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Christmas Cupid
From #1 Amazon Bestselling Author Ilsa Madden-Mills comes a brand new enemies to lovers holiday novella (40,000 words) about finding love in unexpected places.
Dear Sneaky Santa,
I’d like to have a word about your sense of humor. Was it really necessary to stick me, a professional hockey player nursing an injury and avoiding the media, in an isolated cabin with a bratty, boot-designing princess who seems to have made it her mission to despise me? I mean, come on, what did I ever do to you?
And let’s talk about our first encounter. Was it your intention for her to barge in on me while I was enjoying a soak in the tub? It wasn’t exactly my finest moment, and I’m sure she didn’t appreciate the view of my massive body floundering around as I tried to grab a towel.
Now, I’m stuck with her, thanks to a mutual acquaintance, in the middle of a snow blizzard, navigating through bear attacks, sketchy neighbors, and whole lot of tension. I had plans, Santa, plans to escape to Cabo and forget about the world, not to be trapped with a woman who thinks I’m unworthy of her time just because she can’t stand hockey players.
Oh, and speaking of our delightful Iris, she’s stingier with her food than Scrooge was with his pennies! I’m not asking for a feast, but a guy’s got to eat! And could you possibly turn her yippy dog into a reindeer or something? It would certainly add to the Christmas spirit and save my eardrums.
I’m trying to rediscover the meaning of Christmas, and you throw me into this chaos? Is this some kind of test, or are you just having a jolly laugh up there in the North Pole?
So here’s my Christmas wish, Santa: sprinkle a bit of your magic and either get me out of here or be a Cupid and ignite a fiery, undeniable passion between us, because right now, this scenario is frostier than a snowman.
Slapshotting Through the Snow, Kyler Blanchette
Dear Sneaky Santa,
I’d like to have a word about your sense of humor. Was it really necessary to stick me, a professional hockey player nursing an injury and avoiding the media, in an isolated cabin with a bratty, boot-designing princess who seems to have made it her mission to despise me? I mean, come on, what did I ever do to you?
And let’s talk about our first encounter. Was it your intention for her to barge in on me while I was enjoying a soak in the tub? It wasn’t exactly my finest moment, and I’m sure she didn’t appreciate the view of my massive body floundering around as I tried to grab a towel.
Now, I’m stuck with her, thanks to a mutual acquaintance, in the middle of a snow blizzard, navigating through bear attacks, sketchy neighbors, and whole lot of tension. I had plans, Santa, plans to escape to Cabo and forget about the world, not to be trapped with a woman who thinks I’m unworthy of her time just because she can’t stand hockey players.
Oh, and speaking of our delightful Iris, she’s stingier with her food than Scrooge was with his pennies! I’m not asking for a feast, but a guy’s got to eat! And could you possibly turn her yippy dog into a reindeer or something? It would certainly add to the Christmas spirit and save my eardrums.
I’m trying to rediscover the meaning of Christmas, and you throw me into this chaos? Is this some kind of test, or are you just having a jolly laugh up there in the North Pole?
So here’s my Christmas wish, Santa: sprinkle a bit of your magic and either get me out of here or be a Cupid and ignite a fiery, undeniable passion between us, because right now, this scenario is frostier than a snowman.
Slapshotting Through the Snow, Kyler Blanchette
147 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 2, 2023
About the author
Ilsa Madden-Mills
41 books16.1k followers#1 Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills pens angsty new adult and contemporary romances.
A former high school English teacher and librarian, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online. ☺
★ Sign up for her newsletter and receive insider info about new releases and exclusive giveaways
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New Book News:
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A former high school English teacher and librarian, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online. ☺
★ Sign up for her newsletter and receive insider info about new releases and exclusive giveaways
★ You can stalk her/sign up on the contact page: ilsamaddenmills.com
★ Facebook: Author Ilsa Madden-Mills
★ Join her private reader group on FB: Unicorn Girls
★ Instagram @Ilsamaddenmills
New Book News:
Dear Ava is live!
Not My Romeo is live!
I Promise You drops October 12/20
Not My Match drops January 19/21 (pre-order on Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 985 reviews
November 6, 2023
4/5 ⭐️ This was a really cozy read that gave me all of the Christmas vibes I was looking for.
And there was a cute little french bulldog that I adored so much!! He was too precious!!
Iris and Kyler had me giggling with their banter. They were just so adorable!! She designs cowboy boots and he’s an arrogant hockey player. I loved the premise of them being stranded in a cabin during a snowstorm so the forced proximity trope was present here as well 🥰.
Their meet-cute was pretty funny too. She found him taking a bath in the cabin she was supposed to be staying in and she screamed and threw something at him 🤣.
This also has some pretty good enemies to lovers vibes and their banter was entertaining to me.
And this was surprisingly a bit of a slowburn which is not the case in many of the novellas I’ve read before. It made me love it even more 😌.
Overall, this was short, cute, steamy, and adorable. I loved it so much! 💕
And there was a cute little french bulldog that I adored so much!! He was too precious!!
Iris and Kyler had me giggling with their banter. They were just so adorable!! She designs cowboy boots and he’s an arrogant hockey player. I loved the premise of them being stranded in a cabin during a snowstorm so the forced proximity trope was present here as well 🥰.
Their meet-cute was pretty funny too. She found him taking a bath in the cabin she was supposed to be staying in and she screamed and threw something at him 🤣.
This also has some pretty good enemies to lovers vibes and their banter was entertaining to me.
