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One Wish
Christmas is supposed to be a time of happiness and family, but after a tragic accident the year before, Callen is left feeling the complete opposite. He's sad, miserable, and angry at everyone and everything.
Harry is an elf sent to bring Callen some joy. It's one thing when a child stops believing in Christmas—that happens all the time—but Callen loved everything about Christmas, and Santa needs him back. Harry is there to grant Callen one wish in the hopes of making him feel better. One wish to bring Christmas back to a man who hates the very thought of it.
Harry is an elf sent to bring Callen some joy. It's one thing when a child stops believing in Christmas—that happens all the time—but Callen loved everything about Christmas, and Santa needs him back. Harry is there to grant Callen one wish in the hopes of making him feel better. One wish to bring Christmas back to a man who hates the very thought of it.
25 pages, ebook
First published December 5, 2016
31 people want to read
About the author
Caitlin Ricci
294 books178 followersCaitlin was fortunate growing up to be surrounded by family and teachers that encouraged her love of reading. She has always been a voracious reader and that love of the written word easily morphed into a passion for writing. If she isn't writing, she can usually be found studying as she works toward her counseling degree. She comes from a military family and the men and women of the armed forces are close to her heart. She also enjoys gardening and horseback riding in the Colorado Rockies where she calls home with her wonderful fiance and their dog. Her belief that there is no one true path to happily ever after runs deeply through all of her stories.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 8, 2016
Christmas miracles usually come without any strings attached, but in “One Wish” I got to see a slightly more “realistic” version of things. I know, I know, there is nothing “realistic” about miracles in the first place, but having a price to pay for a wish to come true and having choices to make does somehow feel more like reality than a “pure” miracle. Giving Callen an option and then asking him to choose his own future means he has something to say over the outcome – something he has missed since the accident that paralyzed him. Regaining control is something he is in urgent need of!
In some ways, this story is like the classic ‘Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens: Callen is a man who hates Christmas, he gets shown his Christmas past that caused all of the issues, he gets a wish that might fix the problem, and he gets to see a second version of his Christmas present with the wish granted. But after that, ‘One Wish’ diverges from the original and takes some very unexpected twists and turns.
I liked what Caitlin Ricci did with the tale. Callen hates his life in a wheelchair and teaching him to accept what has happened and deal with it is a huge task. Harry, the elf sent to help him, is a cute guy and he has some very helpful hints and tips – based on his own experience. But in the end it comes down to what Callen wants and what he is prepared to sacrifice, and I think that is the real strength of the story.
If you like Christmas miracles of a slightly different kind, if you believe that giving up is never an option - no matter how bad things seem to get, and if you’re looking for a read that is sweet, funny, and touching, then you will probably like this short story. I think it’s charming and unexpectedly thought-provoking!
NOTE: This book was provided by NineStar Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
In some ways, this story is like the classic ‘Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens: Callen is a man who hates Christmas, he gets shown his Christmas past that caused all of the issues, he gets a wish that might fix the problem, and he gets to see a second version of his Christmas present with the wish granted. But after that, ‘One Wish’ diverges from the original and takes some very unexpected twists and turns.
I liked what Caitlin Ricci did with the tale. Callen hates his life in a wheelchair and teaching him to accept what has happened and deal with it is a huge task. Harry, the elf sent to help him, is a cute guy and he has some very helpful hints and tips – based on his own experience. But in the end it comes down to what Callen wants and what he is prepared to sacrifice, and I think that is the real strength of the story.
If you like Christmas miracles of a slightly different kind, if you believe that giving up is never an option - no matter how bad things seem to get, and if you’re looking for a read that is sweet, funny, and touching, then you will probably like this short story. I think it’s charming and unexpectedly thought-provoking!
NOTE: This book was provided by NineStar Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
December 14, 2017
Yes, it was too short and yes, it felt rushed... but, it really worked well for me, so... no complaints! *grin*
December 9, 2019
Beautiful and sad and sweet. And ultimately hopeful. An excellent story!
September 5, 2017
This was an amazing little Christmas story with a lot of cheer and happiness. The 3rd person narrative was perfect, allowing us to see Callen's personal struggles and emotional turmoil. He was made paraplegic in a car accident that killed his parents, leaving him feeling personally responsible for their deaths, because he was driving. Now, he's unable to adjust to life without full movement and control of his own body.
