A Crazy Kind of Love: Mike's Story (Marconi Sisters Series) by Maureen Child

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
This second installment in Maureen Child's Marconi Sisters trilogy -- after And Then Came You -- tells the story of Michaela "Mike" Marconi, the best and cutest plumber in Chandler, California. Mike has spent the summer moonlighting as an unwanted critic in Lucas Gallagher's dream house, changing everything from paint to cabinet pulls, since it's on the property where she always wanted to build her own dream house. Gallagher, an emotionally guarded scientist, finds this intrusive, opinionated, maddening female plumber just too much...to resist. Child develops their physical attraction into something much more, as these two grown-up characters, each with their own set of issues, come to terms with family secrets and disasters, and with each other. The secondary characters are beautifully drawn in this heartwarming contemporary romance with an appealing small-town setting. Ginger Curwen

From the Publisher

Lucas Gallagher is the geek who bought the land Michaela "Mike" Marconi wanted for her dream house. She thinks he's infuriating, annoying and totally rude. Yet, he gets to her more than any other man ever has. But though Lucas may be a scientist, he's the rock star of scientists. His inventions have made him millions, his research is reshaping the study of medicine and he holds patents for numerous technological marvels. But now, when it means everything, he's failed. His younger brother, the family's 'golden child' is dying of cancer and Lucas, despite his brilliance, can't help him. In Chandler, he tries to hide from the world he knows.

Mike tried running away from her problems when she was a kid. When her mother lay dying, Mike ran. When her world crumbled, Mike hid. And she's learned that the only way to win is to stand your ground and keep trying. She doesn't understand what Lucas is talking about half the time, but she knows exactly what he's feeling. And while criticizing his complete lack of architectural ability, and remaking the house he's trying to build, Mike finds herself slipping into Lucas Gallagher's life.

She wakes him up and he shakes her up: the two of them are complete opposites, and nothing can keep them apart. Until Lucas's brother Justin comes home to die.

Publishers Weekly

An author of 75 books in various genres (paranormals, Victorians, Wild West romances, etc.), Child is at her most charming in the contemporary romance series that began with 2004's And Then Came You: Sam's Story, the first in a trilogy about the three Marconi daughters (all workers in their family construction business) and involving several emotionally volatile-and very funny-Italian families in the fictional all-American town of Chandler, Calif. This second installment follows ace plumber Michaela "Mike" Marconi, who's a wisecracking extrovert professionally but mysteriously skittish about long-term love relationships. When equally career-driven scientist Lucas Gallagher buys what a miffed Mike considers her personal dream house, she inserts herself into his house-planning with what the "Rocket Man" considers infuriating confidence, but shies away almost pathologically from their growing mutual attraction. In truth, there's little suspense about the pair's personal secrets and, title notwithstanding, nothing particularly crazy about their love. But it's sassy repartee, not psychological depth, that's the plot's strong point; as a lighthearted read that's as heavy on humor and warmth as it is light on complexity (aside from subplots involving four additional love relationships), the book is a frothy delight. (Jan.) FYI: Child also writes under the pen names Ann Carberry, Sarah Hart and Kathleen Kane. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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