Title: Allie’s Taste of Romance
Author: M.A. Cole
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media
ISBN: 979-8889632450
Pages: 100
Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Liz Konkel

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Allie dreams of helping people by being with them to get through the last moments of their lives, as a nurse in the hospice unit where she helps care for dying patients and experiences familiar grief with the families. Allie’s compassion stems from personal experience as she lost her mother a few years ago, after a long battle with cancer. This loss left her alone with her father having died when she was young and being an only child. Supplementing this void in her life, Allie’s co-workers have become like a family to her. Though she has developed a negative perspective in terms of relationships and has closed herself off to the idea of love – until she meets the charming Alex. This charming stranger has the power to change the way she views everything, but he also has the power to break her heart.

Allie is a grounded character that has a realistic background which readers can quickly form a connection with. The romance begins with her in a place where she’s closed off to the idea of love or relationships to the extent she’s skeptical about everything romantic. Alex is introduced as a charming stranger who comes into her life to open her up to the possibility of loving someone and being loved. When the story begins, she is consumed by her job with her sole focus being a nurse, and even her only family are her co-workers. Grief is an important element in the story as Allie carries a great deal of it with her as her mother’s death has had a deep impact on her. Though her mother had already passed, the connection the two shared can still be felt through Allie’s perspective and behaviors.

Various characters appear throughout her life that have an impact on her character and on the story as it moves forward. A majority of these characters are from the unit where she works and they supply support, drama, and conflict in her romance with Alex.

Among these characters is Sean who is a doctor and described in a way which makes him feel like a typical romantic love interest, yet she quickly rebuffs this idea despite the fact that all the nurses love him. He feels perfect in charm and attractiveness which sets up a mislead until she meets Alex who is a more grounded character. Multiple side characters surround her either to give friction like Kurt who has a grudge against her or to support her in the role of family like Bree. After Alex is introduced, the story follows the chemistry and growing romance between the two characters. As their relationship heats up and drama creeps into the romance, the format begins to incorporate the perspective of Alex. This dual first-person voice allows you to see both sides of the conflict which adds depth to the story. This choice of perspective successfully prevents either from being the ‘bad guy’ in the relationship.

The beginning of the story has themes that are common in the romance genre such as Allie’s arc of being skeptical to becoming open to love after meeting the right person. However, the primary theme makes the story stand out as the underlying message is to keep out drama. The writing doesn’t place rose-colored glasses on the romance and treats the conflict between the two characters as people in a realistic relationship. It’s easy to understand both Alex and Allie as they’re easy reminders of the conflict, complications, and drama that can be pulled into a relationship from outside forces.

Romance lovers will enjoy Allie’s Taste of Romance which is a romantic drama which explores realistic conflicts in a relationship through fun chemistry, dual perspectives, and a believable character arc.