Wrapped Together is liked being bundled up in my favorite blanket, with a mug of my favorite hot chocolate while sitting in front of a toasty fire; it’s comforting, it’s heartwarming, and it is exactly the type of gay romance that should be made into a holiday movie. ~ Slick, Guitly Pleasures
Description:
In the bustling restaurants, shops, and cafés of Portland, Oregon, things really heat up for the hard-working men behind the scenes when the holidays come into town . . .
For a stationery store owner, the holidays are great for business. But for Hollis Alcott, Christmas reminds him of the tragic events of three years past, and the last thing he wants to do is take part in Portland’s over-abundance of festive cheer. But Sawyer Murphy, a hunky gift shop owner whose brother is married to Hollis’s sister, has made it his mission to pluck Hollis out of his holiday blues. And his plan is beginning to work. Wrapped in the warm glow of newfound passion, the former business rivals hit up Portland’s finest holiday traditions—and Hollis’s icy attitude begins to melt like snowflakes on his tongue. But he isn’t sure he can trust anyone with the only gift he has—his heart—without breaking it like an antique ornament. Unless he can find the courage to take a leap with the one lover he never expected .
ARC Provided with no expectations
I have loved Annabeth Albert’s Portland Heat series from the start and I’ve enjoyed this all but this
book…sigh, this book is simply fantastic. Wrapped Together is liked being bundled up in my favorite blanket, with a mug of my favorite hot chocolate while sitting in front of a toasty fire; it’s comforting, it’s heartwarming, and it is exactly the type of gay romance that should be made into a holiday movie.
Friends since childhood and now thrown together on “family” occasions since each of their twin siblings married each other Hollis Alcott and Sawyer Murphy share history, memories, and now family. Hollis is stuck in his grief of losing his parents three years prior and the holidays are something he doesn’t give much thought to other than helping the customers of his specialty stationary store select gifts for loved ones and the care he takes in selecting the perfect gift for his niece, Aria. Hollis was always an introvert and not comfortable in large crowds or party situations and it’s only gotten worse since the accident. Sawyer is and extroverted out and proud man who has enjoyed life to the fullest and was best friends with Hollis’ twin all through school. Determined to help Hollis see the joy of Christmas again Sawyer challenges Hollis to a series of bets hoping to get closer to the man that shut him down the night of their twins’ wedding.
I really loved how different these two men were and Sawyer’s determination to help Hollis see past his grief and enjoy the holidays once again. The dates he arranged and the time he spent not only helped Hollis begin to see how closed off he’d allowed himself to become, but helped him to see that he was missing out on life. There was so much history between them, yet they really didn’t know one another well as the adults they’d become and them exploring all facets of an adult relationship proved to be very eye opening and interesting and given Hollis need for order and control in his life, I wasn’t at all surprised by his need to be dominated. The fact that Sawyer figured it out quickly and was more than willing to give Hollis everything he needed was just the icing on the Christmas sugar cookie. There were a few moments of doubt and honestly given the fact their families were so intertwined I could understand the hesitance, but overall this was a pretty low drama story.
Warm and cuddly, yet scintillating and sexy I absolutely loved Wrapped Together.
Thanks for the review Slick