"Amusing yet serious relationship drama"

Seymour College Professor of Art History Dr. Vanessa Tower drives up the Massachusetts mountain to talk with Christopher "Crash" Dunmoor at the request of his grandmother, whom she met while studying the paintings of his late grandfather. Crash refuses to speak with his unwanted visitor, but she follows him to the rooftop of his house. As the last Dunmoor, grandma wants Crash to take responsibility for his grandfather's works valued at 2.6 million. He rejects everything she says until Vanessa tells him his grandma has colon cancer.

His grandma wants the estrangement between her and Crash ended before she dies and sees the staid Vanessa as the tool. She informs her grandson and Seymour College that his grandfather's works will go to him only if he attends Vanessa's art history class and aces the course. Not going, any lower grade or dropping out means the college obtains the collection. With pressure from her boss to see that her newest student crashes, Vanessa finds she wants him to inherit while willing to skydive and join him on all his other reverie of kicks.

Fans of amusing yet serious relationship dramas will delight in Karen Kendall's I'VE GOT YOU BABE. The story line uses light moments notably when prim Vanessa joins Crash on his stunts to reduce the tension from the conflict between the lead male protagonist and his family. That technique turns into a two-edge sword, as readers will chuckle at Vanessa's discomfit, but also takes away from the estrangement subplot. Still this is a strong tale that the audience will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted October 15, 2002

Summary

Vanessa Tower has never done anything reckless in her life-- then again, she's never met anyone like Christopher "Crash" Dunmoor. The man spends his days jumping out of airplanes, canoeing down raging rivers, doing anything for a thrill--and prim, proper Vanessa doesn't need *that* sort of excitement. But the sexy adventurer can ignite sparks in her with just a smile, something Vanessa finds most troubling . . . and impossible to ignore.

A confirmed loner with no ties and painful secrets, Crash knows wild is the only way to live. Yet this straitlaced lady he's gotten involved with is turning out to be a bigger turn-on than adrenaline! It's crazy to think he could ever have anything in common with this gorgeous bookworm. So why is his heart telling him that holding her, touching her, and tasting her would be the most tantalizing adventure of all?