Review: A Twist and Two Balls by Clare London

Author: Clare London

Publisher: Jocular Press

Pages/Word Count: 66 Pages

Rating: 4 Stars

Blurb: Eduardo Mancini is going to be a star of the London stage and screen. Or that was the plan. His alter ego Eddy March hasn’t got further than the chorus and a bit part in a TV series. His parents aren’t supportive, his agent can’t place his particular skills, and he’s finding it hard to hang onto his young dreams. Things go from bad to worse when he’s late for an important audition, hasn’t got enough to money to pay the taxi fare, and is chased across the streets of Soho by the irate driver.

Eddy reaches what he believes is sanctuary – With A Kick, a store where ice creams are blended with alcohol and imagination, and where his friends can help him. But Nuri the taxi driver is persistent in his steady pursuit, above and beyond the money he’s owed. Despite their very different characters and background, Eddy and Nuri’s relationship goes from a complete unknown to a wary balancing act. There are still mistakes to be made, and hurdles to clear. And both of them have to admit that their life so far hasn’t gone the way they planned.

But maybe being caught by Nuri was just what Eddy’s career needed – both for his job and his heart.

Review: I don’t read a lot of contemporary genre romance but when I do, there are a few go-to authors on my list, and Clare London happens to be one of them, especially her stories that offer a touch of humor along with a lovely taste of England, which describes A Twist and Two Balls to a T.

Eduardo Mancini is a phony. Actually, he’s a struggling actor, but that doesn’t make him, or Eddy March—his true identity—a bad guy, really, even when he attempts to stiff his cabby on the way to an audition. When all is counted, what’s left in Eddy’s pockets adds up to little more than lint and the humiliation of having to do a runner before the cab driver catches on to the fact that Eddie’s shortchanged him. Which works… not at all.

Nuri isn’t about to let Eduardo get away with cheating him, and the big Turkish beauty chases Eddy all the way to his friends’ ice cream shop, With a Kick, where it seems the balance of his fare is the least of what’s on Nuri’s mind. This, as the saying goes, could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. If, that is, Eddy weren’t a little terrified of (and maybe a lot turned on by) Nuri, but hadn’t also missed his audition. Ah, but what would a good romance be without a little conflict and misunderstanding to start it off? That’s where Clare London begins building Eddy and Nuri’s relationship, on the foundation of that unfortunate turn of events, which, after a few more bumps along the way, turns out to be the start of something that promises to be truly wonderful.

I love a good romance-beginning-on-the-wrong-foot story, and that’s exactly what A Twist and Two Balls is. It’s a charming little tale that in just 66 short pages had me rooting for Eddy and Nuri as they struggled through the early fits and starts of getting to know each other, discovering the unexpected, and recovering from some missteps that happen when things don’t get communicated properly.

Eduardo’s evolution to Eddy is particularly charming, and A Twist and Two Balls is a fun story, short, yes, so don’t expect a lot of backstory where these two men are concerned. It’s engaging and I found I fell quickly enough for Nuri and Eddy that I can say, without reservation, this one was well worth the reading.

You can buy A Twist and Two Balls (With a Kick #1) here: