THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE SEXY

Humor and irony add a welcome tang to Carmichael's sweet romance. After movie superstar Jackson Stone's 13-year-old daughter, Cherie, runs off with a much older rock star, turning her private life into tabloid fodder, Jackson whisks her away to the Arizona hills. There Jackson sprains his ankle hiking and is rescued by feisty Rachel Marsh, the proprietor of the Lazy M Ranch. Captivated by the beautiful cattle rancher, Jackson decides her ranch may be the perfect place to hide out from invasive reporters and prepare for his next role. Rachel, widow and mother of 11-year-old Sam, welcomes paying guests, but her welcome doesn't extend to sexy Jackson Stone, his Hollywood baggage and his difficult, Morticia-like daughter—until he offers to work as a ranch hand and pay her very well for her troubles. The city slicker's incompetence and fear of horses as well as the boisterous relationship between Cherie and Sam offer laugh-out-loud entertainment. At the same time, Sam's clever dog, Chesty, provides canine color, and Cherie's New Age movie-star mother adds astral complications. In the midst of the novel's many twists and turns, Carmichael (Diamond in the Ruff) loses track of her secondary characters at times, but her colorful protagonists make this lighthearted romance worth the cover price. (June 4)

Forecast:An eye-catching cover with bold, neon-pink lettering will keep readers from passing up this sexy summer title.