Kimberly Raye, Something Naughty, Something Nice

Something Naughty, Something Nice

Kimberly Raye

Warner, Oct 2004, $5.99, 352 pp.

ISBN: 0446614009

In Dallas, owner and head designer of World Women, Inc., Xandra Farrel, is panic stricken as she found a gray hair in a location her stylist could not dye. She learned about her graying because Xandra tests all her firm's erotic toys for women during the design stage. Adding to her woes is that her boyfriend of eight years, Mark of tofu food, recently left Xandra of spice food.

Beau Hollister of Hire a Hunk handyman service is renovating Xandra's home. He and Xandra shared what he felt was the greatest five minutes of his life back in high school, but believes her biggest disappointment. Xandra actually feels those five minutes were nirvana, but figured her and her family's outlook on sex drove the hunk away. As they work in close proximity and she wants to use him as a test dummy, they fall in love, but neither has the confidence that they normally have with the other sex when it comes to this particular partner.

This is an enjoyable, contemporary romance starring two delightful protagonists and a fabulous eccentric support cast, especially Xandra's mother. The storyline is breezy, as expected in a lighthearted romp that winks at so-called American family values. Beau lives up to he company's title and Xandra is a fun feminist making for a fine time while the anguish will shift to daughter number three to deal with monsoon mom and her theories on the slavery of matrimony.

Harriet Klausner