Jamie and Luke’s first anniversary is fast approaching and Jamie knows exactly what he wants to give Luke. The platinum wedding bands have been burning a hole in his suitcase in the attic for two months. But before he can say those four life-changing words, an accident throws their well-ordered lives into disarray.
I live in Leigh on Sea, a small seaside town just outside London on the coast of Essex, about ten minutes from Southend, which boasts the longest pier in the world. I live with my husband and two ever-growing children, who I let think are the boss of me; along with two dogs who actually are.
As the wonderful Beatrix Potter said, “There is something delicious about writing the first words of a new story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” I know exactly what she means.
Note on January 2nd, 2013: The medical issue (which became a huge issue for me) has come into Lisa's attention and she fixed it (Ah, authors who listen to reader's complain *smile*). Early files have been rectified. Thus, my review has also been revised to reflect the fixed story. Ignore my original review (if you read it before). Thanks.
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Mr. Popsalos (Mr. Popsalos, #1) was released last year and I enjoyed it, though it was pretty short and ended up with a promise of HFN rather than firm HEA. So I was happy knowing there would be sequel...
Unlike the first story, this one was written solely from Jamie's perspective (3rd person) -- the first book was from Luke's (the single dad). It was longer, which made room for conflict, most notably the one written in the blurb (= accident). And I loved it.
+ Reggie was still a great kid. I loved him so much! The part where he thought his Pop and Jamie were 'praying' at night was hilarious!
+ The chemistry between the guys was wonderful. I loved their easy conversations. ALTHOUGH, they sure used "baby" quite a lot *cue me rolling my eyes in desperation*
+ The part with the accident was breaking my heart because it touched the issue about gay partnership:
All in all, it was sweet and it fit to what I was looking for *siiigh*
Very sweet sequel to Mr. Popsalos. The story shows Jamie and Luke in a committed relationship, living together and with Jamie planning on popping the question to Luke on Christmas. It shows their everyday life together and living and loving and working and of course parenting Reggie. The 'thing' that happens is every parents nightmare and I thought it was well done and glad it showed some of the stress and irritation it can cause amongst the couple, not just love and support. I really liked this sweet and despite the 'thing' a very happy story!
On a total side note, I could be wrong, but I am fairly certain that Reggie would not be in Jamie's class, I don't think the school, parents or even the teacher/child involved would want it or allow it. It certainly wouldn't be allowed at the school my kids go to.
A sweet sequel to Mr. Popsalos (Mr. Popsalos, #1). Gentle humour and quite a few poignant moments that highlighted the prejudice that same sex families deal with in emergencies. A really lovely continuation of Luke, Jamie, and Reggie's story.
This story is part of a series that is best read in order. Jamie and Luke are coming up to their one year anniversary and Jamie has plans to celebrate but before they come to fruition he has to get through the Christmas school play and Luke has a promotion in his sights, but an accident throws their entire world into chaos.
This isn’t your typical Christmas story, it is funny and heart wrenching and joyful and loving. Jamie and Luke have been together for nearly a year and they have become a family. Reggie is an adorable child and his relationship with both Luke and Jamie is wonderful, seeing how Jamie has slotted into their family is really nice and the way that Jamie and Luke are together is really sweet. Jamie is my hero in this story and his actions with Reggie and Luke makes you love him to death, and his love for his family is astounding, that man can do no wrong in my eyes.
I am not going into the storyline, all I will tell you, is that it will affect you and make you sniffle into a tissue. There was one bug bear for me and that was we never heard anything about the circumstances of the accident i.e. why it happened. Other than that this story was perfect and I loved the incredible writing, the characters were perfect and really well developed, the storyline is shocking but brilliant and the ending is incredibly sweet.
Lisa Worrall will tear your heart out, throw it around, jump up and down on it, and throw it in a blender before piecing it back together in a story that will make your eyes fill and tears trickle down your cheeks, before giving you an ending that is pure love and happiness. This is a must read book, so add it to your bookshelf and buy some tissues.
