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Verdict: A sweet, gentle romance full of dogs: guide dog trainer Lenae McIntyre, who is visually impaired and wary of trust after a past betrayal, clashes and then connects with Cara Bradley, a TV host from a shallow celebrity family who agrees to puppy walk an unruly future guide dog named Pickwick for a year. Readers adore the dogs and the character growth; critics found it low on chemistry and heavy on telling.
Best for: Dog lovers who want a soft, slow-building romance with a visually impaired heroine.
Heat level: Heat not rated
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.5/5 — a 3.84 Goodreads average across 476 ratings, 3.58 on StoryGraph from 61 reviews, and 4.4 stars across 169 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Slow burn, opposites attract, antagonists to lovers, animal companions, workplace, disability representation.
Blindsided is Karis Walsh’s 2014 contemporary lesbian romance from Bold Strokes Books. Lenae McIntyre left the high-speed world of television news writing behind, and now helps other visually impaired people adjust to life with their canine companions.
It holds a 3.84 average across 476 Goodreads ratings, with 67% of them four or five stars, 3.58 on StoryGraph from 61 reviews, and 4.4 stars across 169 Amazon ratings.
What Is Blindsided About?
Lenae teaches students and dogs to trust each other, but a past betrayal and fierce independence stop her trusting her own heart. Cara Bradley compensates for her family’s celebrity lifestyle by devoting herself to helping others from the background.
Cara reluctantly commits to a year of puppy walking Pickwick so she can film segments for a local news programme promoting the McIntyre Training Center, but she is unprepared for how the driven, aloof Lenae will change her life.
What Works in This Book
- The dogs: Baxter and Pickwick steal readers’ hearts.
- Guide-dog world: Readers enjoy learning how guide dogs are trained, with enough detail to understand without overwhelming.
- Character growth: Cara’s journey to value her own skills is a highlight for one reader.
- Setting: One reader fell for the Puget Sound region of Washington State.
Book Synopsis
A trainer who teaches trust but will not risk it. A TV host who hides from her own spotlight.
One puppy is about to change everything.
My Review
Walsh writes charming, traditional romances with slightly unusual characters, as one reader puts it, and Lenae’s fierce independence is well served by the story’s attention to her daily life. The shift from initial antagonism to understanding is gentle and believable for fans, who describe the slow development of every small touch as impressive. A couple of readers have reread it, and others call it a sweet, tender story.
It also divides readers. Critics found instant lust, repetitive explanations of the characters’ motivations, too little chemistry, and the leads’ constant doubts wearing. Others felt emotionally distant from the story, found the frequent POV switches disorienting, or called it generic fluff with little plot.
My honest note: A cosy read if you are here for the dogs.
| Element | In Blindsided |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Lenae McIntyre (visually impaired guide dog trainer) & Cara Bradley (local TV host) |
| Core tropes | Slow burn, opposites attract, animal companions |
| Setting | Puget Sound, Washington |
| Heat level | Heat not rated |
| Length | 231 pages (paperback) |
| Series | Standalone |
| Content notes | Past betrayal, dismissive family |
How Spicy Is Blindsided?
We could not find enough reader detail to rate it; readers describe a sweet, tender romance.
Readers mention Lenae’s past betrayal by an ex and Cara’s dismissive celebrity parents.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a gentle romance with guide dogs and a visually impaired lead. It is on our disabled sapphic romance list.
You may want to skip it if: you need strong chemistry and show-don’t-tell writing.
In short: Puppies, patience and trust.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 25% five stars, 42% four, 24% three, 6% two and 2% one.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): The dogs first. Second, the guide-dog world. Third, character growth. Fourth, the slow build.
What readers argue about and complain about: Chemistry, above everything. Second, telling not showing. Third, emotional distance.
The comparison worth making first: Making a Comeback, another romance with a guide-dog user.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there lots of dogs?
Yes. Lenae’s guide dog Baxter and the energetic puppy Pickwick are, for many readers, the stars of the book, and the guide-dog training world is a big part of the story.
Is Lenae blind?
Lenae is visually impaired and uses a guide dog; one reader describes her as blind from birth. She runs a centre that trains guide dogs and their new handlers.
Is it a slow burn?
Yes. The leads start out antagonistic, and the relationship develops slowly over the year Cara spends puppy walking.
Does it read as authentic to blind readers?
One sighted reviewer felt it was well-intentioned but clearly written from a seeing perspective; others praised its portrayal of life with a visual impairment.
Is Blindsided on Kindle Unlimited?
Not when we checked; the Kindle edition was listed at $5.99. The audiobook is narrated by Betsy Zajko.
If You Loved Blindsided, Read These Next
Try Making a Comeback or What the Heart Sees. Browse our disabled sapphic romance list or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
Blindsided sets out to be a sweet romance about trust, and its dogs and gentle growth deliver. What holds it back is chemistry many readers could not feel. For dog lovers and Karis Walsh fans. Check Blindsided on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Blindsided ranks as a fair disability-rep pick — sweet, uneven.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ 3.84 average across 476 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 67% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.58 on StoryGraph from 61 reviews
- ✓ 4.4 stars across 169 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★☆☆ 3.1/5
- ✓ Slow burn
- ✓ Antagonism to trust
- ✓ Chemistry debated
- ✓ Constant doubts
Characters ★★★★☆ 3.6/5
- ✓ Independent Lenae
- ✓ Cara
- ✓ Baxter and Pickwick
- ✓ Distant for some
Writing ★★★☆☆ 3.2/5
- ✓ Fluid
- ✓ Tells too much
- ✓ POV switches
- ✓ Guide-dog detail
Emotional Impact ★★★☆☆ 3.3/5
- ✓ Trust
- ✓ Self-worth
- ✓ Sweet
- ✓ Gentle
Heat Level ★★☆☆☆ 2/5
- ✓ Not rated
- ✓ Sweet
- ✓ Tender
- ✓ Adult
Ending ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ Warm
- ✓ Standalone
- ✓ Hopeful
- ✓ Gentle
Re-read Value ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ $5.99 Kindle price
- ✓ Betsy Zajko audiobook
- ✓ 231 pages
- ✓ Reread by some
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