Review: Merrymaker by Kayley Loring (Name in Lights #3.5)


Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

When I heard that Kayley Loring had a holiday romance and that it was a standalone in her Name in Lights series, which is the first series I ever read from her, I cannot begin to explain how excited I was. Of course, this also meant that my expectations were high, but I needn't worry because Merrymaker did not disappoint! This fast-paced novella is about a second chance between a grumpy film producer and a merry-making theater performer and sometimes elf. Oh, and did I mention that our male main character also happens to be a single father to a seven-year-old budding matchmaker? Plus there may be a few familiar "faces" who brought a grin to my face once they first made their presence felt via text (naturally).

Cleo James, a twenty-eight-year-old theater performer and children's party entertainer, getting hired by a seven-year-old to show up to a party may seem strange to some, but there was no way she could have said no to the boy named Paxton. Donning her Santa's elf helper costume made her a standout, especially considering that said gathering was actually a wedding reception and one of the guests was Paxton's father--Elijah Abrams, thirty-three-year-old Oscar-winning producer. The same Elijah Abrams who considered Cleo his rival in film school. The same Elijah Abrams who kissed her under the mistletoe eight years ago, only for her to ghost him after. The same Elijah Abrams who now happens to be her new boss.

Christmas came early, and I am certainly not complaining, not when a holiday romance is as good as this novella of Kayley Loring's! I got grumpy/sunshine, second chance, single parent, AND Christmas-y trimmings! Throw in the added bonus of the Name in Lights recurring main cast of characters, and I was merry camper. The emails from Cleo to Elijah were an entertaining touch, especially the way that it was all set up. Maybe they were each other's the-one-who-got-away, the one that had them contemplating what-if for years, but I'm also a firm believer in timing, and while it took eight years for Cleo and Elijah to get there--with a bit of help from sweet Paxton--it was so worth it! I'm gifting Merrymaker with five stars!

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Read my reviews for the Name in Lights series:


Sleeper (book one) - five stars - My Review

Charmer (book two) - five-plus stars - My Review

Troublemaker (book three) - five-plus stars - My Review

Merrymaker (holiday novella) - five stars - My Review (posted above)

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Release Date: 27 October 2025

Date Read: 18 October 2025

Learn more about Kayley Loring.

Pre-order Merrymaker via Amazon.

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