Shelley Galloway Cinderella Christmas

Cinderella Christmas

Shelley Galloway

Harlequin American, Nov 2005, $4.99

ISBN: 0373750943

Brooke Anne Kressler owns Jovial Janitors cleaning service, but she is also a worker, so she wears dirty sweatshirts and smelly sneakers. However, she fantasizes that one day she would spend an evening in a full gown dancing at an elaborate ball, but Brooke Anne is a realist so knows that will remain in dreamland.

His girlfriend dumps Morgan Carmichael leaving him without a date to attend his firms annual Christmas ball. When he spots the slob-attired Brooke Anne cleaning his office, he asks her if she can dance, to which she say yes, so he offers her money to accompany him to the gala tomorrow. She accepts not just because her fantasy will be answered, but she could give out Christmas bonus money to her employees. The next night all is going great until the ex arrives, proving that the working class Brooke Anne does not belong here. She flees leaving behind her shoes before Morgan can ask her out on a date, because he truly likes, her though he knows they come from two different lifestyles.

This modern day Cinderella is a lighthearted fairy tale romp that the audience will enjoy from the moment that Morgan "sees" past Brooke Anne's garb to the pretty vivacious woman, and never slows down until the final high heel sneaker moment. Brooke Anne is an intriguing protagonist, as she knows that Morgan is like a Prince Charming way above her station; Morgan on the other hand is shocked how much he desires the cleaning lady, but also knows that they live dramatically differing lifestyles. Shelley Galloway provides an amiable contemporary Cinderella caper.

Harriet Klausner