Room 11 by Dawne Prochilo

Room 11 by Dawne Prochilo is a delightful short story that captures the heart of a high school girl’s crush on the most popular guy in school and takes it a step farther. What would happen if he had a crush on you but had done nothing and they meet up years later? Room 11 explores the desires, setbacks, dreams, and inhibitions of the parties involved.

Paige Sinclair was the good girl. So what was she doing meeting Rob, the bad boy from high school, at a motel room for a day of sex?

She's living a fantasy like the fantasies she writes about in her romance novels. Little did they both know what would happen next.

Paige Sinclair has always been a shy person and it has kept her from obtaining things she has really wanted in life. In high school it was Rob the brother of her best friend. She knew she was attracted to him but was to shy to really do anything about it. As an adult it has kept writing about her wildest fantasies as an erotic novelist instead of pursuing them. Then she joins a reunion website and is reunited with Rob. She is thrilled to be in contact with him again after all he is her high school crush, and if she is honest with herself he still is. One thing leads to another and before too long they agree to meet at a motel. She doesn’t know what to expect but she is excited.

Rob has wanted Paige for over twenty years yet until now he had nothing. In high school he had wanted her but he was popular and he was too concerned with his image back then to pursue her. His friends never would have understood. Now as an adult he had made some bad choices and was still reeling in the consequences of them. Then he made the decision to send Paige a private message on the reunion site he belonged to…and that would change his life. Ever since then they have been emailing texting and talking on the phone, he just could not get enough of her. Before too long they agree to meet up and enjoy themselves without emotional attachment….but can he do that? Will he be able to let her go if she decides to find happiness elsewhere?

I enjoyed Room 11 it is a great story. However, I would have loved to see this story play out across the pages of a novel rather than get a glimpse of it in a short story. I wanted to know more about Rob and Paige. Their stories, who they were, what drove their decisions, and how they came to this point in their lives. Room 11 is a fun and quick read. Dawne Prochilo is good at creating wonderful characters that are easy to identify with. I did identify with the characters in Room 11 on different levels. I identify with Paige because I was too shy to go after the guys I liked in high school. I was far too scared of rejection (aren’t most of us at that age?). I was also able to identify with Rob because there were things I wanted to do or try but was too afraid to follow through with them because I was afraid of what my friends would think. Room 11 is a good erotic and contemporary romance read.