Romance

The Rocky Road to Romance

By: Janet Evanovich
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: January 2012 (new printing)
ISBN: 978-0060598891
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: January 7, 2012

Daisy Adams, a graduate student taking care of her younger brother, has too much going on in her life. She’s got schoolwork plus several jobs to pay her bills and feed her brother, who, it seems, eats non-stop. One of her jobs is as the “Dog Lady” of the local radio station, WZZZ (and yes, many people do joke about those call letters – not the most exciting station). Daisy gives daily suggestions on making delectable treats for listeners’ canine friends. It’s not the most glamorous job, but it helps pay the bills.

When Frank Menken, the midday traffic reporter, is injured in a car accident, Steve Crow, the operations manager, needs a temporary replacement, and quick! Unfortunately, the only employee interested in taking on the tedious job of traffic reporter is Daisy. Steve has his reservations, but out of desperation, he gives Daisy the job. This puts Daisy and Steve in daily contact, as Steve oversees Daisy's job training.

Daisy is a knockout, and Steve has had his eyes on her for a while. Likewise, Steve would be described as “wickedly handsome.” Alas, Steve makes Daisy quite nervous, with his rugged good looks, confident air, and, oh yes, the fact that he is her boss. It doesn’t take long, however, for the two to begin a hot and heavy romance. Things are going fairly well until Daisy has the misfortune to hit a drug dealer while the police are chasing the man. Lauded as a hero by the local community, it appears not everybody is happy with the drug dealer’s arrest. Somebody wants to hurt Daisy – is it one of the drug dealer’s friends and can Steve protect her?

The Rocky Road to Romance is a fun, quick read. There is humor, and some suspense mixed into the romance, and the star of the book would have to be Bob, a big sheepdog that Steve gets to impress Daisy. While the dialog and events might stretch believability a bit (I smell a lawsuit if a boss talked to his employee the way Steve did to Daisy), as long as you “check your brain at the door,” this will make for an entertaining, somewhat daffy afternoon read.

Quill says: Don’t look for the next great novel here, but if you’re looking for romantic fun, you’ll enjoy The Rocky Road to Romance.