Like the last few years we at Love Bytes are reviewing the whole dsp advent calender
There will be a review posted each day throughout the month of December.
Let us know what you think of the reviews and the stories and have a chance to win a fabulous giveaway.
First Prize: 10 Dreamspinner Press ebooks (winner’s choice)
Second Prize: 5 Dreamspinner Press ebooks (winner’s choice)
Third Prize: 3 Dreamspinner Press ebooks (winner’s choice)
Day 15
REVIEWED BY CINDY
TITLE: An Unexpected Sanctuary
SERIES: 2017 Advent Calendar – Stocking Stuffers
AUTHOR: Cassie Decker
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 33 Pages
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2017
BLURB:
An aggressive super-flu pandemic wipes out a majority of the population over the course of one Christmas holiday—and brings Tobin and Kyle together. For almost a year, they’ve been trekking across the country from Colorado toward a sanctuary in upstate New York. Kyle’s survival skills have kept them alive, and Tobin wants to repay the man he loves with a very special gift of his own making. He sneaks off in search of the last few pieces… only to get himself and Kyle kidnapped by a desperate stranger. With their journey to New York on hold—possibly indefinitely—they’ll need to accept that home isn’t always defined by a place as much as the person you’re with.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar “Stocking Stuffers.”
REVIEW:
This is a nice little story, but that’s about it. Tobin and Kyle find themselves in a bit of a pickle at Christmas after an almost apocalyptic event. They’ve been together since the beginning of the end and Tobin wants to thank Kyle for all he’s done.
I’m not a big fan of first person stories. They have to be excellent for it to work for me and this one is just okay. There’s no real angst in this story despite the blurb’s indications but that’s all right for a Christmas story. The side characters barely exist except to tug at a heart string or two but they work well enough.
At 33 pages, the reader doesn’t really have time to get to know the characters a lot but I did end up smiling at their eventual happily-ever-after. It was a sweet addition to the lovely collection that Dreamspinner has brought us this year and Cassie Decker is always someone I like to read.
If you’re looking for a little something to take off the chill this story will warm your heart.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
Thanks for the review! The blurb does sound a bit ambitious for a short story to me.
Thanks for the review.
Whilst 1st perspn pov isnt my favourite I quite like a postapocalyptic story – hope I get enough in 33 pages!!!
thank you for the review, Cindy. It sounds cute
I was curious with holiday story in post apocalypse situation. So maybe I’ll still give this a try. Thanks for the review
Thank you for the review! I love a good heartwarming story.
Thank you for the review. Shorts that warm hearts work for at this time of year since i rarely have time to read.
I liked the idea of the story and also where it lead. The relationship between the MCs felt odd, though. Just like they never left the part, where it started out as a partnership of convenience.