Review: Old Acquaintance by Avon Gale

Title: Old Acquaintance (Sleigh Ride: Advent Calendar 2015)

Author: Avon Gale

Pages/Word Count: 37 Pages

At a Glance: I absolutely love Avon Gale’s writing.

Reviewed By: Jules

Blurb: Andrew Starling thought when he sold his medical database software to a national corporation, it would finally give him and his wife the financial security needed to build their dream home in the exclusive, wealthy community of Ponte Vedra, Florida. But Andrew’s wife leaves him for another man before the ink dries on the contract, leaving Andrew to enjoy the fruits of his labors—and their sprawling, oceanfront home—all alone. Despite being convinced he has nothing much to celebrate, Andrew goes to the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club’s annual New Year’s Eve party… and meets Elias Rivas, the young, good-looking server who’s always had his eye on Andrew. It might be the new beginning Andrew didn’t even know he needed.

Review: It has been a rough few months for Andrew Starling, but things are definitely looking up in the new year. After deciding to get out of the house and attend the New Year’s Eve celebration at his upscale neighborhood’s club, Andrew meets Elias Rivas and gets the surprise of his life. It turns out Andrew isn’t anywhere near as straight as he’s always thought he was.

Avon Gale does a good job of setting up her little NYE snippet. We learn a little bit about each of the guys: Andrew is a brilliant software engineer whose wife left him for another man, and Elias is a photography student whose confident sexiness proves to be too much for Andrew to resist – and see their EXTREMELY steamy night together. I love how Gale doesn’t do any of the clichéd “I’ve never done this before” stuff (and even gives a nod to that point herself in the manuscript), yet still manages to make it known that Andrew is inexperienced and allows him to be sexy as hell also. And, make no mistake, the sex is on fire. I’m still fanning myself.

There is no real complete story arc here. It truly is just a New Year’s Eve one-shot between a man who could really use both the company and the happy ending to his shitty year, and a waiter with nothing better to do, looking for a hookup. It was completely enjoyable, though, and I absolutely love Avon Gale’s writing. Can’t wait for more from this talented author in 2016!

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