Mending Noel

By: Charlie Cochet

Narrated by: Dave Gillies

Length: 1 hr and 24 mins

Publisher's Summary

All is not sparkly snowflakes and sweet candy canes in North Pole City. Office workers Tim and Noel do nothing all day but antagonize each other - petty fighting that might be based on hatred… or a heated mutual attraction. It's up to Jack Frost and his elf-friend Rudy to broach the hostilities and introduce some Christmas kisses, but is the Frost Prince up to the challenge of launching a new romance when someone's trying to break his holiday spirit?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2012 Advent Calendar package “Evergreen”.

©2012 Charlie Cochet (P)2014 Dreamspinner Press

Cute story but not amazing

A very sweet holiday story... but was I the only one that thought Noel should have done way more groveling?

I love holiday stories. Little seasonal tales of love and forgiveness never fail to put a smile on my face.

This was a really cute audiobook about two North Pole workers. I was actually pretty impressed at the amount of world building involved in this story. This wasn't just a bunch of elves and Santa in the North Pole. There was a whole class system, a more sinister underbelly, and a police-type force in this fictional world. I enjoyed the whole light tone of the story, made even better by a very nice narration from Dave Gillies.

My small issues with the story came with Noel's behavior. I thought that he was grumpy and juvenile to the point where I didn't see Tim's attraction to him at all. I wanted more emotion and more begging for forgiveness from Noel. I also thought that Tim was a bit of a wet noodle. He sort of took everything that Noel dished out and didn't have much of a backbone.

Though the relationship dynamic between the two of them wasn't the strongest, I was still swept away by the story. It was fun escapism and a very nice way to spend an hour or two. It was a cheery listen and just right for the beginning of the holiday season.

**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Fun Holiday story!

Would you consider the audio edition of Mending Noel to be better than the print version?

I never read the print, I quite liked the audio though.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tim, he was bound and determined not to be miserable, though Noel gave it a valiant effort to make sure he was most of the time.

Which character – as performed by Dave Gillies – was your favorite?

All of them, I loved all the different characters and what they brought to the story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It did leave a smile on my face.

Any additional comments?

Mending Noel is a Christmas tale with a fun twist. All your favorite characters like Jack Frost, Rudy, the elves and toy soldiers are people in this version. North Pole City isn't all presents, pretty little elves filling Santa's sleigh and parties with spiked egg nog. Jack Frost is the closeted Prince in a hidden long term relationship with the fastest flyer in the land, Rudy Reindeer. When a couple of residents, Tim and Noel, stumble upon some traitors to the City that seem to be working with the Mouse King, they inadvertently bring Jack and Rudy in on their trouble. The four of them will have to set their differences aside and work together if they are going to save North Pole City from the Mouse King. And more importantly, mend two relationships, one broken, and one bent.

I had so much fun listening to this crazy tale, written by Charlie Cochet and brought to life with Dave Gillies voice. I've always thought that Gillies voice was jolly, upbeat and energetic and all that came through crisply in the story. The twist on the classic tale was odd, but I found myself completely engrossed in the story about five minutes in. I especially enjoyed the little game of cat and MOUSE at the end. See what I did there?

Perfect little Holiday story, well written and well conveyed by Dave Gillies. Left a smile on my face, and I can't wait to start the next story in this fun Christmas themed series.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Happy Holidays!

Any additional comments?

Well, this was definitely a different spin on Rudolph, Elves Toy Soldiers and the Snowman. Lol

The story is kind of wrapped in everything sweet, fluffy, and mean. I enjoyed it and I fell in love with the performer's accent!!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Cute story!

This was a really cute Christmas story. It’s the first I’ve listened to performed by Dave Gillies. I will definitely be listening to the next one in this series.

Such a great holiday short story!

Wow! This was a super funny, super sweet, low heat, hysterical, fast moving, sometimes frustrating, amazingly wonderful little holiday story. Charlie has given us this hysterical almost tongue-in-cheek world of Christmas as an alternate reality.
Noel and Tim are elves, working in a town run by Christmas characters. Santa is the big guy in the sky. Jack Frost is the Prince. Rudy is Jack’s reindeer lover (but he’s a human/elf?). The Tin Soldiers are the good guys and the Mouse King is the bad guy. Cursing is Bah Humbug and Holy Holly! Everyone drinks cocoa and you know when someone is around by the smell of cinnamon.
(In North Pole City Tales #2 we get the backstory for Jack and Rudy.)
The basic conflict is that Tim is being bullied by Noel because Noel has conflicting feelings towards Tim that scare him. When Tim and Noel accidentally catch the interest of the bad guys, they end up being “claimed” by Jack and Rudy and put in their protection. While hiding, they realize they mean more to each other than they thought. (The intimacy is only suggested at, this is a very low heat story.)
Eventually good triumphs over evil and Tim and Noel end up with a very HEA.
The frustrating part of this story is that Noel spends a lot of time being mean, really mean, to Tim and then he suddenly turns on a dime and loves him. So, though it was a short story, I think more time should have been spent making Noel a good guy again. Their love was a bit hard to swallow as I was still kinda mad at Noel by the end of the book, even though I understood why he acted the way he did.
But… the world building was phenomenal and the humor was outstanding and I really am looking forward to Jack and Rudy as they were set up very nicely as an interesting story.
Story 4 of 5 stars

Audio:
David Gillies is a new narrator (I looked him up and he’s new to Audible too.) and he has this FABULOUS British accent that just makes listening to this story delightful. He doesn’t try to do too much to the voices, but he does a nice job making each a little different from the other so you can tell who is speaking.
It made for a very enjoyable listening experience and gave this holiday story a lovely old world feeling that all fairy tales seem to have.
I recommend it with 5 of 5 stars.

Noel is a Bully

Why would target Tim fall for his abusive boss Noel? Charlie Cochet is an interesting author to listen to- but this short story cannot be mended.

Cute Story!

Any additional comments?

FiveStars
**AUDIOBOOK REVIEW**



This was probably one of the cutest stories I've ever listened to. All the references and Christmas-y things were adorable. I loved the entire story start to finish even if it wasn't one of the sexiest stories by Charlie Cochet, it was still wonderful.

Normally I don't particularly care for holiday stories, this was great. It was so happy, yet not. It was believable too.

There was numerous times I was laughing while listening to this book because it was just so perfect and funny.

I can't wait to get further into this series.

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Inked Rainbow Reads.

Noel's Heart Was Nicely Sewn Up

I wish that I'd purchased this before Xmas. Such a heartwarming and charming story. Tim is such a sweetie with a big heart. Glad that Noel came around and ended up being someone worth loving. David Gillies is fast becoming one of my favorite narrators. His voices for Rudy and Jack are quite sexy. I hope we hear more from him.

Ho Ho Ho Frost-tastic!!!

I loved this story. HILARIOUS. What an imagination!? I couldn't stop laughing. Who would think to put all those famous characters of the North Pole into gay roles!? Fantastic. Seriously. I loved the whole idea. I found myself envisioning Jack Frost in army fatigues. And sexy Red Rudolph!!! I couldn't get enough. I don't know if there are more books in this series available on Audible/Amazon, but gimmie, gimmie more! Mayor Cringle... I've been a good girl!!