Julie Ortolon: Dear Cupid

St. Martin (Paperback), ISBN 0-312-97871-5

Riotous, rowdy, and romantic, Dear Cupid delivers those three “R’s” with sass and sizzle. The raw ingredients include a full-figured woman from Texas, a hunky animator who needs a wife, remedial education in trust, flirtation and wild sex. Julie Ortolon’s skill and style mix the ingredients together in a fun read that goes a little deeper and does a bit of exploration into the life a of single mom, her asthmatic son and the probability of love at first sight.

Red-haired, green-eyed Kate writes a “Dear Cupid” advice column for an online magazine but may not keep the assignment much longer. Her editor wants Kate to lighten up and regain some of her old flirtatious style — or else find a different venue for her advice. But Kate can’t afford to leave. She needs the money the column brings in.

Returning to Texas from a class reunion, rich, handsome Mike knows he needs to get married. Finding Mrs. Right proves unexpectedly easy when Kate deliberately dumps her purse at his feet in the airport. Mike falls hard and instantly. But tying the knot proves harder than Mike expected. Kate escapes before telling him her name.

After a little detective work, Mike discovers Kate’s identity and hires her to help him find a wife. (Amazingly, Ortolon manages to make this sound logical.) Kate decides Mike’ house needs remodeling to make it more wife-friendly. He agrees. Not exactly a wise move — the removal of a wall causes a ceiling to crash. And so it goes. The attraction between them heats and heats, but Kate swears she’s not the marrying kind. She only hangs around for the sex.

I chuckled my way through this book, sympathized with Kate’s fear for her son, and all together spent a very enjoyable time in Ortolon’s world. Will I visit her future works? You’d better believe it — her writing is dynamite.

Patricia Lucas White

Patricia Lucas White’s latest historical novel, To Last a Lifetime, was an Eppie finalist for 2003. To Last a Lifetime and two of her fantasy romances, the Sapphire Award-winning A Wizard Scorned and The Godmother Sanction, can be ordered through Hard Shell Word Factory. Her recent contemporary, PS, I’ve Taken a Lover, is available from Lionhearted Books.