LIFE ACCORDING TO LUCY

"Life Is Too Short to Date Dull Men" is Lucy Lake's motto, but when this bad boy–loving shopaholic is evicted after one too many shopping sprees, she finds herself leaning on the well-muscled shoulder of good guy Greg Polhemus, the son of her dead mother's gardener. Greg comes in handy when Lucy tries to save her mother's dying roses, and he even offers her a job as office manager at his eco-friendly landscaping business, despite the fact that Lucy is fearful of caring for the environment because "it might involve wearing ugly shoes or doing without certain essential beauty products." Greg is willing to lend a lot more, but Lucy rejects him, knowing he possesses too much integrity to be a bad boy. But when Greg proves that his love for Lucy is stronger than his desire to keep a big client, she comes to realize that good guys have their merits. Myers's tale is as simple and superficial as its heroine, but it's not without charm. The protagonists' chemistry and Lucy's spunk keep this fluffy novel grounded. (Feb.)