Why should men have all the fun? In a twist on the typical May/December romance, Humphrey’s new chick-lit is a romping good time.
Allie is 50 years old, and her love life is nonexistent. Though she has been divorced for nearly 10 years and her kids are grown, she has been focused on running her successful nonprofit organization, Twenty. Her three best friends (forming a group aptly named “The Four”) are her support and sounding board, having seen each other through life’s highs and lows. They also provide a reality check when needed and push Allie to sign up for a dating website. Allie bows to peer pressure and goes on a few dates with handsome, age-appropriate David. Yet Allie finds herself irrepressibly drawn to the much younger Jameson, a charismatic ball of energy who signs up as a volunteer for her organization. In addition to being smart, handsome, wealthy and highly motivated, he’s also an old soul who sees nothing wrong with a romance between himself and Allie. While fighting her growing attraction to Jameson, Allie is thrown into turmoil, envisioning all the problems inherent in dating a man closer in age to her own children. The reservations of The Four are a major consideration, especially those of the catty and typically unsupportive Jo. Following a breakup of her own, Jo embarks on an online dating adventure as well, managing to turn Allie’s dating experiment into a stressful competition. Full of peppy dialogue and engaging characters, Humphrey’s novel is a bubbly read that stays fresh and fun. Her subtle exploration of the shifting dynamics of The Four is well-done, perfectly capturing the complexities and beauty of female friendships. Allie is a relatable heroine, foundering with insecurity yet capable of rising to meet even the toughest challenges. The only hitch in Humphrey’s novel is Jameson, whose Zen outlook and philosophical viewpoints on age, money and time are admirable yet seem a little too good to be true.
Grab a towel and some sunscreen—Humphrey’s novel is the perfect book for a sunny day at the beach.