'Charlie All Night' by Jennifer Crusie

ISBN: 077832107X
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 256pp
Publisher: Mira
Price: $5.99

I picked Charlie All Night up in a used bookstore for cheap. I just found myself unable to say no and I’m so glad that I lack self control, otherwise I would have missed out on this wonderful lighthearted romp.

When radio producer Allie McGuffey gets demoted from her prime time spot and moved to the graveyard shift it seems as if her career and life are over. It doesn’t help that the talent for the radio spot she had been producing happens to now be an ex-boyfriend and the woman moving into her old job his new girlfriend.

When Mark, handsome but too full of himself, tries to make nice with Allie after ruining her job, Allie does the only thing a girl can do. She picks up a random guy in a bar hoping that Mark will get the picture and leave. But the random guy Allie latches onto just happens to be the new graveyard shift talent she will be producing.

There is more than meets the eye with Charlie. As far as the station is concerned he’s temporary, a fill in until someone else comes along. But he isn’t there just to fill the airwaves; Charlie is also there investigating an anonymous letter sent to the station owner. But before he can get down to that he’s got to learn how to work the control panel and get a show going. All he has to do is lay low and keep his ears open. Allie has other plans however.

As Allie and Charlie’s relationship heats up she is also bound and determined to make him a star. So what starts out as a below the radar late night radio show soon becomes a political mine field as Charlie unearths one secret after another. Along the way there are fantastic one-liners, witty dialogue, fun characters and a happy ending. What more could you ask for?

Charlie All Night is just plain frothy fun. You aren’t going to make any life choices here or face something deep down inside. What you will do is escape for a little while into a funny, slightly wacky romance that will make you smile. Everyone could use a little Charlie.