Heaven in Your Eyes [Mass Market Paperback]

Anne McAllister is married to an uptight controlling jerk. They met in college, where Annie was a criminal justice major with plans of joining law enforcement. All that went out the window when she married Tom. She became his living Barbie doll. Wore her hair the way he wanted, wore the clothes he chose, ate what he ordered for her and basically lived her life to please him. Just as Anne is getting fed up and ready to shake things up Tom dies. Tom somehow manages not to go to Hell or Purgatory, but gets a chance to redeem himself by helping Annie find true love. You see, Annie was supposed to go on to law enforcement training, where she would have met her soulmate, Andrew Falcone, and had a HEA ... only that didn't happen because she met and married Tom before she ever made it that far. So Tom will have to hop into another body, a la Heaven Can Wait, and help Annie find the perfect man for her.

Fast forward six years after Tom's death and Annie's is now a U.S. Marshal and working her first Assignment with the Witness Protection Program. Her charge is one Dominic Viglioni, a mob guy turned informant, who doesn't have long to live. After putting the moves on Annie, during a one-on-one game of hoops, Viglioni is shot by rogue marshals and Tom moves in. They go on the run and soon after Annie, and Tom, figure out that Dominic Viglioni is no snitch. He's an undercover agent trying to draw out dirty marshals and his real name? Yup, you guessed it! Andrew Falcone. So now Tom, who's got pieces of Falcone's personality and memories floating around in his head, is trying to protect Annie until they catch the bad guys. Unfortunately, spending so much time together is proving a hard temptation for Tom to fight. He's finding he likes this new Annie a lot better than the one he tried to make her into. How can he find her a husband when he's falling in love with her all over again? Meanwhile, Annie's terribly attracted to Flacone and a little weirded out by some of his familiar habits. Will she find happiness with her ex in her soulmates body or will the bad guys kill them before she has a chance to find out?

I dunno, I really enjoyed Judi McCoy's Wanted books and Almost a Goddess was a fun, but I just can't like Tom enough to want to see him happy with Annie ... and I'm feeling really bad for Andrew Falcone. Yeah, he was a good guy and went to heaven when he died, but come on! Because Tom's guiding angel didn't do her job Falcone got cheated out of conecting with his soulmate, a loving marriage, kids and the many more years of life he would have lived had he been married and not taken that fatal assignment! WTH?! He deserves better. Tom? Yeah, his parents sucked. I get that. It still doesn't change the fact that he made his wife miserable for years. And so he gets what? A hot new body, many years of life after his expiration date, and a second chance at the marriage he screwed up the first time around? Hello?! Anyone else annoyed by this? And, Annie? Why the hell would she even consider hooking up with a guy that reminds her so much of a man that made her life miserable? Seriously!

The writing was there, and there were some good scenes, but I just couldn't get past my issue with the characters to really enjoy the book.

I loved this book! The other reviews have recapped the story already - so instead of repeating them, I would like to say although Tom and Anne have a happily ever after and Tom keeps Drew's memories and body, what about poor Drew's soul. It seems like he was sacrificed to make Annie's wish come true. It may have been his time to go - but it is kind of sad.I can't wait until the next book comes out in Nov. about Nathan Baxter - could the love interest possibly be Eloise? Hmmm.

Heroine: voluptuous

          Imagine being a US Marshall in an isolated government safe house guarding a mafia informant, only to:

a) get the hots for him
b) get shot at over him
c) go on the run with him
d) find out he isn't who you thought he was!

Then add to the mix the confused soul of your late husband and the good intentions of a guiding angel, and watch your world turn upside down!

What worked for me:

I loved the premise of this book with its "second chance at love, and then some" storyline!

There was a good mix of comic and dramatic moments in the story, and plenty of sexual tension laced throughout.

Size-wise Annie was voluptuous, but also sturdy enough to keep up with the guys in her line of work.

What didn't work for me:

Annie forgot protocol time and time again; she was so knocked for a loop by her situation. The novel seemed more focused at times on her vulnerability than her capability, though she did get her act together at the last minute.

I did have a problem with a major component of the storyline, but can't mention it here because I don't want to spoil the story for you. (If you've already read it, though, pop into the forum and see what I'm talking about.)    

Overall:
If you like your romantic suspense funny or want your romantic comedies to have some tension, you should enjoy this story as well as the other two novels which will make up the "heaven" trilogy.

Warning: This book has some steamy moments.

If you liked "Heaven in Your Eyes" you might also enjoy "I Dream of You", "Getting Lucky", "Walking After Midnight", "Fast Women", "Lola Carlyle Reveals All", "Born to be Wild", and "Wishes".