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jambrea's review against another edition
3.0
This is a nice story of second chances around the holiday. You have a child who lost her parents and an uncle doing his best. He takes her to his home and finds the boy he left behind. I enjoyed it and it's a good holiday story, but I won't lie, I wish there was more. I know it's a short story and those are VERY hard to do, but a good epilogue is always appreciated. lol If you want a nice little story of second chances, you should pick this one up.
suze_1624's review
4.0
3.5*
A great Christmas second chance at romance short story. I felt it gave me all I needed - bit of background, enough that it wasn’t instant fall back in and a hopeful future.
Yes, I would have liked more background build up and seeing how it goes further and maybe the chance for more humour in the present but for a short story it hit the marks for me.
A great Christmas second chance at romance short story. I felt it gave me all I needed - bit of background, enough that it wasn’t instant fall back in and a hopeful future.
Yes, I would have liked more background build up and seeing how it goes further and maybe the chance for more humour in the present but for a short story it hit the marks for me.
the_novel_approach's review
3.0
I’m a big fan of kids in fiction, probably ‘cause they’re fictional so we get the cute without the hiccups and tantrums and headaches that come with real children. I’ll pause here to give props to all parents and minders and people who look after kids; you all deserve a medal. Or, at least a nice cup of tea and a sit down. So, seeing poor Mallory trying to cope with her parents’ death, and her hopeless uncle, was quite heart-warming.
Which was impressive because I didn’t like the character of Jason at all. I know Jason was aware of how selfish he was, but wow, it really did come across, so much so he was almost off-putting. In fact, from his point of view in the narration, despite going back to the hometown he fled to try and give Mallory a proper Christmas, she seemed a bit of an afterthought to him. His focus became solely on his lost love, Tom.
On the other hand, Tom was so nice, and really, I wanted to see him get with somebody less selfish. He was brilliant with Mallory when he babysat her, so Jason could go Christmas shopping. Mallory herself was aware of how Jason was trying to do something special for her so she could feel some of the magic of Christmas she would have had with her parents, and the two had a beautiful if poignant moment together.
In so many ways this felt like it should have been a redemption arc for Jason as he reignited with his love and found a family with Mallory after spending so much time alone, and with just hook-ups, and yet, it somehow missed the mark, possibly because of the constraints of a short story.
Worth the read and a good addition to the advent calendar.
Reviewed by Jenn for The Novel Approach
Which was impressive because I didn’t like the character of Jason at all. I know Jason was aware of how selfish he was, but wow, it really did come across, so much so he was almost off-putting. In fact, from his point of view in the narration, despite going back to the hometown he fled to try and give Mallory a proper Christmas, she seemed a bit of an afterthought to him. His focus became solely on his lost love, Tom.
On the other hand, Tom was so nice, and really, I wanted to see him get with somebody less selfish. He was brilliant with Mallory when he babysat her, so Jason could go Christmas shopping. Mallory herself was aware of how Jason was trying to do something special for her so she could feel some of the magic of Christmas she would have had with her parents, and the two had a beautiful if poignant moment together.
In so many ways this felt like it should have been a redemption arc for Jason as he reignited with his love and found a family with Mallory after spending so much time alone, and with just hook-ups, and yet, it somehow missed the mark, possibly because of the constraints of a short story.
Worth the read and a good addition to the advent calendar.
Reviewed by Jenn for The Novel Approach
rissa53's review
3.0
It was ok, and I know it's a novella, and can't go over a certain number of pages before it's a novel already but I feel like to me, we could have had a few more things explained. Plus a decade apart and then that's it?!?!
dejunk's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this!
For a short story, TA Moore captured the past, present and future of Jason and Tom.
Jason is looking after his niece, (Mallory), after his brother's death. he takes her back to his childhood home where he meets up with his first love, Tom.
Each character was well fleshed out - Mallory, sullen teen who is coming to terms with the loss of her parents; Jason, trying to be there for Mallory and rediscovering his affection for Tom; and Tom, who, despite his best efforts, finds himself forgiving Jason for leaving years ago.
Both men dance around their re-attraction to each other, but when they decide that they have a chance together, they go all in.
I loved that this was pretty much drama-free.
4.5 stars; highly recommend!
For a short story, TA Moore captured the past, present and future of Jason and Tom.
Jason is looking after his niece, (Mallory), after his brother's death. he takes her back to his childhood home where he meets up with his first love, Tom.
Each character was well fleshed out - Mallory, sullen teen who is coming to terms with the loss of her parents; Jason, trying to be there for Mallory and rediscovering his affection for Tom; and Tom, who, despite his best efforts, finds himself forgiving Jason for leaving years ago.
Both men dance around their re-attraction to each other, but when they decide that they have a chance together, they go all in.
I loved that this was pretty much drama-free.
4.5 stars; highly recommend!
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