Vincent's Thanksgiving Date

by R. Cooper

Socially anxious Vincent has resigned himself to spending Thanksgiving alone this year, just him, the parade, and some pie. The last thing he expects is Cory, the handsome neighbor he's been daydreaming about, to knock on his door with a holiday crisis of his own. Vincent would love to help him, but he's afraid that the more time Cory spends with him, the sooner Vincent's anxiety will drive him away.

What he doesn't realize is that Cory finds Vincent's gentle ways adorable and has been waiting for a chance to talk with him. Cory also firmly believes that a day like Thanksgiving should be spent with the people you want to be around--and he wants to be around Vincent. If that means pretending to need help in order to coax Vincent from his apartment, then Cory is willing to do it. The only potential hitch in the plan is Vincent himself. Can Vincent gather the courage to go after what he wants? Or will he spend his Thanksgiving exactly as he planned, with only a pumpkin pie for company?

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, Contemporary, Holiday, Novella, Thanksgiving, LGBT

72 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2014

About the author

I'm R. Cooper, a somewhat absentminded, often distracted, writer of queer romance. I'm probably most known for the Being(s) in Love series and The Suitable 'Verse stories. Also the occasional story about witches or firefighters in love.

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Reviews

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely and heartwarming novella.
Watching Vincent find kindness and love was pure bliss.

[Exina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute and shy guy, his hot neighbor, Thanksgiving, too much fuss around the pies, no sex, some clichés. Not bad, but easily forgettable. It was not as bad as another holiday story I read just before this one, Magic & Mistletoe , I remember that much, so 2 stars.

[Karla · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Vincent's Thanksgiving Date" had the potential to be so much more instead it was just an "ok" short read for me. I was intrigued by the story line of Vincent, a shy guy, he suffers from anxiety attacks and has a crush of his good looking neighbor Cory.

Like I said the potential was definitely there, but instead I found myself bored. I think there was too much time spent inside Vincent's head not enough interaction between Vincent and Cory. The moments they did have were sweet, but for being a short read I needed more and the ending was so abrupt.

[Heller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful little holiday story. I want to see more of these characters and I admit to being like Ricky because I want to know what happens with Lando as well! :D This was an incredibly sweet and emotional little read. I loved it.

[Jennifer☠Pher☠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, that was just the sweetest Thanksgiving story.

It made my feel so good inside and really hungry.

Both boys were just so cute. I loved all of their interactions and I loved being inside Vincent's head. It was really quite a mess but once he got it he really got it.

Perfect way to get ready for tomorrow!!

[⚣Michaelle⚣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This was simply delightful.

Vincent is just so relatable with his social anxiety and fear of failure, plus being a bit overweight & wearing glasses. I loved him. So hard. I loved the way he talked about his condition and how writing allows him to work without interacting with people much. I also adore the he talked about Lando (his book protagonist). In some ways that character was him, but also a stylized, more outgoing and personable version of him. The way that I think Vincent wishes he could be.

And in this story he sort of is. With Cory's help. Not a lot, just a supportive environment with non-judgmental people. Plus, gah! I could feel how amazed Vincent was by Cory's attraction. How confused he was, how worried he was misinterpreting all those clues. And I just loved Cory. How he wanted to be there for Vincent, how he wanted to effing provide for Vincent - whether it was emotionally or physically. Or Food. I absolutely loved how a few extra pounds weren't a concern to Cory - a hot, sexy, muscular and athletic guy.

I'm not sure any of the other Thanksgiving-themed books I've got lined up for the Holiday Challenge will even measure up to this one. I'm honestly considering just moving on to the December holidays instead to avoid the disappointment...

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this Thanksgiving story and Vincent was so sweet, shy and charming I wanted to hug the stuffing out of him. I definitely would have given it an additional star if it were either shortened to short-story length or lengthened to at least a full novella. Just when the connection happened it was over so I couldn't fully swoon over any HEA and this story had a lot of swoon potential. I would love to read about their relationship as it grows. I love the thought of all the "moments" these two would have.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to R. Cooper I am totally biased...

Just wanted to be honest about this. I love this author. One of my absolute favorite books is "A Wealth of Unsaid Words" I devoured that book, couldn't put it down and sure enough as soon as I started reading "Vincent's Thanksgiving Date" I knew this was a repeat performance and it was. I loved Vincent maybe because I share some of his anxieties when it comes to social situations especially if it's a larger group of people. I so understood his stress and anxiety over going, not going, letting down someone whose opinion matters, someone who you want to make happy more than anything else. Yeah, for me Vincent was a bit of a kindred spirit and then there was Cory. Cory was just magical. He got it, he understood Vincent without judging. To Cory it was just all a part of Vincent and he liked the man that he saw.

