As the seasons change and temperatures cool, we still want to cling to the stories which remind us of the fun and enjoyable parts of summer. Combine summer romance with hockey and childhood friendship to lovers and you have my full attention. From the summary, Snapshots in San Diego by Wendy Hawthorne captured me with these elements and a title which reminded me of a classic 90s romcom.
Long have I underappreciated a short story. While growing up, I devoured any book I could get my hands on, never caring about its length. I had all the time in the world it seemed between being the passenger in a vehicle or staying up late at night secretly reading beneath a bookshelf light after bedtime. In adulthood, I lost a lot of the free time I took for granted. Between working a full time job and managing other responsibilities, my free time is something precious and hard fought. Sometimes that free time isn’t more than an hour or two before bed—the perfect time frame for reading a oneshot story.
As luck would have it, a short story crossed my timeline and provided a chance to show me how strong a short story could be.