Clock Work

Winter Warmers #5

by Cassie Mint

I’m a world famous clockmaker. An artisan and a grown man.

I should be able to resist my sweet young apprentice, damn it.

I took her on as a favor. I don’t normally take students at all, but I know her brother and I figured--what’s the harm?

Turns out, there’s plenty of harm. Turns out, I can barely keep my greedy hands off her. Turns out, I should never have let her through the door.

Because we’re alone here in my workshop. It’s just the two of us, tucked away in the snowy mountains, with only each other for company. And every night when she walks home through the town, she takes my sanity with her.

She’s half my age, and my apprentice. She’s so off limits, it’s not funny.

But sure enough, my control’s fading away, slow and steady…

Like clockwork.

Clock Work is a short and steamy age gap instalove story, starring a gruff clockmaker and the sweet young apprentice who makes him tick.

Genres: Romance, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Workplace Romance, Contemporary, Forced Proximity, Smut

68 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 16, 2021

About the author

Cassie writes outrageous, OTT insta-love with tons of sugar and steam. She loves cookie dough, summer barbecues, and her gorgeous cat Missy.

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Reviews

[Penny · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't that bad but I didn't really care about the MCs or their story. The smut was great as usual but I've read better stories by this author. 2 ⭐

[*˚Remnant Light ‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4/5 stars**

If in Winter Ward from the Winter Warmers series it was a father who left his daughter with one of his friends while he went on Holidays; this time, it was a brother leaving his younger sister with his clockmaker friend for him to take her as an apprentice. Both stories kind of resembled each other in this general idea but I find that I enjoyed this one slightly more.

Kilian was a grumpy clockmaker who liked his solitude, surrounded by clocks, his passion. He was described as burly but minutious in his work. I liked that he blushed when being teased by Piper and how protective and besotted he was of her. Even at times, a little bit jealous and possessive, but nothing out of the normal. He wanted to get close to Piper but also felt like it wasn't appropriate, for one because she was his apprentice, and for two because she was his bestfriend's younger sister.

The clockmaker glances over at me, eyes narrowing in suspicion, but I offer him a sweet smile. His cheeks turn pink above his beard, his throat bobbing as he swallows, and he stares. Pins me with his searching gaze.
“You’re teasing me,” he grumbles at last, turning back to his work and pushing the magnifying glass away.

As for Piper, she was shy, quiet and a little bit of a klutz. I liked that when comfortable with Kilian, she would be more straightforward with what she wanted, slightly more confident. I wished that she'd taken more interest in clockmaking, and I found unfortunate that she was bored about it, not even trying to hide it. It would've been sweet if she really made the effort to learn BUT, it didn't cause drama and on the contrary, added more chemistry between them.

The moment I say she should stick around, Piper beams up at me, and it’s like her whole face comes alive. She’s bright and beautiful, so pretty she’s hard to look at—and it’s like staring into the sun.

I liked that this novella had a time jump of one month after the initial first meeting, it made the story more believable, the chemistry stronger and the romance sweeter. It felt like there was an actual base to all of it. I don't have a problem with insta-love but sometimes, it feels like a few steps are being skipped. When the author gives us a better timeline, it just gives more credibility to the romance altogether.

✔️HEA Epilogue: 5 years later, they are married and they have 2(?) little girls
✔️Novella
✔️Dual POV
✔️Boss-Employee trope
✔️Age gap H is late 30s and h is 20
✔️Grumpy/Possessive H He wasn't OTT but showed signs of jealousy and possessiveness towards h
✔️Sweet/Virgin h/Sunshine-ish Shy, nervous, quiet
✔️No OW/OM Although, there was a little scene where one of the H's clients wanted to take h to dinner and H shut the idea down quickly
✔️No cheating
✔️Safe
✔️Push and pull H is hesitant because he is h's boss, and she is his friend's sister. h is more straightforward
🔥 Steam level: 1.5/5 Only two scenes that were not super detailed but sweet and enjoyable
⚡Content warning No condom/ No safety talk/ No mention of birthcontrol. Fingering/ Oral sex/ First time

Would I recommend this novella? Absolutely. It was sweet, cute, and felt complete, by novella standards that is.

****Note that I do not rate novellas and full-length books by the same standards****

Winter Warmers Series
(Series Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.7 /5)
1. Winter Ward - 2. Thin Ice - 3. Cold Wood
- 4. Snow Storm - 5. Clock Work - 6. The Gift

[Lolina ⋆]

My reading slump has been awful and has just consisted of me reading nonstop fanfics- but here were are 💀.

This was sweet but I wanted more from it 👀💃.

[Viv “BookVixen” Gutierrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

sweet n steamy

This was such a good little read! I loved the hero, he was slightly awkward, but 100% gone for the heroine.

No mention of his past but it kinda sounded like he had been celibate. Innocent heroine. No others. No abuse or cheating. HEA with epilogue years out.

