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Merry Inkmas
Enjoy another Dirty British Romance by Talia Hibbert, author of Bad for the Boss. Christmas just got sexy…
"There's a beast inside of me. I keep it caged. You drive it wild.”
Cash Evans has come a long way since his troubled childhood, but all the wealth he's earned as a tattoo artist can't fix the hole in his heart. He knows that the sweet barista who haunts his dreams is off-limits... But life doesn't always go to plan.
”There isn’t a man on earth who could ruin me.”
Bailey Cooper is determined to learn from her mother's mistakes. She's seen how cruel love can be, and she's not about to sacrifice her self-respect for a relationship. But when a bad boy with a heart of gold comes to her rescue, she finds herself wondering if this beast might just be her Prince Charming.
Will these two lost souls find a happy ending under the tree this Christmas?
Or is their love doomed to wither with the mistletoe?
Merry Inkmas is a steamy Christmas romance starring a brooding, bad boy hero and a Black, BBW heroine. Be warned: this love is hot enough to melt any winter frost!
"There's a beast inside of me. I keep it caged. You drive it wild.”
Cash Evans has come a long way since his troubled childhood, but all the wealth he's earned as a tattoo artist can't fix the hole in his heart. He knows that the sweet barista who haunts his dreams is off-limits... But life doesn't always go to plan.
”There isn’t a man on earth who could ruin me.”
Bailey Cooper is determined to learn from her mother's mistakes. She's seen how cruel love can be, and she's not about to sacrifice her self-respect for a relationship. But when a bad boy with a heart of gold comes to her rescue, she finds herself wondering if this beast might just be her Prince Charming.
Will these two lost souls find a happy ending under the tree this Christmas?
Or is their love doomed to wither with the mistletoe?
Merry Inkmas is a steamy Christmas romance starring a brooding, bad boy hero and a Black, BBW heroine. Be warned: this love is hot enough to melt any winter frost!
190 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2017
About the author
Talia Hibbert
33 books32.8k followersTalia Hibbert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in a bedroom full of books. Supposedly, there is a world beyond that room, but she has yet to drum up enough interest to investigate.
She writes sexy, diverse romance because she believes that people of marginalised identities need honest and positive representation. Her interests include beauty, junk food, and unnecessary sarcasm. She also rambles intermittently about the romance genre online.
Talia self-publishes via Nixon House and is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan at Handspun Literary.
She writes sexy, diverse romance because she believes that people of marginalised identities need honest and positive representation. Her interests include beauty, junk food, and unnecessary sarcasm. She also rambles intermittently about the romance genre online.
Talia self-publishes via Nixon House and is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan at Handspun Literary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,179 reviews
December 15, 2019
“…Princesses like no-strings sex just as much as the next girl.”
Oh, friends, please pick this one up for the holiday season! It was so heartwarming, so atmospheric, and brought me so much joy to read! I loved both protagonists, I loved the wintery setting, I loved the Christmas tattoo shop, and I completely recommend this one with my entire heart. And now I need to go and read everything by Talia Hibbert.
This is an ownvoices novel, starting a Black woman that is working as a barista in a coffee shop part-time while she goes to college. And she has a regular customer who makes her pretty weak in the knees with his flirting, even though nothing ever comes from it. That is, until one night, before closing, and Bailey’s friend John comes in, who is homeless and cold. She is trying to warm him up, when her boss comes out of the back and acts like a complete jerk, until the mystery man witnesses it all and takes action.
“Boring guys finish last,” she corrected, pushing the completed forms back to him. “Nice guys finish anywhere they want. Especially when they look like you.”
Cash is a white tattoo artist, who knows how needed a helping hand can be. He not only takes John under his wing, but also offers Bailey a new job at his tattoo shop. Even though they are completely drawn to each other. Bailey and Cash both haven't had easy lives growing up, and they have such a realistic bond and attraction to each other, and it makes it completely impossible not to root for them. Especially when Cash invites Bailey to his mom’s for Christmas, since she would be all by herself. But Cash has a policy; he only will date a woman for ninety days before he calls it quits, because he refuses to truly ever let anyone in.
“Funny; he’d been a hell of a lot more charming when she was just serving him coffee.”
But the romance in this is seriously perfect. This book is only a tiny bit over two-hundred pages, but I think I was smiling, or crying, or smiling and crying on every single one. This book is funny, this book is swoon-worthy, and this book has so many important themes; from Cash and Bailey starting an interracial relationship, to Bailey also being plus sized, to it also staring a homeless, queer character, to showing that the terrible things that happen to us in the past do not have to dictate what we become in the future, to really celebrating abuse survivors (from physical abuse to neglect), this book is a damn gift to the world. I also think this story has a main character on the autism spectrum, but it doesn’t say the word(s) on page.
