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Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite
The Surfing Lesson is a short story written by Elin Hilderbrand and read by Theresa Plummer. I’ve long been a fan of Elin Hilderbrand. She has been one of my favorite authors since I listened to her book The Castaways. There have been some that I liked more than others but, on average, I very much enjoy her tales and watch for the new ones coming out. I am sorry to say I was disappointed in The Surfing Lesson. It is a mere 44 pages. It is very difficult to develop both a plot and characters in a short story. However, Elin Hilderbrand did an excellent job of both. So why am I disappointed in The Surfing Lesson? Because it left me wanting more.
The plot revolves around a woman named Margot; she has lost that special romantic feeling for her husband Drum. In fact, she sees him as a person with no drive or ambition. She is totally consumed by her work and desire to climb the ladder of success. On the other hand, Drum is very content in his role of taking care of the home and their child. While on vacation, they encounter Drum’s former girlfriend, Hadley. Margot encourages and insists that Drum give surfing lessons to Hadley’s son. Margot believes this will stir feelings of jealousy, hence bringing back a sense of romance in her marriage. As she watches from a distance, she reminisces on how she and Drum met and fell in love. Will her plan reignite her love and desire for her husband or is it too late?
This short story is basically a teaser for Elin Hilderbrand’s latest full length book, Beautiful Day. Naturally, I will have to have a copy. Like most of the author’s books, this is a character-driven story. I found the ending unsatisfying - I wanted more. I had unanswered questions. In all relationships there are times when we love each other more than at other times. While I thought Margot made a big mistake pushing her husband toward Hadley, at least she was attempting to rekindle that spark in some manner. Elin Hilderbrand uses Nantucket as the backdrop of her books. She describes it with much love, making me want to go there for a visit. All in all, this was a pleasant book that left me believing Beautiful Day will be a great book.
