I don’t even know what to say I’m just so happy!
From This Window Reviews!
Description:
Agoraphobic Lucas Davidson spends his days watching people from his window, taking detailed notes of what he thinks their lives are like. Occasionally he'll go downstairs to the Da Vinci Café and fulfill his quota for human contact. That’s where part-time clerk Jeremy Roberts meets him. Lucas intrigues him, so Jeremy coerces him into attending a Christmas Eve party, and one night of fun turns in to a morning of choices. Can Lucas accept the colorful world Jeremy shows him, or do his introverted issues run too deep for anyone to help him?
ERIN’S OPINION: Lucas hates Christmas. He hates the noise and the bright colors and the crowds, but that doesn’t stop him from taking it all in from his window. He sits there every day, watching and making notes about the people who walk past his apartment. He takes special note of a certain barista who works in the coffee shop downstairs. Jeremy also happens to be his neighbor. Jeremy manages to drag Lucas to his Christmas Eve party and in that one night, things begin to change for Lucas. This was a wonderful story. Lucas is cranky and surly and just generally a Scrooge, but you can’t help but love him anyway. He’s one of those characters that if he’d been written even slightly differently, the reader wouldn’t feel that connection with him. Diana Jean has created characters you can’t help but sympathize with. Jeremy is charming and kind, and the perfect match for Lucas. The two are so well-balanced, and the discovery Lucas makes towards the end of the story made me love them both that much more. There was plenty of romance, and although I wish it had been longer, the development of the characters throughout the plot was incredibly satisfying. All in all, this is a beautiful story, and I will be looking for more from this author.
Lena Grew Reviews From This Window
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines agoraphobia as: "Abnormal fear of being helpless in an embarrassing or unescapable situation that is characterized especially by the avoidance of open or public places." Lucas Davidson, of 'From this Window', has been on the inside looking out for years, afraid to leave his apartment for any length of time. He prefers to observe people through his window, watching them rather than interacting with them. But Lucas isn't happy in his solitude; although he says he prefers to be alone, he's actually quite lonely and trapped in a prison of his own design. Agoraphobia is not something you can just get over by deciding you are going to start going out again. It's a crippling fear. Fortunately for Lucas, he meets Jeremy Roberts who, in spite of Lucas's unwelcoming demeanor, sees beyond his dark despair, finds a person worth knowing, and continues to engage him until Lucas finally gives in and takes a chance on trying to live again.
This is a short, but engaging love story between two very different men who, despite all obstacles, work well together. It also tackles the tough subject of acrophobia which like other phobias, simply can't be willed away. My personal experience with this debilitating malady gives me a special perspective and I think that Diana did an excellent job of presenting it. I recommend this to everyone who enjoys reading stories which portray characters going from despair to hope. Thanks, Diana, for the entertaining and enlightening story.
Nina and Beans Reviews From This Window
Nina: A brief view into two men’s beginning with the hope for more. For healing, for change, for purpose and balance, for love. The beginning of possibility. Choices have to be made by both men.
I really appreciated the deft handling of some very serious issues in this story. I liked that there was also humor, fun, holiday revelry and the lightest touch of sexy heat between the men.
I was rooting for Lucas to allow Jeremy to pull him back into life. I loved that it was up to Lucas and that he wasn’t immediately fixed. I enjoyed the photography elements and what they lent to the story.
A diverse addition to the Heartwarming Advent Calendar.
Beans: The Advent anthology this year is all about heartwarming comfort. This novella was a fine example of it.
Lucas is broken. He is self-confined to his home and the coffee shop under his apartment. His pain is beautifully written and although his behavior isn’t kind or compassionate, we see the why behind it and I feel for him. I grieved for his loneliness.
Jeremy is a fun, vibrant young man who not only has caught Lucas’s notice but also takes care of him as much as he is able. I love that it’s mostly by paying attention. He pushes Lucas, and pulls him to a party. The way that Jeremy was able to both comfort and lead Lucas but also allow him his feet was well done.
This story is short. It will fly by. But sometimes its the short works that are the best. I enjoyed every word.
