A great romantic short story.

The blurb:

My take:

Having taken his long-suffering girlfriend for granted one too many times, Kurt finds himself dumped. When the usual heartfelt apologies and begging fail to win her back he decides to make a grand gesture. And that’s how he ends up reading from Wuthering Heights every day outside the local train station. But will it work?

This is a terrific, romantic short story. It’s something you could download and read on your lunchbreak or even in your tea break for you speed-readers out there. It’s well-written, flows beautifully and is peppered with some lovely comedic touches.

And although it’s a short piece, its 43 pages are jam-packed full of interesting characters and ideas. I particularly liked that it touched on how such a public display of affection which years ago might have been seen as adorable by all, might today not be seen as uncomplicatedly romantic.

And when it comes to character, I was left thinking that this story could work brilliantly if expanded to novel length because the characters have already been given such life and left me with so many questions I’d like answered. For a start: what had the ex-girlfriend been doing the whole time Kurt was reading? What else is happening in the lives of the people who come to listen to him every day?

Overall: if you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read to leave you smiling, I highly recommend The Summer of Madness.

Get your own copy now at Amazon!

Follow the author!

If you’re not already following Alex’s blog, I recommend checking it out straightaway!

You can also find him on Goodreads and Twitter.

Claire Huston / Art and Soul