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papercranestitches's review
4.0
*** 4.25 Stars ***
Yup, this is the sweet, fluffy Christmas crack that I was hoping for when I pick up a Northcote book. He delivers adorable MCs, a little raw emotion and awkwardness, and a dash of smex like no one else.
Yup, this is the sweet, fluffy Christmas crack that I was hoping for when I pick up a Northcote book. He delivers adorable MCs, a little raw emotion and awkwardness, and a dash of smex like no one else.
ruthie's review
4.0
first of all, look at the cover for this book. now look at the cover for [b:Leo Loves Aries|32053864|Leo Loves Aries (Signs of Love, #1)|Anyta Sunday|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1473941215l/32053864._SY75_.jpg|52694520]. tell me that's not the exact same guy in an almost perfectly mirrored pose. is that even allowed???
moving on. what a charming and heartwarming little book this was. Rudy and Zac are coworkers who have too much to drink one night, share a drunken kiss and make plans to spend Christmas together with Rudy's family. of course, for flimsy-at-best reasons, the two end up posing as boyfriends for the holidays. it's fake for all of about three hours before some Big Gay Feelings set in, and the boys get more than they bargained for.
depth wise, this was surface level at best. most of the book consists of describing holiday fun - dinner and games, breakfast and presents, lunch and games - and some smut here and there. no one really has any significant personality traits other than Rudy and Zac, and I suppose Jamie, whose entire personality is Moody Tween. and being only 170 pages, there's not much time to develop any substantial conflicts, side plots, or anything other than: boys go home for christmas, boys celebrate christmas, boys fall in love in five minutes, the end.
that's not to say I'm complaining! a sweet, wholesome, innocent Christmas love story is exactly what I was looking for. it was extremely cookie cutter - I don't think anyone had a single flaw unless you count the one (1) time Zac snapped at Rudy - but these types of stories generally are, and it made me smile the whole way through, so I'm not going to begrudge that. It's been a nice contrast to the heaviness of "know my name," which has been taking me weeks to get through, to read all these Christmas romances that are pure fluff. so if you're also looking for some soft Christmas romance, I definitely recommend starting here.
moving on. what a charming and heartwarming little book this was. Rudy and Zac are coworkers who have too much to drink one night, share a drunken kiss and make plans to spend Christmas together with Rudy's family. of course, for flimsy-at-best reasons, the two end up posing as boyfriends for the holidays. it's fake for all of about three hours before some Big Gay Feelings set in, and the boys get more than they bargained for.
depth wise, this was surface level at best. most of the book consists of describing holiday fun - dinner and games, breakfast and presents, lunch and games - and some smut here and there. no one really has any significant personality traits other than Rudy and Zac, and I suppose Jamie, whose entire personality is Moody Tween. and being only 170 pages, there's not much time to develop any substantial conflicts, side plots, or anything other than: boys go home for christmas, boys celebrate christmas, boys fall in love in five minutes, the end.
that's not to say I'm complaining! a sweet, wholesome, innocent Christmas love story is exactly what I was looking for. it was extremely cookie cutter - I don't think anyone had a single flaw unless you count the one (1) time Zac snapped at Rudy - but these types of stories generally are, and it made me smile the whole way through, so I'm not going to begrudge that. It's been a nice contrast to the heaviness of "know my name," which has been taking me weeks to get through, to read all these Christmas romances that are pure fluff. so if you're also looking for some soft Christmas romance, I definitely recommend starting here.
rainbow_grace's review
4.0
So cute
Adorable story. Cats and dogs and Christmas. What more could you ask for? It's short and sweet but just right.
Adorable story. Cats and dogs and Christmas. What more could you ask for? It's short and sweet but just right.
ccgwalt's review
4.0
this is a sweet Christmas themed novella about a shy young man from a loving family and a closed of work colleague who's never really had one. Nothing earth-shaking, but nicely done.
lirosaure's review
4.0
Probably somewhere between 3,5 and 4 but it's still Christmas and this story is really cute, so a 4 it is!
novel_nomad's review
3.0
Sweet and pacey Christmas romance, even though it was fast the characters had enough background to make it work. Who wouldn't enjoy a sweet family Christmas, lots of kissing, and an adorable kitten - yes, please.
redsbookreads's review against another edition
4.0
3.5*
This is a sweet story between two co-workers. I enjoyed the book but I did sometimes find it was a little tricky to stay on track with who was who as there were a lot of side characters. I thought Rudy and Zac were really sweet together however and I loved how Rudy slowly drew Zac out and got him to trust him.
This is a sweet story between two co-workers. I enjoyed the book but I did sometimes find it was a little tricky to stay on track with who was who as there were a lot of side characters. I thought Rudy and Zac were really sweet together however and I loved how Rudy slowly drew Zac out and got him to trust him.
diana_raquel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"When you know, you know."
Jay Northcote is one of my favorite contemporary authors. I love his books. They're perfect for when I'm in the mood for something simple, light, fun, with a lot of fluff and low-key drama. So, his books are perfect for the Christmas season. And A Family for Christmas is no exception.
I loved the characters. They're funny and relatable, but they have their own demons and fears, which makes them more dynamic. I think I liked more of Zac than Rudy, but I loved them as a couple. I had no problem with the writing style but the pacing was a little rushed. I wanted more of the story and these characters.
Still, a really good story for the Christmas season.
Jay Northcote is one of my favorite contemporary authors. I love his books. They're perfect for when I'm in the mood for something simple, light, fun, with a lot of fluff and low-key drama. So, his books are perfect for the Christmas season. And A Family for Christmas is no exception.
I loved the characters. They're funny and relatable, but they have their own demons and fears, which makes them more dynamic. I think I liked more of Zac than Rudy, but I loved them as a couple. I had no problem with the writing style but the pacing was a little rushed. I wanted more of the story and these characters.
Still, a really good story for the Christmas season.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
josy's review against another edition
4.0
~4.5 stars~
That was a wonderful Christmas story and I really enjoyed it!!
Warm, sweet, cuddly, and loving!
Mark Steadman's narration was great!
That was a wonderful Christmas story and I really enjoyed it!!
Warm, sweet, cuddly, and loving!
Mark Steadman's narration was great!