Grace Cavanaugh is hell-bent on proving her Womenβs Studies dissertation thesis that beauty only leads to misery. And what better research subject than her great-aunt Sophia, a former B-movie star? Now eighty-five and facing surgery, Sophia has asked Grace for company. . . .
Grace imagines a helpless, lonely old woman, forced to turn to a great-niece she barely knows. Instead she finds the aging diva holding court in a Pebble Beach mansion, oozing a bombshell-itudeβarthritis and wrinkles be damnedβthat captivates every male in sight. To Graceβs dismay, her greataunt decides a perfect distraction would be transforming the frumpy feminist into a femme fatale who purrs for her suitors . . . or devours them. She ordains classes in everything from carb cutting to lingerie, culminating in a challenging final exam. The newly svelte Grace must test her wilesβon both devilishly handsome and morally corrupt Declan and sensitive but painfully awkward Dr. Andrew.
Newly unleashed desiresβand the discovery of a closely held family secretβ threaten the bookworm-turned-babeβs entire feminist upbringing. Her thesis gone sadly awry, Grace wonders if her great-aunt is right: Will trusting her heart lead her to find beauty in the most unexpected places?
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