Book Review: Blind Love by Kishan Paul

ISBN-10: 1619229544
ISBN-13: 978-1619229549

With skeleton-filled closets, corner-lurking danger, and profanely funny dialogue, this perfectly-paced contemporary has landed Paul on my list of authors to keep track of.

Although her eyes see nothing more than bright colors and outlines, Lauren Baxter is headstrong, independent, and just a little bit cocky. Still dealing with the emotional scars left by a cheating ex-husband, she carefully chooses who she trusts, and is currently not in the market for a romance. With a thriving counseling business, this PhD prefers to spend her time helping others deal with their problems, instead of dealing with her own. That is, until one of her problems is the sexy, hot, temporary neighbor whose remodeling is way too loud for her comfort.

Gabriel Briggs has no intention of staying in Denver. He lives in Houston, and he has every intention of returning there. His life is complicated enough, so the last thing he needs is to get attached to the beautiful Lauren. Determined to get her in his bed, only for a night or two, his plans are threatened when she turns out to be more than just another sexy body. Drawn to her, he ends up confiding some of his deepest secrets, which puts her danger. As they try to untangle more than just the sheets, he must learn to deal with his past, while she learns to accept her future.

Paul carefully blended Lauren’s condition (retinitis pigmentosa) into the story. While it is one of the character’s struggles, Paul did a splendid job not letting it become the only focus on the heroine. Lauren’s character is the epitome of self-preservation, and her disability, although troubling for her at times, does not define who she is or what she’s capable of doing. The character, as well as the others, is believable and relatable.

Gabe, in all his sexiness, was not just the typical good-looking hero. He matched Lauren’s wit, and took care of her – without completely taking over. He has a sorted, yet honorable past, that gives him a touch of mystery. I’m very pleased with how his story unfolded. Paul leaves enough unsaid to keep the pages turning, the eventual revelations not at all disappointing.

I was intrigued by Sunny’s (Lauren’s erotic-writing best friend and assistant)character. She spoke in the same manner in which she wrote, and her refusal to treat Lauren as an invalid was most gratifying. They had a healthy, fun-loving, sisterly relationship.

Paul has a keen sense of the surroundings, and does a superb job with descriptions. The point-of-view is always carefully defined, and the flow is an easy stream of self-discovery, trust development, and love acceptance.

Grab a snack, turn off the TV, and find a comfortable place to sit. This one should be read all at once.

Rating system: Cups of coffee – the less the better

0: You won’t need any coffee to stay up for this one. It’s intriguing enough all on its own.
1: You’ll stay up late, but not all night. Brew one cup.
2: You’ll read as long as you’re not tired. If you are, two cups should do the trick.
3: I hope you got plenty of rest; you’ll need it, or at least 3 cups.
4: If the cable goes out, read the book. It’s better than nothing, I guess. Oh, don’t forget your brew!
5: Find anything else to do- it doesn’t matter what it is. Don’t waste your coffee. Too much caffeine is bad for you.

My rating: 0 cups of coffee