When Cooper Chance goes to visit his parents after work, he has no idea for what in store for him. Although he’d been divorced for a year, he didn’t have a problem staying in on a Friday night. He owed his parents a lot, and if they needed help, then he would be there for him. But he didn’t realize until it was too late that they were thinking he was the one who needed help.

After an awkward intervention where his mother finally tells him, “I don’t want you to die alone,” Cooper finds himself out at a bar, with his parents, all dressed up in their finest Christmas sweaters, and not in a cute ironic way. Cooper picked out the Dirty Beaver, believing he wouldn’t be embarrassed too badly in a bar that sketchy. But as soon as his parents pick out a cute girl at the bar and introduce them, they disappear, and Cooper finds himself face to face with Nora.

Nora McHale had a rough at the bakery dealing with a bridezilla and her unreasonable requests. She was just going to get a drink or four and then call it a night, but when Cooper Chance and his parents walk in, his parents clearing trying to set him up, she can’t help but play along. Although she’s still friends with his ex, there’s no harm in having a drink or two with him. He’s gotten better looking in the last year. And it’s been a while since she’s met anyone she’s really liked.

But then a drink and pleasant conversation leads to another drink and more talking. And then to nachos with even more drinks and more really interesting conversation. And when it’s time for dessert, she invites him back to her place, to the bakery, where she arranges a boozy cake tasting for Cooper with her holiday themed pastries. And from there, things get even sweeter.

Meghan Quinn’s The One Night is a short novella that is long on romance. The slow burn between Cooper and Nora is filled with flirty innuendo and genuinely funny moments, making the night they share warm as well as hot. Even though the story is relatively short, I really fell for these characters and was disappointed when the novella ended, and ended suddenly. I’m glad to know that their story continues in another book, but I haven’t set aside the time to read it yet. But this is a fun story, great characters, and lots of fun for a quick steamy read.

I won a copy of the Kindle version of The One Night through Goodreads, with thanks to Montlake.