Book Review – The Ugliest Sweater by Gillian St. Kevern

Book Review – The Ugliest Sweater by Gillian St. Kevern

For The Love of Christmas! #1
Started: 21/12/17– Finished: 21/12/17
Publisher: NineStar Press
Pages: 56
Characters: Dan/Jake
POV: 3rd
Sub-Genre: Series, Contemporary, Humour

Blurb:
Dan’s favourite festive sweater is so ugly, it’s cost him not one but three boyfriends and sent him back to his parents’ place for the third Christmas in a row. About to give up hope of ever having a Christmas date, Dan meets Jake, a hot guy with a rock and roll edge. Jake is infatuated with Dan’s sweater but vanishes before Dan can decide if Jake is for real or really in need of an eye-check. After all, no one has ever liked the sweater.

Dan’s sweater is rocketed to national attention, when Jake’s radio colleagues launch a hunt for the mystery man in the hideous jumper. Dan jumps at the chance to meet Jake again, and they hit it off in a big way, to the accompaniment of intimate gigs, exclusive clubs, and the paparazzi. Dan falls hard, but despite obvious mutual attraction, Jake refuses to take him back to his apartment. Is the relationship real – or a ratings stunt? After all, Jake has a reputation for cool that Dan, a lowly gym instructor, could never approach. Is a fondness for tacky Christmas clothing the only thing they have in common? Or does uber-cool Jake hide a Christmas secret of his own?

Buy Link

Review

The Ugliest Sweater is a short, sweet, feel-good story. I loved the tone and humour, and found myself smiling as I was reading. It’s a great mix of romance and fun with quirky characters. The description of the sweater itself was… impressive…. and visual. Truly an ugly sweater. Dan and Jake are a perfect match, both in personality and their Christmas obsessions.

Although it is a feel good story, there’s still some tension within the relationship as both men struggle with their own insecurities, which made their path to a relationship feel realistic. I appreciated the fact that Dan feels out of place at Jake’s work function—it reaffirms the fact that although these guys are quirky, they’re still three-dimensional characters.

There’s a bit of sex for such a short piece, but the story is such fun, an easy read, and left me with a warm glow. Although it’s a Christmas story, it’s one to enjoy all year round.

I’d recommend The Ugliest Sweater to readers who enjoy a short, sweet, feel-good story with likeable characters, and a very ugly Christmas sweater. 5 out of 5 stars.

About Anne Barwell

Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She shares her home with a cat with “tortitude” who is convinced that the house is run to suit her; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date, it appears as though Kaylee may be winning. In 2008, Anne completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra. She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as “too many.” These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of “spare time” is really just a myth. She also hosts and reviews for other authors, and writes monthly blog posts for Love Bytes. She is the co-founder of the New Zealand Rainbow Romance writers, and a member of RWNZ. Anne’s books have received honorable mentions five times, reached the finals four times—one of which was for best gay book—and been a runner up in the Rainbow Awards. She has also been nominated twice in the Goodreads M/M Romance Reader’s Choice Awards—once for Best Fantasy and once for Best Historical. Anne can be found at https://annebarwell.wordpress.com

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