Reviewed by Elizabetta
TITLE: Gaudete
SERIES: 2013 DSP Advent Calendar – Hearwarming
AUTHOR: Amy Rae Durreson
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 74 pages
BLURB: Every Christmas, child chorister Jonah Lennox used to meet Callum Noakes at Aylminster cathedral when Callum’s mother came to sell roasted chestnuts at the market. After years of friendship, an argument separates them, apparently forever. Putting away the memories of his lost friend, Jonah left the cathedral and moved on with his life.
When Jonah returns to the cathedral after ten years away, the market in the cathedral brings back memories—and Callum, who has made a life for himself as a woodturner. Upon meeting again, attraction pulls them together, and the holiday may inspire their old friendship to mature into new romance.
REVIEW:
Awwww, this is sweet and strikes a chord with me (pun intended)… Christmas and singing, whether in choir or caroling, they go together well. Even better, Gaudete takes place in England where there is a huge choral music tradition. And I couldn’t resist a story titled ‘Gaudete’ (‘Rejoice!). It’s one of my favorite carols, written centuries ago and sung in Latin, and so pertinent to the season, nothing heavy or too sweet, just joyful…
“Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born… let our gathering now sing in brightness, let it give praise to the Lord…”
Jonah and Callum’s story is told in alternating time frames from when they met as children until an unfortunate misunderstanding that separates them for eleven years, to their meeting again as young adults. They had become fast friends, came together because of the Christmas market Callum helped his mum at, in the town where Jonah was attending school. Their friendship grows out of the support they give each other through hard times.
Jonah was the boarding school kid, quiet and introspective, the one who’s family never visited, the one who stayed over at holidays. He was a choir boy, had a lovely singing voice and could lose himself in music.
Callum’s anger over his absent father, and his ADHD certainly made life more difficult, nobody gets it. He’s a bit of a wild child — until he found his passion for art and wood crafting, until he met Jonah. Quiet Jonah who did get it.
I like how Jonah and Callum’s discovery of each other is handled. It feels very real. Flash-backs can be risky as they disrupt the romantic tension, but they add so much to the story here. One scene in particular, when Callum hears Jonah’s chorus sing for the first time, is quite lovely.
Gaudete has elements of other holiday stories I’ve very recently read… the Christmas market and wood crafter in Merry Gentlemen by Josephine Myles, and the good childhood friends who love and support each other and then re-connect years later in Alaska by Kim Fielding. These seem to be popular themes this year.
But Gaudete has its own brand of specialness with its message of the healing power of music and its effect on these two soul mates. It is quick and sweet, but I believe in these guys and want the best for them. Jonah explains to Callum what ‘Gaudete’ means to him, “… these are the best of days, and we should all be happy.” God bless us one and all.
Gaudete is part of DSP’s 2013 Advent Calendar – Heartwarming.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: Dreamspinner Press
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ADVENT CALENDER EVENT
Dreamspinner Press and The Blog of Sid Love bring to you an opportunity where you get to win a free set of DSP’s “Heartwarming” Advent Calender 2013. Yes! The full set with 31 stories including contributions from authors like Andrew Grey, Cardeno C., Grace R. Duncan, and many more…
If you wish to enter yourself into this contest, all you have to do is comment on every advent event post we make each day till the end of this month. Look out for titles with “Advent Calender Event” mentioned in them (such as this one) and the posts will be reviews on each and every story from this anthology.
The contest will end on 1st January, 2014 and the winners will be announced on the 2nd of January.
So, good luck to you all and Happy Holidays!
Sounds like a great story!
Thanks for explaining the title. Do like the cover
This sounds so good. I wish I had a few minutes to sit down and read it right now.
I love the cover and the blurb.
I’m particularly fond of this one, though I haven’t read it yet. Reading the blurb hit me right in the chest because it reminded me of a friend I had a falling out with some years ago over a complete misunderstanding. We never were able to repair our friendship and, instead, just drifted away from each other. And the title? Latin was one of several languages I took in school and to this day, I still sing songs in Latin. Adeste Fidelis is my favorite carol.
Hi Peaches — we share that fondness for Latin. I grew up singing church hymns in Latin — holds a special meaning for me too. I hope you get to this little story. It is a sweet one. Hope your holidays are fully of laughter and song!
I freely admit to singing a bit louder and definitely with more verve when the Latin carols are sung at church services. 🙂 Win or not, I’ll definitely make room for this story! Happy New Year, Elizabetta and all!
Happy New Year to you Peaches and all!