Enter nurses aid Harry.
These two together were brilliant. Feisty, fun and full of chemistry they were perfect for each other. I loved the progression of their relationship from strangers to friends and more. Everything was done with just the right amount of care and time.
I'm already a huge fan of Caitlin Ricci and her writing, and this one didn't disappoint. The world building, the writing style and the attention to detail was all exactly what I've come to expect from her. The medical knowledge was on point and I absolutely loved that Callen made the right choice for himself. It was perfect from start to finish.
Enter nurses aid Harry.
These two together were brilliant. Feisty, fun and full of chemistry they were perfect for each other. I loved the progression of their relationship from strangers to friends and more. Everything was done with just the right amount of care and time.
I'm already a huge fan of Caitlin Ricci and her writing, and this one didn't disappoint. The world building, the writing style and the attention to detail was all exactly what I've come to expect from her. The medical knowledge was on point and I absolutely loved that Callen made the right choice for himself. It was perfect from start to finish.
December 16, 2017
3.4 Stars
I think this makes me a bit ableist, but I'd have made the same choice for that wish.
I think this makes me a bit ableist, but I'd have made the same choice for that wish.
January 1, 2017
Cute short story
December 3, 2016
A year ago an accident claimed the lives of Callen's parents and dramatically changed his life. Since then everything about the holiday is hated and horrible. I had a lot of sympathy for him because I understood where he was coming from. It was a lot and the holidays being the anniversary made it worse. "His body had turned against him and made him have these ridiculously embarrassing qualities added to him." So hard, I could completely understand his anger. Being "...the great tyrant Callen."
When he gets a new nurse things go from bad to worse. At least his last one was an older woman who tolerated his bad moods and knew his routine. Now he has a gorgeous man who is going to see and help with Callen's embarrassing needs. Harry is funny, down to earth and takes no crap from Callen, making sure the "...most humiliating part of his life." is just matter of fact. Callen is young and once upon a time he would have been hitting on Harry. Now, he feels useless and worse.
Harry makes Callen see there is more to him than this body that is no longer what it was. And who knows - a Christmas miracle may happen, though there is a price to pay. I liked the idea and the book was an easy read with characters I could connect with.
When he gets a new nurse things go from bad to worse. At least his last one was an older woman who tolerated his bad moods and knew his routine. Now he has a gorgeous man who is going to see and help with Callen's embarrassing needs. Harry is funny, down to earth and takes no crap from Callen, making sure the "...most humiliating part of his life." is just matter of fact. Callen is young and once upon a time he would have been hitting on Harry. Now, he feels useless and worse.
Harry makes Callen see there is more to him than this body that is no longer what it was. And who knows - a Christmas miracle may happen, though there is a price to pay. I liked the idea and the book was an easy read with characters I could connect with.
December 21, 2016
This was just absolutely lovely.
Callen's tragedy and his current circumstances were explained enough to give an idea of what his life is like now, and has been like the past year, without making things too heavy for a Christmas story.
And I just adored how the Christmas wishes worked here, it felt much more honest.
I'm not usually a fan of
My favorite thing? Harry. What an amazing character, gentle and sweet and understanding, while at the same time tough enough not to let Callen get away with self-pity or taking his frustrations out on others. Beautiful.
Some Favorite Quotes:
"I need to face this reality."
"This one sucks ass," Harry reminded him.
Callen smirked. "Yeah. I know. But it's mine, right?"
"Believing as a kid is easy. Everything is awesome when you're a kid. Generally speaking, of course. But as an adult, life gets just wrong in so many ways. The magic gets lost."
Callen's tragedy and his current circumstances were explained enough to give an idea of what his life is like now, and has been like the past year, without making things too heavy for a Christmas story.
And I just adored how the Christmas wishes worked here, it felt much more honest.
I'm not usually a fan of
My favorite thing? Harry. What an amazing character, gentle and sweet and understanding, while at the same time tough enough not to let Callen get away with self-pity or taking his frustrations out on others. Beautiful.
Some Favorite Quotes:
"I need to face this reality."
"This one sucks ass," Harry reminded him.
Callen smirked. "Yeah. I know. But it's mine, right?"
"Believing as a kid is easy. Everything is awesome when you're a kid. Generally speaking, of course. But as an adult, life gets just wrong in so many ways. The magic gets lost."
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews