What a whirlwind of emotions this book brought me. It was a slow first half but fast in the second. I loved how the three main characters have Christmas themed names as well. I am leaving this review voluntarily in exchange for this book.

❄️𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚
🩵𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
❄️𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲
🩵𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧

✨Thoughts✨
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 fun second chance novella was full of spice. When Nicholas left his hometown a decade ago, he had no idea that Noelle was pregnant with his child. Now that he's returned, he discovers he has a daughter.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 fact that Noelle kept their daughter a secret for so long was hard to believe and unfair to Nick and his family. It made it difficult for me to sympathize with her character. Nick, on the other hand, seemed to take everything in stride. That being said, I did enjoy this quick listen.

𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 by Maxine Mitchell and Scott Rose, the storytelling was great. Maxine Mitchell's performance was exceptional as always. If you're a fan of spicy holiday novellas, this is a fun listen.

𝐀 big thank you to the author and Blue Nose Audio for this ALC.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟑.𝟓⭐️
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞: 𝟑/𝟓🔥

Thank you NetGalley and author Linzvonc for giving me a audiobook copy in exchange of an honest review!
This audiobook was a dual pov narrated by Maxine Mitchell and Scott Rose. I really enjoy their work on this book, definitely the highlight of the entire experience. This was a very quick read, good if you want an easy and short holiday novella for this time of the year, however, I do have some problems with the overall story which I detail (WITH SPOILERS) bellow:

This book was just not good in my opinion, for a variety of reasons. For starters, it felt like there was nothing new added to an already overuse storyline, best friend’s brother, age gap, secret baby, 10 years later he comes back, etc. I don’t have much to said about Noelle character, other than there were a few thing that didn’t fell right for me, like how easily she gave control to the guy and how little apprehensive she was about the MMC’s decision of staying and demanding to meet their daughter, as if it didn’t affect her daughter’s life. Yet, my biggest problem was the guy. This man comes back 10 years later and boss her around in a passive aggressive way, demands to have a baby after they were together for the first time in years, ignoring the fact that the woman wanted to get the pill and then “convinces” her (more like forces her) that they need a bigger family ignoring yet again the fears of the MFC regarding childbirth. Moreover, this all happens in like 4 days, and they are back in love like nothing has happened in the end, with no resolution to the problems, in fact not even touching them at all. There were so many plot holes in the story, and sadly, it felt like an undeveloped story. But, as I said before, if you want a mindless read, then maybe this could work for you.

The book was just too short for the amount of plot that was happening. And the insta love happening between the main characters was unbelievable. The book is around 160 pages long and there was room for three sex scenes, which is fine and dandy but mixed with the secret child plot, it was just too much. And the relationship moved just too fast. It is a very fast read, which is a positiv point.

“Daddy December” is a heartwarming, yet, steamy Christmas romance novella that captures the essence of second chances and holiday magic.

The story follows Noelle, who returns to her small hometown of Winterburg, with her daughter Holly just in time for Christmas. Reuniting with her former love, and Holly’s father, Nicholas, who has returned from England, brings a mix of emotions and challenges as they navigate their past and present.

I loved the characters and their relationship dynamics. Noelle and Nicholas's chemistry is unmistakable, and their journey of forgiveness and reconnection is beautifully portrayed. The plot is engaging and fast-paced, which works well for the novella's length. The setting of Winterburg adds a cozy, festive backdrop that enhances the story's charm.

However, I found the title "Daddy December" to be quite off-putting. While I understand the intended play on words, I believe a more tame/traditional title would have been more appealing to potential readers.

Overall, "Daddy December" is a delightful read that perfectly captures the warmth and romance of the holiday season, despite the title not quite hitting the mark for me. If you're looking for a festive romance with a touch of drama and a lot of heart, this novella is worth picking up.

Daddy December is a sweet, spicy and festive holiday novella. It was short, easily bingeable in one sitting and just very delightful. I enjoyed the story, although filled with a lot of misunderstandings, they get resolved quickly, even if I don't agree with a big choice Noelle made I still ended up enjoying the progression of the story and the direction it took. I thought the story was really cute and adorable.

Noelle & Nick have some amazing chemistry. It is truly palpable and you can sense it. I loved the meddling family and how everyone just came together as a whole. I thought it was very wholesome.

🎧 The narration by Maxine Mitchell & Scott Rose was amazing. Maxine always kills it for me, I love her narrations and especially when she does children's. She always plays out her characters to perfection and every one she plays has a distinct voice. I enjoyed Scott Rose’s tone, I thought both of them meshed well together. Great audio performance.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @dreamscape & @linzvonc for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Sweet and spicy second chance small town romance. Noelle left town when she discovered she was pregnant and didn’t tell anyone who the father was. She had her reasons at the time. When years later she She returned to town and hoped to never see the man who’s heart she broke, again for her own reasons, but she thought she was doing what was best for him. When they meet again and the truth comes to light, the chemistry is still there and it’s a fun listen of them figuring it all out and finding their happily ever after. Short, sweet quick listen.

Sweet title with great chemistry. It was predictable, but that wasn't a bad thing. An easy read with likable characters.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. I really enjoyed the narration and character development. This was a nice holiday season romance.

