I am so so in love with this series and Felix Navidad did absolutely not disappoint. It was so lovely to re-visit this gang of people and I am already itching to re-read the whole series. Nothing but love for every SINGLE CHARACTER in Nathan Burgoine's series. Love, love, love.

Felix loves his job as a home care nurse. One of his favourite patients, Danya, gave him good advice last year and he is determined to act on it. Hence why he's attending the wedding of his friends and trying to be less insular.

His heart goes pitter-patter when he meets a strapping, bearded male and they have a dance. When his flight to tropical Hawaii later gets snowed off and he finds himself next to said hottie, he seizes the chance to spend more time with him - even if it does mean a farcical trip via rental car through a blizzard.

Kevin and Felix are just so perfectly sweet together. They both have issues and where Kevin has a supportive family, Felix only really has his friends, patients and puzzle club. The meetcute, interfering friends, endearing foibles of our leads are all woven together so well. The characters are fully fleshed out and none are "cookie cutter" stereotypes and I just really enjoyed dropping into their world.

Emotive, funny, heartbreaking and full of love in all varieties!

PS I sang Feliz Navidad at least ten times reading this book lol!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for accepting me as a pre-publication reviewer.

This book was honestly so great and I would totally recommend it. I hadn’t of read anything else by Nathan Burgoine or the ‘Little Village’ series but it can be read as a standalone - some characters (and their stories) I believe are present in previous books but I wasn’t confused or anything, it made perfect sense and just intrigued me to go away and read more into the series. It was a welcomed perk then another form of hindrance.

The basic plot of this short novella is we follow the main character Felix who is going to the wedding of his friends Haruto (Ru) and Nick but is feeling slightly removed from the merriment as he’s alone. He sees ‘hazel eyes’ (and there’s an attraction there) who turns out to be Kevin, Ru’s ex. The following day at the airport, Felix is ready to be flying out to Hawai’i but due to the weather his flight is cancelled. Whilst at the airport, he sees Kevin also has a cancelled flight and they agree to drive to Toronto together. But on the way the weather gets worse and they’re forced to check into a cabin. And yes… what will happen? That’s all you’re getting. Interjected between this storyline, Felix thinks back to the following year and his time spent as Danya’s nurse and their growing relationship - Danya is an ex-drag queen, a wise and very sweet old man and decides to give all his friends nicknames and for Felix this is: Felix Navidad (he’s adorable). The two get to know each other better, sharing lessons and advice for life and Danya is adamant on setting Felix up… will he succeed?

The characters were honestly so lovely like I just can’t. Felix is an amazing person - so selfless, kind, caring, love him. Kevin is also super sweet and rather hot too. Danya was the best. And basically all of the characters were great, shout-out to: Melissa - wish we saw more of her but I loved what I had, Kevin’s family (Amy, Wendy, Randall and Bobby) - they were just it, Nat - we love some non-binary rep, and all the rest. Despite its shortness, there is character development and nuance but mainly loveableness.

There were many super cute bits in here that warmed my heart during this freezing UK weather we currently have. I smiled so so much. Nevertheless, there were some emotional moments too and tender parts - maybe I’d prefer other things to have happened but whatever - such as the idea of ‘Snowflake wishes’ and the ‘four gifts’ idea… Lovely. Danya also dishes out some great advice like how love can develop over time, it’s not always at first sight. The main theme is how sometimes unexpected gifts turn out to be the best.

The writing is not exactly amazing or that developed but it’s very readable. I knew what was happening, it made a lot of sense and followed well. I liked the split narrative and it was wholly enjoyable reading experience. Some cute quotes ‘Nature singing us a song’, 'I think someone told you men don't cry, and I am here to tell you that is utter fu**ing bullsh*t’ and ‘Movies would have you believe falling in love is always like diving into a pool. Sudden, shocking. But some people wade in, and they don't even realize they're swimming
until they finish a lap.’ I found and liked.

My favourite message that stuck was actually from the acknowledgments: ‘I'm always so aware that for the vast majority of us queer folk, we don't inherit continuance of narrative or history or culture the way most other marginalized communities do. We don't know what we don't know, and the non-queer world is happy to bury, erase, or untell our stories - and even retell them in ways they find more palatable. It's a fight, and it can feel endless, but we need to make sure the queerlings know who came before them.’

I made a reading vlog/review too which you can check out if you want: https://youtu.be/WrfpR8qYTJ8

Felix Gagnon is tired of being alone.

Working as a home care nurse, Felix has known a lot of people, but none of them are quite like Danya Marunchak. A queen from the old days, he is a font of knowledge about what it was like to grow up gay in his time. He’s feisty but in a loveable sort of way. Danya lost his husband Hans several years ago, but still wants to live life to the fullest, even if he isn’t physically able to do so.

Felix is reminded of the fact that he’s been alone too long. He has no one to miss him, no one to miss. To make matters worse, he’s been invited to the wedding of his friends Ru and Michael, just another reminder of the fact that he’s single. Felix tries to tell himself that it doesn’t matter, that he doesn’t mind, but the truth is that he does.

With the wisdom that comes from living a long life, Danya tells him to try and be impulsive, something that Felix is completely unfamiliar with. When he spots a gorgeous man with hazel eyes named Kevin at Ru and Michael’s wedding, he decides to be impulsive and ask Keven to dance. There is attraction there and Felix thinks it mutual, but someone else asks Kevin to dance and the moment is gone.

Taking Danya’s advice to heart, Felix books a trip to Hawaii over the Christmas holidays. While trying to get to his connecting flight, a snowstorm hits and he’s not able to fly out of Toronto. He spots Kevin and in another spurt of impulsivity, invites him to ride along as he drives to Toronto to catch his flight. Keven agrees and they are only part way to Toronto when they realize that the snowstorm is too much.

They stop and rent a log cabin to try and wait out the storm. Now Felix is stuck with Kevin and the sight of Kevin’s perfect chest in a tight t-shirt. Felix tells himself that it will be okay. He’s alone with a man that he’s attracted to in a log cabin. That’s pretty impulsive, right?

What could possibly go wrong?

My meagre plot summary doesn’t do this novella justice. It doesn’t capture the heart that beats within the words, the characters that live off the page, the storylines that pluck at the heart and evoke emotion. I wait every year for Burgoine’s holiday novella set in the village. It’s how I know that the holiday season has really begun.

Told in present and past storylines, we learn so much about Felix and his relationship with Danya. Though you’re rooting for Felix and Kevin to end up together and the other misfits make appearances, it’s the relationship between nurse and patient that’s really the backbone of this book. Burgoine shows how a relationship can become a friendship, no matter how many years there are between people. Indeed, Danya is like the wise old sense, albeit with a salty mouth and the gorgeous flair of an aged drag queen. Danya is fabulous, there’s no other word for him.

Burgoine manages to make all of his characters shine so brightly, whether they are the main or secondary character. He creates characters that you know completely by the time the book is done and you consider them among your friends. At least I do.

‘Nathan’s makes the magic happen, pure and simple. As the storylines flip back and forth, as Felix and Kevin’s lives intertwine, I was filled with hope. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about? The light of hope that can fill the world and our hearts. ‘Nathan Burgoine brings that light to life in Felix Navidad and my life is richer for it.

Now, my Christmas season can begin…

Thank you NetGalley for giving me early access to "Felix Navidad". Just the kind of Christmas love story I needed about people like me at just the right time of year. I recommend this to all romantics at heart of any persuasion. Short, sweet and fantastic.

Felix Navidad is a holiday romance novella, and I thought it was super cute. I am not the biggest holiday mood person, but I do like a good cozy story, and this one was just that. The story follows Felix, who decides to finally do something for himself and take a trip to Hawai'i. He was supposed to leave the day after his friends' wedding but his flight got canceled. Still planning to make the best of the situation, he plans on driving to another city to catch a different plane and runs into Kevin. Kevin, who he danced with at the wedding, and who is now heading the same way. They decide to travel together, but soon get stuck in a little cabin after ice rain makes it impossible to drive. So now they're stuck together for the holidays, it seems.

