The Dominant Blonde [Paperback]

Alisa Kwitney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 14, 2002

Blond and a size ten for the first time in her life, Lydia may actually have gotten this love thing right this time. Or not. After a run of bad career and dating decisions, Lydia Gold is ready for a vacation from her life. So what if the Caribbean resort's a little shabby and the boyfriend's not the lover of her dreams. This time around, Lydia's experiencing what it's like to have someone madly in love with her.

But when Abe doesn't return from a scuba dive, Lydia discovers some decidedly unsavory facts. Abe has embezzled three million dollars of her family's money. And he may not be as dead as she's beginning to wish he were.

Lydia's best chance for finding her missing boyfriend is Liam MacNally, a rugged, sexy former NYPD search and rescue diver and reluctant romantic. Liam wants nothing more than to sit on the beach with a Hemingway novel in one hand and a beer in the other.

But sometimes it takes a little danger to bring you to your senses....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A decade after the well-received Till the Fat Lady Sings, Alisa Kwitney returns with The Dominant Blonde, an appealing romantic mystery. Lydia Gold is on a tropical vacation with her soon-to-be fianc , Abe. During a diving excursion, Abe goes down and never comes up; then Lydia learns that he had cleaned out her family's savings, to the tune of $3 million. She turns to sexy scuba instructor Liam MacNally to help her track Abe down but they're not the only ones looking for him. This smart, funny caper is much better than its title and cover imply. (June)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Thinking that she's finally gotten things right romantically when her boyfriend of four months takes her to a tiny Caribbean island for a scuba-diving vacation, New Yorker Lydia Gold ends up on an emotional roller coaster when her intended apparently drowns, her family's business account simultaneously turns up $3 million short, and her stint in a recompression chamber with the sexy diving instructor has unexpectedly romantic results. A jigsaw puzzle plot that comes together in bits and pieces combines with a pair of likable protagonists and a host of quirky secondary characters to produce a lively, darkly humorous, occasionally violent romp that is more fiction than romance. Nevertheless, the skillful handling of the romantic relationship, the main characters' emotional development, and the satisfactory ending will appeal to fans who like their romances laced with satire and a mainstream flair. Kwitney (Till the Fat Lady Sings) lives in New York City.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; 1 edition (May 14, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060083298
• ISBN-13: 978-0060083298
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,872,445 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and recall the days when there were fewer strollers and more trannies on roller skates in Riverside Park. I have an MFA from Columbia University (though only a dim recollection of what I did to get it).

I have worked as a veterinarian's assistant, a Hebrew teacher, and a comic book editor for Vertigo/DC comics. I have also written some comic books. And I still have all my old Shanna the She Devil issues.

Somebody at Vera Wang once called me "the stupidest receptionist we've ever had." I only worked there for one day.

I currently live in an old farmhouse two hours from Manhattan, with my husband, two kids, two burmese cats and a big Chinook (the dog, not the helicopter).