2.5 out of 5 stars
Ebook. 1st edition. 31 pages. Published December 1st 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
Blurb:
The situation seems ideal: a month off work and a sweet deal to extend his stay in an unexpected paradise. Needless to say, Aaron is thrilled to snag an extra few days in Scotland after his work conference to soak up the magic of the country.
However, his plans to tourist his way around Edinburgh before his January 1st flight home are thwarted by a strange influx of people into the capital. Add in trains that don’t run on New Year’s, fireworks, first-footing, and running into the same gorgeous stranger as he exits every other shop, and Aaron really should have googled what “Hogmanay” was before he found himself whisked into the whirlwind of Scottish revelry and the impossible draw of that sexy stranger who tastes like scotch and, impossibly, already feels like the beginnings of home.
A Story from the Warmest Wishes: Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar
Likes:
- Scotland.
- Hogmanay.
- The fireworks between Aaron and Connor.
Dislikes:
- The story felt almost stream of consciousness.
- Too many italics.
- Too many commas.
- No HEA or HFN ending.
- Connor isn’t Scottish.
- Insta-lust.
The ‘about the author’ note at the end of this story is on point. Cameron writes essays and poetry and “has been told throughout the years that she’s trying to beat James Joyce on account of sentence length”. In other words, romance fiction is not her usual style. And when it comes to style, I don’t have good things to say about this story.
The story is told from Aaron’s point of view and it’s almost like stream of consciousness. Aaron’s feelings are very well portrayed. Unfortunately, that includes this dizzying rambling that touched on all the typical romance points without making me feel any of them. They’re strangely surface level, lacking the depth needed to really catch my attention.
Also annoying was the overuse of commas, italics, and long sentences. This goes along with the rambling feel of the story. So much was said, yet none of it made an impact on me. Even the story blurb has a 65 word long sentence!
The actual plot is fine. Aaron is excited to stay in Scotland a few more days. He knows nothing about Hogmanay but finds a handsome man willing to show him around. The insta-lust begins the first time they meet, and although reference is made to them exchanging the usual kind of first date personal info, the reader sees none of it.
The tidbits about Scotland and the Hogmanay celebration, including a quick summary of its creation, were great details. The romance is cute and there’s definitely a spark between the men. Sadly, that can’t make up for the fact that the story doesn’t have a HEA or HFN. There’s a possibility that things might work out for them, but nothing concrete. This story could definitely have benefitted from an epilogue where the men get back together.
Overall, I’m glad this story was as short as it was. Considering the writing style, I don’t think a longer page length would have helped, at least for me. Even the quick smut scene didn’t leave me wanting more.
Find the Warmest Wishes anthology review here and the full list of stories here.
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