Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Struck by Lightning
AUTHOR: Sarah Black
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 86 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 5, 2024
BLURB:
Marcus always thought life had a plan: paint by day, avoid commitment by night. But when he’s literally struck by lightning in front of his apartment, things take a wild turn—especially when his cute, quirky neighbor, AJ, crashes his UPS truck after witnessing the whole thing.
AJ, a free-spirited dreamer with a big heart, heroically performs CPR to save Marcus’s life. As they navigate the aftermath of the bizarre accident, their small neighborhood community rallies together. Tenesha, the outspoken single mom next door, along with her hilarious son Po and their mischievous dog Marco, become unlikely friends to both men.
While Marcus struggles to recover and AJ faces his own insecurities, the group leans on each other for support. As sparks of romance start flying between Marcus and AJ, the pair soon realize that fate might have more in store than either of them imagined.
When chaos threatens their lives again, AJ steps up, proving that lightning can strike twice—but love, once ignited, is there to stay.
Filled with humor, heart, and unexpected twists, “Struck by Lightning” is a feel-good rom-com about finding love when you least expect it and the beautiful messiness of community.
REVIEW:
Sarah Black was one of the first authors I read in this genre. Her books had such a gentleness about them. Not necessarily the subject matter, but the way the reader is pulled into the story and gets to know the characters. The beautiful progression of her stories and characters were just a pleasure. Then came The General and the Horse-Lord series which absolutely blew me away. This story is a return to those beautifully gentle stories that pulled me in from the first page. I mean it does start off with Marcus getting struck by lightning – for the second time in his life. Unique start to a romance, eh?
Marcus, an artist, is struck by lightning as AJ is round the corner in his UPS truck. He ends up rear-ending a car and then jumps out to do CPR. Marcus is OK but this is the second time he’s been struck with lightning and the staff at the ER is a bit concerned about his heart. He’s sent home on a monitor that he promptly disconnects. Why? He has no health insurance and already can’t afford whatever bills he’s going to get. He’s barely scraping by as it is!
AJ gets let go by UPS because of the crash. Doesn’t matter that he saved a guy. Maybe he’ll get his job back, maybe he won’t. It’s two weeks before Christmas and they need workers, but who knows. AJ is not happy about it, but it does give him time to court Marcus. Marcus is happy that the lovely young man seems interested in a guy wo doesn’t have much to offer. But AJ loves his art and even seems to get it. The good art – not the stuff he sells under a different name to make rent. But AJ is also an inspiration. So is Tenesha, Marcus’s single mom neighbor. She and her little boy Po along with AJ form a little family of sorts.
Then there is AJ’s family. His mother and her sisters have a thriving Etsy shop. They send food to Marcus with AJ. They also seem to recognize that there might be something more between AJ and Marcus than friendship – and they are all for that. Even AJ’s sister Beth, who is a nurse gets in on the act.
As Christmas approaches, there is much going on in everyone’s world. Marcus is taking a new direction with his art. He might even have some commercial success. But mostly he and AJ seem to have found a soft place to land. In each other.
This story is a gem! So much emotion and beautiful storytelling in a short page count. This is quintessential Sarah Black and I highly recommend it. Gorgeous holiday story with memorable characters who get a well-deserved HEA.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
