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Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: 60,475 words
Cover Design: Alexandria Corza
Blurb
After years away building his career, event planner Sebastian Chesnut returns to his small hometown of Fir Falls to reconnect with his mother, sister, and young nieces before his job takes him to London.
He doesn't expect to find his high school boyfriend, Matty, has become a virtual member of Seb's family. Back then, Matty only offered a casual relationship, but Seb fell hard, and history is soon repeating itself. Seb’s afraid to hope for a second chance, no matter how much they’ve grown and despite the family they share. Instead, he focuses on creating a last perfect holiday, which won’t be easy with his sister’s ex planning to take the girls over Christmas.
Seb and Matty might not know what to do about their feelings for each other, but one thing’s for sure—it won’t be Christmas without the kids. Can these star-crossed lovers pull off a holiday miracle?
Carra's Review
There were plenty of individual things about this story I liked—the characters, the setup, the small town; but I’m still a little on the fence about one aspect of the story, the dilemma with Sebastian’s sister’s kids. I’ll be the first one to admit I’m not much for kids in romance stories since I prefer the focus to be on the couple and their relationship development, but I am usually okay with kids if they don’t become the central focus.
For the most part, Sebastian and Matthew seem ideally suited for each other in this second chance story. Well, except for the part of Sebastian getting ready to take a job on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean in the new year…so there’s the hurdle for them to overcome. They’re just as drawn to each other and their chemistry is just as strong as when they were in high school, and though Sebastian knows there’s a time limit on anything between them he still pursues Matty to at least have a good time before he goes.
But regardless of how flighty Matty may have acted in high school, it is beyond obvious that his attitude and priorities have changed over the years. He is fully devoted to Sebastian’s family, and even though he realizes Sebastian is only visiting, he falls right back into his old feelings as well. It could still work, right?
As for the dilemma with the kids spending the holiday with their dad instead of Sebastian’s sister—I was looking at it from a neutral point of view thinking if I was their dad, I’d be wanting my turn with the kids for the holidays. I get that the sister, mother, Matty, and the kids were really close-knit…but I’m also a “fair is fair, follow your agreement” person so I was a bit frustrated by them going back to this again and again. While they did work out something in the end, the mini-drama around this part of the story was kind of “meh” for me.
Overall, I’m giving Santa’s Last Gift 3.5 stars, and that’s in large part due to how much I liked Sebastian and Matthew’s characters as individuals as well as how they just clicked as a couple. This story is for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
Author Bio
Sandine Tomas grew up an unapologetic bookworm, making friends with characters from the ancient past to the farthest reaches of the universe. Her career as a marketing writer has given her insight into the divergence between what a person thinks they want and what they truly need. Relationships are at the heart of her writing, and she enjoys creating characters who become so real that their stories beg to be told. Writing allows her to explore people and ideas from all sides, spinning a notion around like a gem until its facets glisten.
Twisting the old adage about writing what you know into writing what you feel, Sandine doesn’t shy away from raw emotions, turbulent circumstances, and above all, deep passions, fueled by humor, honesty, and trust. She enjoys instilling her characters with the flaws, courage, and idiosyncrasies that brings them to life.
Sandine lives in New York with her husband, two daughters and a Golden Retriever puppy named Noodle. An unabashed TV and film enthusiast, she happily binge watches her favorites until her eyes glaze over. Her other guilty pleasures include attending fandom conventions, sleeping in on weekends, and recharging solo by holing up with a caramel macchiato and an amazing book.
If you’d like to chat, reach out to her here or on Twitter (@sandinetomas) or Facebook (sandine.tomas).
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