A short well written Christmas/New Year story by an Author I have not read before. Adam Tide and Shelby Yule's story that had me laughing as I read. I enjoyed seeing this story come together, and I want to read more by her.

Tinsel in a Tangle by Ainslie Paton. If you follow me as a reader you know that I really enjoy Paton's voice. It's very distinct and was in full effect in this story.

The story is told in duel points of view, past and present, and covers how Shelby and Adam's love story began. This is a very sweet story (ie. no sex) and what we do get from the couple is how they met and learning more about how their attraction bloomed. It was a pretty fast, yet enjoyable read. This kind of reminded me of Rainbow Rowell's book Attachments, because of the work setting and the sweet level. However, it should be noted that this book is more of a HFN with its ending.

It was a solid read and could be a good introduction for someone interesting in trying out Paton's stories.

It is time to start reading Christmas stories and as the tagline says for this one “A Christmas story that packs a punch”, it is fun, witty and fabulous, a quick read that will leave you feeling so very happy I loved getting to know Shelby and Adam and I am sure any reader will.

Shelby Yule works in HR at a very modern company, she is a fabulous person to work for always going out of her way to make any occasion fabulous, but when Adam Tide starts working there she is crushing on him, but office romances are not always the best, but heading up to Christmas Shelby is determined to invite Adam to her special Christmas lunch and even more so when the company Christmas party ends up in a fight.

Adam Tide has moved from Queensland to Sydney for this job and he is loving it and wants so much to get to know Shelby lot more than he does, but he holds himself back and does what he can to be there for her especially when their boss Felix is ass. Christmas parties should be fun but when Felix pushes Adam’s buttons he lashes out.

If you haven’t read an Ainslie Paton story before you are missing out and this is a great one to start with, she knows how to pull a reader in, her stories are filled with witty banter that will make you smile and truly this one is so good, so very Christmassy and lots of fun I was cheering Adam and Shelby on throughout this story and the ending is perfect, Adam is such an awesome hero and Shelby the best heroine they deserve each other big time, woohoo thank you MS Paton for a story that left me feeling happy and cheery.

Another fabulous read from author Ainslie Paton with some likeable characters to entertain. A good Christmas read.
Review copy received from Tule Publishing via Netgalley

This was an adorable novella. How was it so short yet felt like it will packed so much in there? I knew I would adore this simply because it was Ainslie Paton writing it and everything she writes seems to tick my reading boxes. But normally a novella can feel lacking in some way. I normally find there isn’t enough story or the characters feel a bit flat because they’ve not had a chance to fully develop sure to the word limit. It was not so with this one. In fact, if anything my biggest complaint was it was too short!

Shelby works in HR at a tech company and Adam is a more recent hire (he’s only been there like a year) and she’d hoped for a chill calm Christmas party with the usual antics of someone getting too drunk and a few folks regretting their dance moves the next day. Instead, she ends up sitting in the emergency room with Adam who got into a fist fight and she wants to figure out what on earth happened considering he punched her boss.

Let me tell you, I was impressed we not only gradually got the story of what happened with the party but also the past several months between this pair and from two perspectives! I was impressed and wow, did I want to hug the pair of them for being so damn cute. I mean, Adam was adorable (if a little reckless) and Shelby was the sweetest. I could relate to a woman wanting to do her job but having an asshat of a boss she had to manage and allow to think was more important and better at his job than he was. I was so there for her boss being punched in the face as he most definitely deserved it. Dude was a menace.

I don’t want to spoil things but seriously, if you’re feeling lacking on Christmas cheer read this and then you’ll want to give it a big old hug when you finish. It’s that kind of book.

Rating 4/5

A really sweet quick read perfect for the holiday season! With Hallmark-movie potential, this story focuses on two office workers who finally get the courage to go for what they want - each other, and when choices land them both in the ER in close proximity, getting to know each other is just the start of their sweet romance.

Sometimes, you just need a quick read that has the depth to pull you in, the fluff to keep you entertained and the romance to keep you smiling. As you would have it? Tinsel in a Tangle offers all three of these.
From start to finish, it took me about an hour to read this entire novel - and what an enjoyable hour it was! The romance between Adam and Shelby is not only completely believable and adorable, the office which it is set in is just *too real*. The contrast between the *now* and *then* offers you the chance to see how the two main characters not only slowly fall for each other... It also featured the type of "slow burn" that any romance can only improve from. And take it from me - this one certainly did!

Just okay. I struggled through this one but it really never got going.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Tinsel in a Tangle just didn’t appeal to me. The plot was slow and I couldn’t make a connection with the characters. I received a complimentary copy and this is my unbiased review.

This is a sweet low-heat holiday novella. Nice but I expected more. I liked the cinnamon roll kind of hero – a geek with a bit of rough exterior but with the most caring heart. A lively, bubbly sort of heroine who tries to please everyone and needs help going after what she wants for herself. One office Christmas party gone wrong. It’s perfectly nice story but too low on conflict, too tame and just skimming the surface of a potential love connection.

I really enjoy this author’s voice and writing style but this was not one of my favourite books of hers.

Ainslie Paton delivers on her promise of Christmas cheer with the fun, short read Tinsel in a Tangle. Shelby is responsible for the company Christmas party, in fact she's responsible for nearly every event in the office. She's known for her fun outfits and themed earrings, but no one notices her more than the office's handsome, new guy Adam. Quiet and shy, Adam's been crushing on Shelby since he first saw her and he's had enough of her boss, Felix, teasing her in a less than friendly manner. The Holiday party is meant to be a chance for the coworkers to hang out, let loose a bit, but when Adam decks Felix the mood changes. Now Adam's at the hospital, Shelby's sitting next to him, and he's positive he's going to start the New Year off jobless. Shelby's resolution is to go after what she wants though and what she wants is Adam, who cares if it's not quite New Years, she's ready to take the opportunity to make Christmas jolly.

