted Christmas story it promised to be, but was a little too saccharine for my tastes. I like my Christmas stories sweet and fluffy, but with the writing style just edged into a "little too much" territory for me. An easy read to past the time, but ultimately one I likely wont remember past the next book I read.
December 2, 2021
This was cute and adorable.
A bit slow in the beginning but I don't have problem with the pace (this time). Because I'm feeling the Holiday already.
Fun and entertaining.
November 17, 2023
If you’re looking for a holiday cute romance, this is definitely it.
It’s nothing great but it’s a nice read.
It’s nothing great but it’s a nice read.
November 14, 2021
Tangled in Tinsel is a light-hearted, low angst Christmas story that definitely reminded me of a Hallmark movie - it held my attention, but didn’t blow me away. I found myself struggling to get into the story until about halfway through when the characters finally started to get comfortable with one another.
Dean and Levi reconnect after only spending one summer at the same camp together in the town of Tinsel in one of the most unlikely situations I’d ever read. They’re super awkward around each other, tiptoeing around their sexuality in public and in private and not knowing how to hold a conversation. Once they finally start to open up, everything starts to make more sense and feel more natural between them. They were funny together but clicked in a weird way. Levi indulged Dean’s obsessions with Gilt and antique furniture and Dean couldn’t get enough of Levi’s cowboy wardrobe and farmer lifestyle. And really, the star of this story was Levi’s dog Henry - such a sweet boy!
A lot of the antique backstory felt like a little too much and the fighting over the piece in question throughout the book was crazy - I’m sure it happens, but there were a lot of big characters there and not enough time to completely flesh them out. But, the ending was really sweet and I loved seeing Dean and Levi happy and thriving in Tinsel. Overall though, this one was just okay for me.
Dean and Levi reconnect after only spending one summer at the same camp together in the town of Tinsel in one of the most unlikely situations I’d ever read. They’re super awkward around each other, tiptoeing around their sexuality in public and in private and not knowing how to hold a conversation. Once they finally start to open up, everything starts to make more sense and feel more natural between them. They were funny together but clicked in a weird way. Levi indulged Dean’s obsessions with Gilt and antique furniture and Dean couldn’t get enough of Levi’s cowboy wardrobe and farmer lifestyle. And really, the star of this story was Levi’s dog Henry - such a sweet boy!
A lot of the antique backstory felt like a little too much and the fighting over the piece in question throughout the book was crazy - I’m sure it happens, but there were a lot of big characters there and not enough time to completely flesh them out. But, the ending was really sweet and I loved seeing Dean and Levi happy and thriving in Tinsel. Overall though, this one was just okay for me.
December 23, 2023
Cute holiday romance.
An antiques dealer from New York goes to a small town called Tinsel to track down a rare piece of furniture. He ends up reuniting with the handsome farmer he had a crush on years ago at summer camp and stays with him since the hotels are all booked up.
There's a winter festival, a big dog, they get snowed in and put up a Christmas tree . . . it's very cozy and sweet.
There's also an interesting plot in which Dean, the antiques dealer, wasn't able to complete his history thesis due to homophobia in academia, which I thought was interesting and gave the story a bit of depth.
I did find it a bit too long for what it was, though and some of the characters' decisions at the end were pretty unbelievable.
An antiques dealer from New York goes to a small town called Tinsel to track down a rare piece of furniture. He ends up reuniting with the handsome farmer he had a crush on years ago at summer camp and stays with him since the hotels are all booked up.
There's a winter festival, a big dog, they get snowed in and put up a Christmas tree . . . it's very cozy and sweet.
There's also an interesting plot in which Dean, the antiques dealer, wasn't able to complete his history thesis due to homophobia in academia, which I thought was interesting and gave the story a bit of depth.
I did find it a bit too long for what it was, though and some of the characters' decisions at the end were pretty unbelievable.
December 23, 2023
Unfortunately, this one didn't really do it for me. Maybe I needed some angst or less of a Hallmark type story, I don't know but this one had trouble holding my interest. Also some of the dialogue and the sex scenes (which weren't many) were kind cringe worthy. It's too bad that's a super cute cover and the premise sounded really good.
