Hot Mama

Fiona Fine is one of Bigtime’s pre-eminent couture designers. She is also superhero Fiera whose feats of strength and abilities with fire have given her a place as part of the Fearless Five.

The last year brought tragedy when her fiancé Tornado was killed by crafty ubervillains. Bearing the pain of his passing has been difficult but she is finally ready to try to move on with her life.

On the wedding day of two of her teammates, she meets the dishy Johnny Bulluci, brother of rival designer Bella. The man is delectable enough to eat up with a spoon. And with the needs of her metabolism, she might have to return for more and more.

While things are definitely looking up in her private life, an ubervillain duo by the names of Siren and Intelligal have come to the big city for some lucrative mayhem and mind control. Things are further complicated by a biker Angel bent on vengeance. Unfortunately, his intentions are beyond what is acceptable even against the bad guys…or bad gals as is the case.

This is the second book in the Bigtime series and the story takes up a year after the events of Karma Girl. It can easily do as a stand alone read. In fact, the impact is greater since new readers get the joy of discovering the wonderful tongue-in-cheek portrayals of superheroes, ubervillains, and their attempts to mask their true identities.

Fiera comes across as somewhat spoiled and sporting a pithy attitude, with a volatile personality and little patience for others. She is also loyal, tenacious, and caring. Many of us will envy her a portion of her fiery metabolism and will look longingly at the list of food she blithely consumes.

It will come as no surprise from very early on in the book that the man who is interested in winning her attentions is also biker superhero Johnny Angel. His heavenly body and warm, sexy personality is poorly disguised even with the conflicting insistence for a deadly retribution. The event which culminates to this level of anguish and anger makes it easy to understand. One only wishes that one could have been certain he would do the right thing in the case that battle against the perpetrators went in his favor.

It is particularly touching to watch Fiona and the intelligent, funny and affectionate Johnny’s relationship grow. A good part of the story showed how she slowly stopped mourning for one man and opened her heart to the possibility of someone else to love and be loved.

HOT MAMA is a fun and funny read. Anyone who is fond of humor with their romance is likely to have a grand time. And for all of you who loved comics and superheroes at any point in your life, well here’s to revisiting that particular addiction.

May 2008