The Curl Up and Dye
LilyAnn Bronte gave up on life 11 years ago when her boyfriend, a high-school star quarterback, was killed in Afghanistan. Now this former homecoming queen, voted most likely to succeed, is packing on the pounds working as a pharmacy clerk in the small town of Blessings, Georgia. Mike Dalton, her neighbor, has carried a torch for Lily since the tenth grade—not that she’s noticed. So the gals at the Curl Up and Dye beauty salon decide to nudge Lily out of her rut and into Mike’s arms. But the shapely redhead who runs the local B&B with her third husband has designs on Mike as her fourth. And when a hunky stranger roars into town, Mike can’t help but notice LilyAnn’s sudden reawakening. The novel starts strong and leads to a riveting climax, although shifts in point of view midscene can be jarring, and Mike’s mooning is a bit over the top. The triumphant ending feels milked, but readers will be rewarded with a spirited side to LilyAnn that emerges as this light romance takes a dark turn. --Diane Holcomb