's Best of 2001
Setting: Contemporary Washington state

Sensuality: 8

An unexpected inheritance that gives him a share of an eastern Washington resort lodge couldn't have come at a better time for J.D. Carver. He's fed up with his life in Seattle and heads for Star Lake Lodge expecting to be met with hostility from the other owners. What he finds is the warm and welcoming Lawrence clan. J.D. takes one look at beautiful Drucilla Lawrence and immediately wants her, while Dru says hello to the handsome carpenter and begins to hyperventilate.

Neither of them are pleased by their instant attraction, for J.D.'s childhood spent in foster homes has taught him not to trust anyone, and Dru has purposely closed her heart to romance following an involvement that left her alone and pregnant. But J.D. is determined to claim his inheritance, and that decision compels him to remain at the Lodge, thus enmeshing himself in the Lawrences' daily life, especially Dru's. When unfinished business from his life in Seattle appears to threaten both him and the Lawrences, J.D. has to think fast before someone is killed. But could the threat to Dru's and J.D.'s hearts be even greater than the threat to their lives?

Susan Andersen doesn't miss a beat in this refreshingly down-to-earth take on a man and woman hit with lust and love at first sight. City-bred and street-smart, J.D.'s character is every bit as on target as Dru's good-girl psyche, while the secondary characters are equally fascinating and well developed. All Shook Up is a perfect balance of romance, humor, and suspense. Don't miss this one.--Lois Faye Dyer


From Publishers Weekly
Readers will appreciate the well-drawn, saucy characters and witty exchanges that garnish Andersen's latest (following Be My Baby) rags-to-riches romance. When construction foreman J.D. Carver inherits part ownership of a swank lodge, he accepts the windfall with relief (to be leaving "Rat City") and some measure of suspicion. Having been raised on the mean streets of Seattle, drifting from foster home to foster home, J.D. can't believe that a foster mother who had once tossed him out after accusing him of theft is now leaving him her estate. Moreover, his new business partners, Dru Lawrence and her Aunt Sophie and Uncle Ben, are just too nice about the whole thing. Despite J.D.'s overly suspicious nature, he is strangely attracted to Dru's "girl-next-door" charm, and an engaging but fitful romance develops between the two. A perfect balance of femininity, spunk and vulnerability, Dru is an unusually likable heroine, and J.D., in his struggle to let go of his past and become part of this "Disney" life, is a fine hero. Unlike many romances that are merely light entertainment, Andersen's winning tale echoes with themes about learning to love, trust and believe in the goodness of humanity. (Jan. 9) Forecast: With a plot line and characters that will remind many of Ally McBeal or Sex in the City, this book, if marketed well, will have some TV fans reaching for the shelves rather than the remote. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

New York Times bestselling author Susan Andersen has captivated readers everywhere with her sassy romances. Here, a man who doesn't believe in love and a woman who doesn't trust in it find out just how wrong they can be...

A Man With a Past

J.D. Carver learned life's tough lessons on the streets, so when an unexpected inheritance sends him to the Star Lake Lodge to claim his half, he's expecting trouble. Being greeted with open arms by the whole Lawrence gang — feisty Aunt Sophy and calm Uncle Ben, clearly off-limits Dru and her young son, Tate — just convinces him they're working an angle, and he's determined to uncover it. Even though a tiny part of him longs for the home-and-hearth life they have...

A Woman With a Reputation

Dru's finally beaten her bad-girl reputation, and though the Lodge may not be exciting, she's fiercely protective of her quiet home. Hard-eyed J.D.'s ability to push all her buttons — some of which haven't been pushed in way too long — just proves how wrong he is for her. So why does her son hero-worship the guy? And why does her heart clench when he gets that "nose pressed against the candy shop window" look on his face

In Love￯﾿ﾽand All Shook Up

They thought they knew everything their lives had to offer￯﾿ﾽuntil they met. Can a failed good girl and a guy who never caught a break learn to believe in one another long enough to trust their love?

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly