Dear Ruth

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 really sweet and amusingly original story. Bryce is wonderful with his constant reminders about the hazards of fire, and he certainly seems to be the perfect person to fill his mum's place as Dear Ruth. That it helps him get closer to his new neighbour, Noah, is a bonus. The revelations about what Harper had been asking his firefighter colleagues was very cute.

Perfect way to start the run up to Christmas.

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Stocking Stuffers: Dear Ruth by Kim Fielding to read and review.

Dear Ruth is the first release from this year’s Dreamspinner Advent Stories collection. I haven’t read this author before, but after this sweet Christmas story, I wouldn’t hesitate to read another by Miss Fielding. Dear Ruth proved to be a great kick-off to my holiday-themed binge reading, with likable characters, a lovely romance, and good story development.

I really liked the pairing of a long-time bachelor with a single father and found both men very charming. Bryce was a touch overbearing with his fire safety concerns, but those moments made his character just a touch awkward and in need of the calming, more relaxed mentality of Noah. There was a decent amount of character depth, with Bryce wading through his grief over his mother’s unexpected death while trying to reclaim his confidence after his previous relationship fizzled. As the short story is told entirely from Bryce’s point-of-view, there’s not as much information about Noah. However, what was included in those moments between Bryce and Noah gave the reader plenty to generate the warm fuzzies I look for in holiday stories. The writing in Dear Ruth flowed well with a nice pace that didn’t rush the relationship too much. My only “complaint” would be the length limiting the relationship development. I would have enjoyed seeing these two navigate their relationship a bit more. However, for a holiday short story, this one is certain to bring some cheer to readers.

*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*

I love spending my holiday each year with a daily sip of holiday cheer from Dreamspinner and we are off to a good start.
Bryce is getting over the loss of his mother and not finding much cheer for the holiday. Noah is new to town. But a bit of rescuing and advise for the lovelorn brings these two men together. Once they start to communicate it can only get better.

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR & 1/2 - STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Simple, bold cover design with strong font choices. Sweet and fun sounding synopsis.

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

It takes a truly talented author to present a 50+ page short story and make it read like something so much more.
The characters and content were fantastic. The reader was given back stories, some drama, a few laughs along the way, tangible attraction, nosy neighbors, and an enjoyable, satisfying ending.
I've not read anything by this author until now, but will be looking at their other titles as soon as possible.
.
Rating: [PG-13] ~ Score: 4.5 ~ Stars: 4.5

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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". ***** ⭐ ⭐

I may not be as big into the holiday season as a lot of people are, I no longer decorate or get a tree, but I greatly anticipate the daily Advent Calendar releases from Dreamspinner Press. I adore watching other people find happiness at a time of year that can be really tough on people. I was crossing my fingers and holding my breath for Bryce throughout ‘Dear Ruth’ as he certainly deserves more than his fair share of joy.

Bryce moved back to Bailey Springs, Kansas two years before, after a disastrous end to his only long-term relationship. He figured he’d stay for a bit, spend time with his only other living relative, and then move on to another larger city and a firefighting job. Well, as it turns out, Bryce likes living back in his hometown. He likes the slower pace, the little house he bought and restored, and his job as deputy chief of the fire department. He certainly wasn’t expecting his mother to pass away at such a young age and he’s definitely not prepared for her best friend, and owner/editor of the local newspaper, to offer him his mom’s advice column. He reluctantly agrees but only to help out the paper which is struggling in the Internet age.

I loved the view of a smaller town around the holidays. The author showcased it beautifully and made me long for that simpler life. Which is exactly why Noah and his daughter, Harper, moved there from California. Well that, and the fact that living there is dirt cheap. Noah wants to get serious about his writing and after losing his job as the marketing director in a vineyard, he figures he has enough for them to live comfortably for a few years while he writes and spends more time with his daughter.

Neither Bryce nor Noah expected to find each other as they weren’t looking, but I’d like to think that Bryce’s mom was matchmaking from beyond. I laughed several times over Bryce’s inability to get a clue in regards to Noah’s not so simple hints. I fully agreed with Noah metaphorically throwing his hands up in the air and grabbing Bryce to plant a kiss on him. Yay! I was cheering the whole way. Bryce, naturally, had to fret and overthink for a bit but he finally got his act together.

‘Dear Ruth’ is a sweet, lovely holiday story that shows the true meaning of family. I enjoyed every moment of it.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews