PLAIN JANE REVIEW - Fern Michaels Kensington ISBN: 1-57566-673-1 March 2001 Contemporary Romance Rayne, Louisiana Jane never felt loved by her mother, who always called her ugly and said she was ashamed of her. As a teenager Jane was overweight, shy and frumpy and never gained the attention of boys. In college she makes friends with the most popular girl in school only to live through a great tragedy with her that haunts Jane for years to come. That tragedy contributes to her becoming a successful psychotherapist with her own radio show. Jane buys a beautiful old mansion and looks forward to restoring it to its former beauty, but the one thing missing from her life is someone to share it with besides her dog, Olive. Jane is as surprised as anyone when her high school crush walks back into her life. Psychotherapist Michael Sorenson agrees to help Jane on a difficult case and learns she bought the mansion he had his eye on. Jane tells him she heard it was haunted, and this piques Mike's interest. The two investigate the spirits that seem to haunt the house and grounds, growing closer as time goes by. Mike makes Jane feel like the most beautiful woman in the world and encourages her to follow her dreams. PLAIN JANE is brimming with likable characters, mystery, life choices and romance. Jane is successful but insecure about herself and must overcome the burden of guilt she has carried around since college. Mike is patient, understanding and knows what he is looking for in life. The two make a marvelous couple and it is wonderful to watch their love unfold. The secondary characters enhance the story, especially Jane's godmother, Trixie, who entertains from the moment she appears on the canvas. The characters work well together and the story flows smoothly. Jane's relationship with her dog is amusing at times and I could just picture the dog sitting there staring when Jane talks to her. PLAIN JANE is an emotionally compelling story that readers have come to expect from Ms. Michaels. This book will keep you turning pages well into the night. I highly recommend PLAIN JANE! Carol Durfee Romance Reviews Today Back to Chapter One Main Page newsflash / biography / bookshelf / contest my latest / complete list / my favorites / my suggestions chapter one / series list / my publisher / my blog / site map / contact Copyright ©1997-2008 by First Draft, Inc. All rights reserved.