December 4th

Reviewed by Dan

TITLE:    The Beary Best Holiday Party Ever

SERIES:   Dreamspinner Advent Calendar 2015 — Sleigh Ride

AUTHOR:     B. G. Thomas

PUBLISHER:  Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH:     76 Pages

BLURB:

Before he discovered the Heartland Bear Clan, Ron Corbin figured no one could ever love a “fatass” like him. But the big group of big men accepts him, and likes him just the way he is. Having finally found a place he belongs, he works hard to get elected president of the club—and wins. He’s the happiest he’s ever been.

But Paddy Brennan, a sexy bear cub who blew into town and became Mr. Popular overnight, is elected vice-president. Ron doesn’t think Paddy has earned the honor, and now he’ll have to work shoulder to shoulder (and belly to belly) with the guy for a year.

Ron will do what’s best for the club even if that means setting his personal feeling—that Paddy is a jerk—aside. But then as the two men get to know each other, Ron reluctantly finds he not only likes the guy, but is growing more and more attracted to him.

Deep down, Ron still worries he isn’t good enough, but maybe Paddy can show him there’s a beary happy ending waiting for them after all.

REVIEW:

When it came time to pick our story to review for the Dreamspinner Advent Calendar, I stopped at almost the top of the list. I didn’t need to look any further. Who could pass up a story titled The Beary Best Holiday Party Ever! I help run our local Gulfshore Bears group in Southwest Florida. I “got” Ron before I even started to read this story.

Speaking of the story, I absolutely loved it. Ron Corbin grew up with everyone calling him Fat Ass. He was always on a diet and trying to adjust his form to the societal norms imposed by a society that is way too judgmental when someone isn’t one of what society considers the “beautiful” people. Even his own parents called him Fat Ass and wondered aloud, to his face, how he could possibly be their child.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as Ron found out when he met a big old bear of a man named Billy…who, the first time Ron met him, was doing a Christmas show…dressed in a red negligee and strutting around a stage singing “Walking Round in Women’s Underwear”. Billy introduced him to his group of friends, The Heartland Bear Clan, and the rest was history.

Now Ron has been elected to be the new President of the Bear Clan. But what about this guy Paddy who was elected to be Vice-President.  Ron and Paddy have a history. Something that totally humiliated Ron, but something it appears Paddy doesn’t even remember. Will they get past it and be able to work together to run the “Clan”? Is there more to Padraic Brennan than meets the eye?

For any of you who aren’t familiar with the Bear Community, and just see a bunch of big fat guys that eat too much, you might not get this story. But I totally got Ron’s character. I’ve never felt as comfortable in my life as I do in a room full of Bears with the easy going acceptance that almost every Bear I’ve ever met has for his fellow men. It was easy for me to empathize with Ron and know exactly where he was coming from, and understand why he fell right into The Bear Clan like it was home. Paddy was a little harder to read. I was questioning his motives almost until the end of the story when all the puzzle pieces came together. I thought I knew where it was going and was super happy that I guessed correctly!

And of course, it wouldn’t be a holiday story if it didn’t have a happy ending that left me smiling! Great job Mr. Thomas!

I highly recommend this story. Pick it up today, either on its own, or as part of the entire Dreamspinner Press Advent Calendar – 2015!

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

ARe