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Holidays in Blue
A Forced Proximity Christmas Romance
Sometimes it takes a little ice to discover a whole lot of heat.
Cosmin Tessler is going home for Christmas. Eric Campbell is too.
Neither expected a homecoming quite like this.
When Cosmin Tessler’s radio show is canceled and Eric Campbell’s acting jobs dry up, they find themselves unexpectedly back in their old Toronto neighborhood…and back in each other’s lives years after they’d gone their separate ways. With a series of failed relationships and one ill-advised marriage behind them, both believe their chance for love has come and gone.
Luck, in the form of a massive ice storm, throws the former neighbors together again and they find themselves stranded, alone, for Christmas. Despite their difference in age, long-ago crushes and undeniable attraction prove too much to resist. But when the ice melts, only time will tell if their burgeoning romance will become just another missed chance—or a love story whose time has finally come.
Sometimes it takes a little ice to discover a whole lot of heat.
Cosmin Tessler is going home for Christmas. Eric Campbell is too.
Neither expected a homecoming quite like this.
When Cosmin Tessler’s radio show is canceled and Eric Campbell’s acting jobs dry up, they find themselves unexpectedly back in their old Toronto neighborhood…and back in each other’s lives years after they’d gone their separate ways. With a series of failed relationships and one ill-advised marriage behind them, both believe their chance for love has come and gone.
Luck, in the form of a massive ice storm, throws the former neighbors together again and they find themselves stranded, alone, for Christmas. Despite their difference in age, long-ago crushes and undeniable attraction prove too much to resist. But when the ice melts, only time will tell if their burgeoning romance will become just another missed chance—or a love story whose time has finally come.
207 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 7, 2020
9 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Eve Morton
135 books5 followersEve Morton is an author, artist, and educator living in Waterloo, Ontario. Sometimes romantic, other times completely unhinged, and then downright ethereal, Eve's works span the range of the beach read romance to the heart-stopping short horror story that sticks with you.
When not writing, walking, or obsessively reading anything, Eve raises her two kiddos, occasionally paints, gets tattoos, and reads tarot cards.
Book an event; book a lecture; or just read a good book--there is something here for you!
When not writing, walking, or obsessively reading anything, Eve raises her two kiddos, occasionally paints, gets tattoos, and reads tarot cards.
Book an event; book a lecture; or just read a good book--there is something here for you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 17, 2020
Definitely the most unusual novel I've read in a very long time. I absolutely love what Eve Morton is saying in Holidays in Blue, it's a heartfelt message, beautifully delivered, and written so cleverly it kind of snuck up on me.
These characters... just wow. So unique and deep and interesting and flawed, wonderfully flawed. It was impossible to guess where they'd go next, and Ms. Morton weaves their stories together in the most complex and fascinating way. This one's a winner!
Eve Morton has a stylish way of writing and I'm anxiously awaiting more from this talented author.
a copy of Holidays in Blue was provided by NetGalley for the purpose of my review
These characters... just wow. So unique and deep and interesting and flawed, wonderfully flawed. It was impossible to guess where they'd go next, and Ms. Morton weaves their stories together in the most complex and fascinating way. This one's a winner!
Eve Morton has a stylish way of writing and I'm anxiously awaiting more from this talented author.
a copy of Holidays in Blue was provided by NetGalley for the purpose of my review
December 15, 2020
This was very different. I appreciated the complexity and the change of pace, but the writing tripped over itself quite a bit and there were several lifelong challenges overcome in a pretty short period of time. They were interesting and thought-provoking and I enjoyed some of the conversations around them, but it was too many things tied up too neatly, too quickly in the end.
I really liked the way the MCs differing personalities complemented each other, so I bought into the romance in theory, but for a good chunk of the book I couldn't *feel* it. Which made sense for Cosmin, but not so much Eric, whose focus was often more on the idea of the Cosmin of his past crush than the present reality (even though they weren't that different).
If the themes appeal -- a general examination of past mistakes and how to move forward, with Cosmin's exploration relating to his now-deceased family, particularly a disconnect with his father -- and you appreciate an attempt at a higher degree of difficulty in a solid romance novel, go for it. If sticking the landing is all the matters ... it's not my favorite.
**This book was provided for free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley**
I really liked the way the MCs differing personalities complemented each other, so I bought into the romance in theory, but for a good chunk of the book I couldn't *feel* it. Which made sense for Cosmin, but not so much Eric, whose focus was often more on the idea of the Cosmin of his past crush than the present reality (even though they weren't that different).
If the themes appeal -- a general examination of past mistakes and how to move forward, with Cosmin's exploration relating to his now-deceased family, particularly a disconnect with his father -- and you appreciate an attempt at a higher degree of difficulty in a solid romance novel, go for it. If sticking the landing is all the matters ... it's not my favorite.
**This book was provided for free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley**
December 7, 2020
Carina Press has marketed "Holidays in Blue" as "A Forced Proximity Christmas Romance" and my expectation, combined with the 207 page count, was this would be a short, sweet romance set during the holidays. So, I fully acknowledge this was my bad.
Eric and Cosmin lived across the street from one another but because Cosmin is older, were never really school friends. This did not stop Eric from crushing on Cosmin, and seeing Cosmin and his boyfriend Maurice making out when he was a teenager was an important point in Eric realizing that perhaps he was not completely straight, but rather bisexual.
Eric became a (divorced) sporadically employed actor while Cosmin is a teacher, writer and radio personality. When Cosmin loses his radio show, he has one final broadcast which he wants to center around his family relationship. When he returns to his family home in Toronto, a huge ice storm strands him and Eric together.
So far, so good. However, as Cosmin uncovers family secrets, there is a lot of reflection about his relationship with his father, his sister, etc. And Eric comes to an understanding about his failed marriage, as well as an unexpected windfall as the result of a chance encounter. I must admit that I struggled with Morton's writing style - at times exasperated by the glacial pace, and then absolutely gobsmacked by the emotional impact of an eventual revelation or understanding.
We get a lot of insight into Cosmin, and Eric, but yet their relationship seems unexamined and I just didn't feel a strong connection to the characters. Also, at times, the book felt dated, with mentions of Cosmin's Blackberry and the radio show vs. a podcast which seems like such a natural fit for his talents. On the whole, the pace of the story did not work well for me and because of this, my feelings about this book may be different than yours. 3.5 stars, and I welcome your comments!
I received an ARC from the Publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
Eric and Cosmin lived across the street from one another but because Cosmin is older, were never really school friends. This did not stop Eric from crushing on Cosmin, and seeing Cosmin and his boyfriend Maurice making out when he was a teenager was an important point in Eric realizing that perhaps he was not completely straight, but rather bisexual.
Eric became a (divorced) sporadically employed actor while Cosmin is a teacher, writer and radio personality. When Cosmin loses his radio show, he has one final broadcast which he wants to center around his family relationship. When he returns to his family home in Toronto, a huge ice storm strands him and Eric together.
So far, so good. However, as Cosmin uncovers family secrets, there is a lot of reflection about his relationship with his father, his sister, etc. And Eric comes to an understanding about his failed marriage, as well as an unexpected windfall as the result of a chance encounter. I must admit that I struggled with Morton's writing style - at times exasperated by the glacial pace, and then absolutely gobsmacked by the emotional impact of an eventual revelation or understanding.
We get a lot of insight into Cosmin, and Eric, but yet their relationship seems unexamined and I just didn't feel a strong connection to the characters. Also, at times, the book felt dated, with mentions of Cosmin's Blackberry and the radio show vs. a podcast which seems like such a natural fit for his talents. On the whole, the pace of the story did not work well for me and because of this, my feelings about this book may be different than yours. 3.5 stars, and I welcome your comments!
I received an ARC from the Publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
November 15, 2020
Okay so this was a bit of a surprise for me. I was hoping and expecting a lighter Christmas romance. The problem was that there were many important issues that were brought up, such as adoption, grief, anorexia, infidelity, and loss of job to name a few. It was definitely a heavy and at times sad story. The romance between the two leads was also a bit unbelievable. I loved the idea of two people finding love stranded in an ice storm but I needed more of their relationship to make it believable for me. Overall, I liked the idea of the story.
I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley for my honest review.
I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley for my honest review.
dnf
September 27, 2024The writing style didn’t work for me.
November 17, 2020
Thank you @netgalley, and @evemorton for the copy.
Holidays in Blue was my first story that was set at Christmas time. I quite enjoyed the setting and the trope but I have ambivalent feelings.
Holidays in Blue is forced proximity M/M novel. Cosmin and Eric (former childhood neighbours) meet by chance at Cosmin's office Christmas party and then not long after back at their parents' house. When an ice storm hits they are forced to stay put and they only have each other's company.
The story:
I quite liked that this book was mostly an emotional jouney and private growth. We mainly get to see how both characters put their past into new perspective because of their meeting and whirlwind affair.
Cosmin just lost his radio show and with his father's passing over his head he is extremly under the weather.
Eric who works two jobs to remain above water thinks he's a looser and he still tries to figure out what to do.
Their chance meeting is just what they seem to need at the time. And so they spend the icestorm together but what comes after the sky clears reamins hidden for both of them... though they seem to hope for the same thing.
The Characters:
Cosmin's story was quite relatable for me. He's a rather successful teacher/writer/radio show host but he's alone at 44. He is educated and smart, he loves literature and talking about literature. He's also kind of stuck in the past after a family tragedy. His relationship with his father has been distant that bothers him and now that he's gone he feels he's been left without answers.
His journry to grief and letting go was very interesting.
Eric is basically the stellar opposit of Osmin. He's younger, he's an actor, less stuffy but much more insecure.
His failed marrige and career make him feel like a looser and he constantly thinks he's not good enough. The meeting with his teenage crush again after so long brings out memories in him and also he wants nothing more than to help the man who seems stuck in thr past. I liked his personality and how it balanced out Cosmin's quiet resolve.
Both the story and the characters were interesting and kept me reading. I really liked how much the two characters grew individually and together as well.
The ambivalent feelings come from the writing. It was stuffy and boring sometimes. I kept putting down the book to do something else because it was too dry sometimes. But also somehow it managed to describe so many things at the same time. The voices of the characters were fitting and I could see their inner turmoil inside their heads.
All in all, it was a pretty great book. I would've loved some more lightness and ease to the story but the characters development throughout the story made up for the dry writing. And maybe it wouldn't have the same imapct if it was written otherwise.
To put in a few words, Holidays in blue was the sttruggle of minds putting past hurts and mistakes into new light giving a chance to move on to something new and hopeful.
Holidays in Blue was my first story that was set at Christmas time. I quite enjoyed the setting and the trope but I have ambivalent feelings.
Holidays in Blue is forced proximity M/M novel. Cosmin and Eric (former childhood neighbours) meet by chance at Cosmin's office Christmas party and then not long after back at their parents' house. When an ice storm hits they are forced to stay put and they only have each other's company.
The story:
I quite liked that this book was mostly an emotional jouney and private growth. We mainly get to see how both characters put their past into new perspective because of their meeting and whirlwind affair.
Cosmin just lost his radio show and with his father's passing over his head he is extremly under the weather.
Eric who works two jobs to remain above water thinks he's a looser and he still tries to figure out what to do.
Their chance meeting is just what they seem to need at the time. And so they spend the icestorm together but what comes after the sky clears reamins hidden for both of them... though they seem to hope for the same thing.
The Characters:
Cosmin's story was quite relatable for me. He's a rather successful teacher/writer/radio show host but he's alone at 44. He is educated and smart, he loves literature and talking about literature. He's also kind of stuck in the past after a family tragedy. His relationship with his father has been distant that bothers him and now that he's gone he feels he's been left without answers.
His journry to grief and letting go was very interesting.
Eric is basically the stellar opposit of Osmin. He's younger, he's an actor, less stuffy but much more insecure.
His failed marrige and career make him feel like a looser and he constantly thinks he's not good enough. The meeting with his teenage crush again after so long brings out memories in him and also he wants nothing more than to help the man who seems stuck in thr past. I liked his personality and how it balanced out Cosmin's quiet resolve.
Both the story and the characters were interesting and kept me reading. I really liked how much the two characters grew individually and together as well.
The ambivalent feelings come from the writing. It was stuffy and boring sometimes. I kept putting down the book to do something else because it was too dry sometimes. But also somehow it managed to describe so many things at the same time. The voices of the characters were fitting and I could see their inner turmoil inside their heads.
All in all, it was a pretty great book. I would've loved some more lightness and ease to the story but the characters development throughout the story made up for the dry writing. And maybe it wouldn't have the same imapct if it was written otherwise.
To put in a few words, Holidays in blue was the sttruggle of minds putting past hurts and mistakes into new light giving a chance to move on to something new and hopeful.
December 6, 2020
An ice storm becomes a perfect opportunity for these two ex-neighbors to spend time together. Getting to know each other become more than they expect, when the attraction they feel for each other start to come to the surface, in this emotional holiday romance.
When Cosmin’s radio show is cancel, he decide to go back to his childhood home, to prepare to give his audience the rightful ending he has dream of. Eric is also back home, when an ice storm hits the city. The neighbors find themselves alone together, and with a mutual attraction too strong to ignore it. When the storm has pass and they can go back to their lives, they can’t stop thinking of each other. Now they have to decide if this chance encounter could become something more, as their feeling for each other start to grow.
It was an unusual holiday romance. Not exactly what I expect, but maybe because of that, I love it. It had a slow pace, but it didn’t make me lose attention any moment. I liked the writing style. I also liked the characters, which were far from perfect, exactly the kind of character I love to read.
The plot was interesting, even if at times felt like it went far from its way and focus a bit more in secondary characters. It didn’t happen often, and the secondary characters mentioned had also captivating stories to tell, so it didn’t bother me at all. I loved how heavy on emotions this book was. It was what I liked the most about it. Most of all, when it center on Cosmin and his father’s relationship. I guess this could be a little troublesome for some readers, especially if they are looking for a feel-good romance.
Erick and Cosmin back stories where enthralling. I was particularly fond on Cosmin, but I loved both of them. I can’t say this was a romantic book. There was a relationship between them, and they do stat having feelings for each other, but I don’t think that was the main subject of the book, even if they do had an amazing chemistry. The few romantic scenes were great. I particularly loved the little gestures. I do think they care for each other and they are getting to love each other. What it lacks on romance, it delivered in emotion. I absolutely love the personal growth they both showed. Overall It was a beautiful book. I really loved reading it.