Overall, this was just a treat to read. And this epilogue? 11/10. This story was just so sex positive and steamy, so funny and so endearing, so enthralling and so un-put-downable. And Bailey is the female protagonist I’ve always wanted, she’s strong, and brave, and so empathetic! Ah, this book just had it all; I only wish it was longer! This is the best holiday romance I’ve ever read, and I hope you all pick this up this holiday season.
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Content and trigger warnings for talk of cancer, talk of past domestic violence, talk of past child abuse, and talk of past statutory rape.
This was the December pick for the Dragons and Tea Book Club! 🐉☕
December 29, 2023
actually a hallmark movie
November 24, 2023
I don’t think novellas are for me
December 15, 2019
4 stars
Merry Inkmas is the second book I've read by Talia Hibbert, and I'm a fan. I love the tortured bad boy and good girl troupe, and this one was too cute and oh so steamy.
Bailey works at a coffee shop and has the same heavily tattooed customer most days. Cash goes in daily to get his fix of Bailey, he could care less about the coffee. When he witnesses her getting fired for doing the right thing, he hires her to be the receptionist at his tattoo parlor.
Cash is sweet, has the biggest heart, but is a bit on the broody side. I adored him. I loved seeing him interact with his family, but I especially loved him with Bailey. She brought out the best side of him. I also loved getting both of their backstories. I only wish this was longer.
This story was heartwarming, sexy, and put me right in the Christmas spirit. I loved reading it, and the epilogue especially was something special. For being a novella, it was fleshed out and touched on a lot of important issues. I adored this one and highly recommend it if you're looking for a holiday romance!
Merry Inkmas is the second book I've read by Talia Hibbert, and I'm a fan. I love the tortured bad boy and good girl troupe, and this one was too cute and oh so steamy.
Bailey works at a coffee shop and has the same heavily tattooed customer most days. Cash goes in daily to get his fix of Bailey, he could care less about the coffee. When he witnesses her getting fired for doing the right thing, he hires her to be the receptionist at his tattoo parlor.
Cash is sweet, has the biggest heart, but is a bit on the broody side. I adored him. I loved seeing him interact with his family, but I especially loved him with Bailey. She brought out the best side of him. I also loved getting both of their backstories. I only wish this was longer.
This story was heartwarming, sexy, and put me right in the Christmas spirit. I loved reading it, and the epilogue especially was something special. For being a novella, it was fleshed out and touched on a lot of important issues. I adored this one and highly recommend it if you're looking for a holiday romance!
December 10, 2021
3 Holding Out for a Christmas Miracle Stars ⭐
A Christmas story bringing hope and second chances for three individuals in desperate need of happiness. And before you get excited it’s not a ménage romance. A down on her luck barista and a tattooist that step in and offer much need kindness and help to a homeless man. It makes sense that their good deed is rewarded.
Everything about her felt perfect. Not flawless; just exactly as God or whoever the fuck had intended. Perfect. For him.
Well Cash Evans has been crushing on the awkward barista Bailey Cooper for weeks with no intention of taking it any further than harmless flirting. Except when these two stand united to help a stranger, it finds Bailey employed by Cash.
What we got after were two individuals embroiled by their insecurities and rough childhoods that it made any chance of a romance feel impossible. And even if I could ignore that, I kept thinking that Cash and Bailey were ill-suited the entire time. The push and pull overshadowed any chemistry I desperately wanted.
“When it comes to relationships, everything’s fake. We all convince ourselves that lust has to mean happily ever after, or it doesn’t count. And when you base one thing on a lie, everything that follows is false.”
I guess the author was aiming for a grumpy/sunshine trope but frankly I would have preferred the story of John our homeless darling instead. I had too many thoughts and mixed feelings reading Merry Inkmas. You know when you really want to love a book and it starts off very promising and then you spend the rest of the time wondering how it all went wrong? Yep.
A Christmas story bringing hope and second chances for three individuals in desperate need of happiness. And before you get excited it’s not a ménage romance. A down on her luck barista and a tattooist that step in and offer much need kindness and help to a homeless man. It makes sense that their good deed is rewarded.
Everything about her felt perfect. Not flawless; just exactly as God or whoever the fuck had intended. Perfect. For him.
Well Cash Evans has been crushing on the awkward barista Bailey Cooper for weeks with no intention of taking it any further than harmless flirting. Except when these two stand united to help a stranger, it finds Bailey employed by Cash.
What we got after were two individuals embroiled by their insecurities and rough childhoods that it made any chance of a romance feel impossible. And even if I could ignore that, I kept thinking that Cash and Bailey were ill-suited the entire time. The push and pull overshadowed any chemistry I desperately wanted.
“When it comes to relationships, everything’s fake. We all convince ourselves that lust has to mean happily ever after, or it doesn’t count. And when you base one thing on a lie, everything that follows is false.”
I guess the author was aiming for a grumpy/sunshine trope but frankly I would have preferred the story of John our homeless darling instead. I had too many thoughts and mixed feelings reading Merry Inkmas. You know when you really want to love a book and it starts off very promising and then you spend the rest of the time wondering how it all went wrong? Yep.
January 30, 2020
*2.5 stars*
I have very mixed feeling about Merry Inkmas.
I'm a big Talia Hibbert fan, and I love how she always reps the bigger girls and POC. She does sexy nerds really well, and I love how her characters are usually confident and sex-positive.
However, I feel some ways about the relationship here.
This romance was EXTREMELY hot and cold. I didn't like how the male MC was such a dick at times. I mean, no excuses there, buddy. He toyed with the female MC, and I hated to see it. It was annoying, and I wasn't into that at all.
I also found the female MC to be inconsistently portrayed. One moment she is bubbly all the time and shy, and the next she is snappy and snark-tactic. Sure, you can be more than one thing as a person, but it felt like there wasn't any transition between the two and the changes felt abrupt.
Some parts were very engaging, but it was a bit too much drama and not enough time put into the ending of the story.
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I have very mixed feeling about Merry Inkmas.
I'm a big Talia Hibbert fan, and I love how she always reps the bigger girls and POC. She does sexy nerds really well, and I love how her characters are usually confident and sex-positive.
However, I feel some ways about the relationship here.
This romance was EXTREMELY hot and cold. I didn't like how the male MC was such a dick at times. I mean, no excuses there, buddy. He toyed with the female MC, and I hated to see it. It was annoying, and I wasn't into that at all.
I also found the female MC to be inconsistently portrayed. One moment she is bubbly all the time and shy, and the next she is snappy and snark-tactic. Sure, you can be more than one thing as a person, but it felt like there wasn't any transition between the two and the changes felt abrupt.
Some parts were very engaging, but it was a bit too much drama and not enough time put into the ending of the story.
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December 9, 2018
Cash Evans and Bailey Cooper both grew up with troubled home lives, and their experiences have taught them coping methods: for Cash, he has a “90 day policy”—90 days, no more, and he walks away without ever looking back. Bailey, on the other hand, walls herself off from love. What happens when she finds herself a new hire at Cash’s tattoo shop and they both begin to feel things that go against all of their beliefs?
At this point, do I even need to introduce this review? I mean… it’s Talia Hibbert. We all already know where this review is heading.
→ L I K E S :
She’d started to think of him as a cup of coffee: black, with a shot of gingerbread syrup curled up at the bottom. Someone just needed to stir him up and make him sweet all the way through.
Bailey is the cutest damn heroine. Talia never stops slaying me with these gorgeous, geeky black girls with their amazing plus-size rep and their intricate personalities and their fantastic senses of humor, and Bailey is no exception—I even texted a friend halfway through to say that I didn’t think any of Talia’s heroines could be more lovable than Ruth Kabbah, but Bailey gives Ruth a run for her money.
He searched for some way to fix the mess he’d just made, to reverse the process he’d just started. To stop himself from falling. Too late. Gravity didn’t work that way. And sometime in the last few minutes, this woman had become the centre of his solar system.
As if Bailey wasn’t enough, Cash? Fantastic. If you like brooding, angsty bad boys with a quiet little gooey heart of gold on the inside, line up, lovelies, because Cash Evans is your man. He’s a little dominant and a little jealous without ever becoming toxic or gross, and much like all of Talia’s heroes I’ve read so far, he knows how to give our heroine space to be amazing without ever overshadowing or “rescuing” her—no damsels here, just mutual respect and consent and sexiness.
“And now I know why they call it falling. You can’t just step into this shit. And you can’t stop it once it’s started.”
As far as the plot and writing go, for this to only be a 211-page novella, Talia manages to fit a fully fleshed-out storyline in; I actually reached the end and realized that it felt like I had just finished an entire novel, because I never felt like the characters were overly simplified or like any loose ends were left unraveling. I do think there was some room left for us to explore other characters from this world later on, maybe? (Crossing my fingers for a spin-off novella about Gem, pleeeeease Talia?)
→ D I S L I K E S :
Nothing. Nada. Sorry. As usual, I’ve walked away from a Talia Hibbert story with literally NO COMPLAINTS. Swooning forever, y’all.
→ F I N A L THOUGHTS :
Overall, Merry Inkmas is an absolute diamond of a Christmas story and I cannot say enough how much I needed it in my life. It’s fun, sweet, has some amazing family themes to it, and definitely helped me get in the holiday spirit—plus, it’s surprisingly slow-burning for a novella, which is always a big positive in my book as I live for the anticipation. I also appreciated the genuine care Talia took when discussing the queer rep and abuse themes, as well as the topic of homelessness.
→ RECOMMENDING TO… :
Everyone and anyone who enjoys steamy, sweet adult contemporary romances, especially if you’re looking for some incredibly well-done diversity in the genre. Not only do we have a fat black heroine, but we also are treated to an adorable gay side character, as well as another lovable side character who I believe had some hints dropped referring to their queerness. (QUEER SPIN-OFFS, PLEEEEAAAAAASE)
January 1, 2023
➥ 3.75 Stars *:･ﾟ✧
From the start, it's direly important to note that this novella lacks sex. Come on Talia, you never let us down like this! However, we persevere. Although I'd probably set this as one of my lesser favourite Hibbert novel, I still think this was an edible romance novella. For me, it's so inexplicably refreshing to know that whenever I pick up a Hibbert novel, I'll giggle and swoon and EAT IT. Regardless of it's contents, this novella was engaging and charming from the start - the opposite of those books you sometimes have to force yourself to finish. Although this novella can't compete with her other glowing novels, Hibbert still delivered the romantic holiday delight that I craved.
If you've read nearly all of Hibbert's books and you want a taste of her usual spunk, I'd still give this one a try. I do think it's better than her other Christmas novella, Wrapped Up in You, but if you're new to Hibbert and are looking to give her a chance, here are my absolute favourites: Wanna Bet?, Act Your Age, Eve Brown, Mating the Huntress.
But with that, I'll leave you some cute lil snippets!
"I'm not some kind of princess," she whispered. "You don't have to treat me like one."
"Yes you are," he whispered back, "and yes I do."
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
From the start, it's direly important to note that this novella lacks sex. Come on Talia, you never let us down like this! However, we persevere. Although I'd probably set this as one of my lesser favourite Hibbert novel, I still think this was an edible romance novella. For me, it's so inexplicably refreshing to know that whenever I pick up a Hibbert novel, I'll giggle and swoon and EAT IT. Regardless of it's contents, this novella was engaging and charming from the start - the opposite of those books you sometimes have to force yourself to finish. Although this novella can't compete with her other glowing novels, Hibbert still delivered the romantic holiday delight that I craved.
➥ Bailey (h), as usual Hibbert's heroine are my absolute favourite. Like Chandler said, Bailey is kind without being a pushover and is overall spunky and, again, delightful. She's logical and funny too!
"There's a beast inside of me. I keep it caged. You drive it wild." (💀)
Confusion pleated her brow, she peered up at him. "So are you, like, a werewolf?"
➥ Cash (H), oof I had a bit of a rough time with this chap. Sometimes he was charming; he had this adorable sweet guy thing going on at the beginning of the novella, but then there's supposed to be this realisation that he's just a grumpy man that's somewhat sweet inside but meh...I didn't quite buy it. I'm just wondering, since we have the freedom to write our male love interests as we wish, why would we write about a man with commitment issues and emotional constipation? Listen, I understand that he's traumatised, but so is she and she's not a rude prick? Still, he had his moments, but he definitely doesn't go on my book bfs list, let alone my "Favourite TH love interests" list.
"Don't cry," he said horrified. "Bailey! Please don't cry." And then she felt his lips tracing their way across her cheeks making constellations of her teardrops. His thick stubble tickled her skin, somehow comforting and devastating all at once. "Bailey," he whispered.
If you've read nearly all of Hibbert's books and you want a taste of her usual spunk, I'd still give this one a try. I do think it's better than her other Christmas novella, Wrapped Up in You, but if you're new to Hibbert and are looking to give her a chance, here are my absolute favourites: Wanna Bet?, Act Your Age, Eve Brown, Mating the Huntress.
But with that, I'll leave you some cute lil snippets!
"There," he whispered. "That's just how you look at me when I dream of us."
"Do you do that often?" She asked, teasing.
He traced a finger across her lips, following the curve of her smile - but his own face was serious. "Yes," he murmured. "I do.".｡❅*⋆⍋*∞*｡*∞*⍋⋆*❅｡.
"Bailey," he murmured, almost to himself. His smile faded, was replaced by something painfully tender. He pulled her forward, inch by inch, until the only thing between them was the covenant of their joined hands. Then he lowered his head, pressed his cheek to hers, whispered in her ear. "You are divine. You're like sunlight through stained glass. This isn't how I thought things would be." He kissed the hollow just behind her earlobe, and she gasped, her head spinning..｡❅*⋆⍋*∞*｡*∞*⍋⋆*❅｡.
"But anyway," she forged on, folding her hands safely behind her back. "What I'm trying to say is...well. I'm...I'm not taking Gem's job am I?"
He stared at her for a moment longer. Then suddenly, he barked out a laugh.
"That's what you think? That I'd throw out my employees for the next pretty girl that comes along?"
Bailey felt her cheeks heat. "No! I mean - wait. Pretty?"
He arched a brow..｡❅*⋆⍋*∞*｡*∞*⍋⋆*❅｡.
"I'm not tired."
"You have dark circles under your eyes," he finally said.
She pursed her lips. "It's impolite to comment on a lady's appearance."
A slight blush flooded his cheeks, and she almost melted. How could someone so infuriatingly gruff be so damned adorable?
But then the blush faded, replaced by a knowing smirk. "What if I told you that you're beautiful?".｡❅*⋆⍋*∞*｡*∞*⍋⋆*❅｡.
"Please," she whimpered, clutching his biceps, digging into the rigid, straining muscles. "I'm so fucking close."
"I did promise you five didn't I?" He panted, grinding into her, still achingly slow despite his words. "And you're so pretty when you come."
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
November 23, 2023
3.75/5 ⭐️ Talia Hibbert is one of my favorite authors. She is the one I turn to when I’m feeling slumpy and she did not disappoint me. I really enjoyed myself while reading this holiday novella!
I just love a bearded and grumpy tattooed man who blushes. He was such a softie on the inside too 🥹❤️
And Bailey was such a sweetheart. They were so adorable! I loved them together.
And I adored the fact that he sketched her face all the time. So cute!
I did wish Cash wasn’t so hot and cold with Bailey. He got on my nerves a bit. He was constantly pushing her away. Other than that, this was really adorable! And that epilogue was the best 🥹❤️
I just love a bearded and grumpy tattooed man who blushes. He was such a softie on the inside too 🥹❤️
And Bailey was such a sweetheart. They were so adorable! I loved them together.
And I adored the fact that he sketched her face all the time. So cute!
I did wish Cash wasn’t so hot and cold with Bailey. He got on my nerves a bit. He was constantly pushing her away. Other than that, this was really adorable! And that epilogue was the best 🥹❤️
December 10, 2018
I enjoyed this quite a bit. I was left wanting more though... more of the characters and their history. The surface was scratched but the layers weren’t fully explored, neither did the writing click with me completely. But it was warm and the family aspect was awesome and I enjoyed how feisty and ambitious our main female character was and the kindness that was overflowing in this book.
I’m intrigued to read more of Talia Hibbert’s work.
I’m intrigued to read more of Talia Hibbert’s work.
Read
April 21, 2018A shamelessly feeltastic Christmas story (which I read in an early summer heatwave because I'm a rebel). Hero and heroine both struggling with seriously messed up backgrounds, both personally prickly, defensive and far too quick to walk away, but both intensely kind to others if not themselves.
Kindness is such a theme of this author's and it's incredibly powerful. The older I get, the lower my tolerance goes for heroes (indeed men) who pile their pain on other people's shoulders without thinking twice. Here we have a screwed up guy doing his best not to hurt anyone. (And who has actual serious mental health issues. Really lovely to see that represented.) Another fab romance from one of the best contemporary authors we've got.
Kindness is such a theme of this author's and it's incredibly powerful. The older I get, the lower my tolerance goes for heroes (indeed men) who pile their pain on other people's shoulders without thinking twice. Here we have a screwed up guy doing his best not to hurt anyone. (And who has actual serious mental health issues. Really lovely to see that represented.) Another fab romance from one of the best contemporary authors we've got.
December 29, 2018
5 STARS!!
Love was a tricky fucker.Really, really loved it!
There was something about seeing a bad boy blush that made her desperate to keep the moment going.Great heroine.
It never occurred to people that a woman might possess more than two dimensions. That she might be awkward, geeky and horny all at once.Fabulous hero.
"I want to love you the way you deserve to be loved."Intelligent writing, lots of British slang, a few good pulls at my heartstrings, big declarations, a nice dose of angst, and Christmas spirit galore.
"You can't stop love."Definitely recommend!!
March 24, 2020
The epilogue was really cute but um I didn’t like this 😂
December 27, 2021
Talia Hibbert writing another 5 star read... is anyone surprised at this point??
December 8, 2022
If you’re in the mood for a holiday novella, this one would be great! Bailey works at a coffee shop and Cash is the hot guy who comes in every day... and it turns out it’s because he wants to see Bailey. Unfortunately she ends up losing her job, but Cash is able to get her a new one at his tattoo shop. Both of them are super awkward and try to avoid each other even though they clearly want each other. It’s a cute read, very quick with some steam – I just didn’t fully love it just because I wanted a little bit more from it. I also couldn’t deal with Cash being so hot and cold all the freaking time. I’m just not a huge fan of heroes who constantly push heroines away, so that did get tiring to read. But if you can get over this and you just want something that’s short and full of Christmas vibes, you should still try this one!
November 16, 2023
4,25 stars.
I love Talia Hibbert's work.
This is one of her earlier books and obviously there are some differences in her writing style to her more recent books, but I enjoyed rereading this a lot.
