I do love an anthology of short stories, so I grabbed The Twelve Loves of Christmas, as soon as I saw it on NetGalley. In addition to being a collection of short stories, it has stories by three of my favorite authors – Olivia Dade, Alexis Daria, and Rebekah Weatherspoon. There are also stories by some authors I have been wanting to read, like Elise Bryant and Sarah Hogle.
In Alexis Daria’s “Decking His Halls,” Noelia terrorizes her brother’s best friend, and her temporary roommate, David, with Christmas spirit. Noelia is a delightful menace and I love when a woman woos with relentless teasing. A woman bullying a man until he experiences whimsy might be on of my favorite micro-tropes. I don’t spend nearly enough time reading Alexis Daria’s books and that needs to change in 2027.
Olivia Dade’s “A Solstice Kiss” is more low key than I was expecting, but probably the one that had the most emotional impact. Ellie is at a museum in Stockholm when her sister texts her asking permission to murder her ex. Ellie denies her, even though her ex is using her social media posts to prove how boring she is at a holiday party. If not murder, then how about revenge? Her sister suggests she post a picture of herself kissing a hot Swedish guy that the ex will see while at the party. Felix, a curator at the museum, is happy to help. As they walk around Stockholm talking and taking romantic photos, Ellie begins to see a wider possibility for her life.
Romance can be a refuge for the reader by giving the characters refuge from the world together. Rebekah Weatherspoon’s “Skipping Christmas” does that. Ashley and Micah are neighbors who each have their own reasons for avoiding Christmas. Ashley invites Micah to drop by for cookies (actual cookies) and they spend the holidays getting to know each other. “Skipping Christmas” is very much like snuggling up in a onesie watching movies on the couch.
Elise Bryant brings her mystery skills to “Someone to Hold on To.” Simone and Henry meet while she’s trying to figure out who is stealing her gluten free Neapolitan cookies. The mystery is a cover for the loneliness and confusion they are both feeling at unexpected changes in their lives. I wasn’t sure if they were heading towards a romance or a friendship, but they definitely solidified into found family by the end. I enjoyed it.
Sarah Hogle’s snarky epistolary short, “Hope This Helps” was, I think, the funniest story in the collection. Audrey is a single mother advocating tirelessly for her 13 year old daughter, Kaylee. Joel is Kaylee’s English teacher, who is currently failing her. The two write snappy emails to each other, clearly bringing much needed adult snap crackle into their lives. Delightful.
There were several other stories I enjoyed, and a couple I didn’t. The anthology is a worthy addition to the holiday romance landscape.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Atria Books and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
