Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Heart of the Holidays

AUTHOR:  Pat Henshaw

PUBLISHER:  JMS Books

LENGTH:  25,700 words

RELEASE DATE:  December 9, 2020

BLURB:

Everyone hopes his road to happily ever after will be carefree and smooth, but too often hair-pin turns and detours seem to get in the way.

Having thought he was on the road to forever before, former Silicon Valley programmer Dan Lassiter is leery about pedaling down it again. His elderly companion Charlie urges him to get to know Rick Reardon whose bakery is across the street from Dan’s bicycle shop.

Under the watchful eye of Charlie, Dan and Rick take tentative steps toward each other, all the while trying to avoid potholes such as exes, homophobes, and family problems.

As summer turns to fall and then winter, they hope that the road will be smooth going from their first date and first kiss to having what Rick’s sister euphemistically calls their “sleepovers.” At each step, though, they are tripped up and wonder why there seem to be so many bumps in their road.

Maybe Dan and Rick should heed some of Charlie’s sage advice, or maybe they should listen to their hearts instead of the ghosts from their pasts.

REVIEW:

Heart of the Holidays is a sweet, short novella about two men ready to explore love again after recovering from bad relationships. It’s also about the family they choose, as opposed to the ones they were born into, and the nurturing relationships they find among friends. 

The story is told from Dan’s perspective. He had a tough start to life and ended up in foster care as a baby. That didn’t end well, nor did his most recent relationship. Dan decided to escape the rat race and a lucrative career in San Francisco, and cut all ties with everyone and everything. Everyone except Charlie, an elderly man he met randomly and who also had a miserable backstory. Dan and Charlie set off and found the dusty little town of Sidetrack, California, where they established their home.  

The present day narrative begins five years later with Dan and Charlie watching Rick and his brawny muscles as he unloads supplies at his bakery across the street. From the open garage door of his bicycle repair/lending/sales shop, Dan has been watching and pining for Rick for over a year. You could say Dan’s slooow to make a move. It’s Rick who ultimately approaches Dan and asks for a date. Their awkwardness with each other is comical – like teenagers rather than men in their thirties – with tied tongues and frogs in their throats. Their plans to go out are postponed and it isn’t until after a few months of walks together and talks in the garage before they finally have their first date. The good news is they had plenty of time to get to know each other, but I was left with the feeling that neither felt that strongly about the other if it took that long to go out. I know they had a lot going on, but how long would it take to grab lunch somewhere nearby?   

The best scene in the book is the First Date to End all First Dates. In a bad way, that is. The date was atrocious, ridiculous, and hilarious. Imagine public humiliation, an ex-husband, the cops, and lots of tears. Poor Dan and Rick. “It was one of those silly nightmares come to life,” the kind of story they will tell their grandchildren. My eyes sprang leaks from laughing so hard.  

Rick’s family woes are more recent and stem from reprehensible treatment from his homophobic parents. As he escapes their clutches, a prominent theme arises: chosen family. Rick’s sister and her two children have moved to Sidetrack, and between them, Rick, Dan, and Charlie, they become a tight family unit.  

Because of the unhurried progression of their relationship, the book lacks a sense of urgency. Dan and Rick’s relationship proceeds at the speed of snail. It’s slow, but not slow–burn since it’s lacking much passion. Conversely, there’s no insta-love, which pleases me greatly. Pat Henshaw’s approach to her characters falling in love is neither good or bad – it’s a matter of personal taste whether this more leisurely pace is to your liking. She has created a quiet holiday story, sometimes humorous, sometimes heart warming, and overall, very enjoyable. Happy endings are provided for everyone, not just the leading men, and it wraps up neatly into a nice holiday package.  

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

JMS Books

Amazon