Another Shot by Stephen Anthony Brotherton

“It used to make me feel special, the fact that they knew me, knew what I wanted, but it had soured with repetition. I’d become my drink order – that’s what it felt like. But it was okay. People watching in this place made me feel part of the world, got me away from the house for a few hours. And it was here she came back to me. I hadn’t seen her for three decades and suddenly there she was, standing next to my table.
‘Hello, Freddie’.”

Another Shot tells the story of Freddie and Jo-Jo, who are reunited in a coffee shop thirty-five years after the end of their teenage romance. Jo-Jo finds Freddie through a mutual friend, and tells him that she is emigrating following the death of her husband. She gives him a photograph of the two of them on their first weekend away, a trip to Blackpool.

How they originally met, why they parted, what happens in their lives apart is all told through a series of flashbacks. These memories feed into events when they meet up again and explain why, despite the passage of time and the intensity of their still simmering love, there is no future for their relationship.

My Review

If you’re looking for a fun read with a HEA, this may well not be the book you should choose! However, it is a very different story of love that ended thirty-five years ago and they hadn’t seen each other since. Jo-jo is planning to emigrate but wants to see her first love, Freddie, just one more time before she leaves. She discovers where she can meet him through a mutual friend and the story shares their relationship development through a series of flashbacks which are included at regular intervals throughout the story.

It is an emotive story of love, loss, second chances and choices, one that portrays misunderstandings, missed opportunities and sadness. Definitely not a book to read to cheer you up! However it is a thought provoking read and flows well. The ending is very memorable but you’ll need to read it yourself to discover why!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

Purchase Link

UK –  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Another-Shot-Stephen-Anthony-Brotherton-ebook/dp/B077S1ZHPC

US – https://www.amazon.com/Another-Shot-Stephen-Anthony-Brotherton-ebook/dp/B077S1ZHPC

Author Bio –

‘I was born in Walsall, grew up in the West Midlands and now live in Telford with my two cats, Boris and Tai. After working in the health and social care sector for over thirty years, I have now taken early retirement to write the trilogy that has been rooted in my head for most of my life.

Another Shot is the first book in the Shots trilogy, which is based on a first love relationship I had as a teenager. It tells the story of Freddie and Jo-Jo, who are reunited in a coffee shop three decades after the end of their teenage romance. How they originally met, why they parted, what happens in their lives apart, and what happens when they reunite is all told through a series of first person vignettes. The second book, An Extra Shot, will be published in July 2019. I am currently working on the final instalment.

Getting these stories down on paper has been a cathartic process. I hope you enjoy them. ‘

Social Media Links – Instagram @freddiejojoreunited

Twitter – https://twitter.com/FreddieJoJo1

Follow the Tour:

Many thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for materials for this post and organising the tour it is part of. The review is my own, honest opinion after choosing to read the book.