A Very Merry Hitman by Katie Reus is a festive blend of romance and suspense that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows a hitman who finds unexpected love during the holiday season, creating a delightful contrast between his dangerous profession and the warmth of the holidays. Reus's writing is fast-paced and engaging, with well-developed characters that draw you in. With a perfect mix of humor, action, and romance, this book is a fun and entertaining read for anyone looking for a holiday thrill!

I want to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read and share my thoughts on "A Very Merry Hitman." This light-hearted romance was just the cozy escape I needed!

Katie Reus expertly blends family dynamics, love, and friendship in a delightful story that kept me engaged from start to finish. Aileen and Dante's relationship is a highlight for me; their years of building a solid friendship before diving into romance felt genuine and refreshing. I loved watching their connection deepen, and it made their eventual romance all the more satisfying.

The plot was easy to follow, with enough twists to keep me guessing until the very end. However, I did notice quite a few grammatical errors that pulled me out of the story occasionally. Despite that, I found it to be an enjoyable read overall.

I’d happily give "A Very Merry Hitman" 4 stars and recommend it to anyone in search of a quick, light read. If you’re in the mood for a charming romance filled with heart, this one’s for you!

This was a fun twist on Christmas! Nessa and Elli thought they would be slick playing matchmaker but unbeknownst to them Dante has already been secretly in love with Aileen. So, Aileen coming to him for some "help" was icing on the cake. There was a lot of action on the backside with santa's seeming targeting Aileen. I figured it out early on why she was being targeted and it confused me to how she didn't know at first as well! It was a fun read though! Lot's of shenanigans.

**Arc provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a cute quick read. The characters are fun and the storyline is sweet. So much fun to read. I enjoyed this one very much!

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Fun Festive Romantic Read!

I loved this storyline! Aileen had risen above the evil in her life and now she was ready to start a new chapter.

Dante had wanted Aileen since before he met her and became her best friend. Was it now time to make his claim and grab onto everything he’d ever dreamed of?

This was such a feel-good romance with a little action, some witty moments and a HEA, I didn’t want the storyline to end and the wonderful characters add another element to an already amazing read!

Ms Reus keeps you engrossed and entertained throughout this read! Amazing!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have to say I loved the first one a bit more than this story in this standalone series. We also got to see Theo and Elliana from How the Hitman Stole Christmas again. Although this cover is definitely cuter. Aileen is Theo's sister and she is single mom to Nessa who wishes for a dad for Christmas and has Dante in mind. Dante is a hitman who has worked with Theo. I thought when Aileen went to Dante in their first scene to ask a favor he was basically struck shy that it was funny because he has some feelings for her. There's also two Santa's who tried to rob Aileen but now Dante will see to it as her protection detail. The family scenes were great. I would like to see what happens next in this series.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I can’t get past the concept of a neighborhood of hit men and women, what a world they have created!!

This was a fun romantic suspense friends-to-lovers Christmas extravaganza!! Aileen is the only non hired assassin in the family, the neighborhood, and honestly maybe the town. When she’s assaulted by a string of hired Santa’s, her best friend, Dante, makes it his personal mission to protect the woman he’s loved in secret for so long. Will her daughter finally get her wish of a dad for Christmas? Only if he can keep them alive til the 25th!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this snappy holiday story. While short, the characters and the world felt fully developed and I felt like I was able to get a lil snapshot of their lives. The last chapter took me by surprise (I hated it a bit and moreso hated that I liked it!)

Thank you so much to Katie Reus and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a fun festive book!
I loved all of the characters especially Dante and his relationship with Nessa.
The book sets out what is going to happen in the first chapter but it doesnt spoil anything because of the relationship building and the fun twists that keep popping up.
I would love to live in this neighbourhood it sounds like a lot of fun.

Reus never disappoints! Clever tale in a neighborhood of hitmen, retired and active, who take care of their own. Action, angst, and simmering spice with a strong cast of characters you just have to like. Always love the chapter quips, definitely some chuckles throughout!

This series is so crazy and unserious and I’m here for it. Not realistic at all but very fun to read. Compared to the first book in this series, I do think Aileen and Dante’s relationship was more genuine and real, and I was really rooting for them. This book was short and sweet, a perfect little read for the holidays.

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and KR Press, LLC for this ARC.

Aileen lives in a neighbourhood full of hitmen. Her parents are hitmen and so are her brother and sister-in-law and Dante, the man she is secretly in love with. She has a daughter called Nessa who is the product of rape and makes a living with ASMR sleeping aide videos.

Suddenly she gets mugged two days in a row by two different guys in Santa costumes. Something fishy is going on - why is she being targeted? Her family immediately jump into action to find and eliminate the danger.

Dante is overprotective and stalkerish and I didn't like him at all. Women aren't possessions and he shouldn't wish to punch every man she talks to. He would be a walking red flag to me, and him being a hitman doesn't even come into it (but it figures that he would be).

This is book 2 in a series, the first one having been about Aileen's sister-in-law who her brother apparently kidnapped for her own protection. Not weird at all.

