Pickup Lines

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PICKUP LINES
Holly Jacobs
ISBN: 0-8034-9704-0
April 2005
Avalon Books
Hardcover
Romantic Comedy

Holly Jacobs brings her own brand of comedy to a story about that latest craze… reality games, in Pickup Lines.

Mary is a kindergarten teacher who has lived a pretty ordinary life for as long as she can remember… nothing crazy, nothing unusual, just perfectly common everyday events happening to her. She had been looking forward to a summer vacation of doing nothing more strenuous then sitting on the beach at Presque Isle all day, every day, reading her favorite books. Until the day her ancient car dies. Fortunately for her, things are looking up. She is a finalist in WLVH – Love Handles “Where love is more then just a song” contest to win a brand new pickup truck.

Ethan Westbrook has no desire to compete in a game for the radio station, but his father convinces him this is the perfect publicity stunt to draw more attention to their small family-owned pharmacy store chain. He has no interest in living in a pickup, or even winning the truck, but gives in to his father and decides it’s worth it to bring attention to the business.

All Ethan and Mary have to do is live in a pickup truck day and night until the other one gives up and gets out. The last person in the truck wins the game and the vehicle. Mary desperately needs this truck though she’d never admit that to hunky Ethan, and he wants to win so he can get more business for the stores. Neither one expected that forced proximity would be the start of quite an attraction between the two of them. But what happens when the contest is over? Will their newfound feelings outlast the game? Or is it all just a result of the close living quarters?

As always, Ms. Jacobs’ book is full of situational comedy and lots of laughs. Her unique humor is always guaranteed to add sparkle to whatever she decides to write about. Only she can take something like a reality show and turn it into a cute romantic story. The plot is kept relatively simple, so the primary focus can be on the characters.

Mary thinks of herself as a Plain Jane, but she’s happy in the life she’s chosen. Her mother has always been too much of a free spirit for her, and Mary swore she would not be like her mother. She even went so far as to change her name to something simple and boring to make her life the way she wanted it. She takes joy in her life with her students but is thrilled for a chance to relax, even if it is not quite the way she had expected it. When love opens her eyes to the world around her, she realizes that maybe it isn’t so bad to be a little carefree after all. Ethan comes off as stiff and boring in the beginning, only caring about the business and how this contest can help his pharmacies. But as we get to know him, we find there is more to him then meets the eye. Before the end of the book, he loosens up considerably and readers will find out he’s not at all the staid professional he tries to make everyone think he is.

Readers will even find a nice secondary romance here, in Ethan and Mary’s parents. Also of interest, is the not so obvious relationship between Punch and Judy, the disk jockeys hosting the contest. These two have sparks flying so much that one can’t help but wonder if it is all an act put on for their listeners. This reviewer thinks there could be an interesting story here with these two characters.

Readers are in for a treat with this story. What better way to while away a few hours then by reading this quick, easy, funny read?

Reviewed by Kelley
March 2005