Elves with Benefits

Reindeer Falls #4

by Jana Aston

My name is Ryan Sheppard and I don’t care about Christmas. I’m only returning to my over-the-top Christmas-themed hometown to sell the house I inherited from my late uncle so I can get back to the city and the promotion I’m chasing at work.

Unfortunately, there’s a flaw in my plan.

Because according to the town Christmas cop, there’s a moratorium on selling houses during December. She says it’s bad for the aesthetic. She’s also slapping an alarming number of tickets on my front door. For being in violation of holiday décor. And I swear on Rudolph himself, one is for ‘unsportsmanlike Christmassing.’

To top it all off, this Christmas cop looks like a red-headed elf.

A sexy red-headed elf…

Warning: Christmas in Reindeer Falls is more naughty than nice. These stories are over-the-top festive with merrily-ever-afters guaranteed. Novella length for quick holiday binge reading. Enjoy!

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Novella, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com

109 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2021

About the author

Jana Aston likes cats, big coffee cups and books about billionaires who deflower virgins. She wrote her debut novel while fielding customer service calls about electrical bills, and she's ever grateful for the fictional gynecologist in Wrong that readers embraced so much she was able to make working in her pajamas a reality. Jana is the author of 4 books, and all of them have appeared on either the NYT or USA Today bestsellers list, some multiple times. She likes multiples.

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Reviews

[Isabella. R · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Royal Grinch In The Ass Stars ⭐

For us diehard Christmas lovers, we could only wish that Reindeer Falls was real. A Bavarian inspired Christmas village on crack. And in previous books I wanted to migrate there...but not so much today.

A grown woman so ridiculously obsessed with Christmas you couldn't make that shit up and a hero...well I'm not sure what his stance was.

“Do you even hear yourself? You sound like a deranged Christmas elf.”

Maggie moonlights as a Holiday Enforcement Officer handing out fines for misdemeanors against Christmas. Ryan Sheppard has temporarily returned to Reindeer Falls to sell an inherited property. Soon these two are knocking heads when it becomes apparent that Ryan does not share Maggie's enthusiasm for Christmas.

He’s not what I’d have put on my Christmas list, but you know how sometimes Santa sneaks a little something into your stocking that you didn’t even know you wanted and it ends up being your favorite?

I expected a preposterous and funny storyline, however this was kind of ridiculous. I guess there is nothing attractive about a woman who believes her melodramatic antics are normal and a romance that felt like it blossomed out of nowhere.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was soooo excited when I saw we were getting three more Christmas novellas from Jana Aston this year! A return to Reindeer Falls, woo-hoo! Maggie takes Christmas very seriously. As in she is the town’s Christmas cop who literally writes tickets for people who have not decorated their houses with enough Christmas cheer. Like really. Poor Ryan, an architect who is just in town to sell his deceased uncle’s house, gets a bunch of tickets and fines to pay because he hasn’t hung up lights and put out nutcrackers. Personally, I was kind of Team Ryan on this one, but the overall glitter bombing of Christmas (which I love in a Christmas novel) and the fun snark was enough for me to roll with it. A short and sweet enemies to lovers read!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

If there's one place in the world that truly captures the magic of Christmas, it's Reindeer Falls.

It feels good to be back in Reindeer Falls. What's better than a fun holiday read to put you in the spirit? Jana Aston books always make me laugh, so that's another plus! I loved getting Maggie and Ryan's story.

Maggie is the Christmas police. That's one of her job requirements in Reindeer Falls and she takes her job very seriously. She moved to Reindeer Falls after college and she loves everything about this town, and of course, about Christmas.

"You know guarding the spirit of Christmas is my job. I have to keep my eyes peeled for potential violations at all times."

Ryan grew up in Reindeer Falls, but currently lives in Chicago. He's back in town dealing with his uncle's home which was left to him. After getting several 'tickets' about not decorating the home on Candy Cane Lane, he finally meets the little elf ticketing him. Their meet cute was hilarious!

Maggie was such a hoot and I seriously loved her and Ryan together. This was such a feel good read and made me feel the magic of Christmas. Think a fun Hallmark movie with some spice! If you're looking for a great Christmas novella, any of the 'Reindeer Falls' books would do the trick!

[Fanny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Elves With Beneficts es un relato aburrido, sin chispa y que se hace interminable.

Lo peor de esta lectura no es que en la trama no suceda nada, ni tampoco que la pareja protagonista no tenga la mas minima quimica, ni siquiera que su " romance " sea forzado desde el principio, lo que realmente harta de esta historia es su protagonista femenina.

Ella es pretenciosa, egoista y ensimismada, no tenia otra cosa en la mente que la Navidad, y lo que es peor, le imponia a todo el mundo su pensamiento, desde a sus mejores amigas hasta a el propio protagonista masculino, no me gusto en lo absoluto.

En fin, mi primera lectura Navideña no fue lo que esperaba, deseo que mis siguientes elecciones sean mejores.

1.5 Estrellas!

[Jeeves Reads Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welcome back to Reindeer Falls! I loved the first three novellas in this fun and sexy holiday romance series - they're all quick, easy reads with sugar and spice and everything nice. Elves with Benefits is the first of this year's group, and it sets everything up perfectly. We've got a group of three friends, three brothers who are new to town, and tons of holiday feels. This story is a quick tease that is more focused on the festive fun than the romance, and that's why I'm ultimately not able to give it a higher rating. When you're reading such a short story, the couple needs to spend more time on the page together for the romance to work. And that didn't happen here. I was scratching my head about a few things towards the end, and it certainly didn't give me the feels. But I'm definitely looking forward to the other two romances that will be coming our way soon.

The story follows Maggie, a woman who loves Christmas so much that she has a job as a Christmas cop of sorts, making sure that everyone in town gets into the holiday spirit. When a trio of mysterious brothers come to town, Maggie realizes that their spirit is sorely lacking. She has a series of run-ins with the Grinchiest brother, Ryan, who can't wait to get back to the city. Maggie may dislike the man, but he gets her hot and bothered in more ways than one.

I really enjoyed the first half of this - there's a light, playful feel and the friction between the two worked for me. I loved the Christmas cop scenario, and it was fun to watch Maggie and Ryan bicker over her over the top holiday cheerfulness. It's around the halfway point that things started to unravel for me - Ryan had been nothing but a jerk and then suddenly they're coupled up. Maggie actually says, "It shouldn’t be this easy to win me over, but it is." I cringed when she started talking about love, and things didn't improve after that. I'm not expecting a fully developed relationship in a holiday novella, but I do need more than this offered. I'll still eagerly read the next two novellas in the series, because these are fun holiday treats, but this one didn't quite live up to expectations. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this Christmas romance.

[Elisa ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

too fast, too boring!

i wanted a dual POV book, i felt like i didn't even know the hero, and what i knew about the heroine was superficial even though she narrates the book.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Christmas Enforcer Stars

Meh... I'm a little disappointed. I hated Maggie, I just couldn't stand her fixation with Christmas and she got on my nerves. I really enjoyed the previous books in the series but this one, didn't hit the mark. Ryan was a likable Grinch but he had a personality transplant in the middle of the book. I just expected more...

[Jacqueline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

Cute-ish but very short story that was quite daft in places and slightly funny in others. A light, easy read that overall was just a bit meh. I didn’t enjoy this as much as the earlier books from this series.

Available on ku. Stand-alone but part of a series with recurring characters.

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 3 out of 5]

this story was long drawn out and it wasn't as cute as the other novellas that we read from the first set. I'm disappointed...

[Dali · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book from the Reindeer Falls series. It follows architect Ryan Sheppard and realtor/holiday enforcer Maggie who is obsessed with Christmas.

When Ryan comes to the very festive town of Reindeer Falls to sell a house he inherited from his uncle he runs into some problems with the too cheerful Maggie who declares him jingleicious but also extremely Grinchy.

I really enjoyed the banter between Ryan and Maggie. It was light and fun while they argue about her over the top holiday spirit vs. his lack of fueling their attraction. Eventually the two give into their pull and I was a bit disappointed by how quickly it turns to love.

Even though Maggie and Ryan have a great repartee, they don’t spend that much time together and their relationship feels surface level especially compared to the time spent exploring the town’s holiday exuberance. Perhaps it also has to do with the fact that I got to know Maggie well by reading her perspective but not Ryan’s.

This was a lighthearted, fun holiday story with a Christmas cop concept that was super fun. I can’t wait to read the other two novellas coming out.

Elves With Benefits is novella #4 from the Reindeer Falls series by author Jana Aston. It is a rom-com, standalone novella told from the heroine's point of view with a happy ending. Subgenres: small town romance| holiday romance | enemies to lovers

World building: 🌏🌏🌏
Character development: 👤👤👤
Plot: 📚📚📚
Romance: 💕💕💕
Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥
Over the top LOL Moments: 📚📚📚📚📚
Rating: 3.3

* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. *

Stalk me on FaceBook * Instagram * More reviews

[Lisa (A Life Bound By Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the original three. This one just about received two stars. Just managed to make it to a three. This main character is just so in her head. I missed the interaction between other characters. That’s basically the main issue I had. I kept waiting for something more to happen.

But it was still Christmassy and I’ll always love being in reindeer falls.

[Vicky Sp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recensione sulla mia pagina Bookstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CXvbhtgsb...

Se esiste al mondo un posto che davvero cattura la magia del Natale è Reindeer Falls, dove l’autrice ha ambientato i suoi racconti. Lo spirito del Natale è intessuto nel cuore stesso della cittadina dove è tutto genuino, dall’architettura in stile bavarese al negozietto di giocattoli fino al forno di quartiere, il famoso Ginger’s Bake Shop.

Maggie è una ragazza solare e allegra che vive la magia del Natale in un modo profondo. Con immenso orgoglio svolge il compito di agente di pattugliamento natalizio:

��Non posso dire di far parte delle forze dell’ordine, questo no, ma posso fare le multe, e in pratica è la stessa cosa. Spetta a me proteggere la perfezione di un vero Natale di Reindeer Falls».

Come tutti i suoi concittadini anche lei è una fanatica del Natale, la festa più importante dell’anno, che va preservata e messa in risalto con adeguate illuminazioni e decori, che è proprio quello su cui deve vigilare.

Tutta l’organizzazione sembrava svolgersi nel modo più corretto possibile, quando in città fanno ritorno i fratelli Sheppard, Ryan, Jake e Carter, i tre esemplari maschili dal corredo genetico più straordinario che si siano mai diplomati al liceo di Reindeer Falls.

E da quel momento in poi per Maggie non ci sarà più pace.

🖋️Un racconto veloce e scorrevole, dai toni leggeri, perfetto per il clima festivo che stiamo vivendo.

Lo spirito natalizio si avverte in ogni pagina del libro, e devo ammettere che le stravaganze della protagonista femminile mi hanno divertito.

 

[Elisabetta Veneziani · Rating 4 out of 5]

3/4 ⭐️
Un po’ troppo rapido sul finale, ma è comunque una lettura carina e adatta al periodo 🥰🎄

[Vale198 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Breve ma noioso

[fay · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite thing about Christmas is the Christmas books and Christmas movies 🎄.

This one is a super short cute story that put you in the spirit of Christmas 🎅

[Sammie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another funny and adorable romcom from Jana Aston. I didn’t love this one quite as much as the first three, but it was a fun read!!! We’re back in Reindeer Falls with transplant Maggie who not only is obsessed with Christmas, she’s the town Christmas Enforcer! Yep, it’s a thing. With tickets and fines and everything! So when she finds out that the Sheppard brothers are back in town and staying at their late uncle’s house, she’s immediately incensed. Because there are No. Christmas. Decorations. They’re in violation of the Christmas Spirit! Not on her watch…

Ryan Sheppard is a big city architect from Chicago, who wouldn’t care less about Christmas, including but not limited to decorations. So when a crazy Christmas elf keeps giving him tickets, he can’t help but give her shit. These two were funny and really cute together, and I actually loved the ending. It was cheesy and Hallmark over the top, and Maggie has like, zero pride, but it was a fun read! Like with the first series, I find myself pining away for a fictional town with a magical atmosphere.

[Kate Russo ❦ (Rina Kent’s Version) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank fuck it’s done omg I fucking hate Maggie with a burning passion.
Honestly she should be the one saying sry not him.
Ryan was 🧑‍🍳💋 he was perfect.
Fucking Maggie likes to draw conclusions n thinks the worst abt him before even giving him the benefit of doubt.
I mean come on the man lost his uncle yet u don’t want to feel any sympathy for him bc he’s a grinch the dude wasn’t even a jerk to like wtf.
The book is called elves with benefits bc when he finally got his dream promotion that he was working a DECADE for n he was so excited to tell her n when he did she got pissed n told him she couldn’t believe he was using her.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

book # 3 of 24 hr christmas readathon

did i care? no. did i cringe a whole lot? sure fuckin did

[READ ME ROMANCE · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so fun to be back in Reindeer Falls as I enjoyed the earlier editions in this series very much. This town that is Christmas on crack and I applaud the author, Jana Aston, for her clever use of prose and puns, and her very extensive knowledge of holiday jargon, traditions, and tropes that appear on almost every page in one way or another. Elves with Benefits is a standalone and mentions sisters Noel, Holly and Ginger, featured in the first three books, but you can easily start here and feel the Christmas magic.

In Elves with Benefits, Maggie our heroine, is the town’s “holiday enforcement officer,” a position so important it deems office hours in city hall one day a week. She takes her job very seriously and to heart, and is just a bubbly, upbeat spreader of good cheer.

She meets Ryan, our hero, as he has returned to his hometown after relocating to Chicago with his two brothers to sell a house they recently inherited from their uncle who passed, and she has no choice than to provide him with a citation for his lack of decorations. She’s petite with red hair and often dubbed a Christmas Elf and Christmas Cop, labels him “a Grinch,” and makes it her mission to remind Ryan of what makes Reindeer Falls so special and his duty as a newly minted resident to conform.

This novella is cute and playful, and their witty banter and energy had me cracking up. Their bickering over his being a jerk and her over-the top enthusiasm was fun and often flirty, and I did like the tension and build-up of their potential as a couple. But then some of the magic dissipated for me.

She wows him with the news that no homes may be sold in Reindeer Falls during December, because she is also his self-appointed realtor, so he has no choice to stay and they wind up in bed together, rather quickly. This was a complete 180, and I was surprised and disappointed that our little Miss Merry only needed one smolder and a promise to decorate to drop her holiday themed panties. She was so sweet and all in, and I couldn’t blame her that she felt used, like an “elf with benefits,” when she learned he would be leaving Reindeer Falls as originally planned.

This story is only told from Maggie's point of view and I would have loved to know what Ryan was thinking! He changed his mind again and again, and I wanted to know why. What was his first impression? What did he like about her and their town? Did his career plans change or is he going to be a snow-bird? He seemed really aggravated and short, then he was wooing her, then they both were in love and all is forgiven.

This is a holiday novella and does end with a very sweet HEA, and I am looking forward to the next two books in this series, One Night with A Nutcracker and The Bachelor on the Shelf. The titles are so very clever as are Jana’s many magical words when writing about the holiday season.

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun visiting Reindeer Falls a year later. If I could visit a Christmas town in real life, this would be it. I found Ryan and Maggie's story to be fun and a bit whimsical. Maggie is the most Christmas loving person I have ever seen. She's a bit over the top with it, but when you hear about how her Christmas was growing up, you can't really blame the girl. I'm glad she got her real (in a fictional story) life Christmas romance with Ryan.

[Heather❀Kiss The Pages❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

[Raine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas cute meet

This book was a very cute Christmas story. She is a Christmas elf cop and he is a grinchy-grouchy architect. Too short of a story to really do well with character development, but I still liked it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Ah, I'm so glad Jana Aston decided to give us more Reindeer Falls Christmas novellas! Elves with Benefits is like a steamier version of a Hallmark movie.

Ryan and Maggie are complete opposites. Maggie lives and breathes Christmas while Ryan cares more about his work than being in the holiday spirit. The two don't hit it off right away, quite the opposite, but the more Maggie is convinced she hates Ryan, the more she also wants to kiss him. A lot.

This book was the perfect fast read to start getting me in the Christmas mood. So if you like no angst, a little over the top humor, and holiday swoons this book is perfect for you.

[Elle ♡ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I just love this Reindeer Falls novella series. It's so cozy and cute...and ridiculous, but it works for me. I'm definitely feeling more festive and excited for Christmas after reading that 🎅🎄🛷🎁☃️🦌🤶

[Danielle Overly Backlogged · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, this series is insanely cute. You’ve been warned. If you’re not into Christmas, this may not be for you because it’s over the top Christmas love in condensed form. Sprinkle in a lot of sexy men and spice, top off with hysterical banter and stir, yeah, it’s like that. From crazy goats to weird tickets for Christmas violations, this is belly aching funny.

[Noi (in & out) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caution, this is completely deranged.
Fun but also completely off the rails.
The FMC is a lot and is also a little insufferable.
----------------------------
Re-reading because I got the other 2.

[Diane (Books and Tequila Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and quirky!! Elves With Benefits is a standalone Christmas novella in the Reindeer Falls series. It is an absolutely adorable holiday story about one cute “Holiday enforcement officer” and the Grinch she is determined to redeem.

“He stares at my hat, then his gaze drops to my green winter coat and the ticket book I’m still holding in one hand. “So you’re a… Christmas cop?”
“Holiday enforcement officer,” I clarify, because it’s important not to impersonate an officer of the law.”

I love these stories! They are the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit any time of year!
-5 Stars-

[keira · Rating 2 out of 5]

boooo i adored the first three books (okay, two of the first three) and this one just didn’t grab me like the others and i’m sad

[Antonella · Rating 4 out of 5]

the first three books were okay but I enjoyed books 4,5 and 6 so much more!!
if you want a short holiday read pick them up..

[Erica Chaillot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, fun holiday novella from Reindeer Falls. I love that Jana is continuing the series from the same time as last year. What a great start to the holiday season.