Rating: 4.75🌈
Best Love is a previously published short story (Heart2Heart Anthology, old title The Tattoo Artist and the Writer) that’s been reworked, along with a epilogue.
It’s new title, Best Love, is absolutely fitting for the love story of writer Noah Sutton and tattoo artist Sage Higgins. Best friends and soul mates since Sage’s mother and his brothers moved next door to Noah and his single mother at age seven, they’ve been inseparable except for certain college years and Sage’s time spent traveling.
A Valentine’s Day blind date arranged by a app goes wrong and they end up together, going on the dates they would have taken their dates on.
One of Lily Morton’s many gifts is the ability to write a relationship that feels emotionally entwined. One grounded in years together spent in getting to know each other so deeply that the stage where the reader comes in upon them feels rich in shared history and lives spent in a bond that’s become deeply part of each man.
Morton can accomplish this skill of writing a multidimensional relationship and beautifully defined characters in a short length of page space. Some richly crafted scenes, accompanied by dialogue that enlivens both the characters yet heightens whatever emotions the author’s narrative has in store for them (and the reader). All done precisely but with a true palette of a word artist.
In a short time, we know these men intimately. We know their history together and the feelings they’ve hidden from each other.
And we care immediately for them and the relationship.
Then Morton takes all of us on a journey to HEA.
If you’re not familiar with this author, then you might not realize you’re about to visit some fascinating locations and find out some intriguing elements about whatever place the couple ends up strolling around.
*cracks knuckles, readies Google fu*
It never ever comes across as a travelogue but is seamlessly folded into Noah and Sage’s journey to love and happiness.
Here we both climb up the Minster’s Tower tour in York (a real tour) for a breathtaking sight of all of York below. Then it’s off to Staithes for Captain Cook, artists, and the incredible Painted Illusion Trail.
But that’s all secondary, to the depth of the changes that this long relationship is undergoing as the men slowly open up as they spend all this time together showing the other things about themselves.
Best Love is a short story that manages to feel as though you’re taking a long journey with a couple you’ve known for a long time.
It’s moving, heartwarming, and so rewarding.
It’s one I’m highly recommending.
Plus Google those trips and be prepared to want to visit there yourself. Just as I do.
Bonus:
WordPress.comhttps://environmentalsculptures.wordpress.com › …Staithes Painted Illusion Trail
Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com › showBest Love by Lily Morton
Description:
Noah and Sage have been best friends since they were seven when Sage climbed over the wall between their childhood homes. They know everything about each other apart from one small thing. Noah is hopelessly in love with Sage and doesn’t ever intend to tell him.
However, fate has other plans. A dating website with a glitch in its system leads Sage to challenge Noah. Two days in which they will show each other their best dates. What could possibly go wrong?
At the end of these two days will the men discover that the best love comes with someone who really knows you, or will they fall back into being just good friends?
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 