It was very short and it was not in this book`s favor. I did not care for the characters or the story that it had.
It was okay. but nothing more.

Claire Roberts wants one thing this Christmas: to land the big promotion at work and finally shake free of the office gossip that haunts her. What she doesn't need is more competition, especially from a man who is nothing but trouble. Hamish Christianson's Christmas wish is to get that same promotion so he can support those he loves. What he doesn't need is for his 'nice guy' personality to get in the way, or even worse, to fall for his biggest rival. With everything on the line, will Hamish and Claire discover what it truly means to win? Or will their naughty games ruin everything?
This was a cute novella that’s perfect for the holiday season. I liked both main characters and enjoyed following them through the story. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Fast-paced, quick Christmastime romance. I will probably never get tired of the enemies to lovers trope, especially with coworkers competing for the same promotion. This book escalated and got to the romance quickly and was very short and sweet. I didn't really feel an attachment to the characters, probably because the book was so short.

Hamish and Claire work for the same company and are fighting over the same job and clients. They both have their own baggage they brought to their stories and deep down are great people.

This is a novella, so it is very short and sweet. It did feel a little rushed and I would have preferred a longer story to truly believe the romance and long term potential.

This is a novella so a quick easy read I love the writing and the characters and the romance it was good and I want to read more

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

A quick novella for fans of The Hating Game.

Naughty or Nice is a short story that is told in dual perspective of Claire and Hamish alternating between the two evenly. Claire is still recovering after a bad breakup that ended with her having a lot of mess to clean up afterward, and Hamish is dealing with having to take care of two households. Both of them have their secrets and they unfold as the two actually start talking to one another and following the feelings they've been having for one another.

Overall Claire and Hamish were two characters that I found absolutely fascinating. They both had so much personality and the author did such a great job of conveying that. I'd be interested in reading more by this author because of how much she was able to pack into 70 pages without anything being rushed. It was the start of a potentially healthy relationship for a change in new adult and I would love to see more of them in the future.

This author’s innate sense of how to distinguish their Christmas romance novel from the rest is amazing and easily recognized. It was a pleasure to read. 5/5 stars for a smashing hit.

​​​​​Naughty or Nice by Lauren K. McKellar, is a quick-paced novella with a lot of heart. Office romances are my favorite, and the author executes this trope with ease. The main characters are replete with longing, competitiveness, and hope.

Account Managers Claire Roberts and Hamish Christianson are colleagues as well as competitors. It is the Christmas season and they both are being considered for the same promotion. In addition, they each truly need the monetary benefit that comes with the higher level position. As their feelings evolve, they realize that love is more important than anything.

If you are in the mood for a short, sometimes intense holiday read, this romantic novella is for you.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

2.5 stars
Naughty or Nice was a cute story it just felt a bit rushed. Too much of everything for a novella. I did enjoy the enemies to lovers element.

Sweet and sexy, Naughty Or Nice is a lovely Christmas story. It’s a novella but despite its short length it packs a remarkable amount between its covers. It was hard not to like Claire and Hamish, work colleagues vying for the same promotion within their marketing firm. Each has a very good reason to need the promotion and each works hard to achieve it, while trying not to let their attraction to each other get in the way.
I loved the many ways Hamish tried to win Claire’s heart, or at least get her to like him, and I loved Claire’s resistance. The banter between these two was great and when they got together, well sparks flew! This was a fabulous, entertaining and zippy read, perfect for Christmastime or really any time you just want a bit of escapist fun.

Thank you @Netgalley and @Escapepublishing for the ARC of naughty or nice. There is nothing I love more then an office enemy to lover trope but throw in the holidays and bam I'm all for it. This was a fun Holiday read about two people who want one big promotion and their fight to get it plus undeniable attraction. I loved it.

I'm a long time fan and reader of Lauren K. Mckellar's work, so when I stumbled across this title accidentally on Netgalley, I thought Christmas had come early.

Naughty or Nice is a short and sweet Christmas novella that is the perfect quick read this busy holiday season. The narrative itself is a mix of feel-good-vibes and drama-angsty, making it a little bit fun, a little bit sexy, and a little bit too dramatic for the length. All in all, it's a fun, and mostly light read that is sure to get you in the Christmas mood this festive season.

The main story revolves around two colleagues who have instant chemistry and feelings for the other, but due to personal reasons, are having trouble acting on them. When the pair are thrown into the chaos of office politics, Christmas work parties, Secret Santas and the intense pressure of vying for the same promotion, their worlds are irrevocably turned upside down.  Amid all the pressures of everyday life and work, can Hamish and Claire find their happy ever after? You'll have to read the book to see :)
I wanted to love this book.