When Cosmin’s radio show is cancel, he decide to go back to his childhood home, to prepare to give his audience the rightful ending he has dream of. Eric is also back home, when an ice storm hits the city. The neighbors find themselves alone together, and with a mutual attraction too strong to ignore it. When the storm has pass and they can go back to their lives, they can’t stop thinking of each other. Now they have to decide if this chance encounter could become something more, as their feeling for each other start to grow.
It was an unusual holiday romance. Not exactly what I expect, but maybe because of that, I love it. It had a slow pace, but it didn’t make me lose attention any moment. I liked the writing style. I also liked the characters, which were far from perfect, exactly the kind of character I love to read.
The plot was interesting, even if at times felt like it went far from its way and focus a bit more in secondary characters. It didn’t happen often, and the secondary characters mentioned had also captivating stories to tell, so it didn’t bother me at all. I loved how heavy on emotions this book was. It was what I liked the most about it. Most of all, when it center on Cosmin and his father’s relationship. I guess this could be a little troublesome for some readers, especially if they are looking for a feel-good romance.
Erick and Cosmin back stories where enthralling. I was particularly fond on Cosmin, but I loved both of them. I can’t say this was a romantic book. There was a relationship between them, and they do stat having feelings for each other, but I don’t think that was the main subject of the book, even if they do had an amazing chemistry. The few romantic scenes were great. I particularly loved the little gestures. I do think they care for each other and they are getting to love each other. What it lacks on romance, it delivered in emotion. I absolutely love the personal growth they both showed. Overall It was a beautiful book. I really loved reading it.
December 8, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
I love forced proximity romances, so when I read the blurb for this one, I was quick to pick it up. Unfortunately, for me, this story was a mixed bag. The writing is lovely, descriptive and lyrical without being over the top. The characters are well developed and fully fleshed out. But the story itself didn’t always work for me, and that lessened my enjoyment of this book.
So first off, the romance. This is billed right off the top as a forced proximity romance, but the romance seemed, to me, as a secondary story line. I had a hard time connecting with Cosmin and Eric’s relationship, and I didn’t feel the connection between them. Their chemistry was lackluster, I didn’t feel the heat or desperation, and it just seemed like they were together because Eric was acting on his long held crush. I wanted so much more from them, and I just didn’t get it here. So as a romance, it didn’t work for me.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
I love forced proximity romances, so when I read the blurb for this one, I was quick to pick it up. Unfortunately, for me, this story was a mixed bag. The writing is lovely, descriptive and lyrical without being over the top. The characters are well developed and fully fleshed out. But the story itself didn’t always work for me, and that lessened my enjoyment of this book.
So first off, the romance. This is billed right off the top as a forced proximity romance, but the romance seemed, to me, as a secondary story line. I had a hard time connecting with Cosmin and Eric’s relationship, and I didn’t feel the connection between them. Their chemistry was lackluster, I didn’t feel the heat or desperation, and it just seemed like they were together because Eric was acting on his long held crush. I wanted so much more from them, and I just didn’t get it here. So as a romance, it didn’t work for me.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
January 12, 2021
I've given this a C at AAR.
Début author Eve Morton’s Holidays in Blue is billed by Carina Press as a “forced proximity Christmas romance” and the blurb goes on to say how the two principal characters find themselves stranded together for Christmas. Some of my favourite seasonal romances use that particular trope, so I decided to pick up this book for review, expecting a lot of snow, a bit of awkwardness and flirting, plenty of sexual tension and a Christmassy atmosphere… and this book contains exactly NONE of those things. Okay, so it’s an ice storm rather than snow that strands the guys together, but when a book is billed as a “Christmas romance” I think it’s reasonable to expect it to have a) a Christmas feel to it and b) some romance in it – no?
Cosmin Tessler and Eric Campbell lived across the street from each other maybe twenty years before but never really knew each other that well, because Cosmin is around a decade older and moved away while Eric was still in school. But the age gap didn’t stop Eric from developing a crush on Cosmin, and it was thanks to watching Cosmin and his boyfriend making out one night (in the front seat of the bf’s car) that kind of cemented his suspicions that he wasn’t completely straight.
Eric became an actor and for a while starred in a (not-very-good) TV show, but seems now to spend most of his time failing auditions and narrating audiobooks, while Cosmin went on to become a teacher, writer, and radio personality.
The pair meet again – very briefly – when Eric is tending bar at the radio station’s Christmas party. Cosmin has just received the news that his contract is not being renewed so he goes to the bar for a drink. He’s been thinking all night that Eric looked familiar but wasn’t able to place him; Eric re-introduces himself, but Cosmin is quite rude to him and leaves.
They don’t see each other again until around a quarter of the way into the book, after Cosmin returns to his family home intending to sort through his recently deceased father’s possessions (and to look for the papers relating to his adoption) and Eric goes home for Christmas a few days early (his family is away visiting his sister, but will be back by Christmas Eve). Hearing the news of a coming ice storm on the radio, Eric, who doesn’t realise George Tessler has died, decides to go over there to check the old man is okay, and is pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Cosmin instead. The ice storm sets in quickly after that, and strands them together for a couple of nights.
That’s the set up, but what follows is far more the story of one man coming to terms with his father’s death and the other working through his feelings over his failed marriage than it is a romance. The author has some interesting things to say about grief and loss and moving on, but it’s very… cerebral (which does fit with Cosmin’s character), and while I did enjoy Cosmin’s journey as he comes to learn and understand his father more than he had done in life, it does give the story a more melancholy feel than I expected.
Cosmin’s story is the dominant one and we get a lot more insight into his situation than into Eric’s, but he has a journey to make, too. In his case, it’s learning to forgive himself for some of the things he did which led to the breakdown of his marriage, and to stop seeing himself in terms of failure.
Holidays in Blue does have some things going for it – the writing is generally good and sometimes lyrical (although some of the sex scenes felt as though the author wasn’t comfortable writing them), but the pacing is off; sometimes things move really slowly, and at others, they go from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye. An example – Cosmin and Eric don’t really interact until the twenty-three percent mark; at thirty-three, they’re making out and talking about fucking. If I’d had a print book, I think I’d have been flipping through the pages looking for the missing chapters!
The biggest problem with it, however, is that the romance is a complete non-starter. There’s no chemistry between Cosmin and Eric, no real connection and very little by way of romantic development. At a rough estimate, they spend about half the book apart (possibly a bit more) and I didn’t feel I got to know either of them outside of Cosmin’s grief and Eric’s self-recrimination – and I didn’t feel they got to know each other outside of that either. Plus, they’re not “stranded, alone, for Christmas”. They spend two days and nights together (before Christmas) and then go their separate ways until the reunite in the penultimate chapter.
Ultimately, the book tries to be too many things and loses sight of the one thing that should have been front and centre. There’s a sub-plot concerning a friend of Cosmin’s whose daughter has an eating disorder and who has to be admitted to hospital, and another about Eric and an unexpected windfall (and the way he spends the money he inherited made no sense to me whatsoever). The book addresses a lot of important issues – grief, adoption, infidelity (there’s no cheating in the story) unemployment, anorexia, to name a few, but it’s too much for a book of just over two hundred pages, and it’s the romance that suffers and is squeezed out.
