Midnight Sonata [Paperback]

Widow Evie Parker doesn't need or want any more complications in her life. She's busy raising her eleven year-old son AJ, teaching piano lessons out of her home and evading her mother-in-law's single-minded attempts at getting her to date and marry again. The last thing she needs is to be attracted to her new next door neighbor.

The discovery that he has a potentially fatal heart condition has CEO Skylar Remington taking an extended leave of absence from work. While preparing to undergo surgery, Skylar has opted to hide out in the suburbs. It seemed like a good idea at first but he's lived for the company for so long that he has no clue how to occupy his time.

Skylar's leave of absence as CEO of Remington Medical Industries is met with disapproval by his brother, Raven. Their mother has been put in charge of the company and Raven feels that Skylar should have let him know that he was going to "ditch the company." Skylar and Raven had once been close as most brothers but over time have grown apart to the point that they have very little to do with each other.

Evie is unaware that anyone moved in next door until she hears someone taking an early morning shower. The upstairs bathroom window of Skylar's house aligns perfectly with the window of Evie's bedroom. Evie's not normally a morning person but if she has to get up, watching Skylar shower is the perfect incentive to open her eyes. What she doesn't realize is that Skylar has been observing her as well, especially during her late night piano playing sessions. Eventually, Skylar does catch onto Evie's early morning voyeuristic tendencies and introduces himself (after putting clothes on). Skylar begins using the window in his bathroom to greet Evie each morning. There's no denying the attraction that either of them feel but Skylar isn't about to get involved with Evie when his life is so precarious. Evie, AJ, and her mother-in-law, Lily, live together and are often privy to events in each other's lives. Both are in relationships that are going nowhere so they make a pact. Evie's deceased husband's best friend, Mickey, has been pursuing Lily for years. Evie has to go on three dates with Skylar and then Lily will tell Mickey that she's pregnant. If Evie sabotages her chances with Skylar in any way, then she'll have to read one of the letters that her mother keeps sending and Evie keeps throwing away. She hasn't spoken to her mother in years and isn't about to start now. Evie and Skylar have issues in their private lives that they're keeping secret from each other. What will happen when truths are revealed?

Dee Tenorio's MIDNIGHT SONATA is a fun book full of memorable characters and emotional situations. I truly enjoyed the dynamics of both Skylar and Evie's families. There are serious issues that both families have not addressed and over time have hurt everyone involved. Readers will fall in love with Evie's son, AJ. He's smart, curious and repeats things that he hears, often in front of the wrong people. Evie and Skylar's relationship is the primary storyline, but there are many subplots that will have readers eagerly turning pages to see what will happen next.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)