Carlisle Wainwright Cushing's life has revolved around rescuing her mother Ridgely who prides herself on being a perfect example of Texas society winning the title of Debutante of the Year at her coming-out ball. Life after the ball was anything but perfect but even now as she faces divorce number five she considers herself an expert on men which is nothing short of comical. She never fails to criticize Carlisle on what she perceives as major shortcomings -- lack of social graces. She had hoped Carlisle would follow in her footsteps but that seemed unlikely following a coming out that was not what you could call graceful.

Carlisle learned several harsh lessons from her mother -- not the least of which was that men are all the same -- they always break your heart. She learned early how to protect her heart by distancing herself from any relationship and in doing so became a rather dispassionate person. As a highly regarded, successful attorney she felt her life was on a good albeit safe track. Now called home to deal with her mother's latest emergency -- divorce #5 -- Carlisle has to face her past which includes her well hidden feelings for Jack Blair, husband #5's attorney, the one man who always managed to make her feel things she so carefully avoided.

Jack sees life very differently from the Wainwright's and tries at every turn to convince Carlisle that messy is good. Life is chaotic in the Wainwright household with siblings, in-laws and children in resident. Add to a full plate handling what is turning out to be a very nasty divorce, she has been placed in charge of this years deb ball complete with a group of misfits commonly referred to as hormonal teenage girls and their parents. How much more mess can she take? Turning away from the desire and passion that sparks each time Jack and Carlisle are near is becoming impossible. But neither one seems willing to take the ultimate leap of trust and see if they have a future. Can Jack fit into the historically social background of the Wainwright family and can Carlisle allow her life to become less safe and more passionate? In short messy.

All I can say is wow. Linda Francis Lee has developed the most dysfunctional characters I've ever met and yet with each page you become more and more absorbed in their stories and lives. The question is are they crazy or is this just another side to normal. After all who's to say what's normal? Lee doesn't expect you to take this book seriously and never misses an opportunity to add bits of humor to an all ready outrageous scenario -- so put it on your must read list.