With overtones of both Roman Holiday
and Go Ask Alice, Qualey's (Close to a Killer) Hollywood-esque novel casts a tragedy-scarred 19-year-old opposite the handsome crown prince of Lakveria, a war-torn Balkans-like nation. The story takes place in Dakota City, Minn., a locale much like Minneapolis. There, narrator Kelly Ray, a heroin addict now in recovery, works as a researcher and all-around gofer for her aunt Kit, host of one of America's top-rated radio talk shows. An errand for Kit brings Kelly to a superstar staying at a tightly guarded hotel, where she by chance encounters Prince Tomas, and before long she and the prince (and, for a while, the superstar) escape Lakverian security for a furtive foray into town. Kelly covertly hopes to snag Tom for an interview with her aunt, but sparks start flying as the two dodge the prince's entourage and stay out all night. Tom tells Kelly his hopes and dreams (he is Lakveria's best chance for peace) and Kelly finds the courage to confront the mistakes in her past. Credibility is beside the point: the larger-than-life quality of the characters and the souped-up stakes drive this novel. Hard-nosed Kelly can hold her own against anybody, whether rapier-sharp Kit (a two-time Pulitzer winner with a steel claw for one hand) or movie stars, international statesmen or fellow ex-addicts, and while this may not rank among the author's most memorable work, the narrator's strong voice will keep readers entertained. Ages 12-up. (May)
