Devine qui vient diner à noël

by Garrett Leigh

Une fausse relation avec un étranger. Une romance au bureau, avec plein de donuts. Un accord addictif – amis avec bénéfices – qui tourne mal. Que demander de plus ?

Jonah Gray est riche, couronné de succès et est le parti le plus intéressant en ville. Selon sa mère, en tout cas. Mais la vérité est tout autre, car malgré tous ses efforts pour le caser, il est très bien seul. Il ne lui faut qu’une seule chose : de la compagnie pour la soirée de Noël.

Sacha Ivanov est un loup solitaire, qui se satisfait amplement de coups d’un soir anonymes. Mais lorsqu’il se retrouve coincé dans l’ascenseur avec son très sexy PDG, les choses changent. Ce dernier lui fait une proposition qu’il ne peut refuser.

Devine qui vient dîner ? est une romance MM de Noël. Attendez-vous à beaucoup de frustration, à des nuits humides et à une véritable romance au pied d’un énorme sapin de Noël.

#Friendstolovers #Noël #MM

Genres: M M Romance, Christmas, Romance, Contemporary, Holiday, LGBT, Audiobook

263 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 3, 2020

About the author

She/Her

Bonus Material available for all books on Garrett's Patreon account. Includes short stories from Misfits, Slide, Strays, What Remains, Dream, and much more. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/garrettleigh

Facebook Fan Group, Garrett's Den... https://www.facebook.com/groups/garre...

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British romance author and artist. Her debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and she is a 4 time LAMBDA finalist.

In 2017, she won the EPIC award in contemporary romance with her military novel, Between Ghosts, and the contemporary romance category in the Bisexual Book Awards with her novel What Remains.

Garrett is also an award winning cover designer, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com

Reviews

[Snjez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so different from anything I've read by this author before. The characters, the setting, the plot and the level of angst – not what I expected at all. It wasn't all fluff, but it was still so sweet and heartwarming. Once I started reading it, I didn't want to put it down.

I loved Jonah and Sacha right from the start. Jonah is exactly the type of character I love and relate to. I think they were wonderful together. I could feel the chemistry between them from the moment they met. I loved their interactions and the little things they did, and I was quite happy with the way their relationship developed.

I really enjoyed the office setting. Both Jonah and Sacha work hard and are very passionate at what they do. I liked seeing that side of them. The side characters were pretty great, too. Especially some of Jonah's and Sacha's co-workers.

The writing was wonderful in this one. It made me connect and feel for the characters. I even teared up at one point, which is something that doesn't happen often.

**********
Re-read 12/2021

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angels in the City is a MM, holiday stand alone romance by Garrett Leigh. This is a bit of a meet cute, office romance with a fake date. These two weren’t looking for love, but maybe the magic of the holidays helped it find them?



Jonah Gray is twenty six years old and owns his own advertising firm. He’s gay and open about it. His parents are wealthy and host an annual Christmas Ball for charity. He has a close relationship with his parents and his mom is always trying to match him up with someone. When he is stuck in an elevator with a very good looking man, an idea to keep his mom from playing matchmaker that evening at the Ball comes to mind. Ask the man he is stuck with to be his date for the evening!

Sacha Ivanov works for the App Development company next to Jonah’s. He and Jonah have never met but he is definitely intrigued by him when they become stuck in the elevator. But Sacha never does second dates. He doesn’t have the interest nor the time. And a one night stand with someone he practically shares office space with wouldn’t be wise. When Jonah invites him to be his date for the Ball that evening, though, he can’t say no.



Jonah was such a kind man. His employees adored him. He would do anything for anyone. He wasn’t looking for someone, didn’t have the time for romance, but he wasn’t against it. His parents were happy and he wanted that for himself some day. He definitely was attracted to the sexy Russian in the elevator and was glad to have him on his arm at the Ball.

These two definitely had all the chemistry. Sacha had a habit of talking in circles which kind of got on my nerves at times. He never let his guard down but you could tell that Jonah was wearing him down, little by little with his kindness. This was a sweet, sexy romance and had a very lovely ending. I do wish there was a brief peek into their future to see how things go. We get more of a happy for now ending. But I have confidence that these two have what it takes to make it work.

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...

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 3.75 stars ***

I am not a reader who enjoy a "too easy" love story. I need some drama and conflict to feel invested and there was none in the beginning of the story. It was boring and I even had to take a break with another book.



I am so glad I forced myself to get back to it, because the game changer happened when things got a little complicated.

Angels in the City is a mild version of Garrett Leigh's usual angst ™, but is for the best I suppose 🤷‍♀️ considering this shitty year.

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm the sole voice of dissent, but I really did not like this book. The conversations between the MCs seemed so scripted and artificial, I wanted to scream.

Even the sex was boring, and I almost DNF multiple times.

To add insult to injury, the ending was a weak HFN and terribly unsatisfying.

Sorry. Not sorry.

