Another Review at MyShelf.Com

The Rocky Road to Romance
Janet Evanovich

Harper
August 31, 2004/ ISBN 978-0060598891
Romantic Comedy
Amazon

Reviewed by Linda Morelli

To me, Janet Evanovich has a marvelous style of writing, one which imbues her novels with humor and fast-paced plots that are hard to put down. The Rocky Road to Romance, written before her famous Stephanie Plum series, is no exception.

Daisy Adams is finalizing her PhD in geriatric psychology, taking care of her 14 year-old brother, volunteering as a crossing guard and nursing home, working at WZZZ radio station, and cooking up new recipes for her second cookbook for dogs. When the radio station’s traffic reporter has an accident, the owner, Steve Crow, gives Daisy the job because he has no other choice. Daisy finds him attractive and sexy, but doesn't have time for romance. Even so, Steve wants her and buys a huge dog, an excuse for him to be near Daisy as she tests her recipes on the animal, but Steve soon feels possessive for the first time in his life. Later, after she inadvertently runs down a drug dealer, who later threatens her life, Steve becomes determined to protect her and make her his own.

A bit of suspension of disbelief is required in reading this book. We all know you can't adopt a dog from a pound in 10 minutes or buy a house within an hour or so, but the humor interlacing this romantic screwball comedy far outweighs the author’s literary liberties. The dialogue is excellent, often laugh-out-loud funny, the romance is delicious, and the story flows extremely well. This is a feel-good book, one that had me yearning to read more of Janet Evanovich’s earlier releases. Originally published by Loveswept in 1991, this is a re-release by HarperCollins in 2004, and now sports a new cover.

If you love laughter, you'll adore this feel-good, highly enjoyable read as much as I did. Highly recommended.

Reviewer's Note: Janet Evanovich is the winner of the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award and multiple Romantic Times awards, including Lifetime Achievement, and a long-standing member of RWA. She is also the #1 bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and graphic novels, Wicked Appetite (the first book in the Lizzy and Diesel series,) and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author.
Reviewer Linda Morelli is the award winning author of three published romance novels.
Reviewed 2012
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