[The Blog of Sid Love & Dreamspinner Press comes together once again to make this Valentine’s Day a special one for you! As DSP releases each of its books in their “A Valentine Rainbow” Anthology, you get to read their reviews right here from us and also get a chance to win them. A whole set of this anthology plus individual books will given away during this event. And all you need to do is leave a comment to every post that is tagged “A Valentine Rainbow Event” as this one. You will also find it on the Home Page. Contest Ends 15th February, 2014]
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Reviewed by Cindy
TITLE: Blue Valentine Blues
AUTHOR: Ken Bachtold
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 37 pages
BLURB: When Josh put a blue valentine in the class box for Bobby Prentice in fifth grade, he just wanted to show how much he appreciated his best friend. Years later, both the ridicule he suffered and his unrequited feelings for Bobby have followed him to the university where they both teach. Bobby would like to say many things to his friend, but he doesn’t know if he can find the courage in himself that he admires in Josh.
A part of the “A Valentine Rainbow” set of 14 holiday stories.
REVIEW:
Josh has been living with the consequences of what he sees as a childhood mistake his whole life. He feels like he lost everything that Valentine’s Day so many years ago and it’s keeping him from getting on with his life.
Sigh, this story is kind of sweet I suppose but I had a hard time dealing with something that happened in grade five ruining the rest of your life. We all have grade school crushes but most of us get over them and move on.
Bobby is kind of absent in this story, although he does come through in the end with his grand declaration. I think this tale mostly suffers from being too short to really engage the reader. We don’t have enough time to fall in love with Josh so his obsession with his grade school crush just seems kind of silly.
The story is technically well written but I just couldn’t find a way to connect with it. I did like the part where Josh finally stands up to the man who has bullied him for years and I applauded that scene.
All in all, it was a nice story but that’s about it.
RATING: 
BUY LINK: Dreamspinner Press
I love the blurb for this one. It did sound intriguing
sounds interesting 🙂
Sounds like a nice short one, I’d like to read it.
Read the blurb and want to give fifth grade Josh a hug! The fallout probably is over the top, but the story seems sweet. I’d be happy to read this one. 🙂
Actually, I can kind of imagine holding onto a grudge that long…so I am intrigued!
I like unrequited love stories 🙂
I like “nice” stories. Believe me, I’ve wasted my money on enough books, nice is good. 🙂
I can actually relate to this story. Kids are pretty impressionable and something like this could really damage someone. Movie example: would be Meet the Robinsons (Disney movie).
A new to me author with an interesting story idea, can’t go wrong!