Read other reviews, please. Almost all are positive. I don't usually click with Garrett Leigh's stories. My rating is probably unfair, but it's based on my subjective enjoyment of the story.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah, so this definitely could pass as an Alternate Universe of HR’s Ilya and Shane - almost eerily so - and I am NOT complaining. Like, at all 🫦

It’s no secret that I love a good Russian MC, and Sacha was everything I adore. Suave, kind, cheeky, observant - and at the same time distant, a little cold, and emotionally difficult… at least at first. Basically: my kryptonite.

The attraction and pull between them were immediate, giving us high tension from page one. And yes, I know, controversial, but I will always eat up a good fake dating setup. Always. The butterflies were immediate.

That said, I didn’t love every moment of the distance or the hot-and-cold, push-and-pull dynamics between them - but I also can’t deny that it made the emotional payoff even more delicious. Watching Sacha absolutely flabbergasted by how differently he felt about Jonah? Yeah, giddy, kicking my legs 🥰
Sure, he did test my patience at times, but I also understood him deeply. That instinct to respond to longing and warmth with coldness and withdrawal, to counterbalance the fear of wanting too much - it stung, but it made sense for him? And… contrary, emotionally constipated characters own my entire heart, I’m soooorryyyy 🙈

The writing had a very distinct, almost dreamlike quality to it - melancholic and a bit unusual. It took me a moment to adjust, but once I did, it suited the story beautifully and added to the overall mood.

So yeah, all in all another great Garreth Leigh holiday book! They feel cosy without being ott, Hallmark-level Christmas explosions - which I deeply appreciate as a certified grinch lol

Jonah was joy, and Sacha wanted it all. 🥹🥹

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5**** stars


okay… i have very mixed feelings right now. i mentioned before that this feels a lot like Shane & Ilya in an AU. But that was around like 20% or so. By the end of the book it honestly almost felt copied. Angels in the City has been published one and a half year after Heated Rivalry so it is entirely possible that Garrett Leigh sought inspiration there. I even wanted to believe at first that the similarities might even be completely coincidental, I mean it is a completely different setup. But with the story of Heated Rivalry and all the scenes being THIS present for me right now I can’t help but wonder.

“It is strange because I have never felt such things until I met you,” he said, but in Russian, so Jonah could not understand him.

Looking at the story without the comparison, tho I really enjoyed reading it. The layered, blunt Russian Sacha and careful and reserved Jonah set up in an office romance that was not only hot but also kind of sweet when you look past how complicated they (mostly Sacha, tho) made it for each other. And for that i’m rounding up even with the doubts i have about this story’s origins.




---------------

Pauline, you are right!! This is like Shane & Ilya in an alternate universe!! Like so much of it. 🥰

Sacha shook his head. “You’re all idiots.”
“What Mr. Ivanov means,” Sacha’s boss—the main investor of the failing app, and the man who’d hired Sacha to save it—broke in, “is that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us—”
“No,” Sacha refuted. “I mean they are idiots.”

[BelleLovesRomance · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 2.5/5 — Emotionally constipated MC, chronic miscommunication, and a payoff that arrived way too late and underdressed. 🥲😒

🌶 1.5/5 — The spice showed up, we made eye contact, and mutually decided this wasn’t it. We parted amicably, don’t worry. 🙃👋

📝 Quick disclaimer before I ramble:
I’m genuinely so sorry to anyone who loves this book—this one just gave me nothing to enjoy, fuck 🥲 I’m usually pretty generous with my ratings, so maybe I caught this book on the wrong day or in the wrong mood, who the hell knows 🙃
Most reviews are way more positive than mine, so yeah… I’m fully aware this is probably just a me thing, not the book 🙈

💭 My Ramblings 💭

30% bored 😐 | 35% confused 😵‍💫 | 35% annoyed 🙄
Yeah… that math ain’t cute, but it is what it is 💁‍♀️😬

This was my first Garrett Leigh book, and uh… yeah, it just wasn’t for me 🙂‍↔️ The writing style felt unfamiliar as hell, and instead of pulling me in, it kept kicking me out of the story like, girl, what? Huh? 😵‍💫

I found myself rereading sentences over and over like a damn clown 🤡 trying to decode the meaning—and half the time I still walked away thinking, okay but WHAT did I just read? 😅💀

Now listen, before anyone gets dramatic: this could totally be a me thing, yeah? English isn’t my first language, so part of me wondered if maybe my English is just too basic for this book’s ✨vibe✨ 🙈 Or maybe it’s the British English throwing me off, because I’m way more used to American English. 😬

And no, before you side-eye me, I have read and enjoyed books by British authors before—just not a ton of them. This one though? It felt like me and this book were on a bad blind date with zero chemistry and awkward silence 🧍‍♀️🫠

Because of that disconnect, I never really bonded with the MCs… and unfortunately, Sacha was the biggest nope for me. His character straight-up exhausted me 😖 Like bruh, please take a nap, drink some water, and eat something FFS. 😩💀

So yeah—this isn’t a bad book, it’s just a bad match, and I’m not forcing love where my soul is screaming nah 😌✨

Quote (Jonah):
“Because—no. Fuck off. Stop talking in circles.”

