Clay and Daniel fell in love as enlisted men during Desert
Shield, but Don’t Ask Don’t Tell meant they had to keep it secret. After Clay’s
convoy was ambushed, PTSD changed him, and their relationship ended in a
horrible fight on Christmas Eve.
Twenty-five years later, they’ve reconnected on Facebook, and Clay finds out Daniel will be alone on Christmas Eve. Impulsively, he sets out for Daniel’s hometown of Gilead, Ohio—where Daniel is now the mayor—to surprise him with a visit. But a blizzard strikes and Clay wrecks his car. All hope of seeing Daniel is lost—until a mysterious old man named Nick offers Clay a ride.
The weight of past wounds and the scars of war might make their reunion awkward, but Clay is willing to take the risk to win back his lost love. Despite a lifetime of disappointing holidays, Clay hopes that this soldier is finally coming home for Christmas.
Day 17
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Dreamspinner Press
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Twenty-five years later, they’ve reconnected on Facebook, and Clay finds out Daniel will be alone on Christmas Eve. Impulsively, he sets out for Daniel’s hometown of Gilead, Ohio—where Daniel is now the mayor—to surprise him with a visit. But a blizzard strikes and Clay wrecks his car. All hope of seeing Daniel is lost—until a mysterious old man named Nick offers Clay a ride.
The weight of past wounds and the scars of war might make their reunion awkward, but Clay is willing to take the risk to win back his lost love. Despite a lifetime of disappointing holidays, Clay hopes that this soldier is finally coming home for Christmas.
Day 17
Buy Links
Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon Au ~ Amazon Ca
B&N ~ Google Play ~ iTunes ~ Kobo
Dreamspinner Press
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/M Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.
This is a sweet story about finding love again. Clay and Daniel had a great "relationship" while they were both serving. However, when Clay is injured and watches his fellow brothers die in front of him, he can't really handle the guilt and stress and turns to drugs and addiction. He wants Daniel to follow him home and for them to be together. Daniel just isn't ready for that type of relationship. However, they both handle their separation poorly.
Years later, when Daniel has tried to be a family man and is happy to have a child, but is divorced, he finds himself talking with Clay again, with the help of social media. Clay has always been the more impulsive of the two and sets out to see Daniel – if only to clear the air.
They find their way back to talking about what was and both apologize for what could have been. However, I never really felt that they had great chemistry. They were more friends who were comfortable with each other, and because of that, thought a relationship could be nice. This had potential to be much more, but just didn't really deliver for me.
Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
I love romantic Christmas novellas, as they bring all the magic and excitement of Christmas to life with plenty of heartwarming passion.
This is a very sweet story in many ways – with a questionably magical start. However, there are some quite difficult twists in the pasts of these two men. That they still feel so strongly about each other after 25 years apart is testament to the enduring nature of one's first true love. I am sure that many people think about the one who got away, yet Clay feels it is time to meet the man he loved so long ago.
For a short story, there are some really fun little details, like the woodland creatures featuring on Daniel's towels; the making of proper shaped cookies, rather than just blobs; and we will never know just who the truck driver was...
A different take on a festive relationship.
DEANNA WADSWORTH might be a best-selling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and a couple adorable cocker spaniels. She has been spinning tales and penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010. When she isn’t writing books or brainstorming with friends, you can find her making people gorgeous in a beauty salon. She loves music and dancing, and will often be seen hanging out on the sandbar in the muddy Maumee River or chilling with her hubby and a cocktail in their basement bar. In between all that fun, Deanna cherishes quiet times in her garden when she can let her wildly active imagination have the full run of her mind. Her fascination with people and the interworkings of their relationships has always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.
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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Stocking Stuffers: Welcome Home, Soldier by Deanna Wadsworth to read and review.
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