Book Reviews

Book Blurb

High-energy Spence joins a Brazilian jiu-jitsu school looking for adventure. Will is already a calm, advanced practitioner of the gentle art when they meet, and he takes the new student under his wing. After training for a tournament, Spence realizes that relaxing into the flow works great for channeling his energy at competitions and for life in general, but when it comes to taking a chance on Will, pushing the boundaries may be the only way to take their friendship to the next level.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2013 Daily Dose package "Make a Play".

 

Book Review

Brazilian jiu-jitsu, or BJJ for short, is not a martial art/sport I was familiar with before reading this story. Many elements are similar to judo and jiu-jitsu, but the biggest difference seems to be that BJJ is more of a sport. Competition is encouraged, and it is this element that plays a major role in the story. The contrast between the more experienced, laid-back, purple belt Will and the eager newcomer and white belt Spence was fun to watch, as was learning about some of the principles of the sport and how Spence tried to apply them to his life, not just the sport.

Spence is full of energy, wants to do everything "right now", and is extremely focused. He's also a quick learner, and watching the others as well as Will, who has his special attention from the beginning, teaches him a lot, His biggest issue is that he is "too much like a brick", as the school's owner puts it, and needs to learn to relax more.

Will is a few years ahead of Spence in training, and the relaxing is easy for him. Not just because he's paid attention in class, but because he's not a naturally competitive guy. In fact, keep him away from the 6-monthyly competition, and he's a happy camper. He enjoys sparring, or 'rolling as it's called in BJJ, with Spence a lot and when Spence, definitely the more impatient of the two, finally makes his move, Will is a more than willing partner.

If you like stories set against the background of a slightly different sport, if you enjoy reading about men who take their time to get to know each other before making their move, and if you're looking for a read that is interesting, fun, and sweet, then you will probably like this short story.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Short Story, 43 pages/10835 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-June-2013
Price	$2.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/pouring-a-brick-by-tray-ellis-2083-b