Book Review: Public Displays of Affection

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Public Displays of Affection     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Susan Donovan
Class/Genre:   Romance   Romantic Suspense
St. Martin’s, Jun 2004, $6.99, 352 pp.

Raising her two preadolescent children by herself, Charlotte Tasker has been a widow for nineteen months. She loved her late spouse Kurt, but has never forgotten her tryst near National Airport with a stranger in which she lost her virginity and had the best sex of her life.

Following the murder of his partner and his partner’s family, DEA Agent Joe Bellacera is told to lay low until the Guzman Mexico drug cartel is stopped. Joe pretends to be wannabe mystery author Joseph Mills as he relocates to Minton, Ohio. Next door is Charlotte, the woman with whom he shared the best sex on his life near National. He also chipped his tooth in the heat of their passion. He looked for her for years, but now that he found her, he must keep away from this soccer mom for fear of Guzman killing her and her two children though he cannot deny the growing love he feels for the three Taskers.

Romantic suspense fans who take a chance on Susan Donovan will conclude that the exhilarating novels of this author knock readers off their feet. Though the probability of the lovers meeting under these circumstances seems outrageous, the audience will not care one iota, as the tale is terse and the cast fantastic, especially the hero and his beloved Taskers. PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTIONS is a fine entertaining contemporary romantic intrigue even though the suspense comes late as the audience watches Joseph battle between his heart and his fears for his beloved threesome.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner