Flo Fitzpatrick Reviews

Sweet Dreams

Reviewer: Lori Graham
Title: Sweet Dreams
Author: Flo Fitzpatrick

Abby Fouchet grew up in Texas as a much loved daughter of a very
protective, influential mother (her father was around too). Abby knew
what she wanted out of her life and her dream was to dance, sing and
act on Broadway (or any combination of these). She took the leap of
faith in herself, in spite of her mother’s warnings and urgings, and
moved to New York where she could make that dream come true. However,
the dream didn’t come true as quickly as she would have liked so she
continued taking classes to deepen her skills and got a job. In the
process, she met Shay who invited her to live at Apartment Seven-D with
her and Cherry, creating a friendship for life.

In the process of ongoing auditions, Abby does finally begin to get some
roles and is cast in the chorus of Jesus Christ Superstar. One of the
lead cast members turns out to be Johnny Gerard, lead character in the
day time soap opera "Endless Times" and, of course, a major heart
throb. The choreographer of this revival is quite inept and Abby ends
up injured. Johnny helps her to the doctor, takes her home and the
romance begins.

As the romance heats up, Abby discovers things about Johnny that confuse
her, excite her, and concern her. She learns that he is the estranged
son of Assistant District Attorney, Kiernan Gerard which confuses her.
She is excited by Johnny’s incredible acting talent and his wanting to
learn more about dancing (he didn’t start out very well) which is an
area that she can aid him in. Her concern is escalated by the woman
named Tracy who rides around in a white limo with Siegfried as her
bodyguard who keeps showing up in Johnny’s life at unexpected moments
and without explanation from Johnny. While these emotions run through
Abby’s mind, her heart falls deeply in love and can’t be reasoned with.

Johnny is accused of a scandal that isn’t his but actually is his
father’s problem. Abby is determined not to let Johnny’s life be ruined
by this man especially after her vision. Abby has been gifted with
second sight, as she calls it, which has been on the female side of her
family for years. Abby’s vision consists of Johnny dying and she isn’t
about to let that happen either. To that end, she enlists the aid of
Cherry’s two self-described bodyguards, Vito and Guido, to help her.

I found this story to be absolutely delightful. Flo Fitzpatrick does an
incredible job of weaving romance, suspense, and comedy all into one
story. The characters are well thought out and remain fresh throughout
the story. As each character weaves back into the story, you find
yourself welcoming their entrance and wanting to learn more about them.
While there are several supporting characters in this story, Flo gives
you enough information about them so you are familiar with them but
spends most of her time developing the main characters.

I was intrigued by the twists and turns she used to create the drama.
The end of the mystery was truly a bit like an artichoke - you have to
peel away to get to the heart of the truth. There were enough off-shots
to keep you guessing though right up until the end. (You gotta stay up
to finish it just so you know.)

I also have to admit I found this book to be an easy read in large part
due to the mix of comedy which relieved some of the tension. It kept
your attention but every once awhile there was a little something to
make you laugh. The twins, Vito and Guido, for example were an
interesting blend. Thin and not looking like much, Abby had to wonder
how they could guard anything. However, they are full of
self-confidence, have friends in the lowly places and are freakishly
strong. But some of their antics and methods of dressing were
absolutely a hoot.

Flo created a reading "braid" (I know - sounds strange). The mix of
romance, comedy and suspense is masterful. Each one wouldn’t be much
without the other and if not mixed in equal portions it would become
tangled. This "braid" lays smoothly and evenly. Loved it!

Lori

back to the top

Romance Junkies August, 2005

All of Abby Fouchet’s life she wanted to be a dancer and she wasn’t
about to let her mother stand in her way. The thrill of the stage and
the bright lights of Broadway are her ticket to fame, not some small
town in Texas as an Oil Baron’s or politician’s wife, teaching other
young hopefuls the trade.

Johnny Gerard is well on his way to fame and fortune. He packs the
seats in each Broadway show he stars in because of his fame as Greg
Noble in a daytime soap opera. Little does he know that a chance
encounter with a hopeful dancer willturn his world upside down.

From the moment Abby lays eyes on Johnny she can’t get him off her
mind. She doesn’t believe in second sight but the visions she is having
predicts an unknown man's death. Somehow , she must find out whose death
the future holds, and the key is Johnny.

SWEET DREAMS is the perfect mixture of hopeful dreams, harsh reality and
a bit of the paranormal. Abby’s small town naiveté teamed up with her
tough girl exterior adds depth to her character. Johnny is the perfect
Irish rogue, handsome and debonair. His genuine affection for Abby will
melt your heart. Added to the colorful mixture are Abby’s streetwise
roommates and a pair of Italian bouncers that will keep you giggling at
their antics. Flo Fitzpatrick has taken a serious storyline and blended
just enough comedy to keep you wanting more.

By Romance Junkies Reviewer: Angie

back to the top

Kristi (reader from NY)
Sweet Dreams
Delightful!, November 22, 2005
Flo Fitzpatrick's previous two releases, Ghost of a Chance and Hot
Stuff, were absolutely delightful reads, and Sweet Dreams is no
exception! Wonderfully written, charming, and a little zany--I highly
recommend it!

back to the top

Mystery in the theater, November 20, 2005
Reviewer: T. Burnham "Happy endings preferred" Missoula, MT

If you love visiting backstage with someone who has really been
there--read Flo Fitzpatrick! With her light and vivid style she makes
you feel that you're a member of the cast. If you enjoyed Ghost of a
Chance and Hot Stuff--you're sure to love Sweet Dreams.

back to the top

Sweet Dreams review from Writers Unlimited
New York is a wild and wonderful place. It has theaters, restaurants,
attempted murders, ice skating rinks……whoa!!! Wait a minute, attempted
murder? Abby Fouchet had come to New York to be an actress/dancer. She
hadn’t come to be shot at or become involved with Johnny, the son of
the man who was Deputy District Attorney and was running for District
Attorney. She also hadn’t planned on getting second sight from her
Grandma Dumas, but that is what happens.

Abby just wanted to be an actress and dancer. She didn’t mean to get
involved with Johnny Gerard a hot hunk on the soap, Endless Time. She
wasn’t even going to give Johnny a second look, especially after she
saw him with the blond floozy. However during practice for a play they
were in together, Abby fell and hurt her ankle. Johnny was her knight
in shining armor, and he took her to the doctor. He then took her home,
and came back to see her again. Maybe she could see him just for a
little while. Except when she has a vision of her and Johnny getting
shot at and it becomes true, things get hairy. Abby gets really scared
when she has a vision that says Johnny will be shot and killed in his
father’s office in a couple of months. Will Abby be able to keep Johnny
alive?

Sweet Dreams is a mystery that has you guessing until the very end. Flo
Fitzpatrick has put together a great group of characters. There is Abby
and Johnny of course, in addition you have Johnny’s dad, Kieran who you
love to hate for what he puts Johnny through. Ms. Fitzpatrick also
gives us Tracy, Kieran’s married girlfriend, Cherry Ripe and Shay,
Abby’s roommate. Last but not least you have Vito and Guido the
Mariccino twins. You have an exceptional set of characters. The scenes
in this story move very quickly from one to another, so you have to pay
attention. If you like Ms. Fitzpatrick’s other work I know you will
enjoy this story just like I did. So come and see if Abby will be able
to change her vision and keep her Sweet Dreams of Johnny alive.

Lydia Funneman
Writers Unlimited Reviewer

back to the top

Hot Stuff

Booklist

Redhead Tempe Walsh wanted to be an entertainer, but her facility for
languages led her down a different road, one that leads to Bombay,
where Shiva's Diva, a priceless statue complete with a curse and a
blessing, instigates chaos. When gunshots ring out, acrobatic Tempe
leaps into action and runs into Brigand O'Brien. A night of wild
adventures and hair's-breadth escapes send them into hiding in
Bollywood, where they find Jake Roshon, director, writer, and producer
for Vivek Studios, and an old pal of Brig's. Kidnappings and mayhem
follow as well as a fiercely physical relationship between Brig and
Tempe. Fitzpatrick's breathless pacing and light tone make for a
delightful diversion and an over-the-top extravaganza that may make
readers want to rent a batch of Masala DVDs. Diana Tixier Herald
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

back to the top

RT Bookclub

Hot Stuff by Flo Fitzpatrick
Rating: **** 1/2 Gold !
Translator Tempe Walsh feels as if she's fallen into an Indiana Jones
movie. Bullets and knives start flying when she attempts to purchase of
a statue of the goddess Saraswati (aka Shiva's Diva) in Bombay.

Using her gymnastic skills, Tempe manages to backflip her way out of
danger, only to fall into the hands of the mysterious Brig O'Brien.
Brig, Tempe and the statue manage to get away, if only temporarily. At
least three different parties seem to be after this legendary statue.

