Hello everyone!
As indicated previously in the week with my Tuesday blog post, this month it's ALL about the holiday season - with movies and books alike!
Which means I needed to find something neat for my starter post, and what better way to begin than to turn to some of my favourite authors?
I had the pick between Serenity Woods, Keira Andrews and Noelle Adams, but I went with Ms Andrews because I've very recently finished another one of her works, not that I'll be talking about that book just yet. It'll have to wait until January 2018, but I can promise you, it made me cry, so you KNOW it's good.
As for this blog post, however, I did in fact pick an Andrews book for obvious reasons, and luckily for me there are a few of hers to choose from for the season.
I chose A Very English Christmas, featuring Isaac and David from her gay Amish storyline, I was delighted to revisit them even if I have yet to finish the actual series. Oops ...
Anyway, enough about what I haven't done yet.
All my Christmas-spirit books which I've already reviewed will be found as links down at the bottom of the page. The list is getting long and distinguished - I may need to create a 'favourites' post or something soon!
This particular story of Isaac and David was previously published back in 2015 as part of an anthology, but it has now been republished as a solo novella, which brings me great joy because I always love seeing Ms Andrews' characters (and thus books) stand on their own two feet.
But if we recap it all just briefly, from what we can all safely assume are not spoilers: Isaac and David escaped Zebulon, a rigid Amish community where their sexuality is not only forbidden but also an abomination, and fled to the outside, "English" world, where they currently live with Isaac's older brother (who has also made that escape years ago and managed to find himself a very pretty lady companion).
That's all fine and dandy, and now one of David's sisters is also out and about in the "English" world, but both of the young men long for something else.
They want a home of their very own this Christmas season.
Not only is the whole she-bang completely new to them (as the Amish and personal possessions just don't mesh well, sadly), but they just want to have their own space and give Isaac's brother his own freedom back from having them underfoot.
So, house-hunting, or apartment-hunting, they go!
As it's San Francisco, however, the prices are pretty high, which means they can't just find their perfect place right away so that it would also fit in their budget.
And then of course the inevitable happens and they DO find their happy place, but it's way out of their price league.
This leads them to try and find something better in the apartment-style zone but they'd still have to rent a place for David's workshop anyway, since David is a very skilled carpenter and he makes quite a bit of money when his pieces sell.
Also, watching these two guys enduring the dreaded Christmas shopping is something for the history books as they're literally like deer in headlights!
Still, it made me want to turn up the Christmas music on my own end as I read about their decorating and listening to the old tunes and just generally finding a happy place for themselves in a world where they don't need to feel like they're freaks.
Plus, there was a mistletoe lesson, too.
No, they didn't know what it stood for. Yes, they did in fact figure out its use later on - you know how it goes.
Of course this wouldn't be a HEA without the HEA, obviously, so just when you think the kids would have to settle for Christmas, both of them pull off a miracle: David finishes the bed he'd been making for the two of them, their very own bed, and Isaac brings around the set of keys for their perfect house which he had conned the landlady to give to them saying they'd be doing repairs for her around the other properties she's renting out on, thus lowering their own rent.
And that's where we'll leave them, exploring their very own home. There's only so much mush you can take, after all.
Regardless - a highly recommended novella!
xx
*image not mine
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