● Holiday/Christmas
● Lumberjack/City boy pairing
● A quaint little town
● No angst
● Too much like a Hallmark movie
● There were a few sweet moments
● The MCs were likeable enough
● A kind of family secret
● Slow-ish burn
● More story than sex
● A bit of a surprise at the end (by then I lost interest)
● Satisfying enough ending
● Going on my "Is it me or the story?" shelf
● Holiday/Christmas
● Lumberjack/City boy pairing
● A quaint little town
● No angst
● Too much like a Hallmark movie
● There were a few sweet moments
● The MCs were likeable enough
● A kind of family secret
● Slow-ish burn
● More story than sex
● A bit of a surprise at the end (by then I lost interest)
● Satisfying enough ending
● Going on my "Is it me or the story?" shelf
December 3, 2021
Dean is an antique dealer and Levi a cowboy that owns a tree farm. Dean is looking to authenticate an antique and heads to a small-town Tinsel. This was a fantastic story! Grumpy meets sunshine. The story felt magical! Overall, the story was fantastic, it was really well written, highly recommend! I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
December 21, 2023
No author should be allowed to let a character say “yeehaw” in a spicy scene
January 9, 2022
As an artist I took a very large interest in this read. (SPOILER: it is an original!!!) These two finding each other years after summer camp was amazing too. So happy I read this. Sex was great and this was a wonderfully RECOMMENDed read. (And Levi is an auburn-haired cowboy with a claw-foot tub! SWOON.
December 27, 2022
Main story is the long lost cradle, romance is the subplot you need a looking glass to find
DNF at 65%. MCs hadn’t even admitted they liked each other or kissed or anything, instead so much “plot” of a cradle of a carpenter that blah blah blah… we know more about this carpenter than anyone or anything else in this.
Other issues include the dog being annoying (multiple times a chapter he tackles or gets in the way or licks someone or gets an unrealistic amount of fur on someone/something, and it’s very annoying—also no one is bothered by the unleashed 70lbs dog running loose everywhere around town? really? and exactly zero accidents/injuries/problems have come up? really?); the unusual phrasing as that take multiple readings of the same a paragraph to make it make sense; the author trying too, too hard to come up with wordplay or witticisms or new metaphors or trying to be funny or whatever—it rarely worked, at best I rolled my eyes and at worst I was just confused what it was even supposed to mean or why anyone would ever say something that way.
I’m sure there’s someone out there this is suited for, but it’s just not me. There’d have to be so many editing changes from language to plot structure to pacing to characterization in order for this to be for me that it wouldn’t even be similar to what it is now. I kept hoping the payoff would be worth it but the author isn’t even trying to string us along.
DNF at 65%. MCs hadn’t even admitted they liked each other or kissed or anything, instead so much “plot” of a cradle of a carpenter that blah blah blah… we know more about this carpenter than anyone or anything else in this.
Other issues include the dog being annoying (multiple times a chapter he tackles or gets in the way or licks someone or gets an unrealistic amount of fur on someone/something, and it’s very annoying—also no one is bothered by the unleashed 70lbs dog running loose everywhere around town? really? and exactly zero accidents/injuries/problems have come up? really?); the unusual phrasing as that take multiple readings of the same a paragraph to make it make sense; the author trying too, too hard to come up with wordplay or witticisms or new metaphors or trying to be funny or whatever—it rarely worked, at best I rolled my eyes and at worst I was just confused what it was even supposed to mean or why anyone would ever say something that way.
I’m sure there’s someone out there this is suited for, but it’s just not me. There’d have to be so many editing changes from language to plot structure to pacing to characterization in order for this to be for me that it wouldn’t even be similar to what it is now. I kept hoping the payoff would be worth it but the author isn’t even trying to string us along.
November 30, 2021
Tangled in Tinsel is a light-hearted, low angst Christmas story that definitely sets off Hallmark movie vibes...
For my complete review visit:
http://www.mmromancereviewed.com/2021...
For my complete review visit:
http://www.mmromancereviewed.com/2021...
December 27, 2022
It is a really good book and it is really interesting.
November 16, 2023
Jesus Was Born In A Cardboard Box (And Other Things)
Picture it: I’m laying on my couch with a nice cup of eggnog, and a roaring fireplace complete with piano music. (Both the latter provided by Youtube * cough cough *.) I’m excited to read a RomCom which fashions itself after cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie.
Within a couple pages, I read of a near-disastrous car accident which has our city slicker, Dean Hancock, more worried that he might accidentally sport wood in his pants versus the wood that almost killed him in the car accident. He doesn’t even give one full cohesive statement to his offender without an innuendo. Point of my short rant? I either need to figure out where the “Hallmark Channel after Dark” is, or I need to get into more car accidents with hot gay men.
Ellen Mint is stepping into a world which placates to readers who expect their gay characters to have personality flaws and entertaining embarrassment based on their hormonal urges. As a gay author, who also writes gay characters, I’m not above this practice. But I have yet to tackle the challenge of wishing to do it with a main character that I want my reader to bond with, cry with, celebrate with, and root for the win.
Luckily, I can say, the crutch disappears, and we start seeing some charming character development. It was just a bit slow getting there. In the end, I do root for these characters and find both Dean and Levi to have their charm. (But personally, I’m Team Anita. Just sayin’.)
The humor throughout IS well done, I will say that. Sometimes, especially with the Christmas clichés, I wondered if the Mint was going to “all the way” and the book certainly does. I also grew up in a very small, rural town, which has its own culture. Mint knows what she’s doing here.
There’s a very nice steamy scene which has all your over-the-top “Sex must have continuous dialogue” tropes and a good ol’ fashion “I thought I knew you” Hallmark moment before it revs it up to the end.
Initially, I wanted to give this 3.5 stars. But, to be honest, Mint has no shame in how she advertises this story to her audience. So, with everything that’s said and done, she delivers a good, 4-Star, cheesy, Christmas tale about a cowboy getting’ some tail. (Hey, if you think me saying THAT is cheesy, read the book.)
Picture it: I’m laying on my couch with a nice cup of eggnog, and a roaring fireplace complete with piano music. (Both the latter provided by Youtube * cough cough *.) I’m excited to read a RomCom which fashions itself after cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie.
Within a couple pages, I read of a near-disastrous car accident which has our city slicker, Dean Hancock, more worried that he might accidentally sport wood in his pants versus the wood that almost killed him in the car accident. He doesn’t even give one full cohesive statement to his offender without an innuendo. Point of my short rant? I either need to figure out where the “Hallmark Channel after Dark” is, or I need to get into more car accidents with hot gay men.
Ellen Mint is stepping into a world which placates to readers who expect their gay characters to have personality flaws and entertaining embarrassment based on their hormonal urges. As a gay author, who also writes gay characters, I’m not above this practice. But I have yet to tackle the challenge of wishing to do it with a main character that I want my reader to bond with, cry with, celebrate with, and root for the win.
Luckily, I can say, the crutch disappears, and we start seeing some charming character development. It was just a bit slow getting there. In the end, I do root for these characters and find both Dean and Levi to have their charm. (But personally, I’m Team Anita. Just sayin’.)
The humor throughout IS well done, I will say that. Sometimes, especially with the Christmas clichés, I wondered if the Mint was going to “all the way” and the book certainly does. I also grew up in a very small, rural town, which has its own culture. Mint knows what she’s doing here.
There’s a very nice steamy scene which has all your over-the-top “Sex must have continuous dialogue” tropes and a good ol’ fashion “I thought I knew you” Hallmark moment before it revs it up to the end.
Initially, I wanted to give this 3.5 stars. But, to be honest, Mint has no shame in how she advertises this story to her audience. So, with everything that’s said and done, she delivers a good, 4-Star, cheesy, Christmas tale about a cowboy getting’ some tail. (Hey, if you think me saying THAT is cheesy, read the book.)
November 30, 2021
*3.5*
Tangled in Tinsel is my first read from Ellen Mint and I enjoyed reading her festive story.
Tinsel is definitely one kooky town filled with characters that bring a certain type of charm to the small town. Dean is here looking for an antique that has only been rumoured but he's determined to find it to sate his own intellectual curiosity and his bank's demand for money. He literally collides with Levi, first in the car and then again in town, and it turns out they actually know each other from a few years previously. Ending up having to stay in town for a few days was not how Dean foresaw this trip going but if it ends up with more time around Levi then who is he to complain.
This definitely came across as a slightly Hallmark-esque story as stated in the blurb, full of Christmas spirit, small town characters and possible romance. I'd say that is on the slow burn side as both men seem to have no way of making coherent sentences around each other and Dean is very much focused on the cradle that he's in town to see. It's easy to sense the loneliness that they are feeling. Levi is by himself on his family's tree farm and Dean only really has his assistant for company. There is drama that relates to the cradle and the ongoing debate about its authenticity and origins. I did love this part, especially the artist's backstory.