This was such a cute story I devoured in one sitting. There are two timelines we follow, the current timeline and Felix going to his friends' wedding, and what happened the year before. I really enjoyed both, and the past timeline really brought a whole new emotion to the story. The novella is pretty short, and I'm trying to keep this review spoiler-free, so I won't be going into too many details.

I really liked all of the characters and the romance here. I usually complain about short stories being too short to properly build a story, but I really can't complain here (even if I do wish it was slightly longer, especially the ending). I always enjoy these inconveniences that bring characters together, such as being snowed in, and there being only one bed (and I did like how this story went about that trope for sure). I really like the past storyline, I loved Danya as a character and I always love reading about older queer people. The friendship between him and Felix was just too precious.

I will say, I haven't read any of the other novellas in this series, so I do think there were references that went over my head. That being said, that didn't negatively impact my reading at all, you can absolutely read this as a standalone, I just imagine it would probably be that much more special if you understood those easter eggs. What I said about the ending, how I wish it was longer is my probably only complaint. While the story didn't suffer from being too short in the building of the plot and the character, the ending felt a bit rushed. There is a jump in time (which is completely fine in general), and while it doesn't necessarily hurt the story I just wish we got to see a bit more of Felix and Kevin's relationship.

All that being said, this was super sweet and I would definitely recommend it if you looking for a cozy, queer holiday romance! It reads super fast, and there is a lot to enjoy!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a cute, light, sweet read. I'm rounding up to four stars. This is the first of 'Nathan Burgoine's books I have read and I will check his other books. I enjoyed the main characters. I liked the extra bit of depth we were able to get from Felix in close third-POV. And I am a sucker for forced proximity to make up for time, so that worked for me too.

Off the top, the acknowledgements/preamble were compelling and it was nice to see some of what inspired the novella to follow. Also, I thought the pandemic was subtly but ably referenced. The author is obviously taking care to be very inclusive in his writing, which I appreciate, but at times it felt a tiny bit shoehorned in. I think this is a challenge for many authors these days - it takes some art, skill and experience to find a balance of acknowledging so many varies important/difficult things in a way that feels fluid with the story.

I'm always tickled to read a book set in places I know - so the Ottawa (and Ottawa to Toronto via Hwy 7 drive) setting was fun for me. At first I had mixed feelings about the flashback device, but it added depth to compensate for the limited length of a novella. And, of course, Danya was a stand out character and I'm glad we got as much of him as we did.

Even thought I have not read the previous related books, I didn't feel like I was missing anything except I didn't totally get why Felix being impulsive was such a *thing*. But, it didn't take me out of the story so no big deal.

Ultimately I'd say this is a lovely little holiday-themed read that's definitely worth picking up.

This was an enjoyable sweet read. I wasn’t entirely sure I enjoyed the two period approach but it made a lot more sense as it went on. And there was actually a bit more action in the earlier period than the later, which again was a bit disappointing until I understood how it all came together.

I requested this book after seeing recommendations on Instagram and am glad I’ve been introduced to this author. There seem to be a LOT of side characters which detracts a bit from the short story/novella length read.

Overall it was sweet read and will especially resonate with Ontario readers. Or anyone who’s ever been stranded in a snow storm.

oh my gosh this was so cute! i’ve been Felix before ahah. i really liked the progression of the novella and i thought the ending was absolutely so adorable!

i really liked the duo timeline, past and present. i felt really drawn to the characters and i loved just how many different identities has been within this novella!

i haven’t read the other books in this Little Village series but i definitely plan to! Felix and Kevin are so cute and i do like the slow burn aspect of the story. also Kevin’s mum! i absolutely adored her, she’s such a sweetheart!

Danya was truly such a brilliant and awe inspiring character, i was captivated by his personality, i love his friendship with everyone around him but especially with Felix!

What a cute little Christmas story! I did wonder for a while why the flashbacks were included, it felt like a completely different story, but I loved how it all linked in the end. I didn't realise this was part of a series but I understood it well enough without reading the rest.

Unfortunately this wasn’t quite for me - I liked the dual timeline and the different perspectives this provided however I found that the romance turned on a bit like a switch and didn’t feel very natural with a lot of chemistry.

