RELEASE DAY REVIEW: 'Of Printers and Presents' by Asta Idonea
Title: Of Printers and Presents
Author: Asta Idonea
Published: November 20, 2017
Publisher: NineStar Press
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow/Natasha Snow Designs
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 23 Pages
Tags: Gay; M/M; HFN, Holiday: Christmas; Novelette
About Of Printers and Presents
Colleagues Ford and Vaughan have long admired each other from afar, but Vaughan’s shyness and Ford’s emotional hang-ups have meant that neither has made a move. That all changes when they draw each other’s name in the office Secret Santa.
4 HEART READ
REVIEW:
If you’re too shy or too insecure to approach that special someone you’ve admired from afar, Asta Idonea’s Of Printers and Presents is just the gift for you.
This Christmas novelette wowed me with its clean language, which offered so much in so few words.
For two years, Ford and Vaughan have nursed secret crushes on each other. But “Vaughan had always been painfully shy,” Idonea informs us.
Besides, neither man dares to risk unpleasantness while employed by a company they both like. Especially Ford, who has been rescued from a prior abusive workplace.
Then Santa appears, in the guise of an anonymous gift exchange. Will they make the most of the opportunity?
Never a fan of short stories, I only chose Of Printers and Presents because I’ve enjoyed Idonea’s novels. And, boy, am I glad I did.
Idonea succinctly renders Ford and Vaughan identifiable.
“There was no reality in which someone like Vaughan would ever be interested in a man as broken and pathetic as Ford … He ought to be grateful for small pleasures and mercies.” Why would anyone want someone we think less of than ourselves? But who hasn’t avoided reaching out because we assumed the object of our desires was too good for us?
In mere paragraphs, Idonea bestows the plot sufficient details to fully involve readers, as we learn Vaughan has turned down a better desk to stay close to Ford’s workspace. I sped on, eager to see how our lovers might get out of their own ways.
You know the period at the end of the sentence, the chocolate truffle that completes a meal? This quick little number is the perfect conclusion to a stressful day. (Think Christmas.)
If you’re blue this holiday season and need a quick pick-me-up, perhaps a little motivation to speak to that hottie you’ve been eyeing, treat yourself to Of Printers and Presents. Just maybe it will prove a Secret Santa for you.
A copy of Of Printers and Presents was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by NineStar Press, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
Meet the Author
Asta Idonea (aka Nicki J Markus) was born in England, but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist, having studied several foreign languages.
Asta launched her writing career in 2011 and divides her efforts not only between MM and mainstream works but also between traditional and indie publishing. Her works span the genres, from paranormal to historical and from contemporary to fantasy. It just depends what story and which characters spring into her mind!
As a day job, Asta works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys music, theater, cinema, photography, and sketching. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel; all of which have provided plenty of inspiration for her writing. She is never found too far from her much-loved library/music room.
For more works by Asta visit her Nicki J. Markus website.