And this was surprisingly a bit of a slowburn which is not the case in many of the novellas I’ve read before. It made me love it even more 😌.
Overall, this was short, cute, steamy, and adorable. I loved it so much! 💕
December 21, 2023
”I realize while nothing in life is perfect, some things, some moments, are infinitely better, more beautiful, more precious. They are the moments that make life worth living, the times that bring light to the darkness, and I’m grateful, so incredibly grateful, to have found this moment with him.”💓💗
(S/O to Courtney for doing this buddy read with me ♥️🫶🏼 it was so much fun love you lots boo 😊)
Brief Summary: Iris’s brother loans her his cabin rental in the mountains so she can relax and take some time off from work. What she doesn’t know is that he also told his best friend, Kyler that the cabin is available for that weekend also 🤭
Tropes
❣️brother’s best friend
❣️sports romance
❣️forced proximity
❣️opposites attract
I freakin loved Iris!! She’s such a likeable heroine like I want to be her best friend seriously lol. She’s so funny, sassy, and direct. She’s a major girlie girl I want to raid her closet and steal the boots she makes. Kyler is the broody, macho manly hockey player. He will make you want to attend to his cuts and bruises while acting like a damsel in distress. He’s lonely and has been dealing with pressures of returning back to the game due to an injury. They are complete opposites but they are so perfect for each other. They would be going and back forth with each other and I was laughing they were a hoot 😂
What to Expect
💓laugh out loud hilarious banter
💓cute French bulldog named Puck, Rat and Rob🤭
💓sweet and steamy moments while being snowed in a cabin
💓HEA(no epilogue though🙁)
Spice Rating
1.5/5 🌶️
There is one scene at the 70 percent mark. I almost caved in and skipped ahead but I was patient 🤭
***the hot tub scene 🥵🥵 ENOUGH SAID
I DID NOT like the 3rd act breakup. It was resolved quickly but I’m still rolling my eyes and mean muggin because they are ALWAYS pointless 🙄🙄
Overall it’s a cute, short and fun holiday read(not extremely Christmasy). I think this would have did better as a longer book because I needed more character development and spicy scenes.
(S/O to Courtney for doing this buddy read with me ♥️🫶🏼 it was so much fun love you lots boo 😊)
Brief Summary: Iris’s brother loans her his cabin rental in the mountains so she can relax and take some time off from work. What she doesn’t know is that he also told his best friend, Kyler that the cabin is available for that weekend also 🤭
”The map might say we’re on a mountain in Tennessee, but for the first time in my life, I could swear I’m in heaven”
Tropes
❣️brother’s best friend
❣️sports romance
❣️forced proximity
❣️opposites attract
”He’s everything I’ve sworn to avoid: my brother’s best friend, a hockey player, and definitely not my type. Yet there’s something about him that makes me feel like I’m having fun for the first time in ages.”
I freakin loved Iris!! She’s such a likeable heroine like I want to be her best friend seriously lol. She’s so funny, sassy, and direct. She’s a major girlie girl I want to raid her closet and steal the boots she makes. Kyler is the broody, macho manly hockey player. He will make you want to attend to his cuts and bruises while acting like a damsel in distress. He’s lonely and has been dealing with pressures of returning back to the game due to an injury. They are complete opposites but they are so perfect for each other. They would be going and back forth with each other and I was laughing they were a hoot 😂
What to Expect
💓laugh out loud hilarious banter
💓cute French bulldog named Puck, Rat and Rob🤭
💓sweet and steamy moments while being snowed in a cabin
💓HEA(no epilogue though🙁)
”You asked me what I’d want on my Christmas list, and it would be you and me…seeing if this is real.”🎅🏽🎄
Spice Rating
1.5/5 🌶️
There is one scene at the 70 percent mark. I almost caved in and skipped ahead but I was patient 🤭
***the hot tub scene 🥵🥵 ENOUGH SAID
I DID NOT like the 3rd act breakup. It was resolved quickly but I’m still rolling my eyes and mean muggin because they are ALWAYS pointless 🙄🙄
Overall it’s a cute, short and fun holiday read(not extremely Christmasy). I think this would have did better as a longer book because I needed more character development and spicy scenes.
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November 10, 2024
Christmas Cupid is a stand alone, holiday sports romance by Ilsa Madden-Mills. This is a cute, sexy, sweet little book that made me smile.
Iris Miller is the sister of the captain of the Nashville Predators’ hockey team. She is a successful boot designer for a living. Iris has had a rough year recovering from being hurt by a long term relationship that ended a year ago. Her brother is worried about her and offers her a cabin in the mountains he had reserved for himself but is unable to use. He’s convinced the time away will be good for her to start the Christmas holiday with a new outlook.
Kyler Blanchette, otherwise known as the Beast, is also a member of the Nashville Predators. Kyler has an injury and he has some decisions to make. When his teammate and best friend offers him the use of a cabin in the mountains that he can’t use for some time away to think, Kyler can’t refuse. Just him and a bottle of Jack is just what he needs. Only things didn’t work out the way either of these two thought it would.
“What could go wrong on a little trip to a picturesque cabin in the mountains?”
We’ll just say the first encounter between these two did NOT go well! They say opposites attract and these two are definitely opposite. You have a burly athlete who loves hockey more than anything, and a prim, boot designer who doesn’t like sports but loves to cook. When a huge blizzard blows in, keeping these two stuck in the little cabin together, they start to realize, though, that they might share more in common than they thought. And there is no question about the chemistry zinging around that cabin!
