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An Unexpected Spark
It's never too late to learn from our mistakes...
Tallulah Washington believes in energy, intuition, and the healing power of sage. Jamison Harris believes in efficiency, logic, and arriving fifteen minutes early. When their kids announce a whirlwind engagement, these two complete opposites are forced together—and it’s a disaster from the start.
But disaster has a funny way of turning into chemistry.
Between cake tastings gone wrong, dance lessons, and one very inconvenient spark, Tallulah and Jamison discover that maybe they don’t hate each other as much as they thought.
The two least likely people might be the ones to prove that love is worth the risk.
Tallulah Washington believes in energy, intuition, and the healing power of sage. Jamison Harris believes in efficiency, logic, and arriving fifteen minutes early. When their kids announce a whirlwind engagement, these two complete opposites are forced together—and it’s a disaster from the start.
But disaster has a funny way of turning into chemistry.
Between cake tastings gone wrong, dance lessons, and one very inconvenient spark, Tallulah and Jamison discover that maybe they don’t hate each other as much as they thought.
The two least likely people might be the ones to prove that love is worth the risk.
- GenresRomance
219 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 17, 2026
About the author
Delaney Diamond
108 books9,815 followersDelaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of more than 60 contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels, and dozens of romance short stories. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not spinning tales of romantic fiction, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale.
She’s also the founder of Books by Black Authors, a discovery platform for readers seeking stories by Black authors.
Website: www.delaneydiamond.com
Books by Black Authors: https://www.booksbyblackauthors.co/
Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/author/delaney...
Newsletter signup: https://geni.us/DDNews
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delaneydiam...
X: https://twitter.com/DelaneyDiamond
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/DelaneyDiamond
She’s also the founder of Books by Black Authors, a discovery platform for readers seeking stories by Black authors.
Website: www.delaneydiamond.com
Books by Black Authors: https://www.booksbyblackauthors.co/
Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/author/delaney...
Newsletter signup: https://geni.us/DDNews
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delaneydiam...
X: https://twitter.com/DelaneyDiamond
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/DelaneyDiamond
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
March 3, 2026
I Love mature love stories
It took a minute for these total opposites to match one another. Jamison was a control freak and Tallulah had a hippie-connected cutesy vibe. I adored her. When she discovered her only child was ready to marry someone she'd never met... Well.....it wasn't pretty. And stuffy Jamison did not make matters any better. Although the parents were total opposites, a blind person could see and feel their chemistry. I was not surprised one bit... the way this love story came together in the end. I recommend this one...
It took a minute for these total opposites to match one another. Jamison was a control freak and Tallulah had a hippie-connected cutesy vibe. I adored her. When she discovered her only child was ready to marry someone she'd never met... Well.....it wasn't pretty. And stuffy Jamison did not make matters any better. Although the parents were total opposites, a blind person could see and feel their chemistry. I was not surprised one bit... the way this love story came together in the end. I recommend this one...
April 17, 2026
I love stories with grown folks, especially when they get another chance at love and to be happy, and An Unexpected Spark was a delightful one.
I enjoyed meeting Tallulah and Jamison, both divorced adults /parents in their late 40s, who were opposites in nature.
Tallulah would be my friend in real life, I love the way she dressed, moved and thinks, and her Simply Well business. She had this energy that was hard to ignore. A straightforward, no nonsense person who didn't mince words, and her honesty with herself, resonated with me. She was self assured, confident, and has this quiet assertiveness that drew people, including Jamison, to her,. I related to this as well.
Underneath that rigid stance and his 'by the numbers' persona, the way the banker described Tallulah's outfits and her scents were indicators that he operated on a deeper level and was a man who, though good with numbers, didn't see the world, or her, in plain rigid ways. He was insightful and balanced Tallulah's perfectly in my opinion as she did him.
One of the reasons I choose stories with characters 40 years and older is for their lived experiences. Characters often use them to teach others around them. They're tried and tested so it was not surprising that these two, brought together by the love and wedding planning of their child Blossom and Manuel respectively, guided the young couple.
I liked that in these 220 pages the author didn't provide a daily or weekly account of the goings-on. I got relevant information that moved the story along at a nice pace.
The dual POVs were also good as they showed the hesitation, the doubts, the scheming - oh the scheming LOL - from each MCs perspective which made them more realistic to me and the story believable.
An Unexpected Spark was a well developed story. It is a sensual and passionate, slow burn, second chance, grown folks romance that doesn't shy away from real life experiences. I wished it was longer.
I received an advance review copy for free via Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I enjoyed meeting Tallulah and Jamison, both divorced adults /parents in their late 40s, who were opposites in nature.
Tallulah would be my friend in real life, I love the way she dressed, moved and thinks, and her Simply Well business. She had this energy that was hard to ignore. A straightforward, no nonsense person who didn't mince words, and her honesty with herself, resonated with me. She was self assured, confident, and has this quiet assertiveness that drew people, including Jamison, to her,. I related to this as well.
Underneath that rigid stance and his 'by the numbers' persona, the way the banker described Tallulah's outfits and her scents were indicators that he operated on a deeper level and was a man who, though good with numbers, didn't see the world, or her, in plain rigid ways. He was insightful and balanced Tallulah's perfectly in my opinion as she did him.
