The Right Swipe

Starred review from May 20, 2019
Rising romance star Rai (Hurts to Love You) brings a perfect relationship to life in this luscious contemporary series launch. Rhiannon “Rhi” Hunter is a successful dating app entrepreneur hell-bent on succeeding, though workaholism is detrimental to her dating life. Samson Lima is a former football star who’s drawn into the dating business by his aunt, who’s shy and needs her company, a rival to Rhi’s, to have a new public face. Rhi and Samson’s paths cross at a conference, and they’re both shocked to recognize each other: they hooked up several months prior, and Samson ghosted on the promised second date. As the onetime lovers are drawn into closer proximity, their chemistry sizzles on the page. Both Rhi and Samson are learning how to enjoy life and balance each other beautifully as they face realistic conflicts and tantalizing romance and sensuality. This winning novel will enhance any romance reader’s collection. Agent: Steve Axelrod, Axelrod Agency.

August 9, 2019

Rhiannon Hunter faces a unique challenge as the creator of Crush, one of the most popular dating apps on the market: she was ghosted while using her own app. And her date is now representing one of her competitors, Matchmaker. As for Samson Lima, a retired pro football star, he's representing Matchmaker as a favor to his aunt, one of the company's owners. He's never used a dating app except for one time when he met an amazing woman, but a family emergency kept him from their next date, and she blocked him. When the two meet again, Rhi is trying to buy Matchmaker and her trust issues keep Samson at arm's length. But Samson is willing to use any play in his book for a second chance. VERDICT Best-selling author Rai ("Forbidden Hearts" series) taps into the modern dating-app scene with hilarious, horrifying, and relatable results, blending contemporary social issues, such as sexual harassment in the workplace and CTE brain injuries in sports, into the story. For all libraries.--Melanie C. Duncan, Washington Memorial Lib., Macon, GA

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Narrators Summer Morton and Brian Pallino give listeners a delightful push-pull romance that proves there is such a thing as a second chance. Boss-babe Rhiannon is ready to buy out another dating app company to strengthen her own base when a one-night fling who ghosted her comes back into her life as her competitor's poster boy. Samson wants another chance with Rhiannon, but he will have to prove that this time he's around to stay. Pallino has a gruff, delicious masculine appeal but still delivers compelling voices for the cast of strong female characters. Morton's portrayals feature smooth intonation and the ability to subtly showcase the characters' range of emotions. A.L. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine