Sally Thorne releases her third book SECOND FIRST IMPRESSIONS. A follow-up to THE HATING GAME (released in 2016) and 99 PERCENT MINE (released in 2019). This one is set in the backdrop of a retirement community but we only meet a couple of the quirky residents and the office staff. Ruthie, the 25-year-old front desk worker, who seems decades older and dedicates all her time and attention to the property; Melanie, the office temp, hired to help out while the big boss is on a cruise who wants to get Ruthie an online dating profile and makeover; and Teddy the son of the corporate developer that bought the retirement community who has now been installed as Ruthie's neighbor.
The best description for this book is a slow read that leaves you with a toothache since it is so sweet. It takes time for the characters to get developed and get going but Thorne does develop the plot and brings it to a satisfying conclusion with all the story lines. If you enjoyed her other books, you should enjoy SECOND FIRST IMPRESSIONS as well.
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game and 99 Percent Mine comes the clever, funny, and unforgettable story of a muscular, tattooed man hired as an assistant to two old women—under the watchful eye of a beautiful retirement home manager.
Distraction (n): an extreme agitation of the mind or emotions.
Ruthie Midona has worked the front desk at the Providence Luxury Retirement Villa for six years, dedicating her entire adult life to caring for the Villa’s residents, maintaining the property (with an assist from DIY YouTube tutorials), and guarding the endangered tortoises that live in the Villa’s gardens. Somewhere along the way, she’s forgotten that she’s young and beautiful, and that there’s a world outside of work—until she meets the son of the property developer who just acquired the retirement center.
Teddy Prescott has spent the last few years partying, sleeping in late, tattooing himself when bored, and generally not taking life too seriously—something his father, who dreams of grooming Teddy into his successor, can’t understand. When Teddy needs a place to crash, his father seizes the chance to get him to grow up. He’ll let Teddy stay in one of the on-site cottages at the retirement home, but only if he works to earn his keep. Teddy agrees—he can change a few lightbulbs and clip some hedges, no sweat. But Ruthie has plans for Teddy too.
Her two wealthiest and most eccentric residents have just placed an ad (yet another!) seeking a new personal assistant to torment. The women are ninety-year-old, four-foot-tall menaces, and not one of their assistants has lasted a full week. Offering up Teddy seems like a surefire way to get rid of the tall, handsome, unnerving man who won’t stop getting under her skin.
Ruthie doesn’t count on the fact that in Teddy Prescott, the Biddies may have finally met their match. He’ll pick up Chanel gowns from the dry cleaner and cut Big Macs into bite-sized bits. He’ll do repairs around the property, make the residents laugh, and charm the entire villa. He might even remind Ruthie what it’s like to be young and fun again. But when she finds out Teddy’s father’s only fixing up the retirement home to sell it, putting everything she cares about in jeopardy, she’s left wondering if Teddy’s magic was all just a façade.
Hilarious, warm, and romantic, Sally Thorne's novel delivers an irrepressibly joyous celebration of love and community for fans of 99% Mine and The Hating Game.
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