Quite an old story that has not captured much attention. Seeing that JayDee recently had given it a review I decedid to give it a look.
I liked this story very much. The mixture of the new in love banter between the couple and the unease about the location worked very well to drive the story forward. The sex scenes felt both exciting and very realitic.
As for the ending I as a foreigner had to google Morris dancing, and this kind of took the flow of the scene. I think one of the other reviews mentioned Midsummer Murders and maybe the ending would have worked better for me if I just had assumend it was some weird thing from that show and skipped looking it up.
WARNING –Review may contain spoilers. So scroll past. Real fast.
The ending! Absolutely subverted expectations. It was literally a “Holy shit!” because I didn’t see it at all. Obviously I assumed he was doomed from the moment he ordered carling in a real ale pub. I also had a great sense of awkwardness and embarrassment as they’re winching out.
Lordale might be fictional, but it absolutely captures a specific type of place – spot on in the pub atmosphere, and the friendly villagers –I understand there’s quite a few places where, if the old traditions didn’t entirely continue, they’ve certainly been revived. Definitely a few parish border walks going on, for example.
The argument at the start and the reconciliation really rang true as well. Navigation can be so damn stressful, but those kind of arguments don’t harm a strong relationship.
That slightly awkward moment for Simon where it looked like he was being clingy/jealous over the landlord talking to her felt pretty real as well – but at least he had the self-awareness!
Both bouts of sex were hot – that little detail ‘she was always hot for it when she was tipsy.’ And just two people who know each others bodies enjoying each other. Noticed appears to be a missing word “so he could his cock back into the grip” – if it helps!
I guess the mystery is the scrap of obituary – genuinely just a coincidental bit of drawer liner? I guess him not having any brothers, and the fact there’s not even a name, is the big hint there that he’s just making something of nothing with the date.
Thank you for a wonderful tale! :D