A Family for Christmas

By: Jay Northcote

Narrated by: Mark Steadman

Length: 4 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Zac never had a family of his own, but Rudy has enough to share.

Shy, inexperienced Rudy has a crush on Zac from the moment his new colleague walks through the door. On an office night out before Christmas, Rudy finds the courage to make a move, and they form a tentative bond. When he discovers Zac will be alone at Christmas, he invites Zac to come home with him.

Zac prefers to keep people at arm's length. Yet when Rudy offers him a family Christmas it's impossible to resist. With no parents of his own, Zac is pleasantly surprised to be welcomed by Rudy's. The only drawback is that everyone assumes they're a couple. Unwilling to disappoint Rudy's mum and make Christmas awkward, they decide not to deny it.

It's not a chore for Zac to pose as Rudy's boyfriend, but the pretense makes him want things that scare him-things like a real relationship with Rudy. Zac's suffered enough rejection in his life already and is afraid to risk his heart. If he can get over his past rejection and let Rudy inside his armor, he might get more for Christmas than he ever imagined.

©2016 Jay Northcote (P)2017 Jay Northcote

Perfect Christmas Audiobook to Enjoy!

A Family for Christmas was one of my earliest Jay Northcote books and I loved it! His books are wonderful especially his Christmas stories :) This was the first time listening to an audiobook narrated by Mark Steadman and I enjoyed his pleasant British voice. Very well-paced and lovely. Rudy is a shy guy who has a crush on his anti-social coworker, Zac, who shuns hanging out with the others at work. After too many drinks at their office Christmas party, Rudy invites Zach back to his flat and they spend the night together sleeping off their hangovers.

The next day Rudy finds out that Zac will be alone for Christmas so he invites him back to home to spend the holiday with his family. Zac has always been an outsider so he accepts the invitation with some awkwardness and uncomfortableness. He quickly discovers that Rudy's family is large, welcoming, loving, and very warm. After a misunderstanding, Rudy's mother believes they are dating and Zac agrees to go along with the pretense. Along the way, both guys find that they have crushes on the other and keep the farce going. Zac discovers that he does in fact deserve love and Rudy is more than ready to give him all the love he needs. Lovely, endearing, warm, and wonderful audiobook! I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to listen over and over again :)

Warm Christmas Feels

This story had an interesting premise where Zac enjoys a Christmas Holiday with Rudy, his co-worker. I am from the states and I love all things British. I enjoyed hearing about the meals and holiday games and even the drafty old farm house--but that was just wonderful window dressing to the overall story of 2 guys who saw themselves as misfits finding they truly enjoy one another and are not just attracted to the outside. Both characters explained a wonderful vulnerability for where they were coming from into this new potential relationship. This book definitely had hot moments as well--IMO made hotter because they were falling for each other. I noticed other reviewers mentioned an issue with the narrator and I just wanted to say that I had no notable issues with the narration of this book. I was very pleased--but then again, I could have just been seduced by the accident, Reading this at Christmas and with one of the main characters as Rudy who was a bit shy did remind me of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer--but that is clearly just me because I have been listening to way too much Christmas music : )

A Touching Christmas Story

Having overindulged at the office Christmas party, Rudy winds up leaning on his standoffish officemate Zac and instead of leaving well-enough alone, Rudy – realizing Zac will be alone for Christmas, invites the young man home with him. And, to the shock of both men, the anti-social Social Media Manager accepts. They work together at an LGBTQ support program called Rainbow Futures. Their co-workers are people from across the spectrum and that is awesome without being contrived.

This is a wonderful Christmas story, a perfect, happy tale coming at a time when things aren’t always nice in the real world. Authors can give us a few hours when we can check out and step into…say, a small village in rural England – an idyllic setting for a Christmas story – hearth and all.

Zac is fighting the feeling of being an outsider and interloper in this small village. Then, a little critter comes into his life to remind him what is really important.

Rudy and Zac are great characters as they are both coming at the relationship from different places. Rudy is inexperienced while Zac is jaded. But some honesty moves the relationship to a deeper level than either had envisioned.

Mark Steadman is a great narrator and I love the British accent, easy to understand, reminiscent of the great British actors.

Oh, and I love how Die Hard is now considered a Christmas classic movie…

Sweet Holiday Story, Nice Job by M. Steadman

Very sweet! It's been way too long since I've read a Jay Northcote book. Or in my case, listend to... and the bonus, A Family for Christmas is performed by Mark Steadman (whom I really enjoy).

A holiday, friends to lovers, fake relationship trope - lovely!

Simply Adorable

This book is just so so adorable. I was having some tough days and turned to fluffy audiobooks to try to improve my mood. This one is just so sweet, very sliiiightly angsty, and just so adorable. It is heart-warming and wonderful, and Mark Steadman does an amazing work (although he does go a bit heavily on pauses sometimes).

I am happy to say that the book definitely improved my day <3

sweet holiday romance

Jay does it again. I love all his stories.
Rudy and Jay work together but don't interact. The night out with the office changes all that.
Holidays at family home changes everything.

Sweet Christmas story

I don’t usually read Christmas stories, but I received this audiobook with a promise of an honest review. I loved Rudy and Zach, and I thought their shy, awkward relationship was honest.and they were very likable. The descriptions of Rudy’s family and the Christmas celebration was easy to imagine. And I really enjoyed the narration. It all came together as a sweet, delightful way to spend a few hours.

heartwarming...

I really enjoyed this quality quick listen. Rudy and Zach make you root for them from the beginning.

A wonderful bit of Holiday cheer

This was such a lovely little story about two men who struggle with connection. Rudy is super-shy, and although he loves his job at Rainbow Futures (a youth-services organization working with LGBTQ youth) and has overcome the shyness with most of his coworkers, the new guy—who is super-hot—leaves him completely locked inside himself.

It doesn't help that Zac never involves himself with any of the rest of them. He does a great job as the social media manager, but he is the least social person around. That Zac's history has taught him this is the only way to stay safe is beside the point.

When a holiday party, a bit too much tequila, a kiss, and an offer made in the spur of a moment combine to push Zac and Rudy together for the holidays alongside Rudy's odd (and awesome) family. After that? It's all up to some holiday magic, and maybe a kitten.

Extra props for the queer content, too: this is a rare story where queer moves beyond &quot;two men falling in love&quot; and includes trans and bi characters actually, y'know, existing in the world.

I listened to this on audiobook, and while the performer was good, there was some oddness with how he paused mid-sentences that I found a bit distracting. The characterization, on the other hand, was solid, and I loved his voices for the various characters, so I tried to ignore the distracting pauses, and it didn't knock me out of the narrative.

Sweet little Christmas Story

Sweet little Christmas Story that will make you rejoy.
Rudy has a big family to share, Zac has no family at all but he will learn hiw to be loved by one... and by Rudy.
I had some diffuculties at the beginning, I am not used to a real English accent I'm more of an American accent) and English is not my mother tongue but after a bit the listening got perfect.
Loved it.