Hi there! Today I’m sharing a Throwback Thursday review for a contemporary M/M Christmas romance from Annabeth Albert. I read BETTER NOT POUT a WHILE back, but never had a chance to post a review. Now, it’s on sale for $1.99, so I figured I’d share the sweet and sexy Christmas love…

About the book:
One hard-nosed military police officer.
One overly enthusiastic elf.
One poorly timed snowstorm.
Is it a recipe for disaster? Or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for holiday romance?

Teddy MacNally loves Christmas and everything that goes along with it. When he plays an elf for his charity’s events, he never expects to be paired with a Scrooge masquerading as Santa Claus. His new mission: make the holiday-hating soldier believe he was born to say ho-ho-ho.

Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki doesn’t do Santa, but he’s army to his blood. When his CO asks an unusual favor, Nick of course obliges. The elf to his Kris Kringle? Tempting. Too tempting—Nick’s only in town for another month, and Teddy’s too young, too cheerful and too nice for a one-night stand.

The slow, sexy make-out sessions while Teddy and Nick are alone and snowbound, though, feel like anything but a quick hookup. As a stress-free holiday fling turns into Christmas all year round, Teddy can’t imagine his life without Nick. And Nick’s days on the base may be coming to a close, but he doesn’t plan on leaving anything, or anyone, behind.

My Review:
It’s the week before Thanksgiving and Sergeant Major Nick Nowicki is dressed in an ill-fitting Santa suit on his way for a PR shoot in Mineral Spirits, a timy hamlet in upstate NY. His CO at Fort End’s hubby usually does the Santa gig, but he’s suffered a heart attack and Nick doesn’t have to asked twice for this favor. He likes Commander Grace–even as he hates this final post of his military career; he has one month left in his 28-year enlistment now that the army has decided not to renew his commitment. Nick isn’t close with his family, due to a tragedy that broke his parent’s marriage and his mother’s many years of alcoholism. In his life and career, he’s been mainly solitary, with only one long-term boyfriend who hit the road while he was deployed. A native of Phoenix, Nick has virtually no experience in driving the harsh winter storms that are a part of life near Fort End, and he can’t wait to retire to Florida where he plans to open a fishing charter with an old army friend.

Teddy MacNally is a small town boy through-and-through, and at 28 he’s made good for himself he’s made good for himself. Always been a compassionate one, he got a masters in social work and came back to Mineral Spirits–where half the town is one relation or another–to run the Helping Hands Resource center. He raises funds that help folks with basic needs and right now he’s dressed as an elf for the Where’s Santa? photo spread that the local paper publishes to drum up donations for the center’s Giving Tree, a Christmas present for needy kids-type of thing. And, Saint Nick is sure a grumpy Santa. But Teddy sees a loneliness in Nick that he empathizes with–he’s pretty isolated in Mineral Spirits. Not counting the sleazy, married men on his Grindr, there aren’t any male companions in a reasonable distance.

Nick doesn’t want to form any attachments to Mineral Spirits, or Teddy and his loving, oversharing, family because he’s leaving in a month–but a bad snow storm lands Nick in Teddy’s home for a night and their attraction grows irresistible. And, due to on-going Santa duties and Nick’s current car trouble, he’s reliant upon Teddy for a few more carpool situations. So, he can’t really turn down the many invites he gets, from Teddy his sister and brother, to attend the MacNally Thanksgiving. And, when his CO gives him leave for the entire holiday weekend…well, Nick may want to protect his heart, but he understands the logic of finding some sexy solace with Teddy, even if the sexy elf is nearly 18 years younger than himself.

But, man, those nights they spend are real nice. And, well, Teddy is a grown man–not a kid, no matter his baby face. Being around the MacNally’s, who are about as non-dysfunctional as any family Nick has ever met, helps Nick see that his sad life experience isn’t the only one out there. And, As Teddy hopes, Nick can envision himself in a place where he has a real community, and maybe a true love to boot. If only Nick didn’t have these plans to relocate to Florida…

This is a sweet and sexy age-gap romance in a picturesque small town with two engaging leading men. I liked how they found both comfort and a confidante within their arrangement for camaraderie. Their progression from acquaintance to more follows a quick but acceptable path, due to each man being rather lonely, and finding a chemistry and kinship that suited. The age gap was a big problem for Nick, but Teddy’s assertiveness and independence kept chipping away at Nick’s preconceived notions about young guys wanting young partners. They are a special couple, and I enjoyed watching them fall in love.

Interested? You can find BETTER NOT POUT on Goodreads, Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.

About the Author:
Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children.

Find Annabeth online on her website, Goodreads, twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!