One of the reasons I choose stories with characters 40 years and older is for their lived experiences. Characters often use them to teach others around them. They're tried and tested so it was not surprising that these two, brought together by the love and wedding planning of their child Blossom and Manuel respectively, guided the young couple.
I liked that in these 220 pages the author didn't provide a daily or weekly account of the goings-on. I got relevant information that moved the story along at a nice pace.
The dual POVs were also good as they showed the hesitation, the doubts, the scheming - oh the scheming LOL - from each MCs perspective which made them more realistic to me and the story believable.
An Unexpected Spark was a well developed story. It is a sensual and passionate, slow burn, second chance, grown folks romance that doesn't shy away from real life experiences. I wished it was longer.
I received an advance review copy for free via Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 19, 2026
3 meh stars
There are not enough romance novels about women finding love in their 40s and beyond. I was so excited to read this book. Overall the story was good. The romance? Very bland. I didn’t feel any chemistry between Tallulah and Jamison. I felt that too much of the story were scenes with Tallulah and Blossom Jamison and Manuel. It was 50% focused on the kids and 50% if not less focused on Tallulah and Jamison.
Even though their story didn’t hit the right notes for me I’m glad that it was written. We need more romances about middle-aged characters!
There are not enough romance novels about women finding love in their 40s and beyond. I was so excited to read this book. Overall the story was good. The romance? Very bland. I didn’t feel any chemistry between Tallulah and Jamison. I felt that too much of the story were scenes with Tallulah and Blossom Jamison and Manuel. It was 50% focused on the kids and 50% if not less focused on Tallulah and Jamison.
Even though their story didn’t hit the right notes for me I’m glad that it was written. We need more romances about middle-aged characters!
May 26, 2026
Unexpected love!a
First, this book was well written, flowed well and was quite interesting. We meet Blossom and Manuel, two young college graduates who has decided to get married in three months. The thing is their parents haven’t met, so they set up a dinner for her mother and his father can meet. Can you say complete disaster? But the fun part of this book was reading how the two totally different parents fell in love with each other. Really good read!
First, this book was well written, flowed well and was quite interesting. We meet Blossom and Manuel, two young college graduates who has decided to get married in three months. The thing is their parents haven’t met, so they set up a dinner for her mother and his father can meet. Can you say complete disaster? But the fun part of this book was reading how the two totally different parents fell in love with each other. Really good read!
April 23, 2026
🥃 ARC Review: AN UNEXPECTED SPARK
Author: Delaney Diamond
Genre: Contemporary Romance + Older Hero/Heroine + Opposites-to-Lovers
Tropes: Parents of the Couple, Opposites Attract, Forced Proximity via Wedding Planning, Divorced Hero, Entrepreneur Heroine, Later-in-Life Love, Small-Town(ish) Setting
Format: ARC
Series: Standalone (Garden Avenue Press)
Drink Pairing: The Garden Gimlet — recipe below
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Warm, intentional heat from two people who have lived enough life to know what they want.)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️¾ (3.75/5) — Sweet, Specific, and the Kind of Love Story That Knows Better
🥃 The Pour
Let me tell you about Tallulah Washington.
She drives a vintage 1970s Volkswagen bus named Orange Julius — converted to electric because she loves it and the environment gets a vote. She brews her own kombucha in small batches that sell out every week at Simply Well, her herbal store and wellness center. She believes in energy, intuition, and the healing power of sage. She took that bus on road trips to all forty-eight contiguous states between the ages of thirteen and eighteen and she still has every memory.
And then her daughter announces she is marrying a man Tallulah has never met.
In three months.
Enter Jamison Harris: arrived fifteen minutes early, has never in his adult life left a dish unwashed before bed, cooks grilled prawns on a balcony like a man who respects both the process and his guests, and finds Tallulah Washington and her orange bus and her kombucha and her sage-burning tendencies to be the most baffling human being he has encountered in his fifty-some years on this earth.
He is completely undone. He just needs a minute to admit it.
Delaney Diamond understands something that not enough romance authors understand: later-in-life love hits differently. Tallulah and Jamison are not starting from scratch. They are bringing their whole complicated histories to a table neither of them expected to sit down at. That context makes every awkward dance lesson, every shared meal, and every moment they catch themselves looking just a little too long land with specific weight.
Pour yourself something botanical. This one smells like sage and smells like possibility.
Character Distillation: A Free Spirit and a Man With a Schedule
Tallulah is the kind of woman who appears effortlessly herself and makes you realize how rare that actually is. She went through a divorce, rebuilt her life from her own ingredients, and created a business and a community that reflects exactly who she is. She is warm without being a pushover, open without being careless, and she has the specific confidence of a woman who stopped asking permission from people who weren't worth the question. Her vintage bus is not an affectation. It is her childhood and her parents' love and her freedom and herself, all rolled into one orange vehicle, and she will drive it as long as she wants to.
She is also a genuinely good mother — one of the more specific compliments I can give a heroine in a book where the whole plot hinges on the parent-of-the-couple dynamic. Tallulah and Blossom have the relationship that comes from a mother who chose to know her daughter instead of just love her from a distance. The daughter announces a whirlwind engagement and Tallulah's internal reaction is controlled alarm, not dismissal. She asks questions. She shows up. That tells you everything about the kind of woman she is.
Jamison is the top-shelf reveal of this novel. He presents as buttoned-up and precise, and he is — but the precision comes from a lifetime of being the second of eight children, from cooking to keep things running, from holding things together. He is a man who learned that reliability was love, and he practiced it so consistently that when his ex-wife betrayed him, it took more out of him than he knew. He is guarded in the way of a man who learned the hard way that giving fully doesn't guarantee receiving in return.
And then Tallulah Washington drives an orange bus into his orbit and nothing in his spreadsheet accounts for her.
The dinner on his balcony — grilled prawns, city lights, beer and wine and honesty trading across the table — is the scene where this book opens up. When Jamison answers the question about his marriage directly, without deflection, and Tallulah meets it with the same honesty, the chemistry between them stops being about opposites and starts being about two people who have genuinely earned a second chapter.
What I Savored 🥃
The parent-of-the-couple framing is executed with care. Delaney Diamond does not forget that Blossom and Manuel are the reason these two people are in the same room. She keeps that thread alive — their children's relationship affects their own, and when Blossom and Manuel's engagement hits turbulence, it pulls Tallulah and Jamison into a collaboration that reveals who they are when the chips are down.
Tallulah and Jamison's intervention to reunite the kids. Two parents who barely knew each other a few months ago engineering a quiet, careful ambush in a yoga room because they both understand that their children love each other and stubborn pride is not a reason to let that go — that is a love story and a parent story in the same scene.
Orange Julius. I said what I said. The vintage Volkswagen bus converted to electric is a choice that tells you exactly who this woman is, and I loved every scene it appeared in.
Jamison's cooking. A man who learned to cook at fifteen to feed his siblings and has never stopped — who knows that feeding people is a language, that taking time with food is a form of care — this is a hero whose love language is visible and specific and it works every time.
What Needed More Aging 🥃
The central conflict between Blossom and Manuel is gentle to a fault. These two young people call off their engagement over a budget miscommunication that was never really about the money — and while the emotional logic is understandable, the stakes feel thin given the amount of page time invested in setting up their love story. The resolution also moves quickly, in keeping with Delaney Diamond's characteristically clean endings, but here the speed leaves a small hole where a harder conversation could have lived.
Tallulah and Jamison's personal conflict is even thinner. When the romantic tension finally needs something to push against, the obstacle is external rather than internal. These two characters have enough history and self-awareness to generate real friction between them — the free spirit and the man with a schedule have genuine worldview differences that could have created a meaningful reckoning. The book chose warmth instead of depth at the key moment. Both are valid choices. BSB wanted a little more depth here.
The Finish
An Unexpected Spark is the kind of love story that knows what it's doing and does it with warmth and intention. Tallulah is a heroine who will stay with me — not because she's dramatic, but because she's herself with such consistency that it becomes aspirational. Jamison is a man who cooked for seven younger siblings and never stopped showing up, and the thing he didn't plan on was a woman in an orange bus who made him realize he'd been showing up for everyone but himself.
Later-in-life love deserves its flowers.
This book gives some of them. I would have given more.
🌿 The Drink Pairing
The Garden Gimlet
For the herbalist who never expected the spreadsheet man, and the spreadsheet man who never expected her.
2 oz London Dry Gin (Jamison — classic, structured, precise, reliable as arrival fifteen minutes early)
¾ oz Fresh lime juice (the chemistry — bright, tart, cuts right through)
¾ oz Sage-honey syrup (Tallulah — the herb and the sweetness in one pour, because she is both)
2 oz Sparkling water (the unexpected — the part neither of them planned for)
1 Fresh sage leaf, garnish
To make sage-honey syrup: combine 1 cup honey, 1 cup water, and 6 fresh sage leaves in a small saucepan. Heat until honey dissolves, steep 10 minutes, strain, and cool.
Combine gin, lime juice, and sage-honey syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a coupe or rocks glass over ice. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with a fresh sage leaf.
The gin was always going to be there — reliable, structured, shows up on time. The sage-honey is the thing that changes the entire character of the drink. You didn't expect it. And then you can't imagine it without.
I received an advance review copy for free and am voluntarily leaving this review.
Recommended for fans of: Later-in-life romance with fully realized heroines · Opposites-to-lovers where both people are actually interesting · Anyone who has ever converted a vintage vehicle because you just couldn't let it go · Delaney Diamond's whole catalog, which consistently delivers warmth and characters worth knowing.
Author: Delaney Diamond
Genre: Contemporary Romance + Older Hero/Heroine + Opposites-to-Lovers
Tropes: Parents of the Couple, Opposites Attract, Forced Proximity via Wedding Planning, Divorced Hero, Entrepreneur Heroine, Later-in-Life Love, Small-Town(ish) Setting
Format: ARC
Series: Standalone (Garden Avenue Press)
Drink Pairing: The Garden Gimlet — recipe below
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Warm, intentional heat from two people who have lived enough life to know what they want.)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️¾ (3.75/5) — Sweet, Specific, and the Kind of Love Story That Knows Better
🥃 The Pour
Let me tell you about Tallulah Washington.
