A review by krin
Felix Navidad by 'Nathan Burgoine

3.75

This was a cute, light, sweet read. This is the first of 'Nathan Burgoine's books I have read and I will check his other books. I enjoyed the main characters. I liked the extra bit of depth we were able to get from Felix in close third-POV. And I am a sucker for forced proximity to make up for time, so that worked for me too.

Off the top, the acknowledgements/preamble were compelling and it was nice to see some of what inspired the novella to follow. Also, I thought the pandemic was subtly but ably referenced. The author is obviously taking care to be very inclusive in his writing, which I appreciate, but at times it felt a tiny bit shoehorned in. I think this is a challenge for many authors these days - it takes some art, skill and experience to find a balance of acknowledging so many varies important/difficult things in a way that feels fluid with the story. 

I'm always tickled to read a book set in places I know - so the Ottawa (and Ottawa to Toronto via Hwy 7 drive) setting was fun for me. At first I had mixed feelings about the flashback device, but it added depth to compensate for the limited length of a novella. And, of course, Danya was a stand out character and I'm glad we got as much of him as we did. 

Even thought I have not read the previous related books, I didn't feel like I was missing anything except I didn't totally get why Felix being impulsive was such a *thing*. But, it didn't take me out of the story so no big deal. 

Ultimately I'd say this is a lovely little holiday-themed read that's definitely worth picking up.

I received a digital Advanced Review Copy from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.