A collection of short stories which offers insights into human nature which are in turn punchily realistic and suggestively questioning.

Casgliad o storïau byrion sy'n cynnig dirnadaeth o'r natur ddynol ac sydd yn eu tro yn rymus realistig ac yn awgrymog ymholgar.

Far from the romantic collection the title suggests, Clare Morgan's book of short stories, An Affair of the Heart, is an often uncomfortable look at love and desire in their many forms. No living happily ever after here. These stories mix the wonderfully everyday - a father pulling on a potentially ill-fitting sock watched by his daughter - with the unbearable - a furtively glimpsed view of domestic violence.

It would seem that Morgan has little time for flowers and chocolates, telling us that relationships have much baser roots and little to do with the man from Milk Tray arriving to make everything all right with a sweet gift. These stories leave a far bitterer taste, but nonetheless they are a long way from being dissatisfying. Brief snapshots into the lives of their characters, they can leave the reader hungry for more, but that is often the beauty of a well-crafted short story. These are savoury tid-bits, for a palette used to strong flavours.

Morgan is a graduate of Malcolm Bradbury's groundbreaking creative writing course at the University of East Anglia and now a teacher of creative writing herself at Oxford University. She is clearly a writer who has honed her art, comfortable with using the short story as a way to explore some of life's more complex themes. Read her collection to have notions of love, desire and relationships challenged, not to enjoy a cosy evening on the sofa with a box of chocolates.

Michael Nobbs

It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgement should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council.

Gellir defnyddio’r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru.