Wilde, Lori 1968- (Laura Anthony)

PERSONAL:

Born 1968. Education: Received degree in nursing.

ADDRESSES:

E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Author and registered nurse.

WRITINGS:

ROMANCE NOVELS

License to Thrill, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Packed with Pleasure, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2003.

As You Like It, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2004.

Charmed and Dangerous, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Gotta Have It, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2004.

Racing against the Clock, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Mission: Irresistible, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Saving Allegheny Green, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2005.

Shockingly Sensual, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2005.

Destiny's Hand, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2006.

Angels and Outlaws, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2006.

You Only Love Twice, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2006.

There Goes the Bride, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Has also written six books for Harlequin Duets under the pseudonym Laura Anthony.

SIDELIGHTS:

Lori Wilde is known for writing fast-paced thriller romances with a generous dash of humor. Her heroines often prove themselves smart and funny even as they get themselves in outrageous situations. Wilde's debut novel, License to Thrill, is "equal parts silliness and innovation," according to Wendy Crutcher in the Romance Review. The story features a Las Vegas private investigator named Charlee Champagne, who gets involved with banker Mason Gentry. It seems that Mason's grandfather might be in cahoots with Charlee's grandmother in the theft of half a million dollars. The two set out to find the truth, with much of the humor coming from the contrast between the staid Mason and the wilder Charlee. Booklist contributor Shelley Mosley called it a "sassy, in-your-face style, reminiscent of Janet Evanovich, Wilde has created an unforgettable heroine." Crutcher appreciated the well-rounded characters and fun heroine, and although the reviewer noted "some wackiness toward the end of the book" that made it difficult to suspend disbelief, the critic praised Wilde for giving "the reader something different."

Charmed and Dangerous features a former Olympic athlete named Maddie Cooper, whose twin, Cassie, supposedly is involved in an art theft being investigated by FBI agent David Marshall. Maddie seeks to clear her sister's name. "There's nothing subtle or surprising about Wilde's plot and characterizations," reported a Publishers Weekly critic, who nevertheless admitted the story has "its witty moments." On the other hand, Rashmi Srinivas asserted in a BookLoons review that "Lori Wilde once again delights her growing fan base with an emotional roller-coaster of an adventure that's as hot as it is romantic!" Mission: Irresistible has Cassie as the heroine this time. Cassie is a public relations specialist for a museum when a valuable Egyptian amulet goes missing. Novel Talk writer Lucele Coutts asserted that with this novel, "Lori Wilde cleverly fits the pieces of this puzzle together with humor, charm, and tension, including lots of surprises."

More recent offerings by Wilde include such novels as Saving Allegheny Green and Shockingly Sensual. The protagonist of the former story is a nurse who supports her mother, aunt, and troubled sister. Trouble ensues after Allegheny's sister shoots her no-good, drug-addicted husband in the foot. The book is full of quirky characters, including an evangelist neighbor and a suspicious deputy sheriff. While enjoying the "quirky and offbeat backdrop" of the story, a Paperback Reader contributor felt that the heroine's "perpetual state of sacrifice grows monotonous and her viewpoint falters from a lack of depth." With Shockingly Sensual, Wilde returned to her more typically humorous romantic adventures. A shock jock named Callie Ryder has received threats after writing a titillating book and Luke Cardasian is hired by Callie's agent to protect her. What results is a predictable conflict of personalities in what an MBR Bookwatch writer described as an "amusing contemporary romance."

Wilde's 2006 tale You Only Love Twice is a quirky adventure about comic-book writer Marlie Montague. Marlie is the author of the "Angelina Adventure" series about a heroine who fights against government conspiracies. When one of Marlie's plots too closely resembles reality, however, she becomes a target of secretive forces and must hire a bodyguard to protect her. Although a Publishers Weekly critic noted the lack of emotional depth to the story, the reviewer predicted that "readers will be too busy laughing at the shenanigans to mind." Martina Bexte, writing on BookLoons, admitted the plot of the novel is too bizarre to be believed, but added: "I had so much fun reading this story, I didn't care how out there the plot was."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2004, Shelley Mosley, review of License to Thrill, p. 835; May 15, 2005, Shelley Mosley, review of Mission: Irresistible, p. 1642; February 15, 2006, Shelley Mosley, review of You Only Love Twice, p. 54; March 15, 2007, "There Goes the Bride," p. 32.

Cosmopolitan, January 1, 2004, "A Night of Five-Star Sex: From the Steamy New Novel License to Thrill, by Lori Wilde," excerpt from the novel, p. 180.

MBR Bookwatch, April 1, 2005, review of Shockingly Sensual.

Publishers Weekly, June 14, 2004, review of Charmed and Dangerous, p. 50; April 18, 2005, review of Mission: Irresistible, p. 49; January 23, 2006, review of You Only Love Twice, p. 192.

ONLINE

All Readers,http://www.allreaders.com/ (May 15, 2007), Harriet Klausner, review of Charmed and Dangerous.

Armchair Interviews,http://www.armchairinterviews.com/ (May 15, 2007), Yuka Mizushima, review of There Goes the Bride.

Best Reviews,http://thebestreviews.com/ (April 22, 2003), Beatrice Sigman, "Double the Trouble with These Hot Alaskan Men"; (January 15, 2006), Harriet Klausner, "Interesting Police Procedural Romance," review of Angels and Outlaws.

BookLoons,http://www.bookloons.com/ (May 15, 2007), Martina Bexte, review of You Only Love Twice, Marie Hashima Lofton, review of Mission: Irresistible, and Rashmi Srinivas, review of Charmed and Dangerous.

Contemporary Romance Writers,http://www.contemporaryromancewriters.com/ (May 15, 2007), review of There Goes the Bride.

Lori Wilde Home Page,http://www.loriwilde.com (May 15, 2007).

My Shelf,http://www.myshelf.com/ (May 15, 2007), review of License to Thrill.

Novel Talk,http://www.noveltalk.com/ (March 29, 2005), Lucele Coutts, review of Mission: Irresistible.

Paperback Reader,http://www.paperbackreader.net/ (October 1, 2005), review of Saving Allegheny Green.

Romance Reader,http://www.theromancereader.com/ (May 15, 2007), Wendy Crutcher, review of License to Thrill.