Careful What You Wish For: Lucy Finn

A smart lawyer and a practical single mom, Ravine's no dreamer. So when a big, male, and undeniably attractive genie materializes in her kitchen from a puff of smoke, she's not sure if she should pinch herself or call 911. Having someone to cook and babysit definitely comes in handy, but does he have to be so...sexy? Ravine can't afford to be swept away by her feelings, especially for a guy who's been living in a bottle for sixty years. All she has to do is make three wishes and he'll be gone forever, but somehow she's not quite sure what to wish for...

Ravine is stunned when the genie comes out of the bottle that was hidden inside the diaper genie that was given to her. After coming to terms with the fact that Gene the genie is real, she gets to work with rebuilding her life after leaving her high-profile job, becoming a single mother, and moving back home to Northeastern Pennsylvania. Ravine quickly learns that her decisions affect not only herself, but those around her and she begins to realize the things that matter most in life. While all this is happening, she is also riddled with the little genie problem: Not only the wishes, but what to do with Gene himself.

After reading the blurb for this book, I was expecting nothing but cheesiness, but I was glad to be wrong. Yes, you read that right. A woman has just admitted to being wrong. (We do that every once in awhile, you just have to listen to us in order to hear it.) With the elements of family ties and deep roots, the plot was much deeper and well rounded than I had presumed, even with the far-fetched idea of a genie in a bottle.

Another major aspect that brought the book together was the fact that the author wrote about what she knows; an extremely important component for any type of writing. Ms. Finn based much of the story on the dynamics of life in the Back Mountain area of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Living in the area myself, you can imagine my surprise when it became obvious on page one that the story was taking place in my own back yard. I immediately was on a mission to disprove the author's take on life in our little corner of East Bumfuck, USA, but she was spot-on with everything. From the mention of specific roads, to popular local restaurants, local TV personalities to the mannerisms and dialect of coal country folks, she didn't miss a beat. Mixed in with the story, she embodied everything that is life in our neck of the woods, which made the story more authentic to my little backwoods mind.

Added together with a few twists and turns, a little bit of mystery, and a cute romance, all the ingredients make for a tasty read.

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Publisher: Signet (June 5, 2007)
ISBN: 0451221044
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