Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Shelf-Made Man

AUTHOR:  Kim Fielding

PUBLISHER:  Tin Box Press

LENGTH:  222 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 26, 2024

BLURB:

Tobias Lykke is big, awkward, and accustomed to spending his holidays alone. This year, however, his godmother—who may or may not be an Italian countess—gives him an elf doll originally entrusted to her by her second husband, who might or might not have been a wizard.

An evening of THC snickerdoodles and an offhand wish later, Tobias finds himself faced with a living, breathing elf—and a royal elf at that—with an exceptionally traumatic past. Bloodthirsty trolls are on a mission to recapture Prince Alfie, and the search for answers leads Tobias to unexpected discoveries about himself… and deep feelings for Alfie. Now, they just need to live long enough to make sense of it all.

REVIEW:

Tobias, a data analyst who lives in Portland, visits his Aunt Virginia, his elderly godmother, in San Francisco the week before Christmas.  He hadn’t been there in nearly a decade, but they two exchange letters regularly and always keep in touch.  When he gets ready to leave after their visit, she gives him a gift that he’s not to open until he gets home.  The gift is a slightly damaged elf doll.

The next day a living elf with a bleeding leg wound appears in his living room.  The elf is terrified of him.  He is a big guy, but he helps the elf Alfie and fixes up his leg wound, feeds him and otherwise takes care of him.  Wow that THC cookie packed a powerful punch 😉  Turns out that Alfie is on the run from a neighboring bad elf prince who has been torturing him when he got away.  He has no idea how he was “transferred” to this world, but he knows that the henchman of said evil prince will not stop in their task of returning him for more torture.  Surprisingly Toby takes all his rather well.  But when the bad guys show up, he and Alfie have to fend them off and run!

Toby decides they need to get to Aunt Virginia so they race on to get to San Francisco.  It’s not an easy trip and of course they aren’t alone.  Toby’s able to get them there after several harrowing obstacles.  But they can’t stay at Aunt Virginia’s forever.  Toby has a plan.  It might be their only possible way to keep Alfie safe forever and able to live their lives.  Too bad they plan has a very small possibility of success 😉  But they have to try, right?  Otherwise they are doomed anyway.

Oh my goodness!  Chalk up yet another wonderful holiday delight from the delightfully talented Kim Fielding.  This enchanting story of an elfin prince and an unlikely data analyst hero and protecting is another in the pantheon of inventive, entertaining, romantic and feel-good holiday offerings from this author.  Each year she seems to come up with something unexpected and fun.  Alfie is an definitely a surprise to Tobias 😉  Whether as a doll or an injured elf prince, Tobias is a bit flummoxed by his appearance also by his feelings or protectiveness towards the beautiful elf.  Alfie is terrified of Tobias at first, but then he sees the real Tobias and he comes to feel quite differently and in turn wants to protect Tobias from his presumed awful fate.  Their adventures as they attempt to escape from the bad guys lead to the two of them realizing they are meant for each other.  There is also a lovely Easter egg for those fans of the Ms. Fielding’s Bureau series 😉  Aunt Virginia, Snojkarl and his henchman and a long lost wizard are all perfect supporting characters in this completely unanticipated love story.  The themes of found family and embracing your true self are also key to the happy endings and Christmas miracles in this book 😉  I was completely absorbed in this engaging story from the first page to the last.  In fact I read nearly the entire book on a plane flight and didn’t even notice the turbulence!  This is a thoroughly good time and I highly recommend it.  One of my favorite holiday stories this year.

RATING:

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