This was a quick, fun read. I ended up really liking these two. Both had their reasons for wanting to be alone for a few days but what they got out of that weekend was so much more, so much better. It has a HFN. I might have preferred a HEA. Maybe a little epilogue or something. But, I still enjoyed the sweet ending. This is my second book by this author and there will definitely be more in my future.
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...
Iris Miller is the sister of the captain of the Nashville Predators’ hockey team. She is a successful boot designer for a living. Iris has had a rough year recovering from being hurt by a long term relationship that ended a year ago. Her brother is worried about her and offers her a cabin in the mountains he had reserved for himself but is unable to use. He’s convinced the time away will be good for her to start the Christmas holiday with a new outlook.
Kyler Blanchette, otherwise known as the Beast, is also a member of the Nashville Predators. Kyler has an injury and he has some decisions to make. When his teammate and best friend offers him the use of a cabin in the mountains that he can’t use for some time away to think, Kyler can’t refuse. Just him and a bottle of Jack is just what he needs. Only things didn’t work out the way either of these two thought it would.
“What could go wrong on a little trip to a picturesque cabin in the mountains?”
We’ll just say the first encounter between these two did NOT go well! They say opposites attract and these two are definitely opposite. You have a burly athlete who loves hockey more than anything, and a prim, boot designer who doesn’t like sports but loves to cook. When a huge blizzard blows in, keeping these two stuck in the little cabin together, they start to realize, though, that they might share more in common than they thought. And there is no question about the chemistry zinging around that cabin!
This was a quick, fun read. I ended up really liking these two. Both had their reasons for wanting to be alone for a few days but what they got out of that weekend was so much more, so much better. It has a HFN. I might have preferred a HEA. Maybe a little epilogue or something. But, I still enjoyed the sweet ending. This is my second book by this author and there will definitely be more in my future.
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 21, 2023
✎𓂃
“You asked me what I’d want on my Christmas list, and it would be you and me…seeing if this is real.”
Continuing my streak of spicy Hallmark holiday novellas with this super cute hockey romance (light on the hockey and heavy on the romance thank god). And before I start in on my review, lemme tell you all the universe has a sense of humor, sending me a MMC named Kyler, the name of a a guy that a friend is trying to set me up with irl 🫠🌌 This be some freaky coincidence lmao.
❆Quick Summ:
Iris and Kyler are snowed in at the Cupid Cabin, sneakily set up by Iris’s brother Will, the Cupid himself, who is also Kyler’s hockey teammate. Both wanted a peaceful getaway–Iris to recover from a cheating breakup, and Kyler to recover from a hand injury. Unfortunately, they’re stuck with each other and have to make the most out of their little getaway, while rediscovering their love for Christmas.
✎𓂃 “What could go wrong on a little trip to a picturesque cabin in the mountains?”
❆My Thoughts:
Ok, let’s hear it for the MVP of this book: Rob/Puck! I loved every second Iris’s little French Bulldog Puck (who she renames Rob–side note: I love any time animals have these kinds of human names) runs through the scene. She has little conversations with him and it’s so adorable. He also latches onto Kyler pretty quickly! ❣️
Christmas Cupid was a slowwwww burn with all the banter, which was so good I was lol’ing constantly. Iris is SO strong in the beginning, she doesn’t take anyone’s crap, and I LOVE her profession. A cowboy boot designer? Omg I wanted her to be my bff! Her relationship with her brother Will is so close and heartwarming, their scenes together really shined. I could honestly eat Kyler up though. This 6’7” rugged man loves walking around naked and isn’t afraid to show it all off 🥵 There’s a kitchen/food fight scene and a hot tub scene…let your imaginations run wild.
✎𓂃 “With her hair framing her face and her red lips and flirty skirt and cowboy boots, she looks like a snack I want to eat.”
Both of these characters have their own personal issues, resulting in a 3rd act breakup 😤 SMH. They recover pretty quickly but these things really should be illegal!! It also got pretty comical every time the romance would actually start romancing (bc it took a while for the romance to appear in this book), and the nosy taxidermist neighbors would knock on the door 🤣
Overall a very fun read for the holidays, and I had the best time BRing with my girl Divinity! ❤️🎄💚
Continuing my streak of spicy Hallmark holiday novellas with this super cute hockey romance (light on the hockey and heavy on the romance thank god). And before I start in on my review, lemme tell you all the universe has a sense of humor, sending me a MMC named Kyler, the name of a a guy that a friend is trying to set me up with irl 🫠🌌 This be some freaky coincidence lmao.
❆Quick Summ:
Iris and Kyler are snowed in at the Cupid Cabin, sneakily set up by Iris’s brother Will, the Cupid himself, who is also Kyler’s hockey teammate. Both wanted a peaceful getaway–Iris to recover from a cheating breakup, and Kyler to recover from a hand injury. Unfortunately, they’re stuck with each other and have to make the most out of their little getaway, while rediscovering their love for Christmas.
✎𓂃 “What could go wrong on a little trip to a picturesque cabin in the mountains?”
❆My Thoughts:
Ok, let’s hear it for the MVP of this book: Rob/Puck! I loved every second Iris’s little French Bulldog Puck (who she renames Rob–side note: I love any time animals have these kinds of human names) runs through the scene. She has little conversations with him and it’s so adorable. He also latches onto Kyler pretty quickly! ❣️
Christmas Cupid was a slowwwww burn with all the banter, which was so good I was lol’ing constantly. Iris is SO strong in the beginning, she doesn’t take anyone’s crap, and I LOVE her profession. A cowboy boot designer? Omg I wanted her to be my bff! Her relationship with her brother Will is so close and heartwarming, their scenes together really shined. I could honestly eat Kyler up though. This 6’7” rugged man loves walking around naked and isn’t afraid to show it all off 🥵 There’s a kitchen/food fight scene and a hot tub scene…let your imaginations run wild.
✎𓂃 “With her hair framing her face and her red lips and flirty skirt and cowboy boots, she looks like a snack I want to eat.”
Both of these characters have their own personal issues, resulting in a 3rd act breakup 😤 SMH. They recover pretty quickly but these things really should be illegal!! It also got pretty comical every time the romance would actually start romancing (bc it took a while for the romance to appear in this book), and the nosy taxidermist neighbors would knock on the door 🤣
Overall a very fun read for the holidays, and I had the best time BRing with my girl Divinity! ❤️🎄💚
November 14, 2023
Christmas Cupid was a light, holiday read with the tropes of brother's best friend and a main character who rediscovers the Christmas spirit. I thought that the antagonism between Iris (h) and Kyler (H) at the start was too manufactured. They both end up at the same cabin expecting to each be solo, but Iris's brother, who's also Kyler's teammate, has set them up in a way. Iris came off as more irritating to me than funny at first, but I did warm up to her. Kyler was a more sympathetic character because he has an injury that impacts his entire hockey career, which affects his identity as well. Iris had ended a serious relationship right before Christmas the prior year and has struggled since.
To add a bit of insult to injury, Iris thinks Kyler ghosted a friend and she smacked him earlier in the year when he tried to hit on her at a party. So neither is exactly in the right frame of mind to be sharing a cabin unexpectedly and then get snowed in. But they do find common ground and cute moments and eventually romance. Christmas decorating was esp adorable. Plus, Iris's dog, Rob/Puck made me smile anytime he was mentioned and I actually liked the way the author included how Iris imagined him responding to her. Iris's brother was a fun character as well, who just wanted two people he cared about to feel better. The book is lighter on deeper feelings though and felt a little surface-level, though it does have some character development still. There are a couple of steamy scenes, including a hot tub. The ending is HFN and sweet, but I'd have preferred even just one scene more of them post-holidays.
Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and neither are virgins (h said it had been a year for her and H said it had been a while for him; his playboy ways when he was younger are mentioned a couple of times but nothing too bad).
To add a bit of insult to injury, Iris thinks Kyler ghosted a friend and she smacked him earlier in the year when he tried to hit on her at a party. So neither is exactly in the right frame of mind to be sharing a cabin unexpectedly and then get snowed in. But they do find common ground and cute moments and eventually romance. Christmas decorating was esp adorable. Plus, Iris's dog, Rob/Puck made me smile anytime he was mentioned and I actually liked the way the author included how Iris imagined him responding to her. Iris's brother was a fun character as well, who just wanted two people he cared about to feel better. The book is lighter on deeper feelings though and felt a little surface-level, though it does have some character development still. There are a couple of steamy scenes, including a hot tub. The ending is HFN and sweet, but I'd have preferred even just one scene more of them post-holidays.
Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and neither are virgins (h said it had been a year for her and H said it had been a while for him; his playboy ways when he was younger are mentioned a couple of times but nothing too bad).
December 21, 2023
3.5 stars
This was a cute Christmas novella that had forced proximity and the brother's best friend troupe. The hero is a professional hockey player as well. I liked Kyler and Iris for the most part, but they felt immature for their ages at times, and those times were meh. Overall it was enjoyable.
This was a cute Christmas novella that had forced proximity and the brother's best friend troupe. The hero is a professional hockey player as well. I liked Kyler and Iris for the most part, but they felt immature for their ages at times, and those times were meh. Overall it was enjoyable.
November 2, 2023
Holiday/sports/forced proximity romance!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙🖤💜❤️💖
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 😟🤭😤☺️🥰
The heroine: Iris Miller - her former boyfriend broke up with her last year, just a few weeks before Christmas. She had been expecting him to ask her to get married, but instead he married someone else. Her brother, a professional hockey player, is worried about the fact that she hasn’t really recovered from the breakup so he suggests that she spend some time before Christmas at a mountain cabin he had paid for but couldn’t use.
The Hero: Kyler Blanchette (a.k.a. The Beast) - he was an enforcer for the Nashville Predators professional hockey team. He has been injured multiple times in the past, bad injuries like a skate to the forehead requiring fifteen stitches. However, this time he pinched a nerve in his hand, and it is killing him to have to sit out games because of such a sissy injury. Though his agent and the doctors are telling him he needs surgery and will be out the rest of the season. So, he takes his friend Will up on his offer to let him stay at an empty mountain cabin for a few days.
The Story: Iris and Kyler, along with her little french bulldog Bob end up at the cabin at the same time and the nice snowfall that was coming down on their way up the mountain has now turned into a blizzard so they are stuck and snowbound. Iris has never been fond of hockey players, except her brother, and Kyler really wanted some peace and quiet, so things don’t start off too well for either of them.
These two really dislike each other from the start, I guess it was because of an incident in the past when Iris was getting over her ex and Kyler hit on her at a drunken party. But they clashed over just about everything, yet they were physically attracted to each other, so the forced proximity dictated that they eventually had to be civil towards each other.