When it comes down to it, this isn’t a romance novel; it’s a story of self-discovery and learning to move on after loss that happens to have a romantic sub-plot. (And not a very good one at that). Needless to say, I can’t recommend it.
Début author Eve Morton’s Holidays in Blue is billed by Carina Press as a “forced proximity Christmas romance” and the blurb goes on to say how the two principal characters find themselves stranded together for Christmas. Some of my favourite seasonal romances use that particular trope, so I decided to pick up this book for review, expecting a lot of snow, a bit of awkwardness and flirting, plenty of sexual tension and a Christmassy atmosphere… and this book contains exactly NONE of those things. Okay, so it’s an ice storm rather than snow that strands the guys together, but when a book is billed as a “Christmas romance” I think it’s reasonable to expect it to have a) a Christmas feel to it and b) some romance in it – no?
Cosmin Tessler and Eric Campbell lived across the street from each other maybe twenty years before but never really knew each other that well, because Cosmin is around a decade older and moved away while Eric was still in school. But the age gap didn’t stop Eric from developing a crush on Cosmin, and it was thanks to watching Cosmin and his boyfriend making out one night (in the front seat of the bf’s car) that kind of cemented his suspicions that he wasn’t completely straight.
Eric became an actor and for a while starred in a (not-very-good) TV show, but seems now to spend most of his time failing auditions and narrating audiobooks, while Cosmin went on to become a teacher, writer, and radio personality.
The pair meet again – very briefly – when Eric is tending bar at the radio station’s Christmas party. Cosmin has just received the news that his contract is not being renewed so he goes to the bar for a drink. He’s been thinking all night that Eric looked familiar but wasn’t able to place him; Eric re-introduces himself, but Cosmin is quite rude to him and leaves.
They don’t see each other again until around a quarter of the way into the book, after Cosmin returns to his family home intending to sort through his recently deceased father’s possessions (and to look for the papers relating to his adoption) and Eric goes home for Christmas a few days early (his family is away visiting his sister, but will be back by Christmas Eve). Hearing the news of a coming ice storm on the radio, Eric, who doesn’t realise George Tessler has died, decides to go over there to check the old man is okay, and is pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Cosmin instead. The ice storm sets in quickly after that, and strands them together for a couple of nights.
That’s the set up, but what follows is far more the story of one man coming to terms with his father’s death and the other working through his feelings over his failed marriage than it is a romance. The author has some interesting things to say about grief and loss and moving on, but it’s very… cerebral (which does fit with Cosmin’s character), and while I did enjoy Cosmin’s journey as he comes to learn and understand his father more than he had done in life, it does give the story a more melancholy feel than I expected.
Cosmin’s story is the dominant one and we get a lot more insight into his situation than into Eric’s, but he has a journey to make, too. In his case, it’s learning to forgive himself for some of the things he did which led to the breakdown of his marriage, and to stop seeing himself in terms of failure.
Holidays in Blue does have some things going for it – the writing is generally good and sometimes lyrical (although some of the sex scenes felt as though the author wasn’t comfortable writing them), but the pacing is off; sometimes things move really slowly, and at others, they go from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye. An example – Cosmin and Eric don’t really interact until the twenty-three percent mark; at thirty-three, they’re making out and talking about fucking. If I’d had a print book, I think I’d have been flipping through the pages looking for the missing chapters!
The biggest problem with it, however, is that the romance is a complete non-starter. There’s no chemistry between Cosmin and Eric, no real connection and very little by way of romantic development. At a rough estimate, they spend about half the book apart (possibly a bit more) and I didn’t feel I got to know either of them outside of Cosmin’s grief and Eric’s self-recrimination – and I didn’t feel they got to know each other outside of that either. Plus, they’re not “stranded, alone, for Christmas”. They spend two days and nights together (before Christmas) and then go their separate ways until the reunite in the penultimate chapter.
Ultimately, the book tries to be too many things and loses sight of the one thing that should have been front and centre. There’s a sub-plot concerning a friend of Cosmin’s whose daughter has an eating disorder and who has to be admitted to hospital, and another about Eric and an unexpected windfall (and the way he spends the money he inherited made no sense to me whatsoever). The book addresses a lot of important issues – grief, adoption, infidelity (there’s no cheating in the story) unemployment, anorexia, to name a few, but it’s too much for a book of just over two hundred pages, and it’s the romance that suffers and is squeezed out.
When it comes down to it, this isn’t a romance novel; it’s a story of self-discovery and learning to move on after loss that happens to have a romantic sub-plot. (And not a very good one at that). Needless to say, I can’t recommend it.
October 21, 2020
A winding, passionate, detailed story that reads more like great literature than a simple romance. The allows the reader to fall first in love with each character before bringing them to a satisfying HEA.
Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2020
For a Christmas story, this deals with more sadness that I have come to expect. Both Cosmin and Eric have tough situations, and we hear a lot about these troubles as they spend time talking and catching up.
Their memories might be hard to bear, but through their shared grief, comes a connection to go with their attraction, which makes the intimate moments so much more real and strong.
I completely engaged with this couple as they are stranded by a winter storm, right up until the overly happy epilogue and abrupt ending. That sort of pulled me out a bit, to be honest.
But I will search out more books by this author, as I loved both these main characters. Thanks to Netgalley and Carina Press for advanced copy that came out on December 7.
Their memories might be hard to bear, but through their shared grief, comes a connection to go with their attraction, which makes the intimate moments so much more real and strong.
I completely engaged with this couple as they are stranded by a winter storm, right up until the overly happy epilogue and abrupt ending. That sort of pulled me out a bit, to be honest.
But I will search out more books by this author, as I loved both these main characters. Thanks to Netgalley and Carina Press for advanced copy that came out on December 7.
December 31, 2020
Though I often found myself bogged down in the psychology and Shakespeare of it all, this book had moments of sheer brilliance. I found myself in tears when Cosmin found his father’s journals and when Eric described showing a make-a-wish kid around his cancelled tv show set, then I found myself laughing hysterically over a comment about George Burns. While not the light-hearted read that I planned for NYE eve, I quite enjoyed it.
January 9, 2021
Cosmin Tessler was a Romanian orphan adopted by a Canadian couple in the 1980s. His parents were lovely people, but his mother and younger adoptive sister were killed in a car wreck when he was in college. His father, who had been sometimes difficult to speak to. generally closed down and closed off, leaving Cosmin very much alone in the world. Cosmin thought it was because he came out as gay, and he stayed away as a result. For nearly two decades he and his father were estranged, and he’s now mourning the loss of his childhood relationship as his father has recently passed away. Cosmin’s an intellectual, with a doctorate in literature, and also hosts a radio show in Toronto called “Sleep Alone”. It’s two weeks before the end of the year and he’s just learned–at the station Christmas party–that his show has been losing market share and it’s not being renewed. While nursing his sorrows at the bar Cosmin notes the younger, attractive bartender, but passes on with the mission to make one final show happen–and do it as an homage to his and his sister’s humble adoptive roots.
