Title: A Timely Gift
Author: Kris T. Bethke
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: 39 Pages
Category: Contemporary Holiday Romance
At a Glance: This is a sweet, incredibly romantic short with just the right amount of “magic”. It’s a feel-good story with no angst, and is all about falling in love. I highly recommend it.
Reviewed By: Carrie
Blurb: Sometimes the right gift can be life-changing….
On the solstice, Rory’s grandfather gives him a pocket watch that he claims will have Rory’s life sorted and his problems solved by Christmas. Rory starts out skeptical, but when he reconnects with an ex he never thought he’d see again, he has to admit there might be some holiday magic working after all.
Deacon’s life is in shambles, and he’s returned to Syracuse for a fresh start. Running into Rory again feels like much more than a coincidence, and neither of them can deny the passion between them is still smoldering. With the watch behaving oddly at just the right moments, Rory and Deacon might receive the gift of a lifetime—if they’re willing to accept it.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar “Stocking Stuffers.”
Review: Christmas magic. No…solstice magic. Who wouldn’t love a story about second-chance love, a magical pocket watch, and a wizened Scottish Grandda?
I love Kris T. Bethke’s writing style. She has an uplifting lilt to her works, all while creating depth of character, and this one is no exception. I fell in love with Rory, on page three, when he is summoned by his Grandda into the library, and he tries not to blurt out, “I didn’t do it,” like when he was a kid. It’s that relatable thread, a grounding of her characters, that lets you make the jump to Scottish magic and have it be believable. Right when his Grandda says, “I have a present for ye”, I was all in on this story.
Rory Cameron is a veterinary technician. He’s proud of what he does. Receiving a revered and cherished, time-honored pocket watch from his Grandda humbles Rory and, at the same time, makes him question what the old man meant by the fact that the watch would help him sort his life. Was his life a mess and he just didn’t know it? At thirty-five, he’s happy. A little lonely…but happy. And then by chance (?), he runs into Deacon Phillips, a man he dated for what were probably the best three months of his life.
Deacon has come back to Syracuse for a fresh start. A concert pianist whose career was cut short by a car accident that crushed his hand, Deacon now teaches and plays for himself. He’s got no one, and he’s come back to the only place he was happy to start fresh. Running into Rory again seems like a total coincidence, but one he’s glad keeps happening. Rory is everything Deacon has been searching for, with his all-encompassing warm personality and extended, close family ties. Their chemistry together never dimmed, and finding Rory again makes Deacon want to grab him and never let go.
This is a sweet, incredibly romantic short with just the right amount of “magic”. It’s a feel-good story with no angst, and is all about falling in love. Bethke does a great job here with her characterizations, and the story flows smoothly from start to finish. Yes, you know what is going to happen, but hey, sometimes you just want the feels, and a story that puts a smile on your face and leaves you warm inside. I highly recommend it.
You can buy A Timely Gift here:
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