"Lighthearted second chance at love"

Artist Maddy Mills, scientist Christine Ashton, and Amy Baker are elated for former college roommate Jane Redding, a TV anchor tuned motivational speaker, who has written a self-help book "How to have the Perfect Life". However, they become angry when they realize Jane used the trio as classic examples of how fear can destroy your life. Angry and feeling ridiculed, the threesome detest that Jane is right. Motivated, they vow to prove little Ms. Perfect wrong by regaining the passion they lost when they allowed phobias to paralyze them.

Artist Maddy is to get any Santa Fe gallery to display her work. To achieve the objective Maddy obtains work as the Arts & Crafts Coordinator at Mama Fraser's Camp Enchantment. Fraser's son Joe also works there as director. Years ago Maddy rejected Joe's proposal of marriage as she chose art school over being a military spouse. Ultimately she lost both as her fervor for the arts vanished with Joe leaving her life. Though frightened, she is more scared that Joe is there and she still feels her heart beat like crazy for him though he seems to reject her as yesterday's news.

The first of the "perfect" tales is a fun story with a strong male lead whose heart was once crushed by the more tenuous female counterpart; choosing ice cream flavors is difficult for Maddy. However, readers will wonder not just whether Maddy meets the challenge that her two buddies dared her with, but also how will she overcome Joe's animosity towards her. Fans will appreciate this lighthearted second chance at love between two high school sweethearts reunited for the first time in a decade.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 30, 2005

Summary

Maddy, Christine and Amy are thrilled that their old college suite-mate has written a bestselling book, How to Have the Perfect Life—until they realize she used them as examples of how women let fear screw up their lives. The worst part is...it's sort of true. Together they make a pact: they each have one year to face down their fears—and maybe show Miss Perfect a thing or two!

Maddy was always the artistic one of the group, alive with color and mischief from her saucy red curls to her vintage hippie skirts. Her challenge, the friends decide, is to get her artwork accepted at a gallery. A job as arts director at a summer camp near Santa Fe—with its multitude of galleries—seems like a start in the right direction.

There's just one catch: the camp is run by Maddy's high school flame, Joe, whose heart she broke—okay, smashed—and his anger towards Maddy hasn't cooled one bit. But neither has their attraction.

Old desires burn hotter than ever as Joe makes it clear there's only one way back to his heart: get serious about her art. But will falling in love help or hinder Maddy as she struggles to meet her challenge?