Review of Second Glances

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Second Glances" by Rosalind Byers.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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When Allie Harper meets an intoxicatingly handsome (and charming) stranger on the plane, she is quickly swept up in a whirlwind romance. Mark Darcy wines and dines the young teacher with fancy dinners and impromptu brunch dates. Everything is perfect—well, almost everything. A nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach forms every time he avoids questions regarding his career. She tries to accept his reticence; maybe he doesn’t want to bore her with mundane details about work. Still, Mark is hiding something, and it is only a matter of time before Allie finds out.

Second Glances by Rosalind Byers is a light-hearted romantic novel about an alluring new relationship. The story is told from the third person perspective, following high school teacher Allie Harper as she takes a position in a new city while exploring feelings for astute businessman Mark. Matters of the heart can be so confusing, and Allie finds herself falling for him quickly, despite his inconsistencies.

I wanted to love this book; I really did. From the adorable cover that was reminiscent of a cute romantic comedy to the prospect of a juicy new romance with a lot of potential for character development, it seemed like a gem. But I quickly realized Allie and Mark lacked dimension. First, the conversations between the two were too formal for my liking and lacked the casual ease of a relatable back and forth.

Further, the relationship moved rapidly, but my biggest dislike was that I didn’t fall into stride with the characters. While it was apparent that the pair shared a physical attraction, an emotional connection was absent. This could have been improved by spending time on character backstories and alternating perspectives. While Allie’s perspective was a constant throughout, the author randomly sprinkled in Mark’s perspective here and there, causing confusion.

Despite the book’s shortcomings, I enjoyed the details of the pair’s lavish dates—a fancy evening on the terrace, a brunch in the park, and a beautiful gala were ideal settings for romance. Moreover, the description of Allie’s dresses and killer heels added opulence to the writing. Another bonus was the book’s exceptional editing. I didn’t find any errors. With that being said, I have chosen to give the book a rating of three out of five stars. It was cute and light-hearted, and I loved the prospect of Allie being whisked away on romantic dates. Still, I took away two stars because it lacked the character development necessary to immerse the reader fully.

Second Glances might be a good recommendation for lovers of romantic comedies with heteronormative relationships. However, if you’re looking for multi-layered characters with an emotional connection, you might want to pass on this one.

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Second Glances
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