Love Goddesses

Cleopatra Murphy gives up on the quest for love to forge a cosmetics empire, while Mona Lisa Lefkowitz hides a scandalous secret from her sweetheart, and Helen DiLorio finds her well-ordered world shaken by a stranger from her past, in a trio of romance tales

This anthology has three contemporary romances. The heroine in each story is named after a historical figure. Tickle My Fancy is by Rebecca Paisley. Cleopatra Murphy runs a beauty salon from her garage in Snyder's Dock, Georgia. She talks like a backwater, small town hick; her make up is hideous pink eye shadows and her clothing style is pure polyester. One day she is urged to go to a make-up convention in New York. She totally misunderstands the purpose of the convention, and immediately gets tossed out on her ear. Cleopatra catches a glimpse of Mr. M. Anthony Mazzini, a vice president of Dresden Cosmetics and she persuades a bellhop to roll her up in a carpet and deliver her to Mr. Mazzini's suite. Quickly she makes her pitch, and begins to apply her home made beauty cream to the face of a top model and instantly they see a difference in her skin. Mr. Mazzini wants Cleopatra's recipe. They also see a beautiful woman under that garish makeup who would make a beautiful model. Mr. Mazzini wines and dines Cleopatra, working up to ask her for a list of the ingredients. He realizes he wants her more than the recipe but not before Cleopatra finds out what his motives are. Disillusioned, Cleopatra returns home but Mark Anthony is hot on her trail. Helen Delorio hails from Troy, New York. She was once married to Alexandros Paristeri and they have a son, Nicky. Alex does prison time for a boating accident that resulted in death, and while in prison, he has a traumatic experience. After his release from prison their marriage falls apart. Helen loved Alex but she was hurt when he walked out on her, and she was unable to understand what happened to change him. Helen is about to marry his older brother, but Nicky calls his father to come to Seattle to try to reconcile one more time. Alex arrives right before the wedding and he and Nicky kidnap Helen, spiriting her off on a sleek yatch. Alex always has and always will love Helen, and she him. The chemistry and feelings are still there, stronger than ever. Nicky runs the vessel aground and destroys it, and Alex's dreams - he has nothing to offer Helen. But she has something for him! Myth and Magic: Helen of Troy, New York is by Paula Detmer Riggs. The last story, When Mona Lisa Smiles, is by Carol Buck. Mona Lisa Lefkowitz is the black sheep of the family and she never measures up to her parents expectations. In her junior year of college she goes to Paris and befriends an artist who paints a nude portrait of her. Almost ten years later, Mona Lisa meets Adam David Hirsh. He comes to her aid after her purse has been snatched and he is immediately attracted to her. They establish an ongoing friendship that changes when he asks her out for their first real date and they become lovers, promising to be completely honest with each other. Then the portrait of Mona Lisa appears in the New York Times and Adam goes ballistic - she wasn't completely honest with him as she conveniently forgot to tell him about this part of her life. But then he sees her on television, sees Mona Lisa smile, and he knows that that is the woman he loves and wants to marry, but will she have anything to do with him?These contemporary Love Goddesses have sparkling personalities, a sense of purpose and they are just as impressive as the women they were named after! Ancient Love Goddesses are transposed into spirited, 1990's flesh and blood women! The title itself, Love Goddesses, is impelling, the heroines names are intriguing and each individual author has ingeniously penned an alluring romance! Three terrifically talented authors have cleverly created sassy and fiery females who live up to their ancient goddess namesakes!Gloria Miller -- Copyright © 1994-97 Literary Times, Inc. All rights reserved -- From Literary Times