Aspects that stood out for me:
-Cash falls fast and hard for Bailey (we know that they had seen each other nearly daily for months, though) , and Bailey is attracted to him but it takes her much longer to let herself feel more for Cash,
-I love the diverse cast in Talia Hibbert's books, without it feeling forced. Bailey for example is a woc, we don't get more background on it, and it feels wonderful and normal this way. She's on the rounder side, too. Has thick hips and a big arse, small breasts and just IS like this. No discussion or inner monologues if she likes her body, she simple is the way she is. That's so, so rare in contemporary romance!
-Talia Hibbert doesn't shy away from addressing mental health issues in her characters, and therapy is shown as a necessary tool for these characters.
There is some running hot and cold from Cash's side, but it's believable once we fully know his past and learn that he wants to protect Bailey, not himself.
I loved the secondary characters, espescially Cash's family (his mom! his nephews!).
I love Talia Hibbert's work.
This is one of her earlier books and obviously there are some differences in her writing style to her more recent books, but I enjoyed rereading this a lot.
Aspects that stood out for me:
-Cash falls fast and hard for Bailey (we know that they had seen each other nearly daily for months, though) , and Bailey is attracted to him but it takes her much longer to let herself feel more for Cash,
-I love the diverse cast in Talia Hibbert's books, without it feeling forced. Bailey for example is a woc, we don't get more background on it, and it feels wonderful and normal this way. She's on the rounder side, too. Has thick hips and a big arse, small breasts and just IS like this. No discussion or inner monologues if she likes her body, she simple is the way she is. That's so, so rare in contemporary romance!
-Talia Hibbert doesn't shy away from addressing mental health issues in her characters, and therapy is shown as a necessary tool for these characters.
There is some running hot and cold from Cash's side, but it's believable once we fully know his past and learn that he wants to protect Bailey, not himself.
I loved the secondary characters, espescially Cash's family (his mom! his nephews!).
December 18, 2018
ahhh,, i loved this so much 😭 if you're looking for a festive romance w/ fantastic woc, plus-size, and queer rep, you need to jump on this asap
April 4, 2024
How Talia Hibbert manages to pack such an emotional punch in under 200 pages is beyond me.
Like with any Hibbert book, I wish this were longer, but legitimately because I think we could’ve spent more time unpacking some of the baggage both main characters carry with them.
But per usual, I swooned and went 🥲 and will always recommend anything that Talia Hibbert writes.
CW: explicit sexual content, brief moment of anti-homeless discrimination, discussions surrounding homelessness, references to dead parents, grief, references to/descriptions of past domestic violence + child abuse abuse + stalking, references to/discussions of neglectful parenting
Like with any Hibbert book, I wish this were longer, but legitimately because I think we could’ve spent more time unpacking some of the baggage both main characters carry with them.
But per usual, I swooned and went 🥲 and will always recommend anything that Talia Hibbert writes.
CW: explicit sexual content, brief moment of anti-homeless discrimination, discussions surrounding homelessness, references to dead parents, grief, references to/descriptions of past domestic violence + child abuse abuse + stalking, references to/discussions of neglectful parenting
January 1, 2021
"When someone viewed you as an object, every interaction became transactional—and the sad truth was that to many men, a woman could be nothing but an object."
representation: own voices Black MC, homeless side character.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★★
This was so much fun and hilarious!!! Let's be real, I'm going to love ANYTHING from this author, she's definitely a new favourite!
trigger warnings: homelessness, domestic abuse, loss of a parent, parent with cancer, intrusive thoughts
representation: own voices Black MC, homeless side character.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★★
This was so much fun and hilarious!!! Let's be real, I'm going to love ANYTHING from this author, she's definitely a new favourite!
trigger warnings: homelessness, domestic abuse, loss of a parent, parent with cancer, intrusive thoughts
November 27, 2019
Uh, um, yeah, I didn't really like this.
Content warnings include: intrusive thoughts, sex on-page, homelessness, shitty managers, trauma; mentions and graphic retellings of domestic violence, abuse, stalking and pedophilia.
Merry Inkmas actually started out quite nicely, if a lot higher stakes than I anticipated. Cash and Bailey both seemed fun and like great characters, as did the side characters.
Except then it continued and Cash... turns out he's not such a great guy after all.
Sure, down at his core he's a truly good person, but that doesn't change the fact that he treats poor Bailey like trash. He's hot and cold with her, one minute flirting and laughing and the next he's cold, brushing her off and acting like he just wants her to go away.
It's all tied up and explained with his trauma, which makes sense and is handled delicately, but I still found it extremely uncomfortable to read. He keeps telling himself he can't get close to her, except he still does, just to push her away again in truly hurtful ways, then in the next moment he's kissing her without any preamble or without getting her consent... In a way it almost felt like he was using his trauma as an excuse, because he wouldn't talk it out with her or face what he was feeling but also didn't even really try to stay away from her as he was pretending to.
All this lasted until the very end of the book.
I'm sad because the book started on such a high note for me. Even when Cash turned out to be not as great as his first impression implied, I was interested in the various very interesting side characters (Gem was a gem, Jay and Steve were cool, Tara was great, and later Monroe and George were awesome!) but I found myself slowly losing interest as the book continued.
I also was confused by Bailey's depiction. She's quite fierce in the first chapter, where she stood up for herself and others, but is then continued to be described as innocent and a bit meek by others, and I had no idea where that was supposed to come from??
Overall she was a fun character to read about, though, especially in comparison to Cash.
Content warnings include: intrusive thoughts, sex on-page, homelessness, shitty managers, trauma; mentions and graphic retellings of domestic violence, abuse, stalking and pedophilia.
Merry Inkmas actually started out quite nicely, if a lot higher stakes than I anticipated. Cash and Bailey both seemed fun and like great characters, as did the side characters.
Except then it continued and Cash... turns out he's not such a great guy after all.
Sure, down at his core he's a truly good person, but that doesn't change the fact that he treats poor Bailey like trash. He's hot and cold with her, one minute flirting and laughing and the next he's cold, brushing her off and acting like he just wants her to go away.
It's all tied up and explained with his trauma, which makes sense and is handled delicately, but I still found it extremely uncomfortable to read. He keeps telling himself he can't get close to her, except he still does, just to push her away again in truly hurtful ways, then in the next moment he's kissing her without any preamble or without getting her consent... In a way it almost felt like he was using his trauma as an excuse, because he wouldn't talk it out with her or face what he was feeling but also didn't even really try to stay away from her as he was pretending to.
All this lasted until the very end of the book.
I'm sad because the book started on such a high note for me. Even when Cash turned out to be not as great as his first impression implied, I was interested in the various very interesting side characters (Gem was a gem, Jay and Steve were cool, Tara was great, and later Monroe and George were awesome!) but I found myself slowly losing interest as the book continued.
I also was confused by Bailey's depiction. She's quite fierce in the first chapter, where she stood up for herself and others, but is then continued to be described as innocent and a bit meek by others, and I had no idea where that was supposed to come from??
Overall she was a fun character to read about, though, especially in comparison to Cash.
November 29, 2023
3/5 ⭐️
- This was such a sweet little Christmas novella. It was the first book I’ve read from Talia Hibbert and it definitely won’t be my last! The book had so much included in the story that I almost forgot it was a novella at times!
- Wish that the story hadn’t been so rushed at the end. It felt like it wrapped up a little too quickly and I wish we had gotten to see more of the characters sharing their feelings towards the middle instead of at the very end.
- I love how this story focused so much on family and learning to be vulnerable with the people you love. Both characters were working through so much and it was easy to see their growth during the entire story. I also love the message of how it’s important to help others, especially during the holiday season. It was such a beautiful theme to include!
- This was such a sweet little Christmas novella. It was the first book I’ve read from Talia Hibbert and it definitely won’t be my last! The book had so much included in the story that I almost forgot it was a novella at times!
- Wish that the story hadn’t been so rushed at the end. It felt like it wrapped up a little too quickly and I wish we had gotten to see more of the characters sharing their feelings towards the middle instead of at the very end.
- I love how this story focused so much on family and learning to be vulnerable with the people you love. Both characters were working through so much and it was easy to see their growth during the entire story. I also love the message of how it’s important to help others, especially during the holiday season. It was such a beautiful theme to include!
December 11, 2020
it has been a while since I felt so connected to the heroine of the story as I did with Bailey :) there were just so many little things that made me love her more and more :) Cash was a grumpy fuck but I still fell for him, just like Bailey… do I wish the book was longer? yes :) but I think that the story was well built within that shorter span :) I’m gonna have to read a few more books by her, but I am getting more and more sure that Talia Hibbert is gonna become one of my all time favourite authors :) the way she creates these characters and their stories is just… phenomenal :) highly recommend to pick this one, especially now, around Christmas time :)
XOXO
A
XOXO
A
December 18, 2018
Pretty stinkin cute
This was an adorable diverse romance! I love all the things represented in this book; race, mental illness, homelessness, poverty, sexuality, body mods, the list goes on! While this is a steamy read, it definitely still gives you the warm fuzzies of a Christmas romance! Loved it.
This was an adorable diverse romance! I love all the things represented in this book; race, mental illness, homelessness, poverty, sexuality, body mods, the list goes on! While this is a steamy read, it definitely still gives you the warm fuzzies of a Christmas romance! Loved it.
