"Michaels scores a hit with this achingly funny and touching contemporary"
Phillies catcher Tim Trehan is cursed. He is destined to
repeat everything that happens to his older-by-seven-
minutes twin brother, Jack (see LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY),
whether it was breaking their arms when they were kids, or
crashing the family car only months after Jack did when
they were sixteen. Whatever Jack experiences is likely to
happen to Tim. And Tim is terrified that an injury is
going to end his professional baseball career, just like it
did Jack's. Of course, Jack also got married and became a
father. It occurs to Tim that if he can somehow choose
which event happens, he can avoid the worst one, which is
losing baseball. So he chooses the lesser of two evils --
he thinks -- and gets married. Suzanna Trent has been in love with Tim for as long as she
can remember. Good ole Suze was his gopher/caretaker all
during school, starting in kindergarten and continuing
through their senior year. She would have done anything
for him, and Tim knew it, which was why, when they
graduated, she moved across the country and tried to forget
all about him. When she sees him nearly ten years later,
Suzanna knows that her attempts to get over Tim have failed
miserably and she's just as much in love with him as she
was when she was eighteen. Saying yes to his marriage
proposal may be the answer to his prayers, but to her it is
just another example of how stupid she is when it comes to
Tim "the Tiger" Trehan. Both of them are pleasantly
surprised when they notice the chemistry shooting sparks
between them, giving them hope that maybe being married
won't be so bad after all. However, when Suzanna unexpectedly becomes pregnant, their
previously blissful marriage takes a turn for the worse.
Tim knows Suze is more important to him than he ever let
her believe and it will take hard work and determination,
not to mention completely giving up his pride, to win her
back. Kasey Michaels has once again created two loveable
characters that readers will root for until the last page
is turned. Suzanna is delightfully determined to respect
herself, regardless of how much she loves Tim and how often
he expects her to drop everything for him. Tim captures
the readers' hearts when he takes such tender, selfless
care of Suzanna and does a complete turn-around to win
back her affection. Great dialogue and powerfully
passionate scenes keep your attention, and the secondary
characters add depth and humor to an already deeply funny
book.
Reviewed by Kelley Hartshorn
Posted November 5, 2002
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