[Yesmina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ughhh, so sweet, so cute, it had me smiling along the pages till my mouth hurt ^^

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprise treat!

Honestly I wasn’t really excited to read this from the blurb. The whole clock maker thing seemed weirdly old fashioned and not relatable but it’s short and you know I have to complete a series.

I ended up really enjoying it. Piper was a really fun heroine. I’m usually annoyed by the super sassy heroines but must of that says stays in her head because she’s so shy. She’s an interesting character. Kilian is sweet and tries so hard to get her to love clocks like he does lol. It’s a total lost cause.

[atomickitten · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5 stars

A cute read.

I wasn't a big fan of the heroine but she wasn't the worst and I was able to tolerate her.

But Killian?
I absolutely loved his grumpy tuch...

Like I said, a nice, quick read.
And maybe it wasn't my fave from this series, but the epilogue was really sweet.

[*CJ* · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Clock Work” is the story of Piper and Kilian.

A short but sweet novella that tells the love story between a famous clock-maker and his apprentice. There’s some initial denial but soon conflicts resolve.

It was ok!

Safe
2/5

[Granger McGringot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Virgin h
No condoms
Dual PoV, 1st person
Awkward clock master H, sweet tempting clock apprentice h
No drama/angst
No cheating
Safe read, HEA, epilogue
Overall score: 3.5 OTT instalove stars

[Averie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Killian is a world-renowned clockmaker and he is finding it really difficult to keep his hands off of his new apprentice Piper. But piper is over 10 years younger than him and is his best friend's little sister! Needless to say, the feelings these two characters are having are quite forbidden.

This was a fun one! I always enjoy picking up a Cassie Mint novella :)

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Can't Believe He Shook His Hand!

This was so good! It was sweet with a bit of spice. I loved that our Hero was the one that made her want to come out of her shell and he was so gentle with her. And he was was such a genuinely nice guy! They were perfect for each other.

[Sandra R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another well written and very short romance novella from this author. Slow burn, insta-attraction and some steam. 😍 I'd love to read something a bit longer and detailed from this author, as I'd wager it would be excellent.

[Kate Russo ❦ (Rina Kent’s Version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
Omg this one was so cute ahhhh idk why it took me so long to read this I love how the brother wasn’t that big of an obstacle and I love Killian SO MUCH OMG THAT MAN CAN WORK ON MY CLOCK ANYDAY

[Brittanica Bold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and steamy. Love it!

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Love story

Another amazing love story done by Cassie Mint. Its so easy to fall in love with her stories and this one is no different. We get a grumpy boss and a shy worker in a small office/work shop space, with all the emotional feelings.

[Erin Rogoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, Love, LOVE This!

I love this novel! I read it in a one sitting, and I found it so steamy and entertaining. The only bad thing about this novel is there's an ending; I did NOT want this novel to end! Kudos to Cassie Mint for this literary entertainment!

[a seductive cactus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet cute lighthearted read. Piper doesn’t actually care about clocks but she’s entranced by the clockmaker she works for. Age gap, brothers friend, boss taboos, but all so sweet and just perfectly wrapped up in a bow at the end.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clock Work bk 5 [Winter Warmers series]
These are short novella stories about big hero's, romance and more..

This book follows Kilian and Piper's story.. It was a good romance with steamy parts, Age Gap, sweet, Clockmaker/Apprentice Romance, Boss Romance, Workplace Romance Virgin Trope, fast read and more..

Kilian is a clockmaker, He is smart, kind, caring, sweet, Shy and knows what he wants, He likes working with clocks and reading, He does not like being around people much until he meets Piper and when she starts working for him the only thing he can think about is Piper so he try's not to show it because he is her boss, He falls hard for Piper

Piper likes working with paperwork more than learning about clocks, She is shy, sweet, kind and caring, She has a brother who looks out for her, Her brother Maxim gets her a job with one of his friends that is a clockmaker and once she meets Kilian she starts to feel things for him so she try's to do her work but likes watching him work, She stays working at her job so she can be close to Kilian which is sweet, She falls for Kilian

This book is packed full of:
⦁ Awesome characters
⦁ Clockmaker/Apprentice Romance
⦁ Workplace Romance
⦁ Boss Romance
⦁ Brothers Best Friend Romance
⦁ Love at first sight feel
⦁ Hero takes care of his woman
⦁ Age Gap
⦁ Virgin Trope
⦁ Grumpy/Sunshine Romance
⦁ A bit of steam and A wee bit of Hair Pulling
⦁ A wee bit of a Possessive Hero
⦁ Forced Proximity
⦁ Sweet Strong Hero
⦁ Fast Read

I really liked the relationship between Kilian and Piper because the romance was sweet and It's nice to see that everything worked out and they got a happy ending..

