Could an unexpected gift change your life?They call me the Grinch, and they’re right; I hate Christmas.So why am I volunteering to help with the charity toy drive? I’ll tell you why, Marlee ‘Oh so sexy’ AdamsAs soon as we crashed into each other, I was done for.Her ass. Her eyes. Legs that go on and on.Did I mention her ass?She’s the perfect present for this Christmas Grinch…I can’t wait to … for this Christmas Grinch…I can’t wait to unwrap her.
Little did I know, Marlee was an unexpected gift I didn’t know I needed.
this was previously released as December, book 12 in the Calendar Men series. It has been extended from its original release with a new title. The cover is pretty much the same but a little different
The Unexpected series reading order
The Unexpected Gift
The Unexpected Letter
The Unexpected Package
The Unexpected Connections
When it comes to love, expect the unexpected
more
An amazingly sweet story. This story has Christmas, romance, forgiveness, and a whole lot of sexy times! I highly suggest checking this read out!
If you are looking for an easy, funny rom com then DL Gallie is the author for you.
There are plenty of LOL moments, moments that will make you swoon and twists that you won’t see coming.
Gage and Marlee’s connection is fire!
You don’t want to miss out on this great holiday read.
This story was first published as December in the Calendar Men series and I was lucky to read it then. I loved reading it again. I love Gage and Marlee’s story as well as the extended epilogue which the author has added for this new edition. The Unexpected Gift is the first book in the new series ‘The Unexpected’.
This beautiful christmas story is filled with love, sadness, heartache and passion. There are quite a few emotions in this story and yes I will admit to a few tears in my eyes but also chuckles as well.
I can’t wait to read The Unexpected Letter.
I received an advance copy of this book. I am voluntarily giving my honest review, and I plan to buy this book when it becomes available.
Such a great Christmas story filled with plenty of heartache and memories for Gage and Marlee. Gage has always struggled at christmas time with the passing of his mother since he was 10 years old, and his father seemed to drink his way through his life and emotionally abandoned his son. Marlee comes literally crashing into Gage’s life with a passion and drive that throws Gage in a spin. The sexual chemistry is off the charts. Gage find himself volunteering to help with the Christmas charity toy program at work. Such an wonderful read.
I always enjoy a holiday novella to get me in the spirit. And The Unexpected Gift was a short and steamy read. The opening was intense and had me pulling for Gage.
I liked that from the first time Gage and Marlee crashed into one another, they couldn’t get the other out of their heads. They fell hard and fast. But Gage had a lot of healing he had to do. I liked seeing him shed his pain and smile again. Breathe again. Live again. Love again.
While I found The Unexpected Gift to be a bit repetitive in parts, I still poured thought it in one sitting.
This emotional, Christmas story will make you hot and bothered!!! The way the author weaves the past and present together is wonderfully done!!! These characters are very real and they come to life right in front of you.
Gage and Marlee definitely have an unexpected meeting!! Gage had major issues with trusting and marlee is the one that just might break through. The chemistry between these two is off the charts HOT!! Such a well written book that lets you escape life for a while!!
Gage and Marlee’s story is the perfect way to start the holiday season. For good reasons Gage detests Christmas, but once he runs into Marlee, he can’t be quick enough to volunteer his Grinch self to help with the toy drive she is spearheading at his workplace. They have instant and great chemistry, as do all of Ms. Gallie’s couples, but the magic of Christmas makes them special.
While Gage and Marlee are quick to fall, their road to HEA is not without its pitfalls and heartaches. I totally love the feel of this book. We all know Christmas is a special time of year and with Marlee’s help, Gage’s inner Grinch just might have his heart grow.
As with all of Ms. Gallie’s books, the emotions are real and pull the reader in. The characters are people you’d love to be friends with and the sexy times are smoking hot. This holiday story is full of humor and heart and I definitely recommend it be added to your holiday reads.
This book is very sexy and full of lust between Gage and Marlee. They make a beautiful couple, not only because of how good looking they both are, but also because of how much wonderful chemistry they have for each other.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m sure I’ll keep reading more.
Contemporary Romance, novella
First Person, male-POV
This is book #1 of the Unexpected Series.
WHAT HAS REALLY WORKED FOR ME
Cover: art 4/5, title 5/5, color-font 5/5, buy 4/5 I’m obsessed with book covers. I love to find snippets of the stories within the art. This cover is good, but not great. The guy is hot and I’m easy, so I would probably buy this, but in my opinion, this is too generic and could be the art for several other books. I like the title, the color and font chosen. It really looked perfect for a Christmas book. Maybe I would buy this book by its cover without needing to read the blurb!!!
Plot: believable 4/5, conflict 4/5, dialogue 4/5, ending 5/5, enjoyment 3/5, opening 4/5, pace 2.5/5, setting 4/5, subplots 4/5, twists 2/5 Good opening for a cute ending. Well written dialogues, excellent setting and interesting subplots. The conflict was satisfactory, but I missed a couple twists. Good level of enjoyment!
Romance: believable 5/5, chemistry 5/5, description 5/5, development 1/5, steam 4/5 The couple had chemistry from the beginning and their attraction to each other made this story believable. The smut was really good with lots of spice and a couple of fanning-yourself-scenes. The pace could have been better, because both of them fell in love too easy.
Writing Style: 3/5 Good plot, believable romance and hot smut. Good writing!!!
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
Addictiveness: 3/5 This was an ok read for me, but nothing really grabbed me. I guess the pace was a bit off for me. Things happened to fast that it was hard to believe. As addictive as hot dogs!!!
Character: hero 3/5, heroine 3/5, secondary characters 3/5, growth 3/5, real 3/5 I had a hard time connecting with them. They annoyed me a little. They had layers, but something was missing for me.
Gage hated Christmas because he had a bad experience in the past on Christmas season. But the moment he met Marlee at the elevator, he said he would help her with her Christmas toy drive. He felt in lust instantly and in love just a little bit later. I didn’t like him much, he was immature and a not very good at relationships.
Marlee was a bit of mystery for me. Sometimes I liked her, other times I just didn’t understand her actions. She was also a bit immature and her decision of interfering in Gage’s life didn’t feel right for me. She also felt in love too fast and after she started her relationship with Gage she listen to gossip never giving him a chance of explaining himself.
There are not many important secondary characters here, but both girls from Gage office seemed nice Marlee’s parents were also good people.
Villains… antagonist… there wasn’t really a villain, but there was a couple of antagonist. The problem was solved fast.
The characters were easy to understand, but I had a hard time connecting and loving them.
Freshness: 3.5/5 It is hard to make a contemporary romance feels unique. There are too many out there and all tropes have been vastly explored. Here the formula is what we have seen many times before, but the author wrote a good plot, which doesn’t really matter it it doesn’t have the most original concept out there.
MY THOUGHTS
This book was a fast read but it lacked more substance. At the end it was all a bit shallow.
The heat was on, the scenes were good and interesting.
I think next book will have different characters, not sure if will be someone we have seen in this book.
24/35 STARS – 3 STARS (between 21 stars and 24 stars)
Addictiveness: 3 Character: 3 Cover: 4 Freshness: 3.5 Plot: 3.5 Romance: 4 Writing Style: 3
Action 0/5 Angst 3/5 Darkness 0/5 Humor 2/5 Romance 5/5 Suspense/Mystery 0/5
Would I recommend? If you like sweet, fast romance!
Would I re-read this book/series? No, but I will continue the series.
Would I read more from the author? I will finish the series.
You MAY read this because you follow the author; you SHOULD read this because you like sweet romance; you MUST read this because the plot is interesting!!!
The Unexpected Gift is told in two times frames; when Gage Grainger was ten and in the present time or there about. The past certainly dictated a lot for Gage and caused immense hardship and heartache, especially around Christmas time.
Marlee Adams enters into Gage’s life where he is instantly taken by her beauty, both inside and out. She, likewise, feels the attraction as well. Gage is at heart a very caring person who is afraid to really love again. He is a confident character who has a slight touch of arrogance about him as well. Marlee is such a giving and caring character, I really liked the way she stood up for herself though and didn’t take any rubbish from Gage.
There are quite a few emotions in this story and yes I will admit to a few tears in my eyes but also chuckles as well. This is a light romance but it does have a deeper understory that has an important meaning.
When tragedy changes you and your nickname around the office and you become the Christmas Grinch, In walks someone that may change the way Gage looks at Christmas. Will Marlee be able to change Gage’s mind on Christmas?This is a quick steamy read that will make you a little sad but will leave you with a smile.
The Unexpected Gift is a steamy read that will have you wishing for Christmas to come even sooner this year. Gage and Marlee have an instant connection, but when you have spent so many years being known as the Grinch and turning your nose up at love can Gage put past hurt and tragedy to the side to see love is worth the risk. A book filled with love, passion, misunderstandings and finally closure.