Dreamspinner presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6656
Blurb
Heavy rains and strong winds slammed an uprooted tree through Steve Crowell’s roof, leaving a gaping hole to match the one in his heart. After his ex left him for a younger man, Steve’s not sure he’s ready to handle another disaster. His best friend highly recommended the contractor, but the man’s already late, and when he shows up with his music thumping, Steve isn’t impressed—until Riley steps out of his pickup truck. Personable, gorgeous Riley talks a mile a minute, which Steve finds both ridiculously endearing and terrifying. Piecing together a heart isn’t as easy as fixing a roof, but Riley might just be the right man for the job.
Review
(Book reviewed on previous site)
This is a short book where the ending is the beginning.
Instead of being a book about a relationship, this is really and truly just about the beginning of a relationship. Steve is older, has a thing for younger guys, got burned by the last younger guy, isn’t getting any younger himself, and still has a thing for younger guys.
Riley is a younger guy with a thing for older guys. He’s super sweet, adorable, chatty – very chatty – and he lives at home and tries to keep his dad healthy.
Steve is into Riley, but is worried about being burned again. Riley is into Steve, but worries that Steve isn’t into him.
Most of the book is them dancing around this issue. Then – bam – they go on a date.
The End.
So… the end is the beginning.
**
Ummmm, well. How do I rate this?
It was…nice. I’m sure it was making a statement. It was very well written and some people will like that it didn’t do anything besides start the relationship.
Not me. I was disappointed.
It felt like the beginning of a story that got cut off just when it was getting good! I wanted to see where it went and what happened and … well, all the good stuff that goes with that.
But that wasn’t what this was about.
It was man meets boy. Man wants boy. Man finally gets the balls to ask boy out, and he accepts.
So…
I give the author props for doing something different and for setting up an interesting start to a story, but I can’t really recommend it. However, if you are the sort that just loves the “chase” you will be psyched to read this short story.
I give it 2.5 of 5 hearts for being half a story, good, but unfinished.
Audio
Philip Alces isn’t my favorite narrator, but he does a nice job and is easy to listen to. He doesn’t do much with the voices but he does a good with the humor found in this story.
I think that overall the listening improves the entertainment experience.
3.5 of 5 hearts
