Why I read it: I was provided with a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) “Wardrobe malfunction” doesn’t begin to cover it.

With a rip louder than the “I dos,” Hayley’s hideous bile-yellow bridesmaid dress explodes. She’s always had enviable curves, but nearly naked wasn’t quite the look she’d been going for at her ex’s wedding.

She’s rushed from the altar under the best man’s designer tux jacket. Hayley’s expecting a blast of icy disapproval from sexy, sophisticated Niccolò Rossi—his usual reaction to anything she does. What she gets is a kiss that nearly melts what’s left of her polyester nightmare gown.

It’s impossible on a million levels. Exuberant engineer Hayley and buttoned-up lawyer Nico have never seen eye to eye—but skin to skin? Oh, mio… So when Nico shows up at her flat on Christmas Day to give her a fabulous gift—himself—Hayley’s delighted to do the unwrapping. But it’s just a holiday fling. By New Year’s Day, she’ll come back to her senses…unless Nico’s sensual skills tear away all her resolve.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): Oh, this book was a lot of fun. We’re into the action straight away as Hayley (from whose 1st person point of view the story is told) is giving snarky internal commentary at the wedding of her ex-boyfriend and a former gal pal. She’s a bridesmaid for pride’s sake. If she had refused, it would have looked like she had a broken heart and was home moping and lonely. So, she stuffed herself into a hideous puke-yellow “condom” dress, too small for her and way too small for her breasts and ovaried up to the wedding. The best man is Nico Rossi, a man who is sex on legs but Hayley is convinced he doesn’t like her.

When both side seams of her dress finally give up the ghost, it is Nico who is the only one not either hysterically laughing (that would be her sister Rosie – they have a wonderful dynamic) or gaping at the boobage on display. He bundles her into his Tom Ford jacket and sweeps her off into a side room.

I don’t think there is anything to surprise here. It’s fairly obvious that Nico doesn’t dislike Hayley at all – quite the contrary and he lets it show fairly quickly. Their chemistry is off the charts but more than that, he supports her being her – something her bastard ex never did. He enjoys her enthusiasm for her job (aeronautical engineer) and loves her joie de vivre.

Nico is more obscure and my small criticism is that he wasn’t a little better fleshed out on the page. I think that’s a product of the novella length and the first person perspective. What we had from Nico was all good but I’m the kind of person who’d like to know what sort of lawyer he is (apart from “a good one”).

Even though the story is not really new, I adored the way it was told. This novella is proof that one can read and enjoy an oft-told tale. I loved loved loved the female positivity of the story, especially this:

I was a modern, independent woman. I’d never worn pink and I’d never had the urge to coo over strange babies in prams. My best subjects at school were Math, Physics and Technology. I was the only girl in the class and I always had better marks than the boys, which usually pissed them off, but I figured that was their problem not mine. I had a degree in aeronautical engineering and was working on a supersecret project to do with satellites. I couldn’t tell you more than that or I’d have to kill you and eat you and you didn’t need a degree in engineering to know there was no room in this dress for two people. I loved my job. It excited me more than any man I’d ever met.

When Nico arrives at the apartment Hayley and Rosie share for Christmas lunch (don’t worry, Rosie invited him – as well as a large number of other guests), it is clear he’s decided (in the infamous words of Rod Stewart) “tonight’s the night”. And boy howdy it was. Some very steamy scenes follow *fans self* and I enjoyed the way neither Nico nor Hayley were shy with one another and we happy to ask for what they wanted. Even though Hayley has made a pre-New Year’s resolution to have no strings sex only and no relationships, Nico urges her to change her mind. And with Nico, Hayley can have it all. He is attracted to the woman she is and doesn’t want her to change or hide herself in any way. That is a most attractive hero trait.

What else? There is plenty of humour in the story too – from the turkey waxing (not a euphemism) to the “Niccolo” I found myself snort-laughing my way through the story.

At just under 80 pages, it is a fast read. It is also a Christmas-y bon bon of fun.