Secret Santa

By: Jay Northcote

Narrated by: Hamish Long

Keeping secrets is never a good way to start a relationship.

Theo hardly has time to date. Between work and caring for his four-year-old son, there aren’t many hours left over. He’s lonely though, so he joins a hook-up app and starts chatting to a guy called Luke. Luke seems friendly, and they arrange to meet. Theo doesn’t mention that he has a child. It’s early days, and he’s worried about putting Luke off before they get to know each other.

Luke is currently working as Santa at the local shopping mall. He figures Theo never has to know. Christmas will be over soon, and Luke will move on to a new, less embarrassing job. He’s surprised when Theo and a little boy visit Santa one afternoon. Theo doesn’t recognize Luke, and Luke realizes he’s not the only one with a secret.

Despite misgivings on both sides, they start dating, and the chemistry is amazing. But as Christmas approaches, their secrets pile up like colorful packages under the tree. If they’re not careful, they’ll lose the best gift of all - each other.

©2017 Jay Northcote (P)2020 Jay Northcote

A fluffy, feel good cosy listen!

This was such an adorable listen!
Hamish Long did performed an enjoyable narration and an impeccable audio delivery.

A relationship based on secrets is is never the best step especially in a new relationship. But Christmas is a magical time of year. It's a time for forgiveness and coming home and that's exactly what Luke and Theo deserve.

This was a sweet fluffy, opposites attract, cosy listen sprinkled with goodness and Christmas cheer!

Santa baby!

Sometimes billionaire cowboys offer exactly the escape you need, but sometimes a dose of sweet, sweet reality works just as well. And that’s exactly what Secret Santa offers. Average guys with average jobs who meet online and fumble their way into a relationship, complete with will-he-or-won’t-he text back, awkward Starbucks dates, and “Is this okay?” hand-holding. A dash of angst and just enough heat to warm you up on a cold winter night. Throw in Hamish Long’s always on-point narration, and you’ve got the perfect stocking stuffer!

The season for sweetness

Without giving too much of the story away, I will say that this story was just what I needed for this time of the year. From the beginning of this story I fell in love with Luke and Theo.
Theo’s son is just adorable and I want to hug him so bad. The beginning of their relationship is very relatable and I could understand their frustration and confusion they had at times. The only thing about this book I wish I could change, would be that it was longer lol I did not want to say goodbye to my boys.

Very good

Loved this one from Jay Northcote! There is nothing like one of his lovely Christmas stories and this one was simply perfect! It was like a warm hug on Christmas Day. Hamish Long did a super nice job narrating this quick, short listen!

Lovely, heartwarming holiday romance!

Sweet and cute, giving you all the feels, but never crossing the line and becoming too mushy or overly sentimental. Perfect for finding some holiday cheer!

What truly made this story stand out for me is that it’s about two real, genuine people searching for and finding love in a realistic way while dealing with the hustle and bustle of everyday life and worries. No over the top drama or angst here!

I especially loved Archie, Theo’s little boy. He is an integral part of the story and incredibly adorable! Theo is a wonderful parent, putting his child first, and I found it really easy to relate to him because of that. I like that he has such a great relationship with Caroline and that there is no evil ex in the story.

I thought the references to Top Gear and The Great British Bake Off were a very nice touch in making the characters seem even more real and relatable. Luke, I’m with you, btw!

Narration: Utter bliss. Hamish Long is such a talented narrator! I always enjoy listening to his warm voice and was awestruck, once again, by his knack for capturing the characters’ personalities and emotions. I loved his performance of Secret Santa! He brought Theo and Luke to life in the best way.