Pool Hall Green
by Sara Bell
My review guidelines can be found HERE.
Drew Harris is a master when it comes to the game of pool, but family is always a crap shoot and Drew rolled snake eyes. His parents want little to do with him. The only time they call him is when they need money, or when they want him to bail his gambling-addict brother, Vic, out of a jam. So when Drew's mother calls in a panic to let Drew know that Vic owes a local casino owner two-hundred and fifty grand, Drew's not exactly shocked. Not shocked, that is, until he learns that the guy Vic owes doesn't want the money: he wants Drew.
Casino mogul Evan Stacie never thought he was the kind of man to resort to blackmail, but the death of his brother two years ago changed a lot of things. He needs Drew's skill with a stick to ruin the man who sent Evan's brother to an early grave, and if Evan has to fight dirty to make that happen, so be it. Nothing, not his growing attraction to Drew or the soft spot Evan feels for the guy, is going to stand in his way.
COVER ART
- Proper subject matter but bland
SEXUALITY
- M/M - One medium heat scene, but sweet and sexy AND overnight.
REVIEW
- A 67 page Novella
- Hook, line and sinker—I was all about Drew and his life in a short 67 pages.
- Ms. Bell doesn't try to cram happy ever after in this small signature, but she sets up a good run towards it.
- Pool vernacular is dispersed throughout but doesn't come across as "canned" or displaced. Very natural.
- My kinda style for a short contemporary: Not too sweet. Interesting conflict. Unpredictable, or maybe I was just so into the moment of the story-I wasn't thinking ahead to what might happen yet.
- Drew's subconscious drive for his family's acceptance struck a cord with me. I still find myself making choices to "make Dad proud" and not to make myself happy. Drew's struggle is more extreme and heartbreaking.
- The writing style is fast paced: Echos of stream of consciousness with super short sentences (is there a technical term for this?) and occasional bouts of beautiful phrasing.
"I didn't sit. I hovered over the phone like a hungry eagle: alert, tense, ready to dip and dive. Regardless, my hands never failed me. They were smooth and steady when I picked up the receiver and pushed the button." pg. 4
"Obviously, she was insulted that I'd dare insinuate she knew more than she was letting on.
So freakin' be it." pg. 18
- Accolades to Ms. Bell for cracking my heart a little in such a short span of pages. A novella that touches me suggests a full length novel might just embed itself in my (pick any part of my anatomy).
I won this book over at Stumbling Over Chaos! Thanks again, Chris.
And Sara has been so sweet chatting with me back and forth via email :D
Read a sample HERE.
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Sweet daydreams...
Comment link is at the top of the post.
Read a sample HERE.
Did you review this book too?
Comment with your link! (at the top of this post)
Sweet daydreams...
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Comment link is at the top of the post.
6 comments:
You are welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed this book. I love Sara's writing. :)
I agree with you. You really felt for Drew and his desire to win his family's approval. I think no matter how supportive our family's can be, we still have this inate desire to make them proud and approve of us. In some cases it's just not possible which is sad. For such a short book it was very well done.
I feel I'm in the mood for this novella! Wonderful review. :)
I will read this one this week! It sounds like it's the perfect read for my mood.
I've got this one in my TBR already. Can't wait to get to it, I've heard really good things about it.
Jessewave reviewed this short read as well here.
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Thanks so much for delving into my head. It's scary in here sometimes, so it is nice to have company! Don't step on the zephyr...