A Shocking Request

by Colleen Faulkner

Never in a million years had Grant expected this. His late wife, Ally, speaking on a memory videotape she'd left behind, was actually suggesting he start dating.

"Date?" Grant thought aloud. "Who would I date? Who wants a widower who lives on a principal's salary and has three daughters?"

Clearly anticipating his reaction, Ally said into the camera, "I know you're going to sit around for weeks saying you wouldn't know who to ask if you wanted to go on a date. I've thought this out, too."

She leaned forward in the chair. "Jenna," she said softly. "I want you to date my best friend, Jenna. And, Grant, I think you'll fall in love with her."

184 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 2002

About the author

Now writes as Colleen French.

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars ~ This is Ms Faulkner's debut with Silhouette Romance and her first foray with a contemporary love story. The back cover of this book sets the tone nicely for this romance. In her Dear Reader note at the beginning of the book, Ms Faulkner shares how this story came about.

A Shocking Request came about when a group of friends and I were talking over coffee about our families and what we would do if we discovered we were dying. All of us realized we would be concerned not just for our children, but for our husbands, too. We all agreed that, out of love, we would want to give our spouses permission to date, fall in love and marry again. Laughing, we agreed we would like to pick out the perfect woman to mother our children and love the man we loved. Some may think that A Shocking Request is a sad story, but it’s not. It’s a story of joy. It’s the story of a man and woman who find love after great loss and proves to us once again that love really can conquer all.

There are many dynamics to this story. Grant is a widower with three daughters, one soon to be 16; and his a principal of an elementary school. Jenna was Grant's deceased wife, Ally's best friend and she's a kindergarten teacher at the same school as Grant's. While Grant deals with a teenage daughter wanting to date, Jenna is struggling with her Down's syndrome 26 year old sister who wants more independence which includes a boyfriend. Ms Faulkner weaves all these dynamics and characters creating a romance that is easy to get involved in.

[JTM]

Never in a million years had Grant expected this. His late wife, Ally, speaking on a memory videotape she'd left behind, was actually suggesting he start dating.

"Date?" Grant thought aloud. "Who would I date? Who wants a widower who lives on a principal's salary and has three daughters?"

Clearly anticipating his reaction, Ally said into the camera, "I know you're going to sit around for weeks saying you wouldn't know who to ask if you wanted to go on a date. I've thought this out, too."

She leaned forward in the chair. "Jenna," she said softly. "I want you to date my best friend, Jenna. And, Grant, I think you'll fall in love with her."

A sweet story of friends becoming a couple and all the issues they have to deal with blending their families. I would have enjoyed a little more heat, but it was still a quick and sweet story.

[Stacie]

Quick Silhouette read about a woman who on her deathbed requests that her best friend marry her husband after she passes on.

[Kobie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a sweet story.

[Kobie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a sweet story.