Karis Walsh writes good stories with strong, interesting characters and Blindsided is a charming and entertaining read.
Guide dog trainer Lenae McIntyre left the high-speed world of television news writing behind, and now she helps other visually impaired people adjust to life with their canine companions. She teaches her students and their dogs to trust each other, but a past betrayal and the determination to be self-sufficient and independent keep her from trusting her heart to see love.
Cara Bradley compensates for her family’s shallow celebrity lifestyle by devoting her life to helping others, while keeping to the background. She reluctantly commits to a year of puppy walking a four-legged whirlwind named Pickwick so she can film-reviews regular segments for a local news program while helping promote the McIntyre Training Center, but she is unprepared for the changes that the driven and aloof Lenae will bring to her life.
Blindsided by love, can Lenae and Cara learn to trust and guide each other toward a new vision for their future?
Karis Walsh always comes up with charming Traditional Romances with interesting characters who have slightly unusual quirks.
In this one Lenae is cut off, after being used by her last girlfriend, and Walsh uses the characters blindness as a great tool to reflect her fierce independence and determination to literally “walk alone” – dependent only on the faithful seeing-eye companion dog Baxter.
Cara, on the other hand, ‘has it all’ beautiful, talented, rich, famous – and hollow. Cara is is blind to the gifts she has to offer and sees only the beauty which is skin deep and the failure to match up to her parents expectations. Between them the make a charming whole, reflecting and reinforcing each other, supporting each others weakness.
The plot is straightforward but well done. The supporting cast, mainly made up of dogs, add fun and colour. The subject seems well researched as always and the plot, themes and characters have a cohesion which makes their lives and tales believable without becoming mundane.
I always enjoy Karis Walsh’s books. This one is a light, easy read, but enjoyable and entertaining.