CAN I HAVE A HUG FIRST? by Mary Paula Hunter is a very unique set of short stories that follow a wide cast of characters ranging from a hesitant landlord to an anxious dance instructor and even to a narcissistic divorcé. One aspect that solidifies Hunter's unique line up of stories is the line she blurs between reality and delusion. I'm still not quite sure what actually happened in some of these stories versus what I was told happened. Her exploration of unreliable narrators is particularly alluring since you get the feeling that the narrators truly beleive what they tell us, so as the reader, in just a few short pages, we have to decide what is happening behind the curtain, if anything is. This cleaves a long-lasting taste from these short stories because regardless of how short they are, you have to really put yourself into them.
There were a few stories, particularly in the beginning where I thought I didn't "get" them, but as I read through, I began to believe that was the point. I don't think Hunter wants us to "get" them, rather to explore the madness in the world unrestrained.
I don't think this book is for everyone, but I do think the right reader will enjoy this journey through delusion from all different angles.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Unsolicited Press for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a nice, lovely, quick read, but not a light one. It is a collection of short stories, each one going deep and feeling raw and real. Nothing is fully explained, but you get a feeling of having had a glimpse of what goes on behind closed doors. The rest is all up to you; interpret it as you wish and as you see fit.

Can I have a hug first? Is Mary Paula Hunter's debut short story collection. A collection of general fiction short stories that all follow women with themes of motherhood and a lot of dancing.

This collection was just not for me. A lot of the stories had me questioning whether I was stupid and missing something or whether the story just simply had no substance. The second story in particular had me thinking "okay? And?", nothing happens in most of these stories.

Some stories also just had some big leaps in logical inconsistencies. Like a woman who apparently is agoraphobic sitting in a restaurant and interacting with other customers. I don't know whether the author meant something else?

Can I have a hug first? - 2.5✨
The morning after Christmas - 2✨
The dance studio - 3✨
The spider bite - 4✨
Rhythmic tour guide for children - 1✨
Can I stay for a while? - 2.5✨
Hotline - 1.5✨
Life support - 2✨
Cut to the chase - 3✨
The pressing foundation - 2.5✨
Where am I? - 3.5✨
Bring things out in people - 2✨
Christmas eve day - 1✨
A magnet for the weird and desperate - 2.5✨

2.35/5 rounded down

This could be good for some people. If you like general fiction and you like short story formats give it a try but I found little in this to enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Unsolicited press for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

Mary Paula Hunter's debut short story collection, "CAN I HAVE A HUG FIRST?" highlights the distinctively zany voice she developed as a performance artist. The stories feature characters struggling to navigate a world they ride like a wild horse. Problems seem self-inflicted, yet Hunter’s storytelling leaves nothing clear-cut. Is the chaos external or internal?

In the medical thriller "The Pressing Foundation," Hunter blends reality and imagination, creating a new vaudeville. Here, a cheery doctor with a mysterious repetitive speech pattern becomes more puzzling than a woman’s strange abdominal sensation.

​The title story, "Can I HAVE A HUG FIRST?" follows a dance teacher tormented by the chaotic world outside her ballet studio. After a harrowing walk through Providence, dodging falling tree limbs and out-of-control cars, she encounters a clown who is actually her tenant in need of legal help. The more she tries to distance herself from this desperate and enigmatic woman, the more their worlds collide, leading them in unexpected directions.