THE SLOW LANE – Slow traffic on the way home from work is never any fun. Or is it? When the good-looking guy in another car starts flirting with Mia, she ends up enjoying the commute and the surprise it brings.
MY BROTHER THE MATCH-MAKER – Tabby’s brother likes to play match-maker. She insists she doesn’t want his help. Will Tabby have to admit she likes the guy her brother picked for her or will she finally see her good friend as something more?
WAITING FOR THE BUS - Wes isn’t waiting for the bus. He always knows exactly what time it arrives. He knows what time she arrives to wait for it. Can he figure out the mystery woman? And will he have a chance to capture her attention as well as she has captured his?
NOW IS GOOD – Emily and Zane get two chances to meet two years apart. What happens when only one of them remembers the first time?
PIZZA HEAVEN – Pizza Heaven has mouthwatering food and a fun atmosphere. It’s a dream job for most of the college students who work there. Kara in particular doesn’t want to leave and she’s attached to something besides the pizza. The problem? She doesn’t have the courage to tell him.
My Thoughts:
This collection of 5 short stories is aptly named, as each story details "cute" first meetings paired with sweet and creative ways of asking the ever important "will-you-go-out-with-me?" question. From matchmaking, to accidental meetings, and long-held crushes, all of these scenarios are explored in the stories. Each one is very clean, and though they're not overtly Christian or religious, there are light undertones of faith woven in.
Most of the stories use a first person writing style, which I always enjoy as it allows me to feel more connected to the characters. I quite like the unique atmosphere of Amanda Hamm's work; it's uncomplicated while at the same time being very amusing, with subtle (and not-so-subtle) humor woven in through the inner-thoughts of the characters. They seem real--just like average everyday people--which makes it easy to picture yourself in their shoes.
While I thought all of the stories were cute, my favorite by far was "Pizza Heaven." It's been several days since I read it, but my mind continues to go back and revisit the story. The restaurant setting was great fun, and the characters and their personalities were awesome; I was immediately comfortable with them, which made it easy to cheer for and sympathize with them through their ups and downs. "Pizza Heaven" is the longest story in the collection, and while it's very complete and doesn't feel too short, I do admit to wishing it had been longer--simply because I enjoyed it so much! :)
I don't often read short stories as I honestly just finish them too quickly, however I did enjoy this collection. It's easy to be amused by the great bits of banter, sweet and harmless flirting, and one or two humorously awkward scenarios. In keeping with our times cell phones play a big part in two of the stories, and the sheer creativity of how they are used is delightful. If you're a fan of short stories or if you're just looking for something light and fun, this collection is a good one to consider!
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Thank you to the author for providing me with a review copy.
I don't often read short stories as I honestly just finish them too quickly, however I did enjoy this collection. It's easy to be amused by the great bits of banter, sweet and harmless flirting, and one or two humorously awkward scenarios. In keeping with our times cell phones play a big part in two of the stories, and the sheer creativity of how they are used is delightful. If you're a fan of short stories or if you're just looking for something light and fun, this collection is a good one to consider!
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Thank you to the author for providing me with a review copy.
No comments:
Post a Comment