Merriment and Mayham
by Alexandria Bellfleur
Published by Amazon Original Stories
Book 4 in the Under the Mistletoe Series
This Christmas, a hot fireman makes a holiday rescue and sparks fly in this funny, sexy holiday short story by bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur.
When Everleigh Dangerfield’s baking disaster necessitates a call to 911, firefighter Griffin Brantley douses the flames in the kitchen, but the ones he stokes in Everleigh are an entirely different story. Unfortunately, Everleigh’s only visiting and doesn’t do casual hookups, no matter how smoldering the temptation. But Everleigh’s holiday mishaps have just begun. And Griffin is seemingly always on call. If Everleigh is game for a change of plans, he can give her the merriest Christmas of her life.
Genre
Triggers
Grieving after lost loved one, Fire
This is the first time I've ever read anything by Alexandria Bellfleur, and I got to say, I really enjoyed it.
It was cute.
It had some heavier themes - specifically dealing with the grief of losing a beloved grandmother - but it doesn't bring down the story. The story itself is short and sweet, but with a touch of spice to warm you up this month.
Besides the story, and the characters, I also enjoyed how Alexandria added a little diversity to her story. The other firefighters were men and women. Do you have any idea how many books I've come across featuring a fire station and they are all men? So I liked that.
Merriment and Mayham is probably my second favorite of this series so far. It's fun. It's holiday themed but not in a cheesy way, and the writing is top notch. I would love to read some of her work one day.
Those aqua eyes swept over Everleigh from her head down to her sock-covered feet and— Really? Her cheeks prickled with heat. The white crew socks she had on featured the infamous Elf on the Shelf, grinding on a candy cane like a stripper pole. Santa’s little ho, ho, ho, they read.
Everleigh: “You must think I’m a total disaster.”
She certainly felt like one.
Griffin: “Eh, I was thinking more along the lines of a hot mess.”
He grinned wolfishly, eyes dragging down her body.
Griffin: “Emphasis on hot.”
Griffin hummed.
Griffin: “See, what you call bad luck, I’m more inclined to call fate.”
Everleigh: “Fate?”
She laughed.
Everleigh: “You think it’s fate that my grandmother’s neighbors had to call 911 for me twice in one week?”
He shrugged a shoulder.
Griffin: “Feels a little like the universe wanted us to cross paths, is what I’m saying.”
Gloria: “You work from home; you could die in your apartment, and who would even know?”
Frank: “Gloria!”
Frank threw his wife a horrified look from the driver’s seat. Everleigh was sure her face looked similar.
Gloria: “Morbid as the thought may be, it’s true.”
Gloria crossed her arms.
Gloria: “Everleigh could be rotting in her apartment for God knows how long before anyone would think to look for her.”
Everleigh: “Someone would check on me.”
She was sure of it. It might take a few days, but someone would look eventually. She frowned. Ninety percent sure of it. Gloria huffed.
Gloria: “If you’re sick, who even brings you soup?”
Soup? Everleigh shrugged.
Everleigh: “I’d probably just DoorDash it, to be honest.”
Griffin: “If you knew half the thoughts I’ve had about you, saint would be the very last thing you’d dream of calling me.”
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