In “Out of Date” by Emma Daniels. a 44-year old widow starts dating a 33-year old bachelor and all hell breaks lose as their workplaces and their families collide.
Feeling that she was “out of date”, Lydia a schoolteacher answers a personal ad from a 29-year old male who wanted to date an older woman. In a case of mistaken identity, Lydia met Daniel, a corporate lawyer, whom Lydia thought was her “date.” Curious as where this encounter will bring them, Lydia and Daniel started a tentative relationship that was sexual yet with strict rules of privacy and anonymity wherein both did not even give each other last names.
But, they would not remain private or anonymous. A case of age discrimation at Daniel’s office brings Lydia in the limelight, which in turn also threatens her job. Daniel has to walk a tightrope between his feelings for Lydia, his integrity as a lawyer and doing his job properly. Inadvertently, their families get involved and thus throws another monkey wrench in the whirlpool.
The premise of the story is ripped from tabloid headlines and also reflects the zeitgeist of popular culture when it comes to an older woman/younger man romantic relationship. The characters are so alive in our eyes that there are times that you want to wring their necks because they are just too stubborn or just too annoying. And, that make them very real, hence the 4 star rating.
Speaking of 4 stars, there are two reasons why I withheld a star. First, Lydia’s daughter’s reaction to the relationship was fully expanded and resolved but Daniel’s family who were introduced early on just remained in the background and no resolution was offered.
Second, and more important is Daniel’s degenerative eye condition that can render him blind. This could have been great focus for conflict and resolution but again, it just remained in the background and unsatisfactorily resolved in one sentence.
An easy enjoyable read but it could have been more dramatic and heart wrenching if it was longer.
Rated M for Mature due to sexual content
