This is a heartwarming and romantic tale that will captivate readers who crave a lighthearted, emotional, and reflective holiday romance, perfect for those seeking a sweet and sentimental Christmas story that explores the complexities of love, trust, and redemption.

It was a cute Christmas short story! The protagonists had a great way of dealing with each other even though the beginning was quite unusual!
However definitely a book to read around Christmas!

Book wasn't meant for me. Hopefully someone will enjoy it more. I will look into renting it in the future

This was such a sweet, lovely holiday novella. I adored everything from the meet-cute to the insta love between Dominic and Violet. Violet is the sister of one of the men Dominic has served with - and she mistakes Dominic for her brother at the airport. When she realizes her mistake she leaves him with a package of shortbread and Dominic wishing he knew who she was.

Dominic is career army and at a turning point in his career. He's seen a lot of war - and is clearly suffering. Meeting Violet is truly a balm to his wounds. And they are so freaking cute together. I gladly could have read a full length version of this story.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

Arc was given by The Wild Rose Press & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This review is being published after the release date (November 16th 2021)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Trauma/PTSD (flashbacks, night terrors), brief/vague mentions of fatphobia


“All I wanted was to find the honey-blonde curls of a woman who had ghosted into my life and disappeared.”

This was the perfect read to snuggle up with. Seriously, I loved curling up with this short, wholesome read. I think far too often we see the typical holiday romance stories, but never enough of them that revolve around military members. I’ve only mentioned it a few times, but my own spouse served this the military. So this novella has a soft place in my heart. Truly, this was everything I could have wanted for a holiday read.

Dominic Cage has just returned home from deployment and things seem, feel different, and wants nothing more than to continue filling up the holes in his life with work. Until a beautiful honey-blonde woman rushes into his life at the airport. Now the remnants of this brief encounter have the ghost of this woman filling up his thoughts and Cage is determined to track her down. As fate would have it, they meet a lot sooner than he expected.

With my whole chest, I can’t say how much I loved these characters. Our main character Dominic is suffering from PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder, that develops from exposure to traumatic events (war, abuse, traffic collisions, etc…), and he’s struggling with adjusting to anything that’s related to civilian life. Dominic will constantly talk about him not deserving of love, happiness, or even building a life for his own outside of the military. Truly, Dominic as the main character was a excellent perspective to read this book through. There’s also our mystery lady, Violet. Violet is absolutely precious. She’s one of those characters who sees the good in everyone and no matter their flaws or hardships, loves them anyway. I want to add a little side note that she is plus-sized. It’s never directly stated, but from her own dialogue it’s hinted that she’s plus-sized.

“Change didn’t come easily to me, but she had slipped into my meager existence, nestling in as though there’d always been a place reserved for her in it.”

This book is so beautifully written and has some of the best themes I’ve read in a book all year. This novella is about adjusting to new environments and life after experiencing traumatic events. It’s about finding love in the unlikeliest of places and learning that no matter how broken we may feel, we are deserving of love and happiness. And I just want to say, as someone who lives with PTSD, I thought the trauma and PTSD representation was handled very well, and accurately. It felt so real, from the small parts we get. That alone makes me want to shove this book into everyone’s hands.

The love in this book is very much insta-love. Now, those who know me know I’m not the biggest fan of instant love. I think I’m just too picky on how it’s done, but I really loved the way the romance blossomed in this book. And I want to say, if you’ve never dated or married someone who’s in the military then the insta-love my feel weird or off to you, but I can say as someone who has, this is very accurate for relationships with military members, at least in my experiences. With someone in the military, tomorrow is never guaranteed (there’s always another deployment around the corner or they’re being shipped off to another base and you can’t go with them) and so time is of the absolute importance.

Overall, I truly loved this novella. I wish I had more words to sum up how much I loved it, but I think keeping it simple is the best way to say I adored it. With the holidays right around the corner, this book holds such a soft spot in my heart and is probably my favorite holiday read of 2021. And if I didn’t mention already, this is a short book. You’re bound to fly through this one. So if you’re looking for a holiday short-story, then please add this one to the list. Truly, in my opinion, I feel like we never get many holiday romance stories revolving around military members or veterans and I just think this is a really great book to add to one’s tbr pile this winter season.


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Christmas short stories? Not really my thing but this one I had to read and I absolutely loved it! Dominic and Violet are so cute, their meet cute was sort of weird at first, because the protagonist thought he was someone else but then, their romance grows and I was like 😍 swoon! Highly recommend!

Shortbread Shakedown by Sofia Aves is a quick, easy, and well delivered romance with engaging and likeable characters that simply need to open their eyes to find the happiness that’s right in front of them. A thoroughly enjoyable story that captures the festive spirit and one that inspires readers to want more from this author.

An easy to read short story, Shortbread Shakedown is a lovely romance. The characters have their problems and it will only be with resolute and acceptance that they will find what is in front of them. I liked this story and would read more by this author.

Shortbread Shakedown is a sweet holiday novella told from the POV of a veteran who’s warring with physical and mental scars after years of active service. To cope, acting Brigadier General Cage Dominic has isolated himself from the world. But his defenses – and senses – are bombarded when Violet literally runs into him at the airport on his return from another desert tour. His interest is captured by her curves and the delicious cookies she thrusts into his arms. Though the tag reveals they were meant for someone else.

When Violet turns up on base with another officer, Cage learns while she’s small and delectable, she won’t back down from the challenge of integrating him into the warmth of family, and perhaps even opening to love.

