Christopher Hughes is new to the small New England town of Lancaster, New Hampshire. He’s been hired to save an old library from closing, but his obstacles include not only fighting for state funding, but a Selectman who wants to tear the building down in favor of a shopping center. Christopher is introduced to Miles Sakasai, a charming tattooed repairman on site to restore the historical interior of the building. Working in close proximity has both men falling hard for each other. It also provides Christopher with an opportunity to learn about Miles’s passion for baking.
And as it turns out, Miles’s skills in the kitchen may end up being the key to saving the library—but only if his bread can rise to the occasion.
I just want to say that the first thing that struck a chord with me in Kneading You was the mention of Lancaster actually having been a "village" until ten years prior because that is how my hometown was until the 1990 census. The town didn't make a big deal about it but it was a significant change, even just the population signs going from "Village of Ellsworth" to "Town of Ellsworth". It isn't something that authors mention, it's always just small town with no reference, so the fact that CS Poe put that statement in Christopher's inner monologue was a real delight and definitely helped to get my attention.
With that said let's delve into the story and characters. As it always is for me with short stories I asked myself "Could Kneading You been even better had it been longer?" The answer: Of Course! Did it need to be longer to make it enjoyable? Not at all. Christopher and Miles are perfect for each other, they compliment each other, they are a gem to read. Would I love to see more of these two? Without a doubt, when I find a couple I enjoy, there truly and honestly can never be enough of their journey told but as with many shorts, sometimes it's kind of nice that the author lets the reader imagine where they end up(whether that's the author's intention or not it's what I tend to do😉).
As for the small town library in need of adjusting and upkeep to prevent a closure, I love that idea! Too many smaller communities lose their libraries and it is a shame. I now live in a town of 15000(as of 2010 census) and the library is my escape and my connection to a printer😉. I have a laptop but no printer and with the pandemic the library has been closed to the public and doing curbside services only so I know I miss it but at least it's still there. So to see the author shine a little light through the men's story about library closures, well it only heightened my love of the tale.
So simply put: Kneading You is a lovely short gem that shouldn't be missed because though it may be short on quantity it more than makes up for it in quality. Let's face it a handyman who loves to bake bread for relaxation, how can one not fall for that? From my review you might think the story is a bit "preachy" but it's not at all, it's pure entertainment I just mentioned a couple of points that really made this story stand out for me. This is definitely another win-win for CS Poe and I look forward to reading the other tales in her Lancaster series.
RATING:
I rushed up the slippery steps of Lancaster’s old library to greet the portly man awaiting me. “I’m sorry I’m late.” I held a hand out. “Christopher Hughes. It’s a pleasure.”
“Logan Fields,” the man said, shaking with an unnecessarily firm grip. “I’m on the town’s Board of Selectmen. I’m in charge of overseeing our library crisis. Come on inside.” He turned around, used an old skeleton key to unlock the front door, and led the way into the dim interior.
I had recently moved to the charming town of Lancaster, New Hampshire. No more than ten years ago, they’d outgrown the title of village—everyone was very proud, I was told. I’d spent most of my life in suburbs in the more populated, southern portion of the state. And while it was nice and convenient, I’d always dreamed of living in a small community where folks all knew one another and there was a real sense of closeness.
I’d certainly found it here.
But not a job.
That was a rather elusive beast.
But such was the way of life in these tiny blips on the map. There were not a lot of job openings on a consistent basis, and so far my options were part-time clerk at the gas station, part-time bagger at the grocery store, or nada. Although I had a college degree, studies in nineteenth-century literature didn’t get you far in a town that required more practical services. I’d been ready to become a bagger too, if it meant paying the rent on time. But then I heard about this.
The library.
Lancaster was in a panic after their librarian—a nice old lady who I swear must have been older than the building itself—passed away, and they needed someone to take over.
Ding, ding, ding! Christopher Hughes, come on down. You’ve won a cozy little position in an antique library. How do you feel?
I can afford dinner now—I feel great!
Logan Fields flicked on an old light switch as I shut out the winter day behind us. “Here she is. Pretty old place, isn’t it?”
It was indeed. The library was small, nothing like I was used to. It was maybe the size of the downstairs of a large house. The woodwork was dark and rich, there were high ceilings, and gorgeous old moldings. I turned, whistling quietly as I took it all in. There was a desk for checkout closer to the wall—with no computer, I noted. An alcove stood just beyond that, completely stuffed with books. To the right of the main area was a closed door, and to the left was the study room—a long table with chairs situated in the middle. Bank lamps with green shades sat positioned on the tabletop, and some old leather-bound books and maps made the space look especially cozy.
“This is wonderful,” I said.
Logan nodded. “Our public library has been open for over a hundred and fifty years. It’s been here through thick and thin, and provided for people when they otherwise couldn’t afford to learn.” He turned to look down at me. “You must understand, a lot of folks up here—they don’t have big-paying jobs like in the cities. They live paycheck to paycheck. My kids all came here, growing up.” He looked pained. “This place means a lot to us all.”
My hands were sweaty in my coat pockets. It felt like I needed to say something, assure him I was capable of the job, if he wanted to hire me, but I kept quiet.
Logan cleared his throat and patted his belly absently. “Anyway. Our old librarian passed on, as you know, and we need help. The state is looking to pull the funding from this facility.”
“What?” I blurted. “Why?”
“Money. It’s always about money. Why give a dinky little town like ours resources when they can better pump it into cities where they get more bang for their buck?” Logan huffed. “We need this place spruced up. Show them how vital this library is to the community. If we can show them how much use this place gets….”
“Do you not have that sort of information on file?”
C.S. Poe is a Lambda Literary and two-time EPIC award finalist, and a FAPA award-winning author of gay mystery, romance, and speculative fiction.
She resides in New York City, but has also called Key West and Ibaraki, Japan, home in the past. She has an affinity for all things cute and colorful and a major weakness for toys. C.S. is an avid fan of coffee, reading, and cats. She’s rescued two cats—Milo and Kasper do their best to distract her from work on a daily basis.
C.S. is an alumna of the School of Visual Arts.
Her debut novel, The Mystery of Nevermore, was published 2016.
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