Well, what can I say? I just had to pick it up.

 

 

Even after the issues I had with the first book, Sno Ho, it just couldn't not follow up on how Boone and Wade were doing after their holiday fling ended. 

 

And I am glad I did. 

 

For one, I felt like it was all a little more settled, a little slower, a little less confusing this time around. There still were some situations that made me cringe, shake my head, and didn't make me laugh as much as it was supposed to. 

 

The big difference this time was that there weren't any huge WTF-moments with the MCs, nor did I feel like one of the them suddendly got a personality transplant for a couple of minutes. The writing was good and solid, everything flowed nicely and freely. Some of it was pure crack again. Boone is just Boone and will stay Boone forever. I guess, you either like or hate him. There isn't a lot of middle ground really. And Wade - the good Wade - is so sweet, you can't help but forgive him for his awful screw-up in the first book at some point.

 

What I couldn't get into were the family dynamics. Both parties of in-laws were just too much for me, and way over the top. Especially the interactions with the little kids drove me up the walls. They were... different (?) on a whole new level, sometimes even disturbing or downright awful. The population of Summit City and the busy-bodies were a little better, or maybe I just got used to their special brand of crazy. The new side characters were good though, I actually understoood them most of the time and they did make me laugh more often. Granted, the bis bang and the solution in the end were a little off the rocker, but I expected as much. I was prepared for all-over-the-place crazy and I got exactly that. 

 

Plus, Ethan Day has a way with the steamy scenes that is just... Phew. Plenty hot, a little dirty and raunchy, but always tender at the same time and with a little naughty cherry on top. 

 

It was good, I enjoyed it, and I'll probably never forget about it. But it also didn't rock my world to the core. All in all, it was different, sweet and sexy, so I'll give it 3.5 stars and that's that. 

What the hell did just happen? I can't even... 

 

 

What happens to Boone when he winds up dumped on the eve of his one-year anniversary and ends up at a bar having one too many cocktails? Wade Walker.

 

 

Uhm. I have no idea where to start. Let's talk about Boone first, since it's his POV we're stuck(?) with. Boone is... different. Freshly dumped, but still staying in the cabin his ex rented for him - and how fucked up is that?! - his wallow in self-pity, rage and alcohol ends in the bed of a stranger. The next morning Boone can't get out of there fast enough.

 

At this point in time I thought I kind of understood what I was reading. Although Boone was like a firecracker - loud, crazy, all over the place, in your face - he also had a little bit of a human side. The writing was good, it felt natural and had a nice flow to it, and I think, if you are into Ethan Day's kind of humor, this book is pure crack and an amazing read. Unfortunately, my kind of humor is not that kind of humor. I understood the jokes, the snark, the references - but sadly, they missed the mark for me more often than not. It wasn't bad, just not exactly my thing. 

 

Until Boone meets his stranger again, who turns out to be his skiing instructor Wade Walker. What followed was one of the most messed up "morning/day after" conversation I have ever read. Maybe it was supposed to be funny, maybe it was supposed to lighten the mood or brighten my day, or crank up the crack, but for me it was just... NO. NO! You do NOT brag about fucking a completely wasted stranger - because let's face it, a discussion about consent is ridiculous at this point - and most of all, you do NOT describe a guy you alledgedly find great as a "wet noodle" in bed, or tell him how he really was a warm, tight hole to fuck. EXCUSE ME? 

 

I have to say, this little gem of a conversation spoiled most of the book for me. I didn't buy the hate-sex, I didn't buy the date, I didn't buy any of it. Not really. Because I couldn't get over the fact that Wade was so hurtful and cruel! Especially because it absolutely didn't fit with his personality - or the personality he had for the rest of the book. 

 

Boone, too, had his moments. Moments where all I could do was stare in morbid fascination, shake my head and question his (or my) sanity. 

 

It took ages - at least that's what it felt like to me - before I could take that story seriously again. Which was okay, because it didn't pick up for quite a while. Except maybe for the absolutely over-the-top crazy, out-of-their-minds busy bodies in the town! Like I said, pure crack. Just not exactly my kind of crack. I only got invested in the characters and their relationship in the last 10 percent or so. It was the only time that really made me feel something, made me interested in either of the characters, made me root for these guys. Which was of course when the book ended. Not exactly abruptly, but also not with a HEA, or strong HFN. It was more like a "We might be happy, but we're really not sure. Ask in another year or so." 

 

All in all, this book confused me, didn't make me laugh as much as it should have, and enraged me at times. I didn't care for the characters until very late in the story, despite the natural flow of the writing and the snark that I usually dig.

 

But.

 

It did get me interested in the sequel, so it wasn't all bad. I'll stick to the 2.5 stars, because I absolutely couldn't get over The Conversation. But maybe that was just me. Like I said, if you can get on board with Ethan Day's humor, I think you'll be just fine and adore this book from beginning to end.

A short story about christmas in Summit City (not surprising considering the title :-)).It was very nice, you met all the characters from the first two installments, it had some nice bantering and sarcasm which is Boone's trademark. It also had a very romantic moment: marriage proposal, take two I liked it, the writing was great as in the other books, my only little minus here: there was nothing new, no story development, just a little christmas peace, therefore "only" 4 stars.

Ohh, I missed Boone and Wade so much. They are such a great couple and I'm so happy Ethan Day decided to write more about them! They're just so great and funny and sexy and sweet. Ethan Day could write as many books about them as he wants and I'd never get tired of reading about them. I loved it!

Ethan Day has his own brand of zaniness that translates well to the page. Wade's family is crazy -- lots of colorful characters that are extended to the town-folk too. Boone has realized that being with Wade means being a part of that large extended family. Even if they get all up in the guys' biznatch and make for frustrations, it's all loving and good in their first Xmas together. This is a sweet, short follow up to [b:Sno Ho|9580375|Sno Ho (Sno Ho, #1)|Ethan Day|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1288144778s/9580375.jpg|14467284] and [b:Life in Fusion|9664716|Life in Fusion (Sno Ho, #2)|Ethan Day|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1289265110s/9664716.jpg|14552424]. Light and humorous, perfect for holiday reading.