JoAnn Hornak Adventures of a Salsa Goddess

Adventures of a Salsa Goddess

JoAnn Hornak

Berkley, Oct 2005, $14.00, 320 pp.

ISBN: 0425205487

The optimistic face of Elaine Daniels, tells forty-one year old unmarried Samantha Jacobs that she has the perfect assignment for her that will increase circulation at Tres Chic, by at least twelve percent. Elaine informs Sam, that long time columnist Maya Beckett, is giving up her La Vie column. It is Sam's, but she must complete a small assignment if she wants to keep the position. This being Sam's dream job, she will do anything, until she learns that she is to marry at the Plaza on New Year's Eve, as Elaine wants to prove Dr. Virginia Huber wrong when the sociologist says "a never married over forty professional single woman has a better chance of winning the lottery than getting married.".

The threatening face of Elaine warns Sam that failure means unemployment. Though she has no prospects as the men she sees have wives, Sam begins her searches for Mr. Right while the clock ticks away. She meets several men, but none stir her heart, except her younger sexy salsa teacher Javier.

ADVENTURES OF A SALSA GODDESS is an amusing tale that also focuses on relationships, by asking a simple question: as a single person begins entering middle age and beyond should they settle or remain in search of their ideal soulmate. Sam is a fabulous protagonist struggling between keeping her job by descending to a level below her desire for true love, or remain alone and unemployed. Fans of a deep but amusing contemporary tale will appreciate the dilemma confronting the Salsa Goddess.

Harriet Klausner