Pages: 352
My Rating: ★★★★
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: April 13th 2021
Publisher: William Morrow Books
Synopsis:
Distraction (n): an extreme agitation of the mind or emotions.
Ruthie Midona has worked the front desk at the Providence Luxury Retirement Villa for six years, dedicating her entire adult life to caring for the Villa’s residents, maintaining the property (with an assist from DIY YouTube tutorials), and guarding the endangered tortoises that live in the Villa’s gardens. Somewhere along the way, she’s forgotten that she’s young and beautiful, and that there’s a world outside of work—until she meets the son of the property developer who just acquired the retirement center.
Teddy Prescott has spent the last few years partying, sleeping in late, tattooing himself when bored, and generally not taking life too seriously—something his father, who dreams of grooming Teddy into his successor, can’t understand. When Teddy needs a place to crash, his father seizes the chance to get him to grow up. He’ll let Teddy stay in one of the on-site cottages at the retirement home, but only if he works to earn his keep. Teddy agrees—he can change a few lightbulbs and clip some hedges, no sweat. But Ruthie has plans for Teddy too.
Her two wealthiest and most eccentric residents have just placed an ad (yet another!) seeking a new personal assistant to torment. The women are ninety-year-old, four-foot-tall menaces, and not one of their assistants has lasted a full week. Offering up Teddy seems like a surefire way to get rid of the tall, handsome, unnerving man who won’t stop getting under her skin.
Ruthie doesn’t count on the fact that in Teddy Prescott, the Biddies may have finally met their match. He’ll pick up Chanel gowns from the dry cleaner and cut Big Macs into bite-sized bits. He’ll do repairs around the property, make the residents laugh, and charm the entire villa. He might even remind Ruthie what it’s like to be young and fun again. But when she finds out Teddy’s father’s only fixing up the retirement home to sell it, putting everything she cares about in jeopardy, she’s left wondering if Teddy’s magic was all just a façade.
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game and 99 Percent Mine comes the clever, funny, and unforgettable story of a muscular, tattooed man hired as an assistant to two old women—under the watchful eye of a beautiful retirement home manager.
My Review:
Review also posted on Goodreads
Sweet and heartwarming. The first half took me a while to get into and it was worth the struggle. The characters are comical and unforgettable. This is my second Sally Thorne book since her debut novel, The Hating Game and I can say Second First Impressions stood on its own without being a shadow to The Hating Game.
Ruthie Midona works in a retirement villa for more than five years. Being a daughter of religious parents, she’s conservative and sheltered because her life there is quite a routine. You can say she’s living like a granny but everyone commends her for being selfless, caring and respectful. This plain jane is very relatable and I can see my personality on her. Gosh, she’s a reminder how I felt an oldie sometimes. She’s also an aspiring veterinarian and I adore her for her concerns with the tortoise. It shows that she’s very passionate and it’s not too late to pursue her dreams.
Then Theodore “Teddy” Prescott comes into the picture. He’s the owner of Providence (retirement villa) and he’s not the prim and proper guy. He’s a sexy, tattooed guy who rides a motorcycle. He looks like a bad boy but honestly, he’s a happy-go-lucky guy and sweet as a sin. I didn’t expect him to be so quirky and cool. Definitely a soft boy.
Ruthie and Teddy surely gave me butterflies. These two started off as friends and their romance gradually developed. I love how Teddy is so persistent and genuine towards Ruthie. He helps her to be more outgoing and confident. Ruthie also helps him to be more hardworking and take things seriously. They uplift and support each other. I swooned.❤️
I enjoyed Second First Impressions in the end. It’s lighthearted and feel-good kind of book. Do I recommend it? Yes.
Confessions of a Pinay Bookaholic 
I felt the same way. I had to get to know the characters before I could like the book. Great review.
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