Playing for Keeps

November 5, 2018
Shalvis’s seventh Heartbreaker Bay contemporary (after Hot Winter Nights), set in the Cow Hollow neighborhood of San Francisco, is a perfectly acceptable but formulaic romance. Sadie’s a woman of many talents: tattoo artist, dog whisperer, and survivor of a difficult childhood. One stormy night, a three-legged dog appears and she rescues the pup with help of the man she calls Suits, aka Caleb, a young, wildly successful entrepreneur with a passion for taking care of his loved ones. They’re oil and water, yet irresistibly drawn together. Sadie wants to see what’s under Caleb’s designer threads, while Caleb is fascinated by the pierced, aloof, tough artist. Lollipop, the rescue (who’s more likable than any of the human characters), keeps them in contact, and soon a slow-burning romantic and sexual connection develops. From the adorable meet-cute through interfering families and misunderstandings, the novel delivers sweet fun with warmth and joy, but no surprises. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House.

A cast of characters, including a three-legged dog named Lollipop, comes alive for the listener in this contemporary romance set in San Francisco. Wealthy Caleb Parker and a tattoo artist named Sadie rescue a dog and decide to "co-parent" her. Narrator Vivienne Leheny has the listener vividly picturing the dog working its way into the hearts of the pair. Leheny gives each character a unique voice--from the yips of Lollipop to the raspy tones of Old Man Eddie and the strident tones of Sadie's overbearing mother. Sadie has a troubled past, making it hard for her to trust Caleb. Leheny makes listeners experience Sadie's misgivings as she moves towards loving Caleb. S.B. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine