Santa’s Dark Secret by Sheridan Anne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who would have known a filthy Christmas wish would have resulted in a dark-haired, raunchy Santa coming down my chimney and giving me exactly what I wished for?

He gave me everything I wanted, right down to the sparkly pearl necklace and the wild, crazy ride on his North Pole, but this sexy Santa has a dark secret. For years, he’s been watching me while I sleep, and he knows how much I can take.

I always thought Santa was about spreading joy at Christmas, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. This filthy Santa prefers to spread something else, and as long as he’s willing to give, I’m more than happy to take.

He pushes me to my limits, fulfilling my wildest Christmas fantasies, but just how long can I do this before I break my own heart? Do I wish him back every Christmas and spend each year longing for a man I can’t truly have, or is it time to finally let him go and watch him fly away on his big red sleigh once and for all?

The Claus Who Came for Her

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎
Character development: 😋😀😍
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

🎧 Audiobook Review: Santa’s Dark Secret

Author: Sheridan Anne
Genre: Dark Romance / Holiday Romance
Narrators: Lucas Dixon, Ash Kingsley

🦸🏼‍♀️ The Heroine: Mila

Mila’s life changed the night she was six years old and saw Santa Claus step out of her fireplace — not just Santa, but a mysterious boy trailing behind him. She’d already heard whispers that Santa wasn’t real, yet there he was, looking at her with a strange, knowing confidence that branded itself into her memory.

That moment became the fracture line between her and her mother, who dismissed her story outright. Shuffled off to live with her father and later orphaned in her twenties, Mila has endured loss after loss — including walking in on her boyfriend and best friend together. Now she’s a hardworking attorney at a prestigious New York firm, but despite her dedication, a promotion seems forever out of reach. She’s lonely, exhausted, and quietly craving something — or someone — to shake her world awake.

🦸🏻‍♂️ The Hero: Nick

Nick is Santa Claus — but not the jolly, cookie‑munching icon we all imagine. That was his father, Nick Sr., the legendary Santa of generations past. Nick, on the other hand, is the black sheep of the Santa lineage: darker, moodier, and far more prone to mischief than holiday cheer.

He’s also obsessed.

From the moment young Mila saw him — something no child should be able to do — he was captivated. Every year since, he’s returned to her, leaving her a charm and watching her grow from afar. His fascination deepened into desire, and while he’s supposed to be perfecting his Santa duties, he’s far more invested in Mila… and in the wicked fantasies he’s harbored about her for years.

📚 The Plot

Nick has been checking in on Mila far more often than the annual Christmas Eve visit. Once she turned twenty‑one, his interest sharpened into something more intimate, more possessive.

This year, Mila drunkenly tosses a wish into a fountain after a chaotic company holiday party — a wish full of heat, hunger, and the kind of fantasies she never expected anyone to hear. But she believes her secret Santa will deliver.

Nick hears it.
Nick wants it.
And Nick is absolutely ready to grant it.

What follows is a holiday encounter that blends magic, obsession, and scorching chemistry as Nick steps out of the shadows to give Mila exactly what she asked for.

🌟 Strengths

• The premise is wildly original — a dark, seductive Santa Claus is not something you see every day in romance.
• The steamy scenes are undeniably hot and written with bold confidence.
• Mila’s letters to Nick add a charming, intimate structure to the story, each wish revealing more of her heart and desires.
• The book leans into its uniqueness; Santa romances are rare, and this one fully commits to the concept.

💔 Limitations

• The story repeatedly mentions Nick watching Mila, but never shows those moments. For a stalker‑romance lover, that missing layer of tension and obsession feels like a missed opportunity.
• The smut outweighs the plot at times. A deeper paranormal angle — especially around the Santa mythology — could have added richness.
• Nick’s reluctance to be with Mila doesn’t quite track, especially when her letters make it clear she has no real ties holding her back.
• Mila’s personality shift near the end feels abrupt and makes her harder to root for.

🎙️ Narration

Told in dual POV with dual narrators, the audiobook shines.

• Ash Kingsley brings a fragile, expressive warmth to Mila, delivering an emotionally charged performance that fits the character beautifully.
• Lucas Dixon is perfectly cast as Nick — his deep, gravelly tone embodies the darker Santa vibe, and he handles the steamier dialogue with impressive skill.

💬 Final Assessment

A bold, spicy, and imaginative holiday romance that leans hard into its dark‑fantasy premise. While the plot could have been more developed and the character arcs more consistent, the originality, heat, and narration make it a memorable seasonal listen — especially for readers who enjoy their Santa with a sinful streak.

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