Eric Campbell is an attractive bisexual man in his thirties. He can’t believe his luck at seeing his high school-age crush, Cosmin, at a gig bartending job in the city. He’d been floundering, living with a pal in the suburbs outside of Toronto, hoping to get voice acting jobs for audiobooks to make ends meet. He’d been an actor, but hasn’t been employed regularly in a long time. He makes some serendipitous connections in the coming days, including getting to his parents’ home just hours before an enormous ice storm covers the Toronto area, shutting down electricity and travel for several days leading up to Christmas. Eric notices that “Old Man Tessler’s” place is covered in ice, and ventures out to ask his elderly neighbor if he needs assistance, not knowing that his neighbor had died several weeks ago and the light he sees is Cosmin looking through his father’s effects, searching for answers about his, and his sister’s, adoptions.
These two men are the only people trapped in the cul de sac, and with the electric and heating issues that are being challenged by the storm, Eric elects to stay at Cosmin’s–and help him search out his history. The closeness and the inability to get anywhere else allows these two to comfort one another, and work together to achieve Cosmin’s goals, while connecting in a way they had never before. Eric does indeed reveal his crush, and they build an intimacy that is not just built on sexual need. Cosmin examines his life, and his father’s actions, through a new lens revealed in the collections of journals his father left behind. It’s a beautiful awakening, and prompts Cosmin to reach farther out for connection than he ever has before. Eric is there, willing to take his hand, and their few idyllic days seem to be a foundation for the future.
Once the ice melts, however, will these two find that their nights of passion were fleeting, or the beginning of something quite bigger.
This is a quiet love story with a lyrical and winding prose that very much caters to Cosmin’s intellectual personality. I enjoyed it, though the pace was slow, to my preferences. I adored both Eric and Cosmin, who are unique and complicated characters. The family dynamics are interesting as these men deal with the sea change in attitudes toward sexuality with even just less than a decade of years between them. Also, Cosmin’s assumptions about his father are a huge counterpoint to the reality he encounters reading his father’s personal journals. They create a new narrative through which he must see and judge himself, as well, learning of his true history for the first time and wishing he could have gone back and mended fences so many years ago. In his late 40’s, Cosmin is unwilling to let time pass him by, now that he’s connected with Eric. Their reunion is so sweet–and the rom-com flavor of it brought a lightness the book really needed. It’s a good one if you have patience to really dig deep into the lives and psyche of characters who need more than just the surface view.
Eric Campbell is an attractive bisexual man in his thirties. He can’t believe his luck at seeing his high school-age crush, Cosmin, at a gig bartending job in the city. He’d been floundering, living with a pal in the suburbs outside of Toronto, hoping to get voice acting jobs for audiobooks to make ends meet. He’d been an actor, but hasn’t been employed regularly in a long time. He makes some serendipitous connections in the coming days, including getting to his parents’ home just hours before an enormous ice storm covers the Toronto area, shutting down electricity and travel for several days leading up to Christmas. Eric notices that “Old Man Tessler’s” place is covered in ice, and ventures out to ask his elderly neighbor if he needs assistance, not knowing that his neighbor had died several weeks ago and the light he sees is Cosmin looking through his father’s effects, searching for answers about his, and his sister’s, adoptions.
These two men are the only people trapped in the cul de sac, and with the electric and heating issues that are being challenged by the storm, Eric elects to stay at Cosmin’s–and help him search out his history. The closeness and the inability to get anywhere else allows these two to comfort one another, and work together to achieve Cosmin’s goals, while connecting in a way they had never before. Eric does indeed reveal his crush, and they build an intimacy that is not just built on sexual need. Cosmin examines his life, and his father’s actions, through a new lens revealed in the collections of journals his father left behind. It’s a beautiful awakening, and prompts Cosmin to reach farther out for connection than he ever has before. Eric is there, willing to take his hand, and their few idyllic days seem to be a foundation for the future.
Once the ice melts, however, will these two find that their nights of passion were fleeting, or the beginning of something quite bigger.
This is a quiet love story with a lyrical and winding prose that very much caters to Cosmin’s intellectual personality. I enjoyed it, though the pace was slow, to my preferences. I adored both Eric and Cosmin, who are unique and complicated characters. The family dynamics are interesting as these men deal with the sea change in attitudes toward sexuality with even just less than a decade of years between them. Also, Cosmin’s assumptions about his father are a huge counterpoint to the reality he encounters reading his father’s personal journals. They create a new narrative through which he must see and judge himself, as well, learning of his true history for the first time and wishing he could have gone back and mended fences so many years ago. In his late 40’s, Cosmin is unwilling to let time pass him by, now that he’s connected with Eric. Their reunion is so sweet–and the rom-com flavor of it brought a lightness the book really needed. It’s a good one if you have patience to really dig deep into the lives and psyche of characters who need more than just the surface view.
December 16, 2020
If 2020 is the year that keeps on taking, it’s ending with a beautiful gift, one of which is a brilliant new-to-me author. Eve Morton’s
’Holidays in Blue’ is literary and elegant.
It explores how past relationships can create barriers to current love. This layered and nuanced romance was deeply contemplative, shaking cobwebs from my mind, as I smiled and wept.
At the station Christmas party, forty-four-year-old Cosmin, a successful radio talk-show host, professor and author, learns his show has been cancelled. He arranges one last hurrah – a six-hour slot on New Year’s Eve day. As the older of two orphans, whose sister and mom died several years back, he plans to honor his beloved sibling, and perhaps learn why their death also killed his relationship with his father, more recently deceased, by rummaging through his childhood home.
Bartending the party is thirty-four-year-old Eric, who once had a crush on Cosmin when they were neighbors as youths, and Cosmin was the object of his bisexual desires. Eric is also at a crossroads, with a failed marriage to a now remarried wife whose successes remind Eric of his failures as an actor. In his view of himself, he “was the slutty type, the party type…No permanent job. No benefits.” When by chance, Eric and Cosmin are stuck in a snowstorm in their old neighborhood together, it’s an opportunity to revisit their past. But can they create a new path for the future, maybe even together?
Holidays in Blue is written in the third person and readers see these men at a distance, the same distance Cosmin views himself. “Cosmin never wanted to witness his pain, probably because his father had refused to do it years ago.” One way he protects himself is to intellectualize, constantly comparing his situation with Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Fortunately, Eric has been the voice for many audio books and knows how to bridge Cosmin’s moat. “‘When you talk about things you say a lot with the type of adjectives you use. But, with you, it’s not always matching up…like when people talked about being tired versus being sleepy,’” Eric tells him.
I’m blown away by this perception, as well as by the way Ms. Morton expresses incredibly complex ideas. “When you act as if you’re afraid of being hurt, all you end up doing is hurting the people who do care.” Or how about this? “By thinking he wasn’t good enough to communicate with you, he made you feel as if you weren’t worth communicating with.” Ouch, ouch, and ouch. We’ve all distanced others with these maneuvers.
With exquisite phrasing Eve Morton creates the perfect storm, blackouts and ice, which both symbolize these men’s demons and form a cocoon for both to put them to rest. And ultimately, these men find their way out of their psychological mazes. “What was the point in any of this love if it was not expressed?” True, so true. And in Ms. Morton’s love of her characters, her scenery, and through the dialog and images, she diligently chooses to convey Eric and Cosmin’s journey. I felt her care and love seep into me in Holidays in Blue.
