TOGETHER FOR CHRISTMAS – Lisa Plumley
Zebra
ISBN-13: 978-1-420-12212-1
October 2012
Contemporary Romance

Kismet, Michigan – Present Day

Public relations expert Casey Jackson has grudgingly traveled from sunny California to snowy-white Michigan, just to baby-sit pop-star Heather Miller's sister! Casey hates Christmas. He hates snow, and we won't even describe how he feels about babysitting a child! Even so, he will do anything in his power to get Heather's television special back on track, finished on time, and within budget. So, needless to say, when Casey walks into the Galaxy Diner looking for a spoiled little girl, Casey is a bit flummoxed. When he asks for Kirsten Miller, he is confronted with a curvaceous, straight talking young woman who glares at him as if he has the plague. In between serving customers, she leads him to a chair, shoves her famous pie-in-a-jar at him, and tells him he has to eat it! Casey does what any dessert-hating man would do; he covers it in ketchup and takes a bite!

Kristen loves Christmas and all the good cheer and happiness that go with the season. She's worked hard to make a go of her diner, but she still struggles to keep one step ahead of the bank and threats of foreclosure. She's working hard, staying away from her sister's limelight to make her own life a success. But right now, Casey Jackson is a big problem. Heather asked her to keep Casey away from the set for a few days, and Kirsten is doing her best to divert his attention. She's even been willing to entertain the man, offering to rent him the corner booth in her diner so he can work (and she can keep an eye on him). But Kirsten does not trust Casey Jackson; the man desecrated her pie with ketchup!

TOGETHER FOR CHRISTMAS is a hilarious romance with a twist! Casey and Kirsten are as opposite as two people can be, and they spend much of their time arguing about Christmas. Their relationship isn't really evident as a romance; it's mostly love/hate with a little humor thrown in. While Casey and Kirsten are keeping their eyes on each other, Kirsten's sister Heather is up to her own tricks. She successfully got Casey and Kirsten out of her way so she can concentrate on seducing one of her cast. Other characters, including Kirsten's staff, lend a humorous slant to the tale however, but with so many subplots winding through the story it becomes tangled and confused. One of these threads involves Casey and an old nemesis, Shane Maresca. The two men are at odds over something in their past which has little to do with the main story. Even so, after the first few chapters things clear up and most of the threads finally come together for a satisfying conclusion. Both Casey and Kirsten discover things about themselves, including a few surprises, making TOGETHER FOR CHRISTMAS a humorous read!

Diana Risso