It was great to read about Jamie and Luke's life a year after they've first met. Of course, their first anniversary looms, and Jamie has his mind made up as to how he wants to celebrate. The warmth of their family life is great, and Reggie is as cute as ever. I loved the episodes in school as well as the scenes of late Sunday brunches and the celebratory dinner at home (when Luke gets promoted). And, as it turns out, it is a good thing they are so loving and strong as a family. They need all of each other's support when disaster strikes.
Jamie is secure in his relationship with Luke, and their love is visible in and out of the bedroom. Jamie has also struck a good balance with Reggie, despite the fact that he's his teacher. Their 'rules' of behavior at school make a lot of sense, but the way Lisa Worrall talks about them and illustrates with little anecdotes made me laugh. Jamie is a true rock for the newly formed family.
Luke is still career oriented, and does really well. I got the feeling that his self-confidence grew since Jamie moved in. He is clearly happy to share parenthood with Jamie, and now that Reggie has a second parent to go to, he doesn’t feel quite so overwhelmed anymore. And he'll need all of that and more to survive the severe test fate sends their way.
If you like stories where family means everything, if you believe that love really can conquer all, and if you're looking for a read that will make you laugh and cry with the characters, then you will probably enjoy this short book as much as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Silver Publishing for the purpose of a review.
3.5 stars. This was a nice sequel to Mr. Popsalos (Mr. Popsalos, #1) despite the hole in the plot (See Ami's review). It had the right amount of angst and I loved the characters.
Update: The author fixed the plot hole. See Blog Post
In this sequel to Mr. Popsalos (Mr. Popsalos, #1), we catch up with Jamie and Luke as they come upon their first anniversary. Jamie moved in with Luke and Reggie a few months earlier and the family is settling in to the Christmas season. Jamie knows that Luke and Reggie are what he most wants in his life. The platinum wedding bands have been burning a hole in his suitcase in the attic for the past two months. Before he can ask Luke those four life-changing words, however, an accident throws their well-ordered lives into complete disarray.
In this sequel, we are gifted with a more robust story of Luke, Jamie, and Reggie. I just love this family. Lisa Worrall pulls no punches and the accident that upsets their lives is a serious one. The tension and heartache Luke and Jamie experience in the hospital were palpable. This book was emotionally draining at times and a definite tear-jerker but well worth it! I absolutely adore Reggie and his two dads and their extended family. I hope to read more about them in the future.
Bottom line: a emotionally charged sequel that will leave you feeling boneless but happy and sated.
Re-Read on 12/13/13: This one is so touching, I cried again. Reminds me why I love Lisa Worrall.
I adored all the characters in this story, Lisa makes me think of them as real people the characterisation is so good, but little Reggie stole my heart, he was just adorable and I loved how the three of them, Luke, Jamie and Reggie were so obviously a family, especially after such a short time. The accident, and its ramifications, ramped up the angst so much that I couldn’t put the book down, and spent most of the second half of the story reading through my tears.
The whole story is just wonderful, I really don’t have the words to say just how much I love this book. I highly recommend it as a perfect way to spend a few hours this Holiday season.
This was a fun sequel to a fun Christmas story from last season. It was sweet and lovely with some hurt/comfort drama involving MC Luke's 7 year old son. Lisa Worrall always knows just what to write to warm up my heart.
This is, indeed, the perfect gift after Mr. Popsalos! Luke and Jamie are together, as a family, and it's so beautiful to witness their life as a couple and as fathers!
Just a really lovely story, emotional enough to pluck the heartstrings without being too angsty, and the HEA leaves you feeling nicely warm,fuzzy and contented. Follows on from " Mr Popsalos " but you don't really need to have read that to enjoy this. A proper feel good story. Nice!
Woohoo, loved it. Poor little Reggie, my heart bled for Luke and Jamie, but the ending was lovely (if a little predictable). One of those ah bless books...I love 'em. ♥♥
I’ve read several books by Lisa Worrall and I’ve enjoyed them all. She has a knack of really getting to heart and soul of her characters and she has a humorous voice that I really appreciate.