At the station Christmas party, forty-four-year-old Cosmin, a successful radio talk-show host, professor and author, learns his show has been cancelled. He arranges one last hurrah – a six-hour slot on New Year’s Eve day. As the older of two orphans, whose sister and mom died several years back, he plans to honor his beloved sibling, and perhaps learn why their death also killed his relationship with his father, more recently deceased, by rummaging through his childhood home.
Bartending the party is thirty-four-year-old Eric, who once had a crush on Cosmin when they were neighbors as youths, and Cosmin was the object of his bisexual desires. Eric is also at a crossroads, with a failed marriage to a now remarried wife whose successes remind Eric of his failures as an actor. In his view of himself, he “was the slutty type, the party type…No permanent job. No benefits.” When by chance, Eric and Cosmin are stuck in a snowstorm in their old neighborhood together, it’s an opportunity to revisit their past. But can they create a new path for the future, maybe even together?
Holidays in Blue is written in the third person and readers see these men at a distance, the same distance Cosmin views himself. “Cosmin never wanted to witness his pain, probably because his father had refused to do it years ago.” One way he protects himself is to intellectualize, constantly comparing his situation with Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Fortunately, Eric has been the voice for many audio books and knows how to bridge Cosmin’s moat. “‘When you talk about things you say a lot with the type of adjectives you use. But, with you, it’s not always matching up…like when people talked about being tired versus being sleepy,’” Eric tells him.
I’m blown away by this perception, as well as by the way Ms. Morton expresses incredibly complex ideas. “When you act as if you’re afraid of being hurt, all you end up doing is hurting the people who do care.” Or how about this? “By thinking he wasn’t good enough to communicate with you, he made you feel as if you weren’t worth communicating with.” Ouch, ouch, and ouch. We’ve all distanced others with these maneuvers.
With exquisite phrasing Eve Morton creates the perfect storm, blackouts and ice, which both symbolize these men’s demons and form a cocoon for both to put them to rest. And ultimately, these men find their way out of their psychological mazes. “What was the point in any of this love if it was not expressed?” True, so true. And in Ms. Morton’s love of her characters, her scenery, and through the dialog and images, she diligently chooses to convey Eric and Cosmin’s journey. I felt her care and love seep into me in Holidays in Blue.
December 9, 2020
Holidays in Blue has a much more melancholy tone than the typical Christmas romance.
Loss is a major theme of the story. At the beginning of the book, Cosmin is told that the radio program he has hosted for years has been cancelled. He gets permission to air one more show, which he plans to use to memorialize the life and death of his sister, who was killed in a car accident along with their mother. Their deaths led to the subsequent destruction of his relationship with his grieving father, who has recently also passed away. When Cosmin goes to his father’s house to find some information he needs for the show and is trapped there by a massive ice storm, he reconnects with his old neighbor Eric, who has suffered his own losses—a failed acting career and a failed marriage. The ice storm gives them time to get to know each other as adults and a chance to move on by finding something new and wonderful in each other.
The old sitcom Frasier gets referenced in connection to Cosmin, and it’s an apt comparison. Like Frasier, Cosmin is very erudite and thoughtful. He’s not an unlikeable character, but he does come across as pretentious, which the author acknowledges by having Eric’s sister use that word to describe him. Much of the humor in the TV show came from others (often his father) taking Frasier down a peg when he got a little too high-flown. Eric, who’s a much more down-to-earth person than Cosmin, plays that role here, and I liked him for it.
Eric grounds Cosmin somewhat, but there’s still quite a bit of philosophizing in the novel. Cosmin’s the kind of guy who discusses the works of Proust and Victor Frankl, which is fine. I thought the book had some interesting things to say about grief and healing after a loss. However, there’s too much thinking and not enough feeling for me. That’s certainly true of the culmination of the book, Cosmin’s last show, which is not the emotional high point that I expected. At times, I felt like the relationship between Cosmin and Eric got somewhat lost in all the deep thoughts.
I enjoy Christmas romances that have a more subdued mood, so this one scored for me there. I just wish the book had focused more on the love story and less on analyzing its characters.
A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
Loss is a major theme of the story. At the beginning of the book, Cosmin is told that the radio program he has hosted for years has been cancelled. He gets permission to air one more show, which he plans to use to memorialize the life and death of his sister, who was killed in a car accident along with their mother. Their deaths led to the subsequent destruction of his relationship with his grieving father, who has recently also passed away. When Cosmin goes to his father’s house to find some information he needs for the show and is trapped there by a massive ice storm, he reconnects with his old neighbor Eric, who has suffered his own losses—a failed acting career and a failed marriage. The ice storm gives them time to get to know each other as adults and a chance to move on by finding something new and wonderful in each other.
The old sitcom Frasier gets referenced in connection to Cosmin, and it’s an apt comparison. Like Frasier, Cosmin is very erudite and thoughtful. He’s not an unlikeable character, but he does come across as pretentious, which the author acknowledges by having Eric’s sister use that word to describe him. Much of the humor in the TV show came from others (often his father) taking Frasier down a peg when he got a little too high-flown. Eric, who’s a much more down-to-earth person than Cosmin, plays that role here, and I liked him for it.
Eric grounds Cosmin somewhat, but there’s still quite a bit of philosophizing in the novel. Cosmin’s the kind of guy who discusses the works of Proust and Victor Frankl, which is fine. I thought the book had some interesting things to say about grief and healing after a loss. However, there’s too much thinking and not enough feeling for me. That’s certainly true of the culmination of the book, Cosmin’s last show, which is not the emotional high point that I expected. At times, I felt like the relationship between Cosmin and Eric got somewhat lost in all the deep thoughts.
I enjoy Christmas romances that have a more subdued mood, so this one scored for me there. I just wish the book had focused more on the love story and less on analyzing its characters.
A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
December 9, 2020
A good story overall though I didn't really feel a connection between the characters that was building from when they reconnect.
Cosmin has recently lost his father though is struggling with it due to how bad their relationship had come and is now about to lose his radio show. Eric has struggled the last few years with not having constant work and the breakdown of his marriage. Both have regrets and things to work on in their life but aren't sure how to move forward. They get stuck together when an ice storm shuts them in Cosmin's father's home together and they soon act on the attraction that they share but neither know how to move forward once they return to "normal" life.
Cosmin's character I found quite hard to like, not very relatable and very.....wordy in his thoughts and ideas. Eric is very tough on himself for his past but is sure of how he feels towards Cosmin but both are afraid of the possible rejection. Eve does write wonderfully descriptive scenes, I really saw how she described the setting especially when the ice storm shuts down the area. The gradual development of the relationship goes at a good speed as they have an intense few days together and then the time to think on what they truly want.
A good story overall though I found it a little hard to get into. There are some lovely moments with friends and family as well, especially for Cosmin as he reminisces about his past and spends quality time with his best friend and her daughter at their time of need.
I received an ARC via NetGalley and am happily giving a review.
Cosmin has recently lost his father though is struggling with it due to how bad their relationship had come and is now about to lose his radio show. Eric has struggled the last few years with not having constant work and the breakdown of his marriage. Both have regrets and things to work on in their life but aren't sure how to move forward. They get stuck together when an ice storm shuts them in Cosmin's father's home together and they soon act on the attraction that they share but neither know how to move forward once they return to "normal" life.
