A steamy excerpt from a historical romance novel penned by the protagonist of this contemporary romance sets the pace for another lively romp by George (The Devil's Due, etc.). When wealthy British sex scientist Dexter Harrington offers New York novelist Mallory Ginelli a handsome wage to travel to England and assist him with a project on human sexuality, Mallory accepts. She needs the money to pay off her sister's latest round of gambling debts, but what she doesn't dare tell Dexter is that she has no firsthand experience with men. All of the sexy love scenes in her books come from her imagination. Unfortunately, Dexter, who is due to marry his fiancée, hasn't a clue how to please a woman, and he's counting on Mallory to instruct him. In the process of teaching the good professor the fundamentals of seduction, Mallory inevitably falls in love with him. There's lots of the usual romance-style action, perky dialogue and sassy characters in this effervescent offering, but a grim confession involving childhood sexual abuse toward the end casts a shadow over what is essentially a pleasant, lighthearted read. (Apr.)
