Gah, I'm conflicted about this one. The writing is good, and I love a friends/lovers to enemies to lovers story. The idea was fine but the motivation for Drew's actions all those years ago wasn't strong enough to be believeable. And even if it had been, the story needed to be longer for Drew to 'prove' himself.

‘The Stockings Were Hung’ is not your typical Christmas story - if there is such a thing. What I mean is that Hill and Drew have some real issues to deal with, there is lots of drama and whining, and while there is some hope at the end of the very long and very dark tunnel of their relationship, there is no fluff, no mushiness, and microscopic amounts of joy. In that sense, this story is a perfect example of an overwhelming “Bah Humbug” factor.

However.

What is also very clear is that neither Hill nor Drew has gotten over a love affair that ended seven years earlier when Drew walked away “to go find himself”. I had a hard time believing that was a good enough reason to stop communicating altogether, but I could see how it made sense to Drew and why he felt he needed to do it without Hill. Hill remained behind and is still devastated seven years later – something that is equally hard to believe, but Hill convinced me that was really how he felt. He even hates the entire season of Christmas now because that was when Drew left.

So.

In the end, this is a story of two lovers who were separated (due to stupidity, but still) and now face the chance of a reunion. Drew is determined to try to make up for past mistakes, and Hill seems equally committed to resisting any and all attempts at reconciliation. But these guys have too much history for that to work, still have feelings for each other that are too strong to ignore, and, after all, it is Christmas!

If you like Christmas stories without fluff and sap that still manage to give you warm feelings of hope, if you think that two men who have made mistakes in the past deserve a new beginning, and if you’re looking for a story with a very understated and subtle Christmas message, then you might like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )