The Holiday Post by L.B. Dunbar – That’s What I’m Talking About…

Audiobook review: The Holiday Post by L.B. Dunbar

Who’s ready for a sexy, cozy holiday romance? Grab a cup of tea and your fluffy blanket and settle in for this delightful Hallmark-esque tale. 

Running behind schedule and driving a sports car in a snow storm, Saint gets into an accident just outside Hideaway Harbor, ME. It’s going to take a couple weeks to get the specialty parts for his car, and Saint needs a place to stay. The quaint town is filled with tourists and holiday cheer, with no room at any of the inns, so he’s rooming with Lumi whose adult son won’t be home for the holidays. 

The Holiday Post is a SUPER CUTE, low conflict holiday romance. Think super sexy Hallmark Christmas with a silver fox lead. I love that Saint and Lumi are “mature” characters around 50 years old. Lumi has always been stuck in Hideaway Harbor due to responsibilities, including being a single mom at a young age. Saint’s life is also dictated by his responsibilities to the family business, located in the mysterious town of North, with their busiest day being December 24th (wink). 

I like that they even though both have responsibilities and commitments, they don’t use them as excuses to keep themselves apart or deny themselves the pleasure of a fling. They are upfront about expectations and limits before giving into their attraction. And in the midst of it all, they allow their hearts to get involved… I love that they don’t hold back or have regrets despite the limited time together.  

Narration: The story is shared via the alternating first person POVs of Saint and Lumi. Highpoint has strong, solid voice befitting of a 50 YO male who likes adventure and driving a sports car. He raises his pitch and/or softens his voice for female characters. Each character of the same gender is mildly different, enough to distinguish different characters during dialogue. Although his voice for Lumi sounds strained and sad, which I didn’t love. Mallon has feminine voice that can be both confident and worn out. She convincingly deepens her voice for males, making each unique. She brings strong emotions to the female characters.

Although The Holiday Post is listed as the fourth book in the Hideaway Harbor series, it’s a multi-author series based in the same setting, with each book a standalone story and romance. This is my first read in the series and I throughly enjoyed the small town. I plan to check out the other offerings in the series now.

My Ratings
Story: B+
Narration: B

Jen

About the Book:

Despite dreams to explore the world, I’ve never been anywhere other than this small harbor town. Single mom, local postmistress, and one-fourth owner of a failing auto repair shop are all the reasons I’ve remained planted where my roots began.

Hideaway Harbor is layered in love for the holidays, enticing visitors to the coastal area for a seasonal respite, so thanks to an unpredicted blizzard, it’s no surprise when a stranger plows into the town’s welcome sign.

What is a surprise is when he’s suddenly—and rather reluctantly by me—an extended-stay guest in my home thanks to no vacancies in town, some pesky matchmaking, and candy cane martinis on a Monday.

There’s something vaguely familiar about this new visitor. The combination of snow and tinsel colored hair. The well-trimmed matching beard. The laugh lines near his coal-colored eyes. How good he looks in the color red. He’s thoughtful and kind, and has a flair for the holiday season, which makes him most likely to make the top of Santa’s good guy (with a hint of bad boy) list.

After some disappointing news concerning the holidays, the hap, hap, happiest time of the year isn’t feeling so spectacular. But my houseguest’s presence builds a snowstorm of emotions in my chest, making my Christmas wish a transfer to the naughty list . . . with him.

Unfortunately, there’s a mystery behind his origins, and he has “not-staying” written all over him. With places to be before the calendar flips to December twenty-fourth, he’ll soon be gone, and I’ve encountered this heartbreaking, lump-of-coal sensation once before.

No matter how short or sweet his visit, there’s no doubt about the magic we make together, leaving me to wonder if love is the greatest adventure we take.

Author: L.B. Dunbar
Narrators: Erin Mallon & Oliver Highpoint
Series: Book 4 in the multi-author Hideaway Harbor Series, Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday
Audiobook Release Date: November 6, 2025
Publisher: self-published
Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
Source: Home Cooked Books Tours
Audio Speed: 1.3x