A Fun, Fluffy Story by Evanovich!
The last book I read by Evanovich was WIFE FOR HIRE. This book is so much better; LOVE OVERBOARD does not have the serious flaw of WFH - love builds up over time. The odd thing is that LO was written before WFH.
The play on the male lead's name was amusing; Ivan the Terrible was terribly handsome, etc. The female lead, Stephanie Lowe, bought Ivan's grand old house some months before. And that's when all the trouble started!
Stephanie now knew the house for what it was: the house from hell.
However, that's not her problem today ... today she needs to fill the role of chef on Ivan's ship (during the summer, Ivan takes tourists out on cruises of 1 week duration). The usual cook and Stephanie's cousin, Lucy, is getting married to a plumber.
Now, Stephanie is desperate for a plumber but can't afford one. Lucy promises, if Stephanie will sub as the chef for a week, she will get her husband to fix the plumbing in "the house from hell."
Steph's idea of cuisine is a microwave; she's shocked when she finds out that meals are cooked on a wood stove. Learning how to use a wood stove leads to some entertaining meals!
Both of the leads have interesting back stories. Evanovich takes her time telling their stories in small doses. This is brilliant because the reader wants to know what makes each character act as he/she does. It certainly builds suspense.
There are ghosts and a dead body in this story ... and you wouldn't believe me as to the reason, even if I told you! There's a bit of a mystery about the floating body and the ghost haunting Stephanie's house.
This is a quick read because you are immediately interested in this pair - and their zany side-kicks. Humor abounds but this is a story with heart! Enjoy!