Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: On Santa Claus Lane
SERIES: Isle of Misfit Toys
AUTHOR: A.J. Llewellyn
PUBLISHER: MLR Press
RELEASE DATE: December 22, 2018
BLURB:
Can a lost love ever find its way home again?
Rudy Keller’s always felt like a bit of a misfit. Growing up, he felt different from everyone around him. Somehow every toy he was given at Christmas was either missing parts or just didn’t work. As an adult, he’s taken a weird pleasure in collecting toy farm animals that are broken, especially reindeer called Rudolph. Meeting Boris, his Finnish boyfriend and one of the few vets in the town of Kemi, Rudy feels like an outsider all over again in the tiny, freezing town close to the Arctic Circle.
Somehow though, he and Boris fit perfectly and now that gay marriage is legal in Finland, Rudy’s keen to tie the knot. But now, after a decade of waiting, Boris is balking at the idea. In fact, he ends his relationship with Rudy, who flies home to Santa Claus Lane, a tiny eccentric neighborhood in Santa Barbara, California. He seeks comfort from his family and the familiarity of his idyllic enclave, which is actually only a street. But everything’s changed and Rudy’s in for one shock after another. Can his anguished heart reclaim what he’s lost, and what is his, on Santa Claus Lane?
REVIEW:
I’m a little sad after this one. Yes, it’s an HEA, but the getting there was rough. I kind of feel like Rudy a lot, so this book I guess it hit me different. Being different can sometimes feel burdening, and it’s made worse when there’s a break up involved.
Rudy always felt different. Always like he didn’t fit in. He even collected toys that were broken or messed up. He finally thought he had found happiness and a home with Boris, his boyfriend. Bit when he moved to Finland, it was another reminder he was different. And apparently, could never measure up. He tried for 10 years with Boris. He thought they were happy, but Boris wasn’t and eventually ended things. Rudy came back home to California, to move on and heal, but even his little niche of childhood was totally different. And again he felt different. But his new adopted brothers and sisters and his niece, with their misfit pittie, are bringing joy back to his life. Maybe Santa Claus Lane can be a miracle after all.
Rudy is like a man after my own heart. Feeling different so often sucks. You feel left out, alone, ridiculed or bullied. For Rudy, he tried to fit in but it never felt right until Boris. But when moving to Boris’s home, he was different all over again. I had a hard time liking Boris. Yes, it’s hard to go against your family. You don’t want to lose them. You want them to be proud, but sometimes their way of thinking can be toxic. It upset me that for 10 years, he never really stood up for Rudy. He comes across as selfish and only thinking of himself. Even when Rudy is reminiscing about their sex life. I just wanted Rudy to find his happiness.
I did love that they all rescued animals. Marley is so precious. You’ll see. Full of love and licks lol. I hope you guys like this. Maybe you will get a different read on it than I did.
RATING: 
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