Playing James » (First American Paperback Edition)

Rules? What rules?

Plucky beat reporter Holly Colshannon has a flair for the dramatic, a nose for trouble, and the remarkable ability to smile through any indignity—though her latest assignment is about to test her mettle. Newly “promoted” to crime reporter for the Bristol Gazette, she must shadow the unsmiling (though undeniably delicious) Detective James Sabine through his action-packed days, and then capture all the danger and thrills of a cop’s life in a daily column for the rag.

Well, on the bright side, she gets her own byline. On the down side, delectable James is hardly overjoyed to have her around. But soon her columns are a hit with readers who can’t get enough of her personal adventures riding shotgun with the sexy crime stopper.

Who ever expected law and order to be so romantic? Certainly Holly’s rugby-playing boyfriend and James’s super-gorgeous fiancée are enough to keep any sparks of electricity in check? In the end, though, love always evens the score. . . .

Library Journal

Holly Colshannon, the new crime reporter for the Bristol Gazette, has been assigned to shadow Detective James Sabine, who's less than thrilled to have the klutzy journalist tagging along. To make matters worse, Holly's editor has given her a special six-week column, complete with photos, that acts as a diary of her experiences. Now, as James tries to solve a series of burglaries, he has to deal with Holly, who's so accident-prone she's on a first-name basis with everyone in Casualty (the emergency room). He also must contend with a flamboyant photographer and the constant teasing of his colleagues at the station. James is ready to call it quits, but Holly's column about their adventures is growing in popularity. Then there's the little problem that, despite being engaged, James is beginning to like the spunky reporter. Readers who enjoy such hilarious romps as Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, Connie Lane's Guilty Little Secrets, and Harley Jane Kozak's Dating Dead Men will be delighted by the escapades of Holly and James. This book, which won the Parker Romantic Novel of the Year award in England, is a most impressive debut novel. Highly recommended for public library fiction collections of all sizes.-Shelley Mosley, Glendale Community Coll. Lib. Media Ctr., AZ Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.