By Joanna Millholland
The waste of precious time, the questions of where does true beauty reside and how is it individually defined, are mitigating themes in this moving tale. Disparity presents simultaneously, as this story of a man’s anguish and fear—he, the caretaker of a woman’s soul—gently unfolds as a haunting portrait of the under-represented silent battle that’s so lovingly endured by a victim’s lover.
In Nelson Pahl’s Bee Balms & Burgundy, Nicky—a man of direction and an underlying wit of sarcasm—manages to introduce a somewhat disparaging “charm.” As he leaves behind a callous relationship with the physically perfect, attention-seeking woman (who has tainted love for him), spoiled outbursts and embarrassing public displays culminate in an explosive, almost amusing, end game of their vindicated fate.
An awaited visit home leads Nicky to his childhood friend, Mia. Nicky finally learns of Mia’s year-long conflict with Cancer—a topic she kept secret from him to that point. Playful flirtations and intentions defined over time unveil a hidden horror that remains from the cold stripping of her dignity.
Bee Balms & Burgundy is a novella about the private fantasy of everlasting first true love and its undeniable connection—an emotional journey of “what might have been” for so many of us, of a man’s desperate cling to love that shall steal your heart as you unexpectedly feel what shall be.
An essential induction to the Indie A-list is hereby necessary, as Nelson Pahl’s writing style single-handedly restores my emotional desire to read.
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You can find Nelson Pahl's Bee Balms & Burgundy here. You can read a free chapter here.
