About the Book
A sexy and sparkling later-in-life contemporary romance about a woman who leaps out of her comfort zone and takes a chance on love by New York Times bestselling author Jane Porter.
Paige Newsom is finally at a place in her life where she’s comfortable. She loves her job as a college professor in Southern California, lives close enough to her mother to visit her regularly, and has three daughters who are flourishing in their own careers. Paige has no plans to upend her life again after her divorce eight years ago, but she’s about to embark on a new adventure: co-teaching a course that includes a three-week international field study.
Paige can think of a dozen reasons why she shouldn’t go, one being a dazzling Australian biologist who will be teaching alongside her. Professor Jack King is charismatic, a world traveler, and more like Indiana Jones than Indiana Jones, all of which unsettles Paige, who prides herself on being immune to any man’s charms. She isn’t looking for love, and it turns out, neither is he. But as the two co-professors lead the rigorous program together, first on campus, then in beautiful Tanzania, their biggest challenge will be working closely together while resisting the undeniable chemistry they feel when they’re with each other.
My Review
Flirting With Fifty is what I would classify as an ‘easy read.’ The main characters are in their fifties, but Paige and Jack had a brief – one night – fling thirty years prior. When their professions thrust the two together again, both are shocked at the chance meeting. Jack has catapulted to success as an Australian biologist, who raised his son solo after his wife’s passing. Paige is a college professor who raised three girls with her alcoholic husband, finally getting a divorce once her daughters were grown. Jack is full of adventure and believes in taking chances – Paige struggles with anxiety and has a fear of the unknown. Despite their differences – and the fact neither is looking for love again – the two rekindle the spark they shared all those years ago – but what happens when the feelings go further than a small flame?
I can’t say I became overly invested in any of the characters, but they were interesting to read about. It was nice hearing about anxiety written like how it is – very normal for a lot of us – with Paige. The romance is more on the slow burn side and there were a few moments I didn’t quite understand Paige’s intimacy issues with Jack, but I wanted the characters to find happiness. The trip to Tanzania was an interesting twist, but overall there wasn’t a lot of depth or even drama to the storyline. Even with Paige’s daughter making a reappearance at home halfway through book was just a little sidebar and not fully explored. It wasn’t a bad story, just a little more slowed down for my personal liking.
3.5 stars
