Cheri on Top by Susan Donovan
August 30, 2011
Contemporary Romance
Paperback
St. Martins
Reviewed by May
Favorite Quote: “What I’m suggesting is that we find a way to spice up the ‘good journalism’ so we can take advantage of this story and sell some papers.”
Cheri waited for someone in the room to agree with her, but no one did. “Isn’t that what we’re trying to do here? Isn’t it about time the Bugle got its sexy back?”
I’ve been a Susan Donovan fan for years, her earliest books being my favorite for her brand of humor, as well as her light and fast paced brand of contemporary romance. Her books always have strong sexy men and plenty of heat – gotta love that.
In her latest, we meet Cherise Newberry (aka Cheri) who is in Florida and struggling big. At one time she was super rich, successful, and had well and truly left her small town roots behind. Now she and her business partner Candy have lost everything due to collapse of real estate values and are trying to hold it together as they face bankruptcy. Her grandfather calls her home to Bigler, NC to run their family paper and considering he’s offering three times the salary she’s making at the temp agency plus a house, she goes for it.
Unfortunately one of the caveats of running the (failing) family paper that’s been running for 150 or so years is dealing with the managing editor J.J. DeCourcy. Her first love, aka the one she’s never gotten over, aka the guy that he got her sister pregnant and married her years ago.
Can Cheri and J.J. work together? Can they figure out the mystery behind the biggest story the town has had and save the paper? More importantly, can they get a second chance at love?
At times, I expected to hear banjo music breaking out. From the aunt who bakes up a storm to the slightly off handyman this was a quirky southern cast of characters. I’ll also admit – when I got started on this one and realized that JJ had slept with her sister, and due to a pregnancy married her I was super skeeved out. Of course it’s not quite as bad as it sounds as first, and the sister turns out to be a crazy, jealous, and scheming menace of a person which makes it a bit easier to deal with but still. Skeevey.
The fact that I kept reading and even enjoyed the book for the most part says a lot. Cheri was a cool heroine – it was hard not to root for her. Heck – she showed up at her (in need of much repair) cabin and finds J.J. working and manages to keep her tounge in her mouth, mostly.
She shouldn’t be staring at JJ like this. But how could she not? He was all wet and half naked, his muscular arms rising above his head to catch a piling being lowered into the water. The wooden beam must have weighed a ton because his biceps and triceps strained and bulged. His neck corded with effort and his chest – his bare, dripping-wet chest – rippled with exertion.
Cherise let go of the rope she’d been clutching. She barely noticed the slow-motion slide of the box spring and mattress along the trunk and into the gravel.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
Her knees shouldn’t be shaking. Her panties shouldn’t be wet. J.J. was a liar. He was cruel and rude and surly and…
Gorgeous.
Damn. J.J. was gorgeous.
And at just that instant, his lake-blue eyes flashed Cherise’s way.
While I found the transformation from “he’s a lying sack of crap!” to “I love him forever and always” a bit sudden, I did appreciate that the author didn’t drag that out or make it more dramatic. Though, it did make me question why neither of these characters addressed the issues sooner if it was such a simple misunderstanding/manipulation. Also the mystery and suspense elements were fairly simple, but it did keep things moving along.
I find myself torn in grading this book. At the end though, the romance development was nearly non-existent due to the set up that these two were already lovers (just star-crossed ones), not to mention that the story wasn’t exceptional or engaging and so even though I enjoyed reading it and it had its moments.
Grade: C+.
Recent Reviews:
All About Romance – B+
Babbling About Books and More – B
Goodreads
The hero got the heroine’s sister pregnant? This book starts with the ick factor a bit high for my liking…
To be honest I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Donovan’s books. I loved Knock Me Off My Feet, the I read I Love Lucy which was the most painful book to read, I wasn’t even sure if I should like it or feel uncomfortable with the theme and how it was handled, then I ended up kind of loving it but feeling guilty for doing it.
Everything else I’ve read has been either bad or just average.
I’m kind of torn about reading this one.
There was another one or two earlier of her books I enjoyed, but I haven’t re-read them in ages so I’m not sure if they hold up but knock me off my feet put her on my auto-buy list! I’m afraid she’s gotta come off of that now…
The territorial pregnant squirrel made this book for me.
Hmm Never read this author, and this one is not really calling my name. Don’t read that many contemporary romances, and I already have too much authors on my shelves in that genre.