Kimberly Llewellyn, The Quest for the Holy Veil

The Quest for the Holy Veil

Kimberly Llewellyn

Berkley, Mar 2007, $14.00

ISBN: 0425213730

Wannabe actress Lucy Ladelle dreams of the bright lights of Broadway, but remains buried in her family's bridal shop in Nahant, Massachusetts. Needing a stake before storming the Big Apple, Lucy obtains work as "date bait" for Straight Dates, a matchmaking firm. Her job allows her to practice acting while providing a phony date to a customer.

To her chagrin, her first and only date with the service is with Steve Johnson, who is wired so she is caught On the Inside "candid camera" show exposing the fraudulent practices of matchmaking services; worse, she is accused of "beck and call" solicitation. However, besides the humiliation, she is rescued by the ultra large Queendah. The stranger offers Lucy a chance to audition for a Broadway part but also to perform research dating for her next book; Lucy considers accepting the deal though she is a bit wary of dating.

This is a fun, chick lit, I'll-take-Manhattan tale starring a fascinating protagonist whose sharp wit makes for a fine read. Lucy dreams of the big time, but every giant step forward seems to land her in excrement. Readers will enjoy her exploits starting with her first date-bait role with Steve to meeting Queendah and her "safari" with Lance Booker, who makes her tingle with desire and a need to choke him simultaneously.

Harriet Klausner