Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Wade Turner takes a drunk Jaxxon home after work hoping to get laid. What he gets instead is news that the world as they know it is ending—superbugs are sweeping the nation, leaving high death tolls in their wake, and the president has been assassinated. In this new storm of chaos everyone is referring to as the Apocalypse, Wade decides their chances are better if they stick together.

 

But when Jaxxon’s ex dies in a hurricane and his daughter goes missing, Wade watches the man he loves slip into despair. Desperate to save his relationship, Wade leaves in the middle of the night on a dangerous journey to save Jaxxon’s daughter—a child he’s not sure is even still alive. If he can put this family back together, maybe there will still be something worth celebrating in the aftermath of the Apocalypse. 

 

 

 

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2016 Advent Calendar "Bah Humbug."

Book Review

Post-apocalyptic scenarios are not usually my cup of tea, but combined with this particular story description and as part of Dreamspinner Press’s 2016 Advent Calendar, I felt sufficiently reassured of a positive ending that I tackled this specific novella. And I am so glad I did! The beginning was dreary, pretty much as expected with the end of the world as we know it arriving in the form of superbugs that resist antibiotics, crazier weather by the day, and a lack of law and order since the president has been assassinated. Wisconsin, where former bartender Wade and now-hunter Jaxxon live, remains a little more secure for longer, but not by much.

Wade and Jaxxon are not lovers – they have only kissed once when Jaxxon was drunk - when they band together for protection against the chaos. Wade is the one who initiates their “alliance”, but it’s not an easy match. They fight, Jaxxon worries about his ex-wife and his daughter who have moved to Florida, and while there is some attraction between Wade and Jaxxon, they aren’t even really friends. And yet – Wade understands Jaxxon’s worry about his daughter and ends up doing something about the situation.

The story is told in short flashbacks while Wade travels south to try to find Jaxxon’s daughter. I liked the slow revelation of the horrible situation, the glimpses of Wade and Jaxxon’s life, and the lifting of the mystery of what happened to make Wade attempt the impossible. It’s clear that Jaxxon is selfish and not a nice guy, initially treating Wade as a convenient bed warmer when he is horny. It did make me wonder why Wade sticks with him, but then, I have not been in their situation and banding together, seeking human warmth, is a likely result of existing society falling apart. And as more was revealed, my understanding rose.

If you like apocalyptic scenarios that focus on the human factor and how relationships and rules change once society as we know it is no longer around, if you believe that family and love are stronger than chaos, and if you’re looking for a read that runs the gamut from pretty hopeless to a warm ending, then you will probably like this emotionally intense novella sprinkled with a generous helping of adventure.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 49 pages/17218 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-December-2016
Price
Buy Link	OUT OF PRINT