The Last Blind Date: A Real Life Love Story

In this era of cyber-romance, Yellin (Such a Lovely Couple) and Randy Arthur bucked the trend: they were set up by friends, courted via phone, and dated long-distance before their eventual marriage. Anyone who’s been gun-shy about romance will identify with the pairs’ initial resistance—Yellin, a divorcée, had endured more than enough of the titular blind dates, and Arthur was very recently divorced with shared custody of his two children. The author writes of the comfort of their “700-mile emotional safety zone” and notes that, for her, the “possibility of a relationship was easier to handle than an actual relationship.” But after two-plus years of edging ever closer, the pair decide to marry and Yellin moves from Chicago to join Arthur in New York City. The author’s depictions of her attempts to start a new life strike a nice balance between serious and funny, from the goings-on at her ill-fated new job to her earnest attempts to make friends at the gym, and at home with her stepchildren. Yellin’s story is not only a delight to read but an inspiring example of the good that can come from taking risks, even when it’s uncomfortable and scary. (Nov.)