This was a really cute holiday/sports romance and I love anything Ilsa Madden-Mills puts out. She is one of the best at sports romance and she has a great sense of humor. The little dog was a nice addition to the story. I really liked both characters and I loved the fact that even though this was considered a novella, it was a full story. I wouldn’t mind reading Iris’s brother Will’s story as well. He seems like a hottie and a fun guy!
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙🖤💜❤️💖
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 😟🤭😤☺️🥰
The heroine: Iris Miller - her former boyfriend broke up with her last year, just a few weeks before Christmas. She had been expecting him to ask her to get married, but instead he married someone else. Her brother, a professional hockey player, is worried about the fact that she hasn’t really recovered from the breakup so he suggests that she spend some time before Christmas at a mountain cabin he had paid for but couldn’t use.
The Hero: Kyler Blanchette (a.k.a. The Beast) - he was an enforcer for the Nashville Predators professional hockey team. He has been injured multiple times in the past, bad injuries like a skate to the forehead requiring fifteen stitches. However, this time he pinched a nerve in his hand, and it is killing him to have to sit out games because of such a sissy injury. Though his agent and the doctors are telling him he needs surgery and will be out the rest of the season. So, he takes his friend Will up on his offer to let him stay at an empty mountain cabin for a few days.
The Story: Iris and Kyler, along with her little french bulldog Bob end up at the cabin at the same time and the nice snowfall that was coming down on their way up the mountain has now turned into a blizzard so they are stuck and snowbound. Iris has never been fond of hockey players, except her brother, and Kyler really wanted some peace and quiet, so things don’t start off too well for either of them.
“I have two cases of beer and a few bottles of Jack in the back seat. I brought no luggage. What I’m going to do, while giving my right wrist a break, is exercise my left. I’m going to get drunk off my ass and act like a real mountain man who hates everybody.”
These two really dislike each other from the start, I guess it was because of an incident in the past when Iris was getting over her ex and Kyler hit on her at a drunken party. But they clashed over just about everything, yet they were physically attracted to each other, so the forced proximity dictated that they eventually had to be civil towards each other.
This was a really cute holiday/sports romance and I love anything Ilsa Madden-Mills puts out. She is one of the best at sports romance and she has a great sense of humor. The little dog was a nice addition to the story. I really liked both characters and I loved the fact that even though this was considered a novella, it was a full story. I wouldn’t mind reading Iris’s brother Will’s story as well. He seems like a hottie and a fun guy!
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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December 4, 2023
this was a really cute christmas novella, just perfect to get in the mood
i love brother's best friend, but her brother setting them up did it for me <3
i love brother's best friend, but her brother setting them up did it for me <3
December 13, 2023
5⭐️
3🌶️
Tropes: forced proximity, snowed in, brothers best friend, professional athlete (hockey)
This was such a fun, quick read. The chemistry between Kyler and Iris was immediately palpable and I could not wait for them to give into temptation! I was very pleased with the amount of character building, plot, and spice. A must read Christmas novella!
3🌶️
Tropes: forced proximity, snowed in, brothers best friend, professional athlete (hockey)
This was such a fun, quick read. The chemistry between Kyler and Iris was immediately palpable and I could not wait for them to give into temptation! I was very pleased with the amount of character building, plot, and spice. A must read Christmas novella!
November 27, 2023
3 Stars
As an absolute sucker for a forced-proximity at Christmas trope, I was practically on auto-pilot when I one-clicked this holiday novella. Unfortunately, for me, the characters and the story didn’t leave much of a lasting impression when all was said and done, despite the tropey goodness and that eye-catching cover.
It was nice, but it was just sort-of there, if you get my meaning.
The story follows Kyler and Iris, an injured hockey player and a feisty fashionista, as they get snowed-in together at a wintery cabin during the lead up to Christmas, all because their mutual acquaintance (Kyler’s teammate and Iris’s brother) decided to play matchmaker without clueing either of them into his crafty plans.
For me, these two never really transitioned well enough from enemies-to-lovers in the short span of the story, making their eventual romance feel lacklustre. I think this was due, in large part, to the fact that I found Iris fairly off-putting in character. I don’t do well on a good day with spoiled princess types (in my reading or IRL), and I don’t think there was enough emphasis on grounding her as a likeable character—one to root for—to make me care if she found love with this big, brooding hockey man she found herself stuck with.
On top of that, I found the writing pretty jarring. I had to re-read several passages because I didn’t understand what was happening or why, which took me right out of the story a time or two. I was quite surprised by this feeling, tbh, because I’ve read Madden-Mills stories before and don’t recall having a single issue with the writing style, so I’m chalking this up to an anomaly and moving on.
What I did like was the quaint, wintery cabin setting, the forced-proximity vibes, the holiday activities they enjoyed together, once they got past their initial grumblings, and, naturally, I appreciated that there was a dog present throughout the story, which is always a plus in my books. Seriously, author’s take note: add a dog to your story, get an instant star from me.
There was also a little bit of steam towards the end, if you’re looking for that sort of thing among the sea of fade-to-black/“clean romances” that are on offer this holiday season, but even the steam was just sort-of there, too—certainly not titillating in the way some of the author’s past explicit romances have been.
Although I’ve read a handful of Madden-Mills’ new-adult romances over the past few years—and enjoyed them—this was probably my least favourite of her stories so far, but I appreciated that Kyler and Iris’s story was something quick and relatively drama-free to kick-off my festive-themed reading nicely, so I don't have regrets.
