Dear Prince Charming    by Donna Kauffman Order:  USA  Can Bantam, 2004 (2004) Paperback      Reviewed by Rashmi Srinivas After a long and checkered career, Valerie Wagner feels she's at last found her niche working as publicist for the upcoming release of the Glass Slipper magazine. For the launch issue, Valerie scores the coup of her life when she signs 'Prince Charming', that mysterious and elusive best-selling relationship guru, to not only act as the magazine's spokesperson but also reveal his closely guarded identity on its debut cover. But just days before the launch, the advice columnist reveals a deep secret which threatens to destroy all of Valerie's hard work. Luckily sportswriter Jack Lambert steps into the breach and agrees to lend his handsome and ruggedly male mug for the face on the cover, as a favor to his columnist friend. Reluctantly, Valerie goes with the charade to save her career. But she has her work cut out for her as she frantically tries to coach Jack, a typically clueless male, into overnight becoming the guy who knows exactly what women want. Burnt from a bad marriage, Jack prefers to keep his life footloose and fancy-free, but now this workaholic publicist has him so wound up that he doesn't know lust from love. Is Jack the Prince Charming Valerie's secretly longed for all her life, or will this rough charmer turn into a frog the moment they kiss? Complex characters and knotty situations add an unexpected edge to this otherwise sweet-as-candy romance in Donna Kauffman's ongoing Glass Slipper series. The sense of continuity is maintained via the three godmothers of 'Glass Slipper Inc.' who (with their varying and yet somehow united views of life) remain one of the highlights of the series. And in traditional Kauffman-style, the chapters are all prefaced with interesting tidbits of relationship advice that in this case, provide an enlightening perspective on romance from the male point of view. An ample does of humor adds a finishing touch to this perceptive and entertaining portrait of love and life. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews