I’ve always believed in love at first sight. More importantly, I’ve always wanted to believe in it. I love the idea of love, of being swept off my feet with the deep knowledge of the rightness of someone for me. I love the idea of my highly rational and intellectually-oriented self being overcome with emotion so that I have no choice but to feel, rather than think. Phew—is it warm in here or am I having a power surge? Don’t mind me, I’m losing myself in the fantasy of falling hard and falling fast. It’s heady stuff. I should know- I remember the night I met my husband (in a bar, I might add). After ditching our friends for a dinner á deux followed by some steamy necking in the car, I raced home to call my best friend to say- “I’ve met someone.” As in someone who really lights my fire, curls my toes and inspires my feet to do a happy dance, despite my sky-high pumps (we’ve discussed those, I know).
And while I might not describe it as a Godfather-like lightning bolt, I was definitely aware I was in the presence of something potentially very special. It’s not tally clear my beloved reciprocated those feelings (it did take him more than nine months to tell me he loved me, even though he’d cleared out half his closet for my stuff by our second date. So maybe he did know and his mouth took a bit of time to catch up to his heart—he is a man, after all).
So I’m absolutely into love at first sight, and I never discount it in my beloved fantasy books—as long as the author captures the wonder and joy and the stomach-dropping, fear-laced excitement of it all in describing it. I’m currently reading a new series (The Dark Ones) by an author whose work I’ve enjoyed before, Katie MacAlister. And this first book in a longer series (hooray for long series with lots and lots of books!) includes a love at first sight trope between Joy and Raphael. And Katie MacAlister does a really good job of evoking the headiness and compulsion of love at first sight. Joy battles realistically with her better judgment about diving headfirst into a relationship with a tall, dark and hunky mystery man who has a shady pasty and secrets to keep. But she can’t help herself, can she, cause she’s smitten but good.
And, and as I read this first offering in a series I’m hoping will become one of my growing list of favorites, I find myself wishing I, too, had fallen head-over-heels in love from the very first page.
But I didn’t. Not really. Sure, I could see the potential, and I have really high hopes for this series, but I’ve got to say, this is where I have to put my big girl panties on and settle in for some delayed gratification like adults are supposed to do. But my inner five-year-old is totally bemoaning the fact that I have to wait for the author to lay all of the foundation for her specific world, its rules and attributes, etc., not to mention character development and long-term plot exposition for what is clearly envisioned as a lengthy series. Still—I want that loving feeling—right from the get-go. Like it was with my husband all those years ago.
So, while this book is really good and it’s definitely keeping my interest, I’m not head-over-heels, but I know I can look forward to a deepening relationship with these characters and this world over time, and that is truly awesome. And I really am doing a happy dance in anticipation of having my gratification met in a most satisfying manner as I frolic with the rest of the series. But there is a tiny little part of me that is disappointed that I didn’t get to feel my tummy drop with the thrill of love at first sight. This time. Of course, tomorrow is another day, luckily. And I did get to read about love at first site in the words of a very talented author, which is almost as good.