So humorous to watch Teddy, in his elf costume, win over Nick. Nick is a Scrooge, but is kind enough to do a favor for his CO and play Santa. The characters are great. A lovable holiday story.

3.5 to 4*


It took me awhile to settle into this book and honestly early on it was touch and go for a while. This was mainly due to Nick who does a very good impersonation of the grinch.
But I’m getting ahead of myself let me start at the beginning.

We have Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki who somehow gets roped into playing Santa. Now Nick is counting down. He’s weeks away from retiring from the army after twenty-eight years service. They won’t let him re-up so in a months time he’s heading to Florida. His plans are set, no more snow he’s buying a boat and enjoying some sun.
Nick is forty-six and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to read this book. I like an age gap romance.

Teddy MacNally is an absolute delight. I loved everything about him. He’s twenty-eight, out and fully accepted by the small town he lives in. That in itself is refreshing.

I enjoyed a lot of this book. Teddy in particular but also when Nick relaxes and we see him with Teddy. The heat sizzles and the sex is slow and hot. These scenes are incredibly well written.

My main problem was Nick. His past is explained and I understand why he’s like he is. And I truly wanted him to find happiness with Teddy and acceptance in Mineral Spirits. But at times his character felt a bit flat and his obsession with the age difference really annoyed me.
Okay so the age difference is nearly twenty years so I appreciate it’s going to give him pause. Especially when you take Micah into consideration. But Nick get over it already Teddy is perfect grab him with both hands and never let go.

I finished this book in the early hours and my rating then was 3 to 3.5*. But while writing this review I realised it’s a better book than that so I’m upping it to 3.5 to 4*.

I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.

3.5 stars

LGBT Romance is a new genre for me. I have read some romance in the past and it’s a genre that I have been reading more recently in my personal genre study. I didn’t know what to except when I started this book but ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. I did have some minor issues with the age difference between the characters (more on that later) and Nick’s fairly quick transformation from gruff, Christmas hating Sergeant Major to loving, holiday spirit filled guy but I thought that was a fun holiday read.
A few things I liked about this book:
-Teddy and his wonderful, loving, supportive family.
-The tight-knit community that welcomed Nick from the very beginning
-The Christmas spirit that was prevalent throughout the book

A few things I didn’t like about this book:
-I wish there were more scenes that showed Nick and Teddy falling in love and not just having sex (this seems weird to say about a romance novel but I wanted to see more of what made the characters actually want to commit to each other besides hot sex).
-The main characters seemed a bit cookie cutter to me (young, happy guy that falls for older, curmudgeon)
-The age difference was a bit strange to me because when it was first brought up in the book, I thought it would have been a bigger part of the story. When it wasn’t, it left me questioning why the author decided to make the age gap so large.

Overall, this was a quick, fun read that got me excited for the Christmas season. While there were things I liked, there were some issues I had with the characters and the ending that seemed rushed.

Is it too early for Christmas story? Never! This is a very sweet and cute holiday theme May/December romance. And the best part: Is a full length novel! We have grumpy bear, veteran, Nick and the bundle of sunshine, Teddy, even his name is cute. Nick is the reluctant Santa for the month at Mineral Spirit and Teddy, the young director of the charity organization vowed to make Nick enjoyed the holiday season. Okay, part of his motivation is to get Nick into bed for a holiday fling, but who can blame him. We all have a thing for big tough veteran and the picking is slim at the small town.

Nick put on a fight initially but in the end he had to succumb to Teddy charm. Teddy is such a joy to be around and I love seeing how he slowly thaw Nick's heart and make Nick feel at home in the cold as fuck town. There isn't any big drama and despite Nick keep saying he will be leaving for Florida soon, the story is low on angst. Mainly a lot of delicious longing on both their part to make their relationship last. Nick had to do some soul searching to figure out what he want for his future. At the end of the day, I'm just happy to see Nick finally found a place he belong, which is with Teddy of course.

