BETWEEN THE SHEETS

Author: Robin Wells ISBN: 0446618411 2/2008 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: GRAND CENTRAL

The Most Notorious Woman in America There are probably worse things than having the entire country think that you’re the girl whose “services” gave the president-elect a fatal heart attack in the sack—but at the moment, Emma Jamison can’t think of any. A terrible mistake has made her the face of a national scandal, leaving her with no choice but to retreat to the small town where her grandmother lives to get a fresh start. The Straight-Arrow D.A. Max Duval is up for election in Chartreuse, Louisiana, and he can’t afford a scandal. But Emma, with her disarming smile and razor wit, is impossible to ignore—especially since his grandfather and her grandmother are starting a romantic romp of their own, and a Geraldo-wannabe is chronicling everyone’s every move for the tabloids. Is Emma really as innocent as she claims? Can Max follow his heart and still win the election? Sometimes the only way to sort out the dirty laundry is to dive in… Between the Sheets

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Robin Wells writes a laugh-out-loud funny romance in her latest novel, BETWEEN THE SHEETS. But don't let the title fool you too much as more time is spent in that location by a geriatric couple who steal the show from the main couple in the novel.

Emma Jamison's life was set, with a job at a company she owned serving as a butler for rich households, and a brand new home of her own. But all of that changed one night, when President-elect Ferguson died and she was mistaken for the woman who caused his heart attack with a round or two of tawdry sex with the married leader of the free world. Emma spent all of her assets trying to clear her name as she never even saw Ferguson that night, but to no avail. Defeated, she sold her house and moved from New Orleans to Chanteuse, Louisiana, to take a position at the retirement center where her grandmother Dorothy resided. It is in Chanteuse that Emma meets Max Duval, the local District Attorney who is up for re-election. The sparks are almost immediate between the two, but because Emma has been unfairly sentenced to a life of notoriety through the media, there is no way that she and Max can have any relationship. And as much as Max knows that, he cannot resist the beautiful Emma and soon a relationship begins. But Max is willing to take things further by trying to find the woman who was really with Ferguson the night he died, in order to clear Emma.

BETWEEN THE SHEETS was a fun story to read. I really liked Emma, and sympathized with her as she tried to rebuild her life even with all the roadblocks constantly set before her. Even as humiliated as she had been, she still tried to move forward with her life, dealing with the cards that had been handed to her, no matter how bad they were. And helping her along the way was her quirky grandmother Dorothy, an eternal optimist who, at times I felt stole the spotlight from Emma. Dorothy has her own romance with, coincidentally, Max's grandfather Harold, who is also a resident at the Sunnyside retirement community and a dementia patient, who struggles with his memory even while falling in love so late in life. These two were a big part of the novel, and a lot of the times the main focus. And you would think that would be a bad thing, but it actually wasn't at all. Harold and Dorothy showed that even so late in life, love can still blossom strong and sure as if they were in their youth. Add in the other residents of Sunnyside, and you get a very fun and engaging look into the lives of people enjoying life, even at its end. Oh, alright, and Max was a dreamy, too. The kind of guy that will risk a career he's worked hard for, in order to clear the tainted image of the woman he loves? He was every woman's dream in a tall, dark, and handsome package. All of the characters, each different in their own way, were great and only added to the richness of the story that was being told.

I really enjoyed Wells' BETWEEN THE SHEETS, but not so much for the story between the leading couple of Max and Emma, though they were fun to read about, too. I think the bigger story was that between the older lovebirds, Harold and Dorothy, and seeing their relationship blossom with all the obstacles they were thrown throughout the novel. I would have liked to have read more of Max and Emma, but I was content at the end of the story as I felt enough of theirs had been told. One of the better romantic comedies I have read as of late, Robin Wells' novel, BETWEEN THE SHEETS, will having you laughing until the last page is turned!

Maame Kanbi