This author is new to me and she seems to be very prolific. This means that often substance can be in short supply which is the case here. The only person I truly liked in the book was Nessa, the daughter who just wanted a new Dad.

This is an incredibly fast read which goes in its favour. It doesn't really know what it wants to be though - a romance or a crime story so it's a strange mixture of both. It's set at Christmas time but doesn't feel very Christmassy.

The spice level is very high if you like that sort of thing - I skipped a few pages. Read if you like short steamy romances about hitmen at Christmas.

"Have you ever had one of those days where you’re holding a stick and everyone looks like a piñata?"

Aileen lives in a safe neighborhood. Close to her parents and brother and his wife. All the other neighbors are nice too. Only problem is they are all hitmen. Or work in some other (mostly) illegal capacity. And then there is Dante. He lives two doors down. And he’s amazing with her 11 year old daughter Nessa. She’s finally ready to get back in the dating game after all these years. When she asks for little favor from Dante, it doesn’t go as planned….at first.

Oh I fell in love with Dante immediately! He’s the perfect gentleman/hitman and Aileen is lucky to have him. Nessa and Elli were amazing side characters in this book. A cute and quick read that makes me want to move to this neighborhood and be friends with these characters!

I received an advance review copy from Netgalley and Victory Editing for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a fun little addition to the Holiday with a Hitman series. If you're looking for a hitman romcom, this is perfect for you. Nessa (FMC's daughter) kicks things off by asking for a Dad for Christmas. But not just any man will do, she wants her mom, Aileen, to get together with Dante. What follows are a few shenanigans, a great supporting cast including Theo and Eliana from Book One, and a touch of danger.

At 165 pages, this is the perfect quick read. I'm not normally a fan of friends to lovers but it's handled really well here. The spice was just right and felt balanced to the plot. It was refreshing to see a family who 100% supported the couple, especially since it's not just Friends to Lovers, but Brother's Friend as well. I always get annoyed when a family gets all alpha when their sister/daughter falls in love. The fact that none of them were surprised was hilarious.

If you're looking to kick off your holiday reading, this is the perfect book to do so!

I just finished the most fun holiday thriller. A Very Merry Hitman was such a fun read! And it was so different than a holiday romance..

A second book that I devoured !

OK I know it's definitely not the time for Christmas romances BUT since I received an ARC and was looking forward to reading this second book, I couldn't resist =D

After everything that Aileen has been through, I was so happy to see her FINALLY go further with Dante who is adorable (that first scene was so funny xD) AND with the plot of the robbers Santas (I love this sentence xD), I devoured this book way too quickly !

In short, a cute Christmas romance that I read with pleasure !

PS : special mention for the cover that I love !

Nessa and Eliana was the star of this book. I loved seeing a little girl scheming in an innocent way to get her mom and Dante together so she could have a dad for Christmas. Eliana was just as entertaining being her normal mischief self. And of course I also loved Aileen and Dante. A great start to getting into a Christmas spirit.

I love this series! If you are thinking, "how am I just now hearing about this amazing series?" Well, same. This is another plot forward story that will have your eyes glued to the pages. I loved the Christmas vibes, but honestly these books could be enjoyed any time of the year. You have everything you could ever need in a great book: a touch her and die cinnamon roll MMC, strong willed FMC who is taking charge of her body, found family, serious pining and an overarching who-done-it mystery. The book is on the shorter side, but packs a punch in the plot department. The spice was top tier, but I didn't feel like the author used it as a crutch to hold up the story. Everything in this story just worked and I can't wait for more. Spice 3/5

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Very Merry Hitman (Holiday With a Hitman, #2) by Katie Reus but
This is the second book in this series and I loved it. Aileen and Dante have been attracted to each other for a long time - there is angst, discovery, murder, danger, laughs, tears, wonderful family and friends, some bad people, and plenty of steam to get us to a fantastic HEA.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Great world building Entertaining Informative Unpredictable Page-turner Happily Ever After Scary Tragic Easy-to-read Action-packed Romantic Steamy Wonderful characters Funny Tear-jerker.

OMGOSH, Dante and Aileen are so darn cute. I laughed out loud so much reading this story. Dante was just too hilarious stalking, erm, I mean following Aileen’s date. I could just picture the scene. Can you imagine living in a neighborhood of hitmen, not sure if I would feel safe or scared out of pants. I’m leaning toward safe, especially in this neighborhood. Both Dante and Aileen were so likeable and their relationship was fire!

I was thrilled to get an early copy of this from Netgalley. Katie Reus is one of my favorite authors. I loved this book! It’s fun, sexy, funny, charming, and even has a little suspense thrown in. It so entertaining and enjoyable! Mainly it’s just a really cute Christmas novella about a family of hit men.
There are some great characters you instantly fall in love with and Dante and Aileen are just perfect together. I really love both of them. Love the storyline. And I love how much her 11 year old daughter Nessa wants a dad for Christmas too!
Aileen and Dante have been friends for a while but both have wanted more. Maybe it will happen this Christmas!