Dreidels & Do-Overs

by Kim Fielding

Caleb Stern was the high school hotshot, but a bad attitude and poor decisions led to years of misery. Now he’s trying to do better, and a job on the cleaning crew at a holiday craft fair could be a new beginning. What he didn’t expect was that his new start might be tangled up with ties from long ago.

Jasper Adams left an unfulfilling career and unsupportive boyfriend to follow his dreams. His handmade journals are a big success at the craft fair, which is great, but the real holiday miracle turns out to be a blast from his past.

Hanukkah nears, and both men yearn for holiday happiness. But moving forward often means first making peace with where you’ve been.

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

67 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 16, 2021

About the author

Kim Fielding lives in Oregon and travels as often as she can manage. A professor by day, at night she rushes into a phone booth to change into her author costume (which involves comfy clothes instead of Spandex and is, sadly, lacking a cape). Her superpowers include the ability to write nearly anywhere, often while simultaneously doling out assistance to her family. Her favorite word to describe herself is "eclectic" and she finally got that seventh tattoo.

Reviews

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

~3.5~

I'm a Jew who celebrates Christmas (in a purely secular way). But Hanukkah is the holiday of my childhood. It makes me think of my Babcia, her latkes, whispered prayers, speaking Yiddish.

I welcome all Hanukkah stories, and Kim Fielding writes with ease.

This is a story of redemption. The handsome, cocky high school bully falls from grace, but the boy who had a crush on him then is the man who doesn't judge him now.

There's no steam at all, but Caden and Jasper connect in non-physical ways. Caden has done time. Jasper has a belly. But they accept each other as is.

This is a longish short story, told solely from Caleb's POV. I wanted Jasper's voice and stronger relationship development, but I wasn't disappointed in how this story progressed or ended.

Jasper's parents were lovely, and the last chapter made me believe in happy endings.

[Meep · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5* it's a sweet story about sweet guys with no drama.

It's mostly Caleb's story, he's humble, honest and sweet. We don't really get to know Jasper (I actually had to think of his name) which seemed a shame, because what was on page was endearing.

They don't rush anything, took a year to get together, yet it still felt kinda insta to me.
I couldn't shake the feeling I was reading a yet to be filled out draft, things summarised rather than experienced, pacing not quite right. Perhaps down to it being a short story.

I liked them, was happy they were happy. But there's no conflict, nothing to work through, ultimately it's all very simple and forgettable. If you're in the mood for light fluff you'll likely love this.

[Kim]

I always enjoy writing Hanukkah stories. This one is a contemporary tale that speaks of finding love and hope no matter what your age or baggage.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book right here is how you give a character a second chance at life. It's not a second chance romance, it's a do-over, as the title states.

I loved that Jasper and Caleb didn't have a specific past, but just existed in the same orbit in high school. It made the length of the story work without there having to be unrealistic emotional leaps and bounds to bring them together.

Caleb was so much better at adulting than he gave himself credit for and his humility and adult-acquired humble nature really made me buy into the HEA for he and Jasper. And Jasper was just such a treat of a human, they were truly meant to meet as grownups, after having been through the bumps and bruises of growing up.

I also really enjoy reading about holidays other than Christmas, don't get me wrong, I love me some jingle bells too, but not being a person affiliated with organized religion, I don't have a lot of real life experience. I absolutely love accidentally learning about all different religions and cultures through books and passive learning is my favorite flavor of learning. It makes me actually remember things now and again. :)

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[~Nicole~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet and delightful.

[peach · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A nice holiday romance! I loved that gift-giving was a theme not just during the holiday scenes but throughout the book. There were a lot of sweet moments between the MCs in general, although much of the relationship development after the initial meeting/reunion was expressed through text messages which worked for the short format but also made me feel a bit like I was missing out on the meat of the story. But overall this was a sweet read with a dash of past angst. I especially enjoyed the holiday scenes with Jasper's family, they were really heart-warming.

[QuietlyKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely, heartwarming story! Gentle and sweet with beautiful messaging about body positivity, personal growth and second chances (though in a romance story review you’d likely think it’s second chances at love but here, I mean second chances at life and living that life with a kinder, more caring and thoughtful attitude and outlook.)

