The details…
- Title: Miss Havisham Says Yes
- Author: Eule Grey
- Publisher: JMS Books LLC
- Publication date: January 28, 2023
- Formats available: ebook
- Digital file size: 3490 KB
- Print Length: 68 pages
- Genres: romance
- Themes: finding love, finding beauty in yourself, family, friendship, women loving women
- Tropes: rich girl/poor girl
The blurb from the publisher…
Kind-hearted redhead Cindi has a lot on her mind: Gran, college exams, bills, and what to wear at the Valentine’s Day student ball. She needs a Cinderella dress, glittery shoes, and a girlfriend to cuddle up with. What a pity fairy tales are only for kids. Aren’t they? All is not lost. It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and the sweetest magic is in the air … Cindi takes a tumble while mopping the floor and bangs her head. She opens her dizzy eyes to the gift of one magical wish. What will it be?
Tara, the climber. Childhood friend and daughter of Cindi’s employers. Wealthy, lithe, sexy, and thoughtful. Tara’s wish? To climb Mount Everest and to spend time with gorgeous Cindi. She’d love to take her best friend on a date to the college ball — and then go all the way from blushing student to confident girlfriend, from shy Cinderella to dancing queen. Pumpkin to … moped.
When two wishes collide, a spark is ignited, powerful enough to tickle anyone’s peak. When everything is laid bare, only one sparkling question remains: Will Miss Havisham say yes?
My thoughts…
Many people believe that short stories are easy to write; anyone can do it. I disagree. Short stories can be tricky to write and even more difficult to earn acclaim. Short story writers win readers over by remaining focused. Their words are meaningful but never superfluous. The narrative must capture a relatable moment, one that evokes a mood and enhances a theme. Readers need to quickly connect with the characters, and their development needs to make sense and have purpose. Furthermore, each character must serve a vital role in the story, not just provide fluff. Writers of short stories have a limited amount of space to accomplish all of this. If they don’t, readers will walk away.
I once read an article about a fiction writer that was working on a collection of short stories. He reported that he was working himself into “a ball of despair” over the project. When his wife questioned why he was so anxious, he told her, “Every sentence worries me. None of them are doing enough.”
This is the plight of the short story writer. Every element needs to do its job, and the balance is critical. The approach can not be haphazard, not if one wants to be successful. Why do I mention all of this, and what does it have to do with Eule Grey’s new release? Because Eule Grey “gets it” and her short stories shine because of it.
Miss Haisham Says Yes is Grey’s 7th short/novella, and it’s a wonderful little journey. Grey takes risks with it and shows readers a place where characters can learn to see themselves as beautiful, even after enduring years of disappointing looks and unkind words. It’s a brave and heartfelt Cinderella-like story. The characters, plot, pacing and story structure work together to shine a light on a theme that never fails to resonate: We all come in different sizes and shapes and are worthy of love.
Final thoughts…
Eule Grey is a marvelous creator of the shorts because she grasps the fundamentals. Miss Havisham Says Yes gives readers a well-balanced blend of the basics: a narrative that is tightly focused and well themed, characters that push the plot in a clear, purposeful direction, and a wonderful story world that’s hard to resist. If you are one that likes quick, romantic reads with fairytale slants, then you’ll delight in this one.
Strengths…
- Entertaining, engaging storyline
- Likable characters
- A feel-good read
This book is available from…
A bit about the author…
Eule Grey, author, has travelled all over and settled, for now, in the UK. Her mind, however, is often in the clouds or away with the fairies. Some might call her fey. Eule loves books, pets, and happy endings. Adversely, she also enjoys reading a creepy horror story, though she isn’t very brave.
Best of all, Eule adores creating cuddly, sparkling romances. She also writes all kinds of other queer stories and refuses to be squeezed into only one genre—she just isn’t tidy enough! Wish to connect with Eule?
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