To keep Tempe safe, Brig hides her with his friends, Bollywood director
Jake Roshan and hot Indian star Asha Kumar. No one seems willing to let
go of Shiva's Diva, so snatching and counter-snatching becomes the
latest craze.

Discovering a true fictional pearl is a rare and special treat, and Hot
Stuff definitely qualifies! Buckle up while you race through an
incredible madcap escapade that combines the flashiness of Bollywood
with sizzling romance, danger and adventure.

The characters are as lively and fun as the setting. This utterly
original book manages to combine singing, dancing, elephants, snakes,
curses and even murder. (Apr., 320 pp., $5.99)
—Jill M. Smith

back to the top

Affair de Coeur April, 2005
****1/2 Clever characters/ romance hot and spicy as curry make this a
fun way to wile away a few hours."

back to the top

Delightful screwball romantic comedy, March 15, 2005
Reviewer:
booksforabuck "BooksForABuck.com" (Dallas) - See all my reviews

Usually, being a translator means sitting in an office looking at legal
documents. This time, though, Tempe Walsh actually gets to go to
Bombay, India, where she intends to help an American art collector
negotiate the purchase of a famous statue--a statue of an Indian
Goddess which comes attached to both a blessing and a curse.
Unfortunately for Tempe, there are plenty of other prospective 'buyers'
and none of them, including the man she's working for, would mind
getting the statue at a bargain price--even if that meant stealing,
stabbing, or shooting.

Tempe meets up with a handsome Irish rogue who takes time out from his
own thefts to attempt to sweet-talk her into his bed, and the two are
quickly swept into an adventure that involves Tempe posing as a
stripper in two separate clubs, dancing and performing the splits for a
Bollywood movie production ('Bollywood' is the term used to describe the
Indian film industry which mostly consists of song-and-dance numbers),
kidnapping, late night fire drills, and lots more time spent with the
handsome Briggan O'Brien.

Author Flo Fitzpatrick serves up a delightful mix of screwball comedy,
adventure, an exotic foreign locale, and romance. Fitzpatrick seems to
delight in breaking the rules--her first book was set in the theater
and her second in India, in the entertainment business, with snakes and
elephants for secondary characters. Fortunately, it works.

Congratulations to Zebra for taking a chance, but most of all,
congratulations to Flo Fitzpatrick for creating such an entertaining
romp. I am very happy to recommend HOT STUFF highly.

back to the top

tongue in cheek romantic suspense , March 30, 2005
Reviewer:
Harriet Klausner - Harriet Klausner Review Archives

Translator Tempe Walsh is in Hot Harry's Bar in Bombay working for
client Ray DeCore who is negotiating with Himali Khan over purchasing
Shiva's Diva statue. Tempe is translating to and from Hindi and
English. The deal is struck when Tempe notices the statue is a fake.
All hell breaks loose with bullets flying everywhere. Ray is dead, but
Tempe survives due to her gymnastic skills and her Wonder Woman like
earrings. Briggan "Strider" O'Brian, who speaks Gaelic, escapes with
Tempe and the original statue.

Everyone in town seems to be after Brig and Tempe. Needing a place to
hold up, the beleaguered couple chooses a Bollywood set, which turns
out to make it even more difficult to decide who is the hero and who is
the villain though Tempe likes Brig's kisses an awful lot.

This is a tongue in cheek romantic suspense that takes off from the
moment Tempe opens her mouth about the statue and never slows down
until the final altercation. The story line combines plenty of humor
with excitement the rogue and the language expert dodge danger within a
movie production and fall in love although Tempe has doubts that she
will ride off with the hero as her beloved is to much the imp even if
he is her champion kind of like the Douglas role in Romancing the
Stone. Flo Fitzpatrick provides an amusing romantic adventure.

Harriet Klausner

back to the top

a dead-bang funny book!, May 7, 2005
Reviewer:
Deborah MacGillivray (Scotland, England & US) "the best reviews"

A delightful book I am very happy to recommend coming from Flo
Fitzpatrick. This one amazing tale from start to finish that will leave
you clamoring from more from this new writer.

Tempe Walsh is a translator. She has a job with client Ray Decore.
Sounds simple enough. She is to translate from Hindi to English and
back again as needed as part of a deal with Kimali Khan, brokering a
sale for a stature. Tempe might raise eyebrows at the setting - Hot
Harry's Bar in Bombay, but hey, a girl has to live a little! Only
trouble ensures when Tempe spots the statue is a fake. Suddenly all
hell breaks loose, resulting in her client getting killed. Instead of
standing and screaming, our intrepid heroine uses her lithe bod and her
trusty earrings to escape, taking one "Strider" O'Brian (this is the
third book I have reviewed this month with "Strider" heroes, glut from
LOTR!), with everyone chasing in their wake.

