Karen Kendall First Dance

First Dance

Karen Kendall

Signet, Aug 2005, $6.99, 320 pp.

ISBN: 0451216105

When New Jersey nouveau riche Julia Spinelli and Texas Brahmin Roman Sonntag met and fell in love, neither expected their respective families and friends to revolt. That is what seems to have happened as everyone discounts the feelings of the duo and insists they know what is best for either Julie or Roman. Now the third bridesmaid New York divorce attorney Vivien Shelton does not trust the Italian speaking Texan that she never met. Their whirlwind courtship has their families in an uproar. She draws up the perfect present for her best friend Julia, a prenup with no loopholes though she has to do that in between migraine causing clients. She leaves her five greyhounds behind to go to Texas to rescue her best friend.

Roman's pal attorney J.B. Anglin is reminded by Roman's nuptial of the New York lawyer who bested him in a divorce case, Vivien Shelton. When they meet again to discuss prenups, he is cold towards her while she is cynical about relationships and marriage. As they fight, they fall in love, but she is Manhattan and he is Texas but more important neither seems to trust one another though they are good in bed together.

The third entry of this series (and the final one starring the bridesmaids) is a terrific tale as the two combatants battle every moment until both realizes that love has snuck into their relationship. The story line is amusing as the lead couple argue over everything as he is cattle and she is greyhound. This duelling duo makes for a fine entry that sets up the final march down the aisle of Julia and Roman in FIRST LOVE.

Harriet Klausner