The Shoemaker

by Megan Derr

Once upon a time…there was a lonely elf who lived in an old crate in a dingy alleyway. Every day he watched the shoemaker across the street, who once was so happy and vivacious, but now is heartbroken and despondent. As the Winter Solstice approaches, the elf is determined to help the forlorn shoemaker however he can, even if all he can do is stitch the shoes laid out every night in preparation for the next day's work.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, M M Romance, Short Stories, LGBT, Novella, Retellings

Kindle Edition

Published December 21, 2025

About the author

Megan is a long time resident of queer romance and keeps herself busy reading and writing it. She is often accused of fluff and nonsense. When she’s not involved in writing, she likes to cook, harass her wife and cats, or watch movies. She loves to hear from readers and can be found all over the internet.

meganderr.com
patreon.com/meganderr
meganderr.blogspot.com
facebook.com/meganaprilderr
meganaderr@gmail.com
@meganaderr

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet little novella. Adorable!!

[Tinnean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't remember if the original fairtale of the shoemake and the elf made me this happy, but I'm very pleased I read this. So sweet. I actually teared up.

Definitely worth the read.

[Gaby · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful little novella.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, ugly cry novella

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, touching little tale that I read this Christmas morning while waiting for everyone else to wake up. A sweet tale of helping those in need and being kind .

[Relly]

4 Stars

And this is how you do a short story
It was entertaining and didn't try to do too much within the space it had.
Brandt was beautiful and I felt for him as he tried to just survive. Regardless how much he was struggling he still looked out for other people.

[Natalie H · Rating 3 out of 5]

December 2025
Kindle edition

Too short. For a moment there I was wondering if they'd ever meet. Would be nice to see things from Brandt's side. Cute story.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too short and too sweet. I really like Magan Derr's shorts but I simply didn't click with this one.

[Trefoil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish it was longer, for what it was though it is a good read

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story is a beautiful spin on the classic "The Elves and the Shoemaker" with a broken-hearted shoemaker who was recently betrayed and abandoned by his mate and best friend. A destitute, homeless elf observes the shoemaker's depression and decline and wants to help him.

Orders for shoes to celebrate the upcoming Winter Solstice are coming in, but the shoemaker is short-handed and too sad to function well. The elf decides to sneak in after hours and complete the work despite his own suffering. This is a heart-warming story of compassion and courage - a really beautiful tale.

[Flick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do adore Megan’s retellings of classic fairytales so much and this was no exception! A sweet and poignant take on a classic.

[LWM · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, delightful,, heartwarming story.

Beautifully written, Megan Derr continues to reign as a master storyteller of both short & novel-length stories. Every story, no matter its length, is complete with exacting & vivid details, color, well developed, relatable characters, and a solid theme. I'd recommend any story or book by this author, who's an automatic one-click purchase for me. Always well deserving of multiple maximum stars!

[Sandy Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forgot I read this! It was very sweet. I wish there was more to it, but, what was here was lovely and kind and heartwarming. Oh, and, no OM drama/action, though it begins with the shoemaker in a terrible depression from having been dumped and betrayed.

I loved the unhomed elf and his efforts to cheer the lonely sad shoemaker.

HFN that feels very HEA. Holiday romantasy. Safe for me. Recommended.

[Lora Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shoemaker & 1 Elf

Modern day retelling. Very sweet. If you’re unfamiliar with this writer’s work, she very rarely incorporates intimacy, and when she does it’s often mostly or entirely off page. But like some of her books, this one has absolutely none, not even a kiss. Still worth the read.

[MyDoRyS · Rating 5 out of 5]

My reviews are my own. If you liked this book or not, I respect your opinion. This is merely my opinion, so let's keep it courteous. My review is honest and voluntary.

Perfect sweet winter short story!

On to my next adventure, Happy Readings!!!

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute holiday short story

I love it when my favorite Authors release little shorts, and this was just that, a short sweet little story. Happy holidays and enjoy a small spot of warmth and kindness this season.

[Saee :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the way the food was described.

I was curious how the author was going to develop shoemaker's and elf!s relation cause the power imbalance in this story was quite visible.
But their relation wasn't really explored.
The length of the novella worked against it.

[Mark Lucas-Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shoemaker

A delightful and whimsical tale that showcases both the worst but mainly the best of the kindnesses that can occur between two creatures. Almost Dickensian in nature and style and of course heartwarming.

[Reis Asher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kind of warm hug I desperately needed right now.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this a wonderful story. This author is one of the only ones that can take a fairy tale and turn it into a sweet little wonderful tale. Wonderful ending. Recommend reading.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's fine, it's just not very interesting.

[... · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, innocent, and lovely 🥰

[Ilona Fenton · Rating 3 out of 5]

24 pages of sweet, sweet fairy tale retelling.

[Jandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shoemaker by Megan Derr is an adorable little story. Brandt is so sweet and I love how he and Alvin end up helping each other.

[Lenka · Rating 4 out of 5]

a cute, festive short story

[Amy K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gentle, sweet, queer retailing of the shoemaker’s elf fairytale. It’s a lovely Solstice story with Derr’s usually angsty, hurt/comfort touch.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

In just 17 pages Megan had me crying and smiling at the same time. Then my smile just grew bigger and bigger as I finished the book. Thank you Megan Derr for this gem of a short story. ♡

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story broke my heart. I wanted to hug Brandt, the elf, SO BAD. I wish the ending was longer so I could enjoy Brandt and Alvin (the shoemaker) happiness more. But Megan Derr excels in this kind of short story and I did love it, despite wanting to have a firmer HEA.

[Melyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Tigress62 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cozy little winter tale that I absolutely loved! I think I may re-read this every December, just before Solstice ...