Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Pagan punk musician Lucas is fully prepared to spend this Yule with the rest of the band and his beautiful bass guitar when Oliver, his boyfriend of almost a year, asks if he wants to join the rest of the Han family for their annual winter celebration. It comes as a shock since Ollie has gone to great lengths to keep the two apart, and Lucas always assumed he was the reason. Since they’re planning to be together long-term, Lucas can't say no to meeting Ollie’s parents, but he better brush up on his manners and his Mandarin because this is going to be a holiday season like no other—and it has some surprises in store for both of them.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

Book Review

Lucas, of ‘Make a Circle' by Elliot Joyce, never expected to be invited by his boyfriend, Ollie, to attend a holiday gathering with Ollie's family. Ollie has a huge family and, now that Lucas is actually going to meet them, he's doing his best to remember who they all are. Soon he is beginning to have second thoughts. Lucas is afraid he will slip up and make a faux pas of some kind, be embarrassed, and upset Ollie. Yet, Lucas loves Ollie and wants to support him however he can. If it entails putting up with a group of noisy strangers, different food, customs, and language, then that's what he will do.

The closer they get to Ollie's family home, the more nervous he becomes. Lucas is steeling himself against the onslaught, knowing he's doing it because it means so much to Ollie. The first person to greet them is Ollie's mom. She's so excited to see Ollie that she almost forgets Lucas is standing there but Lucas takes it all in stride. The household is immersed in a cacophony of sound that would rattle anyone, especially someone who is not used to it. Lucas finds himself searching for a quiet place where he is not as conspicuous, but there really isn't one. He has polite conversations with Ollie's relatives, including his grandmother, with some of the younger members of the family translating for him. Because he can’t speak the language, Lucas is having a difficult time ascertaining what kind of impression he is making, but hopes for the best. When he finds Ollie, he's engaged in a heated argument with one of his uncles, but, since Lucas doesn't speak Mandarin, he has no idea what they are saying. He can only tell Ollie is angry by his body language. Ollie looks torn between fighting and crying. Lucas interrupts, asking if they should leave. Ollie apologizes to everyone and runs upstairs to his bedroom, leaving Lucas more baffled than ever.

Relationships are a lot of work. Trying to integrate your significant other into your established family can be tenuous at best. While Lucas and Ollie maneuver through the family politics and traditions, they learn what's most important; they begin to understand that as long they are together, they can face anything. Thank you, Elliot, for an insightful and informative read.

 

 

 

 

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	Short Story, 33 pages/11537 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-December-2018
Price	$1.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/make-a-circle-by-elliot-joyce-10168-b