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kim Fielding does this to me all the time. I feel so satisfied. She knows how to pack a huge punch in a small package. The protagonists were interesting and as always with Fielding, I want more because she creates characters I can fall in love with. I adored this family’s simple Hanukkah celebration. It felt so fulled of love and acceptance.
Ding, ding, ding…

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful !

[PaperMoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet ... very sweet .. is it possible to be too sweet? The MCs are inoffensive, the romance arc well drawn out, the sex factor - nil! Nice ... just nice.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve already read this twice and highlighted as much as some full length novels I’ve loved. I would of course love more of these two, but it was kind of the perfect length for the story being told. This one is pretty much ftb, but I didn’t miss the steam. And I love a redemption arc!

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

This was a quiet, lovely story about a man who was once an entitled, selfish person that eventually hit his rock bottom now being determined to be a better person who's responsible and accountable. In doing so, he gets a sweet romance with a former classmate who had a crush on him in HS.

This is a story about Caleb and his journey, and works as a short since most of the hard work is behind him, and now he's simply becoming comfortable in his own skin and circumstances with the help of the long distance support he receives from Jasper. As a romance, less so as he and Jasper's connection is shown through a few texts and Jasper is more like the reward at the end of his trials then a fully-fleshed out character. Personally, though, I really connected with Caleb's redemption arc and found his solace in Jasper earned and satisfying; plus, Jasper is a great character even if he's mostly just the perfect bf.

[Ajax1978 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A switch from the usual almost fairytale of quite a few holiday stories. No billionaires or models or captains of industry falling for their child’s manny/dating service escort with a heart of gold. Instead there’s a skinny ex-con janitor barely making ends meet and a guy with body issues. A year in their lives was handled in sixty-something pages - I would have enjoyed their story fleshed out in easily two or three times that page count. Otherwise a sweet, slightly earnest read with a Hanukkah for a change.

[Aki | nose buried in books | ❤️ | · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet holiday novella. I cried a little, I liked it much :)

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and cozy holiday romance. Perfect to be enjoyed with a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

[Ottilee B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feelings!

Surprise, surprise, NOT asexual book! Just a truly special story about second chances and miracles.
I likedthese grownup characters. Great story!

[Ro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasper is a little too good to be true but it's the holidays, so I'm happy with it.

[Bizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short holiday novella about two men who went to the same high school reconnecting as adults. The story takes place during two consecutive Decembers, with the intervening months summed up by snippets of text and video chats between the two. I can personally relate to getting to know someone long-distance and think Fielding did an admirable job showing how their relationship deepened during this time, especially given the short length of the story. The periods where they were together in person were sweet and I loved how empathetic they were with each other. Although I would have loved to spend more time with these characters, their story feels complete as-is.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

a beautiful story for the holidays.

The wonderful Kim Fielding is at it again this holiday season with the absolutely wonderful new story Dreidels & Do Overs. It’s a true heartwarminer of a holiday contemporary romance that landed itself in my top ten books this year with its unconventional characters and lovely, gentle love story.

It’s not as often that we get a romance that is focused around Jewish men and their religion, and does so authentically. Then encapsulates so many potentially problematic issues as we might expect a angst filled story.

Instead, Fielding proceeds to deliver a realistic, believable, moving story of reconnection,redemption belief in oneself, self discovery, and love.

The heart of every Fielding story remains her characters. It’s the same here. Caleb Stern, a janitor working a holiday craft fair, is a man we slowly we get know. His history and current living situation will reveal itself in bits and pieces, through conversations with his boss and with Jasper Adams, a man who knew him years ago in high school. Caleb is such an amazing person, a bit worn, hesitant, and yet courageous in a quiet way. I loved him.

Jasper Adams also is in many ways a quintessential Fielding personality. He’s someone who’s reevaluated his life choices and struck out on what most people would call a different, even lesser path. Jasper’s not got a ripped body, he feels a bit self conscious about that, but he loves what he does and is content that he’s happy in his new choice of careers. And when a chance to connect with a person he had a crush on years ago appears, he takes a chance on that too. And the man.

