Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: Despite the Odds
SERIES: Odds Are #1
AUTHOR: Chris T. Cat
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 114 Pages
BLURB:
Never judge a book by its cover.
Michael Campbell can’t hold a job for more than a few days. He’s lucky his foreman is giving him another chance with the solar panel project at an elementary school in Atlantic City. When he spies a man walking strangely in front of the school, Michael laughs, assuming he’s drunk or high. Little does he realize that Joshua Stone, a teaching assistant, has cerebral palsy, and he’s having a bad muscle control day. Taking a tumble right in front of the handsome construction worker is just his luck.
When Michael learns the truth, he feels bad for his cruel behavior. He offers to give Joshua—and his tricycle, the Racing Rhonda—a lift. Joshua accepts the help, and suddenly there’s a gorgeous man breezing into his life, turning his world upside down. But Michael has more issues than his inability to hold down a job, and neither man is sure if they’ll be able to overcome their fears in order to be together.
REVIEW:
Chris T. Cat brings us a tale of two men, both with issues, both hoping for more out of life. Will they recognize it when it is right in front of their face?
Michael Campbell is an electrician’s helper who can’t keep a job to save his life. He isn’t very good at getting up in the morning and keeps getting fired when he doesn’t get to work on time. He’s working in the wrong field if he wants to be a lazy lay-a-bed because electrician’s helpers go to work really early in the morning.
When we meet Michael it is his latest instance of not showing up on time. After having way too many drinks, and maybe some anonymous sex the night before, he shows up for work an hour and a half late. Luckily he isn’t fired, and the work partner he has been working with forgives him in time to give him half of his lunch, since Michael didn’t have time to eat breakfast and didn’t bring his own lunch. During lunch though something will happen that will change his life forever.
A young man is staggering up the walkway to the school that Michael is working on. He laughs and points out the man to his coworker, just as the young man falls to the sidewalk. Michael makes some really cruel drunk jokes, and is surprised when his coworker runs to help the man.
It turns out the man, Joshua Stone, has cerebral palsy, is a teacher’s assistant at the school, and was instrumental in helping the coworker’s daughter. When Joshua finds out he feels like a real jerk, but what can he do?
When he leaves work late and finds Joshua on the ground next to his bike, which happens to be next to Michael’s truck, it seems fate has intervened. Will Joshua accept Michael’s apology? Is there hope for something more?
I really enjoyed this novella. It was well written, had an engaging story, and well fleshed out characters. It is the first in a series, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here. I recommend it to anyone who likes stories about opposite attractions.
RATING: 
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