Once Upon a Blind Date

This book has everything I expect from a romance novel. It was great and refreshing reading about the growing attraction between Maggie and Charlie. The "couple" meets at a sporting event after trying to set up there friends Julie and Dom. At first they seem to dislike each other more than anything else. Charlie finds Maggie way too controlling and she thinks he is the typical eternal bachelor kind of guy, definitely not dating material. Quickly after the initial introduction of the main characters, it becomes clear that they are hugely attracted to each other. However both are fighting it. He because he got burned by being left at the altar by his fiance, she because she has a boyfriend who is out of town, and Charlie so does not fit her ideal mate description. It is great to read about them eventually getting closer and closer, I just ordered the sequel "Bride Needs Groom" and can't wait to read it.

Maggie is trying to get her buddy Dom a girlfriend so he won't rely on her to do wifely duties like picking up dry cleaning; Charlie is helping neighbor and friend Julie find Mr. Right because her heart keeps getting broken from all the Mr. Wrong's. Maggie and Charlie create and answer personal ads for their friends, only to find that they can't seem to keep away from each other. From the moment that the two meet, Maggie and Charlie exude chemistry. Maggie is as uptight and anal retentive as Charlie is laid back, and they clash from the start. Neither is willing to throw in the towel and admit that Julie and Dom are not a match made in Heaven. Instead they scheme to keep them together, despite one disastrous date after another, mostly so that they can continue to interact. While it is clear from the start that Dom and Julie have next to nothing in common (and the recaps of the doomed dates are priceless), it is clear to everyone but Maggie and Charlie that they belong together. Getting them to admit it to each other is going to be the hard part, especially since she plans to marry perfect boyfriend Jason, and Charlie plans to remain a bachelor. Equal parts humor and passion make this a funny and winning combination. I am looking forward to reading more books by Markham.

Since "The Nine Month Plan" was awesome, I decided to pick up and read this book. For some reason, I thought it was a sequel?? It's not (really). Sure it has Dom in it from the "Plan" but other than mentioning a few lines about the others... there is no true connection! If I had just picked this up and read it out of the blue... it would have been a good love story! Has a great story line, wonderful characters, but does drag a little. Other than being disappointed that it isn't a true sequel, it was a good read!

_Once Upon A Blind Date_ was truly a joy to read. Maggie O'Mulligan decides to find her best friend, Dominic, the wife he (sort of) wants. He is a fabulous catch but the sparks just aren't there for the two of them. Meanwhile across town, Charlie Kennelly thinks his favorite neighbor, Julie, could stand to get back into the dating scene. She's an amazing pastry chef that would be perfect for some guy...just not Charlie. Charlie was practically left at the alter and has decided that he doesn't want to settle down. He writes the `Bachelor at Large' column for a women's magazine. Maggie completes Dom's profile (as a `old fashioned' guy looking for an `old-fashioned' girl) on an online dating service, and then she starts contacting other singles. Charlie and Julie review the first batch of responses to the profile Charlie filled out for her. Poor Julie is a little put off by all the nuts that respond. Until she sees Dom's. Charlie convinces her to plan on the two of them meeting in a public place and they can each bring a friend. Dom wants to go with the guys to the Knicks game but Maggie schedules his date for that night. Julie (at Charlie's suggestion) sends over the tickets for where they are supposed to meet up...the Knick's game. Never mind that Julie doesn't know or care for Basketball; Charlie knows this is how she can score points with him. Dom and Maggie get the tickets while they are at work. Dom is excited since the seats are better than where his friend's were and Maggie is confused why an `old-fashioned' girl would plan a first meeting at a basketball game. Needless to say once everyone meets up, it's obvious that two chaperones have more in common than Dom and Julie. The story flows from one fatal date to another as the matchmakers refuse to give up. Somewhere along the way, they start spending personal time together and boy do the sparks fly!!!! Maggie and Charlie ride a roller coaster on the way to end of the story. It's fun to take the ride with them. Not once did I think, "enough already or get to the good stuff." I felt like the whole story was the good stuff.Wendy Markhan has a nice writing style that flips between the characters seamlessly. It's frustrating when an author tries to write from the various points of view with a bias towards one character. In _Once Upon..._ there wasn't any awkward transitions. None of the characters were dislikeable which is a breath of fresh air. Not every story needs a witch or jerk to make a character appreciate their "true" love. Sometime people just don't mesh. I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading _The Nine Month Plan_, which is sitting on my bookcase.

In New York City, Dominic Chickalini and Maggie O'Mulligan are best buddies even if she becomes upset when he wants her to do wifely things like picking up his cleaning. She informs her pal that he needs a spouse and decides to find him one.In lower Manhattan, Charlie Kennely and Julie Purello are best buddies. As a relationship advice columnist Charlie believes that Julie's life is all work and no fun since an engagement ended. He informs his pal that she needs a spouse and decides to find her one.Maggie and Charlie complete the questionnaire for their respective pals at Matchmocha asking for mates in Manhattan, the boroughs except for the dangerous Bronx and too far away Staten Island. The matchmaking company pairs Dominic and Julie. They are accompanied by their matchmaker when they meet at Madison Square Garden. This is love at first sight except not for Dominic or Julie. They have nothing in common including no spark. On the other hand, Maggie and Charlie, who respectively filled in the likes and dislikes for their pals, go at it from the first moment as enemy combatants falling in love.Though her friend's acceptance of Maggie's insistent pushing of Julie on Dominic seems out of character for a person who easily would tell her to bug off, fans will enjoy this amusing matchmaking romance gone awry. The key to this Manhattan (and somewhat Queens) madness is that the four characters seem real with unique personalities. ONCE UPON A BLIND DATE is a fun tale with a humorous matchmaking twist.Harriet Klausner