Nutcracker With Benefits

 

LIZ ALDEN

Stats for my copy: Kindle edition, 2022.

How acquired: BookSprout

First line: It was a goddamn Christmas miracle.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: This was a light, somewhat breezy rom com, which was perfect for my mood when I picked it up. I’m not crazy about present tense narration, or about stories where two characters alternate providing the narration in first person POV, and I did not love that here. While the author’s writing was good, the narrative voice felt the same regardless of whether Clara or Nash was telling the story. But the story itself was fun, and it wasn’t hard to overlook that.

Nash and Clara are best friends who don’t see each other often, as Clara’s career has her traveling all over the world, but whenever she breezes into town they enjoy some benefits. Clara is content with the relationship, but Nash wants more, and while Clara is in town for a couple of days at Christmas he sets out to provide her with the perfect day, and show her that she can be just as happy not always being gone.

I especially enjoyed all the supporting characters - Clara’s two dads, her niece and nephew, Nash’s personal stylist, etc. Nobody is one note, and considering this is a novella, and of course the focus is on Clara and Nash, the author did a good job with making the supporting characters vivid and fleshed out.

The book is billed as a “holiday retelling rom com”. Well, I’ll admit right now that I’ve never seen The Nutcracker, and I don’t really know anything about it, but that did not hinder my enjoyment of this story in any way. Just in case you wonder if you need to see The Nutcracker first.

A fun read, with both Nash and Clara ultimately learning to compromise, and getting that satisfying HEA.

*I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and have voluntarily reviewed it* 

Goodreads Synopsis: Clara: I love my life—as a food and travel blogger I make my own hours, work all over the world, and don’t have a single regret. The cherry on top is flying home to New York City to celebrate the holidays with my family—and Nash. He’s my best friend with benefits and was just named the sexiest billionaire bachelor of the year. He’s all mine—for now. But someday, Nash is going to break my heart.

Nash: Clara can have her cake—whether its pavlova, mochi, or tres leches—and eat it too. I have twenty-four hours to convince her that she can have everything she wants right here in the city—including me.