"Proof that opposites do attract"

Judith Arnold's new book RIGHT PLACE WRONG TIME started off slowly for me, but once I made it through the introduction of characters I didn't care for, the book picked up a wonderful pace that never lessened throughout the rest of the story.

Ethan Parnell has decided that a good way to find out if Kim Hamilton and he are good marriage material is to spend a week in a condo in St. Thomas. They have been given a condo to stay in by Ethan's friend, Paul and Ethan sees it as a prime opportunity to see if they are truly compatible. Kim on the other hand sees it as a chance to bring Ethan closer into her family circle and invites her parents to join them.

The Hamiltons are a well-to-do family, and when they arrive at Palm Point they find an unexpected surprise. Already settling into the condo are Gina Morante and her seven year old neice Alicia. They were given the same week in the condo by Gina's friend, Carole. Carole and Paul both thought the condo was going to be empty, and offered it up for their friend's use.

Kim's family is appalled at the mistake and insist that Gina and her neice leave. Gina is a spunky New Yorker and remains firm in her belief that she has as much right to the condo as Ethan and the Hamiltons. After some scrabbling a compromise is finally reached, and the elder Hamiltons depart the condo for a week in a luxury hotel.

The week in the condo and the various activities shows Ethan that he and Kim don't have the type of love and respect for each other upon which to build a marriage. He finds himself very attracted to Gina. Gina has taken the vacation week with Alicia to get her out of the stressful homelife the young girl is in. Her parents are on the verge of divorce, and Gina is trying to provide a week in paradise before returning her to a broken home. She finds herself attracted to Ethan, but due to her sister's relationship is weary of getting involved.

I totally enjoyed the interaction between not only Gina and Ethan, but Ethan and Alicia as well. It was heartwarming to see that Ms. Arnold didn't just write a child, and have her hanging, but actually let her be an important character whose feelings were taken into consideration when she appeared. Right Place Wrong Time is not a heated story, but it does have a very satisfying sizzle. I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Arnold.

Reviewed by Sandi Shilhanek
Posted July 31, 2003

Summary

Ethan Parnell and Gina Morante meet when they accidentally wind up in the same time-share condominium on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas.

Right place for a tropical vacation, but wrong time for them both to appear—and for sure the wrong two people to spend a week together in close quarters. He's a Connecticut type—reserved, well-bred, a product of the best schools. She's a savvy Manhattan girl—a funky shoe designer whose warm, working-class family lives in the Bronx.

So how come they end up thinking so much about each other once they're back in their own worlds after the wrong time is up?