Losing Sight by Tati Richardson
Love has been compared to a lot of things, but the connection between magic and love is undeniable. Author Tati Richardson explores that connection in her latest romantasy novel, Losing Sight, which features a celebrity sportscaster, an optometrist, and a pair of magical glasses.
National sportscaster and journalist Tanika Ryan is having trouble seeing the teleprompter … and admitting that her eyesight may have had a little something to do with losing her prime football commentator job to a younger woman. But when she crashes into a fire hydrant while driving down the wrong way of a one-way street, she has to admit that she needs glasses.
She goes to optometrist Gideon Miles, who she connects with immediately, and finds some glasses frames courtesy of an unknown assistant. It turns out these glasses have a bit of magic in them. Tanika is not only able to see things clearly, she sees even more than the average human, and people are noticing her even more, too. But only one man is really catching her eye — and capturing her heart — and that’s Gideon Miles.
Dr. Gideon Miles used to have a thriving optometry practice when his wife Lauren was holding up the front office. But since she passed away, Gideon has been barely able to keep his practice afloat. Mired in grief, Gideon seems reluctant to let go of his life with Lauren until Tanika Ryan walks into his office. And while he wants to pursue a relationship with Tanika, he’s unsure how to release his heart’s hold on Lauren. It doesn’t help that Tanika’s lifestyle is very public and full of celebrity athletes, when he’s more comfortable with privacy.
Fantasy Romance without the dragons
For me, fantasy romance and its newer counterpart, romantasy, are not the same thing. Fantasy romance is a category romance story with a strong element of the fantastical. It’s been around for a very long time and includes everything from a hint of magic to full-on Beauty and the Beast retellings. The newer term romantasy focuses on the fantasy world but has a strong element of romance within the story. Titles like Fourth Wing and the Faeborne Brides series by Siren Crow are examples of romantasy.
However, because people use these terms interchangeably, Losing Sight is a contemporary romantasy that hearkens back to an era of fantasy romance before all the dragons and fairies and heroines shooting arrows in corseted, low-cleavage gowns started dominating this category. For readers who want a touch of hopeful magic (and possibly a little paranormal) in their contemporary romance, pick up this book.
Losing Sight also meets a need of several fantasy and romantasy readers looking for more diverse representations in fantasy romance. Most of the characters in the novel are Black or people of color. Readers who are looking for representation or to expand beyond their own cultural experience with a fun novel and an engaging premise will enjoy this one.
Showing love in older bodies
Lately, I’ve seen many people asking for what’s being dubbed as “seasoned romance”–romance novels with main characters who are at least 40 years old or older. Gideon and Tanika are both forty-somethings with all that that entails–worries about ageism in their careers, occasional aches and pains, corny vision puns, and the inability to say “bussin’” with comfort. However, this couple doesn’t harp on their ages, and they defy stereotypes of what the media want to dub as “old folks.” These Gen-Xers are outgoing, active, and definitely steamy. Richardson does not shy away from an open-door sex scene. So, for readers looking for spice in their seasoned romance, they won’t be disappointed here.
Overall, Tati Richardson’s Losing Sight is a fun romantasy novel that taps into our hopes for continual growth as we move through life and through difficult times we encounter along the way. This novel shows us that love is indeed magical.
About Tati Richardson:
Tati Richardson is a fiction writer and podcaster from Atlanta. A lifelong book lover, she discovered romance at 14 through Beverly Jenkins. She holds an M.A. in Editing and Publishing from UNC-Greensboro and spent 20 years in higher ed before pursuing writing.
In 2008, she launched Sex and the Southern Belle, a popular dating blog. She later co-founded Romance in Colour, a podcast on race and romance in pop culture. Her debut, The Build Up (Carina, 2023), was an Amazon Best Book and Booklist Top Romance. Her indie novel, The Oath (as T.M. Richardson), became a USA Today Bestseller in 2024.
Tati lives in suburban Atlanta with her husband and daughter, collecting red lipsticks—22 and counting!
