When Connor Finch insists his one-time Tinder match, Shae, comes to his dad’s house for Thanksgiving with her two daughters, it’s because he refuses to let them be alone on her first-holiday post-divorce.
But when she arrives at the Christmas tree farm and ranch he grew up on, she meets his father—the crazy tall, built, golden retriever cowboy who tells her girls all about the magic of the stupid elf on a shelf.
Of course, when she later corners him and tells him thanks a lot for nothing and that she’s way too overwhelmed to have to deal with yet another responsibility, he feels terrible.
So terrible, he finds himself driving two hours every night just to deliver an elf, move him about, and create some Christmas magic for her girls.
But what happens when he decides meeting her the way he did was some kind of Christmas miracle, and he needs to convince Shae to give him a shot?
My Review
Nick is a father, and he has a great camaraderie with his son, who is a very new adult. He is responsible and still owns and runs a Christmas tree farm. Yay, I know it’s a bit cliché, but I do love that the language in the book isn’t censored. He is a cowboy through and through, and I’m here for it.
Shae is a single mother, newly divorced, and midlife-aged. She just recently removed herself from her high school sweetheart marriage she ended up having dinner with Connor, Nick’s son. She doesn’t find quite what she was looking for, but finds a friend.
The story’s family vibes are great with her invitation to Thanksgiving at the Ranch.
We do time jump a little with the next chapter. I admire Nick in this story; he has grit and honor, raising his son as a teen and now being a midlife father to a new adult son. His first meeting with Shae and her girls is a wonderful heart heart-warming experience. The banter and thought are positively entertaining.
Nick digs a hole with the elf on the shelf topic, and omg this is fantastic. But the premise it leads to, with some kindness, forced proximity, and frustration, is amazing and light-hearted to read about. Shae is overwhelmed, exhausted, and still trying to be the best mom for her girls. So, of course, Nick comes to the rescue and takes on a sweet holiday task that might just soften Shae to his interest as well.
I love that this book is a mix of big city and small town, all set on the East Coast.
I adore the slow burn romance with him showing her who he is vs telling her. Her kids loving him is a complication, but her walls are starting to come down, and I relay hope she gets her Christmas romance wish.
The book is so slow-burning, but the connection to the character is amazing. I love that Shae is relatable with her feeling guilty for being a single mom who can’t do it all, not ready for more yet, and, of course, having chronic migraines. Nick is a dream come true book boyfriend if you’re wanting someone midlife and a total cinnamon roll cowboy. Her kids are sassy and lovable, and the horses are so sweet.
Holy hell, this gets spicy and blows up toward the end, but it leads to the most desirable conclusion. I love the past being handled and the future being accepted. I can’t wait to see how this ends for Shae and the girls.
It really resonates with me when the characters have real-life issues. I love to see a chronic illness in books. This book was adorable, heart-warming, and not at all what I expected from the title.
I adore how this book ended. This is definitely not one to judge by its cover. The holiday vibes and the most amazing family love story I’ve read in a long time. This one pulls the heartstrings.
If you would like to read Big Nick Energy by Morgan Elizabeth you can find this book on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn on qualifying purchases.
If you love this book you may also enjoy books with these tags and categories: He Falls First, Chronic Illness, and Holiday Romance.
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