Claire Spencer is a travel writer working at an obscure senior citizen's magazine. She's not happy with the job or the harsh editing her articles are invariably subjected to, but with no better prospects in sight, continues slogging away at it. On a rare assignment to London, she meets and develops an instant rapport with fellow passenger, the charming American expatriat businessman, Jack. They happily continue to keep company once in London and it soon dawns upon Claire that she may at last have found the love of her life.
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Trouble is, bitter past experiences have left Claire with little to no belief in true love. She's also somewhat self-conscious about her own tall, full figure. In defense, she's developed a stringent set of rules for dating, but her feelings for Jack grow so rapidly that she's tempted to abandon them. But just as she persuades herself that Jack is different, than Jack's girlfriend enters the scene.
The review of this Book prepared by Rashmi Srinivas
Bantam, Sep 2004, 12.00
ISBN: 055338225X
Sharing a row on the flight from New York to London is thirty-two years old full figured woman Claire Spencer and Jack Harrison. Claire, a travel writer for Sassy Seniors magazine, is going to London to write articles and see her best friend Maddy Reilly while Jack, an attorney at British Pharmaceuticals returns home. Claire and Jack hit it off, but he promises that he will ask her out the moment after he breaks with his current girlfriend, which he insists that he was going to do before he met Claire.
In London Jack tells Claire it was hard, but he did indeed breakup with his girlfriend so they can go out now. They have a great time together. However, both are stunned when Jack's former girlfriend turns out to be a heartbroken Maddy. Claire wants to remain loyal to Maddy, but she has never been so attracted to a man as she is to Jack.
TRUE LOVE (AND OTHER LIES) is an entertaining character study that focuses on Claire, who finds herself pulled in two opposite direction, loyalty to a friend vs. finding her love buddy. Claire is a delightful protagonist unable to believe a hunk like Jack would drop the beautiful Maddy for a big babe like her. Claire is a likable person even if she has generalized the shortcoming of “petit” males due to one date while Jack is a solid ethical person cleaning up his relationships before starting a new one. Readers will feel for Maddy suffering a broken heart, but soon want her gone after she tosses guilt grenades at Claire. This is a fine London contemporary romance that readers will enjoy.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner