Tracey Bateman, That’s (Not Exactly) Amore

That ' s (Not Exactly) Amore

Tracey Bateman

FaithWords, Aug 2008, $13.99

ISBN: 9780446698955

In Manhattan, as part of her final semester at interior design school, Laini Sullivan must do a real project. She and her project partner Jazz are assigned to make over Nick Pantalone's struggling coffee shop. Nick is all for the two young women adding zest to his shop; his nephew Joe opposes what he classifies as her intrusion and detests all her ideas. Almost as bad is the fact that while all her friends seems to have a significant other in their life, she baby-sits on Valentine's Day.

Whereas Joe is outright hostile towards her; police officer Mark Hall, who she recently met, likes her. They begin dating, which upsets Joe, who suddenly acts nice towards a confused Laini, who went from no men to two men in a heartbeat. However, she is not exactly sure which of her studs makes her heart beat.

The third Drama Queens chick lit tale (see 'You Had Me At Good-Bye and 'Catch A Rising Star') is an amusing angst laden story that starts with Laini's jocular yet grim aside that she is five feet in seven feet of water. Her asides are humorous, but also poignant and inspirational as the heroine struggles with doubt about herself that makes the choices she has that much more difficult as she has options re her profession and her personal relationships (including with God) but lacks confidence.

Harriet Klausner