The former fighter is a lot of things — a single dad, a widower trying to start over, and a watchful presence that knocks her off her very capable feet.
To make matters worse, Isabel had a crush on him for the entirety of her teenage years. Doodles in her diaries and letters declaring her admiration—while never sent—haunt the absolute crap out of her now that she has to face him every day.
No woman has ever tempted Aiden to move on from the memory of his wife—until Isabel. She’s too young, too fiery, too much of everything he should avoid.
But avoiding is impossible, just like pretending the blistering chemistry between them doesn’t exist.
Now that the unshakeable woman is shaken and the untemptable man is tempted, Isabel and Aiden have to decide what they’re willing to risk for a taste of the forbidden.
Comment: This is the 4th installment in the Ward sisters series but I have not read the previous ones. I've decided to try this story after seeing a glowing review and what the reviewer said made me think I'd like the book, so here I am.
Isabel Ward has a big family and she loves them all, but she still has the memories of what it meant when their mother abandoned them, and she and her sisters ended up raised by their stepbrother Logan. Now they are all grown up, every sibling has found someone to be their life partner except for her but she hasn't been worried. Still, she isn't eager for changes in life but that is precisely what happens when her boss Amy, owner of the gym Isabel feels is part of her life, decides to sell ad who else would buy it but Aiden Hennessy, a former athlete Isabel has had a crush on, including posters in her bedroom. Facing this seemingly unreachable man is already a challenge but things become even weirder when it feels as if he gets the vibe between them too... will there be any future for them?
This is the first book I try by this author and the only expectation I had was related to the elements I saw the reviewer mention would be included here. I'm specifically thinking about the gym as a setting for most of the novel - not that I like gyms, physical exercise isn't my thing at all - and the fact the male protagonist was a widow and had a child. Who knows how many other books I've read with these ideas but the ones that come to mind make me think positive things, and this is why I wanted to try this one too.
The story is told in first person by Isabel and Aiden, but the majority is by her. Although this is a romance, I wasn't too bothered by this tactic because Isabel as narrator is a captivating one, and it helped that the focus isn't on sex nor on sex thoughts - as often happens in some contemporary romances. In fact, there isn't as much sexual content as I imagined by the book covers and the authors often compared with Karla Sorenson in some sites. There is some sex but to be honest, to me, it wasn't much of a deal and it turned out those scenes were a bit meh.
The main plot is set on the premise that Isabel has had a crush on Aiden and as any romance reader knows, in romanceland this is more than enough to justify them having to work together somehow. The fact Aiden becomes her boss, has been her crush, is ten years older, has a daughter, had a wife he loved and who died, make for lots of reasons why they shouldn't have enough in common and, in a certain way, I'd would say this a little so. They do find common ground (both have a good work ethic, have big families, share values and a love for sport and working out) and I liked them together, but in practical terms the romance between them just wasn't as great as the author wanted to imply.
The romance is a little disappointing when they finally decide they can try to have a relationship. I think the author conveyed attraction and longing and sexual tension well enough, all things I appreciate noticing in romance novels, but as soon as they admitted to themselves they wanted to try, that they liked the other that much, the romance became so sugary and easy, I have to wonder why the bother to have planned all the conflicts that supposedly existed? The chemistry was fine before they became a couple, but after that it wasn't exciting anymore. Perhaps third person here might have helped...
I liked the idea of this novel and I liked the experience of reading it but it's one of those cases where a more assertive coupe would have made a difference. I liked Isabel and the supposed flaws she has but the transition from clumsy in his presence to being in love with him was a little cheesy and rather simplistic. Aiden was also a little too static and I could not buy it that he was as stoic and considerate towards Isabel. Even the supposed forbidden situations of their age gap and boss/employee was not given much focus, so those items as obstacles were easily put aside. It leaves me thinking that there wasn't much forbiddance to their relationship after all.
I'm sorry this didn't work for you as well as you had hoped, but I confess I'm commenting mostly to ponder something else: the famous age gap.
ReplyDeleteLike, ten years can be a problem if she's 19 and he's 29, but if she's 25 to 30, and he's 35 to 40, that gap is less significant, and becomes even less so the older they both are--unless the younger one has always been isolated from the world, of course.
So that would be the main obstacle I would find believable if she's still very young (say, under 25 and grown up mostly sheltered), but not a big obstacle if she's older than that and/or very worldly.
Thoughts?
Hi!
DeleteShe is 25 and he is 35. I don't think the age gap here was that important, in fact. I think the author used it mostly to create a level of distance between what should be what they thought of one another, especially because Isabel is inexperienced intimately and because she used to have a crush on him. So, if she was 15 crushing on him from afar, and now ten years later they are interacting, that would be on her mind for certain. But in terms of behavior, of him being condescending or something because of her age, no. She is quite competent too.
Age gap novels aren't something I look for on purpose but sometimes the setting up makes it appealing to see developed because how the couple interacts is what makes it special or a reason for contention. In here, while the plot was ongoing, I really didn't think it was a big deal and imagining the age gap wasn't there, there wasn't that much the author would have to write differently anyway.