Monday, November 22, 2010

How Sweet It Is-Sophie Gunn

How Sweet It Is
Sophie Gunn
Forever, Jan 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780446561990

In Galton, New York Ethan Pond the father of his fourteen year old daughter Paige informs Lizzie Carpenter he is coming to see his offspring for the holidays. The “ratbastard” abandoned her when she was a pregnant high school senior. Lizzie tells her friends/enemies (Jill, Nina and Georgia) at the Enemy Club that “pondscum” is coming to see his daughter. She also wishes she could hire a handyman to fix up her house.

Dante “Tay” Giovanni happens to be in town to fund a college student Candy as he holds himself culpable for the car accident that killed her mom. Tay overhears Lizzie’s wish and begins repairing the house as guilt prevents him sleeping anyway during his sleepless nights. However she begins to join him and Dune the cat on their nocturnal fixer upper and soon afterward love heals two hearts.

This is an entertaining Enemies Club contemporary romance starring two interesting lead characters. Whereas Lizzie is somewhat typical of the sub-genre, a working single mom with doubts about having a man in her life, Tay brings the freshness with his deep guilt over the accident to include surviving. The support cast including an elderly neighbor enhances a terrific opening act as Sophie Gunn provides an engaging tale in which love helps heal emotional wounds.

Harriet Klausner

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