book cover of Plain Jane
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Plain Jane

(2001)
A novel by

 
 
Library Journal
Michaels delivers another corker with her latest romantic suspense story. Fat, frumpy Jane was an ugly duckling in school, but today she is confident, stylish, and thin Dr. Jane Lewis with a thriving psychotherapy practice and a radio talk show. She is renovating a haunted Louisiana mansion and is rapidly becoming involved with a man upon whom she had a crush in college. She has a great dog named Olive and two crazy godparents who write suspense novels and don't need their Viagra. In fact, her life would be pretty swell if she could just put two things behind her: she believes her mother did not love her and in college she witnessed a brutal rape. How Michaels unravels these tangled knots makes for a riveting listening experience, and Laural Merlington turns in another expert performance. When Jane is finally able to solve all of her problems, the listener will heave a sigh of relief. Highly recommended where stylish suspense circulates. Barbara Perkins, Irving P.L., TX Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews
Another formula romance from ever-popular Michaels (What You Wish For, 2000, etc.), this time featuring a talk-show psychologist and the men who wronged her college chum. Dr. Jane Lewis is lovely, self-assured, successful, and popular-the exact opposite of the plump, shy frump she used to be. Her radio call-in show boasts thousands of listeners, and she sees patients privately as well. One case particularly troubles her: a man who blames his wife for the rape that shattered their marriage. Jane can't help remembering her friend Connie Bryan, homecoming queen at Louisiana State and fiancée of the football team's star quarterback, Todd Prentice. Connie was waylaid and gang-raped by four unknown men (who spurned the unattractive Jane), then killed herself when Todd broke off their engagement. Connie had sworn her friend to secrecy, not even telling her own parents of the rape before she committed suicide. Jane is now determined to find out more, and she does so with the help of another psychologist, hunky Dr. Michael Sorenson, her erstwhile high-school crush. The pair host Jane's show together and rekindle their long-ago romance as she begins investigating the circumstances of Connie's rape and subsequent death. Jane also grapples with her mixed feelings about her own looks, reaching the departed spirit of her cold-hearted beauty-queen mother through a resident ghost. (Mom finally apologizes!) Michael and Jane eventually figure everything out, of course. Aided by a crack team of K-9 dogs, Jane corrals the likely suspects and reveals that she has kept Connie's semen-stained clothing in a bag for all these years, somehow knowing that DNA testing would incriminatesomeoneeventually. The rapists get their just deserts-and Jane gets Michael. Not exactly the first time this author has featured noble dogs, convenient ghosts, and plucky gals.


Genre: Romance

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