Quin Flint is exactly the kind of guy I would love to hate. A self centered guy, who is not only just about himself, he is also all about the job and thinks everyone around him MUST be consumed by work responsibility 24/7.. He is a mean boss, he doesn't interact with his workers in a considerate way and not only that, he is also not that a good friend to his REAL friends.
Quin leaned most of his "mean" behavior from Marley, his boss. She is the real "mean machine", she made him who he is in a way. She gave him a job option with possibilities he hadn't even considered and as time went by he became as driven as her and his compassion and general, well, let's call it "friendliness" started to crumble as he forgot about "life" and became all about "doing his job" in the best possible way so he can get the promotions he has in mind for the next couple of years. Sounds tedious doesn't it? I don't think I'll have the energy to deal with someone like Quin. In a way he is so robotic it's hard to actually relate to his heart aches. Yet there was something about him that felt so LOST. I think he wanted a way out, he wanted something ELSE but since there was nothing "there" he just kept on going full speed, driven all the way - which is his general way of functioning.
Enter Rob Paget, the exact opposite. He is good at his job but it's NOT the most important thing in life for him. When he first met Quin he was VERY interested in him, then he took a job working under him and besides not being able to act upon his "crush" he also got to know him and realized he isn't what he hoped he would be..
When Christmas arrives and with it horrible news for Marley (the big boss), Quin has an opportunity to see how people perceive him - not very fondly.. When he is in a sort of breaking point, Rob is the one who stands there by his side and wants to listen to him (though he didn't do the same just that morning). Rob genuinely wants to find a better person in Quin. It was sweet and heart breaking seeing how Quin realizes the mistakes he made along the way and also him correcting a few of the wrongs in the final chapter taking place a year later.
I couldn't have asked for more, really. Quin NEEDED the wake up call, he also needed someone who would GET him the way he is and yet not "allow" him to put his life aside while he forgets himself in his work. We got to meet Quin's ex - Ben and though it was obvious Ben cared a lot about Quin I think it was also obvious why it was Rob he needed. Rob is just the perfect guy to balance Quin, not letting him forget who he is and what he wants because there is a job to be done.
I don't celebrate Christmas so a lot of the things that refer to this holiday means very little to me, and yet I felt very connected to the whole idea behind this novella. I"m in a certain point in my life where I need to make decisions and plan my future. What I"m trying to focus is on "bettering" myself. I feel as though, like Quin, I just moved on with life without thinking ahead, I just did what was in front of me even though originally I had other plans a bit like the way Quin found himself in a job he is good at but doesn't make him a better person - on the contrary... Also I recently received quite the "slap" in the face which made me re-consider how trusting and giving I "should" be, and you know what? I made a decision that Rob would probably have done - I left it behind me. Yeah there are shitty people who hurt us, but they shouldn't affect our core being which is why I'm NOT going to change who I am and "guard" myself in the future. No, I"m going to be exactly the person I was before. I might be "smarter" - looking closer at the new people entering my close circles but I won't hold back from giving and being there for others. In my personal opinion, whomever misused my trust - lost my trust which is THEIR loss not mine - I just get extra heart to give my true friends :)
I feel as though this short novella somehow validated the whole process I'm going through the past couple of months. It showed me both sides of the coin with Quin and Rob.
Go ahead and grab this short novella, it's such a nice redeeming romance that might start with a self centered douche but ends with someone who is worth loving and cherishing. Yeah we all have our faults but I hope for everyone around me (myself included ;)) they'll have their own kind of Rob who sees the good in them even when they can't.
Additional Details: Kindle Ebook, 74 pages, 28 November 2015 / On GoodReads
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