Review - - Back to the 80s

Back to the 80s

by S.E. Reichert and Kerrie Flanagan

Publisher: 5 Prince Publishing

Release Date: August 1, 2023

Reviewed by Santa

The 80s were the best decade and Blaine Reynolds is prepared to risk everything, including her heart, to prove it.

Blaine Reynolds is the owner of, “Back to the 80s” a novelty shop that her deceased mother passed on to her. Eric Morales is a developer who intends to destroy it to build a new brewery. In a desperate attempt to save what she holds most dear, she makes a bet with Eric that she just needs 30 days to prove to him why the 80s were totally rad and that her store is worth saving. He agrees with no intention of losing. As the month goes on, Blaine immerses Eric into a world of Cabbage Patch dolls, classic video games and neon. But the two soon realize there may be more at stake than either of them originally thought. Can they win the bet and still not lose their hearts to each other?

Santa says:

Back To The 80s by S. E. Reichert and Kerrie Flanagan was a blast from the past. It had me humming all my favorite songs and looking for my beloved leg warmers. But more than that this five star read brought together a quirky heroine and a delicious cinnamon roll of a hero. The heroine, Blaine Reynolds runs her mother’s novelty shop, Back To The 80s. Her connection to the shop is an emotional one for herself and for her fellow shop owners in an aging mall. Our hero, Eric Morales, represents a construction giant run by his family. Their goal is to raze the mall and replace it with an upscale brewery. 

For Eric this is a chance to prove himself to his father and sister and earn him a seat at the table. To them it’s business first with family running a very close second. Eric is ambitious but he finds his own personal views to be not so cut throat. Blaine just wants to continue to pay homage to her mother and the ‘80s. Neither she nor her fellow shop owners can afford the higher rents of newer locations. She doesn’t see the online markets as a niche for herself either. 

When Eric and Blaine first meet sparks fly and not the romantic ones but Blaine has a proposition for Eric. She bets him that she can make him fall in love with the 80s in thirty days or she will concede to the march of time. Eric becomes enchanted with the 80s and Blaine but not necessarily in that order. I really had fun with them both as they fell in love. 

They come against a pretty big road block towards the end and it’s up to Eric to make it up to Blaine. I love a plan when it all comes together! A bit of groveling doesn’t hurt either! Make sure you make room on your bookshelf for Back To The 80s next to your flux capacitor. This writing team is one to watch out for!