THE ROOM I PAID FOR by Crea Reitan-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 25 , 2025

Can he somehow bring magic back to Christmas?

Gabe

Pining after a man and stood up by another, I leave for a holiday retreat for two alone. Maybe solitude will drown away my sorrows. The storm raging outside matches my dreary mood. However, I’m somehow sharing my cabin in the blizzard-covered mountain with a stranger.

Edries

I’ve been making headlines as an eccentric billionaire for as long as I can remember. I’m not used to making headlines because my wife announces she wants a divorce, that she never loved me, and she’s taking our kids for the holidays. My first holiday alone will be on a beautiful mountain, to which I make it just in time to beat the storm.

But someone is already inside the room I paid for and now I’m stormed in with a stranger.

This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.

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REVIEW: If you’re in the mood for a quick, steamy, low angst holiday novella that leans hard into the “stranded together” trope with a side of “grumpy billionaire meets sunshine artist,” this one checks all the boxes.

Gabe books a romantic Christmas cabin getaway for two, only to be dumped right before the trip.

He decides to go solo anyway, lick his wounds, and drink questionable amounts of hot chocolate.

Meanwhile, billionaire Edries is fleeing tabloid hell after his wife very publicly announces she never loved him and is taking the kids for the holidays. (Don’t like his wife from that moment on!)

A double booking mix up lands both men at the same secluded mountain cabin just as the mother of all snowstorms hits! Yup, you guessed it…. One cabin…. One bed (of course).

These two heartbroken strangers (who by the way, have insane chemistry from basically the first glare across the room) now have to navigate what could be a disaster (or maybe a blessing.)

Instant attraction done right.

The tension between Gabe and Edries is electric from their awkward “who the hell are you?” meet/cute onward.

Crea Reitan doesn’t waste time, these two go from wary to “tear each other’s clothes off by the fireplace” at exactly the pace you want in a novella.

Edries is peak “emotionally constipated billionaire with a heart of gold.” He’s been in a loveless/sexless marriage for years, so watching him discover genuine desire (and that he’s very much into men) is delicious.

Gabe is perfect for Edries, openly bi, a little chaotic, artistic, and completely unafraid to call Edries on his brooding nonsense. Their banter is sharp and flirty and had me chuckling most of the time.

If you like your Christmas romance with explicit scenes in practically every possible cabin location (couch, shower, kitchen counter, against the window while snow falls…😜) you will be well looked after in this story.

And I loved how the power dynamic flips back and forth in fun ways.

Zero third act breakup. This is pure hurt/comfort, strangers to lovers, “we’re snowed in so let’s fix each other with holiday magic (and orgasms).” Very low stakes, very high warmth.

This is Crea Reitan doing what she does best…. delivering a sugary, filthy, feel good queer holiday romance that doesn’t pretend to be anything more than it is. If you want a cup of cocoa with a shot of cinnamon/ whiskey level spice and a guaranteed HEA,

The Room I Paid For is perfect for a single sitting read on a cold night.

For anyone who wants their Christmas romance to come with a body count… of orgasms. 😜

The Room I Paid For is pure cozy/spicy escapism wrapped in twinkly Christmas lights and a raging blizzard.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for a fast, festive palate cleanser.

🦋 Reviewed by Julie

Copy supplied for review

Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning it’s not just all the men for one woman. There’s also some M/M action going on. When she can’t fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Don’t ask her how many book boyfriends she has…

When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don’t even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!

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