I can't get over how cute this one was. 

On paper, the grisled and slightly bitter soon to be ex-MP Nick and the happy and young social worker Teddy shouldn't have much in common. Which is why it was extra fun so watch these two men grow closer over the course of the month Nick is forced to play Santa and be subjected to all the holiday cheer Teddy's hometown is dishing out. 

I love that there is no unnecessary or over the top drama. The characters deal with their problems in a very grown up fashion that doesn't take away from the emotional impact. 

However all in all Better Not Pout is a very happy, fun and light read that's perfect all year round, not just for Christmas.

When his commanding officer asks him to fill in as Santa for a charity event, Nick accepts, despite lacking holiday spirit himself. But when he meets Teddy, Santa's elf and the guy running the charity, that changes. There is undeniable chemistry between the two, and even though Nick is leaving right before Christmas, the two of them decide it can't hurt to have some fun together before that. "Fun" soon turns into something more, but Nick still has to leave... Doesn't he?

I loved this. Not that much of a Christian fan myself, I still was eager to request this - partly because I needed relief from the heat and partly because it sounded like it would be right up my alley, and I was right. Nick and Teddy were lovely together, and this book made my heart ache and my eyes water in all the right places - and the ending was perfect. Highly recommended, not just for Christmas - but I think I'm going to make sure to reread this when the time comes. It's full of warmth and love, and just the right amount of sweet.

3* Pretty typical bah humbug type of Xmas tale, that ends with a change of heart.

This is short and sweet, and isn't the type of tale that I tend to associate with this author, so that's a compliment to how talented and varied she can be. This is an un-taxing and at times sweet read, but it has a typical Xmas feel to it, with well meaning busybodies and a family that seems never-ending.

TBH, there's not a lot of story to this other than the blurb, and I didn't see or read or feel the sparks between these guys, and it kind of felt as if the older guy gave in to the younger one a little, succumbing to his flirting and suggestiveness. It does work, though, as I think we tend to give Xmas/Halloween/Valentine tales a little leeway. It ends with the leads living their HEA and about to cement it, which feels quite twee.

ARC courtesy of Carina Press and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ 4-STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

> > Judging a Book by its Cover < <
Illustration design of two men walking with their backs to the viewer, winter landscape background. Synopsis sounds entertaining. Strong fonts, good composition.

> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third Person

Grouchy, Grinch-like 46-year-old Army Master Sergeant, Nick, is in his last month of service as an MP when he is wrangled by his CO into posing as Santa for a few events in a nearby small town.
Outreach Resource center director, Teddy, is an energetic, charming 28-year-old that loves his town, the people in it, and LOVES the Holidays. Together, they need to fulfill “Santa’s” obligations and raise enough donations for the various holiday programs that Teddy provides through the center.
Nick is stoic and stubborn; feeling too old, washed-up, and many other self-doubting things, believing Teddy deserves much more than he’s capable of giving. Teddy is cautious in most things but wants Nick, consequences be damned. He may be young but he’s mature and knows what he wants and refuses to play games or be coy about it.
Though the relationship developed at a steady pace, I had a difficult time bonding with these guys. I’m not sure if it was the “Dad/Son” age difference (Annabeth Albert has used the age-gap storyline frequently recently) or if it was all of the dang over-analyzing/exhausting internal monologuing – even during SEX! I just did not feel their connection, at all.
The secondary cast was alright but, at times, some of it felt “over the top” or unnecessary. The story in and of itself was okay for a holiday story, I would have liked to have read more antics of Nick fulfilling his Santa duties. Some parts of the story felt like déjà vu, that I’d read that somewhere before. Writing quality was very good and the pages flowed smoothly. The conflicts were all fairly easy to resolve and would not have been an issue to begin with if the men had better communication skills, with each other and others. Predictability was low. The conclusion is solid enough to be satisfying.
Overall, I’d have to say that this was not one of my favorite books from this author but it was well-written and still entertaining.
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Rating: [R] ~ Score: 3.85 ~ Stars: 4
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⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