December 4, 2023
3.5⭐
“There's a beast inside of me. I keep it caged. You drive it wild.”😦😬🤚Think of a cringy Wattpad (Ps I love Wattpad. I am just talking about the cringe ones) Christmas novella. Sometimes you just want that good trash lol. Anyway, I enjoyed it for what it was. The tattoo artist instantly falls for the sweet barista. But then she starts working for him. Then they spend Christmas together. And BOOM…falls in love😏.
“There's a beast inside of me. I keep it caged. You drive it wild.”😦😬🤚Think of a cringy Wattpad (Ps I love Wattpad. I am just talking about the cringe ones) Christmas novella. Sometimes you just want that good trash lol. Anyway, I enjoyed it for what it was. The tattoo artist instantly falls for the sweet barista. But then she starts working for him. Then they spend Christmas together. And BOOM…falls in love😏.
December 9, 2021
a little dose of comfort, just what I needed! (3.82)
December 28, 2022
❝I want to be better and I want to be braver and it's all because of you.❞
Talia Hibbert truly never fails to deliver. I have read quite a lot of different romance books this year, but there's just something special and extra comforting about Talia's ones ❤️🩹❤️🩹
This was a very lovely read! I do wish it was a full-length novel rather than a novella, because I think that would have made the story even better. The romance felt a little too rushed towards the end, but I feel like that could have easily been fixed if the book was just a bit longer. It wasn't a major issue for me, though.
Overall, Merry Inkmas was a pretty fun novella! If you're looking for a cute (and slightly steamy) holiday romance, I would definitely recommend it 🌟💫
❝He knew her face well. He'd drawn her often. Too f*cking often. Attachment was a dangerous thing.❞
December 1, 2018
Can I just say how much I love Bailey? She has her past and it made sure she wants to be her own woman. She wants to handle things on her own without depending on men. She knows she can do it on her own and fights to prove just that. I respect that; I truly do. Men, still, too often think we need them to succeed at life while we don't. I admire her and.. Well.. Definitely a female character I could see myself falling for!
When it comes to Cash.. Skies.. Give me dark, brooding and inked any time of the day. Even though he makes mistakes, he still feels so.. precious to me and I couldn't help but fall a little bit in love with him along the way as well.
The themes? Amazing. This is, like stated above, a steamy romance but there's still so many diversity present, so many serious issues mentioned and challenged. I loved every bit of it. Not only is there a gay side character, there's also a clear presence of feminism, of survivors of domestic violence, of the consequences of it. Oh, and Bailey is a POC - which is the cherry on top, no?
Actually, no. The cherry on top, for me, was the way our two main characters - Bailey and Cash - are so broken at the start of this novel and heal throughout it, by unconsciously helping the other. I absolutely loved seeing that. Add in their chemistry and some steamy events to top things off and.. Well, if you combine everything I just mentioned, this can only be an amazing read, right?
5 / 5 - no doubt about it.
When it comes to Cash.. Skies.. Give me dark, brooding and inked any time of the day. Even though he makes mistakes, he still feels so.. precious to me and I couldn't help but fall a little bit in love with him along the way as well.
The themes? Amazing. This is, like stated above, a steamy romance but there's still so many diversity present, so many serious issues mentioned and challenged. I loved every bit of it. Not only is there a gay side character, there's also a clear presence of feminism, of survivors of domestic violence, of the consequences of it. Oh, and Bailey is a POC - which is the cherry on top, no?
Actually, no. The cherry on top, for me, was the way our two main characters - Bailey and Cash - are so broken at the start of this novel and heal throughout it, by unconsciously helping the other. I absolutely loved seeing that. Add in their chemistry and some steamy events to top things off and.. Well, if you combine everything I just mentioned, this can only be an amazing read, right?
5 / 5 - no doubt about it.
December 13, 2021
Her own mother had handled divorces with more dignity than this.
These two were very messed up. Bailey has a list of men and their characteristics. Men her mother married and divorced or dated. A list of very bad men. Cash only dates women for 90 days. No more. Never twice. Love makes you weak. Love makes you obsessed and will only ever cause trouble. Wow. Literally, I said wow while reading this so many times.
I didn't hate it but it could have been better. There were so many strong emotions and yet I didn’t feel anything for them.
These two were very messed up. Bailey has a list of men and their characteristics. Men her mother married and divorced or dated. A list of very bad men. Cash only dates women for 90 days. No more. Never twice. Love makes you weak. Love makes you obsessed and will only ever cause trouble. Wow. Literally, I said wow while reading this so many times.
I didn't hate it but it could have been better. There were so many strong emotions and yet I didn’t feel anything for them.
December 11, 2018
This was okay, it made me feel Christmassy, but it was nowhere near as good as ’A girl like her.’ Merry Inkmas felt really different to that book, which I enjoyed a lot more. This one felt like it had something missing? It didn’t go deep enough, and the writing style felt weird to me too.
Great to read about diverse characters again though in this genre.
Great to read about diverse characters again though in this genre.
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