Crazy Thing Called Love Offered by Random House Digital, Inc. Price: $7.99
Hope Springs Eternal,  February 21, 2013 This review is from: Crazy Thing Called Love (Kindle Edition) Can be read as a standalone novel. In this the third installment in the Crooked Creek Ranch Series (and be careful looking up the ranches name since there is really such a place!), we have the story of TV personality Madelyn Cornish (at one time known as - Madelyn Baumgarten.) and ice hockey star Billy Wilkins. Billy is in very sore need of a makeover - from head to toe. So, he shows up for a meeting with Maddy and her crew about having a total make-over done on her show. He has a huge ulterior motive though. What nobody seems to know, is that a long time ago he and Maddy used to be married. It did not end well. The relationship and marriage left both Maddy and Billy crushed, with each of them struggling to go about their lives. It left Maddy to continue her education and get a job and Billy to keep on being hockey's very, very bad boy. At this juncture of their lives Maddy seems to be doing well but is lonely, and Billy is at the point where he is going to throw his career in the garbage if he doesn't soften up some. And this is where the author attempts to take us - to the softer side of these characters. Ms O'Keefe attempts to steer us through the emotional land mines that make up the relationship between Maddy and Billy. The awful past that they shared...getting married too young and being dumped into a life they were not ready for. Moreover, I admit Ms. O'Keefe does a fairly fine job of it. Reading flashbacks about the childhood and young-adulthood of both of these protagonists made it simpler for us the readers to see that Billy wasn't just an arrogant jerk and Maddy wasn't just a cold fish...there are perfect reasons for them to be who and what they are. I am just happy that the author took it that needed step further to make us stretch our credibility a little more when Billy's niece and nephew are used as pawns. This was another very realistic look at the back end of sports, and an especially vivid look at morning TV I enjoyed reading this book as much as I have the last two books in this series and hope there will be more in the future. This book will keep nearly any kind of romance fan content and happy. In fact, I almost viewed it less of a typical romance and more of flat out plain fiction type of book. Well, however you view it, it will be worth your time to pick this up and immerse yourself in a couple of hours of pleasure.