The Book Daddy

~K.M. Avery

If you are looking to slip into something a little on the spicy side of life this holiday season – something that pairs well with twinkling Christmas lights, hot cocoa with marshmallows, and definitely a fan on full blast nearby – then The Book Daddy by K.M. Avery should be on your end-of-year reading list when it releases on New Years Eve. While this stocking stuffer definitely comes with some trigger warnings, I wasn’t put off by any of them personally. You have trauma, infidelity, poly relationships, BDSM, and age-gap just to name a few, so if any of those are an issue, definitely take heed before reading. And as always, your mental health takes priority over any book.

Ivy, our FMC, has been invited home for the Christmas holidays by her boyfriend Scott. Wanting to find the perfect gift for his step-dad, she heads to the bookstore with a list of books after finding out his interests from Scott. One accidental collision and painfully awkward encounter later with a gorgeous, emerald-green eyed man later and Ivy has missed Scott’s work Christmas party. Flustered and missing her phone, she knows Scott isn’t going to be happy. Scott reacts about as warmly as a snow storm – cold, dismissive, and only available when it is to his benefit. When he does finally respond, he is degrading and demoralizing to the point she knows the relationship is over – she just doesn’t want to ruin the holidays.

As the couple pull into the drive of Scott’s childhood home, Ivy is swept into a world of cozy holiday charm – garlands, glittering lights, the works. But when the door opens and Scott greets his step-dad, Ivy is gob smacked. When, what to her wondering eyes should appear…but that emerald-eyed stranger from the bookstore is here. As Scott disappears into the house without an introduction or even invite in, Hunter invites Ivy in. His warmth and tenderness are immediate, guiding her to her room setting the tone for everything that follows.

Seeing how Scott treats Ivy, Hunt shows Ivy that he really sees her. And even though she is currently Scott’s girlfriend and the situation is complicated, he makes it clear he intends to win her over. Scott continues his vanishing act – running off to see old friends, hanging out at the local bar – giving Hunt the quiet, snowy moments to show Ivy the true magic of Maple Brook Falls. She is pulled in by his community involvement, his quiet generosity, and overall presence in the town. It isn’t just a charming little place, it’s haven of warmth and acceptance. The more Ivy experiences, the more she wonders if she finally found the part of her she didn’t realize was missing.

But Hunt has hidden truths of his own – proclivities that need to be revealed before Ivy falls any harder. Will Ivy be open to what he needs? Will her longing for peace, warmth and inclusion be enough to keep her in Maple Brook Falls…and with Hunt?

This is where things are tough for me with this book – I never like contradictory or negativity in my reviews, but sometimes the things we find the hardest to do are necessary. So, here goes…

The Book Daddy had the amazing potential to be an absolute knockout. It truly did. The premise of the story is fantastic, the character dynamics crackle with holiday style, and this easily could’ve launched an incredible series introducing a lifestyle we don’t often see handled with class.

But there were pieces of this sleigh that just didn’t land with bells-a-ringin’ for me.

An enigma at it’s best, but the pacing felt rushed and slow at the same time – I know, it doesn’t sound like it makes sense but it just does. Being thrown straight into the action (which I love) is probably the best way to start this story, but once Scott enters the picture, the transitions lose their natural flow. Scenes themselves were great – some even wrapped up perfectly – but the shift between them sometimes felt abrupt, like losing your footing on an icy sidewalk.

Hunt’s character development is the absolute strongest element of the book. Avery did a fantastic job at building his layers and creating the epitome’ of “The Book Daddy” every bookworm would trip over themselves for. Ivy’s character started out feeling somewhat flat but as the story grew, so did she. Readers are able to connect with her raw emotions and vulnerabilities, almost feeling as if they were her in the story (or maybe it was just me). However, supporting cast needed more development. With the large cast of characters, I occasionally found myself wondering who was who and why they were integral at that moment of the story – always sorting it out, just not as smoothly as I would have liked.

Despite the hiccups, I was truly and deeply invested in the story with the need to know what was going to happen next. I do feel if the book had been split into two stories, with more depth and development in the right areas, it would have delivered two extraordinary books instead of one that felt like Santa forgot to bring the main gift.

Overall, I am still giving The Book Daddy a 4-star because the want to keep turning the pages was present. I was hooked, curious, and even eager to find out what came next.

Thank you to K.M. Avery for the opportunity to Alpha/Beta/ARC for The Book Daddy. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition. I have not been offered any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review.

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