💭 From me to Sacha: What Jonah said 👆👆👆

🚩🫵🤨 BRO, PLEASE PICK A FEELING 🙄😮‍💨

Quote:
Jonah: “Are you okay?”
Sacha: “Yes. Why do you ask this?”
Jonah: “Because you look tired and I’m your friend.”
Sacha: “You are not my friend. We sleep together. That is all.”
Jonah: “Okaaaay. If that’s how you feel, I should probably get to work, but—”
Sacha: “But what?” (Sacha snapped.) “Go to work, Jonah.”
Jonah: (Jonah stared, both brows rising in tandem, hurt colouring the uncharacteristic irritation in his emerald gaze. “Are you—?”
Sacha: (Glared.)

💭 My thoughts at 62%:
Dude… respectfully… WTF?! 😩 I have endured ~180 pages of you being confused about your own damn feelings, and this is how you repay sweet, patient, emotionally available Jonah? Nah, hell no 😤

Like yes, I get it, feelings are hard, blah blah internal crisis, tsk 🙄 but snapping at someone who’s literally just checking on you? Criminal behavior 🤡👎🏻 My poor baby Jonah just wanted to be kind and got emotionally bitch-slapped for it 😭💔

This scene fully cemented my exhaustion with Sacha. Like bro, either communicate or go sit quietly in the corner until you’re done spiraling 👉🏻🪑😵‍💫

Justice for Jonah. That’s it. That’s the tweet. 🐦🗣

🚽🫱 ONE HANDJOB AND A WHOLE LOT OF EMOTIONAL DAMAGE 💔🥴😖

Quote (Jonah's POV):
Jonah didn’t stop. He dug his fingers into Sacha’s strong thighs and took it all as Sacha released, not letting go until he’d swallowed every drop.
-
Blowing Sacha had worked Jonah up so much he’d been on a knife edge before Sacha had laid a hand on him. He bucked into Sacha’s hand, came down with a shiver, and cleaned up with more paper towels. Behind him, Sacha was quiet.
Too quiet.
Jonah chanced a glance at him in the mirror and found him dressed again, and fixated with something on the ceiling, expression devoid of anything that mattered.
Nice.
-
More than anything, he wanted Sacha to look at him.
But he didn’t, and Jonah lacked the masochism for the endless wait. He tucked his shirt in, knocked his fist to Sacha’s shoulder, and left.

💭 Oh Jonah… my sweet, dumb, emotionally hopeful baby 😭💔 You say you “lack the masochism,” but babe… YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY A MASOCHIST 🫣😩

Because what do we call exchanging a handjob and blowjob in a pub bathroom with someone who won’t even look at you afterward? That’s not casual sex, that’s a free trial of heartbreak, tsk 💔💔💔

This scene was the point where my soul just went oh noooo, yeah? Not angry—just deeply tired and sad for Jonah. He wanted eye contact, not a dissertation, not a ring, just a LOOK 😭 And Sacha couldn’t even give him that? Jail. Straight to emotional jail 👮‍♂️🚔🚨😤

Swell. Just swell. 🙃

🤏⏰ TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE ⏳️🫤

Quote (Jonah):
“I need you to mean it, Sacha. I can’t play this ridiculous game of back and forth with you while you figure out if your feelings are real. I don’t have the energy for that, and I don’t think you do either.”

💭 Jonah finally said the thing. The right thing. But dropping this realization with 17 pages left after dragging me through Sacha’s endless feelings fog felt like getting a single one layer tissue after crying for three hours 😭🤧

I’m the kind of romance girl who needs at least 30% payoff—and by payoff, I mean actually seeing the MCs happy, settled, and living their best loved-up lives together. 💞✨️♾️

Not angry. Just… emotionally underfed 😖 Like yes, growth is cute, accountability is hot, but the timing made it feel… small. Too small. I needed more room to feel the shift, not just acknowledge it and move on 😔

So when the real payoff here didn’t even start until the 91% mark—yes, 17 pages left, I counted like a tired little gremlin 🧍‍♀️It just wasn’t enough compensation for enduring roughly 250 pages of emotional whiplash, confusion, and low-grade suffering courtesy of Sacha 😭💔

🎄 WHOLESOME?? GIRL, BE FOR REAL 😐

Quote:
Sacha blinked. Lost in watching Jonah, he’d almost forgotten Lily sitting in his lap as if they’d been friends their whole lives, like her and Jonah.
-
Lily treated him to a megawatt smile, and lounged against him, her eyes drifting closed. Sacha’s eyes were heavy too.

