Operation Cinderella by Hope Tarr ~ Reviewed by Lisa Marie

Republicans, democrats and teenagers, oh my! Operation Cinderella is the first in what appears to be a 4 book series by vetted romance author Hope Tarr. When we meet our heroine, Macie J. Graham, she appears to be a tough as nails New York City reporter looking to make her name in the world. Started off as a personal vendetta, she goes undercover as a squeaky clean Martha Jane, live in Nanny and Housekeeper (mind you she can't cook or clean to save her life) for Washington D.C. political radio personality Ross Mannon, who almost single-handedly ended her career. As she gets to know him better, she sees a side of him that she didn't expect to see, that maybe... perhaps... her Prince Charming. A Texas transplant (save a horse, ride a cowboy) he has all the makings of a genuine gentleman, something that Marcie has no experience in dealing with, as we learn of her damage as the tale unfolds. As her 6 week deadline approaches, she comes to realize that she has broken her number 1 cardinal rule, do not fall in love with your subject. As a single dad to a 15 year old, Ross worries about the harsh world that his daughter Sam is growing up in, and hopefully does not make the same mistakes that he and his ex wife had made (teen pregnancy, gasp!). They had married for all the wrong reasons and he never thought that love would come his way. The heat between Martha Jane (Macie) and Ross was unmistakable. Could they find love? Could Macie admit to Ross her true intentions and would he be able to forgive her so that they could have their very own “happily ever after”? With several “Fairy God Mothers” (and let's not forget those wonderful “Fairy God Fathers” too), and her very own pair of “glass” slippers (sparkly red ones really but who cares, they are GORGEOUS!) has Macie met her Prince Charming? There are so many likeable characters that I look forward to getting to know as this saga continues. The Grimm brothers may not have pictured their cinderella quite in this way, but Ms. Tarr certainly made me feel like I had been swept away into her modern day fairy tale. I give it 4 glass slippers.

4 Stars (Brilliant)

~ LISA MARIE ~



HOPE TARR

I suppose you could say I've always been a dreamer. In my mind's eye, I can still see my first-grade teacher shaking her head and scolding, “Hope, stop daydreaming and pay attention!”

I tried, really I did. But how could the dreary assignment on the chalkboard begin to lure me away from the dashing Disney fairy-tale figures populating my head? Cinderella and Prince Charming, Snow White and Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty and Pr—

Well, you get the picture.

In middle school, I “graduated” from romance a la Walt Disney to grownup love stories by the likes of Victoria Holt, Anya Seton, and Daphne Du Maurier. Someday, I promised myself as I thumbed through my dog-eared copy of “Forever Amber,” I’d write a romance novel of my very own.

That dream has weathered a Master's degree in Psychology, a Ph.D. in Education, a four year stint as a federal government research consultant, and several years as a freelance writer. In 1994 I finally packed up my graduate school texts, purchased Kathryn Falk’s small, pink paperback entitled How to Write a Romance and Get It Published and joined the Romance Writers of America. I’ve never looked back.

As a romance writer, I get to spin fairy-tales of my very own—life-affirming stories in which the hero and heroine find not only their soul mate but their souls into the bargain. And much like fiction, "real" life comes with its share of twists and turns. In 2008 I packed up myself, including cats and books, and quit the quaint historic town of Fredericksburg, Virginia for the Big Apple—talk about a big change! I'm entering my fourth year in the city and for those of you who follow my blog, you know the move to Manhattan has worked out to a Happily Ever After best, bringing wonderful new experiences, friendships, and projects. Among the latter are two very special-to-me firsts: Beer Gardens NYC, the first app guide to beer gardens anywhere in the U.S., and Lady Jane's Salon, New York City's first and only monthly romance fiction reading series. Like me, Lady Jane is also entering her fourth year in the city and now has four satellite salons nationwide.

Huzzah to Happily Ever After!
Hope