[Sabrina Flachsmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super duper sweet. Killian is a clockmaker that takes on an apprentice in Piper. Piper is a bit of a hot mess, not managing to keep a job. Her brother is friends with Killian and fibs a bit to get Piper a job with him. Overall I felt like this book was quiet. The writing Cassie does, you can almost hear the clocks ticking at times. I loved the dual POV's we get from each of them which allows us to know what these two are really thinking about each other. I would say there is a low steam threshold and it definitely works up to a burn by the end. Fun, different read for me that I finished in one sitting.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apprenticeship leads to love.

I really liked this short story. It was entertaining and enjoyable with only a couple frustrating parts. The characters were interesting and likable. Kilian and Piper met after her brother had asked Kilian to take her on as his apprentice as a clockmaker. Piper seemed shy but really she was nervous. The longer that Kilian and Piper were around each other the easier it was for her to be comfortable with Kilian. Piper was willing to take a couple chances to see if they could be together. Kilian and Piper were too cute together. I loved their happy ever after. I recommend reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[kay reads]

Again, this is a very cute novela where the setting is about a clock maker Killian and his apprentice Piper, I really enjoyed the vibe of the book but the characters didn't resonate with me yet again. Killian is a professional clock maker and fixer and he takes in Piper who is his friend maxim's sister, she just needed a job being fired from her last jobs for being clumsy.

Killian develops this fondness of her, wants to teach her but Piper doesnt care for the craftsmanship but the craftsman instead, they become attracted to each other but can't act on it until they know each other's feelings, Piper soon makes a move and the story develops from that point onward.

The characters were just not so appealing to me, but loved the whole vibe.

[Lisa Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Killian's best friend talks him into hiring on his sister as an apprentice, she is having a hard time finding her niche. Killian is feeling things for his apprentice that he should not, he is her boss and her brother is his friend. The more time he spends with her the more he tries to hold himself in check.

I am enjoying this series, I cannot wait until the next one. This one is more cute than the others.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dawnmarie Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Killian is a clock maker who hires his best friends sister Piper as his apprentice to help her find her way. Piper doesn't care about the clocks but she cares about Killian who feels guilty about the feelings that he's been having for his apprentice especially since he's her boss. I don't want to say anymore and ruin it for anyone else with spoilers. You really need to read this sweet age-gap romance to see what happens. I would definitely recommend reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Cassie's work! I find her short stories absolutely perfect for when you don't have time for much and they never disappoint.
I loved Kilian right from page 1! He's possessive but so sweet! Piper is shy but determined and you can feel the chemistry between them.
If you already know Cassie's work this will not disappoint. If you don't, it's about time you do!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a free copy of this book that I received from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[poppysocks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read

Piper doesn’t really want to learn about clocks but she has lost two jobs through her being clumsy but her rather got her this job with Kilian. Working with Kilian Piper is relaxed so less clumsy but she likes doing the office work she doesn’t want to leave as she won’t see Kilian and wants him.
Kilian seeing Piper every day is hard as he is her boss but wants to make her mine and he knows she doesn’t want to learn about clocks but can’t let her go he needs to make her his but how if he is her boss and does she feel the same him?

[Kristine L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Piper has been fired from two jobs. He brother got her an apprentice job with Kilian who is a famous clockmaker. He's an older man and Piper is a younger woman who is really not interested in learning how to fix a clock. She attracted to her boss Kilian who is trying not to cross a line with Piper. Finally things come to a head and Piper put Kilian in his place to figure out what he's going to do. Will he push her away or will he reach out and take his happiness? I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[**Elle**Bee**Double U** · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a clock maker, Killian needs calm, precision, and perfection.
However, when he takes in his best friends sister as an intern he gets anything but precision and perfection.
Piper has been let go from countless jobs due to her clumsiness. She may have no interest in clocks, but she can fake it as long as she's by Killian's side.
Is Killian willing to put his need for perfection aside and claim the woman who has him feeling things for someone beyond his clock work?

Cute story. Very quick read. Maybe an hour max.

[Donna Feibusch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Read!!!

I enjoyed reading Clock Work(Winter Warmers)!!! All about Piper a young women who is apprenticing at a clockwork shop & Kilian Ziegler the master ClockWorker/Owner of the shop. Piper is clumsy when she gets nervous, and it’s been a costly mistake costing her two jobs. This is her last hope working in the Clockwork building clocks! Read about Piper & Kilean and see if clocks are her thing!!! This was a page turner from start to finish, and has lots of emotions including some toe curling incidents! It’s a Definite Read!!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kilian and Piper

It is a good read. Starts at a low pace and stays there until half the book when something finally happened between them. Kilian is a renowned clockmaker that decided to take his childhood best friend's sister, Piper, on as an apprentice. The attraction is mutual but he keeps it professional believing she would never be attracted to an older man. Until she makes the first move. 3.5*

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassie Mint has treated us to another amazing treat with Clock Work. Killian is a renowned clockmaker who agrees to take his friend's younger sister Piper on as his assistant. What began as a reluctant apprenticeship becomes so much more. Killian grows more and more obsessed with claiming Piper. Awesome age/gap forbidden romance I definitely recommend.