NEW RELEASE
Second Time Around - Erin Kaye (2012)
Divorcee Jennifer Irwin is a mother of two and a successful businesswoman. Having spent her entire life ensuring that Lucy and Matt make the best of their lives, Jennifer realises that it's now time to prioritise her needs first and the first thing she wants to do is to get back into the dating game. Twenty-eight-year-old Ben Crawford, voted as Northern Ireland's most eligible bachelor, has sacrificed his ambition of becoming a teacher to manage his father's restaurants. Though unhappy and trapped in the lifestyle and job that he hates, Ben struggles to find the courage to leave it all. When Jennifer meets Ben, they can't deny their attraction towards each other - but with the age gap and the differences between them, their route to love becomes an arduous journey. Though I felt that the story between Ben and Jennifer was slightly overshadowed by the rest of the events, it was nonetheless an enjoyable read about a cougar relationship, and I particularly thought that the descriptions about the family dynamics were relatable. (XT)
Erin Kaye's Second Time Around is about a 40-something woman whose family disapproves of her relationship with a much younger man. The summary says: "Divorcee Jennifer Irwin has it all - a successful interior design business and two loving children. But as her 45th birthday approaches and her children prepare to start their own lives, Jennifer is left feeling lonely in her empty nest. That's when she meets Ben Crawford - a man 16 years her junior - as their attraction heightens, Jennifer realises what she's been missing. But mindful that the small-town Ballyfergus residents would never approve, they conduct their affair in secret. But a secret is never a secret for long. As the affair surfaces, Jennifer encounters opposition from friends and family, especially her daughter Lucy. Enraged by her mother's relationship, Lucy seeks comfort in the arms of charismatic but troubled Oren. Jennifer knows that Oren is not the man he seems but can she convince her daughter of that? And with everything going against them, can Jennifer and Ben's love survive? Or will she risk losing her daughter to be with the man she loves?"