FLIRTING WITH TEMPTATION

Author: Kelley St. John ISBN: 044661923X 2/2009 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: GRAND CENTRAL

Babette Robinson changes careers and lovers as easily as she changes hairstyles. But after losing her last job, she's beginning to see that her feather-to-the-wind mentality can be unsatisfying in the long run. She's been helping a string of friends solve their relationship problems, and when one pal points out to Babette that she could make a career out of curing people's romantic ills, she decides to dub herself "The Love Doctor"—a match-mender-for-hire. Living in Birmingham, Alabama, with its elite class of wealthy women, Babette has access to the ideal clientele, including the well-known Birmingham socialite Kitty Carelle. Having unceremoniously dumped her lover, Kitty now regrets her hasty decision and wants him back. Trouble is, the man Kitty seeks to recapture is none other than Jeff Eubanks—Babette's ex! The carefree Babette of three years ago had written him off with a shrug, yet now she can't help remembering that he did give her the absolute best sex of her life...not to mention his charm, good looks, and brains. To save her newfound career and prove she can stick with something—if not someone—Babette is determined to mend Kitty and Jeff's broken relationship, but Jeff has other plans. He was crazy about Babette when she suddenly bailed on their relationship, and after Kitty did the same he became convinced that no woman can ever commit. To prove his point, Jeff issues Babette a challenge: no flirting for a week, and he'll talk to Kitty. That is, if, after seven tempting nights on the beach with Jeff, it's still with Kitty that she wants him to reconcile.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

FLIRTING WITH TEMPTATION is a riot! A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy with a cast of unlikely—but loveable—characters, this story is one worth reading more than once. It kept me smiling, and long after the last page was turned I still had a warm, happy feeling.

Babette has never had a successful relationship. She’s also never held down a job for long. Additionally, she has more degrees than most people simply because she changes her mind about what she’s learning long before she is able to put her knowledge to use. The one thing she is good at is reading people’s body language, and using that skill to help them with their love lives. At a wedding, Babette realizes she has a new vocation—and begins calling herself The Love Doctor.

When she gets the chance to make a huge amount of money she jumps at it. Her finances are nearly in order and this job will make that resolution achievable. The only catch is that she must convince Jeff to give Kitty a chance to explain the reason she broke off their relationship four weeks before their wedding—and Jeff is the one man Babette is still hung up on, a year after their own breakup. She accepts the job and heads to Florida to talk with Jeff, determined to make her job work. What she doesn’t bargain on is the attraction she and Jeff still feel for each other. She doesn’t figure in the fact that Jeff will have an agenda of his own, either.

From wheelchair brawls to an apple-loving denture thief, this fast-paced tale is a hoot. I loved every minute of it and will be on the lookout for anything new from this talented author.

Kay James