The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai: Book Review

The Right Swipe is the first in the series Modern Love by Alisha Rai. The Right Swipe was first published in 2019 by Avon. Alisha Rai has written over 20 books, all in the romance genre.

Set in the tech world, we are introduced to several characters, some of whom will feature in their own books in the series. In this book, we have Rhiannon Hunter and Samson Lima trying to figure out their relationship.

Synopsis

Rhiannon Hunter, the founder of the dating app Crush, isn’t a fan of love or romance. Seriously burned by an ex, she has no desire to repeat that hurt.

Samson Lima, a former professional football star, has been out of the dating world for almost a decade to take care of a sick family member.

One night, Samson decides to use the Crush dating app for a break from being a caregiver. He swipes right on a profile he likes, and the pair go for drinks and a hook-up. Then he ghosts her, but only because his personal life suddenly got flipped upside down. Once he remembers her, she has disappeared and blocked him from contacting her. What’s a guy to do?

Fast forward 6-months, Samson is at a tech trade show, covering for his aunt, and finds himself sharing a stage with the mystery woman. How can he apologize to her for his actions? Especially after she openly says she doesn’t believe in giving someone a second chance once they’ve ghosted you? Can they work together on a project to help her business and to save his aunt’s? Only time and a matchmaker test will tell.

Positives

This book is a quick read. While it’s just under 400 pages in length, it could easily be read in a weekend.

The diversity of characters is great and one I find rather realistic. Rhiannon is African-American, Samson is American Samoa. There is an LGBTQ character. A Muslim character is introduced, who I believe is the main character in future books, near the end of the book. Katrina, Rhiannon’s housemate and silent business partner suffers from anxiety.

Negatives

Honestly, the only negative I have about this book is the language. I understand it is an Adult Romance and that adults use questionable (swear?!) words; I’m no exception. But at times, it seems that there is only one word Rhiannon knows. I find that disappointing as she is supposed to be a strong, independent businesswoman.

Another issue some may have with the book is the graphic nature of the intimate scenes. Again, yes, it is an Adult Romance, but I do not need each intimate scene written in such detail. No, not all of the moments are mentioned in the book. But those mentioned are done in quite a detailed manner.

My Opinons

I really did enjoy reading this book. It was light and not challenging. That is not to say this book isn’t thought-provoking because there are moments that do cause you to stop and think.

Samson left his promising career, in the middle of a game, to protest the treatment of his fellow players. He ended up taking care of an uncle who had also played the game. The book discusses, and not too lightly, the research into brain injuries of football players. This is a genuine topic that will continue to be discussed as time moves forward and more is learned.

Rhiannon’s ex was her boss, who manipulated her. He also threatened her career if she dared mention to anyone what happened between them. It took most of the book before Rhiannon realized she wasn’t alone; she wasn’t his only victim. Sound familiar?

I think this is a book many people will enjoy on different levels. If this were made into a movie as it’s written, it would receive an NC-17 rating. That said, I would caution people sharing the book with younger people. I would say that no one under 17 should read this, but that is just my opinion.

I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.