Blissfully Blindsided by Robin AlexanderBlissfully Blindsided by Robin Alexander is a hilarious, sweet, small town romance that’s sure to leave you happy.

After more than a decade in a job that kept her on the road, Caleigh Breaux is ready to stay in one place. She’s taken a job in Falcon, Louisiana so she can be close to her grandparents, and is hoping she’ll finally have time to settle down and stop settling for hookups.

She and her car almost make it to the small town when she gets a flat tire on a road in the middle of nowhere. Caleigh can’t believe her luck when a beautiful woman stops to help her, since Blaze Sonnier turns out to be exactly what she’s looking for.

Blaze doesn’t have many friends in town, having long had a reputation for doing outrageous things. A viral video of her punching out a couple of women in a parking lot while wearing an Easter Bunny costume is just the latest example, and no one cares that it wasn’t her fault. Since people in Falcon can’t be bothered to see Blaze for the kind, funny person she is, she’s surprised to meet Caleigh—her ideal woman—and find Caleigh is just as interested in her.

Throw together some family drama, small town gossip, and a totally lovely romance, and you’ve got another excellent romcom from Robin Alexander.

The Characters

Tara: I doubt this will be a shock to anyone, but I loved Blaze and Caleigh. They’re so lovely together and it’s cute seeing how they’re almost surprised to find each other. Their banter and chemistry is a total delight and had me smiling all the way.

There are a bunch of side characters who are also great, including Blaze’s menopausal sister, her mother who’s back after being out of their lives for decades, her best friend, and Caleigh’s grandparents. Each of them add their own little spice to the story and frequently had me laughing out loud. 

Kelly: If there is one thing I can count on with Robin Alexander, it is that her novels will be populated by zany and interesting characters. With Blaze and Caleigh, we see a new host of crazy traits wrapped in Alexander’s signature southern charm. I also loved both of them. On the surface, Caleigh seemed like the serious character to Blaze’s crazy one, but when you dig a little deeper you see they are both oddballs and that was why they worked so well.

The Writing Style

Tara: This book has zero angst and that was perfect for me. Just like Temporary Girl, I read it while on vacation, and it was a wonderful way to escape from the world for a few hours. There *is* conflict, just not a lot of it.

It would be easy for me to keep saying that it’s hilarious, because it is, but this book is just all-around lovely. Alexander does a great job of building a relationship I believed in, while making familial love a strong element in the book too.

Kelly: Robin Alexander has a smooth writing style that draws you into her story’s antics before you even realize fully what’s going on. Right off the bat, her interesting characters kind of grab your attention and make you want to know more about them. One of the things I always love about Alexander’s novels is the way she crafts such unique people. And it’s not just her main characters, but each and every secondary character gets the same treatment.

The Pros

Tara: Engaging characters, adorable romance, fun dialogue, and situations that had me laughing—it delivered everything I want out of a romantic comedy.

Kelly: For me, a pro was that there was zero angst in this book. I’m not typically a fan of angst and Robin Alexander doesn’t need it to tell a good tale. It was light, hilarious, and delivered that happy ending I like in a romance novel.

The Cons

Tara: This book is SO much better than its cover.

Kelly: I’m not the cover snob that Tara is. To me, the book had an average cover, very similar to the majority of other lesbian romance books I’ve seen.

My one complaint about this particular novel, and it’s NOT a big one because I really liked the story, is that her characters fit so completely together a little early for me. Have you heard the joke “What does a lesbian bring on a second date?” Answer: “A U-Haul.”  Or even this joke, “What is the average time between lesbian relationships?” Answer: “Negative 3.5 days.” Okay, so they don’t have any previous relationship drama in Blissfully Blindsided, however they do kind of U-Haul in this one.

taras favourite lesbian booksThe Conclusion

Tara: I don’t know if Blissfully Blindsided has beaten out Just Jorie for my favourite Robin Alexander romance, but it’s pretty damn close! If you’re looking for a low-stress book so you can hide away from the world for a while, pick this one up. It’s completely adorable and well worth your time.

Kelly: Never disappointing. That is my first thought when I look at any title by Robin Alexander. Seriously, I now own 12 of her novels and every single one has been a joy. Unlike Tara though, Just Jorie is still my favorite. If you want to laugh, don’t want a bunch of angst and drama, then definitely give this one a read. Any fan of Robin Alexander will know they’re getting a great read. And anyone who is new to Robin Alexander will become a fan.

Excerpt from Blissfully Blindsided by Robin Alexander

Blaze walked to the back of the car and tried to keep her expression neutral as Caleigh opened the trunk and revealed what looked like hundreds of boxes. “Wow, so you’re really into shoes.”

“I know that you’re thinking—I’m that woman. The prissy one who can’t change her own tire and has a ton of clothes and shoes, and her highest priority is getting her nails done. I swear I’m not, even though the evidence points to the contrary,” Caleigh said as she gathered boxes. “My former job required me to travel constantly, and I didn’t have a real home. It made no sense to buy things to decorate an apartment I rarely saw, so I compensated by buying things I did use, and that was clothes and shoes. The moving van that had my few furnishings left before I realized I forgot to pack my shoe closet.”

“You had a whole closet dedicated to shoes?” Blaze asked as she grabbed boxes too.

“I’ve had the same job since I graduated college, and I’m almost forty. That was a lot of years of collecting shoes, so yes. When I get into my new place, I’ll sort through them, then donate most to a women’s shelter.” Caleigh dropped an armload of boxes onto the road. “I am that woman. Oh, my God! I am! I can’t change a tire! I have a ton of shoes! I don’t know how to work in an office, and this is proof!”

Blaze’s jaw sagged slightly as she tried to make sense of what she was hearing. “People wear shoes in an office,” she said numbly.

“But I wore mine on the road!” Caleigh snatched a shoebox out of the trunk and spiked it on the ground like a football. She waved her hands around wildly and stared at the sky. “Is this a sign? Is the universe trying to tell me through a flat tire that I should’ve stayed in my old job where I knew what I was doing?” Breathing heavily, she met Blaze’s startled gaze. “I can’t even change my own tire, so how am I gonna run a whole human resources department?”

Blaze looked at the shoes and boxes scattered around Caleigh’s feet thinking they’d be there for hours if Caleigh continued to have an emotional crisis. “How long have you been driving?”

“Since I got my learner’s permit at fifteen years old,” Caleigh replied, looking confused.

“I mean today.”

“Oh. Shit.” Caleigh thought for a moment. “Don’t judge, I’m gonna have to use my fingers to count.”

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