Date the Alphabet by Laura Langa: Book Review

 *Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Fake date to win four thousand dollars for charity? You bet.

Going on twenty-six first dates—one for each letter of the alphabet—is a ludicrous proposition. Especially since Ann Powell doesn’t date. AT ALL. But if Ann takes her sister’s bet, she’ll win four thousand dollars to donate to a cause close to her heart—underfunded classrooms.

Audiobook narrator Zane West has been struggling to hide his crush on his daughter’s third grade teacher for months. So when Ann asks him—in a moment of dating-app misery—to be her fake date to her sister’s wedding, the only answer is yes.

Pretending to be the cheerful, handsome, single father’s girlfriend isn’t only fun, it’s feeling dangerously real. And as much as they need to sell their fake relationship to her family, no one else can know. Dating the parent of one of your students is definitely off-limits.

Zane only falls harder for Ann through each piano karaoke session, sabotaged hike, and unexpected javelina encounter. Just as she begins to let him in, reality pulverizes their blissful bubble. An honest relationship with Ann is all Zane wants, but now he might be forced to let her go.

Enjoy the off-limits tension and swoon-worthy kisses of this fake dating, he falls first, single dad, school teacher, closed-door romance by grabbing your copy TODAY!

Laura Langa is an award-winning sweet romance author. She strives to write stories that pull at her readers’ heartstrings and create relatable characters you can’t help but root for. Laura loves trees and all things green, hates flossing but forces herself to do it every night, drinks tea—not coffee, and believes that salt air can often cure a bad mood.

Visit her website at www.LauraLanga.com

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Date the Alphabet is the second book in the Love Tucson series. While there are a few small references made that might make a little more sense if you've read the previous book, it could certainly be enjoyed as a standalone as well. (That said, the first book is great, so I'd highly recommend reading it anyway!) 

Don't let the cute cover, title and blurb fool you into thinking this is just a sweet, lighthearted romance. While it's definitely got it's humorous and swoon-worthy moments throughout the story, it is also so much more than that taking on some difficult topics like emotional abuse, divorce and cancer. Like the previous book, it is that blend of real-life issues with romance and humor that take the stories to the next level and make me fall in love with them. Would I have enjoyed a surface level story with the same premise--- dating the alphabet, teacher/student's single dad, etc? I'm sure I probably would, but I also probably wouldn't have given it another thought after it was over. It's the depth in this story that is going to keep me from forgetting it after the end. And I loved absolutely every moment of it... from the sizzling chemistry to Zane's care for Ann to the healing. 

Date the Alphabet is a closed-door romance with a few fade-to-black scenes. While intimacy is certainly implied, anything beyond kisses happens off the page. (Note: this is between an unmarried couple as well). There are just a few minors swears in this one as well. And again, the story mentions the issues mentioned above. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I very much look forward to the next book in the series!