The Missed Connection by Denise Williams
Contemporary Romance
Audiobook – May 3, 2022
Print/Ebook – June 21, 2022
Berkley
Review by Iby
Let me start by saying – I will read anything that Denise Williams writes, and I’ll probably love it. Her writing style just works for me, and I love her nuanced characters. When an ARC became available for an upcoming novella, I quickly volunteered to read and review.
This is the second in a series of three interconnected novellas that all take place in an airport, but I had no issue picking up book two and following along.
Gia is a scientist and professor, with a bubbly outlook on life, who is stranded in an airport on New Year’s Eve. She is a little lonely, as she recently broke up with a serious girlfriend, and she decides to chat up a handsome, taciturn man sitting at the airport bar. After one magical kiss at midnight, they catch their separate flights… until Gia meets Felix again at an airport, as she is picking up a rival academic, and she realizes it’s him.
Workplace enemies with opposing personalities, Gia and Felix battle their attraction for each other until they go on a two-week work tour of five colleges. Between Felix’s grumpy attitude and Gia’s outgoing personality, sparks fly as they are forced to work together.
Novellas can be tricky – the timing can feel too insta-love, and the characters can feel too one-dimensional, lacking nuance and motivations. In this novella, Williams was successful at giving dimension to both main characters through a dual POV, although Gia definitely left a stronger impression. Instead of a week, this novella takes place over about a year, and this longer time feels more believable given the scientist main characters, who naturally take a more measured approach to love.
What don’t we get? A lot of space for other characters. The two main characters share a misogynistic boss, and we don’t witness him getting any consequences. He – along with all of the other characters – are somewhat cardboard cutouts, given the space the author has to write with this novella.
Overall, this was a stellar way to spend a Saturday morning. The airport scenes had Love Actually vibes, which were charmingly cheesy in the best romcom ways. It left me with a smile on my face, and I’ll definitely be picking up the other two novellas.
This is one of those books where the audiobook will be published first – May 3 – with the ebook to follow on June 21st. I’m not an audiobook girl, so this review is specifically for the ebook version.
Grade B
Leave a Reply