White Hot (Pocket Books Romance)

The suspense stays light, the romance central, in this contemporary novel of romantic suspense set along Florida's Gold Coast, where investigative reporter Jeremiah Tabak suspects his onetime lover Mollie Lavender of attending elegant charity parties in order to snitch expensive jewels from the rich and famous. Ten years ago, Jeremiah and Mollie had a torrid one-week affair that ended when Jeremiah sent her packing, convinced that their destinies lay elsewhere. Now Mollie is back, running her own publicity firm and determined to avoid reliving the past. But intrigue and desire ensure that she and Jeremiah remain in close contact, facing some increasingly nasty skullduggery. Colorful secondary characters--including an ancient chain-smoking gossip columnist and a trio of old-geezer neighbors--enrich the relationship between cynical, laid-back Jeremiah and smart, independent Mollie, who both have reached that place in life where they may be looking for something more. Neggers's well-rounded, sympathetic characters and reliable moral barometer give White Hot far more than mere surface glitter. --Ellen Edwards