Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings

Naughty and Nice by D.J. Jamison

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

DJ has such a talent for this type of longer novella where there’re loads of feels and an exploration of young adult life.

In this festive treat, we not only get a former step-brothers romance, but it’s got the forced proximity trope to add to the plotting and it works beautifully.

Jonas, who we last saw in Secret Admirer chatting up Benji to Ace’s dismay, has been in love with his ex-step-brother Quinn from the time they were still part of the same family and a Prologue at the beginning of the book gives the reader a peek into their first kiss four years earlier.

When they next meet, Jonas is rescuing Quinn from a snowbank near to the family cabin where he’s heading for the festive period after Quinn’s life has crashed and burned. There’s an element of enemies to lovers at play too because Quinn’s never been sure whether it was pity that drove Jonas to kiss him and he admits he was an angry teen who pushed away his step-family.

A sudden snowfall has them stranded alone for five days, and DJ uses this time to weave a lovely breakdown of the barriers between them both and a heightened awareness of the attraction which still lingers.

I’m not going into any more of the plot because it plays out better when you don’t know what’s going to come next, but I loved all the relatively low angst, very smoking hot journey they both took towards an honest relationship.

The Epilogue also made me smile loads!

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

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