Seduced
Beth Ciotta
Medallion, May 2005, $6.99
ISBN: 1932815236

Male fan favorite Sofia Marino stars on the hit TV sitcom Spy Girl as heroine Cherry Onatop. However, the Hollywood star is stunned to wake up in the Arizona desert near Scottsdale with blood caked all over her body and no memory of the last few hours. She calls her sister Lulu at her sibling's Vermont B&B, but her brother-in-law Colin Murphy answers. He tells her to sit tight in the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale until help arrives. He sends his brother in arms Joe, a former FBI agent, whose last case left him burned out and distrustful of women.

Joe arrives to assist a bewildered Sofia. Neither is aware that the James brothers, Frank and Jess, are searching for Sofia and that she is in the middle of a homicide. As Joe tries to keep her safe, Sofia, thinking as Cherry, decides to kick butt even as she falls in love with her champion. Though still hurting from the bad odour of his last official case, Joe finds his heart healing though palpitating at dangerous rates because he loves Sofia and fears for her wellbeing.

SEDUCED is an amusing romantic suspense that returns Joe (who "introduced" Murphy to Lulu in CHARMED) and Sofia, but this time to the forefront. The story line is wacky as the audience along with the lead duet struggles to find out what is going on. Feeling JINXED, but also CHARMED by her protective hunk, Sofia's courage and fighting back SEDUCED the reluctant Joe into falling in love while risking his life to keep her safe. Beth Ciotta writes a jocular romantic romp that fans will enjoy laughing at the antics.

Harriet Klausner