Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Interpretive Hearts
AUTHOR: Amanda Meuwissen
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
RELEASE DATE: November 19, 2019
LENGTH: 155 Pages
BLURB:
Love is easy once you learn the steps.
In the competitive world of dance, Teddy was a flawless performer and hardass choreographer who students feared and admired in equal measure. But hip surgery ended the glamour and drama, and now Teddy is recovering at his beach house, lost and listless.
Until he meets Finn, his neighbor, who is too perfect, gorgeous, and kind to exist—but very ill timed. In a seaside town as small as theirs, they can’t avoid each other, especially since Finn is also Teddy’s new physical therapist. But Teddy isn’t the man he used to be, and though Finn flirts shamelessly with him, Teddy can’t believe a has-been dancer is worthy of someone so young and full of life.
Finn’s sunny smile is also hiding heartache. Pursuing Teddy challenges both his professionalism and his self-preservation, but if he can convince Teddy to trust him, maybe they both can heal.
REVIEW:
Teddy’s a bit of a grump and with good reason. Hip surgery has restricted his mobility and taken him from the ballet. When the need to dance is in every fiber of his being, the situations is hell in a handbag. In the city there are constant reminders, so he moves out to a place on the beach. Unfortunately, his recuperation is disturbed by neighbors having a party. Events bring one of the revelers over to him – a young man called Finn – whose bubbly personality mixed with flirting helps Teddy.
Finn tries to see the best in everything and everyone. He can’t help being attracted to his grumpy neighbor, Teddy, and understands his moodiness. Fate also lends a hand when Finn becomes Teddy’s physical therapist. As the two grow closer, it seems that Finn, too, has events in his past that his effervescent personality struggles to overcome.
This is a story of two men broken in different ways, mending, and finding a future.
Interpretive Hearts is written in the third person, entirely from Teddy’s viewpoint, which was something I liked given the recent trend towards chapters from named people. It is also technically sound.
Teddy recognizes his petulance but can’t help it. He is hurting and lost, needing to find a future that gives him fulfilment. Given his temperament, he recognizes that a relationship would not be fair. However, living in a small town, can be a benefit and a curse. Everyone either knows, is related to or is friends with everyone. At every turn, Finn and Teddy’s path’s cross. It’s as if fate is playing a part – throw two people together often enough, and they will give in to temptation.
Finn seems to be the perfect person. As lovely as he is, some readers may find him too perfect. Although he has moments when he is more human than superhero. Later in the story, I understood more where he was coming from, but in early chapters, I found it testing.
As for the extended cast, they ranged from the likeable to the annoying. I liked Finn’s sister Rose the most since she can’t cook for toffee and usually nicks the wine and offers pointed comments on the food. I also enjoyed Teddy’s friend, Rick’s presence as he was funny and called bullshit when he saw it.
Many readers will identify with the need to find purpose and love. However, in places, I found it a little disjointed. Maybe some of it is a representation of how fragmented Teddy feels.
In the end, I found the story sweet. There was plenty of sugar to counteract Teddy’s crank. Though for me, it lacked a ‘je ne sais quois’ that I can’t put my finger on. I don’t believe the story was designed to make the heart thrum with anticipation – more like overflow with luuurve.
RATING: 
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