Book Review: Strange Mercy by Francis Gideon

When doctoral student, Bryan, decides to surprise his family for a Christmas visit, the reaction is bittersweet. His family is very happy to see him, but also don't have enough room in the house due to his sisters' families also visiting. Bryan is relegated to a hotel, which dampens his mood considerably. He decides to visit one of his old haunts and meets, Jordan. The two men hit it off immediately and Bryan soon realizes that his trip home might not be so bad after all.

I thought this  story was just okay. The writing is fine and I liked the characters, but nothing wowed me about them. My heart went out to Bryan, especially when he was hurt by his parents telling him he'd have to stay in a hotel. Don't get me wrong, his parents weren't horrible people, they were just placed in a precarious position and tried to come up with the best solution possible.

Unfortunately, I did not feel much chemistry between Bryan and Jordan. They seemed more like good buddies than a budding couple. I also felt like Bryan's sisters were kind of thrown into the story; one was the happy-go-lucky supportive sister, while the other was the uptight ultra conservative type. I would have much rather read more about Jordan's background than the drama created amongst family members.

All in all, this is a nice holiday read.

Buy Links
Less Than Three Press | Amazon

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley, and voluntarily provided my
honest review.

~ M