I love Syd McGinley's Dr Fell series, so decided to read a few of her other books. "Mimosa" was written in 2005, making it one of her earlier books.

While not perfect, Mimosa is definitely worth reading. It can be confusing as it does jump around time wise, so the reader has to pay attention. Sometimes this jumping happens mid paragraph and can even morph into another memory of a different time as the POV character, Nick, tries to come to term with his past after he has an argument with his boyfriend.

The story is told by reveal. We only gradually learn who Nick is, what he looks like and his problem. Take the time to let this information be teased out just like roots of a pot-bound plant. What may look like haphazard facts do straighten out into a logical story, much like Nick's coming to terms with his past and what is more important conveying these to his lover, Matt.

The story starts with a memory of an argument they had the previous night, as Matt delivers what to Nick feels is an ultimatum:

“It’s spring, Nick. We’ve been seeing each other a year. Don’t you think you’ve stayed buried long enough? Come on back to life with me, please?”

A lot of the next part of the story is Nick remembering what brought them to that point. The highs and the lows and eventually the reason he has been "holding out" on his lover is revealed to Matt and the reader.

Yes there is the Big Misunderstanding and in fact Syd even alludes to that in the text:

I always thought farce movies were stupid, “Say what you mean!” I’ve been known to yell at the screen (at home, I’m not a yob) so this misunderstanding is justice, I suppose.

But this in a way reflects his fear of communicating what he's been trying to forget and ignore.

The random memories which are each triggered by an action or word in the current time do make sense and reflect how our minds work. It's an ambitious format. Brave. One of those books it's worth re-reading immediately after finishing to fully appreciate it.
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