Twelve Bells

At 40 pages long, Twelve Bells is more of a short story or a novella than a romance novel, but its story is simple and effective.

Depressed after a broken engagement, Lynette goes to a speed-dating event to gain some self-confidence and meet someone new. Although she begins the evening apprehensive of her new suitors, she eventually grows more confident as she works through her personal misgivings about men and about herself.

Twelve Bells spotlights the foolish song-and-dance of dating. In some of Lynette’s dates, she’s more reserved. In some, she makes an attempt to seduce her date. The story wraps up after her twelfth date with a man Lynette has had her eye on all night.

Twelve Bells is a good start, but I couldn’t help but feel it was the blueprint for something more. Lynette was a well-rounded character, and in 42 pages, the reader is introduced to a variety of men who could all be characters if the author chose to lengthen the novel and flesh out more of the men’s personalities. The story stops abruptly and leaves the reader wanting more.