Setting for Eight, Dinner for Two

I thought it was a sweet Christmas novella. It was a slow build story, especially for a short story, which made it very romantic. I loved Tory and Charlie. It was low angst, fade to black but really sweet romance. i definitely recommend it.

I loved this book, but there are not many B.G. Thomas books I don't love. Charlie loves dishes and his ex took his matched set so his friend and boss start bringing him new pieces. Most from the dollar store but Charlie adores them. Then his friend brings him a beautiful holly bowl and takes him to the craft fair to meet the person that makes them. Charlie falls in love with all the matching pieces but when seeing the price has to choose one thing. Tory the artist likes Charlie and invites him to his classes to make his own pieces, so he can get more and at less price, plus he can spend more time getting to know Charlie. Charlie and Tory made me swoon. they are so sweet, the story has witt and it is a perfect holiday read. I guess I really related to Charlie because I too collect holiday dishes and mostly from the dollar tree stores.

In this sweet and gentle holiday story, B.G. Thomas brings together two men who are different in some ways, but whose differences complement one another beautifully, and being together brings out their very best qualities. Charlie is forty-nine years old and his last breakup was very hurtful leaving him to believe that no one is ever going to want him, while Tory is thirty-four years old and doesn’t understand why everyone assumes he prefers older men because he has daddy issues.

Ceramics, much like so many of the arts, is not an easy thing to learn how to do and certainly not to do well. But that is precisely what Tory does and even though he’d love to spend his time on the ceramics that call to his artistic soul, he needs to live and so he creates a lot of items that sell at home and holiday fairs. He also teaches his ceramic craft in the basement of his home for pennies on the dollar because he loves to share his passion with others. It is at one of the holiday fairs where he meets Charlie through his dear friend Gay, who just so happens to be Charlie’s boss. Tory is instantly smitten and can’t understand why this handsome, gentle bear of a man doesn’t see his own worth.

Charlie’s last boyfriend was not a pleasant man (his friends called him Kill-Joy) and Charlie came home one day to discover the man leaving him while taking half of their belongings – many of them items the ex had despised over the years. Charlie is so excited when Gay gifts him with a new set of dinnerware since the ex took his Spode dishes that he had spent years collecting. (What an a**!) Regardless, Charlie is determined to host Christmas dinner and in looking for some new dishware he is introduced to Tory. Gay is a little sneaky and I adored her. Charlie is hesitant to take a chance on a younger man again until he realizes that Tory is nothing like his sleazeball ex. Tory is kind and compassionate, truly caring for his friends and his clients.

This is not the first holiday story I’ve read by this author and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Charlie and Tory are great characters and I’m so happy they found each other and their happy ever after.

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

I got a bit mixed confused during the first few chapters as to who was who as the story seemed to jump around a bit. But as the lives of the two men become entwined the story made more sense and the ending really makes the story worth reading.

Romantic in the best way!
Bringing two souls together is tricky, but the author does it in the sweetest and most romantic way! I appreciated being inside the characters minds, feeling those first nervous jitters and blushes with them. It takes talent to put the reader right there so seamlessly.

Reading this story brought me back to when I was a child and my mother painted ceramics. I loved them, each one was priceless to me, but I remember them not meaning as much to her. I still have two of my favorites! Finding someone who appreciates something you’ve created is priceless.

If you are like me and the holidays aren’t picture-perfect like they seem to be for everyone else, you’ll love this story of connections and love.