Jay Northcote ha scritto una deliziosa storia natalizia, che mi ha conquistata con la sua dolcezza.
Rudy, il nostro protagonista, è un ventiquattrenne che lavora per un’organizzazione di beneficenza rivolta ai giovani LGBTQ. Ama il suo lavoro e ha un bel rapporto con i colleghi, ha anche una famiglia numerosa che gli vuol bene, ma sul versante amoroso è impacciato e inesperto. Non ha mai avuto una vera relazione e non si crede particolarmente bello o interessante. La sua timidezza lo blocca e, quando in ufficio arriva un tizio nuovo e bellissimo che gli fa palpitare il cuore, Rudy sa che non ha speranze con lui.
Zac è una persona estremamente riservata, quasi schiva. In ufficio tratta tutti con educato distacco e non condivide lo spirito di cameratismo né particolari della sua vita privata con chicchessia.
Ci vorrà una serata di festeggiamenti imposti dal capo per scioglierlo un po’, facendolo avvicinare a Rudy, che non sa nascondere i propri sentimenti per lui.
Di solito Zac è bravo a erigere barriere che lo proteggono dal soffrire o dal suo passato doloroso, ma a ridosso del Natale i suoi muri virtuali scricchiolano un po’ troppo e, sull’onda del momento, accetta l’offerta di Rudy di accompagnarlo dai parenti, per non passare le festività da solo.
Questo è l’inizio di un’avventura dolce, divertente, romantica, a tratti malinconica, e persino con qualche sorpresa. Ci sono amore, affetto, delle parti sensuali ben descritte. Conosceremo la vivace famiglia di Rudy e l’adorabile Holly, punto bonus di questa storia.
Il libro non è molto lungo, ma è coinvolgente. La resa italiana risulta piacevole e ben fatta.
Non mi resta che consigliarvelo, per regalarvi qualche ora di gradevole intrattenimento.

I liked it! It was fluffy and cute and Christmas-y, and I'm a sucker for fake dating. I especially like the transmasc representation! One can never have enough good transmasc rep. A quick little read, maybe a bit cheesy, but perfect to start off the Christmas season when it comes back around!

4 stars

https://justloveromance.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/family-for-christmas-jay-northcote/#more-15535

I think even the biggest grinch would find their hearts growing “two sizes too big” after reading this delightful, Christmas novella. Jay Northcote really does a wonderful job here, giving us a feel good story that provides just the right amount of sweet and sexy to make this an easy, low-angst but compelling read.

The fact that this is, in part, an office romance just ups the ante for me because it’s one of my very favourite kind of stories. There’s something about two people, subtly peering over their computer monitors to eye-fuck each other, that really appeals to me. In this case, it’s sweet Rudy who is harbouring a quiet crush on his aloof new co-worker, Zac. While Rudy would love to get to know him better, Zac has been politely rebuffing any invitations to join in group lunches or after-work drinks. But when Rudy and Zac’s boss makes a point of inviting Zac to join the company Christmas drinks party, Zac feels compelled to attend and Rudy sees this as his chance to flirt and make his interest in Zac known. Unfortunately, numerous tequila shots makes his plans go slightly awry.

Without giving away too much of the plot (this is a novella, after all), Zac ends up tagging along with Rudy to celebrate Christmas with Rudy’s family. Assumptions are made, miscommunications occur, lost kittens are saved and fake boyfriends become…well, you’ll have to wait to open that gift yourself J Needless to say, the boys get their HEA but their journey there is pretty, damn adorable. Plus, the epilogue brings beautiful closure to the whole story.

I really loved Rudy’s family and how loving and open they were to Zac. Seeing him go from being closed-off and emotionally scarred to accepting Rudy’s pure hearted, undemanding affections and the affections of Rudy’s family, was wonderful. Zac’s emotional journey is relatively low-angst, but it does provide a nice balance to story and stops it from veering into overly sweet territory.

There’s nothing better than an uncomplicated love story when the stresses of the world seem to be closing in around you, and Christmas often brings that stress out in spades. This would be the perfect book to sit and relax with, and maybe help you remember that the ONLY thing that matters is being able to spend the holidays with people that love you unconditionally.

I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review

* 3.75/5 *

Je dois dire que cette nouvelle m'a apportée la chaleur et le réconfort dont j'avais grand besoin ! J'ai adoré la douceur qui se dégage de cette histoire, l'ambiance chaleureuse et un peu folle qui règne dans cette maison de campagne m'a rappelée la maison de mes grands-parents, et les plus beaux Noëls de mon enfance qu'on y a passés ... La famille de Rudy est géniale, je me demande d'ailleurs si la maman n'a pas fait semblant de mal interpréter les choses ... Les soirées jeux sont l'occasion de partager de beaux moments, et la partie de 'Sardines' est vraiment excellente, l'incursion dans le placard me rappelant un A&P que j'adore ...

Rudy & Zac forment un petit couple adorable comme tout, ils m'ont fait fondre tous les deux ...

Voilà donc une nouvelle de Noël comme je les aime, avec tous les ingrédients nécessaires pour passer un doux moment, y compris un adorable chat !

I really enjoyed this, great first Christmas book of the season for me. Rudy and Zac complemented each other nicely. Zac's never had a family, and doesn't know anything about love, but he has a fair amount of life experience. Rudy has an awesome family, so he knows all about love, but he's never had a boyfriend, and doesn't have much experience.

This book was actually the perfect length for a good Christmas story. Not so short that there's not enough time to really get a feel for the characters, or to feel rushed, but not so long that it got mired down in the details. Just great!

Just like the blurb says, shy and sweet Rudy is crushing hard on his enigmatic coworker Zac. He knows Zac is way out of his league, but a tipsy night out with coworkers gives Rudy the opening to invite Zac home for the holiday weekend.

Zac is closed off for many understandable reasons, but Rudy and his family and the spirit of Christmas opens him up to perhaps, just maybe, consider a happy ending for himself.

I enjoyed this, despite it not being as sexy or as emotional as some of Northcote’s other previous works. However, this was still a feel good, warm, holiday read!

This was such a heartwarming read. Rudy and Zac are so effortlessly adorable together. Great holiday story.

My clean off my holiday book shelf run continues. This time of year I try to capture the Christmas mood via eclectic families. Rudy’s family didn’t get a lot of depth there, but bits were amusing, mostly related to an apron. Paint by the numbers stuff, but not bad and not eye-rolling.

This was very sweet and I just loved Rudy's family. I love seeing them fall in love.