Product Description

Fantasies can sometimes mess up the real thing.

Austy Nunziata has spent two years pining for her married best friend and about the same amount of time berating herself for it. In fact, she's so adept at trying to stamp out her feelings that she could probably write a How-To guide on the subject. One, move 3,000 miles away from your best friend. Two, get a time-consuming job so you don't have time to think about your best friend. Three, hang out with new friends who aren't anywhere as enchanting as your best friend. Four, get involved with a striking woman who is smart, sexy, caring and, most importantly, available, unlike your best friend. Five, hope the new love interest doesn't find out about your pathetic best friend obsession before you have time to replace it with actual life-altering love.

Even following her own step-by-step process, Austy may not be able to redirect all of her misguided feelings. Becoming involved with Elise Bridie helps her realize how pointless her pining has been. But when Elise suspects that she harbors feelings for someone else, will their new found love survive the unrequited infatuation of Austy's fantasies?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #52749 in Books
• Published on: 2006-12-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 236 pages

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Being a lesbian in Seattle sucks. Let me amend that: being a lesbian in Seattle who's in love with her married best friend sucks. To be fair, I should say: being a lesbian in love with her best friend who's married and doesn't live in Seattle really sucks. Of course, that's why you moved to Seattle, moron. Now, shut up and deal with the Seattle lesbian scene.

"Austy!"

Or deal with it after you get off work. "Yeah?" I spun around from staring out my fifth floor office window of the federal courthouse. Another lunch hour shot to hell.

"Crimeny! I've been trying you on the intercom for ten minutes," Short Stack bellowed from my office door. Not that his raised voice and agitated state was unusual office behavior for Kyle Hammer, hence the nickname. Perspiration beads dotted his wide, pale forehead and red splotched his cheeks, but I doubted it had anything to do with his current mood. He had the kind of frame that exerted great amounts of energy just walking, or stomping, rather, around the office and courthouse.

"We're allowed a lunch, you know," I responded calmly. Staying calm was often the only way to get through one of Short Stack's bellow sessions.

"You're in your office, Austy; that means you're working through lunch. Next time, leave the building."

"It's pouring rain outside, Kyle, and just because I'm here doesn't mean I'm working through lunch."

"I know you've only been here a few months, but this is Seattle; it's always raining outside."

That's right, why the hell did I move here? Oh yeah, the best friend lives in Virginia, so you moved here to get away from her. Only not all the way, since she's in Seattle a few days every month. God, you're pathetic.

"What do you need?" I asked as politely as someone who really needed a lunch break could ask.

"New case, international software copyright infringement. There's some corporate espionage thrown in for your enjoyment, too. Chief wants someone who can relate to the whole computer geek thing to deal with it. Since you did so well with the last one, I'm afraid you might catch all these techie claims from now on," he reported in a less than remorseful tone. For five months, he'd been trying me out in every unit of the Criminal Division. Looks like he might have finally decided on Complex Crimes for me.

He raised up the file and flicked his wrist, sailing it perfectly onto the center of my desk. Every time I try that the file opens, all the papers fly out, and someone ends up with a paper cut or poking an eye out.

"Goody," I sighed, my palm landing flat on top of the spinning file. One more to add to my pile of open cases. Assistant United States Attorney, whose stupid idea was that? Crap! It really sucks being in love with your best friend. Married best friend. Married best friend who has a great partner. Married best friend with a great partner who lives in Virginia--most of the time anyway.

Customer Reviews

Thoroughly enjoyable read had me laughing out loud.
Lynn Galli has writen a smart, funny story with believable characters. We are treated to Austy's trials (literally, as she's an Assistant US Attorney) and tribulations as she settles into her new life in Seattle three thousand miles from her best friend and the woman she loves, or does she? FBI agent Elise Bridie makes an impression on Austy as her key witness on a case. While working on another case they forge a friendship that leads Austy to rethink her life in Seattle and love. Will she stay in Seattle or return to the love, friends and safety of life she had in Virginia? Are either Love or Safety real or just imagined for Austy? These are two of the feelings Austy must sort through as her old life insinuates it's self on the new life she is creating.

Austy is a character for sure. (pun intended) She had me laughing out loud with the inner musings of her mind. I couldn't put the book down and read it straight through. I agree with another reviewer, in that Austy is someone you want to be friends with and hang out with just for her comedic comentary on people and situations. I live south of Seattle, for now, so the landmarks were familiar to me and made me feel like I was right there with Austy, Elise and the others. I imagine hanging out with Austy and the Virginians say at Pike Place Market people watching would be a hoot.

Every great comedic team has a straight man that sets up the funny man. Austy is both, she is her own straight woman while her commentary and thoughts provide the comic relief in the midst of her life and interactions as she opens to new possibilities for herself.

Austy confides in us, the reader, as she takes us along on her journey in and out of the courtroom as if we are a new best friend. I imagine that the story it's self could be water cooler conversation for Austy if it wasn't about her. This book is sure to make you laugh and feel good each time you read it. I've read it twice so far and have told friends about it so they can get their own copy. This ones a keeper!

To Lynn Galli if you read these reviews, First off, Thank You for writing and sharing this delightful book. Secondly, I'd like to see a spin off book about Jessie, one of the Virginians.

Unrequited Love Can Be Debilitating
First-time author Lynn Galli brings us the story of Austy Nunziata, an attorney who has suffered with unrequited love for her best friend for years. In fact, Austy's desire keeps her from forming a meaningful relationship with anyone. In an attempt to move on, she moves to the opposite coast and begins weaning herself off the relationship.

While working on a computer-related case, Austy meets Elise Bridie and the two strike up a fledgling relationship. When things get intense for Elise, Austy gets nervous and begins to pull away. Noticing Austy's withdrawal, Elise realizes Austy is still in love with someone else and decides to move on herself. This is where the real story begins.

Austy has been wasting her heart and her youth pining for a woman she'll never have. The question is - will she ever be able to appreciate the special woman in front of her face.

Watching these characters dance around their feelings is almost zany, but is definitely a great roller-coaster ride for the reader. Galli shows real promise in this genre and this reader hopes she'll deliver more quality fiction in the near future.

Very well written
One of the funniest, warmest, most heartfelt books I have read in a long long time. It is smart, insightful and romantic, the characters are vivid and the story is believable and very well written. Highly recommend.