Diann Hunt's Hot Tropics and Cold Feet ~ Reviewed

Hot Tropics and Cold Feet
By Diann Hunt
Published by WestBow
ISBN-10: 1-59554-193-4

When the going gets tough, the tough hit the beach.

After years of being single, Lily's about to head down the aisle again. But just as she's about to take the plunge, she gets cold feet—ice cold.

To calm her pre-wedding jitters, Lily and her girlfriends take off on a getaway to Siesta Key, Florida. Harkening back to younger days, they stalk Donny Osmond, get tattoos (henna!), and turn the heads of the local studs. But not far from any of their minds are the challenges of midlife: grown children coming home to roost, husbands in midlife crisis mode, and – could it be?—a first-time pregnancy at forty-five?

The "girls" all have their baggage in tow, but the salty air and laughing with friends is just what the doctor ordered—if they can weather the hot flashes until the wedding bells ring!

Diann Hunt keeps getting better and better. I chuckled through Hot Flash and Cold Cream, RV There Yet? held side-splitting moments, but Hot Tropics and Cold Feet has topped them both! I howled with laughter.

When Maggie, Lily, Jill and Louise hit the beach, things start happening. With antics like escaping a resident alligator, parasailing, and rescuing baby sea turtles, you'll laugh your way through this book. I had a hard time putting it down. Part of me wanted to keep turning pages, while the other part told me if I didn't stop soon, I'd turn the last one. And I didn't want it to end. I was having too good of a time with the "girls." But willpower lost the battle and I read it in two sittings. Well I had to get SOME sleep.

Any woman with a group of close girlfriends will see herself in this bunch. What I didn't expect were the tears Hunt elicited from me, when Lily's new husband is moving her away from Charming, Indiana—and Maggie. I've moved away from close girlfriends before, and it brought back sweet memories of long-standing friendships.

From health-nut Jill, wrinkle-free Louise, indecisive Lily to hot-flashing Maggie, these characters truly will leap off the page and into your hearts. Well, maybe leap is too strong a word. Jog? No, not Maggie—too much like exercise. Well, anyway, you know what I mean. You'll love them.

Hot Tropics and Cold Feet receives Novel Reviews top recommendation- a 5 and goes into the line-up for my pick as book of the year for 2007. This one will be hard for anyone else to beat.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com