She drives a vintage 1970s Volkswagen bus named Orange Julius — converted to electric because she loves it and the environment gets a vote. She brews her own kombucha in small batches that sell out every week at Simply Well, her herbal store and wellness center. She believes in energy, intuition, and the healing power of sage. She took that bus on road trips to all forty-eight contiguous states between the ages of thirteen and eighteen and she still has every memory.
And then her daughter announces she is marrying a man Tallulah has never met.
In three months.
Enter Jamison Harris: arrived fifteen minutes early, has never in his adult life left a dish unwashed before bed, cooks grilled prawns on a balcony like a man who respects both the process and his guests, and finds Tallulah Washington and her orange bus and her kombucha and her sage-burning tendencies to be the most baffling human being he has encountered in his fifty-some years on this earth.
He is completely undone. He just needs a minute to admit it.
Delaney Diamond understands something that not enough romance authors understand: later-in-life love hits differently. Tallulah and Jamison are not starting from scratch. They are bringing their whole complicated histories to a table neither of them expected to sit down at. That context makes every awkward dance lesson, every shared meal, and every moment they catch themselves looking just a little too long land with specific weight.
Pour yourself something botanical. This one smells like sage and smells like possibility.
Character Distillation: A Free Spirit and a Man With a Schedule
Tallulah is the kind of woman who appears effortlessly herself and makes you realize how rare that actually is. She went through a divorce, rebuilt her life from her own ingredients, and created a business and a community that reflects exactly who she is. She is warm without being a pushover, open without being careless, and she has the specific confidence of a woman who stopped asking permission from people who weren't worth the question. Her vintage bus is not an affectation. It is her childhood and her parents' love and her freedom and herself, all rolled into one orange vehicle, and she will drive it as long as she wants to.
She is also a genuinely good mother — one of the more specific compliments I can give a heroine in a book where the whole plot hinges on the parent-of-the-couple dynamic. Tallulah and Blossom have the relationship that comes from a mother who chose to know her daughter instead of just love her from a distance. The daughter announces a whirlwind engagement and Tallulah's internal reaction is controlled alarm, not dismissal. She asks questions. She shows up. That tells you everything about the kind of woman she is.
Jamison is the top-shelf reveal of this novel. He presents as buttoned-up and precise, and he is — but the precision comes from a lifetime of being the second of eight children, from cooking to keep things running, from holding things together. He is a man who learned that reliability was love, and he practiced it so consistently that when his ex-wife betrayed him, it took more out of him than he knew. He is guarded in the way of a man who learned the hard way that giving fully doesn't guarantee receiving in return.
And then Tallulah Washington drives an orange bus into his orbit and nothing in his spreadsheet accounts for her.
The dinner on his balcony — grilled prawns, city lights, beer and wine and honesty trading across the table — is the scene where this book opens up. When Jamison answers the question about his marriage directly, without deflection, and Tallulah meets it with the same honesty, the chemistry between them stops being about opposites and starts being about two people who have genuinely earned a second chapter.
What I Savored 🥃
The parent-of-the-couple framing is executed with care. Delaney Diamond does not forget that Blossom and Manuel are the reason these two people are in the same room. She keeps that thread alive — their children's relationship affects their own, and when Blossom and Manuel's engagement hits turbulence, it pulls Tallulah and Jamison into a collaboration that reveals who they are when the chips are down.
Tallulah and Jamison's intervention to reunite the kids. Two parents who barely knew each other a few months ago engineering a quiet, careful ambush in a yoga room because they both understand that their children love each other and stubborn pride is not a reason to let that go — that is a love story and a parent story in the same scene.
Orange Julius. I said what I said. The vintage Volkswagen bus converted to electric is a choice that tells you exactly who this woman is, and I loved every scene it appeared in.
Jamison's cooking. A man who learned to cook at fifteen to feed his siblings and has never stopped — who knows that feeding people is a language, that taking time with food is a form of care — this is a hero whose love language is visible and specific and it works every time.
What Needed More Aging 🥃
The central conflict between Blossom and Manuel is gentle to a fault. These two young people call off their engagement over a budget miscommunication that was never really about the money — and while the emotional logic is understandable, the stakes feel thin given the amount of page time invested in setting up their love story. The resolution also moves quickly, in keeping with Delaney Diamond's characteristically clean endings, but here the speed leaves a small hole where a harder conversation could have lived.
Tallulah and Jamison's personal conflict is even thinner. When the romantic tension finally needs something to push against, the obstacle is external rather than internal. These two characters have enough history and self-awareness to generate real friction between them — the free spirit and the man with a schedule have genuine worldview differences that could have created a meaningful reckoning. The book chose warmth instead of depth at the key moment. Both are valid choices. BSB wanted a little more depth here.
The Finish
An Unexpected Spark is the kind of love story that knows what it's doing and does it with warmth and intention. Tallulah is a heroine who will stay with me — not because she's dramatic, but because she's herself with such consistency that it becomes aspirational. Jamison is a man who cooked for seven younger siblings and never stopped showing up, and the thing he didn't plan on was a woman in an orange bus who made him realize he'd been showing up for everyone but himself.
Later-in-life love deserves its flowers.
This book gives some of them. I would have given more.
🌿 The Drink Pairing
The Garden Gimlet
For the herbalist who never expected the spreadsheet man, and the spreadsheet man who never expected her.
2 oz London Dry Gin (Jamison — classic, structured, precise, reliable as arrival fifteen minutes early)
¾ oz Fresh lime juice (the chemistry — bright, tart, cuts right through)
¾ oz Sage-honey syrup (Tallulah — the herb and the sweetness in one pour, because she is both)
2 oz Sparkling water (the unexpected — the part neither of them planned for)
1 Fresh sage leaf, garnish
To make sage-honey syrup: combine 1 cup honey, 1 cup water, and 6 fresh sage leaves in a small saucepan. Heat until honey dissolves, steep 10 minutes, strain, and cool.
Combine gin, lime juice, and sage-honey syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a coupe or rocks glass over ice. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with a fresh sage leaf.
The gin was always going to be there — reliable, structured, shows up on time. The sage-honey is the thing that changes the entire character of the drink. You didn't expect it. And then you can't imagine it without.
I received an advance review copy for free and am voluntarily leaving this review.
Recommended for fans of: Later-in-life romance with fully realized heroines · Opposites-to-lovers where both people are actually interesting · Anyone who has ever converted a vintage vehicle because you just couldn't let it go · Delaney Diamond's whole catalog, which consistently delivers warmth and characters worth knowing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2026
Tropes: In-laws (planned), Later in Life, Opposites
An Unexpected Spark by Delaney Diamond is another entertaining story in her vast cache of romance and romantic suspense novels. This story is centered around an older couple who meet when their children fall in love and plan to marry. Wellness guru Tallulah Washington is colorful and unconventional, bringing health and wellbeing to her customers. She is completely blind-sided when her daughter announces her engagement. Banker Jamison Harris believes in the logic of numbers and rational thought. Like Tallulah, he feels that his son is too young for marriage, especially since his chosen bride has not found a job yet after her college graduation. He almost considers that to be unequally yoked😊. Tallulah and Jamison clash at their first meeting and the adversarial sparks are intense but hold an element of attraction. Will this battling pair find some common ground and will their attraction develop into something more?
Conclusion:
Thia book was a great deal of fun, and it was wonderful to read a story about a mature and engaging couple. From the outside, Tallulah and Jamison certainly had very little in common; however, in the areas that mattered, honor, family and the ability to show love they were a match made in heaven. Played out against the backdrop of their children’s young love, I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two relationships even as I waited for one of them to implode. Final words, I really always enjoy Ms. Diamond’s stories and Jamison and Tallulah’s mellow, mature love was stellar.
Favorite Lines:
Manuel hadn't planned, and my daughter said yes anyway. This was so unserious.
Whenever she did, I wanted to close the distance between us and finish what we had started at the bakery.
The slight upturn of her mouth haunted my thoughts, and those lovely brown eyes of hers never failed to send chills down my spine.
Just like that, my uncertainty about coming disappeared. Tallulah Washington smiled at me
Because I want you to turn to me when life gets hard.
https://theretiredreader.com/f/an-une...
An Unexpected Spark by Delaney Diamond is another entertaining story in her vast cache of romance and romantic suspense novels. This story is centered around an older couple who meet when their children fall in love and plan to marry. Wellness guru Tallulah Washington is colorful and unconventional, bringing health and wellbeing to her customers. She is completely blind-sided when her daughter announces her engagement. Banker Jamison Harris believes in the logic of numbers and rational thought. Like Tallulah, he feels that his son is too young for marriage, especially since his chosen bride has not found a job yet after her college graduation. He almost considers that to be unequally yoked😊. Tallulah and Jamison clash at their first meeting and the adversarial sparks are intense but hold an element of attraction. Will this battling pair find some common ground and will their attraction develop into something more?
Conclusion:
Thia book was a great deal of fun, and it was wonderful to read a story about a mature and engaging couple. From the outside, Tallulah and Jamison certainly had very little in common; however, in the areas that mattered, honor, family and the ability to show love they were a match made in heaven. Played out against the backdrop of their children’s young love, I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two relationships even as I waited for one of them to implode. Final words, I really always enjoy Ms. Diamond’s stories and Jamison and Tallulah’s mellow, mature love was stellar.
Favorite Lines:
Manuel hadn't planned, and my daughter said yes anyway. This was so unserious.
Whenever she did, I wanted to close the distance between us and finish what we had started at the bakery.
The slight upturn of her mouth haunted my thoughts, and those lovely brown eyes of hers never failed to send chills down my spine.
Just like that, my uncertainty about coming disappeared. Tallulah Washington smiled at me
Because I want you to turn to me when life gets hard.
https://theretiredreader.com/f/an-une...
April 15, 2026
An unexpected spark
The synopsis of the story had me thinking the story could be similar to a parent trap where the kids came up with a ruse of being engaged to get their parents together, but this wasn’t what I got. In this story you have two parents who seem like total opposites, but end up getting to know each other, find common ground and eventually fall in love alongside their children falling in love and getting married. I could sense the underlying spark between Jamison and Tullulah through their interactions and their attraction sort of reached a fever pitch and couldn’t be ignored after spending time together during wedding planning activities.
I liked Jamison and Tullulah together and was rooting for them, but at the same time also baffled by the dynamics of them being together while their children were getting married. It was weird to me because it’s taboo that Jamison and Tullulah would be parent in laws each others kid but their kids could also end up being step siblings if they got married and I couldn’t get that thought out of my head as their relationship progressed and the book went on exploring both relationships. I am happy the story ended with a happy for now because I’m not sure my brain could have handled much more.
All in all, this was a pretty good book that kept my attention from beginning to end and had me anticipating how the story would play out and end for both couples. 3.5/5 stars
The synopsis of the story had me thinking the story could be similar to a parent trap where the kids came up with a ruse of being engaged to get their parents together, but this wasn’t what I got. In this story you have two parents who seem like total opposites, but end up getting to know each other, find common ground and eventually fall in love alongside their children falling in love and getting married. I could sense the underlying spark between Jamison and Tullulah through their interactions and their attraction sort of reached a fever pitch and couldn’t be ignored after spending time together during wedding planning activities.
I liked Jamison and Tullulah together and was rooting for them, but at the same time also baffled by the dynamics of them being together while their children were getting married. It was weird to me because it’s taboo that Jamison and Tullulah would be parent in laws each others kid but their kids could also end up being step siblings if they got married and I couldn’t get that thought out of my head as their relationship progressed and the book went on exploring both relationships. I am happy the story ended with a happy for now because I’m not sure my brain could have handled much more.
All in all, this was a pretty good book that kept my attention from beginning to end and had me anticipating how the story would play out and end for both couples. 3.5/5 stars
February 22, 2026
So different, yet loved so strong!
Jamison and Tallulah had a really rocky start when their respective children introduced them while planning their wedding. A wedding both her mother Tallulah, and his father Jamison expressed their initial concerns about. As things usually happen, these two opposites found themselves being drawn more and more into a relationship of their own. This story touched on the mistakes most married couples make that drive them apart. It pointed out how what each of these parents experienced in their respective marriages, and how they both spoke about those experiences influenced a momentary falter of the planned wedding between the impending bride and groom. So glad that cooler heads prevailed and both parents recognized how they had unintentionally posited fear in their children. They then staged an intervention, came clean about their contribution to their children's rift allowing the intended to communicate instead of separating. I enjoyed this story very much. I am glad I took my time savoring the two relationships this story shared giving us many dynamics to explore before reaching the end of the story. Great job Delaney, thank you.
Jamison and Tallulah had a really rocky start when their respective children introduced them while planning their wedding. A wedding both her mother Tallulah, and his father Jamison expressed their initial concerns about. As things usually happen, these two opposites found themselves being drawn more and more into a relationship of their own. This story touched on the mistakes most married couples make that drive them apart. It pointed out how what each of these parents experienced in their respective marriages, and how they both spoke about those experiences influenced a momentary falter of the planned wedding between the impending bride and groom. So glad that cooler heads prevailed and both parents recognized how they had unintentionally posited fear in their children. They then staged an intervention, came clean about their contribution to their children's rift allowing the intended to communicate instead of separating. I enjoyed this story very much. I am glad I took my time savoring the two relationships this story shared giving us many dynamics to explore before reaching the end of the story. Great job Delaney, thank you.
March 5, 2026
We Grown Now
I’ve been reading Delaney Diamond’s work for years and I must say she has not lost her touch. The beautiful cover was absolutely what drew me in. Tallulah and Jamison are opposites in every way. They are both in their late 40s, almost about to be 50, and while Tallulah is more of a free spirit and goes with the flow, Jamison is on the rigid side. What I thought was a very interesting take was not the fact that their children are marrying, but more so the fact that they are exactly alike in some ways to the people they divorced. Jamison is reminded a lot of his ex-wife through Tallulah, and Tallulah is reminded of her ex-husband through Jamison. But where everything went wrong in their first marriages, in this go around not only are they instantly attracted to each other, but they seem to have more stuff in common than expected. They have matured for use. What starts as a dislike turns into a friendship and then much more. It moves pretty fast, but it felt very whole. I did keep expecting for something to come about why their kids were rushing to get married. I love how they helped save it too.
I’ve been reading Delaney Diamond’s work for years and I must say she has not lost her touch. The beautiful cover was absolutely what drew me in. Tallulah and Jamison are opposites in every way. They are both in their late 40s, almost about to be 50, and while Tallulah is more of a free spirit and goes with the flow, Jamison is on the rigid side. What I thought was a very interesting take was not the fact that their children are marrying, but more so the fact that they are exactly alike in some ways to the people they divorced. Jamison is reminded a lot of his ex-wife through Tallulah, and Tallulah is reminded of her ex-husband through Jamison. But where everything went wrong in their first marriages, in this go around not only are they instantly attracted to each other, but they seem to have more stuff in common than expected. They have matured for use. What starts as a dislike turns into a friendship and then much more. It moves pretty fast, but it felt very whole. I did keep expecting for something to come about why their kids were rushing to get married. I love how they helped save it too.
April 6, 2026
I enjoyed getting to know Tallulah and Jamison, a more mature couple. This is becoming a nice trend. Seeing grown characters that have life experience, learned some lessons about good/bad things about themselves and know who they are. It is refreshing to see a black FMC with a sense of strength, growth, grounded spiritually VS a strong MMC that is the opposite, assertive, but not toxically “alpha.”
