YOU'VE GOT MALE

Author: Elizabeth Bevarly ISBN: 0373770685 10/2005 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: HQN

Sometimes, when you least expect it, you become an ex-con. But like many things in computer genius Avery Nesbitt's life, it just kind of happened. And since her release from the pen eight years ago, life has been good, even though she never leaves her house and communicates--and dates--solely through the Internet. Now the feds, specifically one Federal Agent Dixon, are at her door again. But this time they need her skills to capture a criminal mastermind. And in order to catch him, Dixon needs to stay close to Avery. Very close to Avery. Which means things are about to get a little sticky...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

In Ms. Bevarly's continuation of the OPUS series, YOU'VE GOT MALE features a heroine suffering from agoraphobia-she's afraid to leave her home. She's adapted her lifestyle around her phobia-she runs her computer security company in the safety of her NYC apartment, and can have anything she needs delivered. When she befriends a man online, she soon discovers she is in over her head. Her new online pal is wanted by the feds and now she's a suspect as well. In order to clear her name, she agrees to use her computer genius to help the feds and, in particular, yummy agent Dixon lure their villain. Little does she realize that soon she'll be venturing farther from her comfort zone with a little help from Dixon.

Avery, an a-typical heroine if I've ever seen one, is a fascinating character. Having had a difficult life over the past ten years (which include a stint in prison and being disowned by her family), she seems to have overcome much disappointment and is coping (albeit not ideally) with her fears and insecurities. When Dixon meets her, she's definitely not at her best. Wearing her hair in braids, ragged pajama bottoms and an oversize sweatshirt, Avery seems to be your average computer geek. In fact, that's exactly how she describes herself. But what makes Dixon such an awesome hero is that he is able to break down her walls and get to the real person, all without realizing that's what he's doing. He's able to do just the perfect thing, so Avery can begin to heal.

Dixon's partner, Cowboy, begins a relationship with Avery's much-older sister which I found to be an engaging subplot. Not only does it feature an older woman with a younger man, but also a couple with completely opposite backgrounds. Scott's one of six children that grew up in Queens, while Carly is the eldest of the Nesbitt children, born and raised in wealth and privilege. I'd love to see much more of Scotty's attempts to tame the shrew in Carly. I hated that their relationship was left up in the air, and I'm hoping that means that their story is forthcoming.

YOU'VE GOT MALE excites and charms the reader. With lots of unpredictable events and steamy-hot tension between the hero and heroine, I just lapped it up. I just wish there had been a bit more of Bevarly's trademark humor. It seems that we are treated to a story with more serious undertones than usual. That's not to say there wasn't some great one-liners in the story-there were! I just didn't find myself laughing and grinning as much as I usually do in a Bevarly story. While YOU'VE GOT MALE is a departure from Ms. Bevarly's typical fare, it's perfect for a cozy night on the sofa.

Kendra Patterson