(Reviewed by Sarah Charles)
I’ve always thought romance novels are a bit like ice cream. When you eat ice cream, you know what you’re going to get—something cold, creamy, and sweet. When you read a romance novel, you also know what you’re going to get— two people falling in love, something that threatens to keep said lovers apart, and a happy ending. What separates the good from the bad is the flavor. Well, when it comes to Seeing Red by Margaret Sorick, you get a bowl of Rocky Road covered in hot fudge with whipped cream and a cherry.
The main character in Seeing Red is Desdemona, a school teacher, who is spending her summer working for a landscaping company. Landscaping is Desdemona’s true passion, and it comes through in Sorick’s detailed descriptions of Desdemona’s projects.
A woman as beautiful on the inside as out, Desdemona attracts the attention of two suitors—Adam, a brother of her best friend’s fiancé, and Ethan, a famous professional football player. Desdemona falls in love with one of the men, while learning that the other doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. Reading this book, you can’t help but turn to the next page for fear of what might her rejected suitor might do. It is thrilling and suspenseful with a complex, yet believable villain and a love interest any woman would fall in love with.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book was the character development. Sorick takes her time building Desdemona’s relationship with her love interest. They fall in love at a believable pace, after spending time together and getting to know one another. Too often in romance novels the reader is forced to accept “love at first sight.” Sorick’s route is far preferable. She also manages to break into the third-dimension with her side characters, despite a small amount of page time. Of particular note are the characters Graham and Jodi, whose hilarious back-and-forth hint at the makings of a fantastic book yet to come.
Anyone who loves a good romance, a bit of suspense, and a happy ending will want to add Seeing Red to their collection.
You can learn more about Sarah Charles at her blog:
Memoirs of a 21st Century Time Traveler
