Short stories seem to be the thing on Joyful Antidotes recently, don’t they? I guess I am starting to enjoy the genre more and more and now I am actually excited when one drops into my inbox. Of course, it is not always the case that they are good but when they are, I just have to share the love.
The latest short story I feasted my eyes was A Strange Affair by Brienne Dubh. It revolves around Ellie Ré who is more interested in focusing on her career than on men. That is until she meets Aaron Strange and begins experiencing dark desires she never knew were within her. Aaron is also not looking for a serious relationship so how will things work out as they become increasingly more attracted to each other?
This is such a quick read; I think I completed it in about two hours, which is a good sign, in my opinion. It was smoothly written and while the story wasn’t long, there was enough in it to allow you to form some sort of feeling toward the characters. Not that it took me long to figure out that I would instantly run a mile from someone like Aaron. Saying that he wasn’t all that he seemed… Ellie’s friendship circle warmed my heart and it left me with a deep gratitude for friends who are always there through thick and thin. Not bad for 82 pages, huh?
My favourite character, though, was Ellie herself but not because of her personality, but what she represented in the book. A Strange Affair is a sweet romance story but is also a modern one. Dubh is very open in her writing when it comes to female sexuality and lust. Although the prude in me was initially shocked, I have the uttermost respect for Dubh opening wide this taboo subject. What Dubh portrayed was an accurate description of sex and relationships in 2017 from a female perspective. But what she did even more brilliantly was help to erase the feelings of shame that women who have open and healthy sexual relationships are expected to feel.
Thanks Brienne for writing this book. I look forward to your next offering.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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