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Length: 55,000 words approx.
Cover Design: Meredith Russell
The Christmas Angel Series
Blurb
The year is 1969…
Gary Fairchild is proud to be a hippie college student, and he protests the Vietnam War because he believes in love and peace. To him, it isn’t just a counterculture movement—it’s a way of life. When tickets to the Aquarium Exposition—3 Days of Peace & Music, or Woodstock, as it was better known, go on sale, there’s no way he isn’t going.
Richard Ronsman is a sheltered farm boy who lives in the shadow of his overbearing father. He’s hidden his darkest secret to earn his father’s love, but nothing is ever good enough—not even volunteering for the Vietnam War. And with just a few days left before he’s deployed, he’s invited by a striking hippie to join him at a music festival.
Three days of music, drugs, rain, mud, and love forged a bond between these two very different men that would shape the rest of their lives. They share dreams and fears, and when Richard is shipped off to war, they share letters and love. For Richard’s first Christmas home, he is gifted a special angel ornament that just might make a soldier’s wish come true.
This story is one of seven stories which can all be read and enjoyed in any order.
The Christmas Angel Series
In 1750, a master woodcarver poured all his unrequited love, passion, and longing into his masterpiece—a gorgeous Christmas angel for his beloved’s tree. When the man he loved tossed the angel away without a second thought, a miracle happened. The angel was found by another who brought the woodcarver True Love.
Since then, the angel has been passed down, sold, lost and found, but its magic remains. Read the romances inspired by (and perhaps nudged along by) the Christmas angel through the years. Whether it’s 1700s England (Eli Easton's Christmas Angel), the 1880’s New York (Kim Fielding’s Summerfield’s Angel), the turn-of-the-century (Jordan L. Hawk’s Magician’s Angel), World War II (L.A. Witt’s Christmas Homecoming), Vietnam-era (N.R. Walker’s Soldier’s Wish), the 1990’s (Anyta Sunday’s Shrewd Angel), or 2018 (RJ Scott’s Christmas Prince), the Christmas angel has a way of landing on the trees of lonely men who need its blessing for a very Merry Christmas and forever HEA.
Carra's Review
I really hope you like your stories filled with emotion, because A Soldier’s Wish has ALL the feels! From the wonder Richard experiences at Woodstock as he gets to try so many things that are new to him—including his first physical encounter with a man—to the heartache of having to leave newfound friends behind to head off to war, to the worry and fear Gary goes through while Richard is deployed, then to the recovery afterward…and imagine during all of this the two are falling in love with each other. Like I said—ALL…THE…FEELS.
Until Richard meets Gary, he’s led a sheltered life with a strict upbringing, with the requisite homophobic parents and no idea of the limitless possibilities out in the world. His fascination with everything he experiences while taking that detour to Woodstock before he heads to Vietnam is endearing, especially given the innocence he exhibits in the face of all he comes across—not the least of which is the immediate bonding and loss of one aspect of that innocence with Gary. The two just clicked together from the moment Gary introduced himself, one of those “meant to be” moments.
I really liked how the format of the story switched to the two of them writing letters to each other while Richard is in Vietnam. It really let the emotions of the characters shine through quite strongly, and for me it made for a richer reading experience as I watched the two of them falling ever deeper for each other through those letters. The author did a brilliant job in setting the mood for the time period and keeping things historically accurate.
There were several points in the story where I was reaching for the tissues, and so many times I just wanted to wrap Richard up in my arms to give him comfort and protection. Gary was so supportive of him, continually making him feel wanted and loved, and showing him that the things he wants are valid—even if that means being with a man. And speaking of supportive, there are some great secondary characters, but I wanted to give a special shout out to Gary’s friend Kat. She’s a strong female character who’s compassionate and encouraging, someone both Gary and Richard can lean on.
The angel’s appearance in this book comes later on in the story, and is does not figure as prominently…but she’s still there in the spirit of bringing luck and happiness to the guys before she moves on again.
This is by far my favorite book in this series to this point, and gets the full 5-star rating from me. Since it’s set from 1969 through 1977 I’d still consider it a historical, especially considering the laws that were still in effect at the time. Like the rest of the books in this series it can be read as a standalone, though I’m finding I am really enjoying reading the books in order to see how things change through the years. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content, and some readers may find the aftereffects of the war on Gary might hit a bit more close to home now that we’re getting closer to present day in the series.
About the Author
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.
She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who she gives them life with words.
She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love. She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
She’s been writing ever since...
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