Title: Blind Date Bet
Series: Man’s Best Friend Book #1
Stand Alone Title: yes
Author: Nicole Flockton
Genre: Romance
Blurb: Never say never…
After loving and losing a soldier once, Isabella Knowles made a vow: No more
military men. She’s rebuilt her life and has a classroom full of fifth graders
to love, which is more than enough even though her father doesn’t agree. When
he sets her up on a blind date, she only goes to humor him – never dreaming
that the man she meets will tempt her to break her one rule.
In theory, Ethan Masters is not opposed to the wife, kids and house with a
white picket fence. But he loves his career as a K-9 handler in the air force,
and a dream promotion dangles before him like dog tags. While contemplating his
future, he accepts a drunken bet for a blind date, never dreaming that the
captivating woman fits perfectly into his ideal, all-American dream. Only one
problem. She’s gun-shy about all things military.
Can Ethan prove to Isabella love is worth the risk?
Favorite quote(s)/excerpt(s): Ethan broke the kiss and smiled, and her already weak knees went a little weaker. “Well, that’s certainly one way to say hello,” she said as she closed the door.
“It’s the way all hellos should be.”
Thoughts: One of the first things that catch my attention about a book is the cover…it’s the first thing to draw me in. This one immediately had my attention, as I have read several good books lately featuring men with K-9 partners. Blind Date Bet was a bit misleading, however, as the dog doesn’t play as big a role as anticipated in the story. Big letdown with that. If the dog is crucial enough to be featured on the cover, I expect him to be crucial enough to play a big role in the story. Just like – for example – seeing a baby on a cover leads you to think a baby will feature heavily in the storyline. Not to mention that the series is titled – Man’s Best Friend. I’m sorry, but I want more of the dog!!
Once you get over this letdown, it’s not a bad book. I think my biggest issue was that I liked Ethan way more than I liked Isabella. Isabella came across as very immature and her thought processes just followed that line of thinking. That unbalance makes a book difficult to wade through at times. The parts with Isabella and Ethan together – when she forgot her prejudice against military men and just enjoyed Ethan for Ethan – that’s what made the story. It’s a slow, almost sweet love story with a small town romance feel to it.
Didn’t fully love it, but didn’t hate it either.
Rating: B
