You'll Be Mine In 99 The 100-Year Itch

Rating:
Summary: plenty of amusement and appealing romances
Review: "You'll be Mine in 99" by Jennifer Drew. Hiho, Ohio celebrates the town's centennial birthday with gala events including a beauty pageant. Though he detests his hometown, Joel Carter, ancestor of Hiho's founders, is the guest of honor. His employer Big Bert, owner of Vision Motors, decides that Katy Sloane is the perfect spokes person for a new vehicle, but the librarian refuses to enter the pageant whose winner will gain the car deal. When Katy and Joel learn that the hundredth birth date is next year, he blackmails her into entering the beauty contest. Joel and Katy fall in love, but can he persuade the small town librarian that they belong together? The Drew duo draws an amusing romantic romp that will remind readers of The Music Man.

"The 100 Year Itch" by Holly Jacobs. One week before Hiho's centennial celebration, Zoe Wallace works long and hard to insure success festivities happen while running the town's newspaper. Erie, Pennsylvania TV news reporter Theodore "Mace" Mason wants to cover big city news instead of "feely good" events like the Hiho gala, but that is where his boss sends him. Zoe and Mace meet and soon jointly investigate a rumor that instead of the "100 Year Itch" they are falling in love in 99. However he desires big city reporting and she fled his dream journalism for small town living. Ms. Jacobs provides a charming romance filled with plenty of laughs.

Both tales represent exactly what Duets has been all about as each contains plenty of amusement, delightful lead and support characters, and appealing romances; just avoid the Hiho beauty parlor.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: You'll Be Mine in '99
Review: Courtesy of Love Romances

Hiho, Ohio is celebrating its centennial with festivities galore, beginning with the beauty pageant. What no one knows is that Hiho is really only 99 years old and if word leaked out, the town would be crushed.

Joel Carter is the great great grandchild of Hiho's founders, Hiram and Hortense Hump. He is representing his ancestors by presiding over events as the guest of honor. He's also a man on a mission: his boss, Big Bert, owner of the up and coming Vision Motors, is looking for a spokesmodel for his new vehicle, the Incline. Joel has no desire to be there, for he positively despises small towns. He grew up moving from small town to small town, always being "the new kid" and the brunt of all the bullies taunting and abuse. Hiho brings back those bad memories for him, and he has no desire to be there for two weeks, preferring the hustle and bustle of big city life. Until he sees her...

Katy Sloane is the children's librarian for the town, and a volunteer on the pageant committee. When Bert sees her, he is determined she is the perfect woman to represent his new vehicle, and commands Joel to see that she wins. Unfortunately for Joel, Katy has no desire to compete, finding beauty competitions to be insulting and demeaning to women. She much prefers her simple small town life and her job at the library.

Joel's got his work cut out for him, trying to figure out how to convince Katy to compete. When the two of them discover Hiho's real age, Katy promises to compete if Joel will keep the secret about the town. Though he feels slightly guilty over her reasons for entering the pageant, she volunteered, so he isn't above using that to his benefit.

Joel takes on the job of being Katy's coach, pleased at the opportunity to spend more time with her. However, neither counted on one of the fringe benefits of their forced closeness... falling in love. Katy is convinced Joel only wants her to win because he thinks her unattractive, like the "butt-ugly" vehicle she'd be representing. He is reluctant because of her strong ties to the town that epitomizes everything he hates. So how does he convince Katy he truly loves her, knowing he could never agree to stay, or her to leave?

This was a delightful story! The writing duo that is Jennifer Drew, has penned a comical story that one will love to read. Joel and Katy are enchanting characters, as are the whole town. From Edna the gym teacher to loud Petey the car salesman, from "mature" contestant Sadie to cute Brandi and her domineering mother, the whole town is full of people the reader can't help but care for... people. Hiho is a lovely town, so characteristic of small towns all over the country.

This tale has everything the Harlequin Duets line is known for, making it a perfect choice to be included in the landmark 100th volume. If one loves sparkling wit and humor, lively characters and fun stories, this is a prime choice! This story is this reviewer's first glimpse of Jennifer Drew's work, but it certainly won't be the last.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, March 2003. All rights reserved.

Rating:
Summary: The Hundred Year Itch
Review: It is the week before Hiho, Ohio's huge centennial celebration. Zoe Wallace, formerly of New York City, who came to Hiho in search of happiness and less stress in her life, is the Chairperson of the committee organizing activities. She is busy working hard to make things run smoothly and really doesn't have the time to show around a visiting news reporter, but agrees to do so, as long as it does not interfere with her responsibilities to the committee and running the town's weekly newspaper, The Herald.

Theodore "Mace" Mason is feeling hindered in his job as a news reporter for TV channel, WMAC "where nice news matters," in Erie, PA, and longs for the bigger and brighter opportunities only available to him in a big city. The last thing he wants is to spend a week in a hodunk town like Hiho (founded by Hiram and Hortense Hump of Erie, PA), reporting on something as insignificant to him as its centennial. Mace's boss is adamant that he covers the celebration, and the preparations leading up to it, also using Hiram as the subject of the next edition in his documentary series, "Chronicles."

Mace goes reluctantly, planning to use the week to evaluate his options for what direction he wants his career to take. Then he meets Zoe, complete with her "big" teased hair and horrendous makeup (the result of a makeover she grudgingly agreed to for one of the beauty shops in town). The entire time they are talking, he uses all of his willpower not to even crack a smile at the image before him, winning Zoe's respect when he doesn't poke fun at her appearance... until she overhears him insult her adopted home.

