Review: Highly recommended
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 10, 2013
Brian Christie is in love with his foster brother Varro, has been since the moment they first met when Varro's love of high adrenalin and adventure launched him into a tree, a feat which in turn introduced Brian to the rest of the Dacien family. Varro's love of speed and adventure never died, and now grown up he races motor bikes for a living, living hard and fast with his bikes and the groupies that surround him.Brian, realising that his love will always be unrequited walks away from his foster family, leaving Varro to follow his own path. He avoids family get togethers so he doesn't have to explain why he stays away until Varro's first bad accident, then unable to resist a guilt inducing plea from his foster mother to keep Varro safe Brian joins Varro's team on the motor cycle circuit to watch over him. Being near Varro, but not with Varro, is torture and eventually Brian walks away for good, has to walk away for his sanity. Finally Varro realises what he's lost, and what he's been running from the whole time, but can he convince Brian to give him a chance, give them a chance?Heart of the Race is a short story, part of Dreamspinner's Daily Dose stories, but you would never know it. Mary Calmes packs so much detail and backstory into the pages that the reader feels immersed in Brian's life. I also loved all the description we get of the world of motor racing, which I found fascinating. Mrs Condit Recommends photo mrscrecommends2_zps98e844fe.jpgThe story is told mainly from Brian's POV but he was an easy narrator to follow. The story of his love for Varro and how it almost destroyed him is eloquently told and at first it seems that Varro is the only one to do wrong but that's not the case, Brian eventually realises he has to take responsibility for his own feelings, and how be decides to deal with them, and that's when he walks away. Its only when he's given up on any future with Varro that Varro turns up ready to declare his own intentions. The angst is believable as are the conversations they eventually have, and the ending is immensely satisfying. For such a short story Mary Calmes has given us a beginning, a middle and an end, not an easy task in under 19000 words.I highly recommend Heart of the Race. Read it, you won't be disappointed,Originally reviewed at Mrs Condit & Friends Read Books.