Duets 2-In-1 (100): You'll Be Mine in 99 & the 100 - Year Itch

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques It is the week before Hiho, Ohio's huge centennial celebration. Zoe Wallace, formerly of New York City, who came to Hiho in search of happiness and less stress in her life, is the Chairperson of the committee organizing activities. She is busy working hard to make things run smoothly and really doesn't have the time to show around a visiting news reporter, but agrees to do so, as long as it does not interfere with her responsibilities to the committee and running the town's weekly newspaper, The Herald. Theodore "Mace" Mason is feeling hindered in his job as a news reporter for TV channel, WMAC "where nice news matters," in Erie, PA, and longs for the bigger and brighter opportunities only available to him in a big city. The last thing he wants is to spend a week in a hodunk town like Hiho (founded by Hiram and Hortense Hump of Erie, PA), reporting on something as insignificant to him as its centennial. Mace's boss is adamant that he covers the celebration, and the preparations leading up to it, also using Hiram as the subject of the next edition in his documentary series, "Chronicles." Mace goes reluctantly, planning to use the week to evaluate his options for what direction he wants his career to take. Then he meets Zoe, complete with her "big" teased hair and horrendous makeup (the result of a makeover she grudgingly agreed to for one of the beauty shops in town). The entire time they are talking, he uses all of his willpower not to even crack a smile at the image before him, winning Zoe's respect when he doesn't poke fun at her appearance... until she overhears him insult her adopted home. Zoe doesn't like Mace's attitude, even though she finds herself attracted to him. She captivates him, in spite of the fact she is just a small-town woman, the antithesis to what he always thought he wanted. They are thrown together when it is brought to Zoe's attention that Hiho may not be 100 years old after all, but actually 99, which would have a huge negative impact on the local library and college, who are counting on funding to be granted from the Pawley Trust, upon the town's centennial. Zoe and Mace have to work together to find the answer, even tough they are not quite sure how each other will handle it. Attraction grows between them, but they wonder if anything can come of it because of their conflicting views. As always, this story is another winner for Ms. Jacobs. The Hundred Year Itch is full of everything indicative of her personal style and flair. There are loveable characters that come to life, a charming storyline, and an abundance of the humor one has come to associate with Holly Jacobs' books. Zoe and Mace are a perfect match for each other, their respective personalities complementary, while providing plenty of conflict as they try to understand each other's dreams. The town of Hiho is populated with colorful characters like the cloak-and-dagger prone Bertram, sisters Cora and Ida MacIntosh who

YOU'LL BE MINE IN '99 by Jennifer Drew: The mother/daughter writing team of Barbara Andrews and Pam Hanson pen another amusing romp with YOU'LL BE MINE IN '99. Their zany style sparkles as Hiho, Ohio gears up for their centennial celebration. Joel Carter, the great-great grandchild of Hiho's founders presents proof that Hiho is only 99 years old. He despises small towns, but must be present to fulfill work obligations. He doesn't realize that the possibility of loss of funds to this year's budget threaten both the town's library and the nearby college's building plan. Further, Joel's job is on the line. Vision Motors is sponsoring a beauty pageant in conjunction with the town's centennial celebration. The winner of the pageant will become the spokesperson for their new SUV, called the Incline. Librarian Katy Sloan thinks the Incline, which she nicknames the Decline, is the ugliest vehicle she has ever seen; moreover she is not participating in the pageant. But when Joel's boss sees her, he wants Katy for Vision's spokesperson. But Katy thinks beauty contests are demeaning and insulting. Nevertheless, Joel's proof of 99 years might just be enough to convince her to participate when the alternative is to loose her job to economics. As small town heroine and big city hero clash, readers will enjoy the comical result. Characters spring to life with remarkable vividness. Be careful where you read this novel. I happened to be in [my local bookstore], and other patrons were startled by my unmistakable giggles. YOU'LL BE MINE IN '99 is definitely one of Jennifer Drew's best! THE HUNDRED YEAR ITCH by Holly Jacobs: Jacobs picks up perfectly where writing duo Jennifer Drew leaves off, continuing the small town saga of the centennial celebration. Often readers feel a bit of disconnection when moving between authors, particularly when the town and theme are shared. In this case, Jacobs captures the flavor of Hiho, Ohio perfectly, continuing with favored characters and creating a few of her own. In the week before Hiho, centennial celebration, Zoe Wallace finds herself the Chairperson of the committee organizing activities. Between finding judges with teeth and preventing judges biases, she finds herself showing around a visiting news reporter. Theodore "Mace" Mason feels limited by his reporting job TV channel, WMAC "where nice news matters," in Erie, PA. He longs for the hard bite of real news, and this small "podunk" town detour is irritably unwelcome. When he meets Zoe Wallace, Mace does not bat a lash at her outrageous makeover, earning him a gentleman reputation. But he will be treading heavily on that reputation if he reports his discovery of a small town conspiracy to conceal the flawed dates regarding the centennial celebration.When she overhears Mace's podunk reference, Zoe does not like his attitude even while she fights their growing attraction. Mace likewise finds Zoe enchanting, but knows at the end of the week he will be returning to big city li

"You'll be Mine in 99" by Jennifer Drew. Hiho, Ohio celebrates the town's centennial birthday with gala events including a beauty pageant. Though he detests his hometown, Joel Carter, ancestor of Hiho's founders, is the guest of honor. His employer Big Bert, owner of Vision Motors, decides that Katy Sloane is the perfect spokes person for a new vehicle, but the librarian refuses to enter the pageant whose winner will gain the car deal. When Katy and Joel learn that the hundredth birth date is next year, he blackmails her into entering the beauty contest. Joel and Katy fall in love, but can he persuade the small town librarian that they belong together? The Drew duo draws an amusing romantic romp that will remind readers of The Music Man."The 100 Year Itch" by Holly Jacobs. One week before Hiho's centennial celebration, Zoe Wallace works long and hard to insure success festivities happen while running the town's newspaper. Erie, Pennsylvania TV news reporter Theodore "Mace" Mason wants to cover big city news instead of "feely good" events like the Hiho gala, but that is where his boss sends him. Zoe and Mace meet and soon jointly investigate a rumor that instead of the "100 Year Itch" they are falling in love in 99. However he desires big city reporting and she fled his dream journalism for small town living. Ms. Jacobs provides a charming romance filled with plenty of laughs.Both tales represent exactly what Duets has been all about as each contains plenty of amusement, delightful lead and support characters, and appealing romances; just avoid the Hiho beauty parlor.Harriet Klausner