Christmas On Stardust Lane by Garrett Leigh

Christmas On Stardust Lane is for those of us looking for a angstier holiday read. Garret Leigh once again delivers with a truly emotional holiday read set in the same world as the Rebel Kings.


From the blurb:

A scarred ex-biker with a hardened soul. The hot new nurse in town guarding his own bruised heart.

Tam Dubois is used to being alone. With a body that bears the marks of his mistakes, he’s grown to like it. But scratching out a living with pen and ink is tough, the numbers don’t work, and the only solution he can think of gives him the opposite of Christmas cheer.

A lodger.

It’s the last thing he wants, but like most things in life, it happens anyway, and the stranger he’s so keen to avoid turns out not to be a stranger at all,

It’s him.

Tam can’t believe it--and he doesn’t want to. But matters of the heart don’t play by the rules, and as Christmas approaches, love might just prove the greatest gift of all…

If they’re brave enough to unwrap it.

Christmas On Stardust Lane is a steamy, angsty MM holiday romance. Expect: forced proximity, hurt/comfort, and a chaotic canine with a bad case of little dog syndrome. If you love MM romance, holiday love stories, and the magic of two damaged hearts finding their way, Christmas on Stardust Lane delivers the perfect festive read.

Molly Otto's review:

Garrett Leigh once again has proved why they are the queen of emotional holiday reads. Bodhi & Tam are two souls who were destined to find one another. When Bodhi moves to Stardust Lane, he doesn't expect to find his other half and tries not to show all his emotions, yet with Tam, he can't. Tam tries to separate his feelings and yet can't. When these forces do, collide pure magic that will tear you apart and put you back together. Garrett has a way of showing how each of their characters' jobs affect their real life and what needs to be done to move forward. Tam & Sab (his brother) relationship shows us what a powerful sibling relationship should be. Something that shows us how he will make the perfect partner for Bodhi once he brings his walls down and allows Bodhi in. Another beautiful holiday read from this author that can never resist when they have a new one available.

SNik's review:

Standalone. Close proximity. Hurt/comfort. Friends to lovers. Slow burn. Dual POV. 

Taking on a tenant is the last thing Tam wants to do, but money is tight, and as long as they leave him alone with his art everything should be fine. Bodhi is running from his last relationship mistake, he always runs, and even though his new landlord is beyond sexy, a casual friendship is what both of them want, right? Bodhi is a kindhearted nurse who leads with his heart and Tam is comfortable in his solitude, but they both yearn for more and seem to have found a special connection. 

This was a lovely slow build of attraction and friendship for two men that have experienced hurts in the past and given the chance to grab something that may be worth all the risk. Both Bodhi and Tam were likable, interesting characters that I empathized with and really enjoyed that they could have love sneak up on them beyond the initial attraction and really find someone to be excited about and have their feelings reciprocated.

Rogue's review:

- Christmas
- Low angst
- Slow burn

It's usually the highlight of my Christmas season when I get to read the new Garrett Leigh Christmas story, and I'm pleased to say that trend continues this year too. This is a standalone, but set in the same world as Rebel Kings and the previous Christmas stories. Bhodi and Tam are a delight to read. This is a slow burn, as both have been hurt in the past and there's the wrinkle that Bhodi is Tam's tenant and he doesn't want to take advantage of that.

I liked both Bhodi and Tam, and the reveal of their histories, that are more entwined than either of them know. There are nice Easter eggs about the Rebel Kings - and this story is Rebel Kings adjacent, I'd say. I loved Tam's relationship with his brother, and his dog Rudy too - the descriptions of Rudy being feral had me in stitches.

I loved reading Tam and Bhodi slowly getting close, spending time together and finding each other. This was such a good Christmas read, and I can't wait for Sab's story now.

Heather's Review:

It's been a while since I grabbed a Garrett Leigh read and once again, I have to wonder why... I love the depth of each character, the unexpected little surprises in the read and of course the angst and hurt/comfort nature of the story.  I love that it's not an instalove story and that there's friction as they get to know each other and their histories reveal pieces of their personalities and the impact on their everyday lives.  

Since I haven't read the Rebel Kings series, I can honestly say this book can easily be read standalone and while some who may have read other stories from this author may get some gifts, the story wasn't impacted by not having this history.

Christmas On Stardust Lane is currently available as an e-book, paperback, hardback, and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription