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Kelsey's Present
Des had led a life of sacrifice, forsaking love to raise his orphaned niece, and he never regretted it for one moment. Then one Christmas, his sixteen year old niece Kelsey decides she wants a real Christmas tree. When Kelsey encounters her teenage crush, the handsome Victor Moore, who plays a vampire in her favorite television series, she gets very excited. But Kelsey isn’t the only one who is excited by Victor Moore.
Kelsey’s Present is a heart-warming tale about family love, love at first sight, and the wonder of holiday magic.
Kelsey’s Present is a heart-warming tale about family love, love at first sight, and the wonder of holiday magic.
27 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
1 person is currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
D.J. Manly
242 books265 followersI write not only for my own pleasure, but for the pleasure of my readers. I can’t remember a time in my life when I haven’t written and told stories. When I’m not writing, I’m dreaming about writing, doing something wild and adventurous, or trying to make the world a better and more open minded place to live in. I adore beautiful men, and I know I’m not alone in this! Eroticism between consenting adults, in all its many forms is the icing on the cake of life!
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 9, 2012
2.5 Stars
Des Silvers is a small town medic. He had led a life of sacrifice, forsaking love to raise his orphaned niece for the past ten years, and he has never regretted it for one moment. This Christmas, his sixteen year old niece Kelsey decides she wants a real Christmas tree. While shopping for the tree, Des and Kelsey encounter her teenage crush, the handsome Victor Moore who plays a vampire in a popular television series. Victor is a small town guy at heart and is willing to forego Hollywood stardom for love.
This is an insta-love book, which I generally don't care for. I liked the characters but due to the book's length, I didn't get to know them well. It was a heartwarming Christmas tale but it ended really abruptly.
Bottom line: a warm and fuzzy Christmas tale that's too short and too sweet to be believable. I liked the concept, though.
Des Silvers is a small town medic. He had led a life of sacrifice, forsaking love to raise his orphaned niece for the past ten years, and he has never regretted it for one moment. This Christmas, his sixteen year old niece Kelsey decides she wants a real Christmas tree. While shopping for the tree, Des and Kelsey encounter her teenage crush, the handsome Victor Moore who plays a vampire in a popular television series. Victor is a small town guy at heart and is willing to forego Hollywood stardom for love.
This is an insta-love book, which I generally don't care for. I liked the characters but due to the book's length, I didn't get to know them well. It was a heartwarming Christmas tale but it ended really abruptly.
Bottom line: a warm and fuzzy Christmas tale that's too short and too sweet to be believable. I liked the concept, though.
December 15, 2009
What a lovely, perfect Christmas story. A complete fairytale that has all the romance and love you could possible wish for.
Des has sacrificed his personal and social life so he can raise his niece Kelsey after her parents died when she was six. Victor is a successful actor looking for the right man to love. And then there is Kelsey who decides the two belong together...
Des has sacrificed his personal and social life so he can raise his niece Kelsey after her parents died when she was six. Victor is a successful actor looking for the right man to love. And then there is Kelsey who decides the two belong together...
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February 1, 2010When you buy a season short story, for sure you are expecting to read a all around good feelings type of story and Kelsey’s Present delivers it.
Des is a small town gay doctor who devoted himself to his niece Kelsey 10 years before, when the then 6 years girl lost her parents in a car accident. Now Kelsey wants to give something back to her dear uncle, and what is better than cute young fiction actor Victor, in town to shoot some scene in the local high school?
As I said before the mood of the story is all sweet and sugar, there is no drama, no sadness, and the main characters are almost too good to be true: Des, nice doctor, good step-father, just the right dose of handsomeness to have a bit of self-esteem, but paired with a bit of shyness that makes him even more cute. And what about Victor? An actor who has not lost the allure or the small town boy of before, and who is more interested in having an home made dinner than to live under the lights of success.
If someone is wondering how is it possible for a big star to be happy in small town contest, truth be told, Victor is a “low-profile” star, for a tv fiction show and not for movies, and I had also the feeling that, all in all, he is neither so much interested in remaining low-profile: Victor has no desire for being a famous movie star, he has not the attitude of the big movie star, and a small town doctor as boyfriend is his perfect choice.
In according with the seasonal mood of the story, even if there is sex, it’s more romantic than sexy, more nice than naughty, something not usual for this author.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0031IPX3C/?...
Des is a small town gay doctor who devoted himself to his niece Kelsey 10 years before, when the then 6 years girl lost her parents in a car accident. Now Kelsey wants to give something back to her dear uncle, and what is better than cute young fiction actor Victor, in town to shoot some scene in the local high school?
As I said before the mood of the story is all sweet and sugar, there is no drama, no sadness, and the main characters are almost too good to be true: Des, nice doctor, good step-father, just the right dose of handsomeness to have a bit of self-esteem, but paired with a bit of shyness that makes him even more cute. And what about Victor? An actor who has not lost the allure or the small town boy of before, and who is more interested in having an home made dinner than to live under the lights of success.
If someone is wondering how is it possible for a big star to be happy in small town contest, truth be told, Victor is a “low-profile” star, for a tv fiction show and not for movies, and I had also the feeling that, all in all, he is neither so much interested in remaining low-profile: Victor has no desire for being a famous movie star, he has not the attitude of the big movie star, and a small town doctor as boyfriend is his perfect choice.
In according with the seasonal mood of the story, even if there is sex, it’s more romantic than sexy, more nice than naughty, something not usual for this author.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0031IPX3C/?...
December 18, 2012
This is a fairly ridiculous, but nonetheless sweet, story about a 30 year old man, Des, who has given up his own life plans in order to raise his orphaned niece. For the last 10 years, everything has been about Kelsey. But one Christmas Eve, while out buying a Christmas tree in their small town, Kelsey sees Victor Moore -- heartthrob of millions of teens, who plays a vampire on a hit TV show and who is widely rumored to be gay.
Des and Victor meet, insta-lust all around, and Victor invites himself to Des and Kelsey's yearly Christmas Eve tree decorating party. And you can guess the rest. Des is a kind and generous man, Victor is tired of the superficiality of Hollywood, and Kelsey knows that Des deserves some happiness for himself.
There's nothing particularly outstanding about this story, but it's sweet in a kind of unobjectionable way. As always, longer would have been better.
Des and Victor meet, insta-lust all around, and Victor invites himself to Des and Kelsey's yearly Christmas Eve tree decorating party. And you can guess the rest. Des is a kind and generous man, Victor is tired of the superficiality of Hollywood, and Kelsey knows that Des deserves some happiness for himself.
There's nothing particularly outstanding about this story, but it's sweet in a kind of unobjectionable way. As always, longer would have been better.
January 21, 2012
Fantastic Christmas story! :)
Sweet and heartwarming book.
It amazes me how diverse DJ Manly's books are, I mean look at Welcome to Beaconsfield and this book - it's hard to believe they're written by the same author, not because of the level of writing - it's great in both cases - but because of the subjects.
Sweet and heartwarming book.
It amazes me how diverse DJ Manly's books are, I mean look at Welcome to Beaconsfield and this book - it's hard to believe they're written by the same author, not because of the level of writing - it's great in both cases - but because of the subjects.
January 4, 2010
A wonderful little Holiday story just perfect for anyone looking for a sweet romantic read.
My complete review is posted at Rainbow Reviews
My complete review is posted at Rainbow Reviews
November 17, 2015
2,5* upgrade because...well it's christmas...
March 30, 2011
What a sweet short Christmas story!!
June 24, 2019
Un bonito y divertido relato
April 19, 2025
A really enjoyable and interesting experience I found I couldn't put it down until I finished it 😀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2011
The perfect little holiday story - full of hope and love and fluffy goodness. I love the banter between Des and his niece - Kelsey's just a total little firecracker and I'm pretty sure she must have given her uncle a run for his money the whole time she was growing up. Des is a wonderful character; responsible, supportive, modest, loving and according to Victor, hotter than hell. Victor's a fabulous hottie, too, and the fact that he was so instantly infatuated with Des and kept telling him how beautiful he was, made me sigh and ahhh all over the place. Wonderful short story.
February 27, 2012
This story is perfect to give you that warm and fuzzy feeling. I love holiday themed stories regardless of the time of year, and this one just made me smile. Des seemed like such a good guy – he really did deserve to find his own HEA after all he did for his niece. Victor seemed like a genuine, down-to-earth kind of a guy despite his celebrity status. I wish the book were a little longer and shared even more of their story, but I’m happy for the glimpse I got. Short, but very, very sweet!
December 4, 2012
This was a pretty good story but it was too short and the insta-love didn't work for me because there was no time to get to know the characters. Des meets Victor because his niece recognizes him as an actor on one of her favorite shows. Des and Victor go from zero to love in about 2 days. I would love to see more of these two characters in a longer book.
May 10, 2012
I'm not usually into insta-love, but between the holiday magic theme and that it's a short story, I can accept it here. This was a sweet story about a guy who gave up a lot to take care of his niece when her parents died. Kelsey gave him a great Christmas present.
June 20, 2011
it was a short fun,Fluffy read.
November 3, 2011
Sweet short story. Everything happened fast and ended well. This would have been a great full-length book.
December 12, 2013
3.5 stars
May 9, 2014
Des was lovely, Kelsey was sweet and amusing. But Victor kinda freaked me out, he seemed rather stalker-ish and pushy.
December 7, 2014
Too cute!
April 18, 2015
3.5 - Sweet holiday story.
January 8, 2015
Enjoyed greatly
March 14, 2016
A short and sweet story. I enjoyed it and wished it was so much longer.
May 6, 2011
sweet short story
December 21, 2011
Nice short story to get you in the xmas spirit :)
September 11, 2016
2.5 stars - very unrealistic, but nice for a short fluffy Christmas romance
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November 15, 2018Des Silvers never regretted giving up the opportunity to live in work in New York City in order to stay in his small hometown and raise his niece after his brother and sister-in-law’s death. Now Kelsey’s sixteen and has Des wrapped around her little finger. So when she decides she wants a real Christmas tree, Des gives in. What neither Des nor Kelsey expect is their outing to bring them into contact with Victor Moore, the star of Kelsey’s favorite television show. And Kelsey isn’t the only one who’s taken with the gorgeous actor. Des is about to get a Christmas he’ll never forget.
Love is the best gift of all, as D. J. Manly shows in the delightful Kelsey’s Present. Des is a man who has devoted his life to raising his niece, and the fact that he takes it in stride and so obviously loves Kelsey makes him a hero you want to cheer for. Des’s chance encounter with Victor is the stuff dreams are made of. The fact that Victor believes in love at first sight and putting it all out there for love makes it even better.
Kelsey’s Present is a charming, sweet romance that is tailor made for curling up with on a cold winter night. Put simply, I adored it.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
Love is the best gift of all, as D. J. Manly shows in the delightful Kelsey’s Present. Des is a man who has devoted his life to raising his niece, and the fact that he takes it in stride and so obviously loves Kelsey makes him a hero you want to cheer for. Des’s chance encounter with Victor is the stuff dreams are made of. The fact that Victor believes in love at first sight and putting it all out there for love makes it even better.
Kelsey’s Present is a charming, sweet romance that is tailor made for curling up with on a cold winter night. Put simply, I adored it.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews