Turn the Paige by Roseanne Beck is an interesting first entry in the Love Hurts Series, a very engaging read filled with drama and hilarity. Meet Paige, a workaholic who spends the whole day in the office and, by the time she's done seeing her patients, wants only to get back to her condo. She has no plans to add any extracurricular activities in her down time, until she returns home to fulfill her Nana's last request and meets Nick Collins, someone from her past. It turns out Nick knows just how to awaken a fire she's kept hidden inside her. Does she have the strength to resist him or will she listen to the voice of her Nana and give love a chance — even create that time for extracurricular activities?
This is a sweet story with interesting characters. I loved the title as much as the characters. The story is told in the first person narrative and in a voice that is arresting. The point of view of the protagonist — Paige — comes out clearly and beautifully and I enjoyed how she appears as the epitome of the contemporary conundrum of all work and no play. The plot is well structured and I also enjoyed that the conflict is introduced right off the bat. Roseanne Beck is a skilled writer and she knows how to explore the hearts of her characters.
There is some part of Paige in all of us, the part that hides behind what we do. She may love her work, but her job seems to be a front, a means of refusing to become like others. But then Nick appears and he seems to understand the vulnerabilities in Paige's protective walls. The writing is strong, the voice is warm, and the characters are so real it feels like they live next door to the reader. Turn the Paige is a warm and entertaining love story filled with drama.