WHAT, NO ROSES?

Author: Marianne Mancusi ISBN: 0505526751 7/2006 CONTEMP/TIME TRAVEL Publisher: DORCHESTER

Unless Dora Duncan can stop it, it’s going to be another St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. A year ago, her (now ex) boyfriend Nick stood her up at the worst possible moment. That was when she gave up important TV reporting for stories like “Too Stressed for Sex.” And though such clips have a certain relevance, things have been a whole lot quieter. Too quiet. Until now. Now she’s gotta go back in time (don’t ask!) and stop that very same Nick from messing up the time-space continuum. She has to travel back to a place where everybody speaks easy and cuts a rug—and this Chicago ain’t no musical. Here, there are tommy guns and torpedoes, guys and dolls, gin joints, flappers, stoolies, rats and a whole lot more; and prohibition means anything but no. It’s the 1920s. Time for Dora to roar.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Leave it to Marianne Mancusi to serve up a hilarious feel-good romantic comedy that has a heroine going back in time, taking over somebody else's body, and sharing quarters with a talking rat! Think that is enough action for you? If not, then try this on for size. Dora Duncan not only has to go back in time, she has to stop her ex-boyfriend from altering the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and changing history for all time. The only catch? He is in another person's body as well, and she not only has to figure out whose body Nick has inhabited, she only has three days to do it!

WHAT, NO ROSES? is extremely funny and very well written. From the beginning I was immediately drawn in and did not want to put the book down. Dora is very cute, has a killer personality and a great sense of humor that had me laughing out loud. She has been through a lot and is not going to take any guff from anyone, especially Nick. Nick hurt her horribly and she is using all that man-eating power to stop his shenanigans, once and for all.

Nick is a perfect match for Dora. He is charming and funny, sensitive and caring—and he has been trying like crazy to make Dora understand the things that happened in their past. He wants her to know that he loves her and he wants to make up for it, but he has hurt her so badly, she won't even give him the chance to explain.

The only "iffy" thing that I can say about this book is that the ending was a lot different than I would have expected it to be. I didn't see it coming, it was kind of out of left field to me, but it didn't make the book any less enjoyable. If anything, I would advise a reader to keep an open mind while reading the ending.

I am always very happy to read a Marianne Mancusi book, as I know that she delivers everything that I am looking for in a romance. WHAT, NO ROSES? has it all and I commend Ms. Mancusi for giving us such a great book, in spite of the fact that during the writing of this book she suffered a very serious personal tragedy. My hat goes off to you, Ms. Mancusi. Keep 'em coming.

Kristal Gorman