REVIEWED by Jay V.
TITLE: Summerfield’s Angel
SERIES: The Christmas Angel #2
AUTHOR: Kim Fielding
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 113 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 2, 2018
BLURB:
After the hard winter of 1888 ended Alby Boyle’s work as a Nebraska ranch hand, he returned to New York City in search of his long-lost family. His mother and brothers are nowhere to be found, however, and after Alby’s years of absence, Five Corners no longer feels like home. His prospects seem as dim as the nighttime alleys.
When Alby pauses to admire an angel ornament in a department store window’s Christmas display, he meets Xeno Varnham-Summerfield. Wealthy, handsome, and enthusiastic, Xeno brings Alby some temporary cheer. But for Alby to achieve his dreams of love and a real home, well, that may take a bit of holiday magic.
The Christmas Angel series books are standalones and can be read in any order.
REVIEW:
Historical novels always make me a bit nervous – is there going to be accuracy? Too much suspension of disbelief to truly enjoy the story? Is there going to be an accurate portrayal of how lgbt relationships were thought? Well, Kim Fielding has done her research and created a story that is in the realm of possibility. Setting the story in New York City allows more openness in atmosphere and a magic that works within the context of the time setting.
The book opens with Alby Boyle wandering the streets of New York having just arrived from Nebraska. He’s returning to see if he can locate family that he’s long left. An unusual red-haired angel on top of a tree in a store window catches his eye. He turns to continue on and almost walks in front of a trolley, only to be saved by Xeno Vernham-Summerfield grabbing him at the last minute. This is a brief encounter and they continue their separate paths, but somehow they keep returning to each other. Alby is trying to find his long lost family and a purpose in life while Xeno is unfocused in helping his family run a chain of stores. The angel begins to influence both their lives giving their connection validation.
his book is on the shorter side, but it still fully fleshes out the characters and you begin to understand both men, but mainly focusing on Alby and his struggle to figure out the next steps in his life. Even though he’s lived a mature life on the ranch, he develops so much more in the city and with the influence of meeting Xeno and getting to know him. We begin to feel the struggle people had during that time just to live life.
Fielding, as always, paints lovely pictures of the characters and the locations. Having lived in the New York City area myself for over 20 years, even I learned a few things. Her story is historically accurate so there are no distractions. NYC isn’t always the most pleasant place to live and Fielding gives the city its own character, good and bad, to contrast the two men. The setting is during Christmas and it embraces the season, giving us a nice read in the holiday spirit. The angel plays some pivotal sections in the story without becoming overwhelming. It’s nice to see the continuity that the angel gives from the first book and easily sets up the angel to continue on its journey through the rest of the series.
RATING: 
BUY LINK: