A Present In Swaddling Clothes (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
Short story about... well, accepting to raise a newborn baby when you have NEVER wanted to have a baby at all. Sammy and Josh have been together for 15 years I think, and from the beginning, Sammy told Josh that he didn't want kids at all. So Josh had to let go his dream of being a father in order to be with Sammy and he was OK with that. Problem arises when Josh's mentally ill sister, single mum Nicky, gives birth to a baby girl. Nicky is unable to look after the baby and has chosen Josh as the baby's guardian if anything happens to her. But how can Josh take in his baby niece when being a parent is not what Sammy signed for? What I liked about this story: - Josh respected Sammy's decision not to have kids no matter how much he wanted to have one.- Josh knew that if it came to make a choice between Sammy and the baby he would chose Sammy, no matter how much he felt bound to help his sister and no matter how much he already felt attached to his baby niece. - When Sammy finally decided to take in the baby it was HIS decision, a decision based not on Josh's feelings, but on the love Sammy himself had developed for the baby. I didn't find the story sweet in spite of the baby and Christmas themes because:- the story doesn't have cute baby scenes - the story is on the angsty and serious side However, the story has a happy and satisfying end. I was looking for a sweet, feel good, Xmas-themed story but sadly didn't find that in this book. The "too perfect" MCs (great house (with not one but two perfect Xmas trees), great friends, great parties) just didn't feel right to me. Despite saying the baby came first it was really the baby came last. Poor little thing almost died and it wasn't even mentioned in the 911 call, her uncle says she's so important but if he has to choose between her and his partner she'd lose and then at the end it seems the partner decided it was okay to keep her because the sister-in-law wanted her and he didn't like her. WFT?? Where was my feel good story? I really enjoy reading Mr. Grey's stories but this one was just a big disappointment.
What do You think about A Present In Swaddling Clothes (2011)?
There is a good premise here, but something is missing. It just did not quite click with me.
—rogue_nettie
