Title: From All of Us to All of You
Series: Boughs of Evergreen: A Holiday Anthology (Volume 1)
Author: Ofelia Gränd
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short (28 pages)
Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing (December 1st, 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Blurb: Simon hates the Holidays. It’s the same every year – awaiting the dreaded Christmas Eve, when his father gets drunk, while the family fake Christmas spirit and strain to hear the TV over Dad’s snoring. This year, Simon’s sister is celebrating Christmas elsewhere, leaving him to deal with their parents on his own.
But there’s a glimmer of hope.
A work colleague introduces Simon to her son Hannes at the Lucia Day celebrations, the trouble being that Simon mistakenly believes it’s a blind date, and as if that isn’t embarrassing enough, Hannes wants them to be friends, and Simon’s starting to see signals that aren’t there. He’s beginning to wonder if he’ll make it through Christmas with his sanity intact.
ISBN: 9781909192898
Product Link: http://www.beatentrackpublishing.com/?ref=boughsofevergreen
Reviewer: Prime
Review: Reading this book sparked memories of going to a church masses and being in Catholic primary and high school productions as either actor or musician. This is all about family and love and just general celebration, it’s difficult not to like this short story because again, this makes me think of my family at Christmas and Easter. Even if Simon’s family is nothing like mine.
This is certainly a different type of Christmas story: it is set around Santa Lucia and Christmas in Sweden. There is no one feeling lonely amongst their hordes of relatives and presents and happiness.
Instead, Simon isn’t particularly happy when it comes to his parents and really has an intense dislike for Christmas since he’s never had a happy Christmas. He lives in his small hometown, with an average job and everyone knows everyone else’s secrets. Simon is introduced to Hannes, by Hannes’s mother who Simon happens to work with.
Both Simon and Hannes are adorable and sweet. Hannes seems to have something Simon needs and vice versa, they just need to get their act together.
This isn’t a rushed insta-love, but a subtle story that just happens to coincide with Christmas.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *