Her Xmas Present

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Synopsis

Plus-size Libby has been in love with her best friend Tyler for years, but she doesn't think a hot guy like him could find someone like her attractive. Tyler has been away from Libby for a year, and it's been pure torture. He's been in love with Libby just as long but afraid to say anything for fear of losing their lifelong friendship. But after so long apart, he's tired of waiting. He's decided to finally reveal his feelings to her and hope that she'll give him the best Christmas present ever: her in his arms all night long... and forever.

Review

Her Xmas Present is a short, stand-alone, steamy contemporary romance novelette. Libby and Tyler have been best friends since kindergarten. Ever since their teen years, they've both been attracted to one another and would like to be more than friends. However, plus-size Libby worries that Tyler won't be able to accept her body, while Tyler has been afraid of losing the best friend he has if she doesn't feel the same way. After getting his law degree, Tyler moved away from their small hometown, so they haven't seen each other for an entire year. Being apart has only made Tyler more certain that he wants Libby, so when he goes home for the holiday, he's finally willing to risk everything to make her his.

Her Xmas Present is pretty short, just under forty pages, so there's not a lot to it. The story is told in alternating first-person POV as Tyler returns home for Christmas and the first person he goes to see is Libby. He's finally decided to take the plunge and let Libby know how much he loves her and wants her to be more than just a friend. The pair spend a couple of very brief chapters reconnecting before hitting the sheets, and from there, it's all about the sex. This part is well done, hot and steamy but nothing kinky beyond a mere threat of spanking. The rapid progression from friendly reunion to steamy sex was tempered for me by the fact that Tyler and Libby are lifelong best friends, so they know each other extremely well and this is just a new step in their relationship for them. Each of them shows a little vulnerability that brought some nice emotion to the story. I like that Tyler was reassuring all along the way that Libby's plus-size curves are beautiful to him. This was my first read by Christin Lovell, but I found it to be an enjoyable little holiday treat that has left me open to reading more of her work.

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Themes

Christmas Stories
Friends Before Lovers
Physically Ordinary Heroines