Reviewed by Chris
TITLE: Rebound Remedy
AUTHOR: Christine d’Abo
PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing
LENGTH: 155 pages
BLURB:
The last thing Cole expects to get for the holidays is dumped. But there he is, in the airport on his way to Banff for a romantic getaway, helplessly watching as his boyfriend’s ex declares undying love, proposes—and is accepted. With a few weeks to go until Christmas, Cole’s mood dives from jolly to jaded. But instead of sitting at home alone and feeling sorry for himself, he goes to his favorite bar, McGregor’s, for a pint and some company.
The moment Owen McGregor sets eyes on Cole, he knows there’s something wrong. So he takes it upon himself to ensure that Cole has a happy holiday: twelve outings for the twelve days before Christmas. Even if he can’t quite think up twelve activities that don’t involve getting the forlorn hunk into his bed.
With each outing they take together, Cole realizes that the love he thought he’d shared with his ex was less than perfect. And that Owen might prove to be more than just his rebound remedy.
REVIEW:
It’s Christmas Story Season!!!
*breaks out into a drunken rendition of Frosty the Snowman*
Yes, yes, I know. It is barely even the beginning of November– but unlike decorations and annoying sales ads, I don’t think it is ever too soon for a bit of holiday romance. I’ll read them anytime to be honest, but they are always the best fun around this time of year. So grab a cup of tea, position your cat for optimal cuddling, and let us begin!
Do you ever wonder about The Other Guy, in all those romantic comedies? You know, the one you are not supposed to be cheering for? The ones that are perfectly nice and all, but somehow not quite good enough to have someone track them down in a busy airport and declare their undying love for, but instead get to watch as the person they were dating suddenly decides that you were just the stand in and not the lead? Well, wonder no more, because here is his story.
After having watched his boyfriend go riding off into the snowing sunset with his One True Love (who is most decidedly not Cole) Cole doesn’t know what to do. With his holiday plans off cavorting with someone else’s holiday plans, he is stuck with no place to go, and no one to help fill all his now empty time. Which is how he ends up in a bar across from his apartment, and in the sights of bar-owner Owen McGregor. Having just experienced a Rebound Relationship, Cole knows he should avoid the sexy barman, but Owen has a way of sinking under the skin that Cole cannot fight.
When I first read the blurb for this book I was a little worried it was going to be another cookie-cutter 12 Days of Christmas themed story. And while there is nothing wrong with those types of stories, they do seem a bit overdone. I was pleasantly surprised by how naturally this story flowed, though. If there were 12 dates they didn’t seem like they were hammered into the story, more like they came out of the progression of how the story needed to be told. They never once distracted from the story being told, and I appreciated that.
Owen and Cole both have issues in this book, and I thought that both of them were handled well. Cole has to deal with his last relationship, and wondering if it is really a good idea to be getting into a new rebound relationship with Owen. Owen has his own problems, though. I loved the family stuff that Owen had to deal with. I think his father, and his health issues were very well written. It took this story from average to something I want to recommend.
This was, at its bones, just a very good Christmas story. Family, romance, a bit of cuddling in front of really bad Christmas movies. I had a nice time reading this, and it was a perfect start to my holiday reading.
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