All by My Elf

Under the Mistletoe Collection

De: Olivia Dade

Narrado por: Andi Arndt

Secret crushes, spicy Christmas treats, heinous holiday traffic, and a fateful snowstorm bring good friends together in a funny, sexy short story by bestselling author Olivia Dade.

Nina and William are underpaid adjunct professors at the same university, where winter break is no break at all: ’tis the season to make extra money. When their holiday side hustle has them stranded by a blinding blizzard in the middle of nowhere, there’s nothing to do but cuddle up for warmth and play a hot and bothered game of Never Have I Ever to pass the time. But in the game of love, secrets never stay secret for long…

Olivia Dade’s All by My Elf is part of Under the Mistletoe, a collection of sexy December romances to warm the cold winter nights. They can be read or listened to in one swoony sitting.

©2024 by Olivia Dade. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Entertaining

All By My Elf is about 2 coworkers who are stuck in repurposed wiener-mobile. They have a crush on each other, but neither took a chance for their own reasons. It was good, but the words used to describe body parts was…academic.

Off-brand weinermobile is hot.

I love Olivia Dade so much. I am obsessed with the concept of an off-brand Oscar Mayer Weinermobile riding around with adults dressed as elves as their marketing ploy. What a delight? The only that I didn't love about this one was that Nina was so ready to believe her bestie would flirt with her big ol' crush right under her nose. And not just flirt with him, but hook up with him. While only the 3 of them were on a road trip together in the off-brand weinermobile in elf costumes. Truly, everything else is perfection. And her bestie was ride or die....more than the others because they're in a weinermobile...riding. lol.

the story was meh

I like Andi as a narrator but this story was not for me. sorry.

Too silly for me

I typically like her books, but this fell short. it was just a bit silly for my taste

2.5/5 ⭐️

This was hilariously weird but kind of cute. 2.5/5 —sorry…

It was so random. A repurposed weiner mobile, they profess their love finally and make love in it after months of working together. It was a quick, cute Christmas read.

All by My Elf: A Quick, Cozy Holiday Novella Perfect for the Season

Sometimes you just need a holiday read that’s quick, sweet, and full of festive cheer. All by My Elf by Olivia Dade is exactly that. It’s the perfect little story to curl up with during the holidays, when you want something light, cozy, and romantic to get you in the seasonal spirit.

This novella follows Nina, a woman traveling for work with her best friend and colleague, William, as well as another close friend from their department. Nina starts noticing the sparks flying between her two friends, which leaves her feeling a little disheartened—especially because she’s secretly been holding out hope for something more with William.

Cue a snowstorm (because what’s a holiday romance without one?) that traps Nina and William in their car on the way back from dinner. With nothing but time and a cozy holiday playlist, they finally talk through their feelings for each other, leading to some steamy moments and a sweet confession that takes their friendship to the next level. By the time they’re rescued from the traffic jam and make it home, their friends are unsurprised (and delighted) to hear that they’ve finally figured it out.

What I Loved:

• The holiday vibes: From the snowstorm to the cozy car chats, this novella perfectly captures the magic of the holiday season.
• Friends-to-lovers trope: Nina and William’s transition from friendship to romance is sweet, emotional, and oh-so-satisfying.
• Quick and easy read: At novella length, this story delivers all the holiday cheer and romance without requiring a big time commitment.
• The humor and banter: The chemistry between Nina and William shines, making their interactions both heartfelt and funny.

What I Didn’t Love:

• Predictable plot: While adorable, the storyline doesn’t reinvent the wheel. But honestly? That’s exactly what I want in a holiday novella—familiar, comforting, and satisfying.

Final Thoughts:

If you’re looking for a cozy, low-stakes holiday romance with plenty of charm, All by My Elf is a delightful pick. It’s the kind of book you can read in one sitting, with a cup of hot cocoa by your side, and come away with a smile.

Rating:
🌶️🌶️✨ (2.5/5 spice—steamy, but not overwhelming)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 overall—cute, fun, and festive!)

What’s your favorite holiday romance trope? Snowed in? Friends-to-lovers? Enemies-to-lovers with a festive twist? Let me know in the comments!

Cute

I really enjoyed this one. I liked the characters and the situation was funny. Cute story.

A workplace, road trip romance!

A workplace, road trip romance in this holiday novella. Book 3 of the Under the Mistletoe Series.

Kinda boring

Sorry. I like Olivia Dade, this just wasn’t it. Not interested in this couple of professors, and the whole hot dog truck thing is weird. Could have been funny I guess.

Narrator was good, story was mid

It really pained me to finish this novella, and it was only an 1hr and a half long... I listened on 2x speed to finish it. Just not a story that gripped my attention and too much cringy dialogue and descriptions. “Those weren’t a bag of MnM’s in his pocket.” lol Are you for real?