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REVIEW
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"A charming adult fairy tale"
Almost three millenniums ago, the Fates punish skeptic
Darius for interfering with Eros' task of firing arrows
containing true love to the mortal plane. His sentencing
is to match up one hundred soul mates in love, but he must
do so in a shrimp short-tempered gnome body instead of his
natural handsome hunk figure. After twenty-seven centuries
of being the laughing stock of Mount Olympus, Darius has
one couple to go. Taking his annual one-week vacation in the Idaho Mountains
in which he allowed to return to his normal body, Darius
observes triathlete Ariel Summers calmly struggle to stay
alive during a rock slide. He helps her and takes her to
his cabin, a shocker because the last visitor was Hemingway
over eight decades ago. As they fall in love, Darius
worries that Cupid stealthily shot him. What will happen
to true love when he returns to his gnome form? Perhaps the reigning queen of romantic fantasy, Kristine
Grayson provides her audience with her usual whimsical yet
cute novel. Whether readers find the story line UTTERLY
CHARMING depends on taste because for much of the book
Darius is as anti a hero as a protagonist can be even if he
saves Ariel's life. Instead he is a dumpy grumpy schlump.
On the other hand, Ariel is a courageous soul who goes
after what she wants without worrying about the outer
wrappings. Thus the audience wonders just whom the human
really is. Still the story line is amusing for those
readers who enjoy a contemporary adult fairy tale. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted April 18, 2002
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| SUMMARY |
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Beauty And The Beast...
Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Andrew Vari, and
I'm short (very short), and not exactly handsome. Actually,
that's only partly true. My real name is Darius, and if you
caught a glimpse of my true form, you might just swoon. It
was my arrogance about my looks and magical powers that got
me into this fix. I'm living under a curse the Fates placed
upon me two millennia ago. My penance is to unite a
thousand pairs of soulmates�however long it takes. Here's where things get complicated: You see, I just met
the most amazing woman. Her name is Ariel Summers, and
she's smart, beautiful, athletic...and very mortal. I
should
know�I saved her life. But the whole thing happened when I
was looking way easier on the eyes. I thought she'd never
track me down once I was back in my Andrew Vari "disguise,"
but she did, and now�like it or not�she's in my life. The
problem is, I do like it�and it looks as if she's falling
for me, too...warts and all. I'm so close to completing my
mission�but if finding a "true love" for Ariel is my last
assignment, this job may never get done...
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