Wrapping up the Advent with Week 5. We hope you all had an amazing season with family (of the birth or chosen variety) and friends with whatever you celebrate or if you just call it December. Onward and upward to 2020!
Santa's Little Library by Jana Denardo
For small-town newlyweds Caleb and Quinn, finding the perfect gifts to commemorate their first holiday as a married couple isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Despite their different cultural backgrounds—Caleb’s Norwegian and Quinn’s Native American—a common love of books, travel, and long walks in the snowy Wisconsin woods brought them together. And though Quinn has Caleb’s gift sorted, Caleb, with his busy schedule at the hospital, might need some help… from Mother Nature.
Ann - 3.5 Hearts
I like established couple stories like this one. The comfort level between the happily coupled MCs, is, well, comforting. The author also did a great job of creating the atmosphere of Caleb and Quinn’s home and town. It wrapped their “problem” into a pretty Christmas bow. The big “problem” was Caleb’s struggle to find the perfect gift for his love. It’s a good Christmas problem to have and reading this story was like wrapping yourself in the snuggliest of woobies on the couch in front of a fire. Can you tell I got comfortable?
The gift was, of course, perfect and seeing how well the two of them “got” each other was a treat. Their relationship and how they met would make a great book, I’d love to get all up in that story.
Setting for Eight, Dinner for Two by B.G. Thomas
To overcome the bad ending of a relationship, Charlie Brooks and a friend plan to decorate his home for the holidays—including elaborate table settings like those made by local ceramicist Tory Phillips. The pieces are exquisite, but Charlie’s on a budget. So Tory convinces him to take his classes and try his hand at making his own dishes for the dinner party Charlie dreams of hosting. As they work together, they grow closer, and the fantasy gathering feels less important than what’s happening between them. When the big day arrives, it might be more magical than Charlie ever imagined.
Ann - 3.5 Hearts
B.G. Thomas can do some romance. It was a little OTT at times for me, and that’s only because I enjoy excessive levels of snark, but for a Christmas story like this, the level was Christmas story purity at its best.
Charlie is a very charming character and is one of those guys I root for as soon as I read about him. He’s an everyman with a heart of gold who gets passed over because he is an everyman, and it took someone like Tory to really see him and get his passions. The two really were made for each other.
It was also nice to read about a more unique crafting experience. I remember taking ceramics back in the day and man was I bad at it. I really could have used a Tory in my life at that moment, but in all honesty, Charlie deserved him most.
Silver and Solstice by T.J. Nichols
Calvin is good at two things: stealing and being the worst boyfriend ever. He can’t help his sticky fingers, even though Rafe has pleaded with him to stop. When a job goes horribly wrong, Calvin’s fate is in the hands of his silversmith boyfriend.
Rafe has done everything he can to put distance between himself and the restrictions of being a princeling. He has a craft, a shop, a shifter boyfriend, and lives a completely disreputable life.
But to save Calvin from spending Solstice in a cage, Rafe will have to step up and face his father, head of the city guard. Rafe’s father has had enough of Calvin flouting the law. Shifters are supposed to be collared in the city.
Calvin finally knows what to make for Rafe for solstice, though it breaks the promise they made to each other….
Ann - 4 Hearts
I liked this unique tale very much. Historical/fantastical was in short supply this advent season, so kudos to T.J. Nichols for making this story be a thing.
The world building was really well done for a short story, not too much detail to take away from the MC’s, but enough to explain motivations and societal roles. While the relationship between Rafe and Calvin was far from traditional in their world, the way it was portrayed fit both them and their environment.
I would really be into this verse and where the author could go with it. I want to read about how Rafe and Calvin met and I can only imagine the dynamics would make for a great tale.
A Stitch in Time by Asta Idonea
When Connor’s friend signs him up for a crochet course, the last thing he expects is to find love. However, at the community center, he meets hunky Finn. There’s only one problem: Finn assumes Connor’s there for the boxing class, and Connor lets him believe it, worried Finn will ditch him if he knows Connor prefers crafting to upper cuts. Can they salvage the situation when the truth comes out?
R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3 Hearts
Super simple. Super sweet. Super short.
Assumptions can definitely get one in a tight spot, and this was no different for Finn when hot guy Conner, mistakes him for the macho type when really, he’s soooo not that.
