Review: Busted
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 10, 2013
The opening of this 'Promise Harbor Wedding' story shows a wedding about to take place when an old flame of the bride's walks into the church and insists on speaking with her, carrying her out the door.  Then we go back to the previous day.  Jackson Knight is coming home after damaging his knee in top-league hockey; while I don't understand the attraction of sports star celebrities, apparently they like them in America.  He's going to be best man for Josh but he believes a hockey player gets too much attention, too many girl fans, called puck-bunnies. He also gets unwelcome sympathy for having BUSTED his knee, and losers picking fights in bars. (So stay out of bars?)Detective Hayley Stone has worked hard on her image, after she got up to tricks as a girl. Jackson doesn't recognise Hayley when they meet, but she used to dress like a Goth. She's unimpressed. The groom to be does his ritual round of bars with Jackson, who can't get away from sport references, even from Hayley - "Are you going to open the door or are you waiting for a ref to blow a whistle first?" she demands. But Hayley, tired from a shift and DIY at home, has to meet a witness to a robbery; there's been a spate of robberies of tourists lately.  Then she has to arrest Jackson for assault, just hours before the wedding.This modern comedy of manners by Sydney Somers has engaging characters and instant dilemmas, a kitten stuck in a tree - I did not believe any woman would be so stupid as to climb a tree after a cat in a skimpy dress - and the ghosts of relationships past.  "I was young and stupid," Hayley dismisses an early boyfriend.  The lady barely has time to think about a relationship, with family responsibilities, a tough job and someone taking personal revenge on her home. Jackson is a good-hearted type, but the fact that he's drifting in and out of town with a coaching future lined up, doesn't seem ideal. He won't be expecting commitment when he asks Hayley to be his date at the wedding - all he wants is someone to keep the eager girls from asking him to autograph their breasts.  Hayley thinks she's worth more. This adult romance is a good read and serious fun.