Loose Screws

Loose Screws is the latest from veteran romance novelist Karen Templeton (Plain-Jane Princess). When Ginger Petrocelli's groom-to-be doesn't show up for their wedding, it's just the beginning of her problems. Her boss is murdered and the business goes under with him, leaving Ginger out of a job; the woman she sublets an apartment from decides she wants it back. A fire in her new building forces a reluctant Ginger to move in with her good-hearted but taxing mother, Nedra, and batty grandmother Nonna. Despite all this, Ginger somehow manages to keep from cracking up, with the help of her cousin Shelby, good friend Terrie, and Nick, a handsome cop with whom she had a fling years ago. The novel bustles with characters and surprises, including one very unexpected pregnancy. The chummy, conversational tone (""don't look at me like that, I give to charity, jeez"") can be grating at times, but overall, it's hard not to hope that things in Ginger's screwy world turn out for the best.