At the start of this sparkling contemporary romance from Halliday (Dream Guy
), Manhattan gallery manager Kate Anderson is standing near a painting of the Madonna and overseeing an exhibit in Central Park when she meets mounted police officer Anthony Petrocelli. According to Tony, his grandmother read his tea leaves 20 years earlier, when he turned 16, and informed him that he would be 36 when he met his bride in Central Park, and she would be a blonde with green eyes standing next to the Virgin Mary. Though flattered by the handsome Italian-American's attention, Kate informs him that she's engaged to be married in two months. Kate believes that her fiancé, snotty attorney Harold Wellington, is perfect for her, but her best friend disagrees and makes constant sarcastic comments about Harold. The humorous antics of Tony's boisterous family nicely balance the sweetly sensual romance between him and Kate. Only Harold's sudden transformation from a snob into a caring man rings a false note in this engaging tale. Agent, Jenny Bent. (Nov.)