R. Cooper has the ability to create characters who are less than perfect and then make the reader love them for that because we get to see that even less than perfect deserves to get a happily ever after and that love is there waiting for anyone who's brave enough to reach for it and hang on.

So maybe this wasn't actually a Christmas story but for me the message was perfect for this time of year.

4.5 shiny, imperfect stars rounded down to 4 because like the MCs in this story GR is not perfect and can't manage to make 1/2 stars yet.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

This was a sweet holiday story about an author with severe social anxiety who ends up spending Thanksgiving with his charming neighbor, a man whom he'd always had a crush on but been to shy to talk with. The connection between them begins tentatively, but they are very sweet with each other. Vincent's anxieties are palpable and very much influence the way he reacts to the world. Luckily Cory is patient and understanding. While the story ends right after they express their feelings for one another, it wraps up on a hopeful note and left me satisfied.

[MostlyDelores · Rating 4 out of 5]

R. Cooper can write her way into my cold, black heart. This was sweet and smishy without being oogie.

[Calila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really cute read. I loved Vincent and Cory. I loved seeing them feel their away around each other and if the other was interested or not. I really liked how Vincent's anxiety was written, it was respectful and the other characters didn't mock him or make it an issue. I'm just sad this is so short. I would LOVE to revisit them.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute holiday read.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** 3.5 Stars ***

This was a totally PG Thanksgiving tale (no sex), but still super enjoyable. I liked how the story was told from Vincent's perspective so that you really got to know him - his sweetness, anxiety, quirks and all - yet Cory was no less present in the story as a result. I loved seeing his initial maneuvers, how he readjusted his approach according to Vin's reactions (or lack thereof), and how he basically just keep at it no matter how oblivious Vin was to his intentions. The persistence was sweet and wholesome and made me feel as satisfied as if I'd just eaten a big Thanksgiving meal.

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 5 out of 5]

11/22/18: Third time this story is still a charm!

Re-read 11/25/16: just as sweet, as heart-warming, as quietly sexy the second time. Love R. Cooper stories!

Awesome short read, with fantastic dysfunctional real people characters! Read it now to get ready for next Thursday!

[Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww...that was sweet. What a cute couple :)

3.5 stars, rounded up because my heart has yet to regain non-melted form.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a lovely sweet story. I'm not American so Thanksgiving is something I only know in principle. I've got to say that some of the food. . . well, I knew turkey was involved, but isn't sweet potato already sweet enough without adding sugar? Is that real? And tinned pie fillings? I'm now wondering is it pie or tart and what the heck is in the tins? Pie filling is fruit so from a tin. . . ? Why so many pies as well? Also gammon ham at the same meal as turkey? And something about marshmallows? I'm thinking if my family in Alabama ever offer I'm going to have to decline.
I'm not sure what it says about me that I was so focused on the food (maybe I need to diet?) but it definitely seemed to be a good part of the story. I was also thrown at one part by a reference to "do white girls love pumpkin pie" I think it was - a few pages afterwards I realised Cory was apparently black but I still have no idea what joke that was. However I loved the careful progression of Cory tempting Vincent in to leaving his shell and it was a nice little story.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the SWEETEST short story!!!! I loved Cory’s friends and how Cory and Vincent are around each other. Vin so clearly doesn’t see himself the way everyone else does and I was just a puddle over it. Cooper managed to do a lot with little and I'm really impressed with how the story built and the promise of potential between Cory and Vincent.

[namericanwordcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of R. Cooper and this holiday slow burn is one of my favorties. We get a clueless introvert writer hero and his nieghbor who is kind.

This is an engaging working class romance writing in Copper's tender, touching, steady building heart, lyrical style.

Good stuff!

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A scrumptious Thanksgiving treat. Sweet, heartfelt, funny, and warm.

Thanks to Leigh for the rec!

[Deeze · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet little holiday read.

Vincent was a fun character and Cory was perfect for him.

A fun read to start the season

[Ro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet as pie

Vin is complicated and very brave, luckily Cory believes Vin is worth the work. I loved their group of friends, especially Ricky in a turkey hat

[Rachel]

7/16/19 Currently FREE via Smashwords sale: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

[Mere Rain]

Perfect timing for me on this one! Just like anxiety-prone Vincent, I am planning to spend Thanksgiving home alone, eating ice cream and drinking too much wine, and writing m/m genre fiction. I even have a sister with two kids who will expect me to call!

(I am less bummed about this situation than Vincent, because I have covid restrictions as an excuse so no one can guilt me about not taking a hours-long drive in heavy traffic to visit them.)

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but sweet Thanksgiving tale. 4 solid stars.

[Tara♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was not what I hoped it would be. I spotted this on Amazon around Thanksgiving and thought it sounded sweet. It was kind of disappointing and it's a pity because it has so much potential.

Vincent's anxiety just seemed to take over everything and while I appreciate that it was an important plot point it was just non stop. It was referred to in what felt like every single page. I know that this is of course a very real thing for a lot of people but it just dominated Vincent and Cory's story.

"He didn't understand why other people found silence so uncomfortable when it had never bothered him. But every time he was quite for too long, he could see people start to wonder what was wrong with him."

Cory seemed to be really lovely but all I really know about him is that he worked in a flower shop, cycled and was hot. There are other details given but he felt a little flat and it's the biggest pity of all as he could have been a great character.

The largest chuck of this novella is dedicated to the Thanksgiving dinner preparations, there was a lot of shopping as in 40% must have been about either preparing to go shopping, shopping or the return from shopping and then there were the pies. There was a lot about pies. There were 3 pies. 2 (pumpkin and apple) were made from scratch but one (the pecan) had a frozen crust because something happened. No idea what. The verdict was that there may have been too much cinnamon in the apple.


As I said this had potential but it just fell flat and I finished feeling meh.

Also.

Question.

Who the hell eats Tofurky?

It looks togross.

I'm told nut roast is where it's at for the vegetarians!!

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story really had a lot of potential that it, unfortunately, did not live up to. Vincent was an extremely well-written and believable character. I suffer from anxiety/panic disorder, so his reactions to social situations and his near constant, soul-crushing fear were relatable and believable. I couldn't really wrap my head around the character of Cory, though. His actions were disjointed, and some of the interactions between characters were written in such a lackadaisical fashion that the story became confusing. It was almost as if there were times when the characters were communicating things to each other that the reader wasn't privy to.

Oh, and the abrupt ending was rather annoying. Vincent and Cory share their first kiss, and it mentions that Cory seems to like it when Vincent surges forward to kiss him again annnnd....over. I turned the page and there was nothing else.

What a letdown.

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not Perfect But Sweet Vincent's Thanksgiving Date by B Cooper is a short moment in time leading up to Thanksgiving in Vincent's life. A change can happen if he could just pluck up the courage this once and let it happen. He meets Cory who is a gentle, adorable, little neighbor who sees something in Vincent and is willing to gently, ease his anxieties while getting under Vincent's skin. This tale is low on the 'hot-o-meter' Cooper chose instead to focus on character interaction to tell the story. Now to be honest I thought the ending was a bit abrupt but I understood why Cooper ended it there. The tale would have worked so well if it'd had more time to become a full-length novel. I liked these characters enough I wanted to see a lot more. Another sweet little plus is that Corey was 'of color' and to be honest, it's always refreshing in this genre to have characters of many cultures and races together. It shouldn't be a big deal.

[Lois - Who Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author has a knack for creating wonderful and adorable characters that have no idea how other people see them. Vincent has some serious social anxiety that makes it very difficult for him to talk to people. He beats himself up for every pause, every answer, and every blush. The descriptions of Vincent's anxiety and how he felt about it were very insightful.

When his neighbor, Cory, comes over in need of a ride to the store to buy Thanksgiving dinner supplies Vincent gathers up all his courage and says yes. Vincent's slow realization that Cory is flirting with him and that Cory's friends don't think he's a freak is a huge step for Vincent.

Overall, this short romantic holiday book is well worth the read!

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely charming! For every one of us that has crushed on someone from afar or been overwhelmed by our insecurities. The way Cory guides Vincent along, nurturing his courage and luring him in for his declaration of affection is so sweet. I love the touch of Vincent trying to decide if he should "take a pill"--his anti-anxiety medication to go to the party. Couper is so good with the details, all the little touches that fill out the characters and set the scene. I actually stumbled across this on Thanksgiving weekend and hit me just right; I see this as a seasonal read each year or just when I need comfort read like Vincent's pumpkin-pie-icecream-and-wine.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

All the good feels, wonderful writing .. adorable characters.

Wish it were longer.

*happy sigh*