Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae.
Denny, 41 years old, is a multifunctional worker at the Grocery Port, a great sister to Salem and an amazing aunt to her 11 years old niece, Bella whom she helped raise. When it comes to other areas in her life, like flirting or dating, she has not mastered them at all. When Denny’s phone ring while she is home alone with Bella, and she receives a text and a picture from Eliza, asking for fashion advice, her life changes, and as one text turned into hundreds of back and forth, Wrong Number, Right Woman has you turning pages one after the other. Eliza loves crafting and cannot connect with any of the men she dates. When her best friend Heather gets her a membership profile on No More Frogs for her thirtieth birthday, she ends up in a dating frenzy, having her mistakenly text a number that was supposed to be Heather’s but was Denny’s in search of advice on what to wear. The rest is history.
I loved that the whole book takes place in Portland, which has been a great part of a few of Jae’s novels. I smiled like an idiot when I realized Austen and Dee were in that novel, as I had just finished relistening to Under a Falling Star the day before.
I might be biased, but I must admit that I have been looking forward to that book for as long as it was first mentioned. I do not know why but people meeting online has always been part of my favourite storyline for years. Sadly, up until now, the number of released books fitting this description was almost inexistent, only a few come to mind.
As usual, Jae’s characters are perfect from their highest qualities to their deepest insecurities. It was fun to read the back and forth between them, and how they are all connected.
I loved that Eliza was able to understand Denny’s shyness and introvert way of acting/reacting in most situations, and how they were both so good to the other. I also admire Eliza for being so upfront about her feelings, without putting a label on herself, even if up until Denny’s the possibility of ever connecting with a woman was out of her mind. The fact that both women had big insecurities about their looks and bodies also made them more human and approachable.
I cannot explain what makes this story so good and hit so close to home for me, but I love how immediate friendship without having met in person seems so unattainable to some, yet others thrive in those friendships. I love that the bond that exists is so strong, that even most of the real-life friendship have trouble competing with it.
I do know from experience that hiding behind a phone, or a screen does help connect, and share some things you probably would have felt too exposed to share with real-life friends. And the fact that whatever the question is, you have the time to find the right way to express your feelings, or what any conversation means, I find beauty in that. I do believe there is something beautiful and amazing that can be reached when two people must put words to explain their feelings or make sure to properly explain so that the other knows exactly what is happening. And Jae portrayed that with so much efficiency, the storyline blew my mind.
Bonus points for the ”date/ not date” at the Carnival since Eliza wanted to meet Denny before anyone else could. The feeling overload was beyond anything I was planning to read.
I feel like this review is a total rambling from my part, but it is ok. I feel strongly about this story and I would recommend this book to anyone, and for those who really loved Something in The Wine, I felt like the friendship/relationship struggle was close to it and enjoyed it. I wish there were more books like those.
Grab your copy as soon as it becomes available, you won’t regret it.
5/5
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*I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review *
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