t’s the 1950′s, and Timothy, senoir aide to the English ambassador to Italy, suffers through a stifling hot Naples afternoon that conventions demand he spends fully clothed sightseeing instead of at the beach. An encounter with a dog chasing a cat leads to an encounter with the dog’s owner, Cosimo, a local painter. In marked contrast to the conservative, stiff politeness Timothy is used to from the people he meets during his everyday life, Cosimo is cordial, welcoming and hospitable, inviting the stranger into his house, and into his bed not much later. The afternoon with Cosimo turns Timothy’s world upside down, but how can he ever hope for anything else with the beautiful, enticing artist? Their worlds are too different, and Timothy will soon go back to London anyway. But Timothy can’t forget Cosimo, and it seems that the feeling is mutual. Will fate have mercy with the lovers and lead them back together? Timothy needn’t have worried; there’s a small white bulldog called Pazzia who’ll see to that.The writing flows easily, and the story moves smoothly, without any major bumps or hangups. Due to the short format, it’s only Timothy’s character ( the narrator) which is a little more elaborate; everybody else remains outlined to sketchy. Still, at least Cosimo was elaborate enough that I could picture him, and I really liked his boldness and the way he helped Timothy come out of his shell. Honorable mention to the dog, Pazzia, who I found adorable on first sight.Likewise, there wasn’t room for much background. The author created an overall historical feeling with sparse descriptions of clothing, social interactions and Timothy’s mindset. Even so, the images the author created were vivid enough that I felt drawn into the story, into the pictures, smells and tastes of Naples. With only a few choice words, the author made me swing in the mood of this story, something I found very appealing.This story doesn’t have much depth, no drama or major conflict, but some funny moments and beautifully erotic sex scenes. It’s nothing you’d have to chew. This story is exactly what its title says, a sip. Its a simple little delicacy of a story, a short, quick read. I really enjoyed it for what it was, delightful entertainment, and I’d recommend it for everyone who’s in the mood for something sweet and fluffy.
Feliz Faber
I'm Feliz Faber, writer, translator, proofer--and reader.
t’s the 1950′s, and Timothy, senoir aide to the English ambassador to Italy, suffers through a stifling hot Naples afternoon that conventions demand he spends fully clothed sightseeing instead of at the beach. An encounter with a dog chasing a cat leads to an encounter with the dog’s owner, Cosimo, a local painter. In marked contrast to the conservative, stiff politeness Timothy is used to from the people he meets during his everyday life, Cosimo is cordial, welcoming and hospitable, inviting the stranger into his house, and into his bed not much later. The afternoon with Cosimo turns Timothy’s world upside down, but how can he ever hope for anything else with the beautiful, enticing artist? Their worlds are too different, and Timothy will soon go back to London anyway. But Timothy can’t forget Cosimo, and it seems that the feeling is mutual. Will fate have mercy with the lovers and lead them back together? Timothy needn’t have worried; there’s a small white bulldog called Pazzia who’ll see to that.The writing flows easily, and the story moves smoothly, without any major bumps or hangups. Due to the short format, it’s only Timothy’s character ( the narrator) which is a little more elaborate; everybody else remains outlined to sketchy. Still, at least Cosimo was elaborate enough that I could picture him, and I really liked his boldness and the way he helped Timothy come out of his shell. Honorable mention to the dog, Pazzia, who I found adorable on first sight.Likewise, there wasn’t room for much background. The author created an overall historical feeling with sparse descriptions of clothing, social interactions and Timothy’s mindset. Even so, the images the author created were vivid enough that I felt drawn into the story, into the pictures, smells and tastes of Naples. With only a few choice words, the author made me swing in the mood of this story, something I found very appealing.This story doesn’t have much depth, no drama or major conflict, but some funny moments and beautifully erotic sex scenes. It’s nothing you’d have to chew. This story is exactly what its title says, a sip. Its a simple little delicacy of a story, a short, quick read. I really enjoyed it for what it was, delightful entertainment, and I’d recommend it for everyone who’s in the mood for something sweet and fluffy.
