Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Deal Me In-Cynthia Thomason

Deal Me In
Cynthia Thomason
Harlequin SuperRomance, Jan 2008
ISBN: 9780373714643

While checking out horses in Prairie Bend, Texas former pro-football player Brady Carrick bets his rancher father Marshall and a friend horse trainer Trevor Dobbs that he can teach any novice to win at poker. His dad selects Cliff’s Diner waitress Molly Davis as Brady’s student. To win he has to make her competitive at an upcoming poker tournament in which she must reach the final table.

Widow and mother Molly hides her connection to her instructor from him. She holds him partially culpable for the death of her husband. Molly agreed to be his pupil because she desperately needs money for her and her son Sam to start anew. Neither she nor Brady expected a full house would lead to love.

Using poker as a matchmaking device, Cynthia Thomason provides an interesting contemporary romance between two likable individuals who call each other’s bluff as both are wary to gamble with their respective heart. The support cast is solid at the tables and the stables although preadolescent Sam is too precocious even if he chooses an Xbox over a college trust fund. Still fans will enjoy this fun Texas Hold Em romance.

Harriet Klausner

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