This is one delightfully wild, tongue-firmly-through-cheek tales that
takes off and never lets up from start to finish. It's seasoned with a
wickedly funny sense of humor, that has a touch of movie adoration
tossed in. It is madcap comedy reminiscent of Hollywood romps of the
40s. A great aim, but can the writer pull it off? Yeppers, big time!
Hot Stuff is absolutely dead bang on target from the homage to films
past to romance lovers at heart and those of us who enjoy a good belly
laugh along the way!

back to the top

Romance Reviews Today, April 2005 Sinclair Reed

HOT STUFF is an adventure that readers are going to enjoy taking. An
Irishman raised in Manhattan, Brig is a charmer first and foremost. His
lilting voice and sexy smile have Tempe melting in his arms one minute
and wanting to beat him over the head in the next. Tempe is a woman of
many talents, and throughout their ordeal she puts them all into
practice. Told from Tempe's point of view, readers will get a handle on
what makes her tick, how she thinks, and that no matter what the
situation, the woman is always hungry. Her thoughts and feelings about
Brig, who he really is and what he's up to, are out in the open for all
to see -- well, the readers to see anyway -- and it's refreshing to see
what a heroine thinks of her hero. And it's not all white knight stuff
either.

There are a couple of secondary characters worthy of mention and they
are Jake Roshen, director and best friend of Brig, and Asha Kumer, the
famous actress who we learn is from New Jersey, born and bred. These
two add to the excitement and thrill of the chase as they try to help
Brig and Tempe get away from the bad guys and keep the statue hidden.
Of course, there is a villain or two and sometimes it's hard to tell
who is who in this drama. But once it unfolds and all the players are
identified then it really gets interesting.

Bullets flying, bad guys multiplying, and a chase from one end of
Bombay to the other are all present in HOT STUFF. Ms. Fitzpatrick
combines humor, danger, and a little romance giving HOT STUFF all the
right stuff.

Sinclair Reid

back to the top

Reviewer: Robyn Roberts Once Upon a Romance

Flo describes herself a writer of Romance/Action/Comedy and she
certainly delivers in Hot Stuff. I found myself transported to India
where I joined our heroine Tempe as she avoided gun shots, knife throws
and survives a brawl by hiding in an empty wine barrel. I loved the
romance, the action and the comedy. Tempe describes her adventures as
"Nancy Drew-like" a couple of times in the book. I thought this was the
perfect book for grown up Nancy Drew fans. Here is a book offering
romance with an Irishman (who can melt your heart with his words
alone), action and intrigue like Nancy Drew and a few belly laughs
thrown in to brighten your day.

I will warn all readers that the book is written in first person format.
This means everything is from the "I" perspective. We are literally
inside Tempe’s head as she tells us what is going on. Some people do
not enjoy a first person book, but I would encourage you to try this
one out. I only found two instances in the book where the first person
perspective felt technical and interrupted the flow of the story. Other
than that, I found it to be a fast read. I am looking forward to getting
and reading more of Ms. Fitzpatrick’s books. If they are as lively as
Hot Stuff, we’ll be in for a real treat.

Robyn

back to the top

An adventure of a lifetime, April 3, 2005
Reviewer:
Lydia Funneman (Illinois, USA) -

Hot Stuff is an adventure of a lifetime. Tempe Walsh, is an interpreter
with a secret dream of being an actress. The hero is one Briggan "Brig"
O'Brien who seems to be a man with a shady past. The two them are thrown
together by the Shiva's Diva statue that everyone wants and they have.

Brig and Tempe are shot at, have knives thrown at them, as they dodge
the bad guys while also doing flips and somersaults. When they are not
avoiding weapons, they are working on a movie directed by one of Brig's
friends. In the movie they are dancing, doing flips and somersaults on
top of Ferris wheels and other things I wouldn't do. It seems they are
on the move all the time.

Flo Fitzpatrick has a great talent for telling a story. It kept me
entertained and held my attention. I loved this story, and if you enjoy
adventure with some comedy thrown in, it is a story you would like also
I am sure.

back to the top

Funny!, December 25, 2005
Reviewer:
Jane Myers Perrine (TX United States) -
I loved this book--one of the funniest I've ever read. There were times
I wasn't sure about character motivation(Why, exactly, did she dance at
that club?) but it didn't matter because I was just there for the fast
and very amusing ride. And I loved the hero!

back to the top

Ghost of a Chance

From Booklist...

Kudos for Zebra's Debut line for new romance writers, and bravo for Fitzpatrick, who has written a delightfully humorous and innocent romantic mystery. Kiely Davlin knows she is setting herself up for trouble when she takes the job of choreographer and saloon slut in a revival performance of the melodrama Bad Business on the Brazos at a historic Dallas theater because Bad Business has always been cursed. Three members of the original cast, who performed 100 years ago, may have been murdered. The last performance, 50 years ago, resulted in the shooting death onstage of hunky and talented Don Mueller, who was playing the villain Nick Nefarious. With accidents, a near beheading of the leading man, visits from Don's ghost, and handsome Rafe Montez, who plays Nick, turning up in the darnedest places, it's obvious that everything that can go wrong will. Fitzpatrick has created some charmingly quirky characters and an effectively combined mystery plot with a "clean" happily-ever-after romance.

back to the top

From Kasey Michaels

...NY Times Best selling author, Kasey Michaels "... a wacky cast of characters who deliver three full acts of matchmaking, mayhem... and murder."

back to the top

Harriet Klausner

GHOST OF A CHANCE is a great tale that effortlessly combines elements of chick lit, buddy tales, paranormal, and amateur sleuth with a contemporary romance in such a manner that cross-subgenre fans will welcome a new talent onto their bookshelves. The story line is extremely humorous especially when LR and Kiely debate anything as if the former is from Pluto and the later is from Mercury. The hunks (the ghost may be ephemeral but what a bod) are fabulous as they haunt the heroine. Anyone who gives Flo Fitzpatrick's book a chance will appreciate this amusing tale.

Harriet Klausner

http://harrietklausner.wwwi.com/review.cgi?ghost_of_a_chance_fitzpatrick

back to the top

Library Journal
Just finishing a nine-month tour of 42nd Street, the last thing dancer and choreographer Kiely Davlin needs is to go to Texas to work on a melodrama revival as a favor to a friend. But when Lida Rose tempts her with authentic Tex-Mex, a great play, straight men, and a haunted theater, Kiely heads south. A modern, likable heroine, a gorgeous leading man who is more than he seems, a popcorn-loving ghost, and a full complement of unconventional characters combine in this funny, off-the-wall romantic romp that spices things up with murder, mystery, and a dash of the unexplained.

back to the top

RT Book Club

"Ghost of a Chance is a fine ghost mystery with plenty of humor to keep it light. Told in first person, it moves along briskly with only a modicum of romance and a number of colorful, interesting characters. The atmosphere is quite realistic. A thoroughly enjoyable visit to the theatre! (Aug. 320 pp.) Susan Mobley RT BookClub August 2004 Issue 246 page 118

back to the top

Romance Reviews Today

Other than a few extras and a huge, loveable puppy named Jed, the characters in GHOST OF A CHANCE are the cast and crew of Bad Business on the Brazos. Kiely and Lida Rose have a warm, entertaining relationship that provides Kiely with opportunities for amusing asides -- Kiely is the narrator of GHOST OF A CHANCE, which is all shown from her point of view.

GHOST OF A CHANCE crosses genres between romantic comedy and cozy, plot-driven mystery, giving it wide appeal. Unanswered questions, new and old, haunt the old East Ellum Theatre and this novel until the final pages. The romance is gentle and still growing as the book ends, leaving a door open for further theatrical adventures...one can only hope.

In this, her debut novel, Ms. Fitzpatrick uses her education and experience in theater arts to provide us with a colorful setting. Her characters are delightful, once they and their various roles are learned. The dialogue is fast-paced and often witty, as one might expect from an author from the theater world. The action flows smoothly from scene to scene and from fun to suspenseful to eerie, and back to fun again.

For a captivating novel that gives readers an inside look behind stage, and has several stories to tell, I recommend GHOST OF A CHANCE.

Jane Bowers Romance Reviews Today

back to the top

PRWeb

Murder, skeletons, and a popcorn-munching spirit create havoc for dancer Kiely Davlin in new romance/mystery Ghost of a Chance.

