Ready, Set, Glow!

Christmas Falls, Book 8

By: Rye Cox

Narrated by: Zachary Zaba

There is nothing more annoying than Christmas...

I see the irony of being the owner of a Christmas tree farm and hating the very holiday that keeps my family business alive, but Christmas Falls takes this season way too seriously with their festive business names to the sheer merriment that envelops the entire town.

I'm no grinch, but I can relate to one being surrounded by all this jubilance. It doesn't help when a new part-timer joins the tree farm and is the very embodiment of joy, starting from his name—Felix Joy.

He's ten years younger than me, and I feel the age difference every second I interact with him. His enthusiasm exhausts me, yet I can't stay away, even if it means I have to deal with the ridiculous nickname he forces onto me.

He's melting the fatigue of Christmas, but I'll never admit it. I'm ready for all the blinding lights to come down, for him to leave, and to finally get some peace and quiet.

Christmas Falls is a multi-author M/M romance series set in a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie.

©2023 Rye Cox (P)2024 Rye Cox

Teddy bear goodness

The absolute JOY -pun 100% intended- of this story is the teasing banter, the wholesome vulnerability & sweet adoration of new love, along with all the charms of Christmas Falls & its cast. I definitely giggled out loud at times and grinned indulgently at many others. Felix & Bruce’s story has quickly risen to my favorite of the Christmas Falls series… quite the task as the others are so wonderful too!

The performance of Felix’s voice was my immediate favorite of all the characters, but Bruce’s burly depth grew on me by the end of the first chapter. It was ever so easy to fall into the mental cinematic of the story with such flawless reading. A smooth & purely enjoyable performance overall, in my humble opinion.

Great humor

This is a great age gap Christmas listen. I love how the Christmas tree farm is owned by a grumpy gentleman!

so cure

Ready, Set, Glow is part multi author Christmas Falls series. Each book is a standalone but I enjoy reading all the books in a series. This book is about Bruce the owner of a Christmas tree farm and Felix Joy his younger employee. I really enjoyed this book. I love the characters and the way they are written. This is another great holiday story. I love how seamlessly all the books in the series fit together. Rye Cox is an amazing author and I look forward to more books by her. If you get the audio narration, Zachary Zaba does a wonderful job of narrating this series. He makes the change in characters seamlessly. I can't wait to listen to the next book he does. I would definitely recommend this book and series.

A Grumpy Bear Gets His Sunshine Love

This is such a cute holiday grumpy/sunshine story. Bruce seems such a grump but all he needed was the proper sunshine from Felix. I really enjoyed reading their story. The audiobook for this made the story even more enjoyable. Zachary Zaba's performance was perfect for this.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

Fun

This is a fun holiday story. I enjoy opposite stories and these two sure start that way. There is also a age gap and that adds to the different attitudes.

Bruce is all business and not the holiday spirit kind when Felix gets a job that forces Bruce to acknowledge a whole different personality. There are obstacles that Felix refuses to accept and Bruce starts to see Felix is more than sunshine.

The narration by Zachary Zaba fit these characters very well.

Good story to get in the spirit for the holidays.

Grumpy bear finds Joy

I don't know how anyone couldn't love Bruce & Felix! Their relationship is so sweet and surprisingly silly. You know immediately that the men are perfect for one another. Felix lifts the grumpy exterior right off of Bruce, and Bruce's family is totally here for that. Bruce is clearly a wonderful and very hard-working man, and his family loves every little bit of his gruff self (not to be confused with Griff the "Grinch" from book #1 of Christmas Falls 🤣). I just love Felix's enthusiasm for life and his new role with Bruce and his family's business. Watching the two men fall in love and realize how much they mean to one another is such a wonderful experience. And watching Bruce lovingly accept anything and everything about Felix that Felix deems unlovable is heartwarming.

I love the interactive nature of the Christmas Falls series, and it's impossible to choose even one favorite. I've read them all several times, and I look forward to reading them all over again for the 2024 holidays, along with Christmas Falls season 2!

Audiobook Update:
Every time I listen to another audiobook narrated by Zachary Zaba, I'm just in awe of his talent. He brings the book characters to life, no matter the kind of character he's voicing. His voice breathes humor into the funny scenes, and there is no doubt that any scenes of a mature nature will be voiced with pleasing authenticity and spice. Those moments are hot when reading them, because Rye Cox is a genius, but it brings a whole new depth to the imagination when giving an actual voice to those characters and moments.

I received an authorized copy of this story/audiobook and am volunteering my honest review.

Beautiful as the Christmas Lights!

I adored this every trope included Christmas series when I read it and I am now so pleased with Zachary Zaba's narration for Ready, Set Glow! He just has a soothing yet fun and cute voice! In this story we get the Tree farm atmosphere run by our slightly moody Bruce who has just acquired some surprise help for the Holiday season. Felix is as beautiful as all the lights and Bruce is having a hard time resisting his attraction to him. I loved that we got just the right amount of too joyful banter from Felix before Bruce started to let his feelings grow. Felix might be 10 years younger, but he is just what Bruce needs in his life. Cute, fluffy, spicy and warmhearted for the Holidays!

Angel and the grump

I read the Christmas Falls season one series last year. A wonderful town filled with great characters. The Milton Falls Christmas Tree farm was mentioned in several, as well as it's grumpy proprietor. I couldn't wait for book eight and Bruce and Felix's story. Felix was an absolute angel. And Bruce was gruff, but ever so caring. The type of man who would fit into his already crowded workday, a stop to check on his mom's clogged kitchen sink. Totally. Swoon worthy.
There was angst. Mostly of the "I'm too old/too boring" variety. Good thing Felix kissed that notion right out of Bruce's head. I loved how Bruce interacted with his parents and siblings. I'm really hoping that another Brooks brother gets his HEA in season two.
Zachary Zaba brought Bruce and Felix to life with his smooth, sexy narration of the RSG audiobook. It gave me a chance to fall in love with them all over again.
I received an advanced copy of this audiobook and this is my review.

great holiday story

This book was a delightful holiday escape with all the warmth and cheer you could hope for in a Christmas romance! Bruce, a grumpy workaholic tied to his family’s long-standing farm. Known for its Christmas sales and festivities, the farm and the whole town of Christmas Falls celebrate the holidays on a grand scale. Felix, the fun-loving, miracle baby of his small town, arrives as seasonal help with a heart full of joy and a knack for bringing light wherever he goes.

The dynamic between Bruce and Felix is perfect for opposites-attract fans. Felix’s kindness and easygoing nature slowly chip away at Bruce’s hardened exterior Watching Felix break down Bruce’s walls, helping him rediscover the beauty of the season and what truly matters, was incredibly heartwarming.

The setting in Christmas Falls added so much charm to the story,
I voluntarily listenrd to this sweet story to get you in the holiday mood. This story was brought to life with the audiobook narrated Zachary Zaba.

Great holiday listen

Zachary Zaba once again has done his magic in bringing this book to life. Just making these two characters as well as the rest of the cast to life. You are easily able to tell whose pov you are in, which is always helpful to not take you out of the listening experience.

The right balance of sweet and snark for this addition to the Christmas Falls universe. The Brooks family are a riot, and it was great to see how welcoming they were of Felix into the fold. Bruce may seem grumpy, but he just needed a partner who understood him and his priorities. Felix is just a little ray of sunshine who was needed to lighten Bruce up to be truly happy.
It was a sweet story but not too sweet where I lost interest. The banter was on point, and neither man let the other get away with crap.