Faris is a Lebonese man doing his family duty to travel back to the homeland in the wake of his grandmother’s death. She had passed away a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving and Faris’ parents are unable to travel back to manage her estate. He’s just finished all of these tasks and is at the Beirut airport to fly back to Boston, for Thanksgiving with his family, when his flights are cancelled. He’s stranded and unwilling to contact his relations for another night’s stay–they’re crowded into their homes and he’s all peopled out. While waiting to re-book for the next day, he meets Charlie, a sexy American whose flight is also cancelled.

They think they get reservations for rooms at a nearby hotel, and share a cab there, but it turns out the rooms were all booked up, and only one remains. So, Faris, with his better Arabic, makes a deal to book it–and offers Charlie the room to share. There’s only one queen bed, but as the night wears on these men share a lot of truth, developing camaraderie. Faris is bisexual, having had relationships with men, women and non-binary people back in Boston. He’s certainly attracted to Charlie, but believes he’s straight. Charlie offers to sleep on the floor, and while Faris starts out with this idea he eventually caves to offer Charlie half the queen bed.

Their intimacy deepens as the night wears on. And it leads to some sexytimes. The next morning is awkward–made worse when Faris calls for a clean break. Faris kicks himself over and over for his shortsightedness, and wishes he could have kept contact with Charlie, but a lucky break reuinites them, just in time for turkey dinner. It’s short and bittersweet, with a fun and charming ending. I liked how Faris was a bit of curmudgeon, and he had several changes of heart in the course of about two days. In the end, it’s super sweet and happy with Charlie bringing much needed lightness into Faris’ sheltered world.

A lovely short story about home with a thanksgiving theme.

Faris is in Lebanon to sort out his grandmother's estate. He doesn't really miss the country of his birth, although he is glad to be able to visit. The US is home for him and he is looking forward to all the family preparations for thanksgiving back in the US. Faris is annoyed when his flight home to the US is cancelled and all the hotels are full. He is tired and dreading going back to his Lebanese relatives and so he is thankful when he manages to get a room in a nearby hotel and because he knows how difficult it is he offers his assistance to a fellow traveller from the US.

Charlie is searching for home. Although he is from the US his father was Lebanese and he went to Lebanon to find his roots and to find out more about his father who died when he was a toddler. He doesn't feel that he fits in with his mother's side of the family and he needs to find out more about his Lebanese heritage. He needs to find home.

When both men find themselves stranded at the airport Faris allows Charlie to share his hotel room. Both men are attracted to each other and one things leads to another but can a one night stand be anything other than a one night stand? Can a one night stand ever lead to home?

As the two men exchange their stories and histories, Faris holds back because he doesn't see the need to take things any further, than one night, but another chance meeting has both men reconsidering the possibilities and perhaps Charlie might also begin to find a home at thanksgiving.

I enjoyed this. Although it is a short story it is told really well and both characters come to life in the story in a way which evokes memories and feelings about needing to get home especially after long travels. Charlie comes across as bereft and a little lonely while Faris comes across as being very self-sufficient and secure because he knows where home is for him. Both Lebanon and the US are home to him, although his ties to the US are stronger. Charlie comes across as lost. Neither the US nor Lebanon are home for him and his character comes across as adrift.

And then the two men meet.

I really enjoyed this short story and I wanted to know more and to see if the two men would eventually become home for each other. I liked it because of the way it evokes the need that each of us has for home and belonging, and because it has a hopeful ending which is just right for a short story.

Copy provided by Nine Star Press via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Faris is going home to take care of his grandmother's estate, but this extended family makes the trip hard on him. Charlie is trying to connect with a part of himself that he has never really got to know.

This was a good quick read that shows two guys from very different backgrounds finding common ground in a short amount of time and finding a connection.

Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with this story because I didn't like the content. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A really adorable short story. It's set at Thanksgiving but can be read at any time.
Cancelled planes, one hotel room, one bed. The story is a trope in itself but the delivery of it is lovely with characters who aren't perfect but are perfectly endearing.

Fade to black as suits the story length, with a HFN ending. I'd have happily read a novel (or at least a novella) length story about these two.

A quick, sweet Thanksgiving story. I read it in bed while stuffed full of good food, and it was the perfect end to a lovely holiday. I highly recommend that as the best way to read this delightful story!

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.

First let me say I love this cover! Second, I loved these two guys!! They are adorable! The instant attraction is palpable and I loved reading this story. I wish it was a bit longer that’s all!! But the book was very good and I didn’t want to put it down! Yes Faris was an a$$ for not speaking up and giving Charlie his number grrrr….lol….in the end though hopefully it all works out for these two!!

Thank you for this cute story of two men, looking for love and possibly finding it! Hoping there is more more more!!!

Faris and Charlie are strangers who meet in an airport because 😱 gasp 😱 each of their respective flights to go home for the holidays have been canceled.

Guess what happens next... 😱 gasp 😱 ALL of the hotel rooms are booked except one. And 😱 OH! NO! 😱 there's only 😱 ONE BED. 😱 Whatever shall they do? I guess you'll have to read to find out how it all ends. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Seriously, though. Please give me a longer story. I want all the cliche holiday fluff. How did the holidays go? Do they travel back to where they first met in the future? Do they take yearly trips to Aley? I need to know these things, dude.
Checked Baggage is too short. 😫😔💕📚 

*Thank you Netgalley, for giving me an arc.*

* 3.5/5 *

Classique mais efficace, cette histoire de rencontre dans un aéroport fait bien le job. Les personnages sont charmants, mais j'aurais aimé savoir comment Charlie perçoit les choses, puisque la nouvelle, bien qu'écrite à la 3ème personne, est entièrement focalisée sur le POV de Faris. Une histoire sympa, avec un contexte original (le Liban comme racines communes, d'ailleurs, en parlant de racines, l'emblème du Liban est un cèdre ^^) qui me laisse toutefois sur ma faim, parce que j'aimerais bien savoir ce qu'il va advenir de ce "couple"là ...

A short but sweet holiday romance. In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I love curling up to an easy to read story and this is exactly that. With that being said, after reading many books with similar premises, it is forgettable.

I had issues getting into the storyline.

It all seemed to happen too quick. It was a very short story.

Checked Baggage was a quick fun holiday read of how the crazy bustle of the holidays can lead to the most unexpected and wonderful meetings! I Loved every second of this story can't wait for more holiday fun from Nine Star Press!!