Cheris Hodges pairs a New York businessman and a Southern entrepreneur in her latest novel, Strategic Seduction. Comparisons between the North and South fly thick and fast, most noticeably when the pair is sampling mouthwatering food. Readers will find themselves craving a trip to Georgia just to visit the restaurants, diners and coffee shops mentioned in this smart contemporary romance.
When Alicia Michaels returns to Atlanta to launch her new PR company, she doesn’t expect to meet the man of her dreams. Especially when said man is newly divorced Richmond Crawford, a wealthy New Yorker and the brother-in-law of one of Alicia’s best friends. Both she and Richmond have plenty to prove—Richmond with his first solo hotel project for the family corporation, and Alicia with the launch of her own firm. Neither is looking for love, and both have an abundance of emotional baggage that makes them cynical and wary.
The novel’s supporting cast of characters includes a group of hilarious, successful girlfriends whom Alicia considers sisters. They worry about her dating a man who’s so recently divorced, and given the scheming nature of Richmond’s ex, it’s soon clear the friends have cause for concern. The reappearance of his avaricious ex-wife heightens the tension and further threatens the couple’s hopes for a happy ending. In the end, however, a loving future is more dependent on Alicia conquering her own insecurities than a threat from any outside force. When unexpected news shocks Alicia and Richmond, both will have to face life-changing choices before they can finally put their pasts to rest and embrace a bright tomorrow.
Lois Dyer writes from her home in Port Orchard, Washington.
