It's time to start a new week and you know what that means! It's time to feature a new story. This week we are featuring a story by someone that I'm sure many of you know, Joann414!!! Louis (LJH) absolutely loved her story "No Room in the Lodge" and came to me asking if he could do a review for the blog. Of course, I said YES!!! So here it is, I hope you enjoy it and decide to check out the story yourself!

Reviewer: LJH (Louis Harris)
Status: Complete
Word Count: 11,005

Limerence.

It’s not used often in everyday speech, but, man-oh-man, what a magnificent word. It describes the emotional excitement of being in love. And this is what the author excels at in No Room in the Lodge. The story enables the reader to fly without wings to become immersed in a story that unfolds like a beautiful song and at the end, even the angels smile. A Christmas story that can be read at any time of the year, over and over again.

Jeff and Dan Boyd. No two people could be more different. Jeff is a thirty-five and the owner of the lodge. Each winter he hires college kids, kids who need extra income for their spring semester. Dan is perky at twenty-one and he certainly needs the money. Dan has helped out at the lodge before, and has always had his own room.

But, this year is different for one specific reason, he shares quarters with Jeff. At first, he doesn’t like the idea. He wants to be moved, but Jeff won’t let him get off that easily. There has to be an underlying reason. The reason is plain and simple: Dan is gay. But, Jeff knows. He doesn’t take on staff without doing a thorough background check on all the staff. He also knows that Dan is about to come into a lot of money. So why hire him?

What would a story be without a confidant? Brant supplies wood to the lodge and is also Jeff’s friend; Jeff has spoken to him about Dan often in years past. So, here’s where they stand in a secret place, where Brant knows that Jeff is interested in Dan, but Dan has no idea that Jeff is also gay. Brant’s advice to Jeff is simple: "Don't let fear rule your heart."

Here’s what happens when Jeff comes out to young Dan:

Jeff cleared his throat. Gulping down half his drink and ignoring the widening of Dan's eyes at his action, he spat out. "I'm gay."
"I'd say you were a liar if I couldn't hear the nervous tinkle of the ice against the sides of your glass." Dan reached and took the glass from Jeff, afraid he might spill it on his bed. "Are you ok? Why are you so nervous? It's not like you think I'm homophobic or anything. Remember? I'm gay too." he chuckled, trying to lighten the moment.

Let’s go back to that word, limerence.

The two share their experiences with each other. The thought of Dan with another man hurts Jeff. Terms of endearment; Dan calls Jeff, “old man”, and Jeff calls Dan, “kid”. They get up late in the mornings. Neither is shy about nudity in front of each other. They start to share the bathroom. They joke with each other. Dan knows just how Jeff likes his coffee. Knows his bed time and so on

This is taken from: http://www.lovepanky...sh-or-limerence

Limerence is always assumed to be the same as love, but it is actually very far from it. In love, you want to share the best moments of your life with someone special, but when you’re struck by limerence, all you want is this person’s attention.
And so it is with Dan and Jeff.

Until a man from Jeff’s past turns up at the lodge.

The story is absolutely believable. The characters are definately not stereotypical. And it's a great departure from boy meets boy stories where the main characters are teenagers. Here, there is the angst of limerence. The knowledge that things could go one way - bad, or the other way - good, for these two characters.

What I admire most about the structure of the plot, is that there are only four speaking roles, but it looks and feels much bigger than that.

Now, all you need to do, is read No Room at the Lodge.

It will inspire, it will bring sadness, and joy.

But above all, it will make you want to find limerence.

Thank you Jo Ann for this beautiful, clever story.