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 30

Reviewed by Paul

TITLE: Candy Canes and Cappuccinos

SERIES: 2017 Advent Calender Stocking Stuffer.

AUTHOR: Elizabeth Coldwell

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 42 pages     

BLURB:

Kyle is struggling to run his coffee shop on his own after his partner walked out on him. He has his eye on Steven, who comes into the shop each day, but hasn’t worked up the nerve to express his interest. When Steven asks Kyle to help out with Christmas lunch at the homeless shelter where he works, Kyle is too exhausted to agree. He donates his tips but still feels he’s blown his chances with Steven and made himself look like a selfish jerk. On Christmas Day, Kyle sees a way to make amends—to both Steven and the needy people depending on his kindness. It’s the right thing to do, and Kyle hopes he can clear up the misunderstanding and show Steven the type of man he really is. Maybe then they can consider some dessert when the lunch at the shelter is over….

REVIEW: The story starts with a MC, Kyle, co-owner of a coffeeshop, working his butt of to make the shop a success, just to show his ex-partner that he still believed in what once was ‘their’ project. Still hurt from the betrayal, Kyle’s highlight of the day is a visit from a regular, Steven, owner from a homeless shelter. Although not out-spoken, they flirt with eachother. The day before Christmas Steven asks Kyle for help during Christmas, but Kyle, to his regret, decides not to help, but chooses to put his feet up. After divine intervention, a fire at the homeless shelter, Kyle does the right thing and helps out by offering the closed coffee-shop as a replacement location for the Christmas dinner. This creates a bond between Kyle and Steven. At the end of the lunch he invites Steven for hot choco at his place. A short love-scene follows and that’s where the story ends.

As a Christmas-story this plot fills all the requirements. The painful break-up, the hopeful flirting and the suggestion of a happy ever after are all there, yet the author isn’t able to connect all the dots for me. Conversations are not easy to read, nor feel natural. The abrupt ending kills the story for me, as I was hoping to read a little more after the short and stale sex-scene. Therefor I can not hand out more than 3 hearts for this story. It felt like the author was forced to keep her contribution under forty pages ☹ It’s potential was a lot better than what it delivered

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon