1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Light, Sweet , Romance, January 2, 2012
This review is from: Her One-Night Prince (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (Kindle Edition)
About the book:
Lydia had it bad in high school. She was teased and bullied. She never did, said, or wore the right thing. As an adult she became somewhat successful but her high school reunion is coming up and she doesn't have anyone to take with her. She didn't date in high school and rarely dated after high school. In desperation, she advertises for a date. She believes if she shows up without a date, it won't matter how successful she is, it will prove all her classmates right. She is a loser.
Lydia has one other issue in her life that makes it difficult, at least in her mind, to date. Her father was in a terrible accident and now she cares for him. Confined to a wheel chair, her father needs care twenty-four hours a day. Lydia won't even think about placing him in a care facility. She simply doesn't have the time or energy to date.
Mitch is a rounder who gets set up in what was supposed to be a practical joke. While he thinks he is doing a favor for a friend, he discovers he is actually being set up as a gay man answering an ad for a one-night date. Before long, a relationship builds between Lydia and Mitch, making the practical joke not so practical and not much of a joke either.
My take:
This is definitely a Romance. The central theme is the development and deepening attraction of the two main characters. It is light and not a long story, making it fun to read.
I wished there had been more depth to the main characters earlier in the story but by the end of the story, I shed real tears. (I am a romantic at heart, aren't I?) Lydia's father, somewhat a central character in the story, as he makes things happen, comes through much more complete before either Mitch or Lydia do.
I did like the romance in the story. It felt real. Characters found themselves attracted to one another but not the heart throbbing, dying to be in each other's arms sort of thing found in so many romances. This is more like a `You've Got Mail' kind of attraction.
Rebecca Clark does a good job of writing the playfulness of the relationship as it develops between Mitch and Lydia. I could see the action rolling out before my mind's eye. I could see myself doing those things.
Lydia moves from being a shy, insecure person to coming into her own as the successful person she has been all her adult life. Meanwhile Mitch confronts who he really is. I can tell you, having been in Mitch's position, his feelings of not wanting responsibility are not unusual and neither is the change in those feeling around the age of thirty that Mitch experiences.
If you like light Romances, I believe you will enjoy this book. I read the one page romance story in one of those weekly women's magazine sold at the check out counter (Woman's World or First or something) and usually enjoy the brief happiness tale. If you like those types of stories, you will like this.
I don't normally read Romances and my rating reflects my belief in how this book stands in its own genre and not how it ranks against all books.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Nostalgic Return to My Sweet Youth, December 20, 2011
Lydia's high school reunion was coming up and as the tormented class dork, she wanted to shove her new life in their faces. Unfortunately she didn't have a new life. So, she did what any sane, rational person would do and advertised for a date..... in the "men seeking men" personals. Mitch knew his friend Hal was playing a practical joke as soon as he laid eyes on Lydia. Hair pulled back in a bun so tight it had to be giving her the headache from hell. And she thinks he's answering a gay personal add! He was sooooo going to kill Hal. But the more he gets to know Lydia, the more he wants to spend time with her. Maybe he could pose as her gay friend and give her some pointers, loosen her up a bit. Or maybe, he could just keep her for himself.
Her One Night Prince reminded me a great deal of the sweet books I used to read from the Harlequin or Silhouette imprints many, many years ago. A struggling, repressed but lovely heroine and the happily single but not a "commitmentphobe" hero trying to find their way to true love and happiness. The story was very well written and was one I identified with, heavily. As caretaker for an elderly parent with a disabling condition I understand to a degree Lydia's plight. Lydia was however not a proponent of the proverbial booty-call, so she had a rather more difficult time of it. Hal, now Hal just stuck his foot in it at first. He did the typical guy thing and jumped to a snap judgment based strictly on appearance. By the time he figures out that he might be interested, that ship was preparing to sail and Hal had to come clean.
As someone who prefers the hot and sweaty, I was very surprised to find myself enjoying this story as much as I did. The characters were well developed and the humor was plentiful. The overall story was heartwarming and just perfect for a quick read this time of year. While I'm still a very firm believer that a good romp between the sheets makes everything better, there are some situations where it's okay if it's left up to the imagination. This was one of those situations, I mean I REALLY wouldn't want to see Maria Von Trapp and the Baron doing the nasty, UGH!! This is the same thing.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Great romantic read, February 4, 2012
This review is from: Her One-Night Prince (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (Kindle Edition)
Socially inept Lydia St. Clair is looking for a one-night prince to accompany her to her class reunion. She takes to the internet personals, her only prerequisite that he be gay, and hopefully handsome. To Lydia, a gay man would be the safe option in her one night charade. Lydia can't worry about a future since she has her disabled father to care for, and she is certain no man wants that kind of responsibility looming over a relationship.
Enter pub owner/wannabe mystery writer Mitch Gannon. He's good looking, well built, successful and oh-so not gay. Mitch is set up with Lydia by his friend under the guise of research for an article on internet dating. Mitch soon realizes that the date was more of an act of trivial revenge.
Even with the awkward beginning, Lydia and Mitch form a friendship. She thinks he is safe because he is gay and seeks out his help to become more socially normal around the opposite sex and to become flirty and sexy in her own little awkward way.
But as Mitch gets to know Lydia, the more he likes her. He knows the gay charade must end, but he has formed an uneasy alliance with her father and isn't sure how or when he can approach the subject of his sexuality. Not to mention his jealous, seething former lover who is hovering in the background.
Her One-Night Prince is a delightful, refreshing read. There is real emotion that vividly comes through to the reader. Lydia is a lovely, and this shines through the story. Some may say that Lydia should have realized a lot earlier on that Mitch was not gay. But this is the true beauty of her character. She is selfless and trusting, even at the stake of her own happiness. There are half-truths and misunderstandings along the way that enhance the story. Her One-Night Prince is a definite recommended read.
Reviewed by:
Natalie-Nicole Bates
[...]
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