The Official Description: We met when you were just a child, but you’re a man now and need my protection.
With Christmas Eve approaching, I’ll watch over you.
Whether you know it or not.
Because no one is allowed to hurt you.
No one but me.
At 20K words, He Sees You When You’re Sleeping is a twisted take on Santa, featuring M/M romance, horror, and the holiday season.
Just the facts: Dark, frightening, violent, and still…Christmas!!!
If you’re like me and have a dark twist to your soul, then you’re going to love this frightening take on Christmas! This book will mess with your head in the best possible way.
– Kinzie Things
My thoughts bit:
This was a fun one – in a very twisted sort of way. I had no idea what this was about when I started reading it, but it was fantastic! This is a perfect holiday read for those who are, like the author, “way more Halloween than Christmas”. I have read a few of Sara Dobie Bauer’s books and I really enjoy her writing style. If you want books that are original, off-the-beaten-path and unexpected then add Sara Dobie Bauer to your to-read list!
I’m not going to get into much detail in my review because I don’t do spoilers – especially when there are delicious twists in a story. This is one of those books you want to go into with no expectations so you can enjoy having your head messed with (in the best possible way, of course.)
This book begins with Kris… he shows up every Christmas Eve even though he doesn’t really have a sense of why. He exists between two worlds… our world and the other… in which he is invisible, and time moves differently. One night he is drawn to the flashing illumination of young Jack. When children still believe in Santa …they glow… but lately so many lights have gone out. And in the midst of all that Jack’s light flickers on and off as he struggles to believe.
With an abusive stepfather and living in a horrible place… jack needs help and Kris is there to give it to him. In fact, an obsession begins for Kris that fateful night and he continues to watch jack secretly whenever he can. He watches, and he keeps watching… and his interest in Jack takes a dark and uncomfortable turn.
For his part, Jack is a sweet soul. He works with young people who are on the streets, no doubt because of his past. He’s intrigued when he meets Kris… at first, of course, he thinks Kris was a figment of his broken mind, but he soon comes to realize he is real. When Kris continues to arrive just in time to save Jack their relationship deepens and twists into something more like possession.
This book is dark, violent and still … caring, intriguing and has a romance that will leave you conflicted! I can’t go on enough about how much I loved this!
This is a novella that I will be adding to my paperback collection. I thoroughly enjoy books that surprise me and He Sees You When You’re Sleeping did just that.
The Author: Sara Dobie Bauer is a bestselling romance author and mental health / LGBTQ advocate with a creative writing degree from Ohio University. She lives with her hottie husband and two precious pups in Northeast Ohio, although she’d really like to live in a Tim Burton film. Learn more at http://SaraDobieBauer.com.
You can get your copy of the book on Amazon: Buy this book
Things You May Want To Know: Please be aware, I’m by no means an expert on what may or may not have the potential to disturb people. I simply list things that I think a reader might want to be aware of. In this book: (SPOILERS) violence, child abuse, extreme violence, explicit sexual content, dubious consent, attempted suicide, death of family members, extreme emotions, a character is confined against his will.
Links: Goodreads // The Author //
I received an ARC of He Sees You When You’re Sleeping by Sara Dobie Bauer from The Author in exchange for an unbiased review.
Kinzie Things 