Can the magic of Christmas, and the soft voice of a man who has seen too much, show Bryan a future where anything is possible?Bryan Graham is shocked to find he’s inherited a hunting cabin in north-central Pennsylvania. From his grandfather of all people; a stubborn man who went out of his way to make Bryan’s childhood miserable. He’d vowed never to go back to the small, rural community of … community of Kutter’s Summit, not that he didn’t have fond memories of the place. It’s just that he’d rather be celebrating a quiet Christmas back in Nashville with his cat and his contracts.
A couple of weeks of hunting, cleaning, and handyman work, and he can hopefully put the place up for sale and move on with his life. He never expected to find his childhood friend Parson Greer living in the cabin. Parson is no longer a boy, but a handsome, wary man consumed by the demons of a faraway desert war. When a rekindled friendship shifts into something deeper, Bryan finds himself lost in emotions that a workaholic like him has never made time to experience before.
more
A snarky, sweet Christmas story. 🙂
I kind of enjoy books with irreverent characters and V.L. Locey is one of my favorite authors for this kind of story.
Bryan Graham is the perfect blend of snarky, irreverent yet sweet, character. He won’t admit that his stressful lifestyle in Nashville isn’t good for him.
Parson Greer has seen things that no one should ever have to see. He can’t cope living in the “normal” world and loves living in the wild in a dilapidated shack out in the wild.
Bryan and Parson were friends in high school and Parson is the only one who stood by Bryan after he came out. When Bryan finds Parson living in the cabin he inherited from his grandfather, he is surprised but also happy to reconnect with his old friend. He never expected that they would become so much more.
I love the snarky attitude and comments that Bryan makes. He has good reason to not want to be back in Pennsylvania but he sucks it up and does what he needs to do. Along the way he and Parsons become more than friends even though he knows that he will have to return to his life and business back in Nashville.
I love the HEA this book has but it wasn’t easy for Bryan and Parson to get there. I don’t know anyone with PTSD and reading about Parson’s troubles was hard, but the reward at the end was worth it. Bryan has just the right amount of irreverence to offset the harder parts of the story.
Another great holiday-themed story for this year’s reading pleasure!
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
I SO enjoyed this story. Both Bryan and Parson made me both happy and sad. Watching them grow close, help each other through very hard times and slowly but surely learn to trust and love each other was beautiful. There is great emotional pain, , horrific nightmares, and hot loving. A friendship that turned into something so much more. Something they both needed. There is also Aesop. You’ll learn who he is and his importance to Bryan.
That is all I will say other than a suggestion for those reading this review to go buy it. You won’t be disappointed.
I am so looking forward to the next book in this series. Frustratingly, there is NO hint as to who is in the next one.
*squinty eye at V.L. Locey*
Shout out to Lily, Herman and Eddie…;)
When Bryan’s grandfather died, he has to return to Pennsylvania, a place he left after high school with hopes of not going back. Going back opens up the old memories and hurt that Bryan had pushed down; the hurt of his grandfather not supporting Bryan when he came out, in fact the loving grandfather he once had changed to bigoted and hateful. When Bryan finds out that he was left a rustic cabin and property, his first instinct is to sell it and donate the profits to charity. Bryan decides to go up and see what shape the cabin is in and is determined to fix things up and get it ready to sell. Finding Parson, a guy he went to school with, living in the cabin throws Bryan for a loop. After finding out what little he can about Parson’s past and the obvious PTSD he has from his time overseas, Bryan decides that he wants to help his friend. When Parson confesses that he once had feelings for Bryan, the two take the new found friendship to another level. Bryan has been clear from day one, his life is back in the city and NOT in the woods with no cell signal. But when feelings get involved will Bryan change his mind and stay, or will he convince Parson to leave the quiet and go to the city with him?
This for me was just ok read. I love the story of going back home and the rekindled friendship turning more trope. There were some aspects that I didn’t care for, but that’s just me. This has a small bit of drama, loads of Christmas, and a few naughty bits. I give this 3.5 stars.
From the very first page the book reeled me in. By page 10 we were best friends and that was it. I loved everything about the book! The characters, the plot, the tropes, the descriptions and scenery, all the feels! Loved it and it was a huge pleasure to read.
I really enjoyed this holiday story about Bryan, a Nashville talent agent who is burned out on his job and unfulfilled in general… he returns home to Pennsylvania to deal with the death of his grandfather who had rejected him… and meets Parson, the only boy who was kind to him in high school, and on whom he had a bit of a crush. Parson, a veteran, is dealing with his own demons, but they reconnect in a way that is unexpected and exciting to them both. Will their respective baggage prove too much of an impediment to moving forward? Or is this chance at happiness too much to pass up? Highly recommended!