Title: Candy Canes and Cappuccinos
Author: Elizabeth Coldwell
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: 24 Pages
Category: Contemporary Holiday Romance
At a Glance: I don’t have a ton of stuff to say about this one, guys. I think twenty-four pages simply isn’t a lot of space to get much of a story going. This was for sure my least favorite of the Stocking Stuffer stories that I read.
Reviewed By: Jules
Blurb: Kyle is struggling to run his coffee shop on his own after his partner walked out on him. He has his eye on Steven, who comes into the shop each day, but hasn’t worked up the nerve to express his interest. When Steven asks Kyle to help out with Christmas lunch at the homeless shelter where he works, Kyle is too exhausted to agree. He donates his tips but still feels he’s blown his chances with Steven and made himself look like a selfish jerk.
On Christmas Day, Kyle sees a way to make amends—to both Steven and the needy people depending on his kindness. It’s the right thing to do, and Kyle hopes he can clear up the misunderstanding and show Steven the type of man he really is. Maybe then they can consider some dessert when the lunch at the shelter is over….
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar “Stocking Stuffers.”
Review: I don’t have a ton of stuff to say about this one, guys. I think twenty-four pages simply isn’t a lot of space to get much of a story going. The blurb tells you pretty much what goes on in Candy Canes and Cappuccinos, Elizabeth Coldwell’s offering in this year’s Advent Calendar anthology from Dreamspinner Press. Kyle is doing his best at running the coffee shop he started with his ex, and, in fact, feels like he’s doing a pretty great job. He has been eyeballing his regular customer, Steven, the lovely man who runs a nearby shelter, but feels like he makes a faux pas when he doesn’t respond favorably to Steven’s invitation to help serve a Christmas meal at the shelter. An unfortunate incident at the shelter provides Kyle with an opportunity to make it up to Steven, though, thus bringing about a little Christmas joy for everyone.
Kyle was nice. Steven was very sweet. And, I loved the name Cool Beans for the coffee shop. But, beyond that, I just wasn’t feeling this one. I thought it was cute in the beginning, but it would have been infinitely better without the completely unnecessary sex scene that felt awkwardly thrown in at the end. That cheesy and abrupt ending absolutely brought my rating down. The story’s conflict also felt pretty manufactured, and the dialogue was forced and awkward. Again, just not much to work with here. This was for sure my least favorite of the Stocking Stuffer stories that I read.
You can buy Candy Canes and Cappuccinos here:
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