Fold two lovely lonely men together at Hanukkah and you have a beautiful story for the holidays.

It’s perfect Fielding and one I’m highly recommending.

Happy Holidays!

[Suze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely hannukah based, christmas market themed, second (ish) chance romance.
Caden and Jasper had been at school together, but at the opposite ends of high school hierarchy- popular jock to nerd.
Caden is now reaping the rewards of having believed his own hype - having been Mr Popular with girls, boys and teachers, he was a self confessed bully who coasted - eventually to jail when real life did not mimic school.
Jasper has had a good It job which now enables him to follow his heart and produce his craft - he also had a crush on Caleb at school - from far, far away!
A long period between Christmas fayres allows them to develop feelings and I’d have loved more in the interim.
Nice warm fuzzy cozy read.

[Harrison Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, incisive holiday story by Fielding. Caleb and Jasper reunite after having last seen one another in high school. Life's not been kind to Caleb but the two make a connection and over the next year grow a relationship. It's a story told well, particularly as Caleb learns to forgive himself for his past actions and that he's worthy of a relationship, indeed that both he and Jasper are. It's not often that I find a holiday story (Hanukkah in this case) this moving but I found myself rooting for Caleb and Jasper, with Caleb's down moments being almost painful to read. I wish there had been a bit more from Jasper's point of view but as it is I enjoyed this story immensely.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A nice, no fuss, no drama holiday short story from Kim Fielding. As always, her writing is solid. And I love it when she writes about blue-collar worker (Caleb works as janitor).

However this is a short story, and there's one year of long-distant communication that is only displayed in very short chapter, so I feel like the romance is underwhelmed. I love "meet the parents" moment though near the end though.

I think Caleb and Jasper will have 'mature' love story and happiness. I just wish there's more 😉


Thank you Holly Gingersnap from Goodreads Secret Santa event for gifting this book to me

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very gentle Hanukkah story about two guys with considerable baggage. Caleb and Jasper went to the same high school but they weren't friends. Caleb's life took an unfortunate turn for the worse after high school and is now trying to just live his life. Jasper had issues in school too. They meet again at a holiday fair and start a friendship that ultimately leads to a long distance romance. Very nicely written themes about coming to terms with who you are and building a relationship based on mutual respect and a growing love between the two MCs.

[Faina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caleb Stern was one of those who peaked in high school, someone who charmed the world around him, and who took advantage of that. Until charm did not help him and he then had to reach the bottom in order to rebuild his life. Living with his mum after his father's death and working as a janitor he meets Jasper, who he went to school with, at a craft fair.

Since neither interacted at school there is no hurt to unravel, and while Caleb is dealing with his past, Jasper can offer him a future without the burder of a painful past. The other thing I really liked is that there's an entire chapter dedicated to long-distance multimedia communication that allows them to get to know each other and not get together within 5 minutes due to the length of a novella.
A really cute and hopeful novella.

[bikemi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a charming and lovely holiday novella. The redemption, the slow burn over the course of a year, the family interactions... everything worked together to create something genuinely uplifting. I don't usually connect with books that fade to black but this worked so well that I didn't miss the lack of steam one bit. It was so nice to root for Caleb and Jasper, I know I'll reread it just to do so again.

[Rissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars but I rounded up because epistolary. Every time, it just makes the story better for me. It just does.

I like Caleb and Jasper. I love how they got together. I just like how the story played out. I always love when I learn new things from stories I read and I like learning more about Hanukkah. :)

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was perfect! Just enough background on both of them in high school, just enough information about their separate families and relationships there, precisely enough of the connection growing over texts and FaceTime and phone calls between them in the intervening year between holiday craft fairs. Exactly what I needed right at this moment!

[AE Polos · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌶️🌶️ - More romance than spice.

Caleb and Jasper went to high school together but it took years of bad choices and bad exs to bring them together for Hanukkah.

Pros: I love how this novella normalizes, well - normal. These are just two guys, with histories and backgrounds coming together in an authentic way. I like that.

Cons: Lack of spice, which is fine because it is a story about real world romance, which doesn't always end spicy.

Tropes: second chance

TWs: mention of incarceration, alcohol and drug use.

eBook on Kindle