CUTTING LOOSE

Author: Susan Andersen ISBN: 9780373773046 8/2008 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: HQN

Jane thinks nothing can make her lose her cool. But the princess of propriety blows a gasket the night she meets the contractor restoring the Wolcott mansion. Devlin Kavanagh’s rugged sex appeal may buckle her knees, but the man is out of control! Jane had to deal with theatrics growing up—she won’t tolerate them in someone hired to work on the house she and her best friends have just inherited. Dev could renovate the mansion in his sleep. But ever since the prissy owner spotted him jet-lagged, exhausted and hit hard by a couple of welcome-home drinks, she’s been on his case. Yet there’s something about her. Jane hides behind conservative clothes and a frosty manner, but her seductive blue eyes and leopard-print heels hint at a woman dying to cut loose!

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Susan Andersen pens a delightfully engaging romance in the first story of her upcoming trilogy starring three different women, from different walks of life, who have managed to maintain a friendship from childhood into adulthood. CUTTING LOOSE is aptly titled as the heroine finds herself finally letting go of the passion she has tried to keep locked away for years after she meets her match in a sexy contractor.

Jane Kaplinski has always tried to stay cool and levelheaded, unlike her parents who are always involved in some passionate drama. When Jane and her best friends, Ava and Poppy, finally close on the Wolcott mansion, home to their dear friend, Miss Agnes, who has recently passed away, she can finally begin cataloging the mansion's collections for the upcoming exhibits at the Seattle Metropolitan Museum. As the house is in disarray and the friends hope to fix it up and sell it for a profit, they need a good contractor to oversee the renovations to Wolcott mansion. In comes sexy Devlin Kavanaugh, with his delicious muscles, sexy smile, and dark auburn hair, all and more which draw Jane's attention before they even meet. But once they do meet, Jane doesn't want anything to do with Dev as he comes off as a drunk when, in truth, he is jet-lagged from traveling half across the world to return home and help his brothers with the family business.

Soon enough, Jane and Devlin find themselves seeing more of each other than not. But the attraction they both felt at the beginning doesn't go away as they had each hoped, and they find themselves not only getting closer physically, but also on an emotional level. And even when their red-hot affair is well under way, neither wants anything permanent, especially Dev, who is returning to his adventures sailing ships across the oceans. Yet there's something about Jane that makes the prospect of eventually leaving her not the best plan of action to Devlin, a man very comfortable in his bachelorhood. Maybe it's her great legs and saucy underwear underneath her prim and proper exterior that sets Devlin to rethink his rule of not settling down.

CUTTING LOOSE is a classic romantic story that I enjoyed very much! Jane is a woman who throughout her childhood, and even into her adult years, has always wanted to stay out of the mess that passion, and yes, maybe too much alcohol, has brought upon her very dramatic parents. She likes her life just the way it is, even if that life is a little boring. But all that changes upon meeting Dev and the beginnings of a relationship that she feels, in the end, will do her more harm than good. But she cannot resist Dev's charm—or his sexy body, for that matter. And the same goes for Devlin, as he soon finds that she is someone that he could settle down with, if settling down was on his list of things to do.

I loved watching Jane, slowly but surely, let go of her inhibitions and letting passion play a major role in her life. Finding that there can be a happy medium where she can remain sensible and yet still engage in a very sensual relationship, was great to read. Jane and Devlin were a great couple and so fun to watch fall in love. There is a side story with a worker from the Met that thinks Jane is too lucky with getting to arrange the Wolcott mansion's collections, and he tries to get a piece for himself to support his gambling habit. This was the only part of the novel I could have done without, but I also understood its place in the story for what it was. The supporting characters of Jane's best friends, Ava and Poppy, and Devlin's large Irish family were great to read too, and added warmth to the story in seeing the role of friendships and family in both of the main character's lives.

I look forward to reading the stories of Ava and Poppy, which unfortunately won't be out for some time. But luckily, I have Susan Andersen's CUTTING LOOSE to keep me occupied until the next novel is released, as this novel is definitely one for my keeper shelf!

Maame Kanbi