Judith’s review of The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry.
The best thing between Oliver Barrett and Mackenzie Williams is a fence. Ever since Oliver’s new-neighbor gestures were met with unfriendly responses, he’s decided to keep his distance. After all, he’s in this seaside town to get his life on track again. That doesn’t include working hard to get on Mackenzie’s good side-no matter how intriguing she may be.
His intentions are put to the test, however, when his dog becomes infatuated with hers. The two crafty canines do their best to break down the barriers between the properties. And where the dogs go…well, the humans must follow! It doesn’t take long for a powerful attraction to build between Oliver and Mackenzie. They soon discover that the worst of first impressions can lead to the best possible outcomes.
Set in an out-of-the-way community in Australia, this Harlequin Super Romance is a treat for readers like me who have always had a special place in our hearts for this series of publications. This particular author has written a number of super romances that have all be very entertaining reading and this book is no exception. Unlike some of the previous stories, this romance is only mildly adversarial, a quality I appreciate having less of rather than more. Some of the old Harlequins were filled with main characters who spent 2/3 of the novel spitting and screaming at each other. I can do without most of that. These two manage to get friendly is sufficient measure that their deeper feelings begin to appear and their love affair begins, largely because they are both at a hiatus in their normal lives. Both are nursing wounds of one sort or another: Oliver is trying to get over a very hurtful divorce and Mac is healing from some devastating wounds she suffered in an auto accident while producing a top-rated TV show, a show that has now moved on without her. So they are both facing the prospect of returning to their normal lives. What’s that going to be like? But before they can find out, things get really messy and that’s when the reader begins to wonder if these two will ever find their HEA
I am always a bit worried that even though main characters seem to be adult and are people with adult responsibilities and relationships, they often act a bit on the immature side when they get into these emotional quagmires. Now I know life is messy, and we all have had our moments when our emotions get out of whack, when we over-react under pressure just as these two did. My biggest peeve is when two lovers make assumptions that lead to massive misunderstandings that are so unnecessary. Of course, that normal in romance fiction, I guess.
Anyway, this is a fun story and while it is not terribly deep or complicated, it does have that sense of reality about it that gives it a basis in real life. I was certainly interested sufficiently to keep on reading straight through. Fans of Harlequin Super Romances, I think you’ll like this one. It isn’t heavy reading, by any means. Just fun and entertaining romance. I think we all need some lightweight reading mixed in with the heavy stuff.I give it a rating of 3.75 out of 5.
You can read more from Judith at
Dr J’s Book Place.This book is available from Harlequin Super Romance. You can buy it
here or
here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.
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