In The Scarlet D by Kirsten Pursell, after a brief emotional affair that ended her thirty-year marriage, Scarlet moves from the West Coast to the East Coast. Determined not to fall into the trap of tragic love stories in Nicholas Sparks's North Carolina settings, she settles in South Carolina and rents a small home on Sullivan's Island. At fifty-five, she wonders if romance will find her again, and she's surprised to fall into a sexual relationship right away. Scarlet also finds a book club with divorced women who aren't only in the group to discuss the books. When her "boy toy" leaves town for a few weeks, she meets Beau and falls for him. But the man she considered while married finds her, and the townspeople may not receive her connection with Beau well.

Kirsten Pursell pulls you into Scarlet's life and you are invested in her love life right away. Even if you don't agree with all her decisions, you're along for the ride, sometimes living out your fantasies vicariously through her. Pursell builds her characters through dialog and viewpoints, giving them layers and depth. Lessons could be learned from a book club that mirrors many of the participants' thoughts or lives and, sometimes, functions as group therapy. In trying to lean away from the themes of Nicholas Sparks' novels, she starts thinking she's more like the protagonist in The Scarlet Letter, and many people have felt like they wore a shameful letter when news of their deeds went public. The Scarlet D is a great selection for women who have felt like an alphabet letter was emblazoned across their chests when they walked into a room of judgmental people.

The Scarlet D by Kirsten Pursell follows Scarlet, a woman in her fifties who relocates from Southern California to South Carolina after her amicable divorce from Shane. While driving across the country, she reflects on her past emotional affair with Carter, which contributed to her marriage's end. Once settled in her new home, Scarlet begins the real journey of single life and enters into a casual sexual relationship with Ben, who she later discovers is the son of a woman from her new book club. Despite enjoying their connection, she also meets Beau, an attractive man with whom she develops a deeper emotional bond. As Scarlet embraces her new life, she contemplates her identity, friendships, and romantic prospects. Things get complicated when Carter decides to resurface, and Scarlet learns more about Beau's family life.

In The Scarlet D by Kirsten Pursell, readers are treated to the refreshing first-person perspective of Scarlet, a middle-aged woman riding through life after divorce. Pursell's style does well in capturing Scarlet's journey with writing that's engaging and introspective, allowing readers to walk the line with her. While the novel includes sexual encounters they will be considered tame, even functional, to most readers of the genre. I like that the protagonist is well over fifty and that she is divorced and not widowed. Scarlet's voice is authentic and Pursell throws in some really surprising twists. The depiction of her working toward fitting into a new community makes her relatable to any who have had to start over somewhere completely new. Overall, this is a thoughtful niche read for readers who want romance with a little more maturity than the standard fare.