"fine contemporary romance with its interesting political spin"

Speechwriter Tessa Craig is probably the most dedicated member of the reelect New York Congressman David Weyburn team because she enjoys being his discrete lover. However, during an aerobic exercise session at the Metropolitan Health Club, forty-three years old David collapses with Kelly Adonis the male instructor giving him CPR and saving his life. Rumors erupt that David is gay with Kelly as his male hunk lover. David's political manager decides he must stay sexually clean until the preference storm blows away so heeding that advice he severs his personal relationship with Tessa though he still wants her as his writer.

Hurt by his choosing political expedience over her, Tessa decides to leave town with a trip to Dublin. There she meets kindhearted Star Trek aficionado fisherman Jamie Doyle. He soon falls in love with the American and shows her in many little ways how he feels; so opposite of her David who never showed inner affection towards her. When her vacation ends, Tessa returns to the Big Apple but Jamie follows and crashes on her couch as he seeks employment and ultimately open a pub. However, as David keeps reappearing and vanishing David's mother arrives from Ireland to begin a campaign to rid her son of the Jew that holds his heart.

The moving of romance into the political world works quite nicely as heated issues like sexual preference and health make for a fine subplot. When the story line twists into Tessa running for her former boss' seat that stretches the believability of the audience as money, support, and preparations do not occur overnight for most people. Still the romance is top rate as Jamie constantly shows Tessa that he loves her even when his mom accompanied by his sister arrive to bring him home. Readers will enjoy this fine contemporary romance with its interesting political spin.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted February 26, 2007

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Summary

Forty is fabulous for Tessa Craig. Heck, she has it all—a glamorous job as a political speechwriter, a Manhattan duplex, and a handsome boyfriend, Congressman David Weyburn, whose integrity, charisma, and good looks have made him his party's rising star. But her fabulosity fizzles when scandal strikes, and Tessa watches helplessly as her seemingly happy love life and successful career collapse like a house of cards.

Tessa realizes it's time to embark on a new journey, one she should have made a long time ago. It's a trip that takes her to the Emerald Isle and back, leading her heart in unimagined directions. She makes new friends, unexpectedly adopts a new family (or do they adopt her?), and discovers unanticipated love with silver-tongued, green-eyed, aspiring pub owner, Jamie Doyle. And, most importantly, Tessa makes that uphill climb over the rainbow to find the ultimate pot of gold: Herself.