Room For Improvement

Starred review from June 1, 2006
Chicago interior designer Lily takes a job designing for "Swap/Meet" , a reality makeover TV show that pairs up singles looking for a new room and a new love interest. She thinks it's going to be simple and fun, but a half-wit host, a cranky but cute carpenter, and a diva designer make things difficult. When a playboy producer gets into the mix (and into Lily's bed), life becomes a lot more complicated. Self-proclaimed home improvement junkie and author Ballis ("Sleeping Over; Inappropriate Men)" has written a laugh-out-loud novel that will appeal to HGTV devotees as well as those who like their chick lit on the sexy side.

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2006
In her third outing, Ballis, author of " Inappropriate Men" (2004) and " Sleeping Over" (2005), offers up a frothy, fun send-up of reality TV. Chicago interior-designer Lily Allen is thrilled when she gets a job on the new U.S. version of " Swap/Meet," where contestants trade apartments and help redesign the apartment of the person they've traded with. What Lily didn't count on when she took the dream job was fussy contestants, a ditzy host, warring fashion consultants who've just broken up, and a competitive fellow designer. Despite the stress, Lily's best friends, high-powered attorney Hillary and artistic Naomi, keep her balanced until they start to get frustrated with her crazy schedule. Lily barely has time to see her friends, let alone date, so she puts off earnest, persistent Ron in favor of the show's sexy new producer, Gary. Readers will have a blast watching Lily and her friends try to figure out what their priorities are in this lighthearted tale. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)