Mating Rituals of The North American Wasp
Lauren Lipton
5 Spot, May 2009, $13.99
ISBN: 0446197971
Celebrating a night in Las Vegas, Peggy Adams wakes up the next morning to learn she is married to a stranger Luke Sedgwick. His family is old Connecticut money that dates back to colonial times though the fortunes are shrinking rapidly. He is the last of his family except for his elderly Aunt Abigail who he is the caretaker of. Her heritage is listed in the local phonebook.
Peggy comes to the dilapidated Revolutionary War era manor in New Ninevah to get Luke to sign the annulment papers. Abigail is upset being old school as she refuses to allow a divorce without trying to keep them together. She offers them a counter deal to the annulment. If Luke and Peggy remain married for a year, she will give her great nephew permission to sell the elephant they live in and split the money between them. Peggy and Luke agree; as she needs capital to save her failing business and he wants to be a writer, which his current responsibilities will not allow. Neither is prepared for the issues of being married, the misconceptions surrounding many things like his poetry and her boyfriend of seven years Brock Clovis nor the fact they are falling in love with their spouse.
This is an often amusing satirical take on the opposites attract theme starring two nice protagonists and a solid support cast especially his ailing Aunt. Although the basic entertaining story line offers nothing new to the overall topic, fans will laugh at the antics of the cast as Lauren Lipton deftly using hyperbole lampoons the MATING RITUALS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN WASP.
Harriet Klausner
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