Happy Thursday! Hopefully, those of you who’ve partaken in whatever form of Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations that COVID regulations have allowed, are now recovered.
Today I’m reviewing, Breathless, A Short Story, by Yvette M. Calleiro.
Here’s what Amazon says:

What if the fairy tale kiss that always awakens the damsel in distress takes a sinister turn? What if prince charming’s kiss no longer produces a happily ever after?
Silena’s infatuation with William hits a speed bump when he rejects her. After all, she is just a maid, and he is a young, rich aristocrat in the 1920s. Why would he have any desire to waste his time with the help?
On one particularly lonely day, Silena calls upon her magic to transform into a sexy flapper for the night. Her dream to enjoy one night with William is finally in her grasp, but her magic comes with consequences that neither William nor Silena could ever imagine.
My Turn:
I must admit that the romance genre is not typically my thing, but after a glimpse of this blurb, I thought, why not?
Needless to say, I was glad I did. This quick read story was entertaining. The main protagonist was likeable, and easy to sympathize, while the antagonist was self-indulgent.
However, by the end of the story, I felt an ounce of sympathy for the antagonist, as well. I’ll not say any more about the matter, to avoid a spoiler.
What I enjoyed most about this story, was the fact that it didn’t follow the typical “Happily ever after,” of all those Disney cartoons I grew up watching. This was raw, with bitter consequences of wise advice not heeded, and a few of the seven deadly sins committed.
I wouldn’t hesitate to read other material written by this author. Well done, Yvette! I throw you, FIVE STARS!
Meet Yvette:

Yvette M. Calleiro is a heavily addicted reader of both young adult and adult novels. She spends most of her time pseudo-living in paranormal worlds with her fictional friends (and boyfriends). She’s also been known to ride the stationary bike at her gym for hours while reading anything from paranormal to fantasy to suspenseful thrillers.
When she’s living among real people, Yvette M. Calleiro is a middle school Reading and Language Arts teacher. She’s been sharing her love of literature with her students for over twenty years. Besides writing about the various characters that whisper (and sometimes scream) in her head, she enjoys traveling, watching movies, spending quality time with family and friends, and enjoying the beauty of the ocean.
Yvette lives in Miami, Florida, with her beautiful son who enjoys paranormal and adventurous stories as well. She also shares her space with an assortment of crazy saltwater animals in her 300-gallon tank.
Connect with Yvette and purchase your copy:
I’m not a big reader of romance either, but every so often, it can be just the right thing, and this story sounds good. Thanks, Mark, and congratulations to Yvette.
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Thanks, Olga. She puts a nice spin on the end.
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Great review, Mark. I not usually a romance reader either, but you’ve tempted me. Congrats to Yvette. 🙂
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Thanks, Diana. She put a nice twist at the end. I think you’d enjoy it.
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Hi Mark, lovely to read this review. Breathless featured on the Eyes on the Book show last night and I am going to grab a copy today. It sounds quite unique and I like that.
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I think you would enjoy it, Robbie. 🙂
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Thank you for your support, Robbie! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it. 🙂
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Great review, Mark!
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Thank you, Jill. 🙂
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Wonderful review, Mark. Congrats to the author!
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Thank you, Jacquie. 🙂
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Thank you, Jacquie! 🙂
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Great review, Mark, and I enjoyed reading about Yvette. Her book sounds compelling, and Congrats to her!
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Thanks, Lauren. Anyone who can get me to read romance, knows their craft. 🙂
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Thank you, Lauren. 🙂
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looks interesting 👍📚
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It was quite good, Victoria. 🙂
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I am honored that you read my short story despite your lack of enjoyment of the romance genre. I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’m not a big fan of the romance genre either. Lol! I don’t handle mushy, gushy, and sappy page after page. I do, however, love twists. and I love multi-faceted characters.
This short story was born as a backstory to a novel I haven’t written yet. I had a dream of a certain scene with my male character from this short story and realized I needed to dig deeper to see why he behaved the way he did, and this story explained it perfectly. I’m hoping to write the novel soon.
I truly appreciate you not only writing a review but also sharing it with your followers. Thank you, Mark! 🙂
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You are most welcome, Yvette. I kind of got the gist that you weren’t a true fan of romance. I think that’s why it hooked me. I loved the twist, as it was perfectly executed. I’ll be in line for the novel, when you publish it. 🙂 Please feel free to use this review wherever it suits you. Have a great day!
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Thank you so much, Mark! I truly appreciate it. 🙂
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Excellent review, Mark! The book sounds intriguing.
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Thank you, Liz. Yvette made it easy. 🙂
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You’re welcome, Mark.
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Excellent Review, Mark. Congratulations, Yvette.
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Thanks, John. It was well deserved.
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Thank you, John! 🙂
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😊
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Thank you for sharing your review of “Breathless,” Mark. I’m looking forward to reading it. Congratulations, Yvette! 💗
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Yvette did a fantastic job with this one! I think you’ll enjoy it, Gwen Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Thank you, Gwen! 🙂
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Oh yes! I have read and reviewed this short story Mark. True to her style, Yvette holds your attention till the last page.
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Agreed, Balroop. I’ll have to pop by and check out your review. 🙂
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Aw, thank you, Balroop! 🙂
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Great review, Mark! I did enjoy the short story and the twist.
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Thanks, Denise. She did a fantastic job. 🙂
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Twists are my favorite. Lol! Thank you, Denise! 🙂
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Congratulations on a wonderful review, Yvette.
This one’s rather intriguing, Mark.
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Thank you, Pat. I think you would enjoy it. 🙂 Have a great day!
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Thank you, Patricia! 🙂
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Mark, a great review of an unusual book – I am definitely intrigued and likes that it goes to darker places.
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Thanks, Annika. I think you would enjoy this one. Have a great day. 🙂
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Such a great review, Mark! I love how you support authors the way you do. Writers need that supportive community around them, don’t we?
This sounds like a great read, even though like you, I am not much a fan of the romance genre. It always fascinates me how we can feel so much through reading someone else’s words with the story they tell. Your sympathy for the antagonist made me smile. 🙂
Sending much love to you & your family. I hope each of you is well!
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Thank you, Holly, for such kind words. I love supporting fellow authors, and I know you do too. I loved the twist that Yvette put on this one. I think you’d enjoy it. 🙂
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I totally agree with your review of “Breathless,” Mark. This story is compellingly dark. I thought Yvette did a fantastic job with it! Thank you for sharing!
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She certainly did, Jan. 🙂 I loved the twist she put on it. Thanks for coming over today. Have a great one!
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Thank you, Jan! 🙂
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Oooh! This sounds very intriguing. Thanks for the review, Mark. I’m going to have to check it out!
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She put a nice twist on the end. I think you’d enjoy it, Mae. 🙂
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