Jennifer Cruise did a quickie interview with Susan Elizabeth Phillips on Amazon.  These two power romance writers of comedy have words flying across the page like daggers laced with shards of humor that will have you rolling with laughter.  It’s worth the read.  http://amzn.to/fDwf3X

Oh, wait.  My review!

Call Me Irresistible brings back characters from several of Ms. Phillips books from past years.  That is, in and of itself, most fun.  I thought her set up in this particular story was different from her past books.  But, of course, I loved.  I bought the hardback, after all.

Meg is the screwed up daughter of two very successful parents who have decided to let her flail on her own.  Not to mention her two successful brothers.  All she has is an over abundance of pride.  Now she has to

Sink or swim.

Make or break.

Do or die.

She heads for Wynette, Texas for her best friend, Lucy’s, wedding.  After one look at Lucy, Meg is convinced Lucy is marrying this perfect man for all the wrong reasons.  So Lucy runs, leaves Ted standing at the altar.  Something you might want to know about Ted:  he’s rich, cannot say no to helping anyone, good looking, smart-genius really…well, he uh, in a word, perfect.

Back to Meg:  Everyone knows Meg talked to Lucy and now she’d disappeared.  The whole town turns on her.  After all, she just talked an ex-president’s daughter into not marrying the perfect man.

But Meg’s charmed life has just left her dangling over the ocean and heaven just let go of the rope.  Now, she finds herself drowning with no money, no marketable job skills, no home except her clunky car and twenty eight dollars to her name.  When she tries to ease her way out of town without paying her hotel bill, the cops stop her and haul her back.  To pay the bill she finds herself a maid at that same hotel cleaning toilets.

The ocean just got much deeper.

Are you totally ensnared now?  Good.  It’s a great book.  — Kathy L Wheeler

What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

First line:  ”The jackals swarmed her as she stepped out into the late April afternoon.”

Though Ms. Phillips took her time writing this book, I found it definitely worth the wait.  Set in modern day Hollywood, the hero single handedly shut down a very successful sitcom with his drugs, alcohol and ego seven years before.  Trying to stage a comeback, he uses the heroine’s good name to help him along.  That is not the secret, and of course there is one.

The heroine was loved by all.  As the two detest each other from those earlier years, they find themselves caught up in a scandal threatening their careers, turning mayhem into a very entertaining story. 

One of her friends talks her into going to Vegas to get away.  Upon the friend flaking out, the heroine decides it time to quit being the “good girl” all the time.  She goes to a party full of pro basketball players and, lo and behold – the hero has followed her there.

When he realizes someone has put a drug in their drinks, he gets them out of there as fast as possible, but…wait!  When they wake the next morning, there’s a marriage license.  It’s Friends Ross and Rachel.  Knowing he’s broke, she offers to pay him $50,000 to stay married for one year.  The negotiations included appearances in public to prove to the press it’s a ‘real’ marriage.

I loved it!

For:  Readers who want fast paced, sparring, witty characters, who live, learn and love. -   Kathy Wheeler

Buy it at Amazon.

Glitter Baby by Suzanne Elizabeth Phillips

 First line:  The Glitter Baby was back.

Suzanne Elizabeth Phillips is the modern day Jacqueline Suzanne without all the drugs and alcohol.  She creates realistic characters with tough struggles so dire you wonder how they could possibly survive to live to a happily ever after status.  These characters are messed up!  But – they work. 

Phillips is a master at characterization.  This two generation saga starts with Glitter Baby’s (Fleur) mother: the queen of manipulation with a child-like persona of her own whom you can’t help but like and feel sorry for, because her life was so sorry.  And you can feel the love for her daughter.  Who can dislike a mother when she loves her child?

Fleur was sent to school from the time she was two because her mother tried to pass her off as the husband’s child, but who actually turned out to be his arch rival’s.  She grows into an incredible beauty, so Mom gets her into modeling.  The child doesn’t know for years that her “father” is not really her father.  Needless to say, I could write a book on the book that is Glitter Baby, the plot is so complicated.

This book is Phillips first novel, revamped and reissued.  I will admit to not being able to put it down when I first picked it up.

For:  Readers who want a un-put-down-able book to dig their claws into.  -Kathy Wheeler

Buy it at Amazon.