That Old Cape Magic-Richard Russo

That Old Cape Magic

Richard Russo

Knopf, Aug 4 2009, $25.95

ISBN: 9780375414961

When Jack Griffin was growing up in New England, he vowed to never follow in the footsteps of his academia parents, both professors.  Instead he fled to Los Angeles where he became a screenwriter and ultimately married Joy.

Ironically, after his parents die, he and his spouse move east as he accepts a position as a professor of film.  As Jack has the urns containing the dust of his parents in his trunk, he looks back at his life wondering is that all there is.  He thinks of his honeymoon with Joy at the cape where he demanded they go and a year later to Maine where she demanded they go.  He reflects on the marriages of his parents and her parents while pondering whether he needs to call its quits on his.

This is an intriguing look at relationships with the emphasis being on marital, parent-adult offspring, and parent adult offspring’s spouse.  How haunting these combinations can be is accentuated by Jack’s inability to spread the ashes.  With flashbacks, the audience sees how dynamics change over time due to age and marital status.  Although Jack can overkill a poetic soliloquy with a passionate display of motor mouth, fans will appreciate Richard Russell’s deep look at relational magic.

Harriet Klausner

Laid Bare-Lauren Dane

Laid Bare

Lauren Dane

Heat (Berkley), Aug 2009, $15.00

ISBN: 9780425229712

A decade ago in Seattle next door neighbors, police officer Todd Keenan and rocker Erin Brown, had a brief but heated tryst that neither has forgotten.  Though their S&M scene left both wanting more, it ended as fast as it began.

Todd left the city and the force; he married nice Sheila, but she divorced him after he came out of a coma following an incident as she could not deal with the danger of law enforcement.  he has returned home to Seattle.  He is shocked with how beautiful yet delicate Erin has become.  He wants her again, but swears to himself he will not leave her this time.  As he helps her heal from emotional scars, Todd works his way back into her life and boudoir, his best friend Ben joins them in bed too.

LAID BARE lives up to its title as the ménage a trois stars lay open their bodies and their souls so that fans of erotic romance obtain a strong balance between several vivid sex scenes including the men going at it and a deep look at what motivates each.  Lauren Dane provides a heated yet entreating second chance at love due to the tender caring in and out of the bed of each of the prime players.

Harriet Klausner

One Week as Lovers-Victoria Dahl

One Week as Lovers

Victoria Dahl

Zebra, Aug 2009, $5.99

ISBN: 9781420104820

Cynthia Merrithorpe feels her heart break when her childhood friend Viscount Lancaster leaves to take charge of his responsibilities.  However, Nicholas quickly realizes he will need to marry wealth to save the estate.

In 1846 Nicholas becomes engaged to Imogene Brandiss, which further destroys Cynthia’s last fiber of hope.  However, when he catches his intended with her legs spread for another man, he understands his role as an ornament and why she has become so quiet since the betrothal announcement.  He flees back to the countryside where he had his best times growing up.  There he finds himself surprisingly attracted to Cynthia.  As they fall in love over a week together, Nicholas knows duty to his family calls for his marrying Imogene.

This is an enjoyable Victorian romance with no villains as Nicholas, Cynthia and Imogene are trapped by the rules of society.  Their interplay makes for a fun historical tale as each struggles with the announced relationship.  Fans will enjoy Victoria Dahl’s’ aptly titled with a guilt laden Nicholas relishing the ONE WEEK AS LOVERS interlude until he must do his responsibility that neither he nor the two women in his life want.

Harriet Klausner

How To Tame a Modern Rogue-Diane Holquist

How To Tame a Modern Rogue

Diane Holquist

Forever, Aug 2009, $6.99

ISBN: 9780446197052

Her beloved grandma who raised her following the desertion of her parents suffers from dementia; Grandma believes it is the Regency era in England.  Although she is leaving New York for San Francisco, high school teacher Ally Giordano wants to do something fabulous for her beloved Granny Donny.

