So far I’ve been impressed by Ruthie Knox, although this short story is probably my least favorite of the ones I’ve read so far.
How to Misbehave by Ruthie Knox
(2013, Contemporary) 5/9/13
Grade: 3.5
Good girl Amber Clark has been admiring contractor Tony Mazzano from afar, but when the tornado warning siren goes off, she and Tony are stuck together in a dark basement. It gives them a chance to get to know each other – and give in to their attraction.
This was a cute novella. At first I was afraid it would just be one long sex scene, but things improved in the second half. Both Amber and Tony have interesting backgrounds, and I thought the author managed to establish their connection beyond their sexual attraction. I’m not sure I was convinced this was a happy ever after – it was just too short – but it worked well for what it was.
I used to enjoy Regency novellas, but I think contemporary novellas are harder to write since a large portion of the page count is necessarily taken up by love scenes. When you only have a few pages to work with, I’d rather focus on emotional connections rather than body connections.
Karen Wheless
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