Say Yes/The Cinderella Solution

THE CINDERELLA SOLUTION:Have you ever wanted a complete makeover, where the `after' pictures belong in a glossy magazine? Charlotte Taylor, tomboy extrordinnaire, had no such aspirations. Comfortable with her life, she was always ready for a football game and hanging out with the guys, especially with best friend Gabe Donofrio. But Gabe sees her as "one of the guys" and not as the kind of woman who could garner a marriage proposal within a month. Charlotte, never one to resist a bet, starts the makeover and is already planning on how to spend Gabe's thousand dollars. Even though the bet was his idea, Gabe is already resenting it. Since Charlotte has started her makeover agenda, her dating life has perked up, leaving little time for him. When Charlotte starts dating Jack Landor, the most eligible man in America, Gabe is more than ready to call off the bet. And to top it all off, Charlotte is looking better and better to Gabe's eyes, leaving him with the question of what to do when you're attracted to your best friend? Yardley provides her readers with memorable characters and an uncomplicated, yet endearing, story. Charlotte and Gabe are struggling to either remain as platonic best friends or to step the relationship up to the next level of intimacy. A sweet story and a fast read, THE CINDERELLA STORY will touch your heart and leave you with a smile on your face.SAY YES:Lori Foster delights her readers with SAY YES, a modern twist upon the old saying "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?" After finding her fiance in her bed with her neighbor's ex-girlfriend, Sara Simmons decides love and marriage isn't for her. But a girl can have a wild fling, right? And who better to choose than her sexy next-door neighbor, Gavin Blake? But Gavin's looking for more than sex, he wants a full-fledged relationship with Sara. Since the first day they met, in the house Gavin was finishing and Sara fell in love with, to the day he finds a `for sale' sign in front of the same house, Gavin has known that Sara is a special lady. Now he just needs to find a way to convince her that she can have her fling and her man, for keeps. So Gavin fabricates a reason to move in with Sara, not expecting to find her underwear in the kitchen drawers (the only drawers in the house) or the growing menagerie of orphaned animals, including a depressed dog and the cat from hell. Foster's unique style of red-hot stories blends seamlessly with the humorous qualities of SAY YES. The conflict is honest as Sarah struggles to resolve her desire for a family and her need to protect herself emotionally. SAY YES is definitely a page-turner that will keep you involved from the beginning. Foster enchants readers with this sexy and romantic romp, a worthy contribution to the fun-filled Harlequin Duets line.--Reviewed by Julie Shininger for Escape to Romance Reviews

This particular "Duets" offering combines two charming stories, one by established author Lori Foster and one by newcomer Cathy Yardley.In "Say Yes" by Lori Foster, Sara's sworn off men after finding her weasel of a fiance in bed with another woman. But friend and neighbor Gavin's been waiting for her, and he's not taking "No!" for an answer. This is a really sweet story, with the good writing we've come to expect from Lori Foster. It doesn't have the heavy sensuality of some of her other stories, but the characters are appealing. Sara's big heart and her continual adoption of unwanted pets will win the heart of any animal-lover, and Gavin's patient kindness certainly deserves the reward he gets at the end. My only quibble is that, after such a wonderful build-up, the ending seemed both forced and rushed."The Cinderella Solution" by Cathy Yardley doesn't feature an especially novel concept -- a tomboy throws out her sweats for tight-fitting dresses and her ponytail for a sleek new hairdo, and as a result of her new-found confidence catches the eye of all kinds of men, including her befuddled best friend! But Yardley writes well, and she makes her characters extremely appealing and funny. The transition from friends to lovers can be a difficult one, and Yardley writes well about the fears and feelings that come with such a transition. The secondary characters also add to the tale.It's always interesting to buy a compilation or "duet" and see how an author I haven't read before matches up against the established author I bought the book to read. In this case, I bought the book to read Foster's contribution (and wasn't disappointed!), but ended up enjoying Yardley's quick wit and charming characters as much, if not more!A funny and appealing read - great for summer beaches and airplane trips!

Rarely do I enjoy a reading a book more so than with Say Yes. The opening scene--the opening page!--hooked me in. The two leads, Sara and Gavin, are interesting, believable characters - with a twist: Gavin is the one who wants to settle down, get married and Sara is the reluctant one. What follows is an amusing--and sexy--story of one man's attempt to 'get' his woman. Ms. Foster has blended the right amount of humor and sensuality in this story. And the addition of several members of the animal kingdom give the story an added element that many readers will enjoy.I think the author has found her true calling in romantic comedy. I can only hope her publisher feels the same. Say Yes is the perfect book for a lazy summer weekend, so Say Yes and put this book on your To Be Bought list.

In Say Yes the roles are reversed. Sara Simmons is gun shy and tired of looking for happy ever after. Sexy Gavin Blake has sowed all his wild oats and wants to settle down. Lori Foster creates Heroines women can relate to and Heroes we hope really exist.

This was my fist experience with author Cathy Yardly, but it was a truly enjoyable one. This refreshing twist on the Cinderella story was filled with humorous moments and emotional ones as well. Ms. Yardly is definitely an author to watch.