Tinsel in a Tangle is a super fast read that's more office romance than mistletoe kisses, but it's still fun to read all the same. The book takes place in the ER, with both Adam and Shelby reflecting on the previous year of knowing one another and all the little things that both made them fall for the other. Of course, neither of them know they feel the same way so their time in the ER is more awkward than anything. The two shy coworkers are clearly meant to be together and it's adorable to read about their sneaking glances, brushing hands, and the sweet things they did for one another before they were ready to admit their feelings.

Ainslie Paton is a new to me author, but this quickie made me a fan. Tinsel in a Tangle isn't too Christmas-y and is perfect for those who like to get into the spirit a bit early. Filled with sweet romance and some hilarious awkward encounters, this is a must read for holiday book lovers.

A cute, quick holiday office romance. I had a rough time with the different spelling and vocabulary, so I found myself losing focus a lot. It's a cute story, but I wanted an epilogue!

This is a cute, charming holiday present. Just long enough to tell the story without bogging down in anything not needed. Shelby and Adam are both quiet people who notice things and try to make life easier and better for each other as well as the other staff members. The fly in the ointment, the fart in church, the pain in the arse is the HR director who is clever about his needling, humiliating jokes and bullying. Shelby and Adam have both had enough of Felix but the fistfight was unexpected.

But things don’t go quite as they fear. True, physically lashing out wasn’t the right thing for Adam to do and that gets dealt with but they’re in for a Christmas present neither expected from a boss I’d love to see duplicated x 1,000,000 so everyone had someone that caring in charge of their work life. Suddenly Shelby’s “orphan” holiday lunch looks like it’s going to be personally lot happier this year. B

This was a much shorter book than I anticipated. It took a little over an hour to read from start to finish. However, it was a good story and I read it from start to finish without putting it down. I am glad to someone stuck up for Shelby and that she also asserted herself to HR ultimately ending in a work promotion. I’d love to hear more of the story for Adam and Shelby.

*I received this free book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This is a sweet holiday themed romance where the main story takes place in one evening at a Christmas party. Adam has seen his co-worker Shelby treated poorly by her misogynistic boss Felix one too many times and takes the theme of 'deck the halls' literally when he lands a direct hit on Felix. The story is told from Adam and Shelby's points of view, with a now/then/now narrative. No sex in this one, just a short story of unrequited feelings finally getting a chance to be aired and a hopeful future. Loved how it works out for everyone in the end :-)

Review will be posted at sale sites during release week.

A delicious morsel of an office Christmas story. Well written so that while its short, its not insta-love. I very much enjoyed it and loved the two main characters.

Christmas love story with an office romance twist. A bully gets what he deserves, while the geeky computer guy thinks his love is unrequited for the bubbly HR girl. It's sweet, funny and quirky. Some of the terminology was foreign as the author hails from Australia, but still understandable. A lovely read for the evening. My copy came through Netgalley, review given voluntarily.

4.25 Stars

Shelby is the responsible for the company's Christmas Party. And she's also been kinda in love with sexy, nerdy, man-bun-wearing Adam - who's been working there for almost a year now. Same for Adam. He's hopelessly crushing for Shelby. But they're both too shy/scared to start anything. Until this Party... Adam kinda ... accidentally...on purpose ... knocks out Shelby's boss. Who's been an ass to everybody ever since Adam met him. Especially to Shelby, and Adam just couldn't stand it anymore.

And while we wait for Adam's war wounds to be seen to in the ER, we talk and look back at the last year of falling for each other ....

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Well... that was adorable. I really loved those two! Even though it's stupid that they missed almost a whole year of being happily together. And even more ... why didn't they say anything to the big boss about Shelby's boss? Ugh. Everything could've been all happy at that company for a year now! BUT ... I really liked reading how they finally got their stuff sorted!

It was a very short story, but it was cute. It was christmassy and funny and sweet and very australian and typically Ainslie Patonishly written. I finished it in one night. It wasn't too holidayish for end of September either! Lol. I tend to start my Christmas-book-readings more towards the end of November, but this book will be out in two weeks, so I had to start a bit early this year! ☺

Office romance at Christmas time? Why yes please!

Tinsel in a Tangle is a charming novella that just warmed my heart.

I just wanted Adam and Shelby to be together right from the start. They are just too adorable!

I also liked that even though this is a short story, it didn't feel rushed. We go snippets of how their relationship got to where it is today, and it made me want more.

Another Christmas short-story! This time, from one of my favorite authors, Ainslie Paton. This book was charming from start to finish, just the kind that had me smiling all throughout.

Tinsel in a Tangle is an office romance between two people who have secret crushes each other only to have their feelings for each other surface in the aftermath of a Christmas party gone awry. Adorable doesn't do justice to this book. It was so darn cute and gave me such warm feelings. I was amazed at how much we got to learn about these two characters in such a short book. Even though this was just a novella, the character and romance developments were top-notch. Shelby and Adam were both sweethearts who totally captured my heart. Shelby is peppy, kind and very caring. Adam was quieter but just as compassionate as Shelby. We get to see the two of them meet at Adam's office orientation and get to watch their relationship blossom into a friendship.

Unbeknownst to each other, these feelings soon grow into something much more. They only realize that their crushes are not as unrequited as they might have originally thought when Adam lands a punch on Felix, Shelby's personal nightmare of a boss at the Christmas party. The two of them realizing the other person's feelings for them was so freaking cute as they were both so innocent. The romance truly was sweet and had me on cloud nine.

Tinsel in a Tangle is another holiday romance that I urge you to add to your holiday-reading TBR. You won't regret it! :)