THIS MUST BE LOVE

To help out her irresponsible but irresistible cousin Molly, who's in danger of losing her newspaper job unless she gets a spectacular scoop, good girl child care worker Jane Preston agrees to take the bad girl's place as a hired escort/undercover reporter. Janie's mission: to attend a prestigious week-long Cape May retreat for rich intellectuals and politicos (many of whom may remember Molly from her disastrous interlude as a D.C. intern) and find out whether charismatic senator Aubrey Harrison is planning to run for president. What Janie doesn't know is that her employer, nerdy professor John Romanowski, is actually bestselling mystery writer J.P. Roman, and he's determined to get the goods on the mysterious, and possibly murderous, senator. In this first of a two-book series, Michaels (Can't Take My Eyes Off of You, etc.) demonstrates her flair for creating likable protagonists who possess chemistry, charm and a penchant for getting into trouble. In addition, her dialogue and descriptions are full of humor ("John lifted one hand, undoubtedly to push his fingers through his hair, but stopped as his fingertips initially contacted his slicked-down patent leather head...."). Although it's hard at times to know whether this sexy, sinister and playful story is targeting readers' hearts, fear receptors or funny bones, it hits the bull's eye on all accounts. (Feb.)