Anne Calhoun’s Liberating Lacey is a wonderful tale of Lacey Meyers, a business woman who is facing life after a divorce. She decides, rather than going back into the dating scene, she wants a night of non-committal sex so she goes to a dance club where she meets Hunter, 8 years her junior. They have a night of wild sex but continue to see each other. Hunter is a cop and believes he is Lacey’s social inferior. Both introduce the other into their worlds. Lacey is able to fit into Hunter’s world but Hunter is uncomfortable in Lacey’s world. Eventually, Hunter can’t deal with the differences and leaves Lacey. But during a crisis in his life he returns to her. Will they be able to work out their different lifestyles?

I loved this story. Lacey is strong and confident. She is able to be herself and do what she wants. Hunter is a good foil for her. He also is strong and confident but his past comes back to haunt him. I loved that Lacey decided she was only looking for a one-night stand and went for it. That she and Hunter could continue their affair tells me the sex was good. No matter how often others tried to break them up because of the difference in their ages and backgrounds, they stood firm. Ultimately it was when Hunter couldn’t deal with his fear of loving Lacey that the relationship ended.

When Hunter has a crisis in his life he turns again to Lacey who is able to forgive his flaws and fears. She could have shoved him away and let him hurt, but she stands by him and allows him to lean on her. This helps pave the way for him to open up to her about his past and causes him to rethink his past and his future. I knew, like Hunter, that he had no future without Lacey.

Liberating Lacey is a beautifully written tale of two lonely people who find each other and work through the difficulties of a relationship. Anne Calhoun has a winner here and it is a keeper.