Adventures in Online Dating
by Julie Particka
Synopsis:
For Alexa, the answer to everything comes down to numbers. Three sons. One divorce. One great life…except her boys are getting older and they really need a man in their lives. Enter the number twenty, as in after twenty minutes with someone she knows whether or not she wants them in her life. So, she hatches a plan to meet any man who even remotely strikes her interest—for a twenty-minute date at her favorite coffee shop. It’s the perfect plan to find her perfect match in the most efficient way possible.
Too bad coffee shop owner Marshall isn’t keen on the idea. He doesn’t want his shop to be her speed dating zone—especially since she’s made it clear he’s too young to be a contender. But Alexa finds herself drawn to Marshall in ways she can’t quantify. There’s no easy answer, and once the kids become involved, her well-ordered world threatens to fall apart—twenty minutes at a time.
Review:
Loved!
The title is a bit misleading, though–Alexa spends only about a hot minute–or maybe twenty hot minutes–actually trying her online dating plan. (Okay, it’s longer than that. But Ms. Particka doesn’t spend too much time dwelling on the details of that disaster, and rightly so, before focusing on the growing relationship-like thing between Alexa and Marshall.) It is the catalyst that gets Alexa and Marshall together, though, so there is that–but if you’re looking for a blow-by-blow description of failed internet dates, that’s not here.
And you won’t miss it. The few dates we get details of are enough…I’m still cringing.
(Apparently, online dating is not for the faint of heart. Which explains why I’ve never gone through with it.)
Ms. Particka did a great job of showing why Alexa didn’t think she and Marshall would work–not just the age difference, but her other reasons seemed fairly valid too–and even though I really, really wanted them to be together (and not just because we saw Marshall’s POV, but that had a lot to do with it) it did almost feel as if everything was resolved pretty quickly and easily at the end. Again, not really complaining–I wanted them together, but kinda also wanted Alexa to suffer/sacrifice a bit more than it seemed like she did. I know, I’m cruel. But I can’t help but think Marshall deserved it…
But that epilogue? Gave me all the feels. OMG, absolutely loved. I hope Ms. Particka writes more for this line!
Rating: 4 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
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