I barely read any holiday books last year unless you count a few holiday themed fanfic stories, because most of what I read in December was Snarry (Harry Potter + Severus Snape) fanfiction. When I’m sick, I want to read (or watch) something familiar, so I wasn’t ready for something new.
I still bought a few books, though, and one of them, Dreidels & Do-Overs by Kim Fielding, caught my attention a couple days back and I decided to try it. And I really loved it.
As Caleb took the book, their fingers brushed. That alone was nearly enough to bring him to his knees.
Quote from Dreidels & Do-Overs
Caleb Stern was the high school hotshot, but a bad attitude and poor decisions led to years of misery. Now he’s trying to do better, and a job on the cleaning crew at a holiday craft fair could be a new beginning. What he didn’t expect was that his new start might be tangled up with ties from long ago.
Jasper Adams left an unfulfilling career and unsupportive boyfriend to follow his dreams. His handmade journals are a big success at the craft fair, which is great, but the real holiday miracle turns out to be a blast from his past.
Hanukkah nears, and both men yearn for holiday happiness. But moving forward often means first making peace with where you’ve been.
Jasper moved close and took Caleb into his arms. His hug was even nicer without clothing between them. He was warm and strong and simply…there, in a way nobody had been before.
Quote from Dreidels & Do-Overs
Dreidels & Do-Overs is exactly the kind of book I love the most, it’s quiet and gentle, with imperfect, normal people as main characters. There are no over-the-top romantic gestures, no banging each other against a wall, but there are plenty of tender moments. Moments of openness and honesty, of understanding and acceptance. Of courage and hope. All the things that makes me look like a heart-eye emoji and melts my heart in my chest.
Do I wish that the middle part had been more fleshed out? Yes, I do. But everything else was perfection so I can overlook it.
Dreidels & Do-Overs is definitely on my Goodreads feelgood, re-reads list, and I give it my warmest recommendations.
Nell Iris 