I’m ducking my head in shame because this is the first Lisa Plumley book I have read.  I know, I must have been living in a cave (or at least drowning myself in historical romances) not to have discovered this author a long time ago.  Let’s just say that I’m hastily jotting down this author’s backlist for my next trip to the bookstore because this one was so delightful.

Marley Madison is a Hollywood has-been.  Washed up.  On the downhill slide.  Finito.  As the starlet of a long-running, but cancelled, series, Marley can’t break the typecasting mold.  In order to jump start her career again, her agent suggests that she reinvent herself by appearing on a reality game show called “Dream Date”.  Here, she will turn herself into someone completely different, unrecognizable, in order to market herself anew.  At the end of the show, she will reveal to the world (and Hollywood, mostly) that she can be something new and different by revealing her true identity and thus showcasing her true acting abilities.

Jake Jarvis is a former baseball player.  Having made it all the way to the Big Leagues, he gave up his dream for a simple life with his son.  Now a sportscaster for a local television show, Jake’s promotional director tells him in no uncertain terms that he will help his image and their ratings to appear on “Dream Date”.  With an offer he can’t refuse he doesn’t expect to meet up with a beautiful brunette who sizes him up by the coffee he drinks. He can’t help being intrigued, even though there is no way he can be paired up with someone who doesn’t like kids.

Marley, now Carly, knows she has to stay away from Jake, and even asked to not get paired with him.  Did they listen?  No.  Her cover is the least of her concerns after a brief date to the petting zoo where Jake trusts her to fend for herself during a goat’s snack attack.  Later, when Marley realizes that her heart has been lost, she must make a critical decision that will either spell the end of her career or destroy Jake’s; and her heart along with it.