Where Is He Now? (Avon Romance Series) by Jennifer Greene

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
Where do the men who dump you go, and why did they do it in the first place? That's still the burning question for Jeanne Claire Cassiday -- once voted Most Popular and Most Beautiful -- as she approaches her 15th high school reunion. Jeanne, the heroine of Jennifer Greene's delightful new romance, is determined to find out why high school sweetheart Nate Donneli (Most Likely to Succeed) left her high-and-dry years ago. She's surprised to find him running his father's vintage car business, with a teenage daughter in tow. As Jeanne and her best friend, Tamara Whitley (Best Musician), plan the reunion with the help of Arnold Grafton (Best Brain), they are all forced to confront the meaning of lost dreams and unfulfilled expectations. Ginger Curwen

From the Publisher

Where do the men who dump you go?

What is it with the men who are all over you one day and leaving you the next? No one has more reason to wonder than Jeanne Claire Cassiday. After all, Nate Donneli left her with nothing more than a note!

Now, years later, it's class reunion time -- and Jeanne is determined to get to the bottom of things. Of course, she's moved on -- she wears a suit to work, she's had dates galore…but a woman's got the right to know! So she tracks Nate down, and is shocked to discover that those kisses of his still leave her weak with desire.

But one thing is different: the old Jeanne allowed Nate to call the shots. Now it's time for Jeanne to take control of her love life, because no man -- not even one as irresistible as Nate -- is going to walk out on her again.

Publishers Weekly

Those who enjoy Jennifer Crusie's intelligent romantic capers should give Greene's latest contemporary romance (after The Woman Most Likely To...) a test drive. When Jeanne Claire Cassiday's 15-year high school reunion looms on the horizon, she realizes it's the perfect chance to learn why her long-ago sweetheart, Nate Donneli, dumped her in a tersely worded letter only a few months after graduation. If she can understand the reason behind this turning point, she figures she might be able to understand why she made poor choices in the following years and lost her idealism. For Nate, Jeanne Claire's reappearance brings back memories of the optimistic kid he used to be and revives the lust and love that he felt for her years earlier. Though the cover copy suggests that the book's title refers to hunting down old boyfriends, its deeper meaning reflects the protagonists' search for the dreamers they used to be-and the people they want to be again. Greene's crisp, pulls-no-punches humor hits the funny bone every time, and her characters' introspective personalities and yearning to be better people will endear them to readers. (Dec.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

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Read a Sample Chapter

Chapter One

Monday, March 29
9:17 A.M.

She was the sexiest thing to pop up in his driveway in a long, looonnggg time.

Nate Donneli stopped short in front of the window, a mug of cold coffee halfway to his mouth. He'd come to work in a snarly Monday mood. Lately he couldn't sleep because of a building personal crisis -- which he was doing his best to deny by charging into work before dawn. Unfortunately, that lack of sleep had added up. He had a shark of a headache. The weather was as precarious as his temper; Ann Arbor kept promising spring, but the wind out there was bitter and mean. Still. Even a hardcore workaholic had to lighten up for something like this.

Man. Lately he felt as if he'd lived ninety hard years instead of thirty-three, but one look at the view out the window made him remember the kick of adolescent hormones, the sizzle of pure hungry lust, that brief, wicked time in a guy's life when he'd have happily died for sex. At least when the sex was worth it.

He didn't know exactly what she was worth, but right then he didn't care about the cost. Just for the opportunity to look at her, his heart started thumping and his pulse did a boogie-woogie. Charlie even stood to attention, and Charlie had been too bogged down by life problems lately to even think about getting a hard-on.

Aw, to hell with work. Nate plunked down his coffee mug, grabbed a jacket against the freezing March morning, and hiked outside to get a closer look at her.

A businessman was standing at her side, dressed in a wool business coat and briefcase, but Nate didn't waste time on the guy.

She was even sexier close up. Oooh, baby. Not everyone could wear that pale, creamy yellow, but on her it was a layer of elegance on a creature who was already in a class of her own. His eyes did more than admire. His eyes ... caressed ... with abandon.

Her rump was a perfect smooth slope, her hips exquisitely rounded. Even though she was standing still, you just knew how she'd move -- fast and smooth, as if she owned the world. As if she knew there wasn't a man in the universe who could ignore her. As if she could bring any male to his knees without half trying.

Nate circled her, slowly, not caring if the whole damn world saw his tongue hanging out or how close he was to drooling.

He'd always been a breast man, and her headlights were exquisite. Not too big, not too small, just show-off just right, absolutely perfect for her build and size. Come to think of it, he'd probably always been a bumper man, too, because he couldn't stop himself from wandering back for another view of her ass ... and it was breathtaking. No top. He barely had to angle his head to see all that naked leather trim, which was especially striking next to all that soft, creamy yellow. There were some dazzling spikes on her wheels, but not so much jewelry that it took away from the original body -- and it was an original body.

Nate might have been celibate for a while, but he still knew when a body had been bumped up and rehabbed. This one was the real McCoy, sleek and classy from stem to stern, no fakery or flim-flam of any kind.

"I'm in love," he said to the suit, who laughed.

"Stand in line."

"She looks virgin."

"She is."

"Where in God's name did you find her?"

"An old man's estate in Scotland. She was hiding in a back room. Been pampered and protected her whole life in every way."

"I can see that. I can't believe you're here to sell her -- "

"I'm not. But as I'm sure you already noticed, she's missing her hood ornament. She's so close to perfect that it really bugs me, and I was told that you're the man. From East Coast to West Coast, there's supposed to be no other antique car man even close to your reputation. Think you can come through for me?"

"If your hood ornament exists on the planet, I'll get it for you." Nate wasn't concerned with the job, not yet. He met the stranger's eyes. "Would you mind if I touched her?" When the suit didn't immediately agree, he said, "Trust me, I'd shoot myself before hurting her. In fact, I'll volunteer to kill any guy who put a fingerprint on her."

The stranger relaxed. "Yeah. I can see you've got the right kind of respect. Open the hood."

He did. Reverently. Getting his fingers that close to her private parts was better than being fifteen and touching his first girlfriend's breast -- even if it had been in a trainer bra stuffed with Kleenex. There was no padding anywhere on this baby. She was pure, beautifully made sports car. "A 1936 Model Sprite, isn't she?"

"Yup. And damn. You're the first one who actually knew the year."

Nate ignored the compliment. He wasn't showing off. He was savoring. "Right before the Nuffield takeover. That's when Riley was making these sports cars. Who'd have thought the Brits had this much passion in them? I'll bet she purrs when she's lubed just right."

"She'll do anything for you," the stranger affirmed.

The loudspeaker suddenly boomed, "Mr. Donneli! Telephone! Line 34!"

Hell. The vacation moment was over. Line 34 was his private line, which meant it could be his daughter, Caitlin -- which could mean WWIII. He had to take the call. Nate carefully lowered the hood ...