ANCHORS AWEIGH – Kathleen Bacus
The Calamity Jane Series - Book 6
Love Spell
ISBN-13: 978-0-505-52735-6
November 2008
Romantic Mystery

Cruise ship, The Epiphany, Somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle – Present Day

In this sixth (and maybe final?) installment of the Calamity Jane series, Tressa Jayne Turner is embarking on a weeklong cruise to the Bermuda triangle following her grandmother’s wedding (CALAMITY JAYNE HEADS WEST). Tessa’s entire family is on board, so having too much fun might have to be accomplished under wraps, or in a quiet cabin. Tressa is looking forward to lots of gourmet dining, killer desserts to-die-for, and romantic evenings with sexy heartthrob, Rick Townsend, and this time she plans to snare him for good -- or maybe just have a clandestine romp; she hasn’t really decided exactly where her heart lies when it comes to Ranger Rick. Oh, but things never go according to plan when Tressa is involved. Rick’s ex-girlfriend, Brianna Larkin, turns up on board, and poor Tressa can see the girl planning to get Rick into a lover’s clinch every time she bats her fake eyelashes in his direction (while Tessa quietly seethes).

And did Tressa Jayne just see Aunt Mo back there in the crowd? Manny deMarco’s marriage-minded aunt, Marguerite Dishman, has been trying to lasso Tressa and forcibly drag her to the altar to do the wedding dance with Manny. Sadly, it’s Tressa’s own fault the woman has been stuck to her like glue ever since Tressa agreed to a fake engagement with Manny because he claimed his dear Aunt Mo was dying and wanted to see him married before she kicked the proverbial bucket. Marriage to hunky Manny DeMarco? Not on your life. Yeah, he’s nice to look at, but just so not Tressa’s cup of tea. Tressa has already had it out with Manny about telling his aunt the truth, so for now, she ducks behind the other passengers in the crowd and hustles out of crazy Aunt Mo’s line of sight.

But more trouble is wont to find our dear Tressa when she inadvertently overhears a man who’s making plans on his cell phone to kill his wife. Well, Tressa isn’t the Grandville, Iowa Gazette’s top-notch reporter for nothing! She'll catch this guy and throw him overboard before she lets some poor unsuspecting wife die. Unfortunately, Tressa didn’t see the man's face, and his voice could be anyone’s, which is just too much work to figure out on an empty stomach, so Tressa heads toward the dining room on a mission to secure a giant steak and lots of buttery baked potatoes. She’s wilting away, her stomach touching her spine, only to learn that this is no ordinary cruise. There is no steak, no lobster thermador, cheesecake, sculpted butter, or chocolate. Nope, her brand new step-grandpa, Joe Townsend, has booked them into diet central! The only things on the menu are exercise, carrot sticks, and soy protein – not a burger and nary a French fry in sight! Tressa considers the life preservers hanging on the railing. Can she make it back to shore before the ship hits open sea?

ANCHORS AWEIGH is a lighthearted romp that quickly turns deadly for Tressa Jayne Turner. Someone is out to get her, but only if she doesn’t get them first! Now on the run from both the would-be wife killer and Aunt Mo, Tressa also becomes the object of affection for both Manny and Rick, so she devises an innovative plan to confuse everyone. Can she ditch Manny and lasso Rick before Brianna steals him away? Only if she works up some real energy, the kind she gets from chocolate truffles. This ship has a kitchen, and Tressa is sure the crew doesn’t suffer through their meals with celery and lettuce!

There is a multitude of secondary characters, but it is mostly Tressa’s family who support the story, while many of the remaining characters are lost in a blur of names. Of course, Rick and Manny are in the forefront of the action behind Tessa’s hunt for the person she believes is a killer. ANCHORS AWEIGH is book six in The Calamity Jane series. Having not read the previous novels, I found Tressa’s current story a bit confusing. Too many details are interwoven with earlier stories, which takes the reader away from the action of the present mystery. I would advise new readers of this series to at least read the previous book for better understanding. All this aside, I am sure fans of this series will find the tale compelling.

Diana Risso