Nici’s Christmas Tale by Jean Gill @writerjeangill

Book Description:

A stand-alone short story in the multi-award-winning Troubadours Quartet series
1157: Aquitaine At midnight on Christmas Eve, while the blizzard blasts snow through every crack in the castle walls, Nici the Shepherd’s Dog stands guard in the sheepfold.
   Beside him as usual are his pack and the flock they protect but this night is not usual at all. A small boy braves the snowy night, seeking the protection of his great friend while he is banned from his parents’ quarters in the castle.
   Nici recalls other times and other dangers, his trials and failures, the reasons why he ran away with a young girl, now the little boy’s mother. He would still give his life in a heartbeat for Lady Estela. And yet, on this snowy night, he cannot help her. So, while he waits and comforts Estela’s son, he tells his own puppies the story of a dog’s life.

My Thoughts:

Nici’s Christmas Tale is a short story in the Troubadours Quartet series. I haven’t read any of the other books in the series so can definitely say it reads well as a stand alone.

The story is set at Christmas where Nici tells his pups a story of when he was younger. I could actually feel the cold more when reading this story and it’s a good little read to curl up with a blanket and a nice hot drink. It’s a story that would appeal to young adults and adults a like.

It certainly left me intrigued as to what the other books in the series are like as I enjoyed the time period of when the story was set.

Nici’s Christmas Tale is a story that is ideal for fans of historical fiction and who are looking for a festive read. I liked how the main character was an animal and how it is suitable for a wide age audience as some books with animals definitely tend to be for more younger readers. A captivating short story.

My thanks to Anne Cater for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

Nici’s Christmas Tale is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an affiliate link).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jean Gill is a Welsh writer and photographer living in the south of France with two scruffy dogs, a beehive named ‘Endeavour’, a Nikon D750 and a man. For many years, she taught English and was the first woman to be a secondary headteacher in Wales. She is mother or stepmother to five children so life was hectic.
Publications are varied, including prize-winning poetry and novels, military history, translated books on dog training, and a cookery book on goat cheese. With Scottish parents, an English birthplace and French residence, she can usually support the winning team on most sporting occasions.
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Twitter @writerjeangill