When in Rome by Gemma Townley

• Georgie Beauchamp is totally happy and in love with her wonderful, dependable boyfriend, David. So why does she always daydream about running into her gorgeous ex-boyfriend Mike? It can’t mean she’s still in love with him—especially since the cad dumped her so horribly. As luck would have it, when Georgie’s daydream actually comes true, she is dressed in unglamorous sweats and carrying a curtain rod down the street, while Mike is driving an expensive sports car and looking better than Brad Pitt at the Oscars.
• She longs to have the glamorous life Mike can offer—and starts to think that he might want her back in his arms. But when he invites her for a weekend in Rome, Georgie is torn. David has always said he’d take her there for the romantic getaway of a lifetime, but his work keeps him totally tied up. So she must choose:
• David, all comfort and reliability, or Mike, all flirtation and butterfly-stomachs. The decision isn’t too hard to make, and faster than she can say Vespa, she’s off to Rome with Mike, full of plans to frolic on the Spanish Steps and sip wine in intimate trattorias.
• But when David shows up unexpectedly, this roman holiday gets a hell of a lot more complicated.
• Scattered with references to Roman Holiday, this would-be madcap romantic comedy by the sister of bestselling chick-lit writer Sophie Kinsella strives for love, laughs and intrigue but lacks the necessary charm and flair. Blithely irresponsible Georgie Beauchamps, a researcher at a legal publishing company in London, dates serious, dependable David Bradley, an accountant who investigates crooked financial dealings.
• But Georgie still holds a torch for her ex, the devilishly handsome Mike Marshall, and when Mike asks her to accompany him on a trip to Rome, Georgie jumps at the opportunity, thinking he has realized the error of his ways and is trying to win her back. But the suddenly wealthy Mike seems to be up to no good, and when David shows up in Rome on business, Georgie slowly starts delving into the puzzle.
• But Georgie unveils more than just a mystery-she discovers a source of strength in herself, uncovering a scandal at her own company and accusing long-suffering David of treating her like a child when he miraculously forgives her for her dalliances and betrayals.
• David may play along, but some readers will be rubbed the wrong way by Georgie. Though the plot zooms as fast (if sometimes as erratically) as a Vespa on the streets of Rome, the novel's selfish protagonist drains the fun from this jangly caper.

About the Author

GEMMA TOWNLEY is also the author of Little White Lies. She launched her writing career at the age of sixteen with a book review in Harpers & Queen. While at Reading University, Gemma, a singer, cellist, and bassist, found time to record two albums with her band, Blueboy, with which she toured the U.K., France, and Japan. After graduating, she worked on and contributed to a number of magazines, including Homes and Ideas, Pay Magazine, Expat Investor, and Company. She also wrote about music for style magazines including G-Spot and Second Generation. She later became an editor at Financial Management magazine.Gemma is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and is studying for an MBA at Henley Management College. She lives in West London with her husband, Mark..