Ghost of a Chance , by Flo Fitzpatrick, is a humorous, romantic mystery with a splash of paranormal. Set in a Dallas theatre, Ghost of a Chance is the third release in Kensington Publisher's program to promote debut authors. From NY best seller Kasey Michaels: " a wacky cast of characters who deliver three full acts of matchmaking, mayhem...and murder!" RTBOOKClub gives Flo Fitzpatrick's first book four stars. Romance Reviews Today states,"The action flows smoothly from scene to scene and from fun to suspenseful to eerie, and back to fun again." From online reviewer Harriet Klausner: "Anyone who gives Flo Fitzpatrick's book a chance will appreciate this amusing tale."

(PRWEB) August 14, 2004 -- Fifty years ago, actor Don Mueller was shot dead in front of 750 horrified patrons watching melodrama "Bad Business on the Brazos." Rumor has it his spirit haunts the East Ellum Theatre in Dallas Texas.

Five weeks ago, dancer Kiely Davlin was hired to choreograph a new production of Bad Business. It's a busy job. When she's not teaching dances, she's flirting with heroes and villains, dodging near-fatal accidents and tripping over dead bodies and old bones. But this show is far from over. If history repeats itself, Kiely may soon be joining Don Mueller as the theatre's newest ghost.

Performer and choreographer Flo Fitzpatrick lives in New Jersey, but often uses her native Texas as background for her writing. Her second Kensington release, action/romance Hot Stuff, is slated for a May 2005 release. She has another mystery/romance, Sweet Dreams, that will be published through Hilliard and Harris in early 2005. Ms. Fitzpatrick will be signing Ghost of a Chance in Manhattan at NY is Book Country (Oct.2nd and 3rd.) She will be giving a workshop on public speaking at the NJRW Conference in Somerset, NJ (Oct.8th and 9th) and signing for the Book Fair.

More information, reviews, and bio of Flo Fitzpatrick may be found on her website www.floftzpatrick.com.

Ghost of a Chance
ISBN: 0-8217-7750-5, Kensington Zebra, $3.99.
Currently available at Borders, Barnes & Noble, Waldenbooks, Books-a-Million, Walmart and online at all major booksellers.

back to the top

HILARIOUS!, August 11, 2004

Reviewer: Kristi (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews This was, without a doubt, one of the wittiest books I've ever read. Kiely is a fantastic heroine--hilarious, smart, and very 'authentic.' Rafe is an equally-worthy hero--very sexy, too. The clever plot never failed to surprise me with all its twists and turns, and the satisfying end left me laughing AND crying! This is one expertly-crafted, well-cast novel you won't want to miss. Hard to believe it's the author's debut book. I'm eagerly anticipating Ms. Fitzpatrick's next novel!

back to the top

Rob Preece Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com

Review of GHOST OF A CHANCE by Flo Fitzpatrick (see her website)

Zebra Books, August 2004

Kiely Davlin really should be going to New York casting cattle calls, but when her friend Lida Rose is hired to direct a remake of a 100-year-old melodrama, Lida Rose cons Kiely into helping--both as an actress and as choreographer. Kiely knows that Lida Rose has matchmaking plans, but Lida Rose always has matchmaking plans and there's no way Kiely is moving back to Dallas permanently. Still, Lida Rose needs a favor and a paying job sounds like a great way to spend the summer.

Once in Dallas, Kiely discovers that Lida Rose wasn't kidding about the sexy men on the stage--all of them apparently straight. The sexiest of them all is Rafe Montez--who plays the villain and who just might have been typecast--what, exactly, is he doing all that snooping for? Did I say the sexiest? Well, that doesn't include the ghost of the former villain, shot dead in the theater on opening night half a century before, the last time the play was run. That ghost seems interested in Kiely, which would be nice if he wasn't quite so dead--and he didn't need to warn her so often that something terrible was about to happen.

Author Flo Fitzpatrick combines a strong chick-lit and humor feel with paranormal elements and romance to delive a strong story. Her writing kept me smiling as Kiely stumbled from misadventure to misadventure, the play got in worse and worse trouble, and interfering owners, her friend Lida Rose, and curious newspaper reporters glommed onto the so-called curse the play labors under. Fitzpatrick clearly knows and loves the theater and dance, and these elements add richness and texture to the novel.

GHOST OF A CHANCE was a surprisingly mature novel for a first-time novelist. Fitzpatrick doesn't mind breaking the rules (how many times are authors told to stay away from the theater, to keep the hero and heroine on the page at all times, and to definitely ensure that the heroine doesn't do evil things like drink?), but her rulebreaking adds up to a really superior novel. Well done--I'll look forward to reading her next book.

Four Stars

Reviewed 11/22/04

back to the top

Flo Fitzpatrick's Reviews