I loved this book. I read it in one day. The main romance was so sweet and passionate. The chemistry was so well written and the magic of Christmas is just something that makes the reader smile throughout.

Annabeth Albert + a Military MC + a festive setting = complete win!

I knew going into this one that I would - more likely than not - end up loving it as it had all the hallmarks of the great formula which has worked so well in Annabeth's Out of Uniform series (and if you've not read that yet, get on it!

This is magic, a lonely Sergeant Major being pushed into retirement after 28 years service, a younger man who lives in the town he grew up in, surrounded by his extended family and a support network but never taking risks.

They meet when Nick is cajoled by his Commanding Officer into taking over the role of Santa that her husband usually plays when he's invalided out following a heart attack. Nick is not a <i>jolly Santa</i> at all, he's a serious character whose really only ever known the Army life.

While there is tragedy in his past, it's not dwelled upon, it's something he's pushed deep inside and so Teddy's open and expressive way of life and the closeness he has with his own family, even though they too have had a similar painful experience, is something he's not sure how to deal with.

I loved watching Teddy slowly break down all Nick's walls, not even deliberately, he just is Teddy and Nick slowly realises there might be an alternative to living the remainder of his days alone in a Florida setting he's only heading for because he promised an old Army buddy he'd invest in his tour business.

Teddy's not all fluff though, he knows he's got his own issues and the safety and security of his small hometown where he knows everyone is just one of the things which holds him back. Nick opens up a future he hadn't thought was possible.

I love me a good Christmas/festive romance and I love me a good military romance, especially with an age gap and complete opposites attract, and Annabeth delivers on all three. Put this one at the top of your reading list, it'll make a lovely present!

Well the holiday season is soon upon us but many holiday stories are already out there if you are in the mood for holiday cheer. I have read a few of Ms. Albert's books and really love her military mc's. In Better Not Pout Nick is a 46 yr old Sergeant Major in the Army's MP unit. He is used to the warm temperatures of his previous duty stations and is having a hard time with the winter he is facing in upper New York. Nick is also unhappy with the fact that he is being forced to retire after 28 years in service. Because of this, and other issues, Nick plans on staying detached from those around him. When his commanding officer askes for a favor Nick see no choice but to say yes.

Teddy is 26 and the coordinator of a charity organization in his home town. He has never really been away from home, or his family which is quit large. Being gay makes things a little tricky but his family is supportive and he hopes to one day have what his parents do. He is a little surprised by his reaction to Nick and wonders what is head.

This story has a lot going for it. There is the military angle, the May/December aspect and of course the holiday cheer. While both characters have issues to overcome, the story is not angst driven but it is also not bogged down in holiday sweetness either. Fans of Ms. Albert will love this new book and will want to give the story a try even if holiday books aren't your cup of tea.

I really enjoyed this! The grumpy trope, the age difference, the slow-burn. A great, fast book for m/m romance readers!

*****

Roped into playing Santa when his commanding officers husband has a heart attack Nick has one goal in mind, finish his last month in the army and retire on the beaches of Florida running a boat tour company with his buddy. He not expecting his helping elf, to come along and make his mind start playing tricks on him.

Teddy, a fun loving family man, who enjoys helping others knows hes in for a battle when Nick shows up in the Santa suit. Expecting a happy go lucky Santa hea met with a grumpy 46 yr old who would rather be anywhere else.

Can this fun loving, naturally happy man get through Nick's hardened demeanor, and get him into the holiday spirit?

Let's just say life doesnt always go as planned.

A cute holiday snowed-in romance.

I love Annabeth Albert and her stories tend to have a softness to them, even when they make you emotional. <u>Better Not Pout</u> is about Nick Nowicki, a member of the Military Police who’s completed 28 years of service is now up for retirement. His commanding officer’s husband ends up unable to fulfill his Santa obligations, so Nick steps up and heads to Mineral Spirits, where he meets Teddy MacNally. Teddy is the director of the local rec center and he does lots of fundraising and special events, like a Giving Tree, to help out his community. Teddy also has a large family who all are active members of the community.

This book was a little too insta-attraction for my preferences, but I still really enjoyed the development between Teddy and Nick. I’m always a fan of grumpy x sunshine pairings, and this one executes that wonderfully. I also loved the community and family scenes. Teddy’s family is very there for him and I enjoyed seeing Nick welcomed with open arms.

There are a few heavier moments in the story. Nick feels like he’s lost his purpose because he’s kind of being forced to retire because of his age (46), and all he’d ever wanted to be was a police officer. Nick also has a mother with a history of alcohol dependence, though she is sober at the time of the story; Nick has trouble trusting her sobriety because she has a history of falling off the wagon. Finally, both Nick and Teddy have lost a brother, but how their family reacted to the grief differed sharply. For Nick, his family fell apart and he took on a lot of guilt, and that was the catalyst for his mom’s drinking. For Teddy, the loss of his older brother kind of brought his parents closer, having each other to support them.

I liked all the contrasts and the ways Nick and Teddy complimented one another, and by the end there was some lovely character growth. The final chapter is super sweet and I hope these characters will show up in future books so we can see how their lives have gone.

3.5 stars

Teddy is a life-long resident of Mineral Spirits and he runs a charity resource center for local residents. Nick is a soon-to-be retired military policeman who is ready to head south for warmer weather. When Nick's commanding officer's husband falls ill, Nick volunteers to fill in as Santa for the resource center's fundraising campaign. That's when he meets Teddy and starts feeling things he never intended to want for his life.

I really liked Nick and Teddy together. Teddy is a very positive, free spirit who initially viewed Nick as a convenient hook-up but his feelings for Nick quickly grew. But Nick's intentions of moving to Florida were hanging over them. Nick had his future all planned out but Teddy began to worm his way into Nick's heart.

This may be a minority opinion but, while I enjoyed the story and liked the MC's, I wasn't overwhelmed with emotion for these guys. It took me several days to finish the book because I wasn't "compelled" to finish it. I would recommend it for anyone wanting a sweet, low-angst holiday read.

I loved this MM age gap romance. The author brought these two unlikely men together in unforgettable Christmas love story.

Nick is set to retire from the service. His career as a MP has reached an end. . He's doing one last favor for his CO and then he's headed south. He's off to his next adventure finishing and sun. Not necessarily a life he wants but what else is he going to do.

He stumbles head first into the sweetest Christmas elf ever, Teddy. Teddy is caring and thoughtful and looking for love. Unfortunately, Nick is leaving in a month but it doesn't mean that these two can't spend the month together.

I was cheering for these two but knew there time was limited. The emotions that were created in the book has me teary eyed more than once.

This pair definitely deserved their HEA.

This was a cute little Christmas read. It had a bit of a slow start for me. I had to warm up to Nick’s character. But as I read on. It started to flow for me. This book is a slow burn. But definitely worth it.

I didn’t like how Nick thought of himself as an old man... with one foot practically in the grave. He just felt he was way past his prime.
I felt Teddy came into his life right at the right time. He made Nick see that he could have a fun carefree life and relationship.

I loved Teddy’s character! He was very in the moment. He looked past all Nick’s grumpiness. He worked on Nick to open up and be with him. Teddy knew how to handle Nick.

They were so good together. I loved all their little moments. How Teddy always seemed to make things better and comfortable for Nick. He pushed little by little. And thawed Nicks heart. Showed him age doesn’t matter.

I loved Teddy’s Family. I loved how open they all were and how they were all up in each other’s business. Nick needed that.

Overall this was a good read!

Sergeant Major Nicholas "Nick" Nowicki is counting the days to his retirement, he cannot wait to head down south to Florida, where there's heat and chance for fishing, and escape the cold and snow of the north. That is until he is roped into playing as Santa Clause, in a small town of Mineral Spirits, where he meets joyfully spirit younger elf, with sparkling blue eyes and curly blond hair...

Teddy MacNally knows that it's stupid to have a crush with this gruff, stoic, reliable bear of an older man. But Teddy is determined to give Nick a memorable days before the retirement, even if he struggles not to risk his heart...


I feel like reading a holiday book in September, because, why not? And this one is another lovely book from Annabeth Albert. The conflict between the two men is clear -- Nick's days at Fort End is numbered. He promises his friend in Florida that he will go join him. And Nick is not very much into cold. While Teddy loves his town and his-knit-family too much to even consider to leave Mineral Spirits. So it's all about what kind of compromises these two men will make in the end.

But in the mean time, there are wonderful moments with Teddy's determination to make Nick gets into holiday spirit: drinking hot chocolate, playing board games, meeting up with various family members, and of course, sexy times. I loved the contrast of the two men, even if it was a little bit 'stereotypical'. Older gruff man, younger shiny-happy guy -- but maybe I'll call it CLASSIC traditional holiday romance :).

I'm not one for Christmas books. I'm no Scrooge, but Christmas is a holiday like any other for me, and I don't actively go seeking out Christmas-themed books - during Christmas or any other time of the year - but because it was an Annabeth Albert book I decided to give Better Not Pout a shot, because Albert has not let me down since I first discovered her books over a year ago.

Better Not Pout is about the developing romance between Nick - a retiring Sergeant Major - and Teddy - an irrepressible young man with a heart of gold. Their paths cross when Nick agrees to fill in as Santa to raise money for the community organisation that Teddy runs (and plays elf to Nick's Santa) during the holiday season. When a snowstorm finds Nick unable to make it back to base, the two men find themselves getting to know one another and deciding to have a casual romance before Nick retires and leaves for Florida. However, things are never quite so simple, and Nick and Teddy find that what they thought could be a no-strings arrangement is more complicated than they first thought.

This was honestly one of the cutest romances I've read in a while. Nick is every bit the rough-around-the-edges older guy who's sad that he has to leave a life he loves, but is trying to make a clean break. He doesn't want to get caught up in any relationships before he goes, but he can't help but get entangled with Teddy (and his wonderful clan of McNally relatives). Meanwhile, Teddy is enthusiastic and gives everything he does his all, but he's not an exuberant risk-taker - he loves his family, his job and the responsibilities that come with both. He also sees how much Nick needs other people around him, and tries to coax him into new situations.

The major plot is really around how these two men develop their relationship, and the complications that come with having a finite deadline on it. How do these characters protect themselves and their hearts from forming attachments that are too strong, or perhaps, is there room to negotiate and compromise where both of them get what the want?

There are a lot of sex scenes, which is not going to be for everyone, but the core of the story - as with all Annabeth Albert's books - lies in the emotional centre of the two characters and that's what I really appreciate.

Along with way too many food references that left me wishing it was Thanksgiving (and I don't even celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia!).

Also, if I could bundle Teddy up and keep him for myself, I absolutely would, because he was just so relentlessly positive and kindhearted, and I don't often read a lot of characters like him, so he was a breath of fresh air.

Better Not Pout is being released in November by Carina Press.

~ 5 Stars

Part of the reason I don't like reading Christmas books has more to do with the fact that they seem to always be missing something. But Annabeth Albert wrote one hell of a great Christmas book. It may be that the story was very well developed and I was able to feel the connection between Nick & Teddy was real and not just superficial. Maybe it was the fact that it was a May/December, opposites attract trope that I loved so much. Or maybe it was the author's writing style that I love so much. Whatever the reason Better Not Pout was a great story that I gladly read again before and after Christmas.

