So Much for My Happy Ending

October 30, 2006
Between her heinous boss and beatnik mother, 26-year-old San Francisco department store manager April Silverperson's only hope for escape is Tad Showers, a modern Prince Charming. His wildly romantic gestures sweep April off her feet, so when he proposes, things finally seem to be going April's way. Trouble starts brewing shortly after their fairy-tale wedding at The Ritz, beginning with a less-than-romantic honeymoon in Spain. On their return to San Francisco, Tad's true colors begin to show: mountains of hidden credit card debt, a secret family history and embezzlement make up only a small measure of Tad's dark side. In diary-style prose, April tells the story of her husband's strange unraveling, finding her own strength and self-determination along the way. Davis crafts an engaging, humorous voice for April and strong if familiar characters to support her, including April's feisty grandmother and a sensitive rock singer named Jeremiah. The fusion of light-hearted romance and keen domestic suspense makes this an absorbing if slight read.

November 20, 2006
Between her heinous boss and beatnik mother, 26-year-old San Francisco department store manager April Silverperson's only hope for escape is Tad Showers, a modern Prince Charming. His wildly romantic gestures sweep April off her feet, so when he proposes, things finally seem to be going April's way. Trouble starts brewing shortly after their fairy-tale wedding at The Ritz, beginning with a less-than-romantic honeymoon in Spain. On their return to San Francisco, Tad's true colors begin to show: mountains of hidden credit card debt, a secret family history and embezzlement make up only a small measure of Tad's dark side. In diary-style prose, April tells the story of her husband's strange unraveling, finding her own strength and self-determination along the way. Davis crafts an engaging, humorous voice for April and strong if familiar characters to support her, including April's feisty grandmother and a sensitive rock singer named Jeremiah. The fusion of light-hearted romance and keen domestic suspense makes this an absorbing if slight read.

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2006
Davis, author of the romantic suspense novels " Sex, Murder and a Double Latte" (2005) and " Passion, Betrayal and Killer Highlights" (2006), turns to a more somber subject in her third outing. April Silverperson, the daughter of a radical feminist, is taken aback when her boyfriend of only three months proposes to her. With some misgivings, she accepts, then is shocked when Tad wants to have the wedding at the Ritz in another three short months. Dissatisfied with her job as a manager at an upscale department store, April jumps headfirst into her new marriage, only to discover that Tad is both mercurial and secretive. After she learns Tad has been running up large debts and lying to her, April has to admit that her fairy tale isn't all it's cracked up to be. Davis' engaging departure from her usual focus is a unique entry in the chick-lit genre and should appeal to those looking to move beyond typical fare. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)