Janelle Denison, et. al., Men at Work

Men at Work

Janelle Denison, Nina Bangs and MaryJanice Davidson

Berkley, Dec 2004, $13.00, 288 pp.

ISBN: 0425198952

Denison. Though in love as high school sweethearts, Tess Monroe, encouraged by her grandmother, left Morgan Kane behind in Wynhaven to go off to school and be somebody. Eight years later, she is back to sell her deceased grandmother's house that needs restoring; Morgan's company is doing the work. Both realize the spark remains fiery between them, but Tess plans to leave once her work is finished.

Bangs. Cosmic troublemaker extraordinaire Sparkle Stardust mentors klutzy Deimos on how interfering in human relationships is the most fun in the universe. Her targets are former lovers Amanda Harcourt and Conleith Maguire. Interior designer Amanda is back in Galveston restoring the Castle of Dark Dreams having left town and Conleith for New York ten years ago. Conleith's firm has the painting contract on the restoration project. Both realize the spark remains hot between them, but Amanda plans to depart once her work is finished.

Davidson. Temporary worker Cathy Wyth buys a late-nineteenth-century fixer-upper before relizing what a foul-mouthed obnoxious neighbor Ken Allen is or that she has a kind-hearted resident ghost in Jack. As Cathy and Jack begin to fall in an impossible love, Ken turns even more nasty and boorish if that is possible.

The male blue collar restoration themes connect these wonderful, contemporary novellas that cross sub-genres from second chance to paranormal with twists. The lead couples are wonderful pairings including the ghostly hunk and the support cast solid as each author provides a superior entertaining contribution.

Harriet Klausner