"The Love Interest" doesn't fit neatly into any one trope IMO, but at its core, it's a forbidden/age gap romance between a professor and his student. Seeking inspiration late one night, mega-successful thriller author Emmett Ford takes a walk through his New York City neighborhood and ends up at his favorite diner, where he encounters Fiona Walker, an aspiring historical romance author and creative writing graduate student who immediately captures his interest. They have an instant connection and spend the rest of the night exploring the city together, culminating in an explosive kiss as the sun rises. A few days later, Emmett is unexpectedly offered a teaching position at a prestigious New York university and is forced to end things with Fiona when he discovers that she will be one of his students.
Fiona and Emmett's first night together felt magical to me, and it was tough to watch them have to force themselves to stay away from each other for so long. Their witty banter and smoldering
chemistry in the meantime more than made up for it, however. Emmett had quite a bit of emotional baggage to work through before he was ready for a real relationship with Fiona, but as the sunshine to his grump, she was the perfect person to help him overcome those old wounds and fears. She was sometimes a bit awkward and had basically no filter, but I loved how funny she was and that she wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted in life.
There were several other highlights of the book for me, including the hysterical way Fiona and Emmett's characters from their works in progress would talk back to them as they were writing. The giant rooster statue Fiona carried around the city for pictures was also hilarious. Finally, there was the sweet relationship between Emmett and his niece, Bettina. She seemed to understand him in a way no one else could. I thought that Bettina was incredibly wise for a 7-year-old, as well as creative.
Overall, "The Love Interest" was a tremendous amount of fun and I adored it. I highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy and can't wait to get my hands on whatever Kayley Loring writes next!
*Review copy provided by the author via Wildfire Marketing Solutions. All opinions expressed are my own.
About "The Love Interest"
Dear Fiona,
I hope this letter finds you well—and by well, I mean significantly less infuriated than you were yesterday. I’ve wanted to continue our conversation from the night we met, but there are so many things I can’t say or do, now that I’m your professor.
As an anonymous letter writer, I can give you some idea of what I have planned for us, once the year is over. As an author, I can share my work in progress with you. Not for you to critique but to show you how much you mean to me.
When you’re done reading this page, destroy it—and then write me back. Don’t sign the letter. Don’t put a return address on the envelope. Mail it from a random mailbox.
Yours in problem solving,
Me
P.S. I still think you’re wasting your talent on that historical romance novel.
P.P.S. I really wanted to push you up against the door and kiss your beautiful, angry face. I will. One day.
***
Dear Emmett,
Your handwriting is almost as terrible as your mood swings, and it would have been my instinct to destroy that letter even if you hadn’t ordered me to.
If you show me your work in progress, I will critique it.
I am currently still too infuriated to write about all the other feelings I have for you.
Expect another letter soon.
Your problem and your solution,
Me
P.S. I still think an overpaid, overrated, overly handsome bestselling author of thrillers has no business teaching creative writing at a prestigious New York university.
P.P.S. To my great horror, I really wanted you to push me up against that door and kiss my angry face too. I understand now that your appalling way of treating me in class has been overcompensation, but I don’t forgive you for it. I’ll kiss you again anyway. One day.
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