I have long been a fan of Jennie Crusie. In the Cinderella Deal, Daisy is deceptively flaky. What she really is, is smart, but she's lost trying to reinvent herself, trying to be true to herself and doing it in unorthodox fashion. So when her free spirit clashes with buttoned-up Linc, will she surrender her true self to match what he wants? (hint, you can't pin down a butterfly - or drown it).

Felt a little familiar, as if I'd read it before, with the strawberry allergy and drugged wine (although I don't think it was ever determined the wine was drugged). Entertaining, overall.

A familiar trope - unexpected roommates collide in a vacation house each has been promised by someone else. From there, Lola provides delightful entertainment as a neurotic heroine matching wits with a hunky man in steel-toed boots from the upper East Side. A study in contradictions, Harry and Lola "grow up" and evolve into something wonderful. Lola's self-doubt is paralyzing and painful to read, but her upbeat attitude and "I'm okay" face to the world keep you reading.

Perfectly fun reading

Linda O'Connor has a witty style that engages you with quirky characters. 4 stars instead of five for personal preference, I would have liked to see them address the past more directly, as a more direct point of conflict rather than brushing it aside with a few comments, but I still loved the story. Recommended.

Highly enjoyable Regency fare

Well scripted Christmas story, with secrets, raucous houseguests and one well-placed hidden savior. I kept wondering how they would resolve their issues, and was gratified when the story came to its climax and satisfying conclusion.

A doctor has a personal crisis. How do you choose between impossible ethical factors? And she walks away from medicine to pursue her passion for painting. When she stumbles on a client who is related to her personal crisis, she relives the anxiety all over again, but in teaching him empathy, she is shown some in return.

Linda writes "perfectly" quirky characters, and Margo's judgmental nature, based on colors and the cars they drive, add the perfect touch of whimsy to another great book in her "perfectly" series. If you haven't read her books yet, go forth and read! She'll make you laugh, she'll make you smile, and she just might tug at your heart while she's in there operating.

Another riveting installment in the Seamus McCree series, Seamus is on protective duty, only to lose his charge. A series of coincidences send the "protectee" on the lam, running from perceived threats, including from his protector. When people start showing up dead, Seamus has to piece together whether it's his charge or if his neighbors are involved. In the process, he uncovers more than he bargains for.

James Jackson writes heart-pounding suspense, keeping you guessing at each character's role in the story and tying it up nicely at the end, including some unexpected surprises. The emotions wrung out of this book are genuine and believable with Seamus facing down personal crisis and genuine fear for his life. As a "Seamus fan," I was a little put off that he chose to operate outside the law even while being deputized - a man of high moral fiber and conscience. Seamus deliberately gets in the way of the investigation, and is threatened with obstruction of justice. He does it again, despite his son reminding him he shouldn't and why. The story takes a detour toward the end in order to wrap up some of the loose ends. In the end, Seamus's family is his salvation, and that's the final message the author leaves you with.