Review: Fun and amusing, a nice light reading collection
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 20, 2013
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!4.5 stars. I was provided with a review copy, however all the stated opinions are my own.