Reviewed by Nikyta
Title:Welcome Home, Soldier
Author: Deanna Wadsworth
Series: 2017 Advent Calendar Daily – Stocking Stuffers
Heroes: Clay & Daniel
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 76 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: December 1, 2017
Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Clay and Daniel fell in love as enlisted men during Desert Shield, but Don’t Ask Don’t Tell meant they had to keep it secret. After Clay’s convoy was ambushed, PTSD changed him, and their relationship ended in a horrible fight on Christmas Eve.
Twenty-five years later, they’ve reconnected on Facebook, and Clay finds out Daniel will be alone on Christmas Eve. Impulsively, he sets out for Daniel’s hometown of Gilead, Ohio—where Daniel is now the mayor—to surprise him with a visit. But a blizzard strikes and Clay wrecks his car. All hope of seeing Daniel is lost—until a mysterious old man named Nick offers Clay a ride.
The weight of past wounds and the scars of war might make their reunion awkward, but Clay is willing to take the risk to win back his lost love. Despite a lifetime of disappointing holidays, Clay hopes that this soldier is finally coming home for Christmas.
Review:
I couldn’t get into this one. I LOVE Deanna Wadsworth’s books but this one just wasn’t for me. Maybe because I expected her trademark humor? I’m not sure and if that’s the case, that’s my mistake because this one is very serious. It deals a lot with some heavy issues. Clay and Daniel have been apart for over twenty years and I liked that they reconnected through Facebook. It was interesting to see the differences between Clay and Daniel because where Clay has kept in shape and is covered in tats, Daniel has let himself go just a bit and still the typical boy next door. Where Clay is spontaneous, Daniel is more sedate and logical. When Clay shows up at Daniel’s door, Daniel is taken aback by Clay being there and almost seems like he’s embarrassed by it.
But I also felt like there was a lot of blaming in it and what blaming there wasn’t, it was all sex thoughts or actions. Add to that, why would Clay drop everything to go see someone in twenty years when he wasn’t invited to do so? Maybe it’s because I would never do that especially when I’d be stuck in the same area with the person that might possibly reject me but I guess you can admire Clay for the balls to do that.
All in all, I think others will enjoy this book but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I usually love Deanna’s innuendos but I wasn’t feeling the constant sex thoughts this time 😦 Still, readers should give this one a go if you want some angst with your holiday story.
Overall Impression: It was okay, but not good
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*
The Blogger Girls 