Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter
Contemporary Romance
March 1st, 2022 by Berkley Books
Reviewed by Kate H.
If you go into Mr. Wrong Number looking for tropey fun, I think you’ll enjoy it: Texting relationship between strangers; enemies to lovers; the old crush on the brother’s best friend. For one moment in the middle of the book, I thought the book was going to go Cyrano de Bergerac on me, but Lynn Painter reigned it. And of course, there is the trope of the rock bottom beginning where our heroine, Olivia, has lost her job, had her boyfriend cheat on her, and in this case, burned down her entire apartment building. Based on a misdial, she begins a meaningful relationship with “Mr. Wrong Number”
What we learn rather quickly is that Olivia is a bit of a schlimazel: highly unlucky and a bit of the klutz. The quantity of her misfortunes gets a little ridiculous After burning down her apartment building in Chicago (no one dies), she returns to her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. Rather than move back home, she bunks with her brother who happens to be staying in the apartment of his best friend, Colin. Olivia finds herself in a whirlwind of possibilities, romantically and professionally.
It’s hard not to talk about this book without giving things away. It is the kind of book that’s enjoyable because you read with your fingers half over your eyes, wondering, “What’s next?”
Some of the characters’ motivations seemed a bit fuzzy. For example, Oliva has known her Colin since childhood, and yet she still seems to not know him much at all, except to resent him for his snobby upbringing. Similarly, Olivia may be a hot mess, but she is an independent adult. Why does everyone, including her, think her brother gets a say in Olivia’s love life?
At times, Olivia’s decision making is cringeworthy and her mishaps maddening, but by the end of the book, the HEA has a bigger payoff than many: Olivia gets seen, really seen, for who she’s always been: not a walking disaster but a vibrant, risk-taking woman. I would have loved to have had this forecasted more throughout the book.
Grade: B-
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