Laura C’s review of Cheri on Top by Susan Donovan
Contemporary Romance published by St. Martin’s Press 30 Aug 11
Cheri Newberry goes home to take over the family business, a failing newspaper. In an era of electronic communication, it should be no surprise that the newspaper is going under, but Cheri–who’s had experience as a forensic accountant–realizes there’s more to it than that. Her only ally is J.J. DeCourcy, who’s become the newspaper’s lead reporter in her absence. But can she trust him? After all, years earlier he married–and divorced–her sister, all the while protesting his love for Cheri.
This is a charming contemporary romance with a touch of mystery. The relationship between J.J and Cheri doesn’t have too many problems, despite their history, so there’s no real question about them getting together, nor a whole lot of angst. The mystery, while rather sad, isn’t grisly or particularly stressful, which keeps the tone of the book light and (relatively) cheerful. This is probably both what I like and dislike about the book. It’s nice to have a book that is easy to read and leaves you happier at the end than you were at the beginning, but it’s also frustrating to have so little conflict between the hero and heroine in a romance.
There is plenty of external conflict, mind you. There are the newspaper’s financial problem, an ancient unsolved murder, a blackmailer, Cheri’s difficulties with her aunt, and her worse difficulties with her sister, Tanyalee. And Cheri herself has secrets, primary among them being that she’s flat broke, having lost everything when the real estate bubble burst. Since she left determined to be a success, and since she left her high school boyfriend, J.J., for the reason that he was too small-town and lacked ambition, it’s rather difficult to admit she flopped so spectacularly.
Still and all, even with all that external tension, the lack of real internal conflict for the hero and heroine make this a B book for me rather than an A one, regardless of how enjoyable a read it is.
Grade: B
Summary:
SHE’S GOT EVERYTHING SHE WANTS
Sun-drenched beaches, designer-label clothes, drop-dead-gorgeous boy-toys…all paid for with a series of high-risk real estate deals. That’s the lifestyle Cherise Newberry and her BFF Candy enjoy after leaving rural North Carolina for Tampa—until the market tanks and they lose everything. Cheri is surviving on Ramen Noodles and temp jobs when she gets a call from home to come back and run the family’s small-town newspaper. Just one catch: She’ll become the boss of her high school crush—and former brother-in-law—who might have the power to crush her all over again…BUT HE’S WHAT SHE NEEDS
But Cheri is surprised to see how “bad boy” J.J. DeCourcy has grown into the hard-working and principled managing editor of The Bigler Bugle. Still, according to Cheri’s bitter sister, he’s not to be trusted. If Cheri’s going to co-exist at the with this sexier-than-ever man from her past, she needs to stay professional—and keep her distance —even though he sets her on fire. When they’re handed the biggest news story in the town’s history, Cheri must trust J.J., even it means putting her life in danger.…and her heart on the line.Read an excerpt.
