A review by georgiewhoissarahdrew
Escort (Three Tales of a Silver Fox) by Harper Fox

3.0

3.5 stars

This was delightful, but.

I think the "but" is the fact there are just too many ingredients to this fairy tale. The plot strand I fell for was the first one: good, kind, grieving George is consoled and valued by the charismatic professional escort, Mr Silver. Here, Fox is superb on the limning of disappointed hopes, small sorrows and quietly growing joy. She can make me believe completely in both love at first sight and the vitality of inspired town-planning. For me, the whole novella could have concentrated on how George and Sil navigate Sil's job, how they take on property developers, how they make a life together.

So when the middle third of the book branches off into

a long and detailed description of Sil's night with one of George's colleagues

I'm left hanging. And when Fox devotes a further third to

George's ex and his new wife, Sil's seekrit agency background, a jealous & vengeful spouse and a hostage situation

I'm not only hanging but drowning. "More George and Sil," I call, as I'm washed under by the plot again. "More George and Si...gurgle, gurgle, glub, glub..."

Four stars for George and Sil, two for the rest of the book, and a whole half-star for George's cheerfully clueless Labrador of a brother.