Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: The Christmas Pundit
SERIES: Laurel Holidays #2
AUTHOR: V L Locey
PUBLISHER: Self Published
RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2020
LENGTH: 174 pages
BLURB:
Will two complete opposites learn to cross party lines to benefit their beloved hometown and save Christmas?
Evan Griffiths is enjoying his tenure as the mayor of Cedarburg, Pennsylvania. While it may barely be a blip on the state map, it’s where he grew up, and he’s thrilled to be at the helm of the tiny rural community. With the recent election in the past, Evan can focus on his agenda to bring Cedarburg out of the fifties. Being the first gay mayor in the town’s history is a good start but there’s plenty more to do. His first big job is expanding the yearly Christmas Carnival to lure tourists to his fiscally challenged birthplace. Things seem to be moving along at a good pace then a ghost from Christmases past arrives on the morning bus.
As soon as Gideon Pierce returns to Cedarburg he picks up right where he left off back in elementary school—tormenting Evan at every turn. Only this time instead of shoving Evan down on the playground, Gideon is bedeviling him with snippy editorials in the local paper. Gideon is no longer the gangly, bucktoothed kid he used to be. When his gaze keeps touching on Gideon’s mouth and the appreciative fire in his brilliant holly green eyes, Evan finds it harder and harder to keep his mind on witty replies to Gideon’s cutting viewpoints.
REVIEW:
Evan is the new Mayor of Cedarburg. He ousted an old-timer who kept the town in the dark ages. Thus, there is a long list of community needs. Before he can get going, his childhood nemesis, Gideon, arrives in town, in charge of the local newspaper. Gideon sets to work questioning Evan’s methods of bringing Cedarburg into the twentieth century. He specifically targets the Christmas Carnival.
The story begins with some of the duties a small-town mayor endures – it includes mediating a continuing disagreement between two farmers, that happened when Evan was a child. The opening chapters also contain memories of Evan’s bullying from Gideon.
When Evan’s father tells his son a story with a message, he encourages Evan to put aside his seething anger and be the bigger man. When Evan takes his father’s advice, Evan gets a shift of perspective and things begin to change for the better.
The story is told in the first person, entirely from Evan’s viewpoint. In the arc that I received, in the beginning, there seemed to be more than one blurb. It was an outline including a character called Luis Duton. A name that didn’t appear in the story. So, I concluded that the manuscript I received was not the final copy. Therefore, I won’t be commenting on any technical details.
Set in Pennsylvania, the story contains some super imagery and phrasing that gave me a good sense of a small behind the time’s town. In the early chapters, Gideon comes over as a smart, arrogant ass, out to score notoriety at Evan’s cost, which considering I was already in camp Evan made me want to take the legs out from under the man. As per every good Christmas story, that changes. By the end of the story, Gideon was a man I came to love and admire as much as Evan.
I was impressed with the feelings that jumped off the sheet. Sometimes despite the words in the manuscript, the vibe does not match them. Not so here, the two are in sync which meant that I went through the same emotions as the person on the page – awesome.
As for other characters, Evan’s parents are a riot, and the voices of reason wrapped in a Christmas bow. Pastor Nichols is a scene-stealer. If he were the reverend at my local church, I’d attend regularly.
Overall, The Christmas Pundit is a credit to the Christmas story genre. It was sweet, sexy, perspective-changing, entertaining, and left me with that warm festive feeling. A definite recommended read.
RATING: 
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