Review: 11:57

Title: 11:57
Author: Brian Rowe
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Publication Date: 1 June 2011
Reviewed Format: ebook
Length: 22 pages

Rating: 2 out of 5

Review: Ryan only wants someone to be with at midnight on New Year's. In walks Landon, an on-line acquaintance who may be just what Ryan is looking for.

Although the lack of character development is pretty much inevitable given the nature of short stories, I was surprised to find how much of the little character development there was I disliked. Ryan, his brother Dustin, and Dustin's girlfriend Kami started out so unlikeable that I nearly put it down within the first three pages. They never got much better, what little characterization they had portraying them as shallow idiots. Landon's character development didn't make it much past a nice smile.

The premise is charming, but the execution is less so. Ryan recognizes Landon across a crowded room despite never having met him in person and decides to chat him up as Landon returns from an excursion to the bathroom. Landon's lack of recognition makes far more sense. The hook-up by text message was cute, but the suspense was forced, and the timestamps didn't tie in to the title. No, that was left for the tacked-on ending, which left me confused and pondering mpreg.

I recognize that the characters are supposed to find twoo wuv, given the opening and the ending, but their chemistry was just meh. I couldn't shake the impression that Landon was giving Ryan the kissing equivalent of a pity fuck, especially given the time lapse between the end of the story proper and the mini-epilogue.

In the end, despite the intriguing concept at the center of it, I can't really find anything redeeming in this little tale. I'd recommend giving it a pass.