So Happy Together: Two Konigsburg, Texas, Novellas

In the first story, Chico Burnside despairs of getting fitted for a tuxedo for his wedding to Andy Wells in Konigsburg, Texas. Chico isn’t a formal kind of guy, but in order to appease his mother—who has turned into a control freak with the wedding preparations—he goes along with it. Andy also is depressed; she wants to marry Chico, but doesn’t know if she can handle too much more. In the second story, Jorge Delgado is at a small-town festival cooking barbeque in a food truck in Sapphire Falls, Nebraska. Jorge is at first harsh and unfriendly toward Kirsten Engstrom, and she doesn’t much care for his surly attitude either. Jorge starts to depend on Kirsten to not just help cook but wants to be together with her. Kirsten wants Jorge as well, but there are just too many differences, so love seems like an impossibility.

These two contemporary romantic novellas of quaint living in two provincial towns are so captivating! Both settings are easily imagined, stimulating places, fun to not only visit but stay. The first novella is splendid and not lacking in anything. Chico, the quiet retrospective and caring hero, is undeniably sublime! He truly loves Andy, and everything he does definitely shows who he is. Andy, despite her insecurity, is cordial and charming. The other novella starts off wonderfully, but it feels incomplete and rushed. The ending feels anti-climactic, and readers are left wondering what happens to them. Jorge is not easy to envision physically, while Kirsten is easier to picture. The story’s many inner monologues slow the pace, so the relationship never quite takes off. Though uneven, both stories are charming, making this a pleasant escape-time read!

Roslynn Ernst