Zoe doesn't like Mace's attitude, even though she finds herself attracted to him. She captivates him, in spite of the fact she is just a small-town woman, the antithesis to what he always thought he wanted. They are thrown together when it is brought to Zoe's attention that Hiho may not be 100 years old after all, but actually 99, which would have a huge negative impact on the local library and college, who are counting on funding to be granted from the Pawley Trust, upon the town's centennial. Zoe and Mace have to work together to find the answer, even tough they are not quite sure how each other will handle it. Attraction grows between them, but they wonder if anything can come of it because of their conflicting views.

As always, this story is another winner for Ms. Jacobs. The Hundred Year Itch is full of everything indicative of her personal style and flair. There are loveable characters that come to life, a charming storyline, and an abundance of the humor one has come to associate with Holly Jacobs' books.

Zoe and Mace are a perfect match for each other, their respective personalities complementary, while providing plenty of conflict as they try to understand each other's dreams. The town of Hiho is populated with colorful characters like the cloak-and-dagger prone Bertram, sisters Cora and Ida MacIntosh who are infamous for their apple pie, and disgruntled over the selection of the toothless Tom Walters as judge for the festival bake-off. In addition, how can one forget Jed, the love struck bull?

Be forewarned though; take care in when and where choosing to read this amusing tale, or the reader may find oneself bursting with laughter at rather inopportune moments. This reviewer speaks from experience - having done just that at a business conference. Rush out and buy this book today! There is certainly no danger of disappointment in that. Kelley A. Hartsell, March 2003.

Rating:
Summary: Terrific Duet! Very highly recommended
Review: YOU'LL BE MINE IN '99 by Jennifer Drew: The mother/daughter writing team of Barbara Andrews and Pam Hanson pen another amusing romp with YOU'LL BE MINE IN '99. Their zany style sparkles as Hiho, Ohio gears up for their centennial celebration. Joel Carter, the great-great grandchild of Hiho's founders presents proof that Hiho is only 99 years old. He despises small towns, but must be present to fulfill work obligations. He doesn't realize that the possibility of loss of funds to this year's budget threaten both the town's library and the nearby college's building plan.

Further, Joel's job is on the line. Vision Motors is sponsoring a beauty pageant in conjunction with the town's centennial celebration. The winner of the pageant will become the spokesperson for their new SUV, called the Incline. Librarian Katy Sloan thinks the Incline, which she nicknames the Decline, is the ugliest vehicle she has ever seen; moreover she is not participating in the pageant. But when Joel's boss sees her, he wants Katy for Vision's spokesperson. But Katy thinks beauty contests are demeaning and insulting. Nevertheless, Joel's proof of 99 years might just be enough to convince her to participate when the alternative is to loose her job to economics.

As small town heroine and big city hero clash, readers will enjoy the comical result. Characters spring to life with remarkable vividness. Be careful where you read this novel. I happened to be in [my local bookstore], and other patrons were startled by my unmistakable giggles. YOU'LL BE MINE IN '99 is definitely one of Jennifer Drew's best!

THE HUNDRED YEAR ITCH by Holly Jacobs: Jacobs picks up perfectly where writing duo Jennifer Drew leaves off, continuing the small town saga of the centennial celebration. Often readers feel a bit of disconnection when moving between authors, particularly when the town and theme are shared. In this case, Jacobs captures the flavor of Hiho, Ohio perfectly, continuing with favored characters and creating a few of her own.

In the week before Hiho, centennial celebration, Zoe Wallace finds herself the Chairperson of the committee organizing activities. Between finding judges with teeth and preventing judges biases, she finds herself showing around a visiting news reporter. Theodore "Mace" Mason feels limited by his reporting job TV channel, WMAC "where nice news matters," in Erie, PA. He longs for the hard bite of real news, and this small "podunk" town detour is irritably unwelcome. When he meets Zoe Wallace, Mace does not bat a lash at her outrageous makeover, earning him a gentleman reputation. But he will be treading heavily on that reputation if he reports his discovery of a small town conspiracy to conceal the flawed dates regarding the centennial celebration.

When she overhears Mace's podunk reference, Zoe does not like his attitude even while she fights their growing attraction. Mace likewise finds Zoe enchanting, but knows at the end of the week he will be returning to big city life. Soon, however, their mutual concern over the legality of the town's centennial celebration forces them to work together. The Pawley Trust pays off when the town celebrates the centennial, and for it to fall through now would be incredibly devastating. Conflicting views and a need to trust lend Mace's and Zoe's attraction a dynamic and fiery element.

If she could not set the tale in Erie, Pennsylvania like the rest of her novels, then Jacobs simply brings a sexy hero from Erie to Hiho, Ohio. The result is the wildly amusing read readers have come to expect from this terrific author. Zoe and Mace compliment each other nicely, even as they struggle with virtually overwhelming conflicts. Secondary characters likewise provide humor, especially with the geriatric baton twirling grandma and the toothless Tom Walters who won't wear dentures even if the pie has nuts.

The simple joy of creation shared by authors Drew and Jacobs makes this collection sparkle with every word. They very obviously had a great time creating Hiho and its memorable citizens. Consequently, this Duets comes very highly recommended!