Official Review: When Lyric Met Limerick by Dawn V. Cahill

[NadineTimes10]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "When Lyric Met Limerick" by Dawn V. Cahill.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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“Why do you write songs?”
“Because I have to. Why do you write limericks?”
“Because I can.”

In the short story When Lyric Met Limerick, author Dawn V. Cahill combines comedy and danger with a hint of faith, set in the early 1980s. Howard McCreary, better known (or not so much better known) as Declan Decker, is a songwriter aspiring for fame who doesn’t mind using underhanded methods to get what he wants. As soon as he meets Luna Rickles, a poetess who writes personalized limericks for her customers at an open market booth, Howard is sure that he wants her. However, an unfortunate run-in at the market may foil the next step of Howard’s plan to pursue the woman who’s swiftly captivated him.

His scheming and self-seeking ways notwithstanding, Howard turns out to be a fairly charming character, if for nothing else, for the comical picture he makes when he’s unable to resist popping up with an air guitar and ever being the performer regardless of his surroundings. The author also gives a glimpse of Howard’s vulnerable side through his reflections about his past, his grandmother, and God. Luna adds more than a pretty face to the story with her perception, her talent, and a rather vulnerable situation that she’s in herself.

Upon taking a look at this story’s cover, I—admittedly, a native Seattleite—suspected it would be based in the city of Seattle, Washington, and it is. The references to Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, Seattle Center, and the Olympic Mountains give a vivid sense of place while a mention of the Kingdome (which still existed in the 80s) and entertainment nods to Return of the Jedi, “Thriller,” and more give a sense of the decade. Considering the amount of true setting references the author has managed to fit into this brief narrative, it would be easy for the names and titles to come off as blatant or unnecessary “name dropping,” but instead, each reference ties into the flow of the story naturally.

This piece could have used a bit more editing for grammar and consistency. Sometimes “OK” or “Ok” appears in the dialogue instead of “Okay,” just one spelling or the other should have been chosen for “blond” and “blonde” as an adjective describing Luna, and other technical issues that I noticed but that weren’t so huge as to jar me out of the story.

I give When Lyric Met Limerick a rating of 3 out of 4 stars, not quite 4 because while yearning for fame and yearning for romance are two of the major themes, only one of them reaches a distinct resolution. I’d recommend this story to anyone looking for a quick, clean, romantic read and a laugh or two along the way.

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When Lyric Met Limerick
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Like NadineTimes10's review? Post a comment saying so!

[dcahill]

Thank you for reviewing my story!

[NadineTimes10]

Thank you for reviewing my story!

Oh, happy to do it! I couldn't pass it up after seeing the Needle on the cover.

[dcahill]

I'm re-releasing this story with a new cover. Do you mind if I use a snippet of your review?

[NadineTimes10]

I'm re-releasing this story with a new cover. Do you mind if I use a snippet of your review?

Oh, wow, you're more than free to do so!

[dcahill]

Thanks! The new cover is going to look awesome

[NadineTimes10]

New covers are fun! I'll keep an eye out for the re-release. May switch to the new cover on my blog.