Title: Snowflakes and Strangers
Author: Annabelle Jacobs
Genre: Contemporary, Christmas
Length: Short (66pgs)
Publisher: Silver Publishing (22nd December 2012)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2 ½Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Ethan and Alex were together for over a year when Alex left him for another man. Three months later, Ethan remembers the Christmas getaway he planned before the breakup. He’s reluctant to go; until Riley appears on his cabin’s doorstep.
Ethan had been living with Alex for over eighteen months when Alex left him for another man and his world fell apart.
Three months later, when Ethan is finally getting back on his feet, a letter arrives in the mail–confirmation of the Christmas getaway he booked with a group of friends before the breakup.
Ethan is only persuaded to go when he’s assured that he won’t be the only single person there. The other single person happens to be Riley: male, hot, single and interested in Ethan right from the start. Ethan’s not sure he’s ready to start something, but can Riley’s gentle persuasion convince Ethan that maybe it’s time to move on after all?
Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/1341
Or buy the entire LET IT SNOW collection: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/1354
Review: Ethan was blindsided when his lover Alex left him. Three months later he is still getting back on his feet when the confirmation for his Christmas getaway arrives. A getaway he arranged because Alex loved it so much. Ethan is persuaded to go and there he meets Riley, the only other single person in their group of friends. When Riley shows his interest in Ethan, Ethan has to make a choice of letting the past go or closing his heart to the hope of love.
This book had a storyline that was very promising and a romance that could have been explosive. Ethan is still stinging from being dumped and isn’t really in the mood for Christmas, or for anything else really. Meeting Riley begins to break the stagnant seal he has placed around himself. Riley is interested in getting to know Ethan more and hopefully to get closer to him, but he has to be patient if he wants to have anything more than being friends.
This blurb sounded really interesting and I thought I would be in for a great Christmas treat, but to be honest I found the writing to be really stilted and dry. The characters didn’t come alive and I never felt like they connected. Ethan was very woe is me for a lot of the story and his ex-lover was mentioned too many times for comfort for me. Riley was very nice and patient letting Ethan go at his own pace and when they do get together for more it is very gentle.
For me this story was too unemotional, everything seemed flat and although there are other characters involved we get hardly anything off them either. I found the writing style hard to get into as well. one minute there would be a conversation going on between Ethan, Jason and Connor where they each say their own lines and then the rest of the conversation would be in a broad overview so it threw me off quite a bit.
I will recommend this if you love, finding new love stories, putting the past behind you, and a happy new beginning ending.