Fooling Around

Sexual sparks fly off the page, but the lack of chemistry or connection torpedoes this tepid contemporary romance. Eric Vincent, a wealthy former football player and video game designer, believes that every person has a price, and he can get whatever he wants by throwing money at it. After he breaks his leg in a skiing accident, he wants mousy Julie Nelson to move in and take care of him during his recuperation. Julie is grieving after her mother's death and at loose ends on what to do with her life, but she's simultaneously shocked and repulsed by Eric's arrogant assumption that she'll take the job. A million dollars is a lot of money, so it's natural that Julie finally relents, but it strains credulity when she rapidly goes from reluctantly acting as Eric's impersonal assistant to being embroiled in a red-hot affair with someone she doesn't like. There is very little in the nature of friendship or growing intimacy before they wind up in bed. Eric is a jerk to everyone, so his treatment of Julie is not a surprise. His sweet moments are so few he never feels three-dimensional. Julie may be a people-pleaser, but she is a doormat with Eric. Readers will be disappointed by this bland fare. (May)