Christmas Grace

2.5 stars
M/M Holiday Romance

This is a short story about love, painful pasts, and whether or not love overcomes all.

Aaron and Craig have been dating for a while now – nine months. It seems like a long time to be together and never having gone to the other's house. They almost always were staying at Aaron's. Now, if I were Aaron, I would find this suspicious; however, he thinks it's just the way it is. Maybe it was due to his anxiety, but that's not really how it felt.

Then you have Craig. Despite wanting to have a relationship, it seems that he doesn't really know that meaning since he doesn't really share his life with Aaron. When his secret is revealed, it's both shocking and predictable.

Overall, this just didn't work for me. It was a lot of drama with not a lot of development.

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Stocking Stuffers: Christmas Grace by C.L. Miles to read and review.

I love this story of how Craig is supportive of Aaron. He is also trying to find a way to share his family without to much stress.

Hey! Want a great Christmas/Holiday story by a (sadly) author that is not that well known (but should be!)? If so, I want to highly recommend the Advent story “Christmas Grace” by C.L. Miles.

What is so wonderful about C.L. Miles is how she breaths total life into her characters. From the moment you begin reading them, they feel so real and you quickly come to care for them. There is meaning in her stories and this one is no exception. It’s all about trust and how when you are starting a relationship, you have to expose yourself. And in this story you find out that miracles do happen when one of the two men doesn’t reveal all that he should have. But this is the holidays and it is a romance so love does conquer all. “Christmas Grace” is a very sweet story, and I fell in love with Craig and Aaron and I think you will too!
Ms Miles went through some health problems and dropped off the map for a few years but now she is back! And back with a lot of warmth and grace and Christmas cheer!

Maybe I’m picky with my romances, but when things don’t add up in the plotline, are too convenient, or swept under the rug, I get frustrated and lose interest…fast. As I started Christmas Grace, I was intrigued. I liked Aaron’s character and was hopeful the story would include Aaron and Craig moving their relationship to the next step. The idea of two men who were previously burned finding love to trust in again seemed like the perfect holiday story. From the start, the pacing was a little slower with the occasional long-winded description and awkward dialogue, but Craig and Aaron were a sweet couple and initially I enjoyed their story.

What I wasn’t crazy about was the secret reveal. Nine months is a long time to harbor a secret and the reasoning never quite gelled for me, so Craig’s dismay at Aaron’s reaction didn’t compute. When Aaron felt guilty for what I considered an understandable response and begged for Craig’s forgiveness, I grew frustrated- with the characters, the story, and the romance. As the story became increasingly sappy with all possible conflicts quickly dismissed, I checked out. For me, Christmas Grace was steeped in promise, but flawed in execution with a slower pace, frustrating conflict resolutions, and uninspired dialogue. Unfortunately, I can’t say that I will be reaching for this story next holiday season.

*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*