Title: Son of Santa (Sleigh Ride: Advent Calendar 2015)
Author: Kate Sands
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pages/Word Count: 53 Pages
At a Glance: If you’re looking for something a bit different, give this one a shot.
Reviewed By: Jennifer
Blurb: Noel Nicholas is on a sabbatical from the North Pole realm. Back home he’s known as the Son of Santa, but in the human world, he’s a university student and he likes living in anonymity. Only Ruby, his cupid friend from the Eros realm, knows his true identity. That is, until Fannar, the gorgeous ice-sprite from the Pole, shows up unexpectedly. This causes Noel’s suppressed and unrequited crush on Fannar to return full force. However, there are more pressing matters at hand—Noel’s father has taken an extended vacation but cannot be found, and there’s only a month until Christmas.
As Noel is finishing his semester at school and he hasn’t seen his father in months, Mrs. Claus has tasked Fannar with finding Santa. Fannar keeps in touch with Noel but comes around far more often than necessary. It’s not helping Noel’s ability to hide his feelings… but as it turns out, they may not be as one-sided as Noel originally believed.
Review: For a short story about the son of Santa Claus, I really liked this title. It was short and didn’t have much heat to it, but that’s okay. It was sweet, and I really liked the grumpy Noel and Fannar.
Noel, the son of Santa, is taking a break from his duties at the North Pole by attending a human college. He wants nothing to do with Christmas while he’s there, and he just wants to be left alone. But when his father goes missing right before Christmas, Fannar, the ice-sprite he has a crush on, shows up for help. Thrust back into Fannar’s presence, not only does Noel have to be reminded of who he is, but he’s constantly aware of his unrequited feelings for the sprite.
Noel may seem rather gruff and bah humbug, considering who he is, but what child doesn’t rebel against their parents? And what child in a family business doesn’t want a break from their duties to explore something else for a change? Noel just wants his time to himself before he resumes his career path, but he’s roped into helping out while at college. Fannar starts to drop by more often, and it gets difficult for Noel to ignore the feelings he has for the good-looking sprite.
The story is short and nice, a quick read, so if you’re looking for something a bit different, give Son of Santa a shot. I’ve seen films about the daughters of Santa or the brothers, and maybe one about the son, but I’ve never seen—or read—a story about the gay son of Santa. And what’s not to like about that? It adds a nice twist to the tale we’ve all become so used to.
You can buy Son of Santa here:
