What the Librarian Did

Looking for a fresh start, rock star Devin Freedman returns to his native New Zealand and enrolls in college. Now in his thirties and sober for the first time in over a decade he has no desire to return to Los Angeles and its many temptations. Convinced that a life of relative anonymity is just what he wants he's chagrined to find that conservative Rachel Robinson has no idea who he is. What's more, she does not appear particularly impressed when she does learn of his notoriety. Not that the starchy librarian is Devin's type - or is she? This was a fun read. I loved Devin - classic `bad boy' with rugged good looks and a surplus of sex appeal. It was interesting to watch him navigate the minefield of human relationships without his fame and rock star trappings as a buffer. His interactions with his mother were funny and quite touching. The author writes clever dialogue and does a nice job incorporating the setting into the story (having never visited New Zealand I can't comment on the authenticity!). The only real problem I had was that a secondary plot involving a young student searching for his birth mother seemed to hijack the storyline in some places. I'm not a big fan of teen-age angst and would have rather seen more relationship development between Devin and Rachel. Fans of the `Bad Boy Falls For Nice Girl' storyline (and what's not to love?) will probably enjoy this. If you're in need of a nice fantasy/escape this should do the trick. Just a word about the cover...LOVED it! Exactly how I pictured Devin, although the female looks like an extra from a `Little House on the Prairie' episode... Occasional swearing and mild sexual content.

Over seventeen years ago in New Zealand, Steve O'Connell is home from college. He meets his younger sister's weirdo friend Rachel Robinson. They have sex as she is in love At the same time in Long Beach, California, Zander Freedman is short a bass player so brings his sixteen years old brother Devin to play guitar with the band at a strip joint. He plays well enough to become a member of Rage. His love is music. In the present, Devin is famous for rock, drugs, and sex, but has enrolled as a full time college student at the school where Rachel is the librarian who fails to recognize his name. Her son Mark White, whom she gave up for adoption when she was a teen, hero-worships Devin. Rachel hopes to soon tell Mark who she is even as she falls in love with rock's bad boy who considers her a fossil that he enjoys kissing. What the Librarian Did is an enjoyable contemporary romance starring two likable leads and a strong secondary cast especially Mark. Devin is a fascinating protagonist whose attendance at college has stirred the school, but especially the prim and proper librarian with her secret. Fans will enjoy this thirties something romance as the rocker and the librarian write their own loving lyrical duet. Harriet Klausner

I'm not a fan of Harlequin, which I find very old-fashioned and cliched (poor, unassuming women who somehow marry rich and powerful men and live happily ever after, being taken care of and having babies), but I picked this book up just by chance, and it was really good. It's a perfect blend of fantasy and reality. Devin, an American rock star, has to give up the fast lane for his health, and he decides to go to college in his mother's home country of New Zealand, where he meets & falls in love with Rachel, a seemingly up-tight university librarian. Pure Harlequin-style cliche, right? What would a rock star from L.A. have in common with a librarian from Auckland? But Rachel is no stereotypical librarian (here's the fantasy part), and she really holds her own with the sophisticated and world-weary Devin. What feels realistic and modern is their interaction; they click in a convincing way, and they're both intelligent, humorous, and idiosyncratic. It's great fun to watch them battle and engage, and their first attempt at having sex is hilarious. I've only given it 4 stars because I found the ending a little rushed (does Harlequin put a word limit on its authors?) - the subplot rather takes over from the main characters, and suddenly 3 months have passed and the couple have ironed things out. Given how skilled Bliss is at writing dialogue, it would have been entertaining to watch Rachel and Devin work out their relationship. Karina Bliss creates charming characters, an interesting plot, and engaging relationships. She's good enough to make me look at Harlequin in a new light.