Title: A Bartender’s Holiday
Author: Carole Love Forbes
Publisher: URLink Print and Media
ISBN: 978-1684863945
Pages: 148
Genre: Romance/Screenplay
Reviewed by: Ephantus M.
Hollywood Book Reviews
A Bartender’s Holiday is a sweeping story penned by Carole Love Forbes and which delivers much more than it promises. The scene opens with Vietnam War veteran Mac Neely reflecting deeply on his life, which has been shaped by the effects of war and his lack of connection to the outside world. He mutters to himself in his Manhattan bar, wondering how he missed the boat and ended up purposeless, ripped apart, and carrying a heavy burden of his past. He feels that life has not given him a second chance or a break, and that every day seems to push him deeper and deeper into a pitch-black labyrinth as he frantically runs in circles hoping that things will improve.
In another scene, we follow him to Central Park after work on 59th Street, where he notices a huge man following a lady. In an attempt to defend her, Mac slips down the alley and confronts the armed man, killing him in the process. Astonished by the incident, he hears police sirens approaching and pulls the unconscious woman into a nearby vehicle. But when the police find him in the car, he finds himself in a tough spot, made worse when he learns that the woman was wanted dead by a notorious ringleader who had formerly dated her. Unexpectedly, Mac falls in love with the lady right away and tries to help her obtain a narcotic to which she is hooked. This, however, places him directly in the drug lord’s crosshairs, especially when he chooses to contact the FBI to seek justice for his newly found lover.
This is a gripping screenplay that never stops until its startling and unpredictable conclusion, while also taking unexpected detours and delivering fresh, crucial details. In order to keep readers interested, it employs fast-paced sequences punctuated by silent anxious intervals as well as unexpected occurrences that cast doubt on the readers’ preconceptions. The protagonist, a flawed hero, skillfully navigates the play with incisive speech and directness, adding to the drama amid a grave dilemma and high stakes.
The screenplay’s visual descriptions are succinct yet compelling enough to wow even the most discerning readers. Its many turns, which are genuinely unexpected but nonetheless believable within the story’s setting, compensate for the small font choice. In addition to being a play, A Bartender’s Holiday provides a means of escape into a world where love triumphs over all obstacles.