This holiday novella is a total and complete delight. A tender m/m romance with also a tense little mystery underneath. James's and Sedge's story is so deliciously prepared and served that you can almost smell and taste it! The idea of a long-lost Christmas story by Charles Dickens is intriguing and fascinating. Josh Lanyon's story has all the elements to make a wonderful holiday tale, and more. After all Christmas is the time for get-togethers, laughter, peace and love, but it's also the time of stress, loneliness, bitterness and grief. This story was a hopeful one and it left me smiling happily for the rest of the day. It was all about faith, hope and love...those truly were gifts that really matter...wrapped in gold and white paper with heralding angels and tied up with a big red bow. This book just might become a Christmas tradition for me. I'll bet its magic will work every single time...and can't we all use a little magic? ( )

James Winter specializes in antiquarian books. Or, well, he used to until a scandal a few years earlier cast doubts on his reputation. So when a rich buyer, Mr. Stephanopoulos, shows up with a lead for James, he's interested in using it to get back in the game. Mr. S has learned of a previously unpublished Dickens Christmas story, and he's willing to pay top dollar to get it into his possession. The only rule is that James cannot tell its owner, Sedgwick Crisparkle, that Mr. S is the one who wants to buy the book. Seems easy enough.

Professor Crisparkle is more of a character than James could have imagined. He's also rather dashing, and he quickly makes his own interest in James known. Despite possibly knowing better, James returns Sedgwick's affections and they soon find themselves entangled in more than just a business arrangement. But there's still the matter of closing the sale. And the question of why Mr. S is so insistent that Sedgwick not be made aware of his identity. How can James navigate his growing affection for one client and his business obligations to the other?

If you're looking for a short(ish), sweet Christmas romance with a few minor hiccups on the path from meeting to falling in love, this is a story for you. It's entertaining, well-written, and a quick and easy read. A good choice just in time for the holidays. ( )

Read this all in one sitting (well apart from the necessary break to sleep).

Rare books, a mysterious backstory, shady characters, an ocelot, the threat of snow in LA, a descendant of a Dickens character. It's all going on behind a beautiful love story.

It should be instalove since it all happens in less than a week but Josh is a master and it doesn't feel like that at all. *happy sigh* It's just the perfect, slightly magical (not in a paranormal sense) Christmas story.

As usual with Josh's books the ending it quite abrupt (85% if you're wondering) but there is a glorious coda on their website.
Coda - http://joshlanyon.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/christmas-coda-8.html
( )

Read this all in one sitting (well apart from the necessary break to sleep).

Rare books, a mysterious backstory, shady characters, an ocelot, the threat of snow in LA, a descendant of a Dickens character. It's all going on behind a beautiful love story.

It should be instalove since it all happens in less than a week but Josh is a master and it doesn't feel like that at all. *happy sigh* It's just the perfect, slightly magical (not in a paranormal sense) Christmas story.

As usual with Josh's books the ending it quite abrupt (85% if you're wondering) but there is a glorious coda on their website.
Coda - http://joshlanyon.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/christmas-coda-8.html
( )

Loved this right up until the end and then my 'suspension of disbelief' up and demised. ;) The gift? Nu-uh, couldn't buy it. Oh poop, now I feel Grinchy again! :/ ( )