A Whole Lot Of Love by Justine Davis (Silhouette (Desire), March 2000)

STATS: A gorgeous CEO with a soft spot for his two sisters, who constantly harass him about his lack of social life and his transformation into a “workaholic monk.”

Ethan is thrown when a husky voiced woman calls and asks him to auction himself off for charity. When he finally agrees and meets her, he’s shocked to find her voluptuous, plus-size figure doesn’t exactly match the woman he’d imagined. Soon enough, he realizes she’s not just beautiful on the inside, but on the outside as well. And that he can’t live without her.

THE LOOK:

A “walking cliché” of tall, dark and handsome but for the intelligence in his vivid blue eyes.

LEADING LADY:

A woman worthy of a man who raised his two young sisters on his own. Layla Laraway thinks she’s finally accepted her full-figured strengths. However, when she meets Ethan, she begins to wonder how he can ever accept her, and whether he will soon tire of people wondering why he chose her. As Ethan recognizes, she’s a woman of substance. She’s strong. She’s fit. And she’s compassionate. She helps Ethan deal with a personal tragedy-the loss of a mentor/friend to Alzheimers.

Accepting defeat gracefully:

Although he initially tells himself that he simply wants to be Layla’s friend (as evidenced by their sticking to “safe” lunches), he can’t resist kissing her. From that moment on, he realizes that “friends…don’t set each other on fire with one kiss.”

A great gift giver:

During a pivotal moment in their relationship, Ethan gives Layla a sapphire blue hooded cape - a dramatic garment that he tells her she’ll wear someday-when she knows she can. He has no doubt that the day will come.

BOTTOM LINE:

When Layla agrees to date Ethan and thinks, “Move over, Cinderella,” we cheer for her. We also hurt for her when she realizes it’s not that simple. But most of all, we smile and sigh at the way Ethan leads her to realizing that love is immeasurable.

QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Some people say female romance readers want “to be” the heroines. Is it harder for you to like a heroine who is described as physically flawed or challenged?