This holiday romance is cute and uplifting, befitting the holiday spirit, but it also has that typical emotional intensity that I've come to look for in any book by Annabeth Albert. I was expecting something light and maybe a bit mushy, an easy read to get into the right frame of mind for the holidays. This was so much more than that, though.

I adored Teddy from the beginning and his good cheer and positive attitude to life make him a perfect match for Nick, who very much needs what Teddy has to offer. Even if he doesn't realize it.

Nick is also a great character, very steady and competent, though somewhat emotionally closed-off and grumpy at first. He's not really feeling the holiday spirit, santa claus suit notwithstanding.
Nick's at a point in his life where he needs to find a new direction, and is feeling a bit lost.
Enter Teddy... who makes Nick feel again and pushes him to reassess how he wants to live his life. Go Teddy!

Nick and Teddy are very different in age and outlook, but they have both known loss and as a result are similarly playing it safe in some way or other. Nick more obviously so than Teddy. These two characters are just so right together, they complement and inspire each other in the very best of ways and have a great connection, both emotionally and chemistry-wise.
I felt like knocking some sense into Nick though, because he seems hell-bent on throwing away his chance at love and happiness. Stubborn man.

I love May/December stories and this was an exceptional take on that trope. I really enjoyed this story.

I love holiday romances. I love Annabeth Albert’s novels. The conjugation of the two is just as good as I had hoped. It’s sweet and cute with a dash of sexy and a splash of Christmas spirit.
Community-minded Teddy meet Nick, a guy whose military life and family history lead him to live a solitary life, without attach anywhere, just as he is going to retire.

I love how Teddy who’s younger know what he wants, has his life mostly figured out. He is just what Nick who is living the army against his wishes need. He doesn’t know what he wants, what his life is going to be after he retires, he is a bit bitter. He may have accepted a job in Florida with one of his buddies but it’s just something to do, a way to be useful, not something he really wants.
Nick was very relatable in that. He is searching who he is, after his career ends. We all have moments like that in our lives, that force us to reexamine who we are, what we really want.
Teddy and Nick had awesome chemistry between them but I preferred the moments where they shared board games, hot chocolate, gifts shopping and cuddles.
Did I say that I love Teddy? He knows what he wants but isn’t going to beg or push for it. I love his social work and his love of his community and family. He is one of my favorite characters of hers ever. Maybe because I was madly identifying with him.

I'm not a fan of Christmas. In fact, I dislike the holiday so much I tend to avoid books set at that time of the year.

I'm really glad I didn't skip this book. Everything about Nick pushed just the right buttons for me. From his dedication and loyalty to the gentle and slightly battered heart he hides from the world, I wanted Nick to have the happy ending he deserves right from the beginning.

Teddy Hamilton was exactly the man to give him that. The perfect mix of young and idealistic, but mature and steadfast, Teddy was the perfect remedy to Nick's downward spiral. Being a lot closer to Nick's age than Teddy's, the way Nick looked at his retirement and his place in the world was especially disheartening for me, so the way the two of them came together and compromised to find happiness in the end was perfect.

When Sargeant Major Nicholas Nowicki is sent to a local community center to fill-in as Santa he's about as happy as you might expect someone who is being forced to retire from his job early and into a Santa costume would be. Teddy MacNally, the community center director is full of enough Christmas cheer for the both of them in Better Not Pout.

When a snowstorm forces them into close proximity, Nick's walls start to crumble as he finds it hard to resist the relentlessly optimistic younger man. But he's moving to Florida, and he's too old, too set in his ways to be anyone Teddy would want to settle for.

But the ever-cheerful Teddy has hidden depths and he is head over heels for his grumpy Santa. He just has to convince him that in spite of the age difference, in spite of their personality differences, they are meant to be. I really enjoyed this holiday read, which I found to be the perfect amount of sweet and angsty.

**Better Not Pout will publish on November 12, 2018. I received an advance reader copy courtesy of Netgalley/Carina Press in exchange for my honest review.