End of a String by Larry Hammersley
The Wild Rose Press Vintage Rose

Historical Romance
Short Story length, Sweet
Review by Dandelion

Slim Canton, in college during the late ‘50s, meets Natalie Adams, a top engineering student and beautiful blonde who is hateful toward him. Despite that, Slim is drawn to her. He comes to the conclusion that she wouldn’t have time for him when he learns she’s had a string of boy friends, all of them prominent men on campus. When she relents and agrees to help him with calculus, his hopes soar. After the help session, he takes a desperate step to pursue a relationship with Natalie, hoping to be the end of a string of boy friends.

♥ ♥ ♥

I thoroughly enjoyed this short story about Slim and Natalie, college students who find love at the roller rink, at the local diner, and over study sessions. Set in the 1950s, “End of a String” has a fun, upbeat tone as the kind, sweet Slim falls for serious, brusque Natalie. She wants nothing to do with him at first, but that doesn’t stop him from trying!

The character development in this short story is wonderful. I felt as though I knew all about Slim and Natalie after just a few pages. I also liked the fact that Natalie is not the typical sorority girl; she’s a brainy beauty who doesn’t care what she says, or what other people think of her. And that, of course, is what Slim falls for!

The details of the time period add to the light-hearted feel of this story as well. Who wouldn’t long for those easy days of courtship, where a float and a night of holding hands at the roller rink was enough to bring two people together? The ending of this story is believable and satisfying. I highly recommend “End of a String” for a feel-good romance set in a simpler time.