Reviewed by Sid
TITLE: The Promise of Snow
SERIES: 2013 Advent Calender – “Heartwarming”
AUTHOR: Elijah J. Davis
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 28 pages
BLURB: Christmas is fast approaching and familial obligations are dampening Brandon Jacobs’s holiday spirit. On top of requiring his attendance at the annual neighborhood Christmas party, his mom has been bugging him to call AJ, a childhood playmate who just moved to town. Brandon’s memories of AJ as a kid aren’t exactly fond, and he’s not about to waste time on him as an adult… until he runs into AJ at the party and decides that Christmas might be the perfect time for a fresh start.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2013 Advent Calendar package “Heartwarming”.
REVIEW:
Elizah J. Davis’ entry for this Advent Calender promises a non-stop entertainment and a lot of cuteness factor filled in it. This is a story that doesn’t bring a new, unique concept, though it sure is told in a refreshing manner. And the credit goes to Ms. Davis’ writing that had me fall in love with her characters in mere 28 pages and so little invested in them.
Brandon Jacobs and AJ (I am so tempted to call them AJ and BJ!!) meet at a Christmas party after several years. Though people may take them as being good friends back in their childhood days, only Brandon knew how much he hated AJ’s guts. So when AJ moves back into the town and Brandon’s mother asks him to be a good neighbor and show the guy around, Brandon dreads the moment when he has to come face to face with the guy.
AJ, however, is a changed man now and is someone, to Brandon’s surprise, with looks that puts a spell on him.
The tone of the whole story is quite light-hearted, even funny at times. There’s no place for drama here and it turns out well. Like I mentioned, the characters grow on you as you read more and more of their story and it’s their cuteness that fills your heart with delight. I liked how awkward Brandon behaves at times, when he is trying to ask AJ out or before he kisses him. It makes for quite a realistic picture and moreover, gives us something to “aww” for! Though we don’t really get AJ’s POV, I like to think he is nervous around a handsome boy like Brandon as well. The way he keeps laughing definitely hints something like that.
The story, though, ends at a good point; it still wasn’t satisfying to me. Hopefully, the author will consider writing a sequel because this story feels incomplete without them being together forever! They deserve that happily ever after…
RATING: 
BUY LINK: Dreamspinner Press
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!
There have been many a short story that I wanted a little more to it, like a sequel or an epilogue. It leaves you wishing for that little extra, especially for a HEA.
Thats the problem with a good short story – we always want more!
The mark of a great short story…..you want more!!!
I agree with all of the above comments-it’s not easy to write a good short story.
growing up changes so many things.
Sounds like a fun story and I like the idea that people really can change for the better. I’m already rooting for a follow-up!