I really really did.

When I started it, I thought it was going to be a five star read for sure, but as the book's quick pace (typical for a novella) became apparent, I found myself struggling to connect with the characters which ultimately lead me to my three-star rating; I liked the book, but I didn't love it like I thought I would. I'm acknowledging this here, as the fault with this book lies with me.

Lauren K. McKellar's writing is still fantastic, but I lacked an emotional connection that connects to me the characters and the story, and thus I struggled to find MY 'in' to this particular story. Largely, I think this was because the hard-hitting emotional elements that I know to be a characteristic of McKellar's work were missing. While it's true, both Claire and Hamish carry heavy emotional baggage from their past, the quick pace of the novella form didn't really allow this to sink in the way longer format of novels does. Instead, it felt a bit rushed, and perhaps a touch too dramatic at times given the small span of the story (both in page numbers and days).

That said, I really liked Claire's character. Having been through a rollercoaster of relationship breakdown in the past, one that still affects her job today, she is a tough cookie that is trying extremely hard to keep her head above water. Her life is far from perfect, with financial burdens dragging her down, she takes each day as it comes and dedicates herself 110 percent to work. I admired her tenacity, strength and just her every day attitude. She was in trouble, there is no doubting this, but she doesn't cry poor-me or rely on a lover to save her; she is quite capable of doing just that herself, thank you very much.

Hamish on the other hand, I struggled with. Presented as the nice guy, he is perhaps just too nice to be fully believable (I stand fully with Claire in doubting his motives at times!). That said, I was relieved to see that McKellar took a risk with his character and gave us a nice guy hero, rather than the usual bad-guy/stand-offish/unattainable guy stereotype which is common in Christmas novellas. Behind the nice-guy alter-ego, there is an element of 'rough' to Hamish, especially when his past is revealed in more detail, but I can respect, even if I didn't fully buy into his overly nice-guy ways; Hamish is an everyday person just trying to be a decent human and get through each day as it comes. In the end, that's pretty damn admirable in itself.

Which brings me to perhaps MY biggest problem with this novella: I wanted more. I write this, knowing one-hundred-percent, that this rest on my shoulders alone. Lauren's writing is fantastic as always, and she carries the narrative through the standard novella form well, but I can't help but want more; I never want her books to end. And that's on me folks!

As evident from the above, I have an array of mixed feelings about this book. Its characters were mostly true to life, and I like that it showcased the not-so-nice aspects of the festive season. But it was rushed, and just a tad-too dramatic at times given the length, add into this my issues of connecting with the characters on a deeper emotional level, and this holiday novella becomes a decent three-star read.

Despite my personal issues with the narrative, I do recommend it for anyone looking for a short and sweet Christmas read this festive season, as it ticks all the right boxes for holiday romances, Christmas novellas and just feel good books really.

Note: This review will go live on Friday 11th October at 10am

Note: I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.


This book escalated pretty quickly. I didn't care much about the characters nor story. However, this novel would be ideal for anyone looking for something fast and easy.

2.5 Stars - I might recommend if you love Christmas fiction.

Claire and Hamish are top runners for a promotion at work, which will be announced after the office Christmas party. The problem is, Hamish has been attracted to Claire since he moved to her branch. Can they work together without getting together?

This started out very cute and festive. I enjoyed the holiday elements and the office competition for promotion, however I felt like there were several too many dramatic issues also included in the novella. It is very short, so both characters having money/family issues, medical issues, jerks at the office, etc. etc. it just felt like a bit too much for such a short length. Overall it was cute, but it had a bit too much going on for me.

3 stars
Predicable, insta love holiday story It was on the fast end of a plot, Wished it was more substance.
Cute story, just not a lot there.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and what a fabulous book to start with. Lauren K. McKellar has a way with words that will have you hooked, line and sink for this Christmas romance story. It was awesome read and I will be going back to this book to re-read again at Christmas time. Extremely well written and will have your Christmas tingles going and get you right in the mood for the holidays. Happy reading!!

A short read, enemies to lovers book.

Claire and Hamish work together. She has been hurt before. Her ex left her broke and they also used to work together. This means she doesn't want togive Hamish a chance no matter how nice he is.

The more time they spend together she starts to think she is wrong about him, but is he too good to be true?

Short and sweet. That probably much sums up this instant love romance between enemies turned lovers work colleagues who duels it out to win a huge work promotion. Things escalated pretty quickly and far too much drama happened between the span of seventy pages that I didn't care much about about the characters nor story. This novel would be ideal for anyone looking for something fast and easy.

This was just ok to me. Everything felt a bit rushed and I felt the story could have been better. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.