A Gift of Family

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
This is a sweet romance that tells the story of single dad Scott, who has very little family, and Brennan, who has a huge family but no man in his life. It is only a short story so there aren’t heaps of development, but the author still packs in a good bit of romance and a little dollop of heat. On a date they go to a Christmas fair and it really got me in the Christmas mood. So much so that I found a Christmas fair near me to attend.

My favourite thing about this story is that no big deal is made about the fact that Scott was once married to a woman and is now dating a man. I'm not sure this was because of the lack of time to explore it in a short story, or if it was intentional. I hope it was intentional because I loved it.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
I love romantic Christmas novellas, as they bring all the magic and excitement of Christmas to life with plenty of heartwarming passion.

This is a very sweet story, with single dad Scott finding a man who clearly understands that his toddler Lexie has to come first. The instant attraction soon morphed to more, as Brennan makes all the right moves. The dog and daughter interactions are fun, the desire is mutual, and the outcome festively appropriate. Just what Christmas romances are all about!

Thank you, Ms. Veldura, for helping me slide happily into the festive season.


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Stocking Stuffers: A Gift of Family by Tami Veldura to read and review.

This was a sweet story of Brennon using his dog to get and the attention of Scott and his daughter. There are some really sweet family making scenes. So the jump to dirty talk sex was a bit of jolt in such a short story. But still overall an enjoyable story.

I’m going to try and not pick this short apart, but A Gift of Family had a number of things that didn’t work for me and I feel 2 stars is being fairly generous. When I began this story, I was hopeful. Aided by an infant and an older mastiff, Scott and Brennan meet in a park just before Christmas. Unfortunately, this meet cute was really the only part of the story that worked well for me. After their meeting, things between these two progress at warp speed. I’m not a fan of insta-love in general, but the sudden jumps to love and a major commitment after two meetings had my head spinning. The fast timeline of the relationship and minimal substance fueling the deep feelings was my biggest issue with A Gift of Family. It almost seemed like I skipped forward months into their relationship rather than the entire story taking place in a few days. Unfortunately, once it derailed a little, things piled up and I struggled to stay interested in the story. From Brennan automatically knowing Scott’s address after meeting at a fair once to the zero to full speed in the bedroom, it didn’t make sense and I didn’t feel any chemistry with the couple. While I don’t expect major depth or development in a short story, I need a timeline that makes a smidgeon of sense, and A Gift of Family was just far too rushed for me to roll with it.

*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR-STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

I have not seen an individual cover for this title, only the cover for the collection as a whole and therefore will not be judging this short story by the collection's cover.

> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person

This was a cute and complete short story. Scott and his toddler, Lexi, meet Brennan and his dog, Jazz, at the park only a few days before Christmas. After an introduction and nice get-to-know-you, they agree to meet up the following day to explore a holiday festival in town, which in turn leads to Christmas plans, a minor setback, and a sweet implied HEA.
The characters were quite likable and the story was enjoyable. It was well-written and felt like it contained all the necessary elements to create a complete and full story even with the short length.
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Rating: [PG] ~ Score: 4.375 ~ Stars: 4

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⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