CUTTING LOOSE
Susan Andersen
HQN Books
ISBN: 0373773048
August 2008
Contemporary

Jane, Poppy, and Ava are three adult women from very different backgrounds who have forged a life-long friendship from their years together at a private school. Their relationship was further cemented by their friendship with the eccentric Agnes Wolcott, a grand matron who encouraged them and shared her life. When the aged Agnes passes on, she leaves her "collection" to the museum and her mansion to the three women to be refurbished and sold. This first book in a trilogy focuses on Jane, the buttoned-up, conservative daughter of self-centered has-been actors who is trying to succeed as a museum curator. Jane is cataloging Agnes' collection of jewelry and clothes for a museum exhibit.

Dev Kavanagh is a wildly handsome red-haired man with hazel eyes and a killer physique who has honed his good looks as a sailor for hire for European yachts. Also a carpenter he has come home temporarily to help out his brother, who is undergoing cancer treatment. In the process of coming home he is forced to deal with his very large, intrusive Irish family. He first meets Jane under somewhat difficult circumstances when he is jet lagged and a little intoxicated.

Jane, who grew up with alcoholic parents, makes her dislike of Dev very clear when she realizes that Poppy and Ava have hired the Kavanagh construction company to do the renovations on Agnes' house. In spite of her misgivings, she is likely to be seeing a lot of Devlin.

The story goes on from here with sparkling dialogue and a birds eye view of the development of these two fascinating but different characters. As their attraction becomes explosive and they fight it tooth and nail, readers begin to understand that this is a little more than just sexual attraction. Throw a jealous co-worker from the museum, a hunky detective who investigates some thefts from the mansion, Dev's various family members, and the introduction of Ava and Poppy as Jane's best friends and you are left with a delightful, fun story.

This novel is sure to delight anyone wanting a fun read with lots of romance, excellent dialogue and character development and two people whose outside appearances don't exactly match what is inside their hearts. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jeri Neal
Rating: 4 1/2