REVIEWED BY DANIELLE

TITLE: Toy Run

AUTHOR: Charley Descoteaux

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 34 Pages

BLURB:

Former physical therapist and reluctant loner Ian Bowen has spent the three years since his grandfather’s death searching for a man to inspire him to park his Harley for a while—without much hope of finding him. On a whim, he shows up for a Toy Run and meets Ed Gonzalez, another loner with a pile of toys lashed to his bike. A few beers at the end-of-the-run party turn into an invite to Ed’s for homebrew. But instead of a night of fun, the unseasonable cold renders Ed immobile with pain. When he tells Ian he just needs meds, Ian does one of the things he does best—he massages Ed’s pain away, allowing him a rare restful night’s sleep and creating intimacy neither wants to lose. Ian thinks two men have to follow certain rules to be together, but Ed’s prepared to show him how wrong he is.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2013 Advent Calendar package “Heartwarming”.

REVIEW:

This isn’t the kind of in-your-face story but this story is brimming with so much hope.

This is a very short story about wanting more of a future, for wanting the prospect of more..

When Ian meets Ed there is something there. I have to say the story is in the beginning quite vague and you need to continue reading to see things a bit more clear.

The connection is instant but both are loners and steady in their opposing beliefs.

When Ian decides to take care of Ed instead of a night of passion,  it almost seems that they built a foundation without knowing it themselves.

As I said in the first sentence this story feels like it signifies the hope of christmas. Two men of few words coming together over a good cause, the “Toy Run”, where bikers bring Toys to Children from families who cannot provide them for themselves.

They are both men who don’t say much, so you can feel more than read what goes on.

The ending makes you feel like there is a happy ending without reading the words point blank

but to me it seems that Ian definitely parked his bike permanently.

I have to point out this is not the typical holiday story but the promise and hope is so beautifully written by author Charley Descoteaux in this only 34 page long story, that you really should give it a go.

RATING:

BUY LINK: Dreamspinner

ADVENT CALENDER EVENT

Dreamspinner Press and The Blog of Sid Love bring to you an opportunity where you get to win a free set of DSP’s “Heartwarming” Advent Calender 2013. Yes! The full set with 31 stories including contributions from authors like Andrew Grey, Cardeno C., Grace R. Duncan, and many more…

If you wish to enter yourself into this contest, all you have to do is comment on every advent event post we make each day till the end of this month. Look out for titles with “Advent Calender Event” mentioned in them (such as this one) and the posts will be reviews on each and every story from this anthology.

The contest will end on 1st January, 2014 and the winners will be announced on the 2nd of January.

So, good luck to you all and Happy Holidays!