Reviewed by Ro
TITLE: Arriving at Love’s Door
AUTHOR: Pat Henshaw
PUBLISHER: JMS Books
LENGTH: 32 pages
RELEASE DATE: June 28, 2025
BLURB:
Will reconnecting after more than a decade apart rekindle their love? Or will they not like each other at all?
Unexpectedly, two-year college English instructor Joseph Rutledge gets a letter from Quentin Richards, the boy who sat in front of him at a charity school for wayward boys. Joe vividly remembers Quentin comforting him in fifth grade during an unprecedented earthquake. What could have been a lasting friendship with the boy he loved dissolved under Joe’s inherent shyness.
Little does he know Quentin too remembers the traumatic day of the earthquake and has relied on his memories of Joe’s comfort to buoy him during rough times. After recovering from a debilitating incident at the Olympics, Quentin’s keen to get together with Joe and writes to ask him out.
Will their memories of each other be enough to spark a relationship? Or do they each remember a person who never really existed?
REVIEW:
This is the very short story of Joseph and Quentin, who meet in kindergarten, “,,,two of many charity boys in a religious school…”, where acting out was not tolerated. Seated alphabetically, the two never talked much, but were always near each other. In fifth grade, a random earthquake happened and, told from Joseph’s POV, terrified the class. Hiding under his desk, shielding his head and whimpering, Joseph was comforted and calmed by Quentin. The two still didn’t become friends, and after high school they went their separate ways.
can’t tell too much more without giving it all away, but Quentin, who was an Olympic runner until he was injured, and Joseph, a community college teacher, are reunited and from there things go quick. I am a big fan of short stories, but I think this short story suffers a bit from the length.
Particularly, I wanted to know what the hell was up with Joseph’s sister!
RATING: 
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