As an absolute sucker for a forced-proximity at Christmas trope, I was practically on auto-pilot when I one-clicked this holiday novella. Unfortunately, for me, the characters and the story didn’t leave much of a lasting impression when all was said and done, despite the tropey goodness and that eye-catching cover.
It was nice, but it was just sort-of there, if you get my meaning.
The story follows Kyler and Iris, an injured hockey player and a feisty fashionista, as they get snowed-in together at a wintery cabin during the lead up to Christmas, all because their mutual acquaintance (Kyler’s teammate and Iris’s brother) decided to play matchmaker without clueing either of them into his crafty plans.
For me, these two never really transitioned well enough from enemies-to-lovers in the short span of the story, making their eventual romance feel lacklustre. I think this was due, in large part, to the fact that I found Iris fairly off-putting in character. I don’t do well on a good day with spoiled princess types (in my reading or IRL), and I don’t think there was enough emphasis on grounding her as a likeable character—one to root for—to make me care if she found love with this big, brooding hockey man she found herself stuck with.
On top of that, I found the writing pretty jarring. I had to re-read several passages because I didn’t understand what was happening or why, which took me right out of the story a time or two. I was quite surprised by this feeling, tbh, because I’ve read Madden-Mills stories before and don’t recall having a single issue with the writing style, so I’m chalking this up to an anomaly and moving on.
What I did like was the quaint, wintery cabin setting, the forced-proximity vibes, the holiday activities they enjoyed together, once they got past their initial grumblings, and, naturally, I appreciated that there was a dog present throughout the story, which is always a plus in my books. Seriously, author’s take note: add a dog to your story, get an instant star from me.
There was also a little bit of steam towards the end, if you’re looking for that sort of thing among the sea of fade-to-black/“clean romances” that are on offer this holiday season, but even the steam was just sort-of there, too—certainly not titillating in the way some of the author’s past explicit romances have been.
Although I’ve read a handful of Madden-Mills’ new-adult romances over the past few years—and enjoyed them—this was probably my least favourite of her stories so far, but I appreciated that Kyler and Iris’s story was something quick and relatively drama-free to kick-off my festive-themed reading nicely, so I don't have regrets.
November 14, 2023
Have you ever read a book that had an amazing premise, but just not great execution? This book could have been sooo much better & I found myself wanting to rewrite it.
In the first 50 pages I said “ohhh this is gonna be good”, but after that it just wasn’t as great as I thought. The ending was still good, but I found Iris to not be a very lovable character.
Overall, it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t what I thought it would be either.
And the scene with the bear… very unbelievable 🤦🏼♀️
In the first 50 pages I said “ohhh this is gonna be good”, but after that it just wasn’t as great as I thought. The ending was still good, but I found Iris to not be a very lovable character.
Overall, it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t what I thought it would be either.
And the scene with the bear… very unbelievable 🤦🏼♀️
November 6, 2023
Christmas Cupid is a new Christmas romance novella with a cute cover, so I had to jump in. This is a hate to love novella where the hero is a hockey star, the heroine is a boot designer, he’s her brother’s teammate/friend, and they end up snowed in together!
“He’s everything I’ve sworn to avoid: my brother’s best friend, a hockey player, and definitely not my type. Yet there’s something about him that makes me feel like I’m having fun for the first time in ages.”
Iris is a boot fashion designer and her family is a little worried about her after a bad breakup the year prior. Her brother, who is a pro hockey player, says she should take some time for herself and stay at a cutesy cabin he knows of before they get together for the holidays together. Kyler plays hockey with Iris’ brother and he’s in need of surgery before he can play again, he hasn’t told his team and is putting it off since the surgery means he’ll be out for the rest of the season healing. He gets offered time away at the same cabin and is starting to relax when Iris and her dog show up.
They end up snowed in at the cabin together when a blizzard hits. There are some cute scenes of them decorating the cabin together for Christmas and putting up a tree (that he even chops down outside). Iris even finds them cute matching Christmas outfits (the cover outfits) to wear. This was an okay read, kind of surface-level and I didn’t really get her “strong hatred” for him. I didn’t really feel any chemistry between the couple and some moments were kinda weird (like him, the bear, and a baseball bat). All in all, it was just okay, but the cover is cute.
“He’s everything I’ve sworn to avoid: my brother’s best friend, a hockey player, and definitely not my type. Yet there’s something about him that makes me feel like I’m having fun for the first time in ages.”
Iris is a boot fashion designer and her family is a little worried about her after a bad breakup the year prior. Her brother, who is a pro hockey player, says she should take some time for herself and stay at a cutesy cabin he knows of before they get together for the holidays together. Kyler plays hockey with Iris’ brother and he’s in need of surgery before he can play again, he hasn’t told his team and is putting it off since the surgery means he’ll be out for the rest of the season healing. He gets offered time away at the same cabin and is starting to relax when Iris and her dog show up.
They end up snowed in at the cabin together when a blizzard hits. There are some cute scenes of them decorating the cabin together for Christmas and putting up a tree (that he even chops down outside). Iris even finds them cute matching Christmas outfits (the cover outfits) to wear. This was an okay read, kind of surface-level and I didn’t really get her “strong hatred” for him. I didn’t really feel any chemistry between the couple and some moments were kinda weird (like him, the bear, and a baseball bat). All in all, it was just okay, but the cover is cute.
Read
November 18, 2023DNF at 23% the dog was cute though
November 1, 2023
4 'Cupid's cabin' Stars!
ARC provided via Grey's Promotions in exchange for an honest review.
I'll read anything Ilsa Madden-Mills writes. Ever since Dear Ava, this woman has me addicted to her books so I was really excited when she announced a surprise Christmas novella was coming. It seems this year I am in the mood for holiday romance earlier than expected since this is already my second one this month but both are written by some of my top favorite authors.
So, Christmas Cupid is Ilsa's newest standalone romcom novella and it tells the story of two polar opposites (Kyler Blanchette and Iris Miller) who find themselves "trapped" together in the same cabin around Christmas. They really seem to get on each others nerves at all times but as soon as they start opening up, the chemistry is impossible not to appear. They start falling for each other, steamy times are happening and what will happen when the snow stops and they have to go their separate ways?
He’s everything I’ve sworn to avoid: my brother’s best friend, a hockey player, and definitely not my type. Yet there’s something about him that makes me feel like I’m having fun for the first time in ages. Our banter, his unexpected vulnerability— heck, I even like it when he calls me a brat…
It’s so confusing.
I quite enjoyed this short story. In typical Ilsa's fashion, we get a little bit of everything: sports, comedy, hate to love, holiday cheer, steam and feels. What's not to love about Christmas Cupid, am I right? Yes, I wish this was a bit longer because I was so curious about Kyler and Iris (and Rob/Puck lol) but it's a novella. You know how it works! So, I am rating this book with 4 STARS because it was an enjoyable quick read that I am sure many romance lovers will enjoy reading now that the holidays are quickly approaching!
ARC provided via Grey's Promotions in exchange for an honest review.
I'll read anything Ilsa Madden-Mills writes. Ever since Dear Ava, this woman has me addicted to her books so I was really excited when she announced a surprise Christmas novella was coming. It seems this year I am in the mood for holiday romance earlier than expected since this is already my second one this month but both are written by some of my top favorite authors.
So, Christmas Cupid is Ilsa's newest standalone romcom novella and it tells the story of two polar opposites (Kyler Blanchette and Iris Miller) who find themselves "trapped" together in the same cabin around Christmas. They really seem to get on each others nerves at all times but as soon as they start opening up, the chemistry is impossible not to appear. They start falling for each other, steamy times are happening and what will happen when the snow stops and they have to go their separate ways?
He’s everything I’ve sworn to avoid: my brother’s best friend, a hockey player, and definitely not my type. Yet there’s something about him that makes me feel like I’m having fun for the first time in ages. Our banter, his unexpected vulnerability— heck, I even like it when he calls me a brat…
It’s so confusing.
I quite enjoyed this short story. In typical Ilsa's fashion, we get a little bit of everything: sports, comedy, hate to love, holiday cheer, steam and feels. What's not to love about Christmas Cupid, am I right? Yes, I wish this was a bit longer because I was so curious about Kyler and Iris (and Rob/Puck lol) but it's a novella. You know how it works! So, I am rating this book with 4 STARS because it was an enjoyable quick read that I am sure many romance lovers will enjoy reading now that the holidays are quickly approaching!
November 11, 2023
Being warm and cozy against his chest felt so right.
Perfect snowed in novella to get you into the winter/holiday mood. It’s brother’s hockey teammate that you don’t really like, but now you’re forced to stay with him in a cabin because you’re tricky brother sent you both there at the same time. I enjoyed it. It was quick with a dash of tension and a dash of heat.
Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8AcYsyo/
Perfect snowed in novella to get you into the winter/holiday mood. It’s brother’s hockey teammate that you don’t really like, but now you’re forced to stay with him in a cabin because you’re tricky brother sent you both there at the same time. I enjoyed it. It was quick with a dash of tension and a dash of heat.
Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8AcYsyo/
December 4, 2023
4,5 ⭐прочитала за 2 з половиною години. Прям зайшло, без драми, сопель, тощо. Така милота, і герої супер комфорт. РАДЖУ для милої, святкової чи різдвяної атмосфери 😎🖐️
November 22, 2023
Christmas Cupid is a fun forced proximity Christmas romance. If you enjoy romances where the characters are snowed in together (and they don’t want to be) then this is a good one to read. Not only is it forced proximity but it’s a brother’s best friend romance too. Our hero is on the same NFL team as our heroine’s brother, but he’s basically benched because of a hand injury. Suffice it to say he isn’t happy that he’s now forced to take up residence with Iris and her dog- he just wants peace and quiet to figure out what to do next. Iris on the other hand is recuperating from a breakup, so being stuck with a man she finds obnoxious doesn’t bode well with her. But he is nice to look at under that gruff and grumpy exterior. Perhaps these two opposites will find common ground and love this Christmas? You’ll need to read it to find out! Overall, I enjoyed this one and flew through the pages. It’s cute, has some spicy scenes, and some great characters.
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Holiday Romances
❥ Forced Proximity (snowed in together)
❥ Enemies-to-lovers
❥ Brother’s Best Friend
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Holiday Romances
❥ Forced Proximity (snowed in together)
❥ Enemies-to-lovers
❥ Brother’s Best Friend
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
November 13, 2023
Christmas Cupid is a novella by Lisa Madden-Mills.
I am normally a fan of this author's writing, so when I heard she had written a Christmas novellaI couldn't wait to read it. I've gotta say, this is far from my favorite book of hers for one simple reason. The FMC, Iris, comes across as mean and immature. She is supposed to be a professional but acts completely the opposite. For most of the book, she treats Kyler, the MMC terribly and undeservingly so. I could never understand her intense hatred of him at all, which continued even after she found out she was wrong about it in the first place.
