Blind Kiss by Renée Carlino

* * * *

A powerful story of two people who spend years denying their scientifically-proven chemistry.

Penny spends her afternoons sitting outside a sandwich shop, surrounded by ghosts. Fourteen years ago, this shop was her childhood dance studio... Now she’s a suburban housewife, dreading the moment her son departs for MIT, leaving her with an impeccably decorated McMansion and a failing marriage. She had her chance at wild, stars-in-her-eyes happiness, but that was a lifetime ago. After The Kiss. Before The Decision.

The Kiss was soulful. Magical. Earth-shattering, and it was all for a free gift card. Asked to participate in a psych study that posed the question, “Can you have sexual chemistry without knowing what the other person looks like?” Penny agreed to be blindfolded, make polite conversation with a total stranger, and kiss him. She never expected The Kiss to change her life forever and introduce her to Gavin: tattooed, gorgeous, and spontaneous enough to ask her out seconds after the blindfolds came off.

For a year, they danced between friendship and romance—until Penny made The Decision that forced them to settle for friendship. Now, fourteen years later, both of their lives are about to radically change—and it’s his turn to decide what will become of their once-in-a-lifetime connection." 

Source: advance copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

How do I rate a book that had me equal parts distressed and riveted? My first attempt at reading this had me setting it aside after the first chapter because it was intense. Penny came off as unhinged and there wasn't enough context yet to put her behaviour in perspective. I picked it up a couple of weeks later and with a clearer head on my part, I found a page-turning, heartbreaking story about so many "should have beens" between two people who for some reason or another just couldn't get it together.  

The story is split between the present and 14 years ago when Penny and Gavin first meet in the psych study where they kiss as strangers. It's an instant attraction that has Gavin fawning over her and Penny, who's focused on dance and her future, flattered and overwhelmed by his attention. She offers a compromise that they should just be friends. Gavin reluctantly agrees though is hopeful that he can change her mind. Thus begins this complicated relationship that while they're not "together" together, the reality is that there's no room for anyone else to get close to them either. The hold they have over each other is so strong that it becomes problematic because of the lack of typical boundaries between friends. And it's confusing to anyone else they might try to date.

I can't say that Penny or Gavin's decisions made sense half the time because their actions would often contradict their words. She absolutely refused to get serious with Gavin either due to fear or that he wasn't what she needed at that moment. She hated labels and didn't want anyone to put her in a category or control her. Yet I found her to be the controlling one most of the time. To be fair they were there for each other through some of the toughest moments of their lives. That commitment just emphasizes the fact that they should have been together from the get go and in doing so, they would have avoided drawing other people into their drama. 

Intense is the best way to describe Blind Kiss as it does require some emotional stamina. I'm glad I stuck with it because Renée Carlino is one hell of a writer. I know that the themes in this book may not appeal to everyone so my recommendation is that when you read it, make sure you're feeling up to it. 

~ Bel

After the Rain by Renée Carlíno

** 1/2                                                                      

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a deeply emotional contemporary romance about the second chances waiting beyond the shattered dreams of youth.

Under the bright arena lights of a rodeo show, young Avelina Belo falls for a handsome cowboy with a larger-than-life personality. After a whirlwind courtship, she happily moves away from her family in northern California and settles into married life with her cowboy on a seven-thousand-acre cattle ranch in Montana. One freak accident later, Avelina’s hopes for the future come to an end.

Nate Myers graduated from UCLA medical school at the top of his class, ready to follow in the footsteps of his father, a superstar cardiothoracic surgeon. Six years later, Nate’s career is being ruined by a malpractice suit. Questioning himself for the first time, he retreats to a Montana cattle ranch to visit his uncle and gain perspective. There, he meets a beautiful young woman named Avelina who teaches him more than he ever knew about matters of the heart. 

Review:

After the Rain begins by showing the reader the history of both Avelina (Ava) and Nate before they meet each other.   To me, this was arguably one of the best parts of the book.  Seeing the events that shape these two, the experiences that produce the insecurities and fears that draw them together, is tragically moving.  

When Nate arrives at the ranch he used to visit as a child he immediately notices Avelina.  And she notices him.  Their mutual attraction slowly draws Avelina out of the shell she’s been hiding in since her husband died.  Everyone at the ranch is thrilled to see Ava waking up after years of silence and sadness. 

But a relationship can only go so far after so many dysfunctional years.   Ava is horribly insecure.  She is also more than a little jealous.  And Nate?  Well, Nate has been so focused on work the past few years that he’s hardly interacted with anyone on a non-professional level.  On top of that he’s never had a relationship.  Neither of these two are ready for a relationship. 

This is where my review becomes slightly spoilery….

Both Nate and Ava have a lot of growing up to do before having a relationship.  Unfortunately, the majority of this story is focused on the angst and melodrama of two people not ready for a relationship.  Eventually Ava steps up and insists that they need time away from each other so they can become more functional adults.  After that, maybe they can continue their relationship.  Unfortunately, this part of the story all happens in the last few chapters of the book.  After watching their struggles, I would have loved to watch them grow while they were apart.  Particularly Ava, since she had so dealt with so much loss and had so much to learn and so many GOOD things to experience.

This wasn’t my favorite romance of the year but I can’t deny that Nate and Ava were an interesting couple that kept me reading to the end.  I HAD to know if they got their happy ending.  Did they?  You’ll just have to read After the Rain and find out for yourself.

Nat

no

Waiting on Wednesday (125)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

By Renee Carlino
Publication Date: November 11, 2014

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a deeply emotional contemporary romance about the second chances waiting beyond the shattered dreams of youth.

Under the bright arena lights of a rodeo show, young Avelina Belo falls for a handsome cowboy with a larger-than-life personality. After a whirlwind courtship, she happily moves away from her family in northern California and settles into married life with her cowboy on a seven-thousand-acre cattle ranch in Montana. One freak accident later, Avelina’s hopes for the future come to an end.

Nate Myers graduated from UCLA medical school at the top of his class, ready to follow in the footsteps of his father, a superstar cardiothoracic surgeon. Six years later, Nate’s career is being ruined by a malpractice suit. Questioning himself for the first time, he retreats to a Montana cattle ranch to visit his uncle and gain perspective. There, he meets a beautiful young woman named Avelina who teaches him more than he ever knew about matters of the heart.



By Heidi Cullinan
Publication Date: November 11, 2014

Minnesota Christmas, Book 2

Arthur Anderson doesn’t want anything to do with love and romance, and he certainly doesn’t want to play Santa in his mother’s library fundraising scheme. He knows full well what she really wants is to hook him up with the town’s lanky, prissy librarian.

It’s clear Gabriel Higgins doesn’t want him, either—as a Santa, as a boyfriend, as anyone at all. But when Arthur’s efforts to wiggle out of the fundraiser lead to getting to know the man behind the storytime idol, he can’t help but be charmed. The least he can do is be neighborly and help Gabriel find a few local friends.

As their fiery arguments strike hotter sparks, two men who insist they don’t date wind up doing an awful lot of dating. And it looks like the sleigh they both tried not to board could send them jingling all the way to happily ever after.


Warning: Contains a feisty librarian, a boorish bear, small town politics, deer sausage, and a boy who wants a doll.