Overall, I liked the story and how Dean and Levi come together. It's a book that really brings out the festive feels but the story didn't necessarily flow well for me. It took a couple of chapters to really get into it and then there is the odd moment that pulled me out of what we are meant to be feeling - romantic, intense, sad etc. However, I am totally in love with Harry! Every house should have a Harry.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Tangled in Tinsel is my first read from Ellen Mint and I enjoyed reading her festive story.
Tinsel is definitely one kooky town filled with characters that bring a certain type of charm to the small town. Dean is here looking for an antique that has only been rumoured but he's determined to find it to sate his own intellectual curiosity and his bank's demand for money. He literally collides with Levi, first in the car and then again in town, and it turns out they actually know each other from a few years previously. Ending up having to stay in town for a few days was not how Dean foresaw this trip going but if it ends up with more time around Levi then who is he to complain.
This definitely came across as a slightly Hallmark-esque story as stated in the blurb, full of Christmas spirit, small town characters and possible romance. I'd say that is on the slow burn side as both men seem to have no way of making coherent sentences around each other and Dean is very much focused on the cradle that he's in town to see. It's easy to sense the loneliness that they are feeling. Levi is by himself on his family's tree farm and Dean only really has his assistant for company. There is drama that relates to the cradle and the ongoing debate about its authenticity and origins. I did love this part, especially the artist's backstory.
Overall, I liked the story and how Dean and Levi come together. It's a book that really brings out the festive feels but the story didn't necessarily flow well for me. It took a couple of chapters to really get into it and then there is the odd moment that pulled me out of what we are meant to be feeling - romantic, intense, sad etc. However, I am totally in love with Harry! Every house should have a Harry.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Read
December 3, 2021Dean is a driven man. After being denied his Ph.D., he finally has the chance the be the man to find an antique cradle that everyone thought was lost in a fire. This find would make his career for the rest of his life. Little did he know that the little village of Tinsel was going to offer him something even better. Levi is content with his lot in life living on his family's farm and growing Christmas trees. He hopes that someday he'll meet "the one" and they'll start a family but he isn't counting on it. Could the man from the city ever be happy settling down with a tree farmer?
Tangled In Tinsel is a sweet love story between two grown men who don't seem to have a lot in common but who figure out that sometimes love really does conquer all. If you are looking for an adult romp, this is not it. Do the men end up together, yup but ii is not the focus of the story. Dean and Levi knew each other when they were teenagers. Levi was a camp counselor at a camp Dean attended. When an almost accident happens on the road to Tinsel a series of events is set into motion that slowly (by that I mean really fast) brings the men together. This story has wacky townspeople and a strange hotel. The story also has a real heart. I was rooting for the men to figure it out and make it work. If you don't like aha sappy moments, forget about this book. At times it is almost sickly sweet. I was left feeling happy at the end so I gave it 4 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tangled In Tinsel is a sweet love story between two grown men who don't seem to have a lot in common but who figure out that sometimes love really does conquer all. If you are looking for an adult romp, this is not it. Do the men end up together, yup but ii is not the focus of the story. Dean and Levi knew each other when they were teenagers. Levi was a camp counselor at a camp Dean attended. When an almost accident happens on the road to Tinsel a series of events is set into motion that slowly (by that I mean really fast) brings the men together. This story has wacky townspeople and a strange hotel. The story also has a real heart. I was rooting for the men to figure it out and make it work. If you don't like aha sappy moments, forget about this book. At times it is almost sickly sweet. I was left feeling happy at the end so I gave it 4 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 15, 2023
I have a rule. I generally try to avoid books that use that cliché, cheugy bouncy script font that went out of style ten years ago for their covers. My theory is that it’s a sign that the author does not respect their own work enough to pay for a half decent designer- and I have to say, it holds up. But I am an absolute sucker for M4M Christmas romance so I broke my rule and downloaded it anyway (all I can say is thank God for Kindle, I would be so pissed if I paid more than 99 cents for this.)
I don’t think this author respects her own work OR the time and intelligence of her readers. The writing is clunky and awkward, the tropes are cliché and predictable, even beyond what is expected in the genre. The author does not seem to have an eighth graders grasp on basic English grammar and sentence structure. They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but in this case the book is exactly as bad as the cover looks. I am giving it two stars because I did think they were a couple of cute interactions, but you could not pay me to struggle through another one of her books when so many other options exist.
I would say I’m surprised by the good reviews on this book, but we all know the standards for literary quality in this genre are on the floor (give people a meet-cute and a happily-ever-after and you’ll get your five stars.) Unfortunately, Ellen Mint still doesn’t manage to meet them.
(Also, she has a book called “Mistletoe Latte.” Mistletoe is literally poisonous 😂 I’d love to think that that is the point but I suspect it’s an oversight.)
I don’t think this author respects her own work OR the time and intelligence of her readers. The writing is clunky and awkward, the tropes are cliché and predictable, even beyond what is expected in the genre. The author does not seem to have an eighth graders grasp on basic English grammar and sentence structure. They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but in this case the book is exactly as bad as the cover looks. I am giving it two stars because I did think they were a couple of cute interactions, but you could not pay me to struggle through another one of her books when so many other options exist.
I would say I’m surprised by the good reviews on this book, but we all know the standards for literary quality in this genre are on the floor (give people a meet-cute and a happily-ever-after and you’ll get your five stars.) Unfortunately, Ellen Mint still doesn’t manage to meet them.
(Also, she has a book called “Mistletoe Latte.” Mistletoe is literally poisonous 😂 I’d love to think that that is the point but I suspect it’s an oversight.)
January 29, 2022
Dean, Gustav, Levi, & Timothy (& Harry!)
Dean Hancock, an antiques dealer, is in the town of Tinsel to search for and authenticate a rare woodwork crafted by a genius with unmatched vision and handiwork. If found and verified, he could use his cut of the proceeds to save his floundering antique shop in the big city. But obstacles and speed bumps riddle his way.
Dean runs into a former acquaintance, redheaded Levi Bruce who owns and runs a ranch/Christmas tree farm. Levi, who was born and raised in Tinsel, is a former rodeo cowboy who returned to try and keep his family business afloat.
Dean "finds" the baby cradle and to his horror it is being used as part of the local church's nativity display. It hasn't and isn't being treated and cared for as the valuable antique Dean believes it is.
Of course it happens to be Tinsel's annual Christmas fair and the town is overrun by visitors. The town's mayor and preacher catch wind of the possible treasure their town holds.
Small town that it is, the townsfolk are keenly aware of the simmering attraction between Dean and Levi which makes things more awkward for the two men.
A covetous and avaricious billionaire, Dean's pretentious and condescending former doctoral advisor, and big city news crews further complicate the treasured antique situation.
This is a good, captivating story. The sexy times are STEAMY! And Harry adds fun and cuteness.
Dean Hancock, an antiques dealer, is in the town of Tinsel to search for and authenticate a rare woodwork crafted by a genius with unmatched vision and handiwork. If found and verified, he could use his cut of the proceeds to save his floundering antique shop in the big city. But obstacles and speed bumps riddle his way.
Dean runs into a former acquaintance, redheaded Levi Bruce who owns and runs a ranch/Christmas tree farm. Levi, who was born and raised in Tinsel, is a former rodeo cowboy who returned to try and keep his family business afloat.
Dean "finds" the baby cradle and to his horror it is being used as part of the local church's nativity display. It hasn't and isn't being treated and cared for as the valuable antique Dean believes it is.
Of course it happens to be Tinsel's annual Christmas fair and the town is overrun by visitors. The town's mayor and preacher catch wind of the possible treasure their town holds.
Small town that it is, the townsfolk are keenly aware of the simmering attraction between Dean and Levi which makes things more awkward for the two men.
A covetous and avaricious billionaire, Dean's pretentious and condescending former doctoral advisor, and big city news crews further complicate the treasured antique situation.
This is a good, captivating story. The sexy times are STEAMY! And Harry adds fun and cuteness.
November 21, 2021
I absolutely adored this. Holiday romances are very niche and unless you are someone who lives for the holidays they can be hard to get through…and I am not one of those people haha. With this though, I was pulled in immediately. First, I’m a sucker for a cowboy, so when Levi was introduced I was all in. Dean in his own right was cute…who doesn’t love an uptight city boy in their romance novels? But Levi man…whewww. This had everything a good romance needs equally likable love interests, a fluffy companion that makes you smile, a small town, and even a hint of second chance. I will say the ending of this was an ending that would only happen in a book 😂😂 ain’t nobody in their right GD Mind gonna give up the money that was being offered over something you could easily replace by going to Target. I get sentiment, but there’s a point where sentiment becomes selfish and I think this is that point, but that’s just my own cynical mind saying ain’t no WAY that would happen 😂 I loved this even through its unbelievable ending and am very happy I didn’t let my apprehension with holiday books turn me off of this.
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