Blurb:

Ah, Christmas. The most magical time of the year. A time when the snow is falling, cider is flowing, and couples are kissing under the mistletoe. 

Too bad all that makes me want to gag.

Look, it isn’t that I’m a hater, it’s just that I have a job to do, and this particular holiday is getting in the way of that. And I know what you’ll say, that Micah Noble’s Christmas Tree Farm is a beloved tradition for many of the families of Merrihill, but you have to see the bigger picture here: a five-star luxury resort where overworked Manhattanites can escape to, a serene place of spas and shopping and watching sexy lumberjacks chopping wood…

Oh, wait, scratch that last one. Lumberjacks aren’t my thing. Anymore. Micah Noble cured me of that, which tends to happen when you’re trying to buy someone’s family land to bulldoze to the ground.

He can call me a Scrooge all he wants, but business is business, and pleasure is…well, not something I can afford to think about. Even if it does come packaged in those tight jeans and flannel shirts that make me want to rip them off with my teeth—

No. This is not happening. I will not think of Micah as anything other than an obstacle to getting what I want. A really, really sexy obstacle.

Ugh. Screw Christmas and the sleigh it rode in on.

My 4* Review:

Once Upon A Sexy Scrooge By Ellla Frank and Brooke Blaine is an enjoyable romance between to completely opposite men, Micah Noble and Maxwell Scott. It is a delightful slow burn with some steamy scenes but to me it was all about their connection.

We first meet Maxwell, stuck in traffic on his way to his office in Manhattan, a few days before Christmas. He doesn’t find it a magical time of the year because the past year has been a real struggle for him. Sitting in his car he is bombard by memories of last Christmas and the one time he’d been swept up by the magic of the holidays. The story then take us back a year and we find out what happened and how handsome man showed him how magical Christmas could be. 

Micah runs the Noble’s Xmas Tree Farm with the help of his brother and sisters. He lives in the log cabin on the farm and loves his life in the small town of Merrihill. It is a picturesque place with a close community who support one another and love all the Christmas traditions.

Maxwell is trying to buy Micah’s house and the farm, to build a luxury resort. He has no luck dealing with Micah over the phone so has the bright idea to visit and confront him face to face. He knows he can be very persuasive but what he doesn’t bargain for is the ruggedly handsome lumberjack and a snow storm. 

Their first meeting is eventful and they exchange insults. Micah calls Maxwell a scrooge and still refuses to sell. Due to car problems and the snow, Maxwell finds himself having to stay as there is no where else for him to go. Micah decides to use Maxwell’s misfortune to make him change his mind about the farm and also show him the real meaning of Christmas. 

Micah’s passion for Christmas shines through and he works hard breaking down Maxwell’s walls. There may have been a cold snow storm outside but inside it certainly gets hot between them. The Noble family are a riot and I loved how they all teased one another. They certainly show Maxwell what a loving family is all about and how Christmas should be celebrated.

This was a romantic, sweet and fun read, with no angst but lots of Christmas good cheer.