One of the hallmarks of romance books is the focus on a character who is both a father and a “bachelor”. This helps elevate the storyline beyond the “Happily Ever After” moment and helps illustrate the crucial daily aspects of life that each character must address beyond their relationship.
‘Until December’ checks all the boxes of a book featuring a single dad romance books. December Mayson and Gareth Black’s romance is not the only one that Rose Reynolds highlights in Until December. Gareth’s two sons also help create a second romance that helps elevate the storyline.
- Author:- Aurora Rose Reynolds
- Series:- Until Him/Her Series #8
- Pages:- 247 Pages
- Genre:- Romance, Contemporary, New Adult, Family
- Publisher:- Independently Published
- My Rating:- 4.75 Stars
- Goodreads:- 4.32 Stars
About Until December Book
Until December follows Gareth Black, a dedicated single father raising two boys, aged fifteen and nine. Gareth is not only responsible for his children but also has two jobs, making his life incredibly busy. On top of everything else, he has to deal with an unreliable ex-wife, Beth, who comes and goes from the children’s lives whenever she chooses.
December Mayson is very different from Gareth. She is an elementary school teacher who is reserved, innocent, and someone who likes following the rules. She is also someone who genuinely loves children, which becomes particularly important once Gareth enters her life.
Gareth and December first meet at Sage’s (Book 5) wedding. There is an immediate attraction between them, but December tries her best to stay away from him because of a pact that the sisters made when they were younger. Even when Gareth approaches her and tries to introduce himself, she continues avoiding him.
Things take an unexpected turn when December becomes drunk at the wedding, leaving Gareth to help her and take her to his house. The next morning, December leaves early without properly explaining herself, creating another misunderstanding between them.
When December realises that her efforts to stay away from Gareth have only made things worse, she tries to make things right. Unfortunately, Gareth is already angry and dealing with memories from his past. He warns December to stay away from him.
From there, their story becomes one of reconnecting, forgiveness, family, and getting a second chance at love.
Until December Book Review
Gareth as a Single Father
The character Gareth Black in Until December is one of my favourite father characters in a romance book.
Gareth Black is absolutely not a hero who leaves his children behind to pursue a romance. He is a single parent who places his children above all things. Aurora Rose Reynolds really helped create the narrative that captures the essence of life as a single father and the daily challenges that it presents.
He is taking care of two kids while working two jobs and dealing with an ex who is not involved. Taking everything into account, I think Gareth’s character is more realistic. It indicates that December is not the only one that matters in his life.
He makes the character more interesting because he isn’t a perfect father; he has baggage and makes mistakes, just like the rest of us.
December and Her Relationship with the Children
December was another character I thoroughly enjoyed.
She is reserved and innocent, but her love for children is one of the things that makes her such a good match for Gareth. She never treats his children as something that comes between her and Gareth. Instead, she understands from the beginning that dating Gareth also means becoming part of his children’s lives.
That was something I really appreciated.
December genuinely enjoys spending time with the boys, and her relationship with them develops naturally throughout the book. It never feels like she is simply trying to impress Gareth by being kind to his children. Her affection for them feels genuine.
The two boys are also wonderfully portrayed. They are kind, well-mannered young people who clearly received a positive upbringing from their father. Their presence adds warmth to the story and makes the romance feel like it is becoming part of a family rather than existing separately from it.
Gareth and December’s Romance
The romance between Gareth and December is marked by misunderstandings, emotional complications, and second chances.
Their first meeting is certainly memorable, but things quickly become complicated because of December’s attempts to avoid him and the events that follow the wedding.
What I liked was that their relationship did not simply move forward without addressing the problems between them. They have to deal with what happened, understand each other’s perspectives, and eventually find their way back to each other.
I also liked the fact that Gareth’s relationship with December’s family and December’s relationship with his sons are given importance. It makes the romance feel connected to the larger world around them.
December as a Protective Figure
One of my favourite parts of the entire book is when December goes full Mumma Bear on Beth for trying to harm the children using realms.
That moment revealed a different side of December.
She might be reserved and innocent, but when it comes to children she loves, she is absolutely not someone who will simply stand by and watch something happen to them.
This was probably my favourite part of the book, as it perfectly captured how attached December had become to Gareth’s sons. Her protectiveness felt emotional and satisfying, especially because of how important the children are to Gareth.
It also made me appreciate December’s character even more.
Writing Style
Aurora Rose Reynolds’ writing is clear and easy to understand, which made the book and even the whole Until Him/Her series a comfortable read for me.
The story does not use overly complicated language, and the characters’ emotions are easy to follow. I also liked how the author balanced romance and family elements without making the book feel like it was only about the relationship between Gareth and December.
There are emotional moments, romantic moments, family moments, and some difficult situations, which give the story variety.
A Strong Addition to the Until Series
For readers who have been following the Until Him/Her universe, Gareth is not a completely new character.
He first appeared in Harmony’s and Harlen’s story, Until Harmony (Book 6). However, I do think Until December can be read without having read the earlier book.
That said, because this book is part of the Until Her/Until Him series, which is a spin-off of the larger Until series, I would still recommend reading the books in order if you have the opportunity.
Reading the series in order can help you understand the connections between the characters and appreciate the larger world much more.
Why 4.75 Stars?
‘Until December’ was a joy to read. It earned 4.75 stars with me.
This book had no real shortcomings that I could use as my “least favourite thing”. I enjoyed the characters, and I loved the family unit of this book: December, Gareth and his sons.
Why I lost the other 0.25 star is really due to the ending.
The ending was a bit disappointing after such thoughtful character progression and development. It felt rushed after an urgency and focus became evident to the characters to resolve their issues.
It could have been slightly longer and perhaps more detailed to allow for more closure. It is a minor problem for me; however, I feel the ending could’ve used a touch more polish.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Until December was a great single-parent romance with wonderful, relatable characters designed by Aurora Rose Reynolds.
If you like single-parent romances with the supportive single dad, family romance, protective heroines, second chances and a fun, interconnected romance series, I think you should definitely give this a try.
Have you read Until December yet? If you have, what did you think of Gareth and December’s story? And if you’re already reading the Until series, who is your favourite couple so far?
Please let us know in the comments! We’d love to hear your thoughts.
