I Dream of Genies

Cute as a pink Persian kitten, this scamper of a romance is populated by a whimsical cast of characters: Humphrey the baby dragon, Obo the talking cat, a villainous vizier, a cross-dressing High Master genie, the Egyptian goddess Bastet, and a hunky carpenter. Centuries-old genie Eden (her name one of several nods to the book's namesake TV show) escapes her bottle only to fall for Matt Ewing, the handsome jogger she's been watching from her glass prison's position in the window of Murphy's Antiques. When Eden's magic malfunctions, the nonstop cinematic gee-whiz results will keep the reader enraptured. Fennell (Catch of a Lifetime) also tosses in sultry sex scenes, a bubble-gum–sweet but passionate romance, quick-moving action, and a variety of puns and riddle-making beasts, many of which are sure to reappear in the two planned sequels. (Jan.)