If the title alone doesn't spell out romance, I don't know what does. This touching M/M Romance was really enjoyable to read. Angela McCallister's characters are all pretty lovable, to say the least. I really like the challenges Ben and Lucy brought; and of course Percy's all-knowing charm. Nic and Sasha make the perfect would be lovers and the relationship challenges are all very plausible.

Though much of the story is pretty predictable, McCallister adds some nice touches to keep it fresh. Love, money, work, family-- what could possibly go wrong? The Christmas backdrop also gives it a nice edge. The tensions and passions are perfectly balanced here, never letting the story get too dark-- always a light at the end of the tunnel.

This isn't erotica, it's pure romance with a strong dose of reality thrown in.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved it!

The CEO's Christmas Manny is the first book I've read by Angela McCallister and what a great introduction to her writing! It appears that this book might be her first M/M romance and it's also the first book in the Beyond the Boardroom series so there are more books to look forward to!

Sasha Lindsey loves making a difference for people, especially for kids. He's forced to leave his teaching job after a bad break-up and must find work quickly. His irresponsible parents often rely on him to pay their mortgage and he also has a car payment that he can't miss – he loves his truck and can't lose it. He really wishes that someone would take care of him for a change.

Billionaire Nic Price needs help. He became guardian of his sister's kids when she and her husband died; he doesn't know anything about raising kids and he's had trouble keeping a nanny employed. Sasha's qualifications for the job are great but the off-the-charts chemistry between Nic and Sasha might be a problem.

This story has a lot of stuff going on in it but not in a bad way. Nic's parents are jerks who have unrealistic expectations of him. He's put his job as CEO of the family business ahead of everything, including being with his niece and nephew. While he has seen to it that they are well cared for he's blind to the fact that they are acting out because they need his love and attention.

This story had lots of feels and made me cry both happy and sad tears. When things go wrong because Nic is being stupid I loved the way that he tried to make things better with Sasha and that Sasha made him work for his forgiveness.

I'll be looking for more books by this author.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

A gentle romance m/m story. It was sweet but predictable. Good if you want a easy comforting read on a winters evening.

An absolutely perfect Christmas story. I loved Sasha, he made my heart hurt as he hid behind his mask and I was so glad when Nic finally gave him a reason to take it off. I enjoyed everything about this book.

I’ve been reading a lot of Christmas romances this month, some better than others. This one falls in the middle of the pack.

In theory, this book should work for me. You’ve got two damaged leads: Nic, whose parents have always pushed him to the point that he has become a workaholic, and Sasha, who has spent his life trying to take care of his irresponsible parents. Nic is emotionally distant from others, including his niece and nephew, who came to live with him after their parents died. Sasha is a caretaker who finds it difficult to express negative emotions, which always drove his parents away. Nic and Sasha meet when Sasha takes a job as a manny for the kids, which is a perfect setup for them to spend time together.

What held me back from rating it more highly is that the two men don’t connect emotionally until late in the book. There’s physical attraction, but I didn’t feel like they were really falling in love. I guess the issues they both have regarding communicating their feelings realistically would create a problem in terms of connecting, but the result was that most of the book felt rather flat to me. Once the two of them open up to each other, though, the author did do a good job in giving the romance a heart. I just wish it had happened earlier in the story. Because the romance lacked emotional oomph, the story dragged in spots for me, and it was a bit of a struggle to get to the ending.

This one’s not my cup of tea, but based on the strength of the end of the book, I’d like to try something else by the author.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

The CEO's Christmas Manny is a quick and emotional Christmas read. The characters of the novel shine through and the story is an engaging and entertaining one. Tipping the babysitter/governess trope on its head, The CEO's Christmas Manny is a such a great Christmas read.

Written as part of the Dreamspinner Press' 'Dreamspun Desire' house line, the story is very reminiscent of the quick and simple Mills and Moons novels, that is they're tropey, fun to read, and can pretty much be finished in a day - sigh fine, two days. The story of The CEO's Christmas Manny is fast paced, focused towards a happy ending, and is incredibly sweet, with just a light dusting of angst.

I found myself really enjoying the characters of the novel. Nic starts off as a unapproachable ice man but soon you see him thawing and beginning to connect with his found family. Sasha on the other-hand starts off as such a warm character, however its as the story progresses that we begin to see the real strain behind his outward appearance - the pain behind his mask.

The slow reveal of both characters kept me intrigued and genuinely invested in the story of these two characters. The novel doesn't have any huge grand redemption moments or reveals, however it does have the true acceptance of Nic and Sasha for each other. Which, when you understand both these characters and the lives they have lead, you appreciate every moment. 

Recommendations: I would recommend this for anyone looking for a sweet and emotional read this Christmas! With all of these emotions flying around, it's find it hard not to fall in love with Nic, Sasha, and the kids.

Absolutely love this book., and I really enjoyed this manny story. Nic and Sasha are attracted to each from the beginning. Nic has legal guardianship of his niece and nephew and running his family company at the same time. He's been neglecting his niece and nephew over the years and he's been relying on his best friend.
Sasha is the best fit for this family. He made them laugh and brought out the best in all of them, and the kids start striving. Nic and Sasha start developing feelings for each and fell in love. Nic was so afraid of failing and losing the family company that he takes it out on Sasha and fires him. Eventually, they find their way back to each other and fall in love.
This is the first book I've read by this Angela McCallister and she did a great job.