Category: B

The Cinderella Deal

This is the second time I’ve read this book and it is still my favourite from the pile of ‘fake marrieds’ stories I read last year.
It’s lacking in the feminism department – which is a problem I noticed much more this time round – but the chemistry and banter between the two protagonists is so much fun.

Rating: B

Welcome To Temptation

Sophie and Amy Dempsey head to the small Town of Temptation, Ohio to film an audition reel for an old friend hoping to break back into the movies after her career derailed.
Sophie is determined to lead an ordinary, normal life given their family legacy of con men and grifters.
One thing leads to another and gossip swirls around the new arrivals, the filming threatens to turn seedy and Sophie starts to fall for the town Mayor.
This is an excellent example of Crusie’s work. There’s cracking dialogue, a great heroine and an intriguing mystery holding things together.
I read the sequel to this – Faking It – in January and going back to this one makes more sense of some of the things in that book and gives the character of Davy Dempsey a bit more depth.
No one in their right mind is going to read as many of this writer’s work back to back as I have but if you want to try her stuff this is one of the good places to start.

Rating: B

Manhunting

Kate is a high powered business consultant. Feeling lonely and frustrated with her job she takes her best friend’s advice to visit a resort for executives in rural Kentucky.
Once there she starts going on one disastrous date after another while making friends with the locals including the resort owner’s laid back brother Jake.
This one is a lot of fun, really good dialogue, interesting characters and for once the sex scenes were less than embarrassing. As always the plot was paper thin and the outcome predictable but it’s hard to care when a book is as enjoyable a diversion as this.

Rating: B

Charlie All Night

Allie is a radio producer. After her relationship with the morning show DJ ends he replaces her with a younger model as both girlfriend and show producer.
Allie freaks and tries to pick up the first presentable guy she spots in the bar next to the radio station. He turns out to be the new DJ for the late night show – which Allie is now asked to produce.
New in town and determined to move on in six weeks Charlie wants to lay low and not get involved in any commitments. Plans, of course, go awry.
This romance is good fun and particularly strong in terms of witty dialogue. Not unusually for a Jennifer Crusie book the plot is thin and the ending rather predictable but that’s a feature rather than a bug with this type of novel.

Rating: B