Judith‘s review of Soft Focus by Lynn LaFleur.
Daphne Kemp is trying to get her life and finances back in order after her ex-husband left her with a huge debt. When her friend suggests she answer an ad to model for famous photographer Gerard Lynch, the lure of paying off some of that debt is too strong to resist.
One look at Gerard lures Daphne into more than modeling. She breaks her rules about on-night stands and younger men and spends a sex-filled evening with the handsome photographer.
Gerard never gets involved with his models, yet he is immediately drawn to Daphne. He has to find a way to break down the walls she has erected around her heart to give them a chance at forever.
This is another delightful “quickie” for Ellora’s Cave and what I like to call a “literary snack.” Written by Lynn LaFleur who is a well-known author in the world of romance fiction, it features an older woman/younger man scenario that is troublesome to many in our culture. I particularly like such a configuration as it seems to me that those kinds of cultural taboos are just tommy rot and should never be the basis for approving or disapproving a relationship between thinking adults.
Thus you have a woman who is careful in her life, responsible in trying to meet her obligations and is a woman who seems content. That is not to say that she wouldn’t be open to some romance in her life; after all, she is certainly not dead yet. She definitely catches the eye of this world famous photographer in a way that breaches his personal rules about becoming involved with his models or those with whom he works.
I think this story is really about two people have have come to a personal impasse in their lives. Hers, because of the divorce and the almost overwhelming burden of financial baggage left her by a selfish ex-spouse. His, because of his dedication to his art, the demands of his work, and the transient nature of his life as he seeks to share the real world in an artistic way. Both are caught in situations that don’t make it easy to find romantic diversion. Thus, their encounter as photographer and model bring them together. It is obvious that Daphne’s charm is sufficient to ensnare the interest of a younger man. Consider the wide-eyed wonder in the response to her by her male model co-worker. However, her response to Gerard is based not only on the fact that he is a splendid speciman of maleness, but the professionalism that causes him to treat her with respect, never putting her in an embarrassing position, even though the photos he is shooting are erotic in nature.
This short story a delightful literary diversion. It is a story that is not, in my opinion, designed to teach a deeper lesson. Rather it is just one of those love stories that pleases the heart and entices a reader into the world of “warm fuzzies of the emotions.” The story is told with grace, the characters are developed with an economy of words, the story line moves carefully through a short number of pages and its end may or may not surprise. It really doesn’t matter. It is just an enjoyable read from start to finish, one that a true romance fan will find satisfying. I know my impromptu comment when I finished reading it was: “Now that’s a really nice love story.” What more could we ever want from a romance tale? I give this short story a rating of 3.75 out of 5.
This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.
You can read more from Judith at Dr. J’s Book Place.
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