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a_reader_obsessed's review
2.0
2.5 Hearts
Um… this was cute with plenty of animal/pet shenanigans but for me personally, there was very little character, relationship, or romantic development as things went from point A to B with hardly an explanation.
However, one gets the gist of some hurt comfort as Aemon indulges Charlie who’s never had a true Christmas that he can remember. The spirit of the holidays still permeates this throughout, ultimately leaving one feeling warm and fuzzy in all the right ways.
Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
For more reviews on this week’s Advent releases, please check out the blog!!
Um… this was cute with plenty of animal/pet shenanigans but for me personally, there was very little character, relationship, or romantic development as things went from point A to B with hardly an explanation.
However, one gets the gist of some hurt comfort as Aemon indulges Charlie who’s never had a true Christmas that he can remember. The spirit of the holidays still permeates this throughout, ultimately leaving one feeling warm and fuzzy in all the right ways.
Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
For more reviews on this week’s Advent releases, please check out the blog!!
suze_1624's review
3.0
As a short christmas story, going in with no great expectations it was fine.
Lots of slap stick animal antics by Charlie and his ever expanding menagerie. Though he did come over as a fairly naive sort of character, though a soft touch for an animal in distress!
Aemon was more of a strict school teacher type and the short format never enabled any feelings to develop for him so the romance element kind of happened without us knowing about it.
Lots of slap stick animal antics by Charlie and his ever expanding menagerie. Though he did come over as a fairly naive sort of character, though a soft touch for an animal in distress!
Aemon was more of a strict school teacher type and the short format never enabled any feelings to develop for him so the romance element kind of happened without us knowing about it.
the_novel_approach's review
4.0
All Creatures Great and Small is a sweet Christmas story that just makes you go aww. Charlie lives a safe if solitary life, so it seems like fate intervening when he nearly runs over a scruffy looking cat. It also brings Aemon into his life. They seem like complete opposites, as Aemon is dressed in a snazzy suit and speaks as though he’s read a thesaurus. Charlie is just adorable and seems to have a soft spot for animals that need a home that doesn’t mind imperfect pets, a trait most likely brought on by his time in the foster system where he felt too different to be adopted.
The book doesn’t delve too much into Aemon’s character—who turns out to be Charlie’s landlord—only talking a bit about how he spent Christmases with his family. Nor does it have much relationship building, showing only Aemon’s sweeter side as he helps Charlie start new Christmas traditions, with a clumsy beginning, for his newly adopted cat, Max. Though Charlie questions Aemon’s desire to help him, thinking it pity, I certainly don’t as I just wanted to whisk him away and give him the love he deserves, and clearly has for everybody, human or animal.
I also adore how, by the end, it is Aemon who is the only one who seems to have any control over the multiple animals Charlie adopts, while Charlie flails but gives them all the love they missed out on. I also love how he just can’t pass by an animal in need of a home. I’d love to see a continuation of this story, or even just the development of the relationship.
Reviewed by Jenn for The Novel Approach
The book doesn’t delve too much into Aemon’s character—who turns out to be Charlie’s landlord—only talking a bit about how he spent Christmases with his family. Nor does it have much relationship building, showing only Aemon’s sweeter side as he helps Charlie start new Christmas traditions, with a clumsy beginning, for his newly adopted cat, Max. Though Charlie questions Aemon’s desire to help him, thinking it pity, I certainly don’t as I just wanted to whisk him away and give him the love he deserves, and clearly has for everybody, human or animal.
I also adore how, by the end, it is Aemon who is the only one who seems to have any control over the multiple animals Charlie adopts, while Charlie flails but gives them all the love they missed out on. I also love how he just can’t pass by an animal in need of a home. I’d love to see a continuation of this story, or even just the development of the relationship.
Reviewed by Jenn for The Novel Approach
ktomp17's review
4.0
Very short story, but quite adorable. Charlie has never had a family after his parents died when he was a child. Life in foster care did not lead to celebrating much Christmas. His run in with a cat leads to him taking the cat in and wanting to have his first family Christmas. He meets his landlord, and although he seems a bit posh and they don't get along at first, there is something about Charlie that makes Aemon take notice. I liked watching them get to know each other and start a nice romance. Great sweet Christmas story.
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