This was such a cute winter read. It’s a “right person, wrong time” romance. I really enjoyed the dynamic of the FMC and MMC. I also enjoyed the way their daughter was written. If you’re looking for a cutesy holiday romance, pick this one up.

I liked this audiobook, perfect for a Christmas 🎄 time listen. The spice level was a bit higher than my normal, lots of p-word mentions, which always gives me the ick. This second chance romance was a quick and easy listen. I also love a dual POV, which this book does well.

Yeahhh it was alright definitely better than any other holly jolly christmasy book yeah okay santa claus

⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️

I received this as an audio arc. The storyline was a little bit all over the place.

Also, I would like to mention that I listen to this entire book while I was wrapping Christmas presents.

First off everyone angry that she kept the daughter secret is annoying especially the sister of the dad. Her being angry was the worst part of the book. She is supposed to be grown and is thinking of mean ways to get back at Noelle…like telling her brother to date someone else.

The ex showing up was wild…then poof she disappeared. I wanted more of the fun uncle.

The narration was very good. I thought they did a great job.

🎅🏼Daddy December❄️by Linzvonc
Thank you @netgalley for this ALC, this is my honest review!
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 🌶️
💭My thoughts: If you just can’t enough of the holidays and love some family drama, this one is for you. Daddy December is a holiday novella about a man who returns to his hometown and finds out his ex had his child ten years ago, when he left town and didn’t look back. Some authors can’t make second chance romances feel so deep, but this author did a great job at it. The narrators did an amazing job, their performances carried this book. I recommend this audiobook!

Daddy December is a quick, spicy read that is perfect for Christmas time.

The only downfall of this book is the mother making a choice to keep her baby away from her father. This should never be a choice made for the baby or father.

Daddy December- Linzvonc
Narrated by Maxine Mitchell and Scott Rose

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Narration 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧

This was a short, spicy little holiday novella. I didn’t think I was going to like the FMC very much just because of the premise of the book… she didn’t tell her boyfriend or his family that she was pregnant before he left for England. Turns out she had her reasons, whether the reasons are worth leaving a child fatherless and a father and his family away from his little girl, well, you can make that own decision for yourself.

Beautiful narration by Maxine and Scott. This is the first narration I’ve heard from Scott but it definitely won’t be the last. He did a great job. Maxine was a pro as always!

*Daddy December* delivers all the warm fuzzies of a Hallmark movie but skips the drama of a third-act breakup. It’s happily-ever-after vibes from the first chapter, overflowing with syrupy sweetness. The story dives right into its conflict early on, and after that, it’s all smooth sailing—less Hallmark movie and more like those sentimental holiday commercials for cars or jewelry that tug at your heartstrings every winter.

Did I enjoy it? Yeah, I have to admit, it was a cozy, feel-good read. Would I recommend it? Maybe, if you’re in the mood for something light and sugary. Am I clamoring for more? Not really. I usually crave a little more depth—some tension or a hurdle to overcome. This one leaned so heavily into the cuteness it almost felt like a sugar rush, and honestly, it left me missing a bit of grit.

Ten years ago, Noelle made the tough decision to prioritize Nick's future over their shared past, despite being pregnant with his child. Now, as she prepares for her daughter's birthday, she’s shocked to learn Nick is back in town for Christmas. This time, there’s no avoiding their unresolved history.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an ALC of this steamy Christmas novella! I loved the chemistry between Noelle and Nick, both in their backstory and their present interactions. The balance of sweet and spicy moments hit just right—heartwarming without being overdone. Maxine delivered an incredible performance as always; her voice work effortlessly draws you in, even when it stirs memories of her iconic Triple Falls narration.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
🌶️🌶️½ (2.5/5 spice)

I enjoyed this! I did find myself thinking it was a little unrealistic that everyone would be so forgiving and back in love so quickly. I assumed this was just due to the fact it was a novella and then ultimately I decided I didn't care. I was all in on a happy ending for Nick and Noelle and I'm glad we got it. I love when we get to see the main couple happy together. I thought the narrators did a great job! Would definitely recommend listening to this one!

🎄 christmas romance
🎁 second chance romance
🎅 best friend’s brother
❄️ secret baby

After 10 years Noelle moves back to the town she grew up in, Winterburg. She meets up with her old friend, but then she sees Nicholas. Noelle used to be together with Nick, until he left the country to study at Oxford. Noelle didn’t want to hold Nick back but she didn’t want to stay in the town of Winterburg alone, so she also left town.

Nick finds out that Noelle has a daughter, Holly, who is also 10 years old. He quickly adds it all together; he is Holly’s father. Nick goes to Noelle’s house dressed up as Santa to see his daughter and give her the cupcakes for her birthday. He decided then and there that he wanted to be a father to his daughter, Holly.
But can Noelle and Nick make it work after everything that happened? And can they forgive each other and be a family together?

This is a short and sweet novella with a Christmas theme. I would definitely recommend reading this during Christmas time. All of the names in this book are Christmas themed, which I thought was very funny and cute.
I liked the writing style and the pace. It’s written in dual POV so you get both sides of the story. There was always something happening, which made me fly through this book.
There wasn’t a lot of spice in this book, but the spice that was there was really great.
I listened to this book as an audiobook. The narration is really great and very easy to follow.