💭 My thoughts at 96%:
Oh. So this is the payoff now? 😐 After roughly 250 pages of emotionally constipated chaos, we finally get Sacha pulling his head out of his ass—and it’s immediately flavored with… this? Fucking why❓️⁉️

Like listen, I get the intention, yeah? Found family trope, antisocial man learns human connection, blah blah Christmas miracle shit 🎄🎅🏻❄️
But why does Jonah’s best (girl) friend need to be SITTING ON SACHA’S LAP, lounging on him, drifting off like a cozy cat—and Sacha too, being sooo comfy he almost falls asleep with a girl he barely knows perched on his lap 🙃😐
Unsolicited MMF much? 😒

For me, an MMC’s lap is SACRED TERRITORY 😤✨ EXCLUSIVELY RESERVED for your love interest… or a baby… or small children, like literally under, I don’t know, 10 or 12 years old max? 👶🧸
If you’re neither, then that lap is fucking off-limits 🚫😤 Do I need to spell it out for you?
YOUR ASS IS LITERALLY IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH A MAN'S DICK. 🍆🍑🤨

And not in private, baby. Oh no. This is happening at a Christmas gathering in Jonah’s parents’ country estate. Parents present. Siblings present. Niece present. Everyone vibing while I’m standing there like 🧍‍♀️ Am I the weird one or... 👁👄👁

If this was supposed to read as wholesome, then yeah… You and I clearly have very different definitions of wholesome, huh? 😀 Because after starving me for emotional payoff until the last 17 pages, tainting it with that choice just made the whole thing feel even more underwhelming 😓🫩

So yeah. Meh HFN, no epilogue, crumbs of growth, and vibes that left me blinking at my screen like… that’s the note we’re ending on? Fantastic 🫥

💭 Final Thoughts 💭

If nothing else, this book really cemented something for me as a reader: friends with benefits with weak feelings and terrible communication is absolutely not my thing 😮‍💨🙃 Emotionally detached sex plus constant miscommunication just drains me instead of entertaining me, and that’s exactly why this one didn’t work for me. 😵

So yeah—definitely a case of personal taste. This just wasn’t my vibe. 🙂‍↔️

P.S. I’m convinced Sacha secretly published a book titled:
“A Masterclass in How Not to Communicate Your Feelings.”
Signed copy anyone? 👁👄👁 📘✍️🏻

-
⚠️ Detailed spoilers below ⛔️

RC and MCs:
🪽🌃 MM, vers (but mostly Jonah bottom, with one switch scene at the end)
🪽🌃 Jonah Maximillian Gray 26yo and Sacha Ivanov 28yo
🪽🌃 Jonah: CEO of his own advertising agency—Flash Gray Media
🪽🌃 Sacha: Works at Blutecc Ltd., a software development for apps and social media
🪽🌃 Jonah: Green eyes, red copper auburn hair, a bit broader than Sacha, pale complexion
🪽🌃 Sacha: gold-flecked eyes, brown hair, dark unshaven jaw, broad-shoulders, an inch taller than Jonah

Genre, tropes, and microtropes:
🪽🌃 MM contemporary romance
🪽🌃 Office romance
🪽🌃 Strangers-to-lovers
🪽🌃 Fake relationship
🪽🌃 Forced proximity (elevator scene)
🪽🌃 Friends with benefits,
🪽🌃 Grumpy/sunshine
🪽🌃 Holiday setting
🪽🌃 Slow burn
🪽🌃 Emotional barriers
🪽🌃 Communication issues
🪽🌃 Pet names: Luchik (ray of light/sunshine/little ray/little sun)

Safety info:
🪽🌃 Angst: Medium
🪽🌃 OPD: No
🪽🌃 Cheating/sharing: No
🪽🌃 Third act breakup: No
🪽🌃 Ending: HFN
🪽🌃 Epilogue: No
🪽🌃 POV: Dual, 3rd person
🪽🌃 Series structure: Standalone

Spice and kinks:
Against the bedroom window sex, fingerfucking, anal sex (with condom), coming hands-free, office sex (in Jonah's office), blowjob, mild tonguefucking, jerking off (Sacha, in front of Jonah), semi-public sex (in a bar's restroom with the door locked), handjob

CW/TW:
Explicit sexual content, mentions of past sexual assault (backstory content), random office/employee assault references in passing, family loss (death backstory)

[Garrett Leigh]

OUT NOW!

AMAZON US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N6KYPHG/
AMAZON UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08N6KYPHG/

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Marc (Soul to Keep ) hadn't already stolen my heart completely, then Sacha and Jonah would be fighting it out with Gavin & Yani (Hometown Christmas ) to claim it.

This is possibly the least angsty of anything I've ever read from Garrett, but that doesn't mean it's missing any of the signature pieces that make it one of her books.

Two driven men, meeting perhaps by accident, perhaps by fate's intervention, but nevertheless, finding an instant connection.

It starts as a fake boyfriend scheme to soothe Jonah's mother but it's pretty clear from the off that it could be so much more.

Sacha is an enigma, he's brusk, sparse with conversation, free with his disdain for the rest of the workforce he's been landed with and very much interested in taking Jonah to bed.

Jonah is a ray of sunshine, he's kind to his staff, bemused by his mother's determination to get him paired off with anyone, and instantly drawn to the dark and brooding Russian.

They dance around each other in their shared office space, they fall into bed frequently, but they never talk feelings.

There was just something about this book which pulled me deep into it, perhaps the intimacy of their interactions, which take place in bed a lot.

Or possibly just the way it was clear to me that Sacha needed Jonah, though he did his best to ignore that he was wanting more than just sex.

There isn't really one defining moment which moves this into something more, it's a slide into a dawning of acknowledgement that things have changed.

But, as is ever the way, it's not smooth sailing, there are hurts caused, and motives questioned before the break point is reached.

For a relatively short book, Garrett still manages to pack a whole fully fleshed out world with a rounded set of secondary characters into the narrative.

It doesn't appear to be connected to her wider universe but it also felt like it easily could be.

I kept expecting them to pop into one of Cass and Tom's places for food or to run into one of the ex-military guys on the street 😁

I'd love more!

#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read 11/2025
Still enjoyed it (more or less), but this time the many inconsistencies bothered me more.
---------------
Read 12/2023
4,25 stars.
Lovely christmas romance.
It was by no means perfect, it needed better editing as there were wrong time indications, and many things concerning the MC's businesses didn't make sense, BUT for once I just didn't care, and was able to enjoy the romance.
I loved the chemistry between Jonah and Sacha and was invested in their relationship.
The two books I've read by this author hadn’t impressed me much (Wildfire, Christmas on firefly hill). The writing style in this book was different, though, and felt in sync with the characters personalities.
I'm glad I gave this book a chance, and can see myself rereading it in the future.

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars

Wow. Loved it.

Garrett Leigh takes ‘tall, dark, mysterious and brooding’ to a new level here.
I’ve come across quite a few very memorable Russians in m/m romance (Think Alexei from Hailey Turner’s ‘Metahumans’), and Sasha is quite easily taking a place of honour amongst them.

He is one of the most contrary characters I know.

Sasha was power. Strength. Poise.

“(Sasha) How do I strike you?” (Jonah) Hot. Sharp. Deadly. Kind. Jonah couldn’t decide until he settled on a new word: Conflicted.

And that one word sums it all up pretty accurately.

Sasha is deeply conflicted and enigmatic. He’s never allowed himself to feel or give himself a little bit of slack. It is painful to watch him knocking himself down again and again just for getting ‘emotional’ (meaning: feeling anything at all) and shying away from Jonah again and again, despite the intense attraction and the mind-blowing sex. His need to stay in control is seriously challenged by Jonah though.

Jonah is a charismatic, genuinely nice and really likeable guy, just a bit of a commitaphobe. Meeting Sasha hits him like a nuclear explosion, and for the first time in his life he’s truly floored by another man. But getting to know Sasha proves extremely tricky, because the man keeps personal information securely locked up behind his impenetrable, cold façade.

There is a lot of pull and push here. A lot of hot and cold treatment for Jonah. A lot of extremely explosive sex. A lot of looking away from real feels, until it simply isn’t possible any longer.

The ‘going in a circle’ conversations between the two men, where Sasha is as slippery as an eel, and Jonah’s trying to get closer to him, are fabulously written, even if I wanted to shout at Sasha to open up and tell Jonah at least something about himself!
I really liked that Jonah is prepared to take only so much of this behaviour before he makes a stand. And eventually it was a heartfelt relief when Sasha finally caves and lets Jonah in.

I loved this all the way, but ultimately would have liked a deeper and longer explanation why Sasha’s turned out to be the man he is and how he jumps the hurdles his past throws into his way.

'Angels in the City' is taking place before Christmas, but it’s certainly not your ‘usual’ Christmas romance. Loved the complexity of the characters and the unusual issues between the men. Loved Sasha’s accent (yeap, those Russian accents definitely work for me!) and his no nonsense, almost brutal honesty.

Fab read!

[Lisazj1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Honestly, I was actually hesitant to read this. I do love this author’s writing but I absolutely have to be in the mood for her books, because angst and suffering are things I avoid, LOL. 😏 And I definitely don’t want it in my holiday stories, that bookshelf isn’t named “holiday warm & fuzzies” for nothing.

However, this story gave me everything I could have wanted from Garrett Leigh. Yes, there was angst, a little bit, just enough to be realistic for the characters. But it also had wonderful characters, stellar banter, and sweet, absolutely sizzling chemistry between the MCs.

I genuinely loved Jonah and Sacha, and I loved the evolution of their relationship. Despite how they start and how they might feel, there’s nothing insta about them, except for the intense attraction. And did I mention how completely, meltingly hot they are? 🔥 🔥

I finished this at 4:30 this morning, because I was enjoying them so much it didn’t occur to me to put it down and go to bed! This was well worth the lost sleep, loved it!! 🥰

[Ele · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.25*

I feel so satisfied every time I finish a GL book. This is what I want from a holiday story. I know that the angst is maybe too much for some readers but honestly, I didn't even feel it here.

Really good stuff!

