4 out of 5 stars
Ebook, 21 pages. Published December 1st 2018 by Dreamspinner Press LLC
Blurb:
For the first time ever, Shane is not looking forward to the annual Boxing Day barbecue at Matty’s house. He recently divorced, none of his friends know what to say to him now, and Shane is tired of the pity and awkwardness. Things take a turn, however, when he meets Matty’s English cousin. Neil is struggling with the Australian heat, having left the UK after a bad breakup. When Shane suggests the two of them head to a secluded beach to cool off, the growing intimacy between them might make both reassess their current situation.
A Story from the Warmest Wishes: Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar
Likes:
- Cute.
- Short.
- Good sense of Australia.
- Interesting characters.
- No wasted words.
- Sweet ending.
Dislikes:
- Maybe too short.
This is my first time reading anything by Asta Idonea, and I have to say this story really whetted my appetite for more. One of my favorite things about short story compilations like Warmest Wishes is getting a quick introduction to new authors, and I’ll definitely have to check out more from Idonea.
The story is short – a mere 21 pages – and while that space is put to good use, with no meandering setting descriptions or pointless tangents, I do wish the story had been longer. It’s basically about Shane and Neil meeting for the first time and sparks flying. The relationship is hinted at with the ending, but not shown at all.
As a sweet short story, it’s great, and I have no major complaints. I did have to look up one phrase to find out what it meant, since the story is set in Australia. “He’d definitely have a snag or two before he departed.” I had no idea that “snag” was slang for sausage. At first I wondered if it was a typo.
The Australian setting and slang really added to the overall ambiance. It was peppered in throughout, without dwelling on any one thing for too long. Shane and Neil were interesting characters, and had a few funny moments, as well as feeling real. It was a great balance, developing them just enough to make them fleshed out without going into any backstory that wasn’t necessary. If Idonea can make characters feel interesting in such few pages, I have high hopes for her longer novels.
Find the Warmest Wishes anthology review here and the full list of stories here.
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