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pam_h's review against another edition
4.0
This is a lovely story. I loved everything about it. I did want to see just a smidge more of the romance part of the romance at the end, but it's a beautiful story of friendship and found family and the passage of time in good ways and bad, which is just so perfect for a holiday story. That's one of the reasons I always find the holidays bittersweet, and these snippets spanning 15 Christmases captured that perfectly. I loved all these fantastic characters and can't wait to read more from this author.
And I'm especially excited that he has a new holiday story coming out in a couple of weeks! He wrote that his goal for this first one was to create a story more in line with his own experiences that he hasn't seen reflected much, "especially in romance, where the HEA/HFN tends to misrepresent family reconciliation as the only path to happiness." And that is no doubt why I loved this one so much. It's still sweet and heart-warming, but in a way that feels much more real to me.
And I'm especially excited that he has a new holiday story coming out in a couple of weeks! He wrote that his goal for this first one was to create a story more in line with his own experiences that he hasn't seen reflected much, "especially in romance, where the HEA/HFN tends to misrepresent family reconciliation as the only path to happiness." And that is no doubt why I loved this one so much. It's still sweet and heart-warming, but in a way that feels much more real to me.
arickman's review against another edition
4.0
Borrowed via Hoopla. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a good job. This was a well written novella that covered a full story in a short time.
annas_sweets_and_stories's review against another edition
5.0
This book is exactly what I needed. It is like a big warm comforting queer hug. The format of this book is really interesting because it's actually takes place over the course of 15 years and each chapter is one year's Christmas activities. There's a few years that you miss and it almost feels like you're missing out on things but I've been told that there are details in another of this author's books so I'm immediately diving into that. But honestly, I am just so happy. This book is hopeful to me. It's this group of misfit queer people who hold on to each other with everything they've got over the years as things change and life has unexpected ups and downs but at the end of it they are all together for the most part.
I think a lot of the times we get so caught up in time and forget that if things go the way they're supposed to go, life is long and seeing a book take place over so many years in such a short amount of pages really drove home that life is complicated and complex and that there are great things ahead that we can't even grasp right now. This book is available as an audiobook and I slowed it down so I could save it but it still only took like an hour and a half. This will definitely be one that I come back to as a comfort holiday read. There is a fantastic group of queer found family, a very slow burn romance, and a lot of joy.
Rep: Canadian gay MC + a whole host of queer friends who are gay, bi, trans, and lesbian.
Takes place in Canada
I think a lot of the times we get so caught up in time and forget that if things go the way they're supposed to go, life is long and seeing a book take place over so many years in such a short amount of pages really drove home that life is complicated and complex and that there are great things ahead that we can't even grasp right now. This book is available as an audiobook and I slowed it down so I could save it but it still only took like an hour and a half. This will definitely be one that I come back to as a comfort holiday read. There is a fantastic group of queer found family, a very slow burn romance, and a lot of joy.
Rep: Canadian gay MC + a whole host of queer friends who are gay, bi, trans, and lesbian.
Takes place in Canada
pucksandpaperbacks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Holy shit. This was phenomenal! We're taken through Nick's fifteen Christmases with his group of friends "The Misfit Toys" as they start a tradition of celebrating Christmas Eve together and creating their own queer chosen family. The found family in this novella is beautiful and I loved getting to see the characters progress every year. This was such a fun, quick read yet, super impactful. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to read a queer holiday story that is bookish and swoon-worthy! This is set in Canada, there's a trans woman side character, which was awesome to see! Overall, such a great read and I'll be recommending it from here on out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Medical content, Racism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content
Medical content specifically a ruptured appendix, mention of a character being racist toward Asian people, grief, death of a parent, mention of a parent suffering a heart attacksreberko's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
eicart_reads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Toxic relationship, Medical content, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Transphobia
else's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
prgchrqltma's review against another edition
5.0
A soft and fluffy through the years at Christmas friends to lovers romance, with Christmas tree illustrations that illustrate the story arc.
sepiareece's review against another edition
3.0
I suspect this book is very well written but I'm not sophisticated to appreciate it as it deserves. It's a sweet story, but I felt removed from the characters, if that makes sense. I don't know how else to describe it.