Ensue a little pursuing and flirting, and Finn and Conner hit if off quick! Equally quick is when the omission of truth can quickly spiral out of control. Good thing Finn and Conner have more in common than they know which can mend quite a lot.
Look no further for a feel good holiday story!
Ann - 3.5 Hearts
A Stitch in Time is a really cute little nugget of a story. It’s a really short one, so just as I was getting settled in, it was over. Which was OK, but I liked the setup and the characters a lot and would have loved to have a little more page time with them once the misunderstanding was resolved.
I did like how the author gave both MC’s the same social foible. They both made assumptions unfairly and thus, misunderstanding, but thankfully it was short lived and both guys had a master crafty woman in their corners to make sure they weren’t stupid for too long.
Again, just a little more page time would have made this story a smidge more memorable and special.
A Swants Soiree by E.J. Russell
Introverted software engineer Brent Levine struggles with the life part of work-life balance, but to hold on to his new job, he’ll have to embrace his employer’s dreaded “staff enrichment” events. This year’s annual ugly holiday sweater party will strain his ambition to remain inconspicuous: everyone has to wear sweaters converted into pants—aka “swants.”
Brent’s an ace at coding, but when it comes to handcrafts, he’s definitely at the far left end of the bell curve. Luckily he encounters seriously cute theater costumer Jonathan at the Goodwill Outlet. Jonathan offers Brent both an acceptably ugly sweater and his expertise in swants conversion. Attraction sparks on Brent’s side, but can Jonathan be interested in a guy like him?
R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3.5 Hearts
Poor Brent. He just wants to do his job with minimal holiday fuss, but when the boss decrees that the annual ugly sweater requirement be changed to swants (sweater turned into pants), it’s Brent’s worst nightmare come true.
What’s a 6’8” guy to do when he desperately always wants to stay under the radar? Fortuitously, Brent runs into Jonathan, theatre costume maker guru, and he can’t believe his luck when the cute guy offers his help.
This totally appealed due to having an awkward geeky MC, and gentle giant Brent, fits that bill perfectly as he tries to push through his fears.
Good thing finally joining in the holiday camaraderie opens Brent’s eyes to so much more at work, and bonus points for scoring great catch Jonathan in the romance department! Cheers!
Ann - 4 Hearts
I had to laugh at A Swants Soiree because swants are so dumb, but also stupidly fascinating and kinda perfect for this years advent prompt.
Companies that want to shove culture down your throat can be amazing or soul crushing, so I could totally get with Brent’s tortured soul. At least everybody seemed to be a good sport about all the nonsense, so it wasn’t like it was something Brent couldn’t survive. With Jonathan’s help of course.
These two together were a total treat. The chemistry was flying all over the place like glitter, but Brent was charmingly clueless and thank goodness Jonathan had it together. Brent would still be lost in some random thrift store somewhere. I liked that Jonathan had a thing for guys like Brent and it read organically and honestly. I was very happy for these two in the end.
Sweet Anticipation by Andrew Grey
Greg Hansen’s pregnant sister is on bed rest, so it falls to Greg to finalize the arrangements for her best friend’s bachelorette party. Little does he know he’s in for a sweet surprise. When he arrives at the bakery recommended to him, he comes face to face with the man he never should’ve let get away—Rhys Denning.
Rhys’s business is booming with the holidays approaching, so he can’t agree to cater the party without help—and that means Greg getting his hands dirty in the kitchen, where the two reconnect over sugar, spice, holiday goodies of all kinds, and even some penis-shaped baguettes! But the most satisfying treat might be the second chance they never thought they’d get.
Ann - 3.5 Hearts
This is the sweetest meet-cute redo. Greg and Rhys were barely-there-boyfriends back in college and Rhys did a dumbish thing and they went their separate ways. Basically, Rhys chose poorly.
The meet-cute as adults when Greg is tasked to help his super-pregnant bed-ridden sister with a bachelorette party. Rhys is a custom baker/kitchen jack of all trades and agrees to help Greg out with all the things. While the initial meeting was slightly awkward and added some good tension, Rhys is like, a full on adult, and addresses the elephant in the room. He apologizes to Greg and is incredibly compassionate and mature. Greg is all grown up about things too and it was honestly refreshing to read mature communication between two adults.
The history between the two makes an HEA very believable and I was happy that Greg got him some Rhys in his life because his sister is a lot. She loves him to death, but damn, she had me stressed out for Greg.
**copies of the Advent stories were provided for honest reviews**
