Dreaming of You

Francis Ray
St. Martin's Paperbacks (2006)
ISBN 0312939736
Reviewed by Joanne Benham for Reader Views (10/06)

Brandon Grayson celebrated his 31st birthday feeling pretty good about himself.  His infamous matchmaking Mama, who had already waved her magic wand over his two older brothers, had not managed to marry him off yet.  But he knew he was next on her list and he needed to take some evasive action.  But what could he do?  He couldn’t be rude to his mother, he loved and respected her too much for that.  Then suddenly the answer hit him.  He just needed Faith.  Yep, his old buddy Faith McBride would be the perfect answer.

Sweet little Faith, younger sister of his best friend Cameron, didn’t date much.  Brandon could never figure that out.  Sure Faith was a little overweight, but she was extremely intelligent and a beautiful woman to boot.  What was wrong with the men of Santa Fe?  But Faith was his friend, someone he had always befriended, even back in high school. When none of the other boys asked her to the school dances, Brandon always stepped up and they had a good time.  She was safe to be around and his Mama would never think of trying to get them together.

So, thought Faith, Cameron wanted to use her for protection against his mother, Ruth Grayson.  Well, she’d be glad to help but she had a personal agenda of her own…to make Brandon fall in love with her.  And after some careful thinking and plotting, she came up with the perfect plan.  Now all she needed was a little bit of luck and she would have her heart’s desire. 

The luck came sooner than she could have hoped when Brandon’s bathroom developed a leaky pipe and he lost all the water in his flat.  Well, he knew just what to do.  His little friend Faith just happened to be part-owner and the executive manager of the Casa de Serenidad Hotel.  Faith would give him a bedroom.  Oh yes, Faith thought, I’ll give him a bedroom.

This book, “Dreaming of You,” is a wonderfully romantic read.  You’ll fall in love with the characters, from the crusty old plumber, Mr. Montgomery, to Blade Navarone, a man with a tragic past who’ll do anything to help Faith achieve her dream.  I can’t wait to order the two previous books in the series.

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