Author: L.C. Chase
Narrator: Nick J. Russo
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Run Time: 4 hours and 15 minutes
Category: Contemporary, Holiday Romance
At a Glance: The real beauty of this story is the blossoming of Marcus—from uptight, isolated, laser-focused lawyer to actual friend, colleague and lover—further enhanced by Nick J. Russo’s narration.
Reviewed By: Sadonna
Blurb: There are worse things than being stranded in a blizzard.
Artist Trevor Morrison has always appreciated the little things in life, treating each day as a gift. And with good reason: he’s been on the transplant-recipient list for too long now. When he learns just how numbered his days truly are, he resolves not to take them for granted. But he won’t be unrealistic, either—which means romantic commitments are off the table.
Marcus Roberts seems to have it all. He’s handsome, financially sound, and on the fast track to partnership at a prestigious law firm. In reality, though, his drive for success has meant no time for friends or relationships. Add in the fact that his family discarded him long ago, and he’s facing yet another holiday season alone.
When the biggest snowstorm to hit Colorado in decades leaves Marc and Trevor stranded at the same hotel, a chance encounter and a night of passion leads to more than either of them expected. Finding comfort in each other is a welcome surprise, but time is not on their side. Either they find a way to beat the odds, or they lose each other forever.
Review: Full disclosure: my mother has been on dialysis for over five years now, after suffering from chronic pyelonephritis for probably fifty years. She is very lucky; she has no other co-morbids and can do peritoneal dialysis at home. She is, however, far from the “robust” picture of health described here. She was on the transplant list and was told it would likely be five years before she got a kidney (we also have a fairly rare blood type). She has since taken herself off the list as her quality of life is good and her immune system gives her the freedom to do what she likes, which mostly is volunteering with preschool children, her vocation before retirement. Needless to say, this family history gave me a particular interest in this story.
Trevor sets out on a trip home for what might very well be his last Christmas with his family. His kidney disease is progressing, and dialysis isn’t going to work forever. Unfortunately, a blizzard comes that makes his getting to the airport impossible, and he ends up at a hotel—with no rooms available. He’s hungry tired and exhausted.
Marcus is on his way home and is detoured off the highway because of the blizzard. Luckily, he has gotten to the hotel earlier and secured a room. As he’s having dinner in the restaurant/bar, he notices Trevor. He motions for Trevor to sit with him to eat his food, and they get to talking. They are attracted to each other and decide, what the heck, they can certainly share a hotel room for the night, no strings. But things heat up when they get to the room.
They share a passionate encounter and some of their life stories. Neither tells the whole truth at this point, with Trevor keeping his illness a secret and Marcus not really telling why he’s got no plans for Christmas. When the snow finally stops, Trevor still can’t get a flight out until after the holiday, so Marcus invites him to come back to his place to spend Christmas.
Trevor discovers that Marcus really does have a passion for art and is determined to bring that back into Marcus’s life. They enjoy making things festive at Marcus’s house, and cooking Christmas dinner. They definitely enjoy each other’s company, but Marcus senses Trevor’s sadness and when he broaches the future, Trevor comes clean and tells Marcus he doesn’t have a future. This totally knocks Marcus for a loop. He’s not sure what to do about it, though, since it’s not really his battle. And Trevor makes it pretty clear he’s in this fight alone.
Trevor and Marcus are both hurting in this story. They have isolated themselves for different reasons—Marcus because of the rejection of his family and his need to “prove” himself, and Trevor because of his illness. Their family backgrounds are completely opposite, and Trevor wishes that Marcus could have had a loving and accepting family. As they spend time together, Marcus begins to open up. The real beauty of this story is the blossoming of Marcus from uptight, isolated, laser-focused lawyer to actual friend, colleague and lover. When Marcus focuses on something besides his need to succeed, he finally understands what he’s been missing. I loved watching him figure out he didn’t have to be an island! And the ending? Perfection!
Nick J. Russo is a favorite narrator for me. I loved his narration of the Playing the Fool series from JA Rock and Lisa Henry and Winter Oranges by Marie Sexton. He always does a wonderful job with his voice choices and characterizations. He strikes the right emotional tone for this book, which could have been very depressing, but instead gives us a realistic and hopeful performance.
You can buy A Fortunate Blizzard here:
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I really loved this book. I’m glad the audio was good, too!! <3