BOOKWORM REVIEW: A Sweet Christmas by Nicole Richard

November 04, 2021

BOOKWORM REVIEW: A Sweet Christmas by Nicole Richard

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥

This book is as sweet as Thea's baked goods.

A fun, light-hearted romance, it starts with Ben coming into Thea's bakery, hoping to get any baked goods for a family event. It seems to be insta-love for the adorable cinnamon roll, who comes back to woo the hesitant bakery owner.

Nicole Richard takes us on a journey along with these two as they get to know each better and navigate around their growing attraction. I adore that Ben is sweet, caring, and attentive, and I adore even more Richard's small details that shows Ben's best qualities, such as remembering Thea's preferences, instead of telling the readers.

Thea is equally as charming. She is smart, hard-working, and sassy. She knows what she wants and she isn't afraid to ask for it.

The first part of the book creates a foundation of how they met and how they dance around an early courtship. At times, the pace seemed a little slow. The second half of the book gets better as the couple graduates into managing conflicts and stressful situations.

The spicy scenes do get better. I was a little nervous because it started with a closed-door scene, but these two do get dirty later on and I appreciated the variation in the intimate scenes.

As a holiday romance, this made me want to bake. 😂

A Sweet Christmas is a nice, quick read if you want to get into the holiday spirit (or baking mood).

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. **

A Sweet Christmas is now available and free with Kindle Unlimited.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sweet Confections bakeshop owner, Thea Sheldon, hasn’t had the best of luck when it comes to the opposite sex. Over the years, she’s realized that they just don’t make them like they used to—or at least how they’re portrayed in the movies.

That all changes when a handsome, smooth-talking stranger walks into her bakery, determined not to show up empty-handed for Thanksgiving, when Thea catches his eye, challenging everything she thought she knew.

Benjamin Sweet had nothing to prove and everything to gain. He’s the type of man women dream of. All it took was one look from the beautiful bakery owner to know he wasn’t the only one who experienced that unexplainable shift.

Looking for love was neither Thea’s nor Ben’s focus. But a casual encounter over red velvet cupcakes has the two taking that leap, only to find out just how sweet being in love can really be. Or can it?

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59191554-a-sweet-christmas

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TAKE A SNEAK PEEK

“I’m right there.”

When I turned to face Ben and invite him in, he stood with barely a foot between us. His masculine scent and body heat creating a frenzied reaction.

“Ben,” I whispered, but it might have sounded like a moan.

“Yes, Thea?”

“Would you like to come in?”

“I would love nothing more, but . . .” He groaned almost inaudibly.

“But?” I cited, confused as to why he was holding back. His actions were contradicting. Completely opposite from the first time we met in the bakery, somewhat lacking the sexual confidence I was looking forward to—banking on actually.

“Don’t look so disappointed, Thea.” He chuckled low, grazing the start of his erection even lower on my belly. “There’s a good chance for more than casual sex, and I won’t take advantage of you like that.”

“But you wouldn’t be taking advantage—”

He hushed me with a finger pressed to my lips.

“Not tonight, Thea,” he said firmly as he apologized by brushing the back of his knuckles down my cheek.

I wanted him, not an apology. Desperation wasn’t a fragrance I wore too often. Mix that with the alcohol and lack of good sex and I was stirring up a dangerous concoction. So dangerous, it had me wanting to throw caution and common sense to the wind, drop to my knees, pull his zipper down with my teeth and . . .

Rather than giving him the satisfaction of a reply, I unlocked the door and entered my apartment, silently allowing him the option to join me or not. He groaned softly and in seconds, he had the door shut, his arm wrapped around the front of my stomach, and my back pulled against his chest.

“I don’t have any condoms on me . . .” His voice was strong but hoarse, and there was no mistaking what he was feeling. “And there’s a reason for that.” I shivered as he brushed my hair over to one side, lowering his lips, kissing at the crook of my neck. Moving higher along the column of my throat, he whispered, “I want to see you again. So, no, I am not going to fuck you, Thea—not tonight at least.”