Cider - Shop now
Limited-time Offer
$0.99/month for 3 months
$0.99
  • Limited-Time Offer: Get Audible Premium Plus for $0.99 a month for the first 3 months.
  • You'll receive 1 credit a month to pick ANY title from our entire premium selection to keep forever (you'll use your first credit now).
  • You'll also get UNLIMITED listening to select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts.
  • After 3 months, $14.95 /mo. Cancel online anytime.
Learn more about membership
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
Your audiobook is waiting!
  • One credit a month to pick any title from our entire premium selection to keep (you’ll use your first credit now).
  • Unlimited listening on select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts.
  • You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
  • $14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel online anytime.
Learn more about membership
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
List Price: $19.95
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible’s Conditions Of Use, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company

A Villain for Christmas: Vexing Villains, Book 1 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Alice Winters (Author, Publisher), Michael Lesley (Narrator)
4.6 out of 5 stars 1,997 ratings

Despite growing up in a family of villains, I’d rather curl up and read than commit crimes. When I get coerced by my brother into helping him rob a bank, I run into August, my childhood crush, also known as Chrono, the city’s greatest superhero. He’s sexy, sweet, and suddenly, he’s asking me to Thanksgiving with his parents.

It’s probably because he doesn’t realize that I’m Leviathan, a villain with the power of telekinesis. And I can’t tell him because he’d never forgive me and would stop doing things like cooking for me - wait, maybe that would be a good thing, since he’s a terrible cook. It doesn’t help that my parents think they’re the ultimate villains and won’t stop getting in my way, although they can’t even steal toilet paper without getting caught.

But when real supervillains (not the wannabe kind that I grew up with) start targeting August, I might be forced to show everyone who I truly am: a slightly warped and snarky man who’d really rather read a book than save anything...besides August.

I’ll tear this world apart just to get another glimpse of him in those glasses and spandex suit. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him safe, even though it means exposing my true identity. Luckily, August still cares about me, proving that even a villain and a hero can fall in love. Hopefully, we’ll be able to save the world in time for Christmas.

This ridiculous and snarky holiday novel contains a villain-turned-unlikely hero (even if he’s a manager's worst nightmare), a superhero with a fondness for suckers who absolutely does not use his powers to cheat on board games, a hairless cat with an unfortunate name, bumbling family members that try to be evil, but are mostly just embarrassing, a snow globe with mysterious powers, betrayal, true love, a risqué Santa suit, and the saltiest chicken ever.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 2
    Vexing Villains
  2. Listening Length
    9 hours
  3. Author
    Alice Winters
  4. Narrator
    Michael Lesley
  5. Audible release date
    May 20, 2020
  6. Language
    English
  7. Publisher
    Alice Winters
  8. ASIN
    B088TSD1LV
  9. Version
    Unabridged
  10. Program Type
    Audiobook
Next slide of product details

Read & Listen

Switch back and forth between reading the Kindle book and listening to Audible audiobook.
Add the audiobook for a reduced price of $3.10 after you get the Kindle book as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription.

$0.99/month for the first 3 months
For a limited time, save 90% on Audible. Get this deal

Product details

Book 1 of 2 Vexing Villains
Listening Length 9 hours
Author Alice Winters
Narrator Michael Lesley
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date May 20, 2020
Publisher Alice Winters
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B088TSD1LV
Best Sellers Rank #27,612 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#453 in LGBTQ+ Romance (Audible Books & Originals)
#509 in Holiday Romance (Books)
#1,945 in LGBTQ+ Romance (Books)

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,997 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this book entertaining from start to finish, with an action-packed plot and engaging characters, particularly noting the side characters' humor. The writing style features fast-paced dialogue and witty banter, while the romance is described as a great love story between a hero. Customers appreciate the holiday story, with one review highlighting its unique take on the genre.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

94 customers mention "Laughter rate"82 positive12 negative

Customers find the book hilarious and entertaining from start to finish, with plenty of banter throughout.

"...Now I didn't forget just how delightfully genius and fun A Villain for Christmas was just that it had been only 10 months since reading it...." Read more

"...mean guy wasn't that interesting, but the book had so much sarcasm and irony and sature that everything was worth it. One word: this was Hilarious...." Read more

"...It's my comfort read when I'm feeling down. Landon is hilarious, August is sweet, and Balzac steals the show with her cute outfits...." Read more

"Sass. Snark, wit, charm. What a great and hilarious read!..." Read more

42 customers mention "Storyline"39 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of the book, describing it as action-packed and full of surprises.

"...There is so much goodness in this story and the genuine-ness of the characters, whether they fall on the good or bad side of the scale, is what..." Read more

"The plot was totally unexpected. Landon is beyond antihero, he's just plain crazy! And so silly!!..." Read more

"...Landon and August are amazing together, and the side characters are so freaking funny (SAVCGEM is life)...." Read more

"...It's funny, it's a great storyline and the characters actually aren't cardboard cutouts of every other book out there. I could imagine them...." Read more

36 customers mention "Character development"36 positive0 negative

Customers love the characters in this book, particularly appreciating the villain who's not so bad and the funny side characters.

"...There is so much goodness in this story and the genuine-ness of the characters, whether they fall on the good or bad side of the scale, is what..." Read more

"...Landon and August are amazing together, and the side characters are so freaking funny (SAVCGEM is life)...." Read more

"...It's funny, it's a great storyline and the characters actually aren't cardboard cutouts of every other book out there. I could imagine them...." Read more

"...I liked the plot and the basic characters were solid. I REALLY liked how much Landon liked August...." Read more

25 customers mention "Writing style"23 positive2 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style of the book, particularly its witty dialogue and fast-paced exchanges, with one customer noting the brilliant snark and banter between characters.

"Sass. Snark, wit, charm. What a great and hilarious read!..." Read more

"...an unlikely pair, but their chemistry is amazing and the snark and banter is brilliant. Oh, and there's also a cat...." Read more

"...What a funny, wacky, over-the-top story this was! The banter, the snark, the downright silliness of some of the situations Landon and August found..." Read more

"...Her writing itself was as good as always but a lot of the slapstick humor was a miss or fell flat...." Read more

24 customers mention "Romance"21 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the romantic elements of the book, describing it as a funny Christmas romance with a great love story between a hero, and one customer notes the presence of secret mutual crushes.

"...It's my comfort read when I'm feeling down. Landon is hilarious, August is sweet, and Balzac steals the show with her cute outfits...." Read more

"...story has a dash of superhero, a dash of supervillain, a dash of secret mutual crushes, and a dash of insanity...." Read more

"This was a really nice surprise of a book. It was funny, sweet and the relationship between August and Landon was amazingly healthy even..." Read more

"...It was hysterical, zany, and action-packed. The romance was sweet with a lot of banter and sarcastic remarks traded between the two main characters...." Read more

17 customers mention "Cute book"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the book adorable and romantic, with one customer particularly appreciating the fast snarky sexy banter between the characters.

"...Landon is hilarious, August is sweet, and Balzac steals the show with her cute outfits. Love, love, love this book!" Read more

"Sass. Snark, wit, charm. What a great and hilarious read!..." Read more

"This was such a fun read! Loved the superhero/villain concept! Adored the “ugly” cat! Funny, like actually laugh out loud funny!" Read more

"...She writes this fast snarky sexy banter that will have you laughing. It seriously reminds me of me and my bitchy friends, so that’s another bonus...." Read more

10 customers mention "Family ties"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the family dynamics in the book, with one customer particularly praising the interactions and another noting how Landon's family is the best.

"...Landon's family was THE BEST. And August was not at all what I expected him to be. Not your typical hero story...." Read more

"...was a nice change of pace to light hearted banter, second chances, family ties, and bank robberies...." Read more

"...It has a special blend of humor, family drama, loveable side characters, and will give you all the good feels." Read more

"The dialog between the characters and the family interactions are sooooo good. I was actually laughing out loud at some of the things Landan says...." Read more

9 customers mention "Holiday story"9 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy this holiday story, with one review highlighting its unique twist, while another notes it's perfect for Halloween.

"...I needn't have worried because he does a wonderful job bringing this holiday fantasy to life, making Landon and August even more real than the author..." Read more

"This was a really nice surprise of a book...." Read more

"...Couldn't put it down. There was so much sweetness and excitement in it. I can't wait to read the second volume in the series." Read more

"Unique, funny, sweet, and sexy! This was such a fun holiday story. Loveable characters and hilarious banter!..." Read more

So Funny
5 out of 5 stars
So Funny
Well this book was not my usual genre read but surprisingly enough I enjoyed it. The author just seems to have the knack for making people cry happy tears whilst reading her books. I cannot express how much I highly recommend reading Alice winters books.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • K. Benjamin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolute favorite Alice Winters book!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Oh my goodness, I was doing what feels like my millionth reread and it says I have never left a review. What?! This was my first Alice Winters book and it is my absolute favorite. It's my comfort read when I'm feeling down. Landon is hilarious, August is sweet, and Balzac steals the show with her cute outfits. Love, love, love this book!
    Helpful
     Report
  • C S
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun romp
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A mostly camp, sarcastic sand reluctant supervillain comes to term with his family and his boyhood crush. Hijinks ensue.
    Helpful
     Report
  • padme35
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and different Xmas story & fantasy enough perfect for Halloween too
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Original Audiobook Review October 2020:
    I'll admit that with everything going on in 2020 that I forgot it had only been about 10 months since I read this delightful gem. Now I didn't forget just how delightfully genius and fun A Villain for Christmas was just that it had been only 10 months since reading it.

    Having re-read my original review, I don't think I can add much more without giving anything away because even though this was from last year's Christmas releases I have a feeling there is still plenty that have yet to experience it's greatness. There still isn't enough superhero stories in the LGBT genres for my liking so I know this won't be the last re-read/listen I enjoy of this Alice Winters gem.

    I'll just add that this is the first audiobook with Michael Lesley as narrator for me, personally new-to-me narrators can be almost as "scary" as new-to-me authors. I needn't have worried because he does a wonderful job bringing this holiday fantasy to life, making Landon and August even more real than the author's words already did. I could almost feel the jarring sensation in my arm when I wanted to smack a couple of characters with a frying pan, that's how into the story the author and narrator make the reader/listener, which is a mark of true talent.

    Original Review January 2020:
    There is just not enough superhero/supervillain(or in the case of Landon's family not-so-super-supervillians) stories in the LGBT genres. A Villain for Christmas was the first book of 2020 for me and what a way to kick off the year!

    This is another one of those stories that I'm not going to say too much about because you really do need to experience Landon and August's journey to fully appreciate the magnificence that is Alice Walker's storytelling. There is so much goodness in this story and the genuine-ness of the characters, whether they fall on the good or bad side of the scale, is what makes them stand out. You'll have moments of shaking your head and saying "WTF is wrong with that person?" and you'll have equal moments of "OMG how can one person be so understanding?" It's these emotions that make this story so hard to put down.

    This is only the second Alice Winters book I've read and it definitely cemented my desire to read more of her backlist this year. She has a way with what I like to call "snark and cuddle" that make her characters not only fun(even if you want to shake them or smack them upside the head with a kitchen appliance) but that much more real, which isn't easy to do in the fantasy world of superheros and villains. Being a holiday setting only makes the magic of the story that much sweeter. Definitely a win win for both my holiday and superhero shelf.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • 1husband2sons
    5.0 out of 5 stars Ridiculously Funny!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Sass. Snark, wit, charm. What a great and hilarious read! I’ve become an Alice Winters fan and Michael Lesley should narrate all of her stories…he did a fine job with this one!
    Helpful
     Report
  • AJ
    5.0 out of 5 stars Funniest Supervillain Story Ever
    Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is my favourite Alice Winters book.

    Landon and August are amazing together, and the side characters are so freaking funny (SAVCGEM is life). Landon is a reluctant supervillain with crazy strong powers and a slightly dysfunctional family of lesser-powered villains whose idea of fun is doing evil deeds together. Landon, however, pretty much just wants everyone to leave him alone. August is the city's beloved superhero and Landon's OG crush since they were kids together. They're an unlikely pair, but their chemistry is amazing and the snark and banter is brilliant. Oh, and there's also a cat.

    Landon tries to keep his supervillain identity a secret from August, but when a band of villains starts targeting the city's heroes, Landon knows he will do whatever it takes to keep August safe. He realizes his supervillain identity will be a deal breaker for their relationship, so his brother makes him an offer he can't refuse and Landon finds himself having to choose between the life he's known and the future he wants, risking both his family and August. I don't want to give anything away, so I can't really talk about the last part of the book (big spoilers!), but it's a great story.

