Review: Good Read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 28, 2014
There are some short stories that don't feel short and others that do, this was one of the ones that do. I'm usually not a fan of the widow stories because authors tend to have the characters move on too fast or create a flaw in the deceased to make the newcomer look better. But I'm a fan of Ms. Pace so I decided to give this a shot. I wouldn't say I regret my decision,  but there were some things that reminded me of why I don't do these types of stories in the first place. I think Rose jumped into a relationship too quick. I think it was like six months to a year or so after her husband died before she was telling Michael she loved him and dating him exclusively. You can't help who you love and when you fall in love, but when you write a blog talking about how sad you are since your husband died and your kid went to college, it made me wonder how much of it was Michael and how much of it was the companionship. Also at times it read like a PSA to stop smoking, which is a good message, but was a bit much to make literally everyone in the story, except Rose, a smoker. Lastly, I felt that the page of conflict was completely unnecessary, it just further made the story read like a PSA. Overall, I still got what I expected to get from a good Pepper Pace story. There were two flawed main characters that seemed to make each other better. I liked that they both got a second chance at a new life and I liked the descriptions of art and tattoos. Good, quick read.