This is definitely a set up that promises lots of comedy and Ms. Procter-King delivers! Nikki St. James is a classic romantic comedy heroine – very sweet, impulsive and possessing her own twisted brand of logic. Alex Hart is the perfect straight man. Even he admits to having certain white knight tendencies. How else would he end up wanting to protect his abductor? Though we’ve seen these character types before, Ms. Procter-King develops them beyond simple stereotypes and getting to know them is a large part of the enjoying the story.

As the story progresses, Nikki begins to find Alex more attractive than the conspicuously absent Royce. At first Alex is bent on escape but he slowly comes to appreciate Nikki’s finer qualities, such as her cooking skills and her ability to remove porcupine quills from her dog’s snout.

The author’s appreciation for language is apparent in the clever names she assigns to characters and places. My only complaint and it is a small one, is the occasional use of vulgarity that seems inconsistent with the overall style of the book. In those instances when it is used, I felt jarred from the flow of the story.

The pacing of the story is excellent, with the plot always moving, but never rushed. Supporting characters, including the pets are developed enough to add enjoyment and variety, but not so much as to be distracting. Ms. Procter-King shows a good working knowledge of her craft and delivers a very satisfying story.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Very sensual

Reviewer: Kara Lynn Russell
July 26, 2007