Sierra Simone (American Queen; Priest) and Julie Murphy (Pumpkin; If the Shoe Fits; Puddin') team up for A Merry Little Meet Cute, a Christmas rom-com with enough steam to power Santa's sleigh. Plus-sized adult film performer Bee Hobbes's producer, Teddy Ray Fletcher, is covertly attempting a career pivot to wholesome, family-friendly Christmas films. When the lead actress for Teddy's first movie is suddenly unavailable, Bee is unexpectedly cast in her first mainstream role. Her costar is none other than her teen crush, former boy band member Nolan Shaw, who happens to be a huge fan of hers. Both actors, known to some as bisexual disasters, need the shoot to go well: Bee wants to build a career for when she retires from adult entertainment, and Nolan needs to improve his bad-boy image as well as pay his mother's medical bills. Can they resist their attraction, keep Bee's and her producer's other professional endeavors secret, and make some movie magic?
A Merry Little Meet Cute is a bighearted, frequently hilarious romance that seamlessly weaves the character-driven writing Julie Murphy is known for with the emotional depth and searing eroticism of Sierra Simone's work. This story--body-, sex- and sex work-positive--manages to be sexy, funny and even whimsical at times, indulging in physical and emotional intimacy while maintaining tension throughout. Readers will be grateful that the authors have neatly set up sequels, because A Merry Little Meet Cute is the perfect gift for any time of year. --Suzanne Krohn, librarian and freelance reviewer