Review: engaging contemporary romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 3, 2012
Joe loves his life as he has a great job building bridges around the world, lives in a wonderful house in Saltburn by the sea, and has no dangling relationships.  However, being away a lot, Joe needs a house sitter to walk Wolf, but she must respect his quiet.  He advertises in the Cleveland Gazette.  London manicurist Tess applies for the position.  She arrives for the interview with her eighteen month old daughter Em.  Although he wants no noisy children and does not like the fact she never mentioned Em, Joe gives her the job temporarily mostly because she likes the garden.Joe and Tess forge a tentative relationship, but he finds it odd that she fears beaches.  As they begin to open up to one another, Joe learns Em's dad is Dick an irresponsible singer while Tess finds out why he relishes bridge building.  As their threat of leaving abates, an attraction grows between them, but though he reaches out into the darkness with a need to be a Friend and Lover to her and a father to Em, her fears cripple her from crossing the bridge.Although the reason for Tess' trauma seems a bit weak, fans will appreciate this contemporary romance starring a reclusive male and a neurotic female.  The support cast to include Em and Tess' BFF Tamison and sister Claire are bridges to the story line as they anchor past and present.  Readers will enjoy this engaging tale of a traumatized single mom finding love but contentment is much harder to achieve.Harriet Klausner