Jamie and Luke have been seeing each other for almost a year. So far, things have gone pretty smoothly for them. They are still in their ‘honeymoon’ phase of their relationship and even Luke’s young son, Reggie, has adapted to their little make-shift family. They are so happy, Jamie plans on proposing to Luke on Christmas. He’s ready to make a firm commitment to Luke and his adorable son, Reggie.
But life can be unpredictable. Just when Jamie believes that life couldn’t be more content, the rug is suddenly pulled out from him when they are in a serious accident. Now, Jamie is faced with the prospect of losing the two people who mean the most to him. Is Jamie and Luke’s relationship strong enough to survive the obstacles and pain life is throwing between them?
I loved this book! Jamie and Luke have a strong emotional bond between them that really resonated off of the written page. There is an obvious love and affection between them, but what I really liked about their relationship was how much they truly seemed to like each other too. There is a deep friendship and respect they have for one another and I found myself becoming enchanted with their story.
I also loved the way Luke’s son, Reggie, also bonded them together. Even though Reggie is not Jamie’s blood, in Jamie’s mind, Reggie is just as much of his son as he is to Luke. I liked how they all communicated with each other and I loved the easy-going banter between them. They were truly a family unit and not once did I believe differently or question their affection for each other.
Even though this book is a pretty smooth and easy going read, there is also enough angst in it that kept this reader on the edge of her seat at times. I found myself experiencing a vast array of emotions while I read this book, and yes, there were times I reached for my tissues as well as times I found myself laughing out loud. I loved the strong romantic undertone this book had and I truly hated to see it come to an end.
The Perfect Gift is the second book in the Popsalos series. When I requested to review this book, I had no idea it was in a series. Once I started it, I found myself wanting to see how these two men met and came together, so I quit reading it and bought the first book. I’m glad I did because I really enjoyed reading how Jamie and Luke met. Saying this, I also believe that this book could easily be read as a stand-alone book. Ms. Worrall does a great job at keeping the reader informed of their back-story, so someone who hasn’t read the first book will easily be able to follow along and pick up where this story begins. I do recommend reading the first book just because it’s also a great book and it really enhances the dynamics between the three characters.
Beautifully written with heroes that will live long in your heart, The Perfect Gift is a story that will leave you with a smile on your face. I loved every moment of this book and I can’t wait to read more about these characters in the future. Highly Recommended!
3.5 stars. Angsty! But good. Luke and Jamie are getting ready for Christmas and their anniversary and Jamie is ready to propose. But a terrible accident gets in the way of that. Pretty soon getting married is the least of his worries.
Luke and Jamie fulfill the promise of a great couple that we glimpsed in Mr. Popsalos (Mr. Popsalos, #1). The are cute and sexy and funny together. Their life has settled into a nice pace and they are enjoying the holiday preparations. When tragedy strikes they all have to pull together - including their families.
I hope we get to someday get a story that includes their wedding :D Hint! Hint!
This was a lovely sequel. It was much more emotional than the first book in the series, which I loved. I was so happy to see how Luke and Jamie's relationship had developed, and how Jamie had become part of the family for both Luke and Reggie. It was so moving and very nearly had me in tears at one point! The ending was perfect, too :)
As a parent this book really hit me hard. It's like 80 pages long or something and it took me hours. Why? Because I couldn't see through the tears. I was full on ugly sobs. Attractive, I know ;)
I just love Jamie, Luke, and Reggie. Karen isn't so bad either. Actually, she's awesome!
I hadn't really read the blurb because I loved the first book so I knew I wanted to read this one so the dramatic twist really took me by surprise. It starts out very light and fun and then wow. It ends up being a very powerful story.
This story is absolutely wonderful!! Lisa Worrall has definitely written a beautiful tale that breaks your heart and uplifts you at the same time. If you're looking for a lovely read, then you must get this!
Great follow-up to Mr. Popsalos (Mr. Popsalos, #1)! A lot more angst than in the first one (and longer too), but still sweet and a very satisfying ending. I'm always glad to get a look at how things work out for a couple and I was really happy these two were still going so strong in the sequel. And I loved the way Reggie was included in this relationship; you really got a sense of a family there!
(+) Relationship between Jamie, Luke, and Reggie is portrayed very well
(+) I love the casual, easy way these three are interacting
(+) Reggie is really an amazing kid, makes me crack up sometimes
(+) I also like the secondary characters, Luke's Mom is hilarious and I loved how supportive everyone was; no additional drama from that angle!
(-) Aside from the fact how these three all feel for each other and treat each other (which is the most important thing, admittedly), I still don't really know much about any any of them. There very well defined in their relationship but very little as individuals. That wasn't a problem at all in the first book since it was a short story, but I'd have liked a bit more in depth characterization in the sequel.
I'd definitely recommend those two books (you have to read Mr. Popsalos first!) to anyone who likes a nice, quick read, with a bit of angst in the second book and a lot of fluff and heart-warming, easy-going romance in both.
This starts off tooth-achingly sweet. Jamie and Luke are now living together, raising Reggie, Luke’s seven year old son, together. Heading into the Christmas holidays. I have to say the first half was pretty regular fare; the guys + kid are cute. But then something happens that takes things in a whole new direction and woke me up.
That’s life. One minute you’re going on just like everyday and suddenly, everything can change. Things do work out ok for Jamie, Luke and Reggie but their story reminds you to be grateful for what you have. For all the little things.
I really loved this story, which was a continuation from Mr. Popsalos (Mr. Popsalos, #1). The love that these two characters have for each other is sweet, and wonderful, and Reggie is just adorable. The medical issue was a suprise, but it was handled wonderfully. I would recommend this story to everyone to read
I loved the first book and the sequel is great. I was so into reading this I completely lost track of time and place. The story is all from Jamie's POV. Jamie is adorable, btw. There is a little drama starting at about the middle of the book when they are in a pretty bad car wreck. As I read what Jamie was thinking and doing, my heart was pounding right along with his. The angst is wrapped up pretty neatly, but it's sweet all the same. A good lunch hour read for a total escape.
I really love this book, it's a perfect feel good fluffy marshmallow story despite the sad part.
Jamie (Reggie's 2nd grade teacher) and Luke (Reggie's Dad) have been living together as a family for a short time and are very much in love. A terrible accident threatens everything but doesn't stop the delightful HEA.
Luke's parents are a lovely couple and support the MC'S well, I would love another installment further down their lives.
This was a very emotional and beautiful read. Its amazing how a split second can change lives so drastically. Everyone in this story is incredibly funny and so loving towards one another. The devastation shocks me and breaks my heart, but through love and family it all works out in the end. I love Jamie and Luke together, they are just so perfect for one another and Reggie is an awesome kid! Great book!
I loved Mr. Popsalos and when I learned that there was going to be a second story with Jamie, Luke and Reggie, I was thrilled. The Perfect Gift was wonderful. This story did not disappoint. It was funny and heartwarming, and had just the right amount of angst (yup, tissues were needed). It ends just the way I hoped it would…happy.
Life changing in the flash of some headlights. A short story of a happy family, loving partners and their rough and tumble son. The humor and warmth shared by this family are what I enjoyed the most. Jamie's way of dealing with his new son had me laughing through most of the book.
An accident showed them all what being a parent and part of a family truly means.
Great holiday read. Eventhough it's not the holidays anymore coz I read this on April LOL. It's a very heart warming story. I love the characters and how they interact with each other not only on the good times but in times of crisis as well. I was moved at certain points in the story and the ending left me with a smile :)
I thought this second book from the guys was excellent, you get funny laugh out loud moments, some serious life threatening and teary moments all rolled into a happy ever after. Hopefully we get to have more from them, maybe a wedding!...I did have one question though why wasn't the police involved about the accident?. A really enjoyable book but then all lisa Worrall books are a great read.