[Review] A Very Cryptid Christmas anthology

Publisher's synopsis: This holiday season it's nice to be naughty. We've got some tales that are truly bawdy.

In the coldest months of the year, the hottest cryptids come with holiday cheer. Choose from our menu ala carte but remember - rendezvous with these beasts aren't for the faint of heart!

Want to get wet with a Waterhorse, kanoodle with Krampus, and seduce a Sasquatch or two?

Maybe get jiggy with the Jersey Devil, wrangle a Jackalope rancher, and snuggle a Squonk?

How about leaping on the Lizard man or zinging with a zlatorog? 

Take a romp on the wild side with this series of sexy adventures guaranteed to satisfy your naughtiest, most forbidden fantasies. There's something for every she/he/they/them. 

Can you handle the steam?

My thoughts: One of my favorite parts about anthologies is the fact they cover a lot of ground so there's something for everyone, and this anthology is no different. Some of these short, cryptid romances were more enjoyable for me than others, but readers can't deny how much A Very Cryptid Christmas covers. Taking on a wide variety of cryptids, there were some included here that I had never heard of. There was also great variety in the spice level; some short stories were fade to black while others included all the detail. 

Some of the stories in this anthology were short - a few pages to a chapter - while others expanded into several chapters. While I definitely would have read more from some of the shortest stories, every story included gave me just enough to keep me intrigued. I definitely had a few favorites from this collection, including "A Squonk to Remember," "Bigfoot, Bigger Heart," and "A Waterhorse for Winter." 

None of the stories included in this collection are dependent on the others, so readers can definitely skip around and read about whichever cryptid catches their attention. 

Overall, this was an enjoyable, unique collection that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you're looking to take your monster romance to the next level, this anthology of holiday cryptid romance will check all the boxes on your naughty and nice list. 

I received a review copy of this title for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 

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Release date: 10/18/22
Format: eARC
eARC provided via: BookSirens