Nell Iris' Christmas

Advent calendar: day 1

teabooks

Today is the first day of the advent calendar. A quick reminder of what I’m talking about if you missed my earlier post on the matter. Every day from today until December 24, I will recommend a holiday story. I have read all of them and they are 4 or 5 star reads I give my warmest recommendations.

I have also paired a Christmas song with every book, but it’s not to be taken too seriously. It’s all in good fun, and the reasons I think they go together are sometimes (most of the time?) somewhat flimsy, but everything doesn’t have to be so serious all the time, right? 🙂

Ah well. Enough explanations. Let’s get on with it, shall we?

not your typical holiday story

Behind door number one we find Déjà Vu by Addison Albright. The story is released into the wild today, so join me in wishing Addison a very happy release day! 🍾🎈🎉

If you’re in the mood for something a little less traditional, less fa-la-la and slowly falling snowflakes and idyllic turkey dinners, and more in the mood for dirty Christmas sweaters and a dropped jaw due to what-just-happened?-syndrome, this is exactly the book for you. Really, it’s worth reading just for the sweaters, trust me. 🙂

dejavu

Blurb

Gavin and Matthew just want to get home to enjoy Christmas Eve in their safe, warm apartment. Should they walk or take a cab? But will either option do the trick when Victor, suffering from his holiday blahs, is determined to undermine this happy twosome at every turn?

Years ago, Victor made the unfortunate mistake of coming out to his family on Christmas. Why couldn’t he have picked a random summer day? Can Victor’s husband Bryan pull him out of his gloomy mood in order to give the popular Gavin and Matthew the merry Christmas they deserve?

Buy link: JMS Books | Amazon

JollyHolidayDivider

Today’s quote from the book:

Victor stretched in the dim early morning light. He turned on his side and lay watching Bryan’s chest expand and contract with the long slow breaths of sleep. The inhalations were steady and dependable, just like the man. Always there, always supportive, always loving. Always.

Today’s song to go with the story

Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis by Tom Waits because a story that’s advertised as “NOT your typical holiday story” needs an equally atypical Christmas song to go with it, don’t you agree? 🙂