From Publishers Weekly
Frothy as a double latte with extra foam, Heller's latest romantic satire (after Female Intelligence) playfully follows the misadventures of Elizabeth Baskin, a dissatisfied wife searching for a magic potion to revitalize her husband, Roger, only to discover that quick fixes can be disastrous. She's a finicky hotel field inspector spy for AMLP, America's Most Luxurious Properties, who's almost ready to downgrade her own marriage as uninhabitable. Roger, an overworked real estate lawyer, has developed a paunch, a bald spot and a penchant for going to bed at 11 instead of making love till dawn. He drools and drops crumbs everywhere when he eats, and she yearns for the old romance of their first meeting when he rescued her from a breakdown on the "dreaded 405," a Southern California freeway. Brenda, who's Elizabeth's well-meaning sister and a celebrity-obsessed journalist, suggests Dr. Gordon Farkus, a Beverly Hills "specialist in life enhancement." Elizabeth buys into the trendy hocus-pocus and purchases a "stud stimulant" to drop into her hubby's fresh-squeezed orange juice, but in her eagerness to rev up Rog, she overdoses him and suddenly her sweet but dull husband becomes a sexy but terribly self-absorbed hunk no woman can resist. Mortified by the havoc she's wrought, Elizabeth decides to ask for the antidote, only to discover the notorious "life enhancer" has split town. Featuring fun-filled shenanigans played out against L.A. area and resort backdrops, not to mention some rugged adventures on nearby Mt. Baldy, the novel zips along like the latest issue of People and packs the punch of a big bite of pink cotton candy good for a sticky smile on a lazy afternoon. Agent, Ellen Levine. Author tour. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Heller has made a career writing novels that embody the adage "be careful what you wish for," and her newest is no exception. Elizabeth, married to Roger, is a professional nitpicker--she critiques high-end hotels for a living. Upset that Roger's attentiveness and personal charm have declined since their romantic courtship and early marriage, she's persuaded to seek an herbal solution from a doctor who's become the L.A. trendsetters' latest darling. The result is what she asked for but not what she meant, and, predictably, chaos ensues. In a search for the antidote, she and her friend Clover--who also dosed her husband--find themselves in one predicament after another, one of which lands them in the Beverly Hills city jail. This is meant to be light, but unfortunately Heller's humor and satiric edge are dulled by an unbelievably clueless heroine and preposterous coincidences. Fans of Heller's previous books will seek this out, but it's hard to imagine that others will be impressed. Danise Hoover
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Houston Chronicle
"Heller's novel is a quick and amusing read, her characters engaging."


USA Today
"A charmingly improbable love story…a creamy éclair."


People
"As much Sex and the City as I Love Lucy...saucy heroine and screwball plot add up to a romp."


Booklist
"[Heller’s] observations about men are dead-on and hilarious."


Chris Gilson, author of Crazy for Cornelia
"Hilarious, fast-paced, and poignant...A delicious send-up of the fault line between men and women."


Woman's Own
Riotous… hilarious, but also ruefully dead-on in depicting the dangers of not appreciating one's mate--warts and all.


Boston Globe
Jane Heller is feisty, funny, and fully in control in NAME DROPPING…a great story.


People
As much Sex and the City as I Love Lucy...saucy heroine and screwball plot add up to a romp.


USA Today
A charmingly improbable love story…a creamy éclair.


Review
"The supremely talented Ms. Heller delivers snappy wit, lush romance, and plenty of surprises...just the thing to spark a romantic adventure of your own." -Dallas Morning News

"Riotous... hilarious, but also ruefully dead-on in depicting the dangers of not appreciating one's mate-warts and all." -Woman's Own



