You never know how damaged someone is until you try to love them.
Harper and Wyatt are former college sweethearts who reunite on a serendipitous subway ride years after their passionate, yet turbulent, relationship ended. Harper, now on the brink of moving in with Wyatt's old rival, Brad, is steadily climbing the corporate ladder, yet can't shake the feeling that something is missing from her life. Wyatt, heartbroken and haunted by the ghosts of his past, drinks too much and writes too little, grappling with a life that seems to be spiraling out of control.
On a frigid December evening, fate brings them together once more as they share a subway commute to New Jersey. Their chance encounter ignites long-forgotten sparks, tempting them with the possibility of rekindling their love. As the train hurtles through the night, the electric tension between them rekindles, and they're forced to confront their lingering love for one another. Is this a second chance at love or a final goodbye?
In this poignant romantic drama, the past and present blur as Harper and Wyatt relive their passionate, yet stormy, love story, overshadowed by Wyatt's unresolved demons and battle with alcoholism.
Once Upon A Subway is a heart-wrenching exploration of love, loss, and the power of healing–a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever tried to love someone deeply damaged.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: The premise of Once Upon a Subway is an intriguing one: two ex-lovers bump into each other on a Philly subway train, and in between the moments of their brief interaction the readers learn about their past. Both battling inner anxieties (and insufferable parents), Wyatt and Harper's story moves between raw reflections and romantic possibilities.
Prose: The prose is clear, efficient, and allows the circumstances to come alive.
Originality: While the narrative includes familiar romance tropes, the format is creative and fresh, and the reader will appreciate that the novel resists a predictable happily-ever-after.
Character/Execution: Romance readers will enjoy the work's romantic suspense and the candid characterization of the primary characters. Some elements are left uncertain, primarily whether Harper and Wyatt will succeed in their respective endeavors.
Date Submitted: June 07, 2023
