Winning the Christmas Prince's Heart is a cute, spicy novella following Nick Clause Jr and his romance with the head elf, Alva.
I am not usually a fan of instalove but in this novella it worked, making me invested in their romance, enjoying their fast-paced, spicy romance. It was great for a quick, fun Christmasy read - I recommend if you're looking for a quick romantasy-esque Christmas romance with lots of spice that you can quickly get through!

3.5

Quick spicy read. Nick is the son of Santa Claus and must choose a bride in 2 weeks' time. Alva is head elf and in charge of the festivities required of Nick to help choose his bride. What neither saw coming was that they would be drawn to each other. On top of it all, the Ice Queen is threatening the North Pole!
These two fall more and more for each other while simultaneously saving the kingdom.
It was cute, I enjoyed it. Nothing overly special and very fast-paced. The spice is high though, so it was a nice palate cleanser.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoy Christmas romance movies with an abundance of spice, you'll like Winning the Christmas Prince's Heart. It was a struggle for me to get through, however. I felt that the spice was cringey and overdone, and I disliked the characters. One thing I enjoyed though was the setting! It's a take on the North Pole that you don't often get to see in books and movies. Overall, I was very meh about this story.

This was everything I wanted in a Christmas novella!
Equal parts festive, smutty and plot.
This was like the bachelor if the contestant was being forced against their will and chose to go on an epic quest to prove how much they didn't want to be married only to find their perfect match hiding in plain sight.
Being a novella obviously the relationship moves quite quickly but is still bolstered by some great tropes which always hit the spot.
The addition of some well known mythological figures such as Jack Frost and Odin helped add a layer of familiarity to the story which was quite cute.
If you're looking for a quick read this festive season you won't be disappointed picking this up.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Super short spicy Christmas Novella.
The author definitely came up with her own version of what the north pole is and part of me wishes that this book was longer in order to really flush out all the background information.
Because Miss Claus being racist was not on my bingo card this year!!! So I need to know more.
But hopefully this will be a series so the background in world building gets expanded

This was fun! I like that the author fully committed to the world that was built- every exclamation, aside, allusion, was linked to this Fae inspired North Pole. This was a very clear vision and the reader was fully immersed in that. I think the relationship felt fast and characters a bit underdeveloped, but this is a novella after all, and the author was already doing a lot with the world building! An enjoyable read overall.

I cannot tell a lie when it comes to book reviews, so I won't sugarcoat it: this book wasn't very good. That said, I had a really, really good time reading it (with my intrepid buddy readers). Look, this is a book that starts with an interrupted FFM threesome (Santa Claus interrupts Nicholas Claus with two Christmas elves) and ends with a BJ on Santa's sleigh (while it's flying!). The world building is 100% ridiculous but also very coherent, which tickled me to no end. And it's less than 150 pages long, so I inhaled it in one evening.

I don't not recommend it as long as you go in fully informed.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

I came for a Christmassy romp and did not get that.

The quality of the smut was not there, or enough, to balance out the so very many questions I had around WHY?! Give me fighting holidays/fae/seasons, whatever, but I need a WHY. What is at stake? The premise was great, but this novella did not get there for me.

A super spicy novella that filled me with joy and a break from holiday responsibilities! It was a flirty and fun storyline. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Nicky (Nicholas Claus Jr) has always been more interest in winning over the lady elves than in learning the family business of running Christmas. But when the North Pole and Christmas is threatened, he teams up with head elf Alva...and sparks start to fly.

Winning the Christmas Prince's Heart is an incredibly fun, seasonal, very spicy quick read. I loved the attention to detail of their lives at the North Pole - references to Norse mythology rather than Christian (after all, they are older than Christianity...and they live in Scandinavia). I also appreciated a book that really centred the importance of Mrs Claus. Too often, Mrs Claus is considered a background helper for Santa, rather than an essential part of the team. It was great to see a book that really considered her work to make a real difference for Christmas. After all, getting all the gifts ready for the whole world is a good job.

The mystery subplot was incredibly fun and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, spicy holiday romance.

A fun, definitely adult novella. Red hot chilly pepper spicy, delicious hot chocolate with whipped cream. If you like those Christmas romance movies, the sort where they meet, don’t like each other, then end up can’t get enough of each other, then this is for you. Thank you to Three Brothers Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

I went into Winning the Christmas Prince's Heart with very specific expectations, and those experiences were met.

Nick, Nicholas Claus Jr, is a bit of a playboy. In order to learn some responsibility and actually inherit the throne of Christmas, his father (Santa, obviously) needs him to grow up. Santa tells Nick he has 2 weeks to find a bride. Not to worry, Miss Alva Brightwinter, head elf, is taking care of all the logistics, he just needs to show up to go on dates with the suitresses. Alva is everything that Nick isn't and he finds that (and her little elvish figure) wildly attractive. When Comet and Blitzen get sick just before Christian, Nick and Alva set out to find a cure. And what better way to get to know someone than being trapped in a shelter during a blizzard....

Olivia Boothe leaned all the way into the worldbuilding in this fun Christmas novella. It's a surface level read where nearly everything is "romance reasons" and for a book this tone, that's completely OK. It's light on plot and character development, but strong on fun.

Review posted on GoodReads. Published 12/10/2024

Wow!!! 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is a heartwarming holiday romance that combines the magic of the Christmas season with a dash of royalty. The novel follows the journey of a down-to-earth woman, often feeling out of place in her glamorous life, who unexpectedly finds herself falling for a charming prince. The plot is a blend of festive cheer, royal intrigue, and personal growth.

The main characters are likable, with the heroine being relatable in her vulnerability and emotional journey. She is neither perfect nor overly idealized, which gives her character depth and makes her easy to root for. The prince, while being the traditional “royal heartthrob,” has enough layers to make him more than just a fairytale figure, as his own struggles and dilemmas bring a sense of realism to the story.

Boothe’s writing is engaging and easy to follow, with descriptions that evoke the cozy, magical feel of Christmas while still maintaining a sense of modernity. The pacing is steady, though it can occasionally feel predictable, as the book hits many familiar beats for romance lovers, especially those who are fans of royal-themed stories. However, this predictability doesn’t detract from its charm; instead, it allows readers to settle into the holiday spirit with ease.

The romance itself is sweet, filled with moments of emotional connection and some lighthearted tension. There’s a nice balance of holiday cheer, personal reflection, and romantic build-up, making it an ideal book to read during the Christmas season.

If you’re looking for an easy, feel-good read that combines royal romance with holiday magic, Winning the Christmas Prince offers a satisfying escape. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy a blend of lighthearted drama, festive settings, and a love story with a happy ending.