Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.
Life should come with signs like an amusement park ride, warning you of all the possible side effects.
Evan Goodman is like any college freshman. He’s just trying to find his way in the world, find a place for himself. Of course, he knows that the world is truly a stage, and theater is his one true love. It’s on stage that he meets Tyler, another performer. Evan does a cliff dive into the relationship, but when he looks back, Tyler hasn’t even stood within a foot of the edge.
So when Christmas comes and Evan’s supposed to come with a handsome, cultured boyfriend… he’s, well, screwed.
But after seeing JD, a fellow student, being rejected by his brother, he gets a not-so-bright idea. His family doesn’t know what Tyler looks like, and JD needs a place to go, so why not?
Holidays come with a spark of magic though, and maybe Evan and JD might have some magic of their own.
Sometimes it was easier to face the world when I couldn’t see every harsh shape, every flaw. The world could be kinder if everyone was a bit myopic.
I’m not exactly a holiday story fan. I like stories that really tell more than just a few days, I want stories that breathe life. I gave this a shot, however, because the cover, by Paul Richmond, is just plain adorable and totally drew me in (and is a total match for the heart of the story, which I appreciate), and because I’ve liked some of Cates other work.
Unfortunately, the magic wasn’t there for me. This was a perfectly fine story with some cute elements and others that were surprisingly deep, but it fell flat in ways that short stories often do. I felt like something was left missing and things wrapped up way too neatly for my tastes.
So to be clear, there was nothing wrong with this at all, it just wasn’t really a story that suited me. If you’re into cute and fun holiday stories that are short and sweet, then you will probably adore this. If you want some more depth, maybe not so much. Overall the story was nice, but it didn’t leave me with a big impression.
Cover art by Paul Richmond. Just plain adorable.
Sales Links: Dreamspinner eBook All Romance (ARe) amazon 
Book Details:
ebook, 83 pages
Expected publication: December 12th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632165930
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 