Shortbread Shakedown provides heartwarming introspection into a man who feels he isn’t worthy of love, and a woman who knows he is. Cage – and the reader – are drawn in by Violet’s charms, from smelling like shortbread cookies to embodying true understanding of what a returning veteran is facing. We get a clear picture of the reasons for his hesitancy to reconnect to the world, and definitely cheer her on as Violet slides past his carefully constructed defenses. For those who enjoy reading from a man’s point of view, the novella provides a quick burst of holiday feels.

I received a complimentary copy of this novella from Booksiren and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This author is one that I have not read before. I will say that there were parts where I was completely lost as to what exactly was going on.

The book just seemed to jump around a lot and not cohesive for me.

Acting Brigadier General Dominic Cage returns from deployment ro Afghanistan and is met at the airport by a mysterious blonde bombshell that kisses him and presses some cookies into his hands and then disappears. Crusty Cage returns to his old office and digs in to spend the rest of the holiday leave catching up on work. But soon one of his friends introduces him to a relative who just happens to be VIolet. She proceeds to include him in Christmas plans with her family and has the man head over heels for her but very dubious about the whole famliy thing. It comes around to them making a commitment to each other and him buying in to the whole house and furniture and belongings thing that he has avoided all these years with multiple warzone deployments.

I felt like this could have been a full fledged, fleshed out story. It was too condensed. I loved the premise and the characters but the plot could have been more developed. A happy story that left me wanting more . . .

Shortbread Shakedown by Sofia Aves
(Christmas Cookies)

Arriving back in the USA after an eighteen-month deployment, Dominic Cage finds himself jetlagged and suddenly holding an armful of delightful woman. Before she disappears, he finds himself holding the bag…a bag of shortbread cookies. Who is she? Will he see her again? Why did he give her someone else’s cookies? And why can’t he stop thinking about her?

What I liked:
* Violet: warm, kind, graphic designer, from big family, accepting, generous, knows Cage needs a safe place to land and that it could be with her and her extended family
* Cage: career military, good leader, PTSD issues, recently promoted to Brigadier General, respected, avoids tying himself down, may have found someone to tie himself in Violet
* Seeing some men that I wouldn’t mind seeing again: Captain Sommerville and “Max” come to mind
* Vince: Violet’s grandfather and war veteran
* Violet’s large warm and accepting family
* The quick but respectful relationship that develops between Cage and Violet
* The feel-good holiday vibes in a short novella lengthy fairytale-like romance
* Being reminded of baking cookies at high school, putting them in tins, sending them with a letter to soldiers overseas, and hearing back from three of those men…memories…
* The happily ever after ending

What I didn’t like:
* Knowing that too many soldiers return from war with similar memories, feelings, and PTSD issues to deal with that Cage did.
* Not a dislike BUT did wonder if the characters were part of a series and if some backstory for them would have helped others in knowing the characters more fully.

Did I enjoy this novella? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

I loved everything about this story from beginning to end. Acting Brigadier General Dominic Cage returns from another deployment, not expecting to be met by anyone, especially a beautiful young woman. Violet is at the airport to meet her cousin and runs into Dominic, with a hug and a box of homemade cookies. Dominic has no idea who she is, but she brought a moment of joy and light into his life. Unable to get her out of his mind, this battle-hardened warrior believes it is too late for him to have a “normal” life. He hasn’t counted on Violet and is unable to say no to her, when she asks him to dinner, to meet her family, to take a chance on them. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

A short and easy read, Shortbread Shakedown is a cute and inspiring story about accepting each other's faults and learning how to move on from past trauma. Sofia Aves did an incredible job at showing how difficult the transition from deployment to regular life is. The romantic scenes were great, with sizzling chemistry between both characters. If you are looking for a short, meaningful Christmas story, this is the perfect read for you.

Shortbread shakedown is a short novella by Sofia Aves, the book is set by Brigadier General Dominic Cage returning from deployment days before Christmas and struggling with the trauma of his career and set to avoid christmas on base. On his return he has an unexpected encounter with Violet involving an accidental delivery of christmas cookies to the wrong person. Following their encounter he tries and fails to forget her.

This was an okay novella, but i didn't feel like it had much depth behind the storyline. This appears to be a standalone novella, I feel like I would have enjoyed this more if it was a bonus christmas book as part of a series, with a pre-existing storyline and setting behind it. I also feel like I would have enjoyed it more if there was greater detail into the building of their relationship.

I receieved an advanced copy of shortbread shakedown from netgalley for an early review.

a short and sweet festive read. This was a quick and easy read, I finished it in one sitting. A lovely Christmas romance

A short story that fills the pages well. The worries of coming off deployment overseas to try and find your place and home are covered. A mix up at the airport see Cage falling in love and fighting what he thinks he can’t have and doesn’t deserve. A sensitive portrayal of finding love when you are bruised.

A short, festive read. I found it hard to get to know and relate to the characters as it was so short, but it was an enjoyable read all the same. If the book were longer and the characters more developed, I would definitely give it more stars.

This book confused me. Thankfully it was short. Dominic Cage is returning from overseas and a young woman jumps in his arms. Why? he doesn't know her, the person she was meeting was on the same plane, and her cousin so I know she knows what he looks like. So right at the start it doesn't make sense. Not my favorite. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy and this review is my own.

I tried really hard to read this one but four chapters in and I just wasn't engaging with the plot and the characters so I won't be providing a full review.