The Way to a Man’s Heart - Thibault Busschots - ★★★.¾

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AUTHOR: Thibault Busschots
GENRE: Short Story
PUBLICATION DATE: November 16, 2024
RATING: 3.75 stars.


In a Nutshell: A short story that offers a different take on the well-known proverb referenced in the title. A straightforward tale written straight from the heart.


Plot Preview:
Adora is excited to visit her boyfriend’s home for the first time. He has decided to make a homecooked meal for the two of them, preparing a dish that holds a special meaning in their lives. However, when there’s an interruption to their cosy evening, Adora faces some tough questions and decisions. Does she have what it takes to secure her way to her man’s heart?
The story comes to us in Adora’s third-person perspective.


All of us must have heard the popular maxim, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Whether you agree with it or not, the story incorporates this adage into its plot, but with a novel twist.

As a short tale of just 19 pages, the plotting and the pacing is quick. There are only two characters, but their interactions and inner thoughts help us get a good gauge on their personalities. The writing contains a nice mix of long and short sentences, written in a casual, conversational kind of style that feels indicative of actual new-couple interactions.

I have read another short story by Thibault (There’s a Bear in Our House!), and even in that tale, he raised some pertinent questions about the expected role of men and women in a relationship. I’m glad to see that he follows in the same vein in this latest offering, but with slightly different themes so as to avoid repetition.

The central conflict is something many new couples would have faced in real life. But what won my heart was not just the conflict but the author’s choice of resolution. I don’t want to go into spoilers for such a short tale, so I will point out as vaguely as I can that a joint endeavour works much better than a solo attempt at reparation by either party, and the story demonstrated this well.

There’s one more thing that delighted me, but revealing this would again be a spoiler. So again trying to keep the content fuzzy, I can just say that I was quite chuffed to see what Adora’s boyfriend was planning to cook. 😋

The author’s parting note reveals the inspiration behind this tale. As I am (virtually) acquainted with the person who was Thibault’s muse – a common GR friend of ours, I can affirm that Thibault has done justice to them in this otherwise fictional story. Thibault also reveals an interesting anecdote from his life that he has incorporated into the tale. As an Indian, I can only laugh hard at that experience – sorry, Thibault! 😂

A tiny shoutout to that cute cover. That couple silhouette with the shared bowl of food is all things warm and cosy!

Recommended to short story lovers who want something nice and quick and cute and ‘chatpata’!

My thanks to author Thibault Busschots for providing me with a complimentary copy of “The Way to a Man's Heart”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the story. Thibault is my friend on Goodreads but this hasn’t affected my review or rating.

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