I’m not a great fan of short stories preferring to read a long novel instead but, when I received an email from the publisher Myriad, announcing the release of a short story by Isabel Ashdown, I downloaded it to my Kindle and read it in two sittings, I would have finished it in one, if I hadn’t fallen asleep.

A Quiet Winter, is the story of Sarah Ribbons, whom we met previously in another Ashdown novel: Hurry Up and Wait. I was a bit disoriented at first, enjoying being back in Sarah’s company but, wondering what part of her life we were at. Then it came back to me, the first book was written in flashback so actually we were sort of up to date with her. Believe me it’s not confusing, I’m just dense, I started reading: Hurry Up and Wait again, just to get me on the right track and I can’t put it down.

A Quiet Winter, is a beautifully written short story for a cold winters night, a bit sad and melancholy, Sarah’s dad having passed away two years previously but, it’s not depressing, with a character you wish you knew and were friends with. One day at work while checking her inbox, she receives an email from an old friend asking her if she would like to accompany him to their school reunion. It is a short story so it would be foolish to spoil it by giving anything away, just enjoy it. If you read: Hurry Up and Wait, I guarantee you will love this. And I wonder, in the future, if we will get to be in Sarah’s company again.