Ally hires a horse drawn coach to take her grandma to a luxurious estate in the country.  The driver Mateo and even the horse Paula persuade Granny Donny that they are in the Regency era.  However, the final nail to her belief is Sam Carson, whom she believes is a duke.  Matchmaking her granddaughter with a duke, Granny Donny works on her reluctant relative and even more reluctant beau planning the ball of the century.

This is a whimsical contemporary romance that brings the Regency Era into a modern day environs that will remind readers of Frank Capra’s A Pocket Full of Miracles.  Sam the rake cannot help but fall in love with the two women who have turned his lifestyle upside down when they made him the heroic prince of Ally’s fairy tale as written by Granny Donny.  The key characters are fully developed which turns Diane Holquist’s quirky romance into a charmer.

Harriet Klausner

Table Manners-Mia King

Table Manners

Mia King

Berkley, Aug 2009, $14.00

ISBN: 9780425227893

In Seattle although the television cooking show she starred on, The Simple Life, died followed by her life imploding, Deidre McIntosh has made a sweet comeback.  She is about to sell Sweet Deidre desserts and has a wonderful boyfriend Kevin Johnson, whom she thinks she loves.

However, Deidre’s second perfect world implodes again.  Kevin’s former fiancée Sabine Duran, as in incredibly gorgeous, charming, and thriving, has returned to reclaim him.  Her opponent for the affections of Kevin is so beautiful and successful while Deidre’s new business is failing before it can be started and don’t even try to compare beauty.  She knows she cannot compete for Kevin, but vows to try anyway and she refuses to quit on Sweet Deidre.

The enjoyable sequel to GOOD THINGS, TABLE MANNERS, is a fine contemporary romance that once again focuses on Deidre who decides to “create” a recipe for her life; sort of a strategic plan with two operational objectives: make Sweet Deidre a success and win Kevin.  Although the final sweetened baked goods are obvious, fans will enjoy observing the pasty chef implementing her recipe for life.

Harriet Klausner

The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners-Luanne Rice

The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners

Luanne Rice

Bantam, Aug 4 2009, $26.00

ISBN: 9780553805147

In spite of her wealth, heiress Lyra Nicholson is lonely while living on Capri, Italy.  Her two teenage daughters, sixteen years old Pell and fourteen years old Lucy are almost as lonely as their mom while residing with their grandma in Newport, Rhode Island.

Lucy, a math prodigy, with the help of her best friend Beck tried to use equations to contact her late father, but failed (see Geometry of Sisters).  Pell decides it is time to confront Lyra so she travels to Italy to demand her mother finally be a mom to them; having abandoned them years ago.  Playwright Max Gardiner, who loves Lyra, encourages Pell to go for it while the older daughter is attracted to his nineteen years old Rafe, a recovering addict.

This profound sequel to GEOMETRY OF SISTERS focuses on the older sister (whereas the previous one centered on Lucy) who after a decade of separation has come to challenge her mom.  Ironically when mother and daughter meet, the former seems like a young teen and the latter appears as the more mature fortyish parent.  Capri with is vivid setting enhances a deep look at families that as a unit may not survive a tragedy, but the component members endure coping in their own ways.

Harriet Klausner

Benny & Shrimp-Katarina Mazetti

Benny & Shrimp

Katarina Mazetti

Penguin, Jul 2009, $14.00

ISBN: 9780143115991

In northern Sweden, librarian Desiree the “Shrimp” is adjusting to becoming a widow while Benny the dairy farmer works his family land.  Neither realizes how lonely they are until they unexpectedly meet at a cemetery where Benny is visiting his late mom and Desiree her recently deceased spouse.  Each is reticent but attracted to the other.

They hit it off as each finds a need fulfilled with the other.  However, soon after the first euphoria wears off, Benny prefers cows while Desiree devours books.  Desiree detests his dilapidated farm while Benny loathes her indifference towards housekeeping.  However, as their social diversity proves wider than the Baltic Sea, they both fear loneliness and rationalize the sex is great; but at night alone each ponders is that all there is?

The story line rotates perspective between two lonely thirtyish people who find a precarious relationship that is anchored on sex as they share little else in common.  Both characters are fully developed so that the audience can see what motivates them and especially what turns them off; ironically their significant other fails to comprehend what makes them shut down.  Well written, the plot makes a strong case for compatibility as opposites may attract but cannot remain cohesive.  Although the ending is forced and feels unrelated to what has happened between the librarian and the farmer, fans will enjoy Katarina Mazetti’s answer to the Beatles’ question of Where do all the lonely people go? (Eleanor Rigby).

Harriet Klausner

One Good Affair-Tess Stimson

One Good Affair

Tess Stimson

Bantam, Aug 4 2009, $14.00

ISBN: 9780385341271

Pediatrician Ella Stuart knows her thoughtful husband Jackson loves her, but also believes her lover William Ashfield loves her too.  William turns to Ella when either his disturbed wife Beth or his rebel without a cause teenage daughter, Cate send him over the edge with nonsense.  Ella and William are happy with their arrangement.

Everything changes abruptly when Ella’s husband drops dead making her single and available.  William knows his spouse needs him, but thinks when is it time for him to consider his needs.  He also believes his daughter Cate would be in trouble by his leaving them for his beloved Ella.  Soon he must choose knowing someone he cares about will be hurt.

This is an entertaining relationship drama starring a fully developed relatively small ensemble cast.  The story line rotates perspective between the four prime players as Jackson’s death forces his widow and her married lover to make decisions that impact on his wife and daughter.  Although the story line seems overly stretched and doubtful especially the late Cate factor as the reader after a while will hum Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind? and You Didn’t Have to be So Nice (Lovin’ Spoonful). ONE GOOD AFFAIR is overall an enjoyable read.

Harriet Klausner

Stolen Heat-Elisabeth Naughton

Stolen Heat

Elisabeth Naughton

Love Spell, Aug 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780505527943

In Egypt, Katherine Meyer supposedly died in a car bombing.  However, unbeknownst to those who wanted her dead, she remains alive but in hiding.  Six years since her death, Katherine surfaces risking her life to break into an auction house in order to steal an ancient artifact before it falls into the wrong hands; as it contains secrets that some nefarious villains will murder to possess.

She fails to escape totally as her adversaries including her former lover Peter Kauffman not only see her; they know who she is.  Although Peter betrayed her in Egypt six years ago, Kat saves his life.  They flee into the night to buy time and regroup as they ponder who wants her dead.

This is more a terrific thriller with a romantic subplot supporting the action then and now.  The key to STOLEN HEAT is the effortless moving back and forth in time so readers know first hand what happened six years ago and what is happening now.  Kat is a fabulous focus as she holds the exhilarating tale together with enemies wanting her dead while the man she loved and still does swears he will keep her safe this time though she knows he betrayed her the last time they were together.  As she did with STOLEN FURY, Elisabeth Naughton will have readers spellbound with this action-packed romantic suspense with its emphasis on suspense.

Harriet Klausner

So Into You-Sandra Hill

So Into You

Sandra Hill

Grand Central, Aug 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780446535779

Angel Sabato asked poker champion adventuress and former nun Grace O’Brien to marry him as he informed her he loved her; shocked that her friend declared his affection, she said no because of a secret that would turn his love to loathing.  He married someone else, but that rebound relationship failed rather quickly and he fled for Germany to lick his wounds.

One year later he has returned to the Bayou.  Tante Lulu asks him in her sweet ordering manner to help build a house for a family of orphans, victims of Katrina.  He agrees, but in exchange begs Tante Lulu to help him marry his beloved Grace.  Soon Angel and Grace are trying to keep the orphans together.  Meanwhile the object of Angel’s adulation wants to say yes if he asks again, but fears telling her beloved the truth about her past; and he deserves nothing less if she says yes.

The return to Cajun country for the magic of Tante Lulu will elate fans of Sandra Hill as the author provides the usual facetious farcical frolic but also contains two serious subplots: Grace’s past that has her rejecting Angel’s proposal and the orphans’ efforts to stay together although the oldest is a teen.  Fans of the series are so into the Cajun romances, “there must be voodoo in the vibes” (Atlanta Rhythm band).

Harriet Klausner