Flirting with Fifty

April 15, 2022
Being asked to team teach a class at the last minute is bad enough, but math teacher Paige Newsome discovers things are about to get even worse when she recognizes her fellow professor, Dr. Jack King, from their one-night fling 30 years ago in Paris. Initially, both Paige and Jack try to pretend they don't remember each other, but that charade only lasts long enough for the two to realize that their feelings for each other have not diminished one iota. Porter has few rivals when it comes to writing with grace and compassion about the emotional messiness of everyday living, not to mention her ability to effectively delineate the challenges, both personal and professional, that women face at every stage of life. With its brilliantly rendered characters (including two refreshingly older romantic protagonists) and quietly empowering story line that celebrates the rewards of stepping outside your comfort zone, this romance is both timely and timeless.

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April 18, 2022
Two college professors get a second chance at love when they’re recruited to co-teach in this satisfying contemporary romance from Porter (It’s You). Prim, insecure 49-year-old statistician Paige Newsome is shocked—and excited—to learn that her new colleague is her one-night stand from 30 years prior. Easygoing 55-year-old Australian biologist Jack King fell in love at first sight three decades ago, but Paige abandoned him without a word the morning after their tryst. Jack has since spent his career traveling the world, while Paige preferred to set down roots. Both have vowed never to remarry (Jack’s wife died of cancer; Paige went through a difficult divorce), so they decide to have a temporary fling—only to find themselves falling in love against their better judgments. Jack teaches Paige to loosen up and enjoy life, but their differing attitudes—and Jack’s sordid past—jeopardize their happiness. Jack makes a swoonworthy hero, but Paige’s constant negativity and diffidence make it difficult to root for her. Readers will appreciate Porter’s refreshing focus on middle-aged protagonists but may be exasperated by some of the romantic back-and-forth. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary.