AuthorStand

I really liked the details in the characterization of Horace. I also liked the unexpected conclusion. A couple of technical errors to clean up, but overall a good read.

From: Christine Haggerty | Created on: 2/12/2012 9:51:38 PM

I kept asking myself " What does she see in him that others hadn't?" Unitl the end. But, I wondered how,  just at that very moment he became interesting and charming when all through his life he had been avoided by peers for his offputting personaltity . The story was a romantic fairy tale.

From: Kay Ewy | Created on: 1/11/2012 5:29:27 PM

I've read all your short stories, and this one has a charm about it that made me smile. So many of us are Horaces. You nailed the male perspective brilliantly in this one, but oh the truth of the old saying, "Love is blind." How lovely indeed!

From: Patrick Lee | Created on: 9/20/2011 10:21:31 PM

I want to congratulate the author on her prolific writing skills.  I see she has submitted many works.  Blindsided by Love is the first one of her titles that I have read.
I found this story to be very well structured, grammatically speaking.  For my taste, the narrative sides too heavily on unnecessary details making the reading tedious.  To me the story perked up beginning with the descriptions of the scenery in the park. I enjoyed the story from that point on.  And I thank the author for giving each reader the opportunity to end this story as preferred.
I looked up the word ‘acquline’ in the English dictionary with no result.  I think the correct spelling is ‘aquiline’.  
Gina Sacasa-Ross

From: Gina SacasaRoss | Created on: 9/13/2011 6:48:43 PM

Lordess Byron wrote a really neat yarn here and let me tell you why.  If you read it straight through you get blindsided at the end by the twist ending, but if you read throughout it a second time piece by intricate piece you will see that the author cunningly leaves the reader various clues to her blindness before she hits you.  The only part that disappointed me was the Jake lie.

From: Jesse Jamison | Created on: 9/11/2011 12:52:52 AM

An absolutely enjoyable read. Real and true to life. My heart actually ached for 'Horace.' I felt I wanted to rush across the 'pond' wrap him up and bring him home! Love the fact that you could put your own ending to it. Very well written Valerie. Good job. Loved it.

From: Gillian Scott | Created on: 8/23/2011 9:33:53 AM

This is a polished story, written by a competent author.  There are no typos, extra words, or sentences that outlast their punctuation marks.  It's good, and it could easily be made into a longer work that encompasses the complications relationships go through.  I wouldn't say Horace or Helen are "in love" when the piece finishes, but they have definitely established a friendship worth pursuing!  Truth is, they "fit" together.  Both have issues the other can help with.  Horace (Bartleby, the scrivener, before the breakdown) and his ordinary accountant-type day make for a slow beginning, but things pick up when he decides to jog in the park.  His chance meeting with Helen is like a ray of sunshine in a life that has [presumably] gone through some bad weather...The story finishes before the reader wants to and, frankly, it needs to be longer.  Some self-defeating humor would speed up the beginning as the reader is introduced to Horace and his mindset.  Other than that, it's nicely written.  Five stars!

From: Ralph Myers | Created on: 8/20/2011 10:40:28 AM

It took me a few pages before I realized the setting of this story was across the pond as they say, or maybe I'm across the pond, whichever.  But as soon as I realized the setting I could hear the narrator in a crisp English accent.  It was a very pleasant read with great sentence structure so that it flowed very well.  Really good job.

From: Hickory Cole | Created on: 8/19/2011 1:11:42 AM