Book Description
WHAT IF A SECRET POTION… Meet Elizabeth Baskin, who falls in love, gets married, and discovers six years into her union that the magic is gone--or, rather, fading. Her husband Roger has grown a paunch, lost interest in sex, and seems allergic to conversation. What's a disgruntled wife to do? COULD TURN THE DULLEST DUD… After taking her sister's advice, and consulting with a celebrity doctor, whose practice is a bit unconventional, Elizabeth is convinced that she's found the secret ingredient to saving her marriage. All she has to do is slip the prescribed packet of miracle herbs into Roger's orange juice and then--presto! She'll have him back the way he was before he started coming home from work and falling asleep in front of the TV! INTO A STIMULATING STUD? But her plan goes dramatically awry, and instead of rekindling her romance with Roger, she finds herself stuck with a man she hardly recognizes and doesn't even like. Suddenly, Elizabeth is breaking into the doctor's office, running from the law, and teaming up with a transplanted southern belle--all in a desperate attempt to restore Roger to his old, imperfect self. What she learns is that perfection, especially when it comes to husbands, is highly overrated. The question is: does her revelation come too late?

FROM THE PUBLISHER

What If A Secret Potion...

Meet Elizabeth Baskin, who falls in love, gets married, and discovers six years into her union that the magic is gone-or, rather, fading. Her husband Roger has grown a paunch, lost interest in sex, and seems allergic to conversation. What's a disgruntled wife to do?

Could Turn The Dullest Dud...

After taking her sister's advice, and consulting with a celebrity doctor, whose practice is a bit unconventional, Elizabeth is convinced that she's found the secret ingredient to saving her marriage. All she has to do is slip the prescribed packet of miracle herbs into Roger's orange juice and then-presto! She'll have him back the way he was before he started coming home from work and falling asleep in front of the TV!

Into A Stimulating Stud?

But her plan goes dramatically awry, and instead of rekindling her romance with Roger, she finds herself stuck with a man she hardly recognizes and doesn't even like. Suddenly, Elizabeth is breaking into the doctor's office, running from the law, and teaming up with a transplanted southern belle-all in a desperate attempt to restore Roger to his old, imperfect self. What she learns is that perfection, especially when it comes to husbands, is highly overrated. The question is: does her revelation come too late?

SYNOPSIS

WHAT IF A SECRET POTION￯﾿ﾽ

Meet Elizabeth Baskin, who falls in love, gets married, and discovers six years into her union that the magic is gone￯﾿ﾽor, rather, fading. Her husband Roger has grown a paunch, lost interest in sex, and seems allergic to conversation. What's a disgruntled wife to do?

COULD TURN THE DULLEST DUD￯﾿ﾽ

After taking her sister's advice, and consulting with a celebrity doctor, whose practice is a bit unconventional, Elizabeth is convinced that she's found the secret ingredient to saving her marriage. All she has to do is slip the prescribed packet of miracle herbs into Roger's orange juice and then￯﾿ﾽpresto! She'll have him back the way he was before he started coming home from work and falling asleep in front of the TV!

INTO A STIMULATING STUD?

But her plan goes dramatically awry, and instead of rekindling her romance with Roger, she finds herself stuck with a man she hardly recognizes and doesn't even like. Suddenly, Elizabeth is breaking into the doctor's office, running from the law, and teaming up with a transplanted southern belle￯﾿ﾽall in a desperate attempt to restore Roger to his old, imperfect self. What she learns is that perfection, especially when it comes to husbands, is highly overrated. The question is: does her revelation come too late?

About the Author

Jane Heller promoted dozens of bestselling authors before becoming one herself. She is the author of Cha Cha Cha, The Club, Infernal Affairs, Princess Charming, Crystal Clear, Sis Boom Bah, Name Dropping, Female Intelligence and The Secret Ingredient. She lives in Los Angeles, California, where she is at work on her next book.

FROM THE CRITICS

Dallas Morning News

The supremely talented Ms. Heller delivers snappy wit, lush romance, and plenty of surprises￯﾿ﾽjust the thing to spark a romantic adventure of your own.

USA Today

A charmingly improbable love story￯﾿ﾽa creamy ￯﾿ﾽclair.

People

As much Sex and the City as I Love Lucy...saucy heroine and screwball plot add up to a romp.

Boston Globe

Jane Heller is feisty, funny, and fully in control in NAME DROPPING￯﾿ﾽa great story.

Publishers Weekly

Heller proves once again that she has breeziness down to an artful science￯﾿ﾽreaders will come for the fast pace and the fun, of which there￯﾿ﾽs plenty.Read all 12 "From The Critics" >

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

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