NATURAL BORN CHARMER

During an era when romantic comedies and sports heroes were considered antithetical, Susan Elizabeth Phillips became a star combining the two. This book is the latest jewel in her crown. Superstar quarterback Dean Robillard takes a road trip to figure out why his glamorous life is no longer making him happy. Along the way, he encounters artist Blue Bailey, wearing a beaver costume and trudging down the highway. She's bent on finding and murdering her ex-fiancé, and that's just the beginning. Anna Fields keeps things simple, letting Phillips's peerless comic dialogue and array of quirky characters, including Dean's aging rock-star father, alcoholic ex-groupie mother, and teenaged half-sister, do the heavy lifting. It works like a charm. C.E.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]