Date Shark (Date Shark #1)

Leila Sparro is successful in her career and yet she is desperate. Looking inside, she feels she must have several faults that turn men off and she endeavors to correct her faults by learning what they are. Eli Walsh has a successful couple’s therapy practice but he enjoys his side job as the Date Shark. Eli is quite good at what he does, until he meets Leila for her first date - an evening dinner wherein Eli will find himself breaking more than one of his rules.

Ms. Gladden develops a believable and enjoyable romantic triangle in this novel. She takes the reader on an adventure behind the scenes of fashion as well as a few exciting dates, while keeping her audience grounded in her characters' turmoil. Characters are real in spite of their unexpected layers. The setting is quaint and yet welcoming, somewhere between the city and charming township. The plot is original and engaging, although the writing is in need of editing - with a few too many awkwardly structured sentences, missing, and duplicate verb usages which yank the reader from the scene. 

Despite the grammatical errors, this is a delightfully smooth work of fiction bordering on the edge of flash fiction. Well done Ms. Gladden, bring your readers more!

Shaunna Gonzales