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Jeff and Rebecca agree to meet after finding one another on a Christian dating website. Jeff drives a truck professionally and has long since abandoned his dreams of being a famous musician. He has a habit of stammering during tense moments. Rebecca is a twenty-six-year-old sporty woman who works in youth ministry and has recently ended a long-term relationship. Both have a fondness for contemporary Christian music. The book recounts their dinner at Fred's Fine Dining, during which each attempts to assess whether the other is spiritually and emotionally compatible.
Throughout the meal, Rebecca texts her roommate and best friend, Maxine, to keep her updated on how things are progressing. Rebecca coyly mentions living with someone named Max but neglects to mention that Max is a woman. This intrigues Jeff, as does the mystery of the name she used on the website—"Afternoon Rebecca." He spends much of the conversation wondering what the epithet signifies and whether there will be a second date. Although initially uncertain about him, Rebecca soon warms to his old-fashioned ideals.
Unfolding over the course of a single evening, Kizman's book is reminiscent at times of the movie Before Sunrise, another story about two lovers chatting, where the resolution is left ambiguous. In an age where storytellers are often tempted towards bombast and spectacle, the focus on intimate conversation is admirable. The book realistically portrays how early discomfort blossoms into warm familiarity as Jeff and Rebecca discover shared sensibilities and common interests.
What is most valuable about the book is its attempt to model a distinctly countercultural form of romance. There's a subtle moment late in the book when Rebecca steps out of the room. Jeff averts his eyes to the window, conspicuously avoiding gazing at her with lust. This act is noticed by Rebecca, who finds it admirable. It recalls a line from the Book of Job, "I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a woman" (Job 31:1), a verse that Jeff would surely know. Some readers may balk at this, finding the fixation on inner purity scrupulous or obsessive. But in an era where the vilest forms of pornography are instantly accessible, where growing numbers of people are pursuing relationships with chatbots, there's something refreshing about the courtesy that Jeff and Rebecca extend towards each other. Old-fashioned though it may be, the narrative hints that perhaps a return to the old ways is what's needed.
By the end, readers may be surprised to find themselves developing an affinity for Rebecca and Jeff, considering how short a time they get to meet the two. Some stabs at humor early on feel forced, and there are several chapters devoted to tertiary characters who feel extraneous to the story. The decision to keep the two lovers seated for much of the book may seem limiting to some, but sometimes a break in storytelling convention is needed to make a tale stand out. What sticks in the memory is the couple's vulnerability and respect for one another, their mutual acceptance of the other's oddities, and their ability to forge an enduring friendship despite their initial awkwardness.