Book Review: A Gentle Nudge

It sometimes seems that short story collections don't always get the same fanfare as novels, which is a shame, because they're a lot easier to dip into and out of. This was the certainly the experience I got from Mason Bushell's A Gentle Nudge. This review was made as part of a Reading Between the Lines blog tour, organised by Lynsey Adams.

A Gentle Nudge is a collection of 34 short stories which revolve around small moments of kindness that end up changing the lives of the characters. Some of the stories involve a fantastical tone, while others are more down-to-earth, and they depict a variety of protagonists and situations.

With this being a collection, I don't have time to talk about all of the stories, but I'll talk about five of my favourites within the collection (in no particular order):

1. "Benny and the New Years' Fireworks" centres around the eponymous German Shepherd being spooked by fireworks around New Years' Day, but finds himself having to overcome his fears to rescue his neighbour from a house fire. The action is tense and atmospheric as Benny escapes from his house to reach the neighbour.
2. "Honestly Deceiving" takes an unusual turn on such tales of kindness, in which we follow a pickpocket called Old Edgar who poses as a pavement artist. The story largely follows him working marks, but the final portion delves into why he does it. I've often said that the Loveable Rogue is one of my favourite character tropes, and Old Edgar is a classic example.
3. "Serendipity Mews" features an unsatisfied office worker named Indy who stumbles across a car crash on her way to work, and is tasked with rescuing a number of cats from the wreckage. While I've never been in any job that involved working with animals, I've been in many soulless office jobs and found the outcome of this story to be quite cathartic.
4. "Callisto's Celestial Plan" is one of the more poignant stories, which follows an avid stargazer named Callisto as she runs away from home to escape her abusive father. While some readers might find it hard to sit through, it does highlight the importance of finding things which bring comfort or solace during hard times.
5. "The Gift of Giving" utilises a Victorian or Edwardian setting, and follows a street urchin named Rupert who is given food by a nobleman and pays it forward. It's a common type of story you'd expect in a collection like this, but it's nonetheless a wholesome piece. I especially liked Rupert giving a toff a verbal beatdown.

All the stories will have something of interest, and they're worth a read when you have some downtime. They provide glimmers of light and hope in a bleak world.

A Gentle Nudge was published by Bridgehouse Publishers on the 18/04/2023, and is available from the following vendors:

• Bridgetown Café
• Amazon
• Hive
• Barnes and Noble
• Booktopia

About the Author

Author Mason Bushell, is a naturalist, chef and writer from Norfolk in the UK. He loves nothing more than to write among the trees, near his home. He is an avid short story writer and is always working with his characters unless Lucy Dog steals his laptop for a walkies!

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Blurb

Stories to soothe your soul.

In a world drowning in negativity and dark events, we all need a little light and hope. With a little adventure, romance and even music, these short stories will give your hopes and dreams a nudge as they draw a smile.

A Gentle Nudge by Mason Bushell wraps you in calm.

Happy writing.