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Love is Blind |
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Annabelle Costa |
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April 1st 2019 |
| “Why don’t you date a blind guy?”
Ever since a childhood accident left her with severe facial deformities, Sophie Pasternak has been hearing that incredibly insulting suggestion from friends and busybodies. After all, who else but a blind man could love someone who looks like she does? But as the lonely years go by working in the library, living vicariously through the romances in her favorite books, Sophie wonders if there’s any truth in this hurtful piece of advice. Then she meets Colin Kelly, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, who lost his vision in combat. Colin is the sexiest man Sophie has ever met, from his taut muscles covered in tattoos to his alluring grin. He’s also the only man who has shared her deep passion for reading, which is why he enlists Sophie’s help to learn braille. Sophie finds herself falling hard for Colin Kelly… and she suspects he feels the same way. The only problem? Colin Kelly has no idea what Sophie Pasternak really looks like. And she’s terrified for him to find out the truth. |
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One of my all time favorite authors is back again with her latest novel. And besides making me cry she also surprises again in finding a new approach on her “trademark” genre.
Me crying during reading this time reading was a strange thing actually – as it was not because of the relationship of the two leads but more for this world and the people in it. I would like to believe that the reaction of people was exaggerated – but sorry to say – I think it was not the case – I saw “mask” with Cher so I have no romantic thoughts about humanity in that area …
I think Sophie’s view on herself was pretty accurate and if I am honest I would also show some sort of reaction when I met her for the first time and I believe anybody saying the opposite is lying. Which brings me to my thoughts on her not saying anything aka “her lying to him” – yeah I am putting it that way on purpose … is she really lying ? – well it might not have been the best idea how she handled it – but can I understand her – TOTALLY !!! … well, there certainly would have been a time and place to mention it – but lets be real here fellow readers – if she had where would the book have gotten its “story-peak” from?
Colin – well well well – he was adorable – with his parents bordering on annoying no wonder that wall was sporting a hole … may I say it felt like they infantilized him – sure he was depressed and not adjusted yet – but wow – I think there should not only be a training for people turning blind but also for their relatives – amongst other things taking his sleeping pills ? seriously …? I understand their fear but there should be a better way then stripping him of the last shreds of respect.
Did Colin annoy me – yes – actually twice – once in that cafe with his friend discussing how Sophie probably does or doesn’t look and when he went home from that bar with that women. – Not so much because he went home with her in the first place – I admit it was a hard pill to swallow … I also had a moment when he slept with that woman – but I think I get it – he was simply not in love with Sophie yet at that time he was just trying to figure out his feelings … and afterwards he I think he saw some things more clear than before.
After a closer look this was nothing different from any other book where the so far single male lead has mindless sex simply for the effect of de-stressing or getting rid of the tension and he had only talked to Sophie what ? two times or so? – Did I like that he did that – NO but more because of I was afraid what would happen the next morning when SHE realized his “condition” …
I was more annoyed because in both cases it was not what he wanted but he did it anyway….
But the whole plot left me with one question … what is the acceptable way of addressing a blind person? I probably could google an answer but I still want to write down this thought before I do that.
A room full of people or let’s say you are standing for some reason at a table with several people and you address them – usually they look at you … and see that you do that while you talk to them… Colin was annoyed when people addressed others around him with questions like “and what does HE want” UNDERSTANDABLE but even if I said “what would you like sir” – how is he supposed to know I mean HIM and not some other person at the table? My thought would be to touch his arm while asking but that could be totally wrong – in terms of personal space and stuff but given the “lead me there by taking my arm thing it might be acceptable ? I wonder? (as I said I did not google that question and the book kind of left the answer to that open)
More and more I think there should be a training unit in school on how to get into the right mindset to treat every person the way it should be done – – it should not only contain addressing persons that need slightly different ways of communication but also look them in the eyes at any time , when to offer help and how to do it – throw some ASL in and maybe the base of other peoples main religions as to not offend them.
my 3cents ….
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