A NIGHT OWL REVIEWS BOOK REVIEW | Reviewed by: Lilyraines
Miles is recovering from a heart attack at a semi-remote cabin per his doctor's orders. In fact, the cabin is Kurt's (Miles' doctor) and he told Miles that, unless he learned how to slow down, he would have another heart attack.
Drew is a former surgeon who gave up his field of practice involuntarily and bears the scars as to why. Since that "incident", Drew has been living in a cabin the next hill over from where Miles is staying and Kurt has asked Drew to keep an eye out for Miles.
The two have a distant, non-verbal interaction until a storm hits and things change. But will they change for the better or for the worse?
Reading these characters' interactions - from Drew trying to ignore Miles, to Miles having none of it in his own way - and the progression of how their thoughts change, to reading how those changing thoughts translate into actions made this a wonderful little novella. If there is one quibble to be had, it is with the way the story ended. I understand that it originally appeared in an anthology and that there was, more than likely, a certain word count involved. I can really appreciate and respect that. However, the ending still seemed a trifle abrupt. While it gave the novella a definite ending, it seems as if there may have been things left unsaid, undone, and unexplored that left me wondering if - perhaps - there would be something more from these characters at a future date. The ending aside, Start from the Beginning was a very enjoyable read that I did not want to end.
Apr 26, 2010 | 978-1-61581-401-5
5 = Rare - Top Pick | 4.5 = I Loved It - Top Pick | 4 = Good Solid Read
3.5 = Enjoyable | 3 Stars = OK - Needs a few changes | 2 Stars = It just didn't click / DNF
Book Blurb for Start from the Beginning
Page Count: 85
m/m, contemporary
A heart attack leaves Miles wrangling with a slow recovery and a quiet retreat, just one cabin down from wounded warrior Drew. Although he's unhappy to have his solitude invaded, Drew finds himself fascinated with Miles, but he can't bring himself to push aside his skittish nerves. Both men fear rejection for different reasons, and it will take a real change of heart to seek the acceptance they crave.
Reprint: This short story was originally published in the Dreamspinner Press anthology Size Still Matters.
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