Scarlet Blackwell

Homeless at Christmas is set in Manchester, England. It’s the story of lonely office worker Neil and homeless Kai. This is told in first person through Neil’s pov.


Well this was a short read. Really, short. So short in fact there wasn’t any character development, more like a brief character reveal.

The following is what the story is about. Neil is wandering around Manchester trying to decide what to do for Christmas, since he’ll be alone. He finds Kai outside a grocery store begging for money. Feeling sorry for Kai, Neil invites him back to his place. Kai thinks it’s for sex which wasn’t Neil’s intention, but the idea grows on Neil. They have sex, hot sex. Kai is going to leave the next day, but Neil breaks down when Kai asks him who he’s going to spend it with. Kai stays, they become a couple, end of story.

That’s it! There’s no character development. We don’t know why Neil has been alone for the last few years and we don’t know why Kai is out on the streets. We get a hint that Kai is a very good cook. Other than they get along very well in the sexual arena, we learn nothing.

I’m disappointed the story wasn’t longer and more fleshed out because the characters seemed interesting, especially Kai. Instead the story is pretty much centered on them having sex and that’s it. Very short, fast read. I can’t give more than 3 Stars because there wasn’t much to the book. Would I read it again? Maybe if the author turned this into a novella, but not as it’s written now.


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