Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings

His Last Christmas in London by Con Riley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the swooniest, most romantic festive romances I’ve read. It just melted all my heartstrings and gave me the loveliest warm feeling.

When Ian meets Guy it’s not the best of times for him, he’s facing the thought of having to go back home to Cornwall having failed at his photography career in London.

Of course, there’s way more to it than that, including a machiavellian former agency boss who stole Ian’s work while screwing him over in other multiple ways, as well as a tale of lost love in Guy’s past which means these two are both bruised and aching when they meet.

With guest appearances from characters in one of Con’s other wonderful series’ – see if you spot the link, I’m not spoiling it! – there’s a real sense of a wider world outside the streets of the capital city and a hope that maybe there’s more in the future for this pair.

As Ian and Guy stumble their way firstly into a lustful encounter, all the while thinking this could only be a short-lived fling, it’s obvious that feelings are growing deeply between them.

With Ian’s wonderful flatmates Patrick & Seb (yes Con I NEED their book please) doing their best to keep him in London, the days flash by in a whirlwind of dates, restaurant meet-ups for Guy’s job as a critic, and an unfolding of his past with his late husband which goes a long way to explaining his closed off and seemingly cold exterior.

Of course, Ian soon learns that’s all a front for one of the most kind-hearted, but vulnerable and desperately lonely men he’s ever known. Guy’s nothing like the monster he’s been portrayed as, but is the age gap between them too great, as well as the pending separation?

Well, you’ll have to read and find out won’t you, let’s just say, if the ending of this book doesn’t give you the biggest smile, you’ve got a dead zone at your centre 😉😋

I loved this book beyond words, it’s just the most perfect restorative tonic for the festive season and I love seeing how it so effortlessly gives background to a scene Con’s readers might just have seen in a previous book elsewhere in her back catalogue!

#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review

As ever, I alpha read this book for Con.

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