BY Alta Hensley. Pub Date 9-16-25
Rating:
PUBLISHER’S SYNOPSIS
“It’s the night before Christmas and I’m alone in the house…
Popular jewelry influencer Chloe Hallman is steeling herself to spend another holiday on her own. Instead, she finds herself drawn to two different guys… a smoldering hot fan of her secret, seductive online persona, and a sexy fireman named Jack who looks out for her in their NYC neighborhood.
She has no idea that I know her better than she knows herself. Her deepest secrets, her darkest desires—she’s careful, but I’ve been watching, never leaving footprints in the snow outside her home.
Jack was the first responder to the accident that stole a beautiful young woman’s family two Christmases ago, and he’s been quietly guarding her ever since. When Jack uncovers Chloe’s secret account, his obsession only grows. Both he and Chloe are drawn to the darkness that mirrors their own.
She’s my Christmas wish come true. And I’m hers. She just doesn’t know it yet.“
THOUGHTS
Stalker romances have become a real “thing” lately, and some of them are super dark, some of them are less dark. This one falls into a less dark category. I liked both characters. I think this is a good introductory romance into this specific trope, because it would be irresponsible to jump directly into the deep end of stalker romances.
The spicy scenes have a sweet kinkiness to them, and you can easily see this beckoning an after dark Lifetime type movie. The MMC is a very protective guy who knows what he is doing is creepy and actually cares about it. The FMC has a hidden side and there are real life consequences she is trying to avoid. They also meet one another and like one another in the wild, which, again, adds a sweetness to the story.
Highly recommend for those curious about the trope but not wanting to go into darker territory quite yet.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Always Lost in Words 