The opposites attract, second chance at love, single parents troupe is not new, but was still a cute read. Loved the storyline, pacing and development of the couple and getting to know how they came to be who they are, their passions and community. Loved seeing the duel storyline of the children and their parenting journey with their young adults. I would have loved to get a better sense of what happened in their relationship past just deciding to be together, a good epilogue, a little more story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The opposites attract, second chance at love, single parents troupe is not new, but was still a cute read. Loved the storyline, pacing and development of the couple and getting to know how they came to be who they are, their passions and community. Loved seeing the duel storyline of the children and their parenting journey with their young adults. I would have loved to get a better sense of what happened in their relationship past just deciding to be together, a good epilogue, a little more story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 26, 2026
I Loved It!
I absolutely loved reading about a mature couple falling in love. Tallulah and Jamison were complete opposites. They didn’t care for each other when they first met. She was a hippie like free spirit that went with the flow of things, and he was a well organized planner. Her daughter was engaged to his son. They eventually started liking each other when their kids had them to take dancing lessons for their wedding reception. They weren’t crazy about having to attend a dance class, but they did it. That’s when things turned around for them. They began to spend more time together, outside of the dance classes, and ended up catching feelings for each other. It truly was an unexpected spark! This was a great read! I had a hard time putting it down! Thank you Ms. Diamond for another spectacular book! ❤️🔥
I absolutely loved reading about a mature couple falling in love. Tallulah and Jamison were complete opposites. They didn’t care for each other when they first met. She was a hippie like free spirit that went with the flow of things, and he was a well organized planner. Her daughter was engaged to his son. They eventually started liking each other when their kids had them to take dancing lessons for their wedding reception. They weren’t crazy about having to attend a dance class, but they did it. That’s when things turned around for them. They began to spend more time together, outside of the dance classes, and ended up catching feelings for each other. It truly was an unexpected spark! This was a great read! I had a hard time putting it down! Thank you Ms. Diamond for another spectacular book! ❤️🔥
March 22, 2026
Another enjoyable read with mature characters — and I absolutely love that!
I’ve been a fan of Delaney Diamond for years, and this story did not disappoint. It’s a beautifully written story with a strong, engaging plot.
Tallulah and Jamison are opposites, but as they work together to plan their children’s wedding (her daughter, his son), they begin to realize they have more in common than they thought — especially in the ways that truly matter. What starts as collaboration slowly turns into something deeper, leading to a love that neither of them expected.
Overall, this is a heartwarming story about unexpected love that proves connection can show up when you least expect it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I’ve been a fan of Delaney Diamond for years, and this story did not disappoint. It’s a beautifully written story with a strong, engaging plot.
Tallulah and Jamison are opposites, but as they work together to plan their children’s wedding (her daughter, his son), they begin to realize they have more in common than they thought — especially in the ways that truly matter. What starts as collaboration slowly turns into something deeper, leading to a love that neither of them expected.
Overall, this is a heartwarming story about unexpected love that proves connection can show up when you least expect it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 2, 2026
A great holiday read so engrossing I finished it in 2 days. The story is told from dual POV. Tallulah and Jamison’s kids are getting married after a 4 month romance. Both parents are sceptical and after a disastrous first meeting at dinner with the kids a romance slowly unfolds against the backdrop of wedding plans and more.
Both characters are in their late 40’s. They’re very likeable and the story has some funny moments in it which I really liked. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and will definitely be reading more.
I received this copy as an ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Both characters are in their late 40’s. They’re very likeable and the story has some funny moments in it which I really liked. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and will definitely be reading more.
I received this copy as an ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 26, 2026
An Unexpected Spark by Delaney Diamond is a light contemporary romance about two very different people brought together by unexpected circumstances. As their lives intertwine, they’re forced to confront their differences and possibly find common ground.
The story is easy to read and has a warm, feel-good tone, with likable characters and some entertaining interactions. I’m giving it three stars because it doesn’t feel very original.
That being said, I enjoyed the read. It’s perfect for a lazy Sunday with a box of chocolates.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story is easy to read and has a warm, feel-good tone, with likable characters and some entertaining interactions. I’m giving it three stars because it doesn’t feel very original.
That being said, I enjoyed the read. It’s perfect for a lazy Sunday with a box of chocolates.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 27, 2026
Title: An Unexpected Spark
Author: Delaney Diamond
Publisher: Garden Avenue Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
'An Unexpected Spark' by Delaney Diamond
My Review:
'An Unexpected Spark' was a nice romance, with Tallulah and Jamison finding love. Now the story will get even more interesting, as the story centers on an older couple who meet when their children fall in love and plan to marry as the story continues.
The story will keep one's attention from the beginning to the end, showing how it all comes together for both couples. By the end, you are given a good love story.
February 20, 2026
This book could be a Lifetime Movie, it's cute. Tallulah is forty-seven and she in a place of comfort and has the security that comes from life and experience. She dresses like a hippy because that's who she is. I mean, if I ran into this lady I would think she's a flake, but that's my ignorant opinion. I just love who this lady is. She has a slow building romance with her daughter's potential father in law Jamison. He's uptight and she's free-spirited. She's horny and misses the comfort of a man. He's super fit and keeps watching her behind. They fight, they dance, they kiss. You get it! This was a quick and enjoyable read.
February 28, 2026
All I can say is that this was such a lovely and mature building of a romance for two very likable characters in Tallulah and Jamison. And so very unexpected for them both. Which is the part I liked the most.
The fact that their kids were marrying each other gave it some close corners, but still workable for me.
It turned out to be a lovely melding of the two in sweet ways, and that made me smile for them. I appreciated their story.
Wonderfully done!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The fact that their kids were marrying each other gave it some close corners, but still workable for me.
It turned out to be a lovely melding of the two in sweet ways, and that made me smile for them. I appreciated their story.
Wonderfully done!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 4, 2026
Tallulah and Jamison shouldn't work together, but they do. Somehow, their personalities complement each other just perfectly! They're both divorced and single, but their children are marrying each other. Despite all the reasons they shouldn't go together, they take a chance on each other. The story is filled with lots of memorable, laugh-out-loud scenes. An Unexpected Spark is a fun, easy read you'll truly enjoy.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 26, 2026
enjoyed this
A sweet and engaging romcom.
Loved Thallulah and Jameson’s chemistry.
I thought it would be cringe for parents of a couple getting married to fall for each other but it wasn’t creepy at all.
Their romantic relationship happened so naturally and I enjoyed their banter.
If you love later in life above 40, opposites attract romance, this will tickle your fancy.
I recommend!
A sweet and engaging romcom.
Loved Thallulah and Jameson’s chemistry.
I thought it would be cringe for parents of a couple getting married to fall for each other but it wasn’t creepy at all.
Their romantic relationship happened so naturally and I enjoyed their banter.
If you love later in life above 40, opposites attract romance, this will tickle your fancy.
I recommend!
March 19, 2026
I loved this book about two grown and sexy single adults. Tallulah and Jamison’s kids are engaged. They are forced to get to know each other because of their kids. Well… there’s a spark between them that just turns into a fire. They end up falling in love.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved that it’s about an older couple finding love after divorce and after their kids are grown.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved that it’s about an older couple finding love after divorce and after their kids are grown.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 22, 2026
Folks was looking at me in the chiropractor office. I was cracking up! Harrison was attempting his first Yoga class and pulled a muscle just to lay eyes and be near Tallulah. What started out was a dinner to introduce the lovebirds and prepare there parents for the upcoming wedding. Blossom and Manuel had no idea introductions would least to a spark. I love when men get honest at least to thereselves about there feelings. Fast paced, action packed love story, page turner.
February 23, 2026
I loved this POV of mature loves it does not matter how old you are love finds you in the most unexpected ways. This book made me feel all the feels : excitement, yearning, love, and a little spice. Tallulah and Jamison had my heart. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 21, 2026
What a beautiful and captivating page turner! Absolutely loved that two generations were followed through this beautiful love story!
Tallulah and Jamison , the older seasoned couple, demonstrated an excellent example of what is required to maintain a successful relationship. Fortunately before Blossom and Manuel gave up on their soon to be marriage!
February 27, 2026
I enjoyed Tallulah and Jamison's story. I would have liked more steam between these two and more focus on them instead of their children. But overall, it was a great story. And it is true, sometimes opposites do attract!
March 3, 2026
Opposites Attract!
Tallulah & Jamison ostensibly unite to support their engaged adult kids, but life has other plans for the two of them. Loved the slow burn of attraction between them, proving that love is sweeter the second time around!!
Tallulah & Jamison ostensibly unite to support their engaged adult kids, but life has other plans for the two of them. Loved the slow burn of attraction between them, proving that love is sweeter the second time around!!
March 20, 2026
Tallulah and Jamison have been burned by this thing called love and were reluctant to test the waters again. However, they soon learn that love, like people mature and changes over time. When that unexpected spark happens...it only proves that true love may be delayed but it will never be denied.
March 25, 2026
A flavorful heartache that brings the humor without losing sight of the emotion. Diamond blends sweet and spicy to create a feast for the soul. From ironic to unpredictable, Jamison and Tallulah are irresistible.
April 4, 2026
Very good
Amazing. I liked their occupations and how their careers helped each other. The yoga was a fun part. The cake tasting had me cracking up. The resolutions were very nice. The mature couple was very cool
Amazing. I liked their occupations and how their careers helped each other. The yoga was a fun part. The cake tasting had me cracking up. The resolutions were very nice. The mature couple was very cool
April 8, 2026
Unputdownable!!
She did it again! OMG you will love Jamison & Tullulah! This is a hilarious yet serious book. They found love while not looking. I absolutely enjoyed this book and you will too! A must read!!
She did it again! OMG you will love Jamison & Tullulah! This is a hilarious yet serious book. They found love while not looking. I absolutely enjoyed this book and you will too! A must read!!
April 24, 2026
A mature romance was a fun change of pace.
*SLIGHT SPOILER AHEAD*
I appreciated that the third act break up wasn’t Tallulah and Jamison. I think that would have annoyed me.
All in all, I enjoyed this one!
*SLIGHT SPOILER AHEAD*
I appreciated that the third act break up wasn’t Tallulah and Jamison. I think that would have annoyed me.
All in all, I enjoyed this one!
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