Gayle Kasper, Mad About Jack

Mad About Jack

Five Star, Sep 2005, $26.95, 233 pp.

ISBN: 1594142955

Holly Hanford has worked hard to make a success of Hanford Motors that she inherited from her late father. She especially had to overcome the sleazy effort to take over her car sales company by a former employee Adam Stone, who sweet talked her while she was grieving her dad's death.

Holly is irate that Wall St. transplant Jack Murdock has opened up Mad Jack Used Autos across the street from her deep in the heart of Texas. Jack employs glitz and gaud to sell vehicles, but she admits his classic red MG is a beauty. Meanwhile Jack is falling in love with his competitor, but though she seems to reciprocate she rejects his advances as she does not trust handsome glib males. He knows he must do the best sale of his life to persuade Holly to one day soon be his wife; if he fails he will leave town with a whipped tail and right now things are not looking good.

This is an amusing contemporary romance though late intrigue seems unnecessary except to increase Holly's suspicion that Jack is out to drive her from business through any means possible including sexual and vandalism. The story line is fun as Jack drives Holly crazy, but she does not know him well enough to realize she has all the power. Fans will enjoy this lighthearted romp between two competing car lot owners.

Harriet Klausner