Review: Blind Date Leads To Second Chance At Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 22, 2013
It always amazes me when, in just a few pages, an author can grab my attention, make me love her characters and tug at my heart with her storytelling.  I was bowled over by this story of second chance romance between one-time high school sweethearts.Luke Dexter has returned home after a decade of doing his patriotic duty.  He and his men make a pact to do something normal to help adjust to being out of the service so they all sign up for Madam Eve's 1 Night Stand dating service.  Madam Eve sends him a cryptic email that not only tells him where to meet his date, but speaks of second chances.  It all makes sense when the gorgeous woman in the green dress waiting for him at the bar is Rebecca Rainier, the childhood sweetheart that he broke her heart when he left her.  This is his chance to make things more than right.Becca has agreed to humor her business partner who has asked so little of her in the past by going on a date before she starts in on her next event planning job.  She is now successful and owner of her own business, but her broken dreams from the past keep interfering with her ability to be in a relationship.  And now, out of that past and into the bar walks the boy of her girlhood dreams.  He hurt her so badly and one look at him tells her that she isn't over him and he is capable of breaking her healed heart all over again.Naturally, because it is a short story, things get right to it.  I like how there is an introduction to the characters and the issue between them after a dip into the past, but then it is straight to the point.  Luke shows himself a real man by taking responsibility for his actions in the past and the effect they are still having on Becca in the present.  Becca, in spite of her pain and hesitation to put herself out there for heartbreak again still accepts the truth about her feelings.  I loved the poignant tone of this story that has a feeling of authenticity when it comes to the story's backdrop of military service and how it affects those who serve and the people who are in their lives.I am so glad that this is part of a series of books and I look forward to reading more.  Though this is a 1NS story, it is more romantic spice than erotic.  I recommend it to those who enjoy contemporary romance and military romance and don't mind it in short story form.