Husband for the Holidays

Delightful brother's best friend romance Eloise has carried a torch for her older brother's best friend, Konstantin, for too many years. Left penniless by her manipulative stepfather, she's just trying to survive by taking just about any job she can find. But when Konstantin finds her, dressed as an elf and delivery toys around Manhattan, he's determined to make things right for her. Despite all her objections. This is a deliciously steamy romance set in the high society world of billionaires and old money, with just enough treachery and deception to give the story balance. Neither one feels they deserve the other, but neither can they just walk away from each other. Eloise makes Konstantin want to tear down his fifty-foot high defense walls, and it's very sweet how she stands up for herself and for him, all but forcing him to confront his deeply buried vulnerability. I was completely sympathetic to both of them for the third-act breakup, though I do wish the reunion hadn't been encouraged by the plot twist the author chose. It would have been much more sincere if there wasn't the question of, "but what if?" This is a well-done, if formulaic, Harlequin romance. You know you're going to get an outstanding HEA with memorable characters and a captivating story. If you don't mind the third-act being resolved with a very familiar trope, you'll love this charming romance. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.