Cosmin's character I found quite hard to like, not very relatable and very.....wordy in his thoughts and ideas. Eric is very tough on himself for his past but is sure of how he feels towards Cosmin but both are afraid of the possible rejection. Eve does write wonderfully descriptive scenes, I really saw how she described the setting especially when the ice storm shuts down the area. The gradual development of the relationship goes at a good speed as they have an intense few days together and then the time to think on what they truly want.
A good story overall though I found it a little hard to get into. There are some lovely moments with friends and family as well, especially for Cosmin as he reminisces about his past and spends quality time with his best friend and her daughter at their time of need.
I received an ARC via NetGalley and am happily giving a review.
December 13, 2022
2.5 stars.
Frankly the setup of this book was very promising to me.
Cosmin is an early-40s tenured professor, radio host, and non-fiction author. He’s about six feet tall with dark hair and olive skin and is gay. Eric is an early-30s actor and gig worker (bartender, etc.) who is about 5’11” with ginger hair and a beard and bisexual divorcee.
I liked a lot that Eric and his ex wife Trina (and her new husband) are all on amicable terms. I always like reading about friendly exes. It doesn’t have to be awful all the time.
However…
In the first several pages Eric runs into his high school ex who has transitions and the book immediately deadnames him and uses the wrong pronouns. It mostly stops after a paragraph or two but it continues a while with the deadnaming and was very wince-worthy and honestly should have warned for it.
Eric is bisexual and is depicted to have cheated on his wife because of his bisexual urges. This was not handled the best, especially if this author is straight. I don’t know that she is but perpetuating the “bisexuals are cheaters” stereotype is not a great idea no matter what. It could have been handled worse for sure, but that’s not really a compliment.
To be honest after this stuff (about halfway through the book) I had to mostly skim. I finished it but kind of barely. If I ever read more by this author, I’m hoping it turns out a bit differently for me.
Frankly the setup of this book was very promising to me.
Cosmin is an early-40s tenured professor, radio host, and non-fiction author. He’s about six feet tall with dark hair and olive skin and is gay. Eric is an early-30s actor and gig worker (bartender, etc.) who is about 5’11” with ginger hair and a beard and bisexual divorcee.
I liked a lot that Eric and his ex wife Trina (and her new husband) are all on amicable terms. I always like reading about friendly exes. It doesn’t have to be awful all the time.
However…
In the first several pages Eric runs into his high school ex who has transitions and the book immediately deadnames him and uses the wrong pronouns. It mostly stops after a paragraph or two but it continues a while with the deadnaming and was very wince-worthy and honestly should have warned for it.
Eric is bisexual and is depicted to have cheated on his wife because of his bisexual urges. This was not handled the best, especially if this author is straight. I don’t know that she is but perpetuating the “bisexuals are cheaters” stereotype is not a great idea no matter what. It could have been handled worse for sure, but that’s not really a compliment.
To be honest after this stuff (about halfway through the book) I had to mostly skim. I finished it but kind of barely. If I ever read more by this author, I’m hoping it turns out a bit differently for me.
November 18, 2020
such a beautiful romance novel
HOLIDAYS IN BLUE is a novel following Cosmin and Eric, neither of who are having the best time, when a storm happens and they get stuck together for a few nights leading up to Christmas.
this one has a rather melancholy and emotional feel to it, especially when it comes to Cosmin's storyline with his father. Cosmin and Eric stay in Cosmin's fathers house during the storm and during that time Cosmin comes across some things of his late fathers that change the tone of their relationship. I really loved this storyline, I thought it was so beautiful and I loved seeing Cosmin start to realise how important he had been to his father and vice versa
I also adored how there was no real relationship conflict or angst. their relationship didn't feel rushed or forced at all, the progression of their feelings came across completely natural to me, and then it just continued on an upward trajectory which was so lovely to see as it's very unusual to read a romance without a big conflict scene.
I think when people hear 'Christmas romance' they often do picture a more cheesy, fluffy romance novel and this is definitely not that. this is a beautiful, emotional, quiet romance that has a lot of heart to it. I enjoyed this one a lot and i'll definitely be reading more from Eve Morton in the future.
*ARC copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
HOLIDAYS IN BLUE is a novel following Cosmin and Eric, neither of who are having the best time, when a storm happens and they get stuck together for a few nights leading up to Christmas.
this one has a rather melancholy and emotional feel to it, especially when it comes to Cosmin's storyline with his father. Cosmin and Eric stay in Cosmin's fathers house during the storm and during that time Cosmin comes across some things of his late fathers that change the tone of their relationship. I really loved this storyline, I thought it was so beautiful and I loved seeing Cosmin start to realise how important he had been to his father and vice versa
I also adored how there was no real relationship conflict or angst. their relationship didn't feel rushed or forced at all, the progression of their feelings came across completely natural to me, and then it just continued on an upward trajectory which was so lovely to see as it's very unusual to read a romance without a big conflict scene.
I think when people hear 'Christmas romance' they often do picture a more cheesy, fluffy romance novel and this is definitely not that. this is a beautiful, emotional, quiet romance that has a lot of heart to it. I enjoyed this one a lot and i'll definitely be reading more from Eve Morton in the future.
*ARC copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
March 26, 2022
This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. I received a review copy from NetGalley over a year ago and it kind of slipped through the cracks of my TBR list.
While this story was set at Christmastime, I personally don’t consider it a Christmas story. It has a bit of a melancholy feel to it so I actually think some people might not like reading it during a time of year that can be hard for some to get through. In any case, I thought it was quite a good story.
It’s an age-gap, forced proximity story with a bit of a second chance feel. The story moved at a good pace and I liked that the characters felt a bit more “real” to me than some books I’ve read. They were pretty much two ordinary guys, one down on his luck and the other a bit at loose ends. They’ve both had their share of relationship trouble but a winter storm brings them together and a bond develops between them.
There are some pretty complicated things happening for each of the MC and I thought the author did a good job of telling this story.
I almost forgot to mention that Eric is an audiobook performer and since I’m a huge audiobook fan, I enjoyed that aspect of the book.
A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.
While this story was set at Christmastime, I personally don’t consider it a Christmas story. It has a bit of a melancholy feel to it so I actually think some people might not like reading it during a time of year that can be hard for some to get through. In any case, I thought it was quite a good story.
It’s an age-gap, forced proximity story with a bit of a second chance feel. The story moved at a good pace and I liked that the characters felt a bit more “real” to me than some books I’ve read. They were pretty much two ordinary guys, one down on his luck and the other a bit at loose ends. They’ve both had their share of relationship trouble but a winter storm brings them together and a bond develops between them.
There are some pretty complicated things happening for each of the MC and I thought the author did a good job of telling this story.
I almost forgot to mention that Eric is an audiobook performer and since I’m a huge audiobook fan, I enjoyed that aspect of the book.
A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.
November 18, 2020
The best way I can describe Eve Morton's stunning novel, Holidays in Blue - Deep, haunting, cathartic, engrossing and so real. This is so far away from a light-hearted romance, there is true substance here. Cosmin and Eric's relationship evolves organically, deeply connected in their souls. Simple destiny.
Old journals, final broadcast of a radio show, an ice storm, family loss, a return to- and from the past: so many elements here perfectly woven in to a stirring tale.
Can I say that I hate the (full) title? "Holidays in Blue: A Forced Proximity Christmas" sounds like yet another quick read, M/M Romance stereotype. This book is SO much more.
There is a beautifully poetic, ethereal aesthetic to this story, as told in the words of Eve Morton. I was right there the whole time. I felt it, lived it and loved it. Morton has captured the essence of the human experience through her characters' eyes.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Old journals, final broadcast of a radio show, an ice storm, family loss, a return to- and from the past: so many elements here perfectly woven in to a stirring tale.
Can I say that I hate the (full) title? "Holidays in Blue: A Forced Proximity Christmas" sounds like yet another quick read, M/M Romance stereotype. This book is SO much more.
There is a beautifully poetic, ethereal aesthetic to this story, as told in the words of Eve Morton. I was right there the whole time. I felt it, lived it and loved it. Morton has captured the essence of the human experience through her characters' eyes.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 22, 2020
2,5/5
Je ne reviendrai pas sur l'histoire en elle-même, le résumé présente assez bien les choses même s'il y en a de trop.
J'ai eu du mal à lire cette romance de Noël qui n'en est pas vraiment une. Le truc, c'est qu'il y a trop de choses, trop de thèmes abordés, sans que ce soit exploité à fond.
La romance n'est pas crédible du tout... A un moment, j'ai cru que j'avais loupé des pages mais non. En gros, Cosmin et Eric se sautent presque dessus, alors qu'on y allait gentiment mais sûrement. L'évolution du couple n'est pas développée non plus ensuite.
J'étais plus captivée par les recherches et interrogations de Cosmin sur son adoption et tout ce qui touche à sa famille, en particulier son père, qu'autre chose.
C'est dommage car je pense qu'il y avait matière à beaucoup plus. La plume de l'auteur reste agréable cependant, elle a réussi à créer une ambiance cosy à travers du moins une atmosphère quelque peu pesante du fait des thèmes abordés.
Je ne reviendrai pas sur l'histoire en elle-même, le résumé présente assez bien les choses même s'il y en a de trop.
J'ai eu du mal à lire cette romance de Noël qui n'en est pas vraiment une. Le truc, c'est qu'il y a trop de choses, trop de thèmes abordés, sans que ce soit exploité à fond.
La romance n'est pas crédible du tout... A un moment, j'ai cru que j'avais loupé des pages mais non. En gros, Cosmin et Eric se sautent presque dessus, alors qu'on y allait gentiment mais sûrement. L'évolution du couple n'est pas développée non plus ensuite.
J'étais plus captivée par les recherches et interrogations de Cosmin sur son adoption et tout ce qui touche à sa famille, en particulier son père, qu'autre chose.
C'est dommage car je pense qu'il y avait matière à beaucoup plus. La plume de l'auteur reste agréable cependant, elle a réussi à créer une ambiance cosy à travers du moins une atmosphère quelque peu pesante du fait des thèmes abordés.
January 7, 2021
I somehow ended up reading a few more holiday romances than I usually do. They tend to be a bit too similar to each other and while I'm all for holiday cheer, it can get to be too sugary sweet. So, color me completely surprised by Holidays in Blue. It is a holiday romance as the title suggests, but this story could have taken place during any part of the year. Yes, the snowstorm is what forces the proximity, but again, anything that forced the two together would've worked. What impressed me most was the depth of this one. It's about so much more than just another holiday romance. I won't go into it all to avoid spoilers, but I will say that Eve Morton has penned a story that gets you right in the feels. The characters are wonderfully flawed and I was surprised at the growth even in a relatively quick read. This one is most definitely not just another holiday romance, and it may be my first read by this author, but it won't be my last.
December 1, 2020
This book was tricky to review because I did like the plot (this is not a happy book at all) and the concept (well done though a bit too slow for my taste) and ONE of the main characters, Eric, but the other... I didn't liked Cosmin. I didn't like him at all. Reading his POV was not enjoyable for me. The first time he and Eric meet at the bar he was so rude and I get he wasn't feeling well due all what was going on in his life but that was awfulI. I adored Eric, he was amazing and sweet and although some things in his life aren't good he was or tried to be a good guy. I related to him a bit more with his struggles and not feeling worthy rather than with Cosmin. I do admit that I liked how the complement each other and helped each other throughout the book.
Overall even if it was a sad heavy story, it was a beautiful book.
Overall even if it was a sad heavy story, it was a beautiful book.
December 13, 2020
Holidays in Blue is not your usual unusual holiday romance. The slow pacing kind of worked due to the range of themes covered in this fairly heavy romance. With likable, if not complex, characters, the story develops in an interesting way, though admittedly, it didn't keep me fully engaged. There were a few stops and starts with this book. However, I am pleased I reached the end as I was invested in the characters and their journeys.
The plot is not romance-heavy, which threw me a little, fully expecting this to be a romance-driven story. However, the narrative emotional and evocative and filled to the brim with themes that were explored both thoroughly and well. A lovely read.
The plot is not romance-heavy, which threw me a little, fully expecting this to be a romance-driven story. However, the narrative emotional and evocative and filled to the brim with themes that were explored both thoroughly and well. A lovely read.
December 13, 2020
I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this book which made reading it difficult at times.
I was expecting a light hearted, (comedy?) Christmas story with two male characters. The first few pages one character lost a job, was having difficulties with panic attacks, had lost a father.
I did not like the character Cosmin. I found him rude. Eric was alright.
Heavy at times, but the writing was not awful and it’s made me curious about the authors other work.
*thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in return for an honest review*
I was expecting a light hearted, (comedy?) Christmas story with two male characters. The first few pages one character lost a job, was having difficulties with panic attacks, had lost a father.
I did not like the character Cosmin. I found him rude. Eric was alright.
Heavy at times, but the writing was not awful and it’s made me curious about the authors other work.
*thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in return for an honest review*
December 2, 2020
Loved, loved, loved. It's a complex, poignant and well written novel that moved me and kept me hooked.
I loved the well developed characters, the tightly knitted plot and the great style of writing.
I was expecting a cozy and light Christmas novel and I got an excellent novel full of emotions.
It's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I loved the well developed characters, the tightly knitted plot and the great style of writing.
I was expecting a cozy and light Christmas novel and I got an excellent novel full of emotions.
It's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
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November 29, 2020This was one of the slowest (pacing-wise) books I've read in a long time. I simply didn't care enough to move through the plot; on top of that, I didn't like either character much (they weren't bad people or anything, but they had no life). I think the writing itself simply didn't connect.
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November 16, 2020Categories
Contemporary Romance, Holiday, Male/Male, Male/Male Romance, Holiday Romance
Contemporary Romance, Holiday, Male/Male, Male/Male Romance, Holiday Romance
January 12, 2021
It reads like a work of Canadian literature, which was not at all what I was expecting from the description. Very well done and satisfying.
December 12, 2023
I enjoyed this beautiful journey. Great story for the New Year.
Second Chances and lessons learned.
Lots of tears but lots of joy too! So happy I picked this one up :)
Second Chances and lessons learned.
Lots of tears but lots of joy too! So happy I picked this one up :)
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