cover image American Diva

American Diva

Julia London, . . Berkley Sensation, $14 (314pp) ISBN 978-0-425-21564-7

London's luscious latest (after Material Girl ) provides prime escapist material that's perfect for anyone who reads tabloids in supermarket check-out lines to see who's breaking up or hooking up. Audrey Larue's a talented Texas songbird who becomes a supernova stuck with a controlling boyfriend, “second-rate musician” Lucas Bonner, a greedy entourage and a needy white trash family. After meeting extreme outdoorsman/stuntman (and military vet) Jack Price, Audrey and Lucas hire him to oversee security for her summer concert tour. He's got eyes for Audrey (as does she, quietly, for him), and the love triangle that develops is eclipsed in drama only by a creepy, vampire-fetishist stalker who's making death threats against Audrey. This is a great one to throw in the beach bag. (Aug.)