Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

Contemporary

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There's anecdotal evidence that men whose wives read romance have more -- and better -- sex.

I hear it from viewers all the time. And my husband's made it clear he is not unhappy I spend more time reading than cleaning.

Viewers also tell me they often read romance novels with their men. Mostly meticulously selected passages, but read together nonetheless.

So, what would happen if a guy wrote a romance novel? I mean wrote a real romance, not one where the heroine dies in the end so 15-year-old readers everywhere can sob in maudlin abandon.

What if a guy wrote a romance novel that women and men might like? One with adventure and guns, silicone-implanted starlets, and the cutest little 6-year-old this side of Little Orphan Annie.

If our writer guy was, say, bestselling action/adventure writer Bob Mayer -- and he collaborated with superstar of contemporary romance Jennifer Crusie -- the book would be called "Don't Look Down."

And it would flippin' rock.

Lucy Armstrong is used to taking care of business. So filling in as director of an action flick after her predecessor kicks it is no big.

Except that her lying ex-husband is the stunt coordinator, her sister is working on the set strung out like a valium housewife, and Lucy's precocious niece thinks Lucy is God in heaven -- and wants Lucy to make everything right with her world.

Lucy's thinking it might be nice to have someone else in charge for a change.

Former Green Beret Capt. J.T. Wilder is set to phone in his gig as bodyguard and stunt double for the action-hero wannabe star of the film Lucy's directing.

When the CIA calls, J.T.'s working vacation turns into a mission: To figure out what laundered money, the Russian mob, and a boatload of stone phalluses have to do with a B-grade flick, sabotaged stunts, and an Amazon goddess of a director who's got J.T. fantasizing like an adolescent with a super-heroine comic book.

"Don't Look Down" is funny and genuinely romantic -- a refreshing combination of droll dialogue, well-paced action, and perfectly over-the-top characters and themes.

The sensuality is hot, quirky, and occasionally neurotic -- written effectively from his/her points of view saturated with established character dynamics.

That's the beauty of what the authors call their "he said/she said" writing partnership:

Crusie celebrates with authentically feminine wit and sensuality the logical congruence of romance writing and Feminism.

While Mayer brings to romance a much-needed infusion of "I'm a guy, and we do these inexplicable guy things, but we're still pretty great to have around when you need us" storytelling.

Crusie and Mayer have said we can look forward to more he said/she said novels. While we're waiting, I think I'll go read my husband about seven pages from chapter 14 of "Don't Look Down." You might want to go --

Buy the book.

CrusieMayer.com

Next week's review and AuthorView: "The Spy's Reward," by Nita Abrams