Every now and then I stumble upon a truly delightful piece
of women's fiction. TWO OF A KIND falls into that category.
Christina Connelly, an interior decorator, is widowed,
raising her teenaged daughter as a single mom, with the help
of a few of her neighbors and friends. The last thing she's
looking for is romance. But the bride at the wedding she's
attending has set her up to meet Dr. Andy Stern, a potential
decorating client.
Andy Stern is himself a widower with a teen son, one who
finds himself repeatedly in trouble at school. Andy has not
sworn off relationships as has Christina; he just hasn't
found the woman with whom he'd like to be involved long-
term, not that he's looking for forever anyway.
When Christina and Andy meet, it's not a case of sparks
flying. She doesn't like him, and he's sure she's not right
for him. But love has a mind of its own, and the pair find
themselves embroiled in a love affair that looks sure to
last—if they can overcome the challenges brought by their
careers, children and extended family.
I loved the development of the relationship between
Christina and Andy. Andy is everything she wants and needs,
yet not. For Andy, Christina fills a void in his life.
They have to deal with meddling parents, disgruntled
children, and unexpected business challenges. But through
all of that, they find a way into each other's hearts,
reabiding in that when circumstances makes what matters most
painfully obvious.
The secondary stories about Andy's unique gift within his
profession and Christina's disreputable business associate
added an interesting flavor to an already enjoyable dish.
Yona Zeldis McDonough writes with such a New York
sensibility: a particular word, a turn of phrase, a focus
on something that someone unfamiliar with the sights and
sounds of the city might not notice. As I was reading, it
felt as if I were in NYC, from Park Slope to the Upper East
Side. This book made me nostalgic for a place I call home.
My life in New York was different than that these
characters, but I knew people, not so much like Andy Stern,
but like Christina, Jordan and Stephen. I thought of them
and missed them as I read. TWO OF A KIND is a one of a kind
tale.
Ten years after losing her husband, Christina Connelly has
worked through the pain, focusing on raising her teenage
daughter and managing her small decorating business. But her
romantic life has never recovered. Still, it’s irksome to be
set up with arrogant, if handsome, doctor Andy Stern at her
friend’s wedding. If he wasn’t also a potential client,
needing his Upper East Side apartment redesigned, she would
write him off.
This is never going to work, Andy thinks. Still grieving his
wife and struggling with a troubled son, he’s not looking
for a woman, and certainly not someone as frosty and
reserved as Christina. Their relationship will be strictly
business. Yet to everyone’s surprise—including their own—
these two find themselves falling in love.
But if reconciling with their pasts is difficult, blending
their lives and children to create a new family is nearly
impossible. They’ve been given a second chance but can
they
overcome all the obstacles in the way of happily ever after?