It's hard to believe it's been six years since Jennifer Crusie has had a book out that she didn't co-write with another author. Her books with Bob Mayer have been fun, but the last one wasn't as good as earlier efforts. It was time for another solo effort, and it was worth waiting for Maybe This Time. Crusie's books are always humorous with terrific mature heroines. Sparks fly in the relationship with a sexy man. And, for me, the Ohio settings are appealing as well.
When Andie Miller storms into her ex-husband's law office, she's been divorced from North Archer for years. She plans to turn over ten years of uncashed alimony checks, and announce her engagement to a writer, but North's request stops her in her tracks. He's the guardian of two orphaned children in southern Ohio, and he offers her $10,000 a month, plus expenses and room and board, to "fix" the children. Alice had a psychotic break, and Carter was expelled from school for setting fires. For Andie, a teacher, it was a sucker-punch. She couldn't walk away from "Two helpless kids who'd lost everyone they loved, going crazy in the middle of nowhere."
Andie found more than she bargained for. When she called North from the house, she reported, "The kids have been through a lot, and this place is Amityville, the House of Usher, and Hill House combined so their environment isn't working in their favor, but they're very bright and very tough and they've had each other." And, now they have Andie. She's a fighter. And, if she has to fight a crazy housekeeper, a scheming TV reporter, and ghosts to save those children, she will. One ghost may do her best to take over Andie's will, but Andie has a secret weapon. North still loves her, and he has her back.
Jennifer Crusie's built a reputation for fun romantic novels, often with some suspense. Andie Miller, the former Andromeda Archer, is another Crusie character with grit and warmth, one that you just have to love. Alice and Carter are fascinatinag characters. Then throw in North Archer, his humorous brother, Southie, along with a psychic, a possessive ghost, and a ghost buster, and there's an intriguing mix. If you haven't read one of Crusie's novels, start with Maybe This Time. What more do you want than ghosts, romance, and suspense?
Jennifer Crusie's website is http://www.jennycrusie.com/
Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie. St. Martin's Press, ©2010. ISBN 9780312303785 (hardcover), 352p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure - Jennifer Crusie's publicist sent me a copy of the book when I requested it.