I have loved the whole series so far, and this one didn't disappoint. It was beautifully woven together, emotional but not gratuitous at it, and it all just left me wanting more in the best way possible. I want to move into this version of Ottawa and become friends with all these characters!

Just the most perfect little holiday book, I adored this novella! My interest was piqued by the book blurb and this turned out to be so much more than what the blurb promised. Highly recommend this warm and thoughtful holiday romance.

It’s actually hard to say much beyond the description without spoiling things, so I will keep my comments brief but also highlight the elements liked. The story is told from two timeframes, alternating between chapters in the present at Christmastime and chapters progressing through the previous year leading up to the present. I like that the chapters set in the past are shorter than those in the present, so that the story is mostly focused on the present. But those past chapters are also crucial to understanding the overall story and Felix‘s mindset. I also thought the single POV worked well with the novella format. It kept things tight and there are some plot points that benefit from the reader not knowing the love interest’s side of things. The story is a bit of a slow burn but also soft and sweet and very low conflict. What I really love is that this is a story rooted in joy even as there are some sad and introspective moments throughout the book. It’s a bit tricky to pull off a novella given there are fewer pages to reveal the characters and develop the romance. This novella is executed perfectly; pacing, characters, plot beats, everything hit just right and the result is a delightful holiday read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC I received!

This was SO CUTE. I have never read anything by @apostrophen before, and I definitely want to check out more by them.

This novella was so warm and fluffy, with just the right amount of humor and emotions to draw me in. I always worry with novellas that I won't have enough time to fall in love with the characters, but that was not an issue for this book.

Felix and Kevin are so cute together, and I couldn't stop smiling when I was reading this.

This is a great novella, I wish it had been longer. I really enjoyed the way that the author had the two timelines on the go - it gave the story a surprising amount of emotional depth for a shorter piece of work.

Danya was a lovely character. I really appreciated seeing an older queer character. The connection between Danya and Felix was a pleasure to read and a great way for the author to put a bit of a spotlight on the issues that come up for older queer folks.

Lovely and romantic! I could smell the hot chocolate and feel the snowflakes on my face! Beautiful

Thank you Netgalley and Bold Strokes for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

This little novella is just SO sweet. Felix is such a wholesome, beautiful character. He has such a big heart and he’s so loving and giving and caring and ugh. I just loved him so much.

I was really unsure about the dual timeline at the start given how short this book is, but this story absolutely would not have been the same without it. The way the past set up the present was just absolute perfection.

In just 150 pages, this book managed to make me both laugh and cry as well as feel all those warm fuzzy Christmas romance feelings.

Cute story with duel timelines, fun main characters and easy quick read, perfect for Christmas! Getting snowed it sounds fun!

This is the first title in the Little Village series that I have read and I had no problem jumping right into it. I loved all of the side characters and the beautiful and welcoming community that they built in this fictional world of theirs. I will have to go back and read other books in this series because Burgoine writes a really good story.

Forced proximity and one bed trope romance stories rarely make me happy, but this queer holiday romance had me smiling the whole way through. Even through the sad moments, a supportive community made it better.

Felix and Kevin will find love this Christmas with the help of a mischievous matchmaker and inclement weather. A wedding just days before Christmas finds them flying solo and sharing a dance. The next day bad weather will conspire to change their holiday travel plans and bring them closer together as they try to drive through ice storms. When they are forced off the road and trapped in a cozy cabin together their meant-to-be romance will finally blossom.

Recommended for: holiday romance readers; queer romance readers

I received a digital ARC of this novella from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love ‘Nathan Burgoine’s Little Village winter series of novellas, and this might be my new favourite. I teared up a little (good tears), but ended with a smile. I loved how it all came together, how it was packed with both a cozy winter story but also larger parts of the queer community and older queer community, and how sleeping in separate beds was completely normalized and no problem at all. If you liked this (and have read the other Little Village novellas), I’d recommend checking out ‘Nathan’s website where he publishes a yearly queer holiday retelling.

Unfortunately, this book is not for me. There are constant time jumps - one chapter in the present, then one in the past, one in the present, one in the past, etc. - and I personally don't like that. So, while this book is not bad at all (or at least, I haven't read enough of it to judge it in any way), it's just not my style. I hope other people enjoy it!