Herself

Publishers Weekly

Forty-year-old Tessa Craig has been Congressman David Weyburn's speechwriter by day and lover by night for three years. So after David dumps her (he says he needs to be alone), she takes a short trip to Dublin and realizes she'd fallen in love with the "magical semi-fiction" of David's dashing public persona (that, as his speechwriter, she'd helped create). She also quickly finds another man: Jamie Doyle, a fisherman who alternately cracks one-liners and drops kernels of Yeatsian wisdom. Although Carroll (Spin Doctor) throws obstacles in the way, she leaves no doubt that Tessa and Jamie are fated—never mind that Tessa is a lapsed Jew and Jamie has a ferociously possessive and traditionally Catholic mother, Maureen. Jamie follows Tessa back to New York, and the story culminates in Tessa's run for David's congressional seat after he's sidelined by a heart attack. Politics proves punishing, especially after Maureen and Jamie's sister arrive on Tessa's Manhattan doorstep to reclaim Jamie and the New York Postpublishes steamy excerpts from Tessa's purloined diary. Though Carroll tends to let her scenes run on too long, her endearingly quirky cast and (mostly) snappy dialogue should keep readers rooting for Tessa up to the tears-of-joy ending. (Mar.)

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Kirkus Reviews

Successful speechwriter freshly jilted by her politician lover has her life transformed by a soulful man she meets on an Irish vacation. As the most devoted player on Congressman David Weyburn's reelection team, Tessa Craig can be counted on for her discretion. She has come to accept her behind-the-scenes roles, both as David's head speechwriter and his secret girlfriend. But when a scandal regarding David's sexuality erupts, followed by a health scare, he breaks it off with Tessa romantically, while retaining her as an employee. Devastated, she books a trip to Dublin, hoping for some time to think. On day one, she meets Jamie Doyle, a fisherman and Star Trek fanatic who shows her the Emerald Isle. The two grow close, with a smitten Jamie opening his heart to her in ways the narcissistic David never could. Their affair hits a snag when David shows up to woo Tessa back, only to dump her again. When Tessa returns to New York, Jamie follows and crashes on her couch. Once nested, he shows no interest in moving to his own place. Instead, he finds a job and takes steps toward fulfilling his dream of owning a pub-and pretty soon Tessa falls for him. Their domestic bliss is compromised by the arrival of his mother, Maureen, and sister Brigid-a fledgling nun. Maureen is determined to bring her 40-year-old son back to Ireland, and away from his Jewish lady friend. Meanwhile, David suffers a heart attack, prompting Tessa to run for his political seat. Tessa juggles Jamie, his family and her political opponent as the story moves toward a warm and fuzzy election-night finale. Carroll (Spin Doctor, not reviewed, etc.) overreaches in her exploration of political and cultural hot-button issues, but theupbeat romance is right on.