4 out of 5 stars
Kindle Edition. 1st edition. 53 pages. Published December 1st 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
Blurb:
Jonah Walsh’s fledgling acting career in Dublin comes to an
abrupt end when a video of him in a compromising position goes viral on social
media. The offer of a part in a Christmas play in Sydney, Australia arrives at
exactly the right time, although he isn’t sure about celebrating Christmas in
the scorching heat. Nick Claseman isn’t happy that the actor he and his sister
have hired will be occupying his granny flat. As for Jonah’s enthusiasm for
Christmas, Nick doesn’t get it. He hasn’t decorated or celebrated in years.
When Jonah turns out to be anything but a stuck-up starlet
with delusions of grandeur, and Nick proves he’s not usually grumpy and
borderline hostile, the two men gravitate toward each other. Their attraction
morphs into something more when Jonah reacquaints Nick with the pleasures of
Christmas and Nick shows Jonah the beauty of Australia. But Jonah is only Down
Under for a few months. It would take a Christmas miracle for them to have a
future together.
A Story from the Warmest Wishes: Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar
Likes:
- Long enough to develop a more complex story and characters.
- The awkward start.
- The symbolism of the gifts.
- The story was solid and the pacing was good.
- Modern touch of bad viral video.
Dislikes:
- Not memorable.
- Nothing new or unique.
- The men’s personal lives were never shown.
This was a perfectly nice story from an author who is new to me. And honestly, I have very few negative things to say about it. The plot was solid, the characters likeable, and the romance sweet.
That being said, there’s nothing memorable about this story. Despite being an actor, Jonah didn’t stand out on the page. And a lot of Nick’s personality was taken up by being a grump about Christmas. Even the tension in this story – will Jonah leave Australia when his time in the play is over? – was less than impactful.
Still, this was definitely a fun read and a nice way to pass the time. I enjoyed the awkward start between the men, as well as the modern touch of Jonah’s career stalling when the compromising video of him goes viral. It was also fun watching Jonah’s Christmas spirit work on thawing Nick’s grouchy exterior.
The symbolism of the gifts they exchanged at the end was a sweet touch. This story definitely had a warm, fuzzy feel to it, as well as showcasing what Christmas in Australia was like. I would have liked to see more of the men’s personal lives, beyond the romance and the play. I think that would have made them a little easier to connect to.
I’ll have to give Helena Stone another shot some time, preferably in a longer format. Especially since she has several series.
Find the Warmest Wishes anthology review here and the full list of stories here.
Love is Love Reviews 