Summer when the weather is (nearly) so hot eggs can fry on the pool deck, is a perfect time to find a good book. Early mornings, one can read outside and take advantage of morning’s great light. In the heat, the book and its reader can head indoors.

In my family room, I have a lounge chair with a nearby light. It’s perfect for reading and then when eyes get tired, it’s also quite comfortable for a short daytime nap.

So what have I read lately? I have been reading some heavy books written by folks with way more education than I have. I also took a break and read a fun novel called First Date, by a Mark E. Scott. First Date was a delightful read in all respect: its paperback format, just a tad smaller than a hardcover book, was comfortable; the type was large enough for this old girl to read easily.

First Date begins with a young man named Jack contemplating suicide and a gal named Aria, drinking too much and stumbling and falling off a bridge into a very cold Ohio River. Jack sees the fall, forgets his own problems and jumps off the bridge to save the young woman. Both help the other survive amid terrifying conditions. And so the story begins–first with shivering conversation, then with rescue and interaction with law enforcement and hospital personnel and escape and then–well, you’ll have to read the book to find out the rest.

The story moved quickly and sensibly covering just a 24-hour period. I’m normally not a novel reader but First Date is an exception and one that I enjoyed thoroughly. I’d say the story is for anyone who needs a great escape.

Author Mark E. Scott is a banker living in the Over the Rhine neighborhood of downtown Cincinnati. First Date is the second of Scott’s “Day in the Life” series of books.

Note to the author: The story of First Date would make a great movie.