REVIEWED BY DANIELLE

TITLE: Christmas Kitsch

Part of the Home for the Holiday series

AUTHOR: Amy Lane

PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing

LENGTH: 256 Pages

BLURB:

Rusty Baker is a blond, rich, entitled football player in a high school full of them—just the type of oblivious jock all the bullied kids hate. And he might have stayed that way, except he develops a friendship with out-and-proud Oliver Campbell from the wrong side of the tracks. Rusty thinks the friendship is just pity—Oliver is very bright, and Rusty is very not—but then Oliver kisses him goodbye when Rusty leaves for college, and Rusty is forced to rethink everything he knows about himself.

But even Rusty’s newfound awareness can’t help him survive a semester at Berkeley. He returns home for Thanksgiving break clinging to the one thing he knows to be true: Oliver Campbell is the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

Rusty’s parents disagree, and Rusty finds himself homeless for the holidays. Oliver may not have much money, but he’s got something Rusty has never known: true family. With their help and Oliver’s love, Rusty comes to realize that he may have failed college, but he’ll pass real life with flying rainbow colors.

20% of all proceeds from this title are donated to the Ali Forney Center in New York, whose mission “is to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ) youth from the harm of homelessness, and to support them in becoming safe and independent as they move from adolescence to adulthood.” To learn more about this charity or to donate directly, please visit http://www.aliforneycenter.org/.

REVIEW:

On occasion I think even a holiday story can surprise you, and this story did. Picking up something from this author is never a wrong decision because you are always in for something special.

But this one I have to admit caught me off guard.

This story is a life planned out, a family to come home to, a comfort when needed and a life lesson to learn (to name a few things).

The story is intense when we follow both main characters, Russell and Oliver, growing up and finding the way they want to live.

Their unexpected friendship turns into more where you get the picture that Oliver, out and gay, felt more for Russell long before Russell figures it out.

They make great friends supporting and helping each other out and when Russell is at college fighting his way through it, Russell figures out that it isn’t just friendship he is feeling for Oliver.

With “help” from his roommate Rex, whether he wants it or not (a fantastic character btw!) he finds himself stating that he is at least Oliversexual (love that word).

When Russell wants to face the wrath of his parents for coming out and wanting to make it an official go with Oliver, he pays deeply for that.

Thankfully Oliver and his family stand by him from beginning to end and let me tell you, you cannot not love this family. Miss Amy Lane writes the characters as if they are alive and in your kitchen. Oliver’s father proves to be more than a father to Russell than his own and supports him and takes him under his wing.

A special mention  I would like to add about the carefully written relationship of Russell and his younger sister, Nicole.

This story is very intense it draws you in and then never lets you go. Thank you to the author for the last chapter in showing us a piece of their lives.

If I have to mention a critical note, the ending, meaning the last couple of chapters, could have been more expanded, with more details about both guys trying to work their way through domestic issues.

As I started out at the beginning I would like to end this too. Read this story! Read about life planning, growing up, making a home, loving your family, learn your own personal lessons, show comfort and compassion. Don’t forget to share your love with the ones around  you and that should be a good christmas thought.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: Riptide Publishing, Amazon