Author: B.G. Thomas and Noah Willoughby
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: 95 Pages
Category: Holiday Romance
At a Glance: I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I definitely recommend it as a happy holiday treat.
Reviewed By: Sadonna
Blurb: Being rich has its advantages, but it is also rife with suffocating pressures and family telling Chandler Buckingham how to live his life. When his assistant offers to help him escape the mounting obligations of the holiday season by running away to Hawaii, Chandler jumps at the chance. Only to find nothing is quite as he’d expected.
Micah Keolu has lived in Hawaii all his life. He has to work two jobs and has little time for a social life, but his loving family and the island beauty around him have given him a heart as big as the ocean. And then one day he rescues a man trapped in an elevator in the building where Micah lives and works maintenance.
The unexpected happens as they find themselves drawn together, only to learn there is more to each other than meets the eye. Can two men from very different worlds find a way to enrich each other’s lives? Maybe the magic of the holidays just might bring them lasting joy!
Review: Chandler is oh-so-tired of his parents, and now his mother is trying to run his life. They have never accepted that he is gay, although they insist that he assume his rightful place in the family business. But now, after the death of his father, his mother wants him to take over as the head of the family and make a speech at a holiday charity party that he has exactly zero interest in attending—especially with a female date!
As he rages against this latest insult, his best friend/assistant comes up with a plan to get Chandler out of this obligation. However, the plan involves quite a different “vacation” in Hawaii than Chandler envisions. Once he gets to his new accommodations, though, there is the perk of the hunky maintenance man who rescues him not only from a faulty elevator, but maybe from a lot more.
Micah is intrigued by the cute but nervous guy he rescues from the stuck elevator. He definitely thinks something is amiss with the man’s story, but he likes the guy, and his naturally helpful and compassionate personality takes over. Micah helps Chandler find furniture, and shows him around the island, and generally is a one man welcoming committee. Chandler is very attracted to Micah and luckily, the feeling is mutual.
As Micah and Chandler spend more time together, they have a very good time, and Chandler learns a lot about Micah. Micah enjoys showing off his home and his family and the beauty of the holidays on his island. While initially a bit put off by his downscaled existence, Chandler comes to appreciate the gift that he’s been given. But, can he appreciate it enough to overcome his family’s demands and do what it takes to keep Micah in his life? You’ll have to read to find out.
This is a really fun and endearing story about a guy who, while he seems to have everything, is unhappy with his life because he’s not free to be himself. When he finally escapes the pressure of living up to his family’s expectations and demands, he is able to enjoy himself and also appreciate the simpler things in life. He is able to connect with someone on a genuine level for the first time in years. It’s entertaining to watch spoiled Chandler learn to deal with the real world that has never been his reality. I also loved Micah’s family and friends and the way they treated each other, and both men. But I especially loved Chandler’s transformation into the person he’s supposed to be, even if it’s not necessarily what’s expected. The beautiful setting of Hawaii at the holidays was well done too. It’s gorgeous in December. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I definitely recommend it as a happy holiday treat.
You can buy Mele Kalikimaka here:
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