Snowstorms and Second Chances

3.5

This is a pretty low-angst story about Erik who at forty-three (43) is coming off an epically sad & lonely marriage. He's a bit of a grump, kind of in a perpetual bad mood due to his loneliness. He hates Christmas and all it's cheer so logically on a work trip he gets stuck by a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. Due to a series of events he ends up sharing his hotel room with Seth, a chatty, cheery, Christmas loving travel writer ten years his junior. One thing leads to another, Erik un-grumps and comes to realize (remember) that he's not so straight.

Overall I liked the story, I liked the writing, and that the drama llamas stayed home. The first half is a getting-to-know-you period and then the awareness, exploration, enjoyment, and acceptance. These are two nice people. There's sex positivity. No bashing of Erik's ex wife as a villainess. As I said, nice.

The thing is that I'm not sure I'll remember them. Seth loves, loves, loves Lifetime/Hallmark Christmas movies (who doesn't) and this story comes to resemble one of them albeit with less cheese. What I mean is that you'll have a good time, be assured there will be a HEA, and nothing terrible will happen. Not a bad thing but they're not memorable. Other things are more personal taste related, me letting my Grinch flag fly and absolutely ignorable. READ NO FURTHER. This falls in what I'm beginning to think of as age-gap lite. I think tropes become fashionable and that's fine. Of late age-gap is one of those tropes, one I really like, but I've noticed that many authors don't venture beyond the 15 year mark, in fact 12 seems to be the set number. It would seem like anything more makes them uncomfortable. As I said, age-gap lite. At 43 Erik has a college age daughter who's about to be married. This makes him conveniently a dad but unencumbered with the day to day minutiae of parenting. The whole Erik being celibate for so long seems to lay the blame a little too much on his ex. I'd like to hear her POV. Also it makes me think that Erik's newfound identification as bi might just be easier than suddenly realizing you're gay but hadn't acknowledged it. EVER. As for Seth he's kind of this perfect, easy going, open to anything, love the one your with kind of guy. He says and does ALL the right things and I get the feeling he would've hooked up with whomever he got stuck at the inn. Not judging.

Recommended for a well written, non sugary sweet, low angst Holiday set romance