On a late summer night, Reese Witherspoon and her date landed at a heli­port in New York City. One year after her second divorce, the Morning Show star has found new romance with Oliver Haarmann, a German private equity financier.

The pair, reveals a friend, have known each other for close to a year, but their romantic relationship is still in its early stages. “Reese doesn’t rush into many things frivolously, especially a romance,” says the pal. “They were introduced by mutual friends and have been on a few romantic dates.”

After 12 years of marriage to Jim Toth, the father of her youngest of three children, Reese, 48, feels hopeful but cautious about new love. “It’s a vulnerable time for me,” she admitted last summer, adding that talking with other women who’ve experienced divorce in midlife has made her feel part of a community. “I think about how many other people are going through this experience. I don’t feel isolated at all. I feel very connected.”

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Like Reese, Oliver, 56, has been divorced. He’s a dad of two boys. “They’re both looking for a real connection,” says the friend. “Oliver is nerdy in a cute way, which Reese likes. He’s a good dad, funny, he loves sports, films and theater and he gives back to the community, all traits that Reese is attracted to.”

Best of all, he seems interested in Reese for more than her fame and beauty. “What’s different about Oliver is that he’s very intrigued by her mind and how she operates,” says the friend. “They’re a good match. Let’s see where it goes.”