Rainbow Rowell

Books: Romance | Queer

If the Fates Allow (2021)

This is surprisingly complicated for just 38 pages.

That is, of course, because it's about Christmas, but it's also about the pandemic.

"Hey there!" a man called.

Reagan looked up, and her foot hit a patch of ice. She went down quick, landing on one knee— and then on her hip, and then on the groceries, twisting the whole time to keep the glass pan in the air. "Fuck."

"Holy shit!" the same voice swore. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Reagan shouted from the ground.

"Don't move!" Whoever it was was getting closer.

"You don't move— are you wearing a mask?"

"Oh . .. no."

"Then stay where you are!"

I mean, bits like this:

"Hi, Grandpa," she said. And then she dropped her bags and stepped forward to give him a hug. It took him a second to catch up. Reagan didn't blame him; she hadn't hugged anyone in months.

That was very much me. But at least I live with someone and so wasn't totally touch deprived.

It was cute, but maybe difficult to see so many of the things I've been feeling for the past almost two years in writing.

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

Rating: 7.5/10