[MarianR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was cute.
Fake relationship
Russian guy who has no romantic relationships
Jonah, who has no time for relationship but has a debility for the Russian guy (who does not?) 🥴🥵
Friends (or trying to be friends) with benefitcs
HEA
I liked the beginning more, the chemistry between the MCs was good, the pull and forth tired me a bit but the end was sweet.

It was refreshing and different from what I had read from the author❤️

[Papie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Perfect Christmas story with a touch of angst. I’m getting tired of super fluffy romances, and this one was just angsty enough to make it feel like they earned their happy ending, but still keeping the spirit of a Christmas romance.

Sacha and Jonah meet in an elevator. Jonah invites Sacha to a ball he is on his way to, and they pretend to be boyfriends for the night. Then they start hooking up casually, and can literally not keep their hands off each other. I thought it was a little too easy and smooth sailing at that point.

But then unwanted feelings get involved and complicate everything. And make it a lot more interesting. 😘

I fell in love with Sacha. I strangely didn’t like him in the beginning. I guess I have a thing for dark moody Russians who are bossy in bed.

[Vanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Yolka Stars!! 🎄🎄⭐️⭐️❤️ This was such a different book from Garrett Leigh.. it had all the feels that are inherent in her books but without the acute angst. I ❤️LOVED ❤️ it!!
Jonah is the young owner and CEO of an advertising company. He enjoys his work, is close to his family, his employees and generally loves his life. He loves the holidays too and the traditions that come with it. But this year he's not looking forward to the annual Christmas Ball that his parents host because he doesn't have a special someone to join him, and he is tired of his mother's matchmaking. As luck would have it, while leaving work for the party he gets stranded with a handsome stranger in the elevator.. and voila he has a date for the ball!!! 😍 ahh.. but Sacha is a fake boyfriend 😉. Or is he? 🤔 Sacha has no time or inclination for love or relationships. His work is all-consuming and if he has any time left, he only goes for uncomplicated hook-ups. Although they decide on a friends-with-benefits arrangement, both Jonah and Sacha are shocked by their instant chemistry. While Jonah realizes the potential and wants more, Sacha's opaque stance creates barriers between them. Things become even more complicated when they have to work together. Can they become more than friends-with-benefits? Can the spark between them last long enough for Sacha to give in to his feelings?
This story happens around Christmas time with plenty of references to Christmas and all the delicious treats which are a big part of the holiday season. 🎄❄️💕 Jonah is sweet, Sacha is mysterious and they make a 🔥hot🔥 couple. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a great fake-boyfriend-office-holiday-romance with low angst and a sweet HEA 👍👍

[Renée · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I'm one of those rare people who just can't connect with this author. Everyone else seems to love her words. Ignore me.

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one felt a lot different from most Garrett Leigh reads, not that that's a bad thing.

It was definitely less heavy and angsty.

I will say I had a hard time warming up to Sacha. And the ending could've been a bit more satisfying.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this one. Especially the cover. ;)

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty sweet and overall I really liked it! I enjoyed both of their characters and liked seeing both of them slowly start to soften toward each other.

But- I really think this book needed more... everything. More scenes of the characters getting to know each other and having meaningful conversations. More scenes of them together outside their friends with benefits relationship. More background on them (so much of both of their backgrounds felt quickly glossed over). But mostly more HEA!

This book was good for what it was, but could have been better if everything went a little deeper.

[Freya · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ 2🌶️

📝 REVIEW & THOUGHTS:

Started decently well, although the dialogues oftentimes were confusing, I often had to reread them to understand who was saying what lol

Sacha felt too cold and formal in his dialogues for my taste. I guess it could make sense from his Russian heritage and the fact that he’s not a native speaker? Still, I did not like him, he was an asshøle, like my dear Pauline said, he was really emotionally constipated. I thought he felt very stiff, giving the entire book a stiff feeling that made it hard for me to connect with the characters.

As for the banter, I found it to be exhausting and not hot at all.

And then the abrupt ending without epilogue? Whaaat?

This book unfortunately wasn’t for me.

🏷️ TROPES & TAGS (possible spoilers):

Genre/subgenre: contemporary romance
Pairing: MM
POV: 3rd person, dual
Angst: low-ish
Burn: fast
Vibe/mood: mildly festive (Xmas)
Pet names: luchik
Characters’ ages: 26/28
HEA: HFN
Book type: novel
Series structure: standalone

Friends-with-benefits-to-lovers
Fake relationship
Forced proximity
Office/workplace romance
Set in the UK (London)
Gay x bi

🌶️ SPICE & K!NKS (possible spoilers):

Strict top/bottom or versatile: vers
Heat: 6 scenes, low to medium heat
Anāl sēx
Bløwjobs
Rimming

⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS (‼️possible spoilers‼️):

Dubcon: no
Noncon: no
Breakup: no, a brief separation/interruption before they’re officially together
Sharing: no
Cheating: no
OM/OW: no
Mentions of past sēxual āssault
Mentions of racısm towards Russian people
Mention of MC’s mom being dēad
Mentions of MC’s mom dying in a car accident when he was a kid
Mention of MC being in said car accident and now having issues with his brain and migraines
MC’s estranged and drunk father died (present)


* Fyi about 🌶️ levels: I rate spice on a combination of quantity, quality, length, intensity and explicitness of the scenes. Kınks are listed separately and generally do not directly affect the steam level to keep it fair for non kınky books.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A- at AAR, so that's 4.5 stars rounded up.

Garrett Leigh’s Christmas-themed Angels in the City really hit the spot.  It uses some of my favourite tropes, it’s got just the right amount of angst, just the right amount of humour and festive cheer, and an emotional, sensual, opposites-attract romance between two endearing and attractive leads. I practically inhaled it in one sitting.

Jonah Gray is young, handsome and successful and is, according to his mother, the most eligible bachelor in the city.  The story opens on the night of the annual Ball held for the charitable foundation run by his parents, which Jonah is dreading for a number of reasons –  not least of which is his reluctance to face yet more of his mother’s matchmaking schemes and questions about his relationship status.  As if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s all togged up in his Armani best and on his way out of his office when the lift gets stuck on the way down to the lobby.  Mind you, the prospect of  being stuck in the lift for hours may be preferable to spending a few hours at the Gray & Gray Christmas Ball – especially when Jonah has company in the form of an absolutely gorgeous man he’s seen working at the app development company that occupies the office space opposite his.  After Jonah puts a call out to the engineers, he and his lift-mate strike up a conversation that’s just a teeny bit flirty – which ends when the lift starts moving again… and Jonah sort-of-but-not-really-jokingly invites the other man to accompany him to the Ball.

Sacha Ivanov isn’t quite sure why he says yes to the invitation. He’s a loner, content to fill his life with work and one-time-only hook-ups and isn’t looking for that to change, but something about the gorgeous auburn-haired executive from the office across the way has him completely entranced.  When they arrive at the ball, their ‘act’ as the perfect couple is seemingly effortless and Sacha is the ideal fake-boyfriend, charming Jonah’s mother, and somehow knowing what Jonah needs even before Jonah does himself.  The attraction that’s been building between them since they met gets stronger as the evening progresses, and things move to their inevitable conclusion when they go back to Jonah’s penthouse for a night of bone-melting, life-changing sex.  The next morning, Jonah is a bit disappointed – although not surprised – to find Sacha gone.

A week goes by. Jonah and Sacha see each other in passing at the office, but make no attempt to engage. Jonah can’t forget the night they spent screwing each other’s brains out, and wouldn’t mind repeating it, while Sacha keeps reminding himself he’s a one-and-done type of guy and tries hard not to keep looking through the glass partition that separates the offices in hopes of a glimpse of the gleaming auburn hair that had felt so silky, tangled around his fingers. It’s not until another late night at the office brings them face-to-face again that Sacha and Jonah actually talk, and in a somewhat roundabout conversation full of Sacha’s typically inscrutable pronouncements, agree that they both want to pursue a friends-with-benefits arrangement. The problem comes when one of them realises that he has no idea how to do the ‘friends’ part of the equation, and the other that he doesn’t want the ‘benefits’ without it.

The intense chemistry between Jonah and Sacha leaps off the page from the moment they meet and burns bright throughout the novel, but it’s clear from the start that this is much more than attraction and that there’s a real connection there, too. Jonah is the first to admit that that connection is something he’s been searching for and that he wants more from Sacha than a few no-strings fucks, while Sacha, who learned early on in life that the only person he could depend on was himself, seems intent on keeping things casual.

Jonah is lovely; charming, funny and inherently sweet, he’s a good boss and a good man, and is content with the way things are until a “moody, contradictory Russian computer nerd” comes into his life and turns it upside down. Sacha is his total opposite, an (adorable) grouch who doesn’t suffer fools and makes no secret of it. He sometimes uses the fact that English is not his native language to obfuscate and create conversations that go around in circles, but as the book progresses, it seems he’s just as much of an enigma to himself as he has made himself to those around him. His instinctual reaction to keep his barriers up causes him to deliberately push Jonah away even though it’s really the last thing he wants to do, but he’s been doing it for so long that it’s a hard habit to break.

I adored both Jonah and Sacha, a pair of complex, likeable, believable characters who, in spite of their quite different personality types, really are a perfect fit. The communication issues and the way Sacha keeps getting in the way of himself are frustrating, but it doesn’t go on for too long, and the emotions that so obviously radiate between the pair are so raw and honest as to be almost palpable. And even when they’re foundering and unable to be honest about how they feel, there’s no question that Jonah and Sacha have fallen deeply and irrevocably in love; the journey to reach their HEA may be a bit bumpy but it’s lovely and completely swoonworthy nonetheless.

There’s a small, but strong secondary cast, notably Jonah’s mum and his BFF Lily, who is awesome, and I really liked the way the author integrates some Russian holiday season traditions, from the yolka – the tree put up to celebrate New Year – to the delicious-sounding Krendel (Christmas bread – I immediately went to look up a recipe!) and pastries.

