Oh my gosh! I'd put this book in my audio library because I knew that I wanted to bathe in a festive season novel - as a new experience. I forgot about it then turned it on as something to go to sleep by a few nights ago. It was more delightful than I had even hoped for.

And now, when I go to write a comment or two, I see that Christmas Wish List was written by none other than NR Walker! who never fails me! no wonder it exceeded expectations.

So what a great intro to what I unfairly anticipated would be the saccharine world of the holiday novel.

Sure it was sweet!! But the no-filter dialogue from MC Jayden - ex-pat Aussie and chef - who takes a job cooking for a newly opened guest house in the Montana mountains is so startling, so fresh, so bold, that the novel never goes near dull territory.

Owner of the rebuilt lodge is Carter aka Cass - short for Casper (- how could this be? when I am concurrently reading Jay Hogan's Tamarillo Tart which also has a Cass as MC.)

Both the 'Christmas' guys are perfect: they work well together, they take care of each other, they know that the rare find of each other is unlikely to cross their paths again, so they bravely dive in.

Again, like Tamarillo Tart, one of the refreshing things about the story is that it doesn't rely on angst or self-sacrifice for a plot point.

I should also mention that I appreciated how Glen Lloyd gave the MCs just different enough voices that I never got mixed up as to who was speaking - much appreciated.

I've already booked my next holiday to Hartbridge with Merry Christmas Cupid, #3 in the Hartbridge Christmas series. ( )

I so want to see snow now for a white christmas! ( never seen snow - Aussie here)

We head back to Hartbridge for another Christmas and this is just a special and heart warming as Tic Tac Mistletoe!

Jayden and Carter - insta attraction, not meant to stay, perfect !! ( )