Beauty and the Brain [Paperback]

Comet "Bob" is back and the town of Endicott, Indiana is celebrating. Why the comet passes over this town is a mystery, but some still believe in the legend: when someone born in the year of the comet makes a wish when Bob passes over the town, the wish will come true on his next visit. Rosemary wished her nemesis Willis would get "what is coming to him" when she was 15. Now he's back to study the comet-from her attic!! And seeing Willis grown and gorgeous may have what Rosemary really felt for him all those years ago coming back; little did she know he felt the same... (This follows "Bride of the Bad Boy" and precedes "The Virgin and the Vagabond.")

I have read a couple of Bevarly's books, with mixed results, so I selected this one because of the glowing reviews. Now I have to wonder if we were reading the same book. I found this one intolerable.

Willis is, without any doubt, a bully. Had he been handsome in high school, and played on a sports team, he would be firmly acknowledged as a nasty, horrible bully and the fact that he irreparably harms Rosemary's self-esteem and then returns to town 13 years later not at all repentant would have sat in its rightful place. Instead, he is apparently given a pass because he was a "geek" (although it isn't mentioned that he is ever bullied - in fact, Rosemary recognizes that he initiated all of the fights between them), his unkindness is excused by Rosemary, her mother, and her friends. Yuck. When he returns, he picks right up where he left off, tormenting her and making her feel small. The phase continues throughout at least two thirds of the book, until he is established as a thoroughly unlikable man with whom it would be punishment to fall in love or marry. How romantic.

Rosemary is a weak character. I liked her well enough, but the author takes pains to let us know she is not very bright (she doesn't know what "admonition" means and flunks out of community college), but still, she isn't nearly as ignorant as Willis thinks she is. He repeatedly refers to her (in his own head) sub-par intelligence, letting the reader know that he is not only picking on her out loud, he truly harbors these unflattering thoughts about her. But he thinks she's beautiful, even though he knows her intellect could never stimulate him enough to maintain a true relationship, and she is in awe of his genius, and this emotional abuse is apparently the foundation for love.

Halfway through the book, I knew with certainty that I did not want to see the two characters get together. I felt both disgust and pity toward Rosemary for being so sentimental about her bully (there must be a psychological condition to explain why she felt the way she did), and for repeatedly forgiving his treatment of her. Abused women do seem to behave this way, though, so I guess it is believable. I couldn't see how the author could possibly make me desire the connection, which was the only reason I kept reading. In the end, the author failed. Willis supposedly has an enlightening experience that helps him realize that Rosemary has talents outside science (and English), and this excuses him for falling in love with her, and Rosemary continues to be wrapped up in her masochism, so they live happily ever after. It was completely unbelievable, and if I do bend reality enough to believe it, the only explanation is that Rosemary is caught in a cycle of emotional abuse, which is acceptable to her because he occasionally compliments her and they have great chemistry.

The only reason I gave this book two stars instead of one is because, as always, Bevarly has a very nice style of writing. It is particularly superior to the other Harlequin authors I have read - very light, refreshing, detailed, and easy to read. I love the way we get insights into both the male and the female characters' thoughts, and unlike other authors, she returns to the male perspective again and again, instead of just letting us see his thoughts when it is convenient to the storyline. Her characters are very well developed, but so unlikable that I don't know if it matters (see Kit in "My Man Pendleton"), and so I will be giving up on Bevarly's books. I don't want to read another book where I find myself hoping the heroine tells the hero to go jump off a bridge - it defeats the purpose of the romance novel.

2nd. in the Comet Bob trilogy & it's Rosemary's time to get what is coming to her. All 3 stories run parallel with each other, & I can't wait to read Kirby's story next. My one disapointment will be to see this series end, I absolutely love it.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 3 reviews  4.0 out of 5 stars