Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Southern Comforts-Nan Dixon

Southern Comforts
Nan Dixon
Harlequin SuperRomance, Dec 1 2014, $6.75
ISBN: 9780373608911

Mamie Fitzgerald converted historical Fitzgerald House into a B&B in Savannah in 1998.  She created rules for her three daughters (Abigail, Bess and Dolley) to manage the establishment.  Her oldest offspring Abby wants to be a chef, but delays her dream because time and money are needed to renovate the B&B. 

When Mr. Fantasy arrives, Abbey thinks hunk until she hears him scornfully lecture someone over his cell phone and muses cranky hunk while reminding herself of Mama’s Rule #1: “The guests are always right, even when they are wrong.”  However, when a child wants to catch a “rainbow”, he gives him a lift and changes Abbey’s opinion to huggable hunk.  Developer Grayson Smythe informs her he has reservations to stay in the Kennedy Suite for six months.  Over the next few weeks, she witnesses his kindness towards a single mom new employee and her child; and soon the guest and the innkeeper share meals together in her kitchen breaking Mama’s Rule #2: “Absolutely never get involved with a guest.  It’s not well done.”  As they fall in love, his Yankee (hard to use the word Yankee for a Bostonian) background invades Georgia.

The first Fitzgerald Georgia Peach romance is a warm opening act with two fully-developed leads, a particularly strong support cast (including one involved in a suspenseful subplot that showcases Gray’s moral code) and the pragmatic fun Mama’s Rules; enhanced by Abigail’s new rules.  Klausner’s rule: this is a charming southern hospitality contemporary.

Harriet Klausner

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