Gemma Bruce Who Loves Ya Baby

Who Loves Ya Baby

Gemma Bruce

Brava, Nov 2005, $14.00, 352 pp.

ISBN: 0758212496

Because she whistle blew on her partner over drugs, NYPD officer Julie Excelsior was ostracized by her peers, and her superiors placed her behind a desk. Bored and angry that she is being punished instead of her former partner, Julie quits. She moves to the home where she grew up, in that of her late Uncle Wes, who recently died leaving her with the Adirondacks house.

Julie is shocked that living next door is her childhood friend Cas Reynolds, who abandoned her as demanded by his father, who hates the Excelsior trash. Even more surprising Cas is the acting sheriff instead of a stuffy banker. As he struggles with a crime wave starting with abducted chickens, and with Julie at his side, tries to find Wes' alleged hidden treasure, he vows not to make the same mistake because he knows he loves her. Julie, in turn, plans to keep him hot, heavy, and relieved, but leave him when the time is right, like he did her.

WHO LOVES YA BABY is an interesting contemporary romance with a couple of fine mystery subplots to enhance the relationship between the lead couple, who were best friends as teens, and explode into each others arms as adults. No sink is safe with this pair. The chicken plucking mystery is amusing, while the treasure hunt is fun to follow, but the strength of this tale remains the lead duet, as Cas vows not to blow always love this time, even at the cost of his crazy parents, while Julie pledges to blow him away.