Review: 4.5 stars. A very sweet story about second chances (a couple of spoilers in the review)
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 12, 2011
4.5 stars.Stories about ex-lovers are my favorites.After dramatically breaking up with his partner, Mitch flies to Texas to take care of his father's farm. His father died 6 months before and Mitch didn't even go to his funeral, after running away from his home to pursue his dream of becoming a ballet dancer. On his way to the farm, he has a weird car accident and is helped out of the wreck by Web, his first love.Mitch is a hotheaded man with a penchant for dramatic exits. He is not very likable at the beginning, because he is bitter, high strung, emotionally detached on the outside, he seems almost numb. As the story goes on, we begin to see the the little cracks and insecurities in his personality. Even if Web seems to want to keep his distance, there are small signs of warmth toward Mitch and Web's proximity seems to melt Mitch and give him a new focus.I really appreciated the small age difference between Mitch and Web, because it doesn't amount to much in the present, but four years could be significant when you are 18/22. I liked it because when Mitch and Web's separation happens, they're both very young, and inexperienced of the world, and uncompromising like people are when they are young, but Web is a bit older and already pursuing a career where being gay could be a problem, so I could really understand the reasons why he said no to Mitch back then. I could also understand Mitch's desperation (as in loosing all hope, like Harper Fox explains in her story in the same anthology), that makes him bolt and flee without looking back.There are all these little moments and details that make the story so precious - Mitch's father's box, townspeople knowing you because you are the child or grandchild of someone and not for what you've achieved in your life, holding on to one's hopes and dreams like both Web and Mitch did.There is a little something that sounded too dramatic in my opinion ***spoiler***the Texas Rangers being injured***end spoiler***, because I think maybe with a longer story it could have had a better effect, and little things that were like loose threads ***spoiler***for example Web's sister's boyfriend being a journalist; I think the ex-lover reappearance with the news of Mitch landing the Swan's role was needed but it was so quick it left me unsatisfied***end spoiler***. Yes, my little frustration lies in not having a longer story, complete with the guys' background, because I found myself perversely interested in Mitch and Web's relationship when they were younger, I read waiting for the little glimpses on their past.A very sweet story about second chances.