At one point, Kyler pours his heart out to her, and all she says is, "ah." This is supposed to be a holiday romance, but that for me was overshadowed by the lack of sweetness and romance. I also didn't feel the chemistry between them that I wanted to.
I kept wanting to DNF this book, and honestly, I should have. I just thought it would get better, it did not. I felt the MMC deserved someone who would treat him better, and Iris needed to deal with her bitterness. Not at all what I want in a holiday novella.
If you haven't read this author before, I suggest starting with one of her other books. This is not at all a good representation of her writing.
ARC was provided by Grey's Promotions, and this is my honest review.
I am normally a fan of this author's writing, so when I heard she had written a Christmas novellaI couldn't wait to read it. I've gotta say, this is far from my favorite book of hers for one simple reason. The FMC, Iris, comes across as mean and immature. She is supposed to be a professional but acts completely the opposite. For most of the book, she treats Kyler, the MMC terribly and undeservingly so. I could never understand her intense hatred of him at all, which continued even after she found out she was wrong about it in the first place.
At one point, Kyler pours his heart out to her, and all she says is, "ah." This is supposed to be a holiday romance, but that for me was overshadowed by the lack of sweetness and romance. I also didn't feel the chemistry between them that I wanted to.
I kept wanting to DNF this book, and honestly, I should have. I just thought it would get better, it did not. I felt the MMC deserved someone who would treat him better, and Iris needed to deal with her bitterness. Not at all what I want in a holiday novella.
If you haven't read this author before, I suggest starting with one of her other books. This is not at all a good representation of her writing.
ARC was provided by Grey's Promotions, and this is my honest review.
Shelved as 'no-way-jose'
May 17, 2024No rating, DNF at 24%.
Everything about the heroine screams bratty, bitchy, spiteful, the list of worst type of heroine attributes goes on.
I jumped on to GR to skim thru reviews to see if it’s just me… Nope, tons of others complaining about the little immature shrew.
Lol, and everytime I see this cover, I see a pantyliner 🥴
On to my next possible best ever book 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️
Everything about the heroine screams bratty, bitchy, spiteful, the list of worst type of heroine attributes goes on.
I jumped on to GR to skim thru reviews to see if it’s just me… Nope, tons of others complaining about the little immature shrew.
Lol, and everytime I see this cover, I see a pantyliner 🥴
On to my next possible best ever book 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️
December 18, 2023
at least the dog is cute?
November 1, 2023
Iris + Kyler
Nashville.
Kyler is a famous hockey player, but he hurt his hand pretty badly recently. The team wants him to have surgery, but he doesn't want to miss the rest of this amazing season. His buddy sends him to this mountain cabin for a few days to get his head straight.
That same friend is also sending his own little sister Iris to that same cabin. To help her to finally get over her idiot ex and to then have a happy family Christmas with their sick mom.
Insta hate and insta attraction on both sides. LOL!
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN ...
══════════════════
ADORABLE
I'm such a huge Christmas, Holiday, Snow, Cabin, Winter et cetera romance fan.
And this was just so cute. Funny, adorable, arguey, sparky, snowy. Just the perfect little wintery novella.
We get this super hot grumpy hockey player. A cute boot maker and her adorable little dog. Snowed in in this cute cabin. What more do we need?
I loved reading this.
Perfect for a fall/winter afternoon/night on the couch/bed with a hot/alcoholic beverage!
CHRISTMAS CUPID was an adorable + funny + sweet + sexy little Christmas Novella! I loved it! Run to your nearest book store for your own Kyler - this one is MINE!
💜
💜
December 20, 2023
4.5 stars.
RTC.
RTC.
December 16, 2023
tbh I was ready to hate this bc I was annoyed with the beginning but I got over it and it was decent lmao
December 26, 2023
this novella was such a cute and funny read, I really enjoyed it!!🎄❄
"I’m not staying here with some strange guy who could be a serial killer…or worse.”
“I’m not a stranger, and I’m not a serial killer. I’m a hockey player.”
“That’s worse.” she's an icon.
"I’m not staying here with some strange guy who could be a serial killer…or worse.”
“I’m not a stranger, and I’m not a serial killer. I’m a hockey player.”
“That’s worse.” she's an icon.
November 18, 2023
This was a really cute book to kick off my holiday romance deep dive 🥰 no drama just sweet vibes and Christmas spirit
November 3, 2023
2.5 stars 🌟
January 15, 2024
Rating: 4 / 5 stars
Eh, this was good, yes, but I was expecting more. I didn't really vibe with these two from the beginning. They were both such assholes to each other, especially given their circumstances. Like such shitty human being reactions yk.
But it became cuter, the dog stole the show for me lmao, and the neighbour situation was funny. And I did love the brother, he was a great friend and brother, and I want his story!
Eh, this was good, yes, but I was expecting more. I didn't really vibe with these two from the beginning. They were both such assholes to each other, especially given their circumstances. Like such shitty human being reactions yk.
But it became cuter, the dog stole the show for me lmao, and the neighbour situation was funny. And I did love the brother, he was a great friend and brother, and I want his story!
December 10, 2023
Я багато сміялась, історія дуже легка, але ця драма, ну наааавіщо, історія і так коротенька
December 21, 2023
I’d probably pass on this one 🥲
November 21, 2023
FMC is very unlikable
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