    It was part of a multi-author Christmas compilation with a snow globe theme, and honestly, that's the only part of this story that was a little out of place. The snow globe in this story could've been pretty much anything else and it still would've worked. I'd love more books and shorts about these characters, and hopefully Winters will revisit them in the future!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • S. Streck
    4.0 out of 5 stars Eh
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Realistically this is more like a 3 🌟 for me content wise. I guess superheroes just aren't really my thing. By 3/4 of the way done I was slogging through to get to the finish line. While I love and appreciate Ms. Winters sense of humor, it just didn't work for me this time around. Her writing itself was as good as always but a lot of the slapstick humor was a miss or fell flat. I think I'll try the audio book for book two and hope that's better.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Sherri/Heidi
    5.0 out of 5 stars So good
    Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This book was so good, it kept me up half the night reading I didn't want to put it down , I fell asleep reading and woke up and immediately went back to it. This is the best book I've read all year. I am eating dinner and planning to start book 2. It's funny, it's a great storyline and the characters actually aren't cardboard cutouts of every other book out there. I could imagine them. This is a top 5 book of my year already, might actually be #1 if I think about it. It's so good. I highly recommend reading it if you enjoy good storylines, characters and so much laughing it's not even funny.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Wendy Meyer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Super hero suits!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I like this book but all the characters actually running around in latex suits with capes and masks is more of an ick factor than humorous
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Sue
    5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book
    Reviewed in Canada on November 28, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love when authors decide to play in the same wading pool like this. This book is soooooo much fun. WARNINGS....don’t read in public or people will think you are crazy or have something stuck in your throat as you will be laughing so much tears will run down your face...also don’t start just before bed as you won’t get any sleep till you finish...and don’t read in bed if you sleep with someone else or the bed shaking as you laugh will keep them awake. Otherwise enjoy!
    Report
  • A. Santana
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exditing history with action and a lot of fun
    Reviewed in Brazil on July 8, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Another perfect history from Alice Winters. I loved the world construction and the characters. The world it's actually similar to that of the anime Boku no Hero Academia but the history and characters are much better and exiting. It is very fun and with a lot of action. I just want more books with those wonderful characters and world.
    Report
  • Kat
    5.0 out of 5 stars READ THIS BOOK
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 26, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    *deep breath* Okay. I don't care if you don't like gay romance, I don't care if you don't like superheroes, and I definitely don't care if you don't like adorably ugly hairless cats and their snarky owners (what is wrong with you if you don't like those things?). All I care about is that you READ THIS BOOK and all those weird prejudices will be overcome!!! I don't remember the last time a book made me laugh and aww this many times. My husband honestly was getting concerned with the seesawing emotions I portrayed while reading this book. Alice Winters has once again created amazing characters, a driving plot, and a pretty adorable animal sidekick. Landon is an evil villain in a world where superpowers exist. He doesn't really want to be a villain, and would rather just read and lust over famous superhero August. Through a delightful evil deed gone wrong the two meet, and undergo the sweetest, weirdest courtship known to man. The possible best part of this book is Landon's evil sidekick kitty - a hairless cat named Balzac (yes. That is its name. You read it right). Landon's doting behaviour on Balzac (aka Zacia) just made me super happy. I wanted to reach in the book and cuddle all of them. Among all of the humour and sweetness was also a high action plot that kept the story moving and compelling. Grab a snack and a comfy chair, and be prepared to forget all outside responsibilities as you get sucked into what I can only pray is the first book in an amazing new series.
    Report
  • Ag
    5.0 out of 5 stars Not much of a story but it was a hoot!
    Reviewed in India on March 26, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Not much of a story but it was a hoot! loved it.. loved all the villians. The family is awesome.. loved brandon a bit too .. a little evil is good for everyone
    Report
  • Goryel/BlackBolt
    5.0 out of 5 stars well written, adorable and so funny ! :))
    Reviewed in Germany on January 8, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I absolutely loved (!) this book :))

    The charas in this story are so adorable and funny ... and the plot is one of the best I have ever read. I read the story in one go and laughed so much while reading it - I hope that there will be more of this pairing, this family, or something like this story with other m/m-pairings :))

    Please keep up the good work - you are now one of my favourite writers ^^...

    *hugs*, bye, Blackie ^^...
    Report