It turned out to be a fabulous weekend for me, in terms of getting my hands on ARCs. I also got one from Kata Cuic for her third release in the Hectic Holidays series. I reviewed the first book, A Bird in the Oven, here earlier and I’ve read the second, Stocking Stuffer, although I didn’t review it.
I continue to be charmed and invested in Ollie and Olivia. They are working so hard to have a healthy, mature, fulfilling relationship and the world is determined to make it difficult for them. Olivia has always known that Ollie falls on the autism spectrum, but she’s learning that there are aspects of his life that she really doesn’t understand. Ollie depends on his logical analyses to navigate real world situations, but now he has to adjust when he learns that some of them are based on incorrect assumptions. And the aspect that makes it feel especially realistic is that I want to beat both their families with a big stick.
I am by no means an expert on neurodiversity, and even if I was, every person on the spectrum is unique, so you can’t write one “right” or “wrong.” But it’s a topic that a lot of people are uncomfortable with and that triggers a lot of big feelings in the community. To me, Ollie comes across as a well-developed and realistic person and I love Olivia for the way she loves him. Kudos to Kata Cuic for writing them both with such care and attention to detail. Their story isn’t done yet, and I look forward to the next holiday!
