Going Against Type by Sharon Black (click here for Author Wednesday guest post) went toward my type of delightful light-hearted contemporary romance set in Dublin, Ireland. The genre hearkens back to the 1950s with mismatched lovers such as Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, albeit with Irish eyes and tastes.

Charlotte “Charlie” Regan yearns to find her place in a world dominated by men as a sports’ reporter and columnist. The hero of the story also fights for his place in the world of fashion writing where men are in short supply. It doesn’t help matters that they work for harshly competitive newspapers and somehow find themselves pitted against one another when Charlie steps into the world of fashion by criticizing the footballers of Ireland for advertising popular name brands.

The novel reverberates with authenticity of the life of a journalist always under pressure to be fast, accurate, and edgy. Ms. Black, herself a journalist, paints a realistic picture of both Charlie and Derry despite their opposite views. I liked the twist in the story that turned stereotypes on end. It reminded me a bit of the movie with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, You’ve Got Mail. For most of the novel, neither Charlie nor Derry know the other one is the author behind the viperous attacks in the two rival columns written anonymously. In the meantime, they begin dating, enjoying their time together more each time.

If you want to escape for a few hours into the world of Irish football, fashion, and foibles, you won’t be disappointed with Going Against Type. I think it’s the first Irish novel I’ve read that wasn’t historical, which makes it both refreshing and light.

Purchase Links

Going Against Type – Amazon US

Going Against Type – Amazon UK

Going Against Type – Amazon Canda