Rating: 3.75 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Arlo’s anxiety spikes when he’s laid off right before Christmas. His best friend, Keaton, is there to help though. But a drunken night of commiseration has them agreeing to not only plan a pre-Christmas vacation for each other and make it a surprise, but they each have to complete a dare while on said vacation. For Arlo, that means a trip to Dahlia Springs Oregon and telling his father’s side of the family that he exists, because they have no clue.
Arlo doesn’t know how he’s going to manage to complete his dare, but he finds himself quickly charmed by the small town and the holiday festivities they have going on. On Arlo’s first night in town, a mishap at dinner has his server, Lucas, coming to his rescue. And when they run into each other again, Lucas is there to help Arlo take a step into the bookstore.
Lucas is captivated by the adorable redhead the moment they meet, and he quickly understands that Arlo’s anxiety can be debilitating. He wants to help the sweet man, and if that means they get to see each other again, then all the better. When Arlo confides his secret to Lucas, Lucas is there to support and help. And the more time they spend together, the more their attraction grows.
But as the week draws to a close and Arlo’s trip home looms, neither man wants Arlo to leave. When circumstances back home allow Arlo to extend his trip, both men are ecstatic. But it’s only a temporary measure, as Arlo is still slated to head back home. When Arlo overcomes his anxiety to help Lucas, it’s clear they are right for each other. But it’ll take a Christmas miracle for them to get their happily ever after.
Lee Blair is a new-to-me author and the premise of this story, as well as the promise of low angst, rom com type Christmas fun, had me jumping in. The premise of this story is cute, even though it requires a suspension of disbelief. I’ve not read any of the other Dahlia Springs books, and this story does pretty well to stand on its own, though it’s clear that many of the other characters mentioned have their own stories in that series as well. This book is part of a duology, with Keaton getting his own vacation and dare to complete in another book.
What I really liked about this book was the spot-on depiction of anxiety. The way Arlo’s mind works is completely relatable to me and, as such, it was both comforting to read and a little triggering. Not in a bad way, but I definitely felt for this character more than I have some others and felt what he was feeling as he encountered situations. In the same vein, I love the way Lucas both recognized Arlo’s anxiety and helped him work through situations, giving him a grounding he sorely needed. The way Lucas cared for Arlo was lovely to see, and it made their fast-paced relationship easy to go with. Because the romance is quick. There’s instant attraction from both of them, but it morphs very quickly into real feels. The author did a pretty good job with that, and made it believable. Given the nature of the story, it was easy to jump on board with them finding love in just a couple of weeks. But these characters are tailor made for each other, they fit together well, and so really it made sense for them to fall hard and fast. With the backdrop of Christmas festivities, it made for a nice story.
Where I struggled with the story was twofold. For me, some of the silliness, like the situation in the restaurant that brought them together, as well as the “curse” that plagued Lucas, was a little over the top. The other sticking point was how long it took for Arlo’s secret to come out. Even as much as I understood his anxiety and fear surrounding it, as a reader I got a bit annoyed with the way it kept dragging on. Then, when it was revealed, I wasn’t quite satisfied with it. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say that I wish Arlo had a more active role in it.
The dialogue is a bit sappy at times, but it works for the holiday feel of the book. I enjoyed both the MCs, even if all the plot points didn’t work for me, and I liked them together. If you’re looking for a sweet, low-angst, holiday read, then this one might be for you.
