cover image Finding Mr. Right

Finding Mr. Right

Emily Carmichael. Bantam, $6.99 (368pp) ISBN 978-0-553-57874-4

""You, Lydia Keane, are in a great deal of trouble,"" says heavenly host Stanley. Having died while fooling around with her best friend Amy's husband, Lydia must atone for her sins by going back to earth and finding Amy a new spouse. It's a job that sexy Lydia thinks she can do with her hands tied--until she discovers that her hands are paws. It seems that in a fit of celestial pique, Stanley has sent her back as a pudgy, flea-bitten corgi. Lydia's matchmaking efforts prove that her choice of men is, alas, no better as a dog than it was as a woman. Besides, Amy is having no trouble finding Mr. Right on her own. Lydia begins to wonder why she's here, unless it's to use her heightened dog-senses to help Amy find out who's trashing her place, and why. Although Lydia's character has occasional flashes of sharp humor and potential for more, Carmichael ultimately opts for cute and sweet, with lots of doggy antics and sex scenes that stop at the bedroom door. While the ending is somewhat predictable, Carmichael's latest has the irresistible warmth and charm of a newborn puppy. (July)