Review: Guardian Angels by Geneva Vand

Title: Guardian Angels (Bah Humbug: Advent Calendar 2016)

Author: Geneva Vand

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Length:  36 Pages

Category: Holiday, Contemporary

At a Glance: So many hearty eyes for this adorable holiday short!

Reviewed By: Cassie

Blurb: One snowy evening, a car wreck in front of his toy store triggers terrible memories for Jake. Suddenly, he is in the midst of another winter storm—and another accident, one that not everyone walked away from. When he returns to the present, Jake is on the ground, being watched over by a guardian angel in the form of a kind man named Eli. Eli is no stranger to panic attacks and PTSD, and he’s happy to help Jake get home—where the weather forces him to remain for the night. For Jake, it could be the first step toward a life free from fear and loneliness.

Review: I have a serious soft spot for characters who work hard to overcome past trauma. There’s something so uplifting and humbling about watching a fictional someone rebuild after experiencing the worst. Couple that theme with my not-so-secret weakness for holiday stories, and you’ve got a winner. That’s just what we have in Guardian Angels.

I loved these two guys. Jake is relatable and a little sad; Eli is a total (I’m gonna say it!) guardian angel—sans wings. It was nice to get a whisper of angst mixed into this story. All sugar plums, all the time, can give even me a bit of holiday burnout, so the variation in tone was welcome. Plus, I just really like seeing caretaking happen in my books. I love seeing kindness and gentleness and care, particularly when it’s in response to another character’s angst. And that kind of warmth and caring is a huge part of who Eli is as a character, and watching him respond to Jake’s need is lovely.

This one is another great offering in the Dreamspinner Advent this year. It hit a lot of my favorite themes, and Geneva Vand handles those themes well in the small space she has. Wonderful characters, compelling backstory, and a hurt to healing plot mean I’ll happily be reading this short every year.

You can buy Guardian Angels here:
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