It should come as a surprise to no one that I read romance. When I saw that Kristoffer Polaha, my favorite Hallmark actor, was writing a novel my first instinct was to pre-order it and my next thought was “he’s a genius.”
Not only is he leaning into his calling card, romance, but he is simultaneously creating his own content pipeline: writing the books that will then become his star vehicle as TV movies. Slow clap. Well played Polaha.
I applaud his ingenuity. And like his legion of fans who also pre-ordered their paperback, I was excited to see what he and his co-author Anna Gomez had in store. With Moments Like This Gomez and Polaha deliver the same goods that make a Hallmark movie so enjoyable, a surefire love story.
I read romance for the same reason you used to slip off your bra and slide on some sweats as soon as you got home from work. It’s comforting. It’s also predictable and these days predictability is a form of certainty, which is in short supply. Like any book, a romance offers a getaway without having to get up from your couch. Now more than ever, a positive, pleasant read is a welcome escape from the groundhog day experience that is pandemic life.
So I was only too happy to get transported to Hawaii in the middle of a cold Chicago winter. Gomez and Polaha deliver rich descriptions that not only give you a sense of place, but are so evocative you can feel the warmth of Oahu come off the page.
I am impressed that these first time collaborators were able to deliver the intangible that is chemistry. Particularly on paper where it is hard to fake. I bought into the romance that brews between Andie and Warren, so I was eager to tag along on their Grand Moments tour. For love is grand and I read romance to be reminded of it’s stature.
Moments Like This is the first in the From Kona With Love series. Which means more mind trips to Hawaii and hopefully a movie or two.
Comments