Rating: 4.5🌈
I have been an absolute fan of Isabel Murray since I read Gary of a Hundred Days. Everything since has just cemented this author as a superb writer, one of great hearted, strong characters as well as wild, imaginative plots. I hadn’t read much if any of her contemporary works.
First Dates and Birthday Cakes is a gentle, wonderful contemporary romantic comedy. It’s also one that takes all the elements that I associate with this author’s writing in her fantasy novels like layered characters, and wonderful settings, and showcases it here in a contemporary story.
Ben Porter is turning 40 when the story begins. It’s the morning of his birthday, one he’s been dreading. And, honestly, Ben is every one of us who has been in denial about any kind of birthday that is a milestone in life. Instant connection!
What’s worse is he told family and friends not to make a big deal and then they had the nerve to actually listen to him. I was already laughing at the reality of that moment and the real emotional reactions Murray was vividly conveying.
Memories of a birthday past , way way past, has Ben scurrying off to an ice rink and his future.
This is so humorous. Warmly real, awkward, and so very true to each man’s spirit. Plus there’s a fantastic best friend, a mother who I love even though we see her briefly. We know her. Murray has brought every character exquisitely to life no matter how long or short they appear in this story.
I ended up smiling at the imagery and ending. And vowing to go through the rest of Murray’s contemporary catalog.
I’ve left my favorites below. I’m including this as well. Enjoy!
Favorites by Isabel Murray:
Merman Romance :
Catch and Release
Must Reads!
Fantasy Romance :
Gary of a Hundred Days
Gary the Once and Former King
The Naiad’s Gift
— First Dates and Birthday Cakes: MM Romantic Comedy by Isabel Murray
Buy link
Blurb
Ben Porter is turning forty, and he’s not being cool about it.
He told his friends and family that he wanted to let this particular milestone pass by without any fuss, and for once, they actually listened.
Which is great. Because now here he is, sitting in his kitchen on a rainy Saturday morning, all alone, and he can feel himself aging.
So he decides to do something about it.
And maybe throwing himself a last-minute ice-skating party for one in an attempt to recreate the carefree birthdays of his expired youth wasn’t the best idea. Or the most normal. He’d even go so far as to say it was a terrible idea, as there’s a non-zero chance that his impromptu birthday activity will turn into an impromptu birthday trip to the hospital. Because despite the fact that he remembers being pretty hot stuff at skating?
He’s not. He’s really, really not.
He’s so incredibly bad at it that a tall, gorgeous member of staff—who actually is pretty hot stuff—has to come over and scrape him off the ice, just so he stops ruining everyone else’s Saturday.
Except Jake isn’t a member of staff, he has an ulterior (romantic!) motive for helping Ben, and Ben’s worst birthday ever is about to take a surprising turn for the better…
First Dates and Birthday Cakes is a 33k-word romantic comedy novella with a midlife crisis, a big surprise that Ben really should have seen coming, and something that looks a whole lot like happily ever after.
• Publisher: (June 4, 2024)
• Publication date: June 4, 2024
• Language: English
• Print length: 132 pages
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 