HoHoHoRAT Review: The Kill Clause: A Short Story by Lisa Unger

The Kill Clause: A Short Story by Lisa Unger

Publisher:  Amazon Original Stories
Publication Date: December 1, 2025 

 

Format: Ebook
Source: Kindle Unlimited (at time of posting)

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A hired killer finds herself caught between her conscience and her contract over the holidays in this riveting short thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger.

A hit woman’s work doesn’t stop for the holidays. As the advent calendar winds down, Paige slips into a palatial house, ignoring a blizzard of texts from her ex-husband. No surprise—Julian always gets maudlin this time of year. The real shock comes when the target is not alone. His young daughter is there too.

Risking the wrath of her organization, Paige retreats. There are some lines that, for personal reasons, she just won’t cross. But when she returns on Christmas Eve to finish the job, the girl is still there…along with someone even more startling. As the ghosts of her past gather—to haunt or to help, it’s unclear—Paige must confront old traumas and outwit her superiors to make it to Christmas

Review: 

A fun short story for the holiday season. This one is set during the holiday season. We follow Paige as she attempts to assassinate a man, only to lose her cool when a child is present. Her moral compass has been leaning this way a lot lately and she finds herself in a not so great situation with her employer.

This was a very short read at 70 pages, I appreciated the character build in that short time. There are some great passages around her learning about herself, her past, and what she needs to move forward. I think that the author did a great job with the character development in this short story. I felt invested and I liked Paige. 

I liked the story overall but a few things were more predictable than I would have liked, but I read a fair amount of thrillers so the plot overall was still appreciated. 

If you are looking for a short read, with some action, plot twistiness, and want a little bit of the holiday vibe (decor and some snow) this one could be for you.

Building the Book Pile #508

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Happy Sunday

November flew by. I was traveling then Thanksgiving and I was exhausted... blog posting kinda feel off the radar a little bit, but I did read a good number of books.

Over the next few weeks I am reading for the HoHoHo Readathon - you can sign up with Caffeinated Reviewer and my progress is here.

Linking up this week with the Caffeinated Reviewer and her Sunday Post series.

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

HoHoHoRAT Review: The Kill Clause by Lisa Unger (Adult)

HoHoHo RAT Review: The Little Ghost Quilt's Winter Surprise (Youth)

Recent Reads: Dinos that Drive by Suzy Levinson (Youth)

Books Received Recently...  

 

From Publishers for review consideration:

Alice with a Why by Anna James 

Sibylline by Melissa de la Cruz 

Out of the Loop by Katie Siegel 

Postscript by Cory McCarthy

I'm Looking for a Man in Finance by Sabrina Waldorf

Have you missed anything lately?

Here is almost everything from November...

Blog Tour: The Cornish Christmas Book Club by Angela Britnell (Adult) -3 stars

Monthly Re-Cap

Blog Blitz: Excerpt and Giveaway - Can’t Hurry Christmas by Melissa Baldwin 

Early Reader Review: The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer (YA) - 4 stars

Blog Tour: Sox in a Sizzle by Sara Semple (youth) - 3 stars

HoHoHoRAT Review: Stuffed by Hannah Murray (Adult, Spicy) -3 stars

HoHoHoRAT Review: A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau (Adult, spicy) - 4 stars

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

HoHoHoRAT Review: A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau

A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau 

Series: Holidays with the Wongs #1
Publisher: Jackie Lau Books
Publication Date:  October 8, 2019 

 

Format: Ebook
Source: Bought

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Advertising executive Nick Wong enjoys living in Toronto. He loves late nights partying and taking women back to his penthouse. And so it is with great reluctance that he returns to his boring hometown of Mosquito Bay for Thanksgiving.

This year, however, is even worse than usual. His interfering parents and grandparents, frustrated with the lack of weddings in the family, have invited blind dates for him and his three siblings. Nick’s brother Greg has been set up with Lily Tseng, who just so happens to be Nick’s latest one-night stand, the one he can’t get out of his mind.

Although Nick has never been interested in settling down, Lily has him reconsidering. Perhaps he’s good for more than a single night of sex, dumplings, and bubble tea after all. But first, he has to get through this painful weekend with his family and convince her that she should be with him, not Greg…

Review: 

Another novella read to kick off the HoHoHo Readathon. This was also a Thanksgiving themed read. I felt like since it was still November I wanted to start with the Thanksgiving ones first. 

This story follows Nick and Lily. Lily is trying to get over her ex and also be less boring when we goes out in attempt to find a one night stand. She finds Nick - happy to help, but then she sees him again at a Thanksgiving dinner... sadly she has been set up with his brother. 

This was such a fun, quick read. I really likely Lily's list of things to be less boring and try, and I liked that Nick was suddenly so into her and jealous that she was paired with his brother. The family dynamics here were also hilarious and I found the whole book overall to be so light and entertaining. 

If you are looking for fun family dynamics, quick feelings for each other, and some spice, this will be a good novella to grab.

HoHoHoRAT Review: Stuffed by Hannah Murray

Stuffed by Hannah Murray 

Series: F.I.L.T.H.
Publisher: Solitary Vice Publications
Publication Date: November 1, 2022

 

Format: Ebook
Source: Kindle Unlimited (at the time of posting)

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Why stuff the turkey when they can stuff her?

It’s Thanksgiving, two and a half years after lockdown began, and Tuck and Esme Parrish are deciding how to celebrate. Normally they’d have dinner with either his folks or hers, but with travel restrictions no longer a factor, both sets of parents are taking advantage and spending the holiday elsewhere. With a chance to craft the day to their tastes for a change, they decide to host a Friendsgiving.

The guest list is small, just four friends—Spence, Jude, Evan and Colin. Realizing she’ll be spending the day with her sexy husband and four single, sexy friends (some who had crushes on her in college, and one of whom she’s already slept with), Esme makes a joke about all the F.I.L.T.H (Friends I’d Like To Hump) coming for dinner. Which gives Tuck an idea: why not turn this Friendsgiving into a Bangsgiving?

When lockdown hit, it put a halt to a new and exciting element of Tuck and Esme’s sex life: swinging. It started as a way for Tuck to indulge his candaulism kink (a desire to show off his wife). But he soon discovered that sharing his gorgeous, curvy wife with other men was even more fun—for both of them. They were just finding their groove when lockdown happened, and though their sex life is still varied and vigorous, they’ve missed the extra zing that swinging gave them. And Esme has had a “group adventure” on her swinging to-do list for a while…

And after all, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to get stuffed.

Review: 

This is quite a long synopsis for a 194 page novella that is mostly spicy.  The story is about a couple that are looking to get back into swinging over the Thanksgiving holiday, so they have some friends over to do just that. Husband and Wife and 4 friends have a lovely Thanksgiving dinner (glossed over in the book)then have a lovely time with each other (very detailed plot this time). 

It was a fun and at times funny read. I couldn't help but be worried about having just stuffed themselves with food then moving into this intense intimate time. It all works out in that respect. There were a few of the angles I was also trying to work out, but it made for an entertaining Thanksgiving read.

If you are looking for something short and very erotic, and prefer a why choose-esq situation for your female lead, this once might be a fun read for you.

Happy Holidays from Cover2CoverBlog

Happy December and Happy Holidays! 

I hope your 2025 has been a great year! 

Mine has FLOWN by again...

However you will be celebrating this month, I would like to say Happy Holidays!!!

I hope you have a love-filled holiday season that is happy and healthy and full of good reads.

Stay well and warm my friends.