What a cute story. Actually, it's more than that, since it carries a message about hope and the need to carry on living. John's inability to move on is crippling him, and the way he begins to change is very well shown. And all of it s done with a light touch that still let me understand exactly where John stands and how far he has to go. The sense of humor provided by Bernie balances out the sadness really well, and, without really noticing when it changes, the story slips into "there is hope for the future" mode.

John has been mourning his lover's death for over two years. His friend Sylvia is trying to get him to date again, but John isn’t ready. The thing is, some people mourn so deeply that, left to their own devices, they would never be ready. John is one of those. He himself acknowledges in a moment of honesty, that his lover told him to move on, begged him not to remain alone. But John just cannot get himself to do it.

Along comes Bernie, the blind date Sylvia arranged for John. Bernie is physically exactly John's type, even though he is a mega-klutz, but there is something a little odd about his statement he never watches TV. I loved John's efforts to draw a "confession" out of him, but he doesn't relent. Not until they end up at his house, and he refuses to let John inside for fear of him discovering how much of a nerd Bernie is. John takes it all in stride, not being much different himself.

If you like stories about overcoming loss, if you enjoy reading about two men who are only at the beginning of getting to know each other yet it's obvious they're a great fit, and if you're looking for a cute read that will make you laugh and give you hope, then you will probably like this short story.



NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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