Another Shot

by Stephen Anthony Brotherton

[Lynn]

What happens when you meet your first love again, thirty years after you parted ways? 

Freddie's surprised when Jo-Jo got in-touch with him again after all these years. Seeing her again brought back memories and feeling he'd long buried, or so he thought. However, their meeting ended in the same way as their relationship with more unanswered questions than answers. 

Freddie and Jo-Jo's story is like a trip down memory lane. Even though I worked out I am five years younger than the protagonists, I can relate to details referenced about how life was in the 1970s and 1980s. Reminders of long-forgotten clothing trends, popular foods and music of the times had me laughing out loud as well as reminiscing about the era which spanned my childhood. The memories flooded back; some good, some not so good... 

I like how we get to understand how each viewed their relationship and it's easy to feel their attraction and love for each other. Yet, it is also clear they are dissimilar people who have differing ideas of what they want and need. Jo-Jo is more concise about her wishes and needs whilst Freddie is more of a plodder, accepting what life has thrown at him rather than having a clear view about chasing ambitions. 

Initially, it concerned me how the author wrote the narrative as a series of vignettes. Each either involves a point of view change, or flashback. Thankfully, Mr Brotherton manages to keep everything flowing perfectly so to not confuse a reader like myself if too many shifts away from the main plot occur. Each vignette is sufficiently long for me to not forget past details and as the story unfolds, the layers are easily absorbed and remembered. There's also a cliffhanger, which I love because I'm invested in knowing how the story unfolds for Freddie and Jo-Jo and looking forward to how the author continues it.

Whether you are a reader of a certain age like myself or just interested in books with flashbacks to the 1970s and 1980s, Another shot is the first book in a trilogy which will appeal if you want to enjoy reliving memories from the past through Freddie and Jo-Jo's eyes.

***Review copy received courtesy of the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources***