Perk Avenue/To Catch a Latte

From the back cover: PERK AVENUE by Patricia Knoll Grab a cup and sit a spell Lainey Pangburn has one thing in mind: make a go of her coffee bar. Seems simple enough, but not in Calamity Falls! Her chief competitor, Gabe Camden, crashes his car through her shop and steals her heart. His excuses aren't worth a hill of coffee beans. And then things get really bad, as the small-town eccentrics turn up the eccentricity, while Lainey's up to her neck in chocolate cake. Much to her chagrin, it's Gabe to the rescue in more ways than one, but that's not even half of what's brewing in these parts! TO CATCH A LATTE by Jennifer McKinlay Stop that espresso! Annie Talbot's coffeepot has been turned upside down. Her cafe is declared a front for a money-laundering scheme...and the FBI suspects she's the thief! So now her sexy new tenant is sifting through her coffee grounds looking for the real culprit. Agent Fisher McCoy is so distracting, her lattes are steaming over and she's thinking crazy thoughts...like marriage and happily-ever-after. And my review: I haven't been a big fan of the Harlequin Duets line, as many of the stories feel weak, forced, and full of lust but no love. But I was pleasantly surprised by this collection--not once, but twice! Both stories were wonderfully enjoyable. I'm no longer a big fan of the "small-town" theme, so I wasn't really sure if I'd like PERK AVENUE. But it was very enjoyable. The hero and heroine were great characters with marvelous wit. Their banter was witty, and didn't feel at all forced. The eccentric small-town characters didn't feel overdone, either, and added a lot of humor to the story. The sexual chemistry sizzled without being heavy-handed. My one complaint with the story was that the prologue doesn't really seem to fit the book. It's set in the past, where two prospecters hit on gold, only to get kidnapped by some Native Americans and held captive. While this story thread was wrapped up in the very end of the book, it was left dangling for a long time, and I was left scratching my head in confusion, wondering if there had been a misprint. Other than that, though, it was a cute read. TO CATCH A LATTE was also very enjoyable. I loved both Annie and Fisher. Their sexual chemistry was hot, yet this wasn't a "you're attractive, when can we get into bed?" story. I really liked that. While I like there to be good sexual tension in a novel, too many authors think that means they should pour on the sex. Instead, this author really built things up, making the resolution of that physical chemistry very satisfying. The mystery storyline was also well done, but I never felt like it overpowered the romance. And that's just how I like it. Also, I was totally suprised when the villain was revealed. Usually, I can figure these things out by the first chapter, but the author had me fooled right up until the end. Awesome! If you are looking for a nice light romantic comedy, I recommend this collection. Both stories were

As a fan of Patricia Knoll's novels, I picked this book up expecting another of her fine romances, and I was not disappointed. Patricia Knoll's characters are always likable, the plots fun, and the romance light-hearted and sweet. Perk Avenue was one of her better efforts. The real surprise for me was Jennifer McKinlay's To Catch A Latte. I had never heard of this author before but I am going to read whatever she writes from now on. The book was laugh-out-loud funny and the author's witty dialogue was perfect for her great characters. After the book was over I kept thinking about Fisher and Annie. This was one of the most enjoyable books I have read this year. I could see Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the lead roles if they made a movie out of To Catch A Latte. I look forward to the next books from Patricia Knoll and Jennifer McKinlay.

i haven't actually finished this book yet. i just wanted to let jen know she did a good job.weenie