Romance Readers Retreat: Review: Glass Tidings by Amy Jo Cousins

****3.5 Stars****

I am on the fence still with this one. I’m usually a fan of this authors work, rarely have I not liked her work but on this occasion, there was just something missing for me. Glass Tidings is a Christmassy themed book but one that you could pick up at any time.

I struggled to connect to the characters in this book who were both guarded untrusting men, Eddie a drifter that has never settled anywhere for long and Gray a self-confessed loner and hermit, so I guess it was fitting that I found them hare to get a gauge on. At times, I found the book a little too wordy than was necessary especially as it is told in third POV and we got too much detail on insignificant things than the characters.

Eddie is witness to an incident as he passes through a small town and the local cop enlists Gray to give him a room for the night until he has given his statement pushing these two into a situation that they are not comfortable with. However, they soon find a connection that has Eddie sticking around longer than planned. I just didn’t feel the connection between the two MC’s and it felt a little detached even when they eventually came together, again in fitting with the characters though.

However, I liked the basis of the story and when we got a glance under the skin of the MC’s I wanted them to find a way to get over their issues. I would of liked more communication between them as the conversation was stilted but when they opened up I enjoyed the backstories that they had. It was nice that this angsty story had the fluffy cushion of a Christmassy backdrop, though I never really paid so much attention to decorations before.

The ending felt a little rushed for me but I was happy with the overall outcome of the story.

Reviewed by Vikki Ryan

Eddie Rodrigues doesn’t stay in one place long enough to get attached. The only time he broke that rule, things went south fast. Now he’s on the road again, with barely enough cash in his pocket to hop a bus south after his (sort-of-stolen) car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, Midwest, USA.

He’s fine. He’ll manage. Until he watches that girl get hit by a car and left to die.

Local shop owner Grayson Croft isn’t in the habit of doing people any favors. But even a recluse can’t avoid everyone in a town as small as Clear Lake. And when the cop who played Juliet to your Romeo in the high school play asks you to put up her key witness for the night, you say yes.

Now Gray’s got a grouchy glass artist stomping around his big, empty house, and it turns out that he . . . maybe . . . kind of . . . likes the company.

But Eddie Rodrigues never sticks around.

Unless a Christmas shop owner who hates the season can show an orphan what it means to have family for the holidays.