A Very Bossy Christmas<\/a> by Kayley Loring<\/a><\/p>\n My rating: 5 of 5 stars<\/a><\/p>\n What\u2019s the actual last thing you\u2019d ever want your executive assistant to see you doing the morning after you had hot, drunk, angry sex with her in a terrible hotel room? Dancing around your terrible hotel room to \u201cCome and Get Your Love\u201d like Star-Lord in \u2018Guardians of the Galaxy\u2019 \u2013 naked? Yeah. Me too.<\/mark><\/p>\n And yet, here we are.\u00a0<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t even the most unprofessional thing that\u2019s happened between us in the past couple of weeks.<\/p>\n The first was when I agreed to let her have Christmas Day off, but only if she goes with me to three family gatherings as my fake girlfriend.<\/p>\n The second was when she caught me belting out a Christmas song on stage in the awful hotel bar.<\/p>\n The third was the hot, drunk, angry sex that followed, but I do not regret it.<\/p>\n And she hasn\u2019t even found out the real reason I need her by my side this holiday season.<\/p>\n I need to pull it together before I do the dumbest, most unprofessional thing of all \u2013 fall head over heels in love with the only assistant who\u2019s lasted more than a month at the job and claims to hate me and my moods more than she hates eggnog.\u00a0<\/p>\n And I\u2019ve seen how much she hates eggnog.<\/p>\n A Very Bossy Christmas<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n Under the Mistletoe With Mr. Grinch<\/strong><\/p>\n The following ratings are out of 5:<\/strong> \ud83d\udee1\ufe0f Audiobook Review: A Very Bossy Christmas (Very Holiday, #1)<\/strong><\/p>\n Author: Kayley Loring \ud83e\uddb8\ud83c\udffc\u200d\u2640\ufe0f Heroine Spotlight: Maddie<\/strong><\/p>\n Maddie is the kind of heroine who instantly wins your heart. As an executive assistant to a corporate lawyer, she\u2019s sharp, capable, and endlessly resilient \u2014 but she\u2019s also human enough to nickname her boss The Grinch. He\u2019s perpetually grumpy, glued to his work, and expects her to match his relentless hours. Maddie, however, craves something more: the warmth of family, especially her sister (her closest confidante) and her niece, who is her absolute favorite person in the world. The tension between Maddie\u2019s desire for holiday joy and her boss\u2019s obsession with work sets the stage for sparks to fly.<\/p>\n \ud83e\uddb8\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2642\ufe0f Hero Spotlight: Declan<\/strong><\/p>\n Declan is a man who traded prestige for supposed balance \u2014 leaving one of New York\u2019s powerhouse law firms to become general counsel for a major real estate corporation. Yet balance has eluded him; his life is still consumed by work. Maddie, however, is his secret weapon. She\u2019s the only assistant who can keep pace with his demanding schedule, and he knows it. Their professional chemistry is undeniable, but beneath his polished exterior lies a man who notices her more than he lets on. Declan\u2019s gruffness hides attraction, and his reliance on Maddie hints at something deeper than convenience.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcc3 Plot Pulse<\/strong><\/p>\n When Declan\u2019s mother insists he come home for Christmas, he blurts out a lie \u2014 that he has a girlfriend \u2014 and promises to bring her to Ohio for Christmas dinner. Cue Maddie, his reluctant accomplice. Declan proposes a trade: if she pretends to be his girlfriend for the holiday, he\u2019ll give her the gift she wants most \u2014 time off until the New Year. Maddie hesitates, wary of spending Christmas with her grumpy (but undeniably magnetic) boss, yet the deal is too tempting to refuse. What begins as a practical arrangement quickly turns into something charged with chemistry, longing, and the kind of holiday magic that makes hearts race.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc98 What Hit Home<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Holiday romance + fake relationship trope = pure catnip. This story leans into both beautifully. \ud83e\uddd0 What Fell Flat<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 The buildup before the trip dragged a little. While it added context, the pacing could have been tighter to get us to the heart of the holiday setup faster.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfa7 Narration Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n Told in dual POV, the audiobook features Connor Crais and Mackenzie Cartwright. While duet narration often feels more immersive, this dual narration still shines. Connor Crais delivers with his signature deep, velvety voice \u2014 the kind that makes every line feel charged with intensity. Mackenzie Cartwright balances him perfectly, her soft, expressive tone bringing Maddie\u2019s warmth and vulnerability to life. Together, they create a listening experience that feels both natural and emotionally rich.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcdd Final Takeaway<\/strong><\/p>\n This audiobook blends holiday charm, workplace tension, and fake-dating fun into a romance that\u2019s equal parts steamy and sweet. Maddie and Declan\u2019s dynamic is addictive \u2014 a grumpy boss and his whip-smart assistant forced into proximity, only to discover that maybe the best gifts aren\u2019t wrapped under the tree, but found in unexpected connections.<\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n Blog<\/a>|Goodreads<\/a>|Facebook<\/a>|Instagram<\/a>|Twitter<\/a>|BookBub<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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Romance: \ud83d\udc9a\ud83d\udc9c\ud83d\udc99\u2764\ufe0f
Heat\/Steam: \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25
Chemistry: \ud83e\uddea\ud83e\uddea\ud83e\uddea\ud83e\uddea
Story\/Plot: \ud83d\udcd5\ud83d\udcd7\ud83d\udcd8\ud83d\udcd9\ud83d\udcd4
World building: \ud83c\udf0f\ud83c\udf0d\ud83c\udf0e\ud83c\udf0f\ud83c\udf0d
Character development: \ud83d\ude0b\ud83d\ude42\ud83e\udd28\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd70
Narrator(s): \ud83c\udf99\ud83c\udf99\ud83c\udf99\ud83c\udf99\ud83c\udf99
Narration type: Dual Narration<\/p>\n
Genre: Holiday Romance
Narrators: Connor Crais and Mackenzie Cartwright<\/p>\n
\u2022 The attraction simmers on equal footing. Maddie and Declan struggle equally to resist each other, which makes the tension deliciously balanced.
\u2022 The steam factor is undeniable \u2014 playful, passionate, and just the right amount of heat to warm up a winter night.<\/p>\n