Sexy, funny, warm and emotionally satisfying, Angels in the City captivated me from start to finish and has earned itself a place on my keeper shelf as a festive favourite.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is lovely, kind of a Christmas story but not quite Christmas. London set, two high achievers relatively privileged guys who work in neighboring offices get stuck in an elevator and then fake date for a party. One of them is a cynical, bossy, wise ass bisexual Russian with a traumatic family history, just saying, just in case you want more fiction with one of those. (There is absolutely no hockey in this book, and there is a HEA and it is relatively short). I liked their interactions, how they fit together and were changing for the other, for the better.

But there is a but, maybe it's a comparison (an unfair comparison but it came to my mind) I was making to another, very very famous book with a russian MC, this was a bit too simple and too short, I liked everything about this, but it will probably not be a reread or crazily memorable for me.

[Smutty Sully · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun Christmas-y book. Less gritty than her regular books. Although this is the second time recently that I've read about a Russian MC with migraines and not always taking the medication! Classic Garrett Leigh emotions, medium sweetness, kind of made me hungry (they are eating a lot, it seemed.)

Stuck in an elevator, fake date (but not OTT, just a simple event date), FWB, but sometimes treated as just a hook-up, office romance, doughnuts, Russian pastries, Christmas market, migraines, workaholics, Russian pet names, and a wee bit of angsty UST.

[✵Damjana✵ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book by Garrett Leigh, and although I was not very enthusiastic about it, I will try another of her books. Mainly because I noticed reviews here on GR that this story was different from her usual ones, so maybe I will like some other book much more.

I don’t know why, but this story just didn’t do it for me. The story seemed off-key, especially during office encounters and their problems. Otherwise, it was just fine, average reading.
I’ve noticed that I like the 3rd POV less and less, the dialogues are much more confusing that way.

[Ed Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 and 1/2 stars. This was a winner for me. It’s beautiful and warm and although a little angsty not so much that it’s depressing. I loved both Sacha and Jonah. This is really slow burn on the love. It’s starts as friends with benefits. Although, I would say it was more like acquaintances with benefits. Sacha doesn’t even do second dates.

[Darien · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Story: 4 ⭐️

The Narration: 4.5 ⭐️

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 luchik (☀️) Stars. Rounding up!

It appears three times is the charm for Garrett Leigh and me. 😃

I have read two other books by her and while I didn’t hate them, I was kind of indifferent. In fact, I’d be hard pressed to remember anything about them really. That will not be the case with this one. Jonah Gray and Sacha are a duo I will remember.

The reason for the 3.5 stars is that I was feeling a tad underwhelmed for the first part of the book. I was loving the guys but the story wasn’t completely grabbing me.

Then around the 60% mark or so, things started gelling for me and by the time I got to the end, I had a huge smile on my face. It was a good Christmas read for my tastes. The right amount of sweetness and infused with the warmth I like to find in a holiday book. Pretty darn hot in places too. 🔥 Throw in a grumpy Russian and I’m a happy lady.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I already knew who Jonah and Sacha were from a POV of Alexei in the Rebel Kings MC series, so I was looking forward to reading their story, and it did not disappoint at all!

Sacha is very emotionally closed off, much like his cousin Alexei, but he seems warmer regardless. I liked watching him realise he had feelings, and Jonah was such a sweetheart! Loved them together.

I seriously need a reunion of all the guys across Garrett Leigh's books 😂😂

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second time dancing with these angels and this time, my steps were stronger.
I was captivated by them before but didn't exactly get them.
Which is unusual for me. I tend to click and see Garrett's boys with ease.
However, Jonah and Sacha were fuzzy.
They were also sexy and mysterious and surprising and confident.
And they were a hell of a good time.
But! I wasn't securely connected to them during my first read.
On my second go, I scrutinized the messages I might have missed the first time. I'm not often distracted when reading anything by GL but I thought perhaps I wasn't paying attention.
And yes, I picked up a few more clues this time.
I also confirmed Sacha is a man that says a great deal with very few words.
Drove Jonah crazy at times too. Ha!
But I didn't need to wear special glasses or strain my eyes.
I just needed to sit back and take what he offered.

This holiday story is on the lighter side...an office romance that began with a phony relationship and finished with an honest one.

And when the holiday bug bites you this year, if you haven't met the mystifying Sacha Ivanov and his Jonah Gray, you might want to fix that.

[Rin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

I knew I would enjoy this, but I didn't expect to enjoy it that much.

The writing was simply divine, and pulled you right into the story.

I loved both characters right from the get-go. I loved their first meeting, and how the fake boyfriend trope was used here.

While Jonah was kind, a ray of sunshine really, Sacha was broody and mysterious. An enigma Jonah craved to solve. The chemistry between the two main characters was sizzling, scorching hot even, to the point I felt it across my Kindle screen.



They were simply amazing together, their interactions always fun.

Although I gotta say, when I read the last words, and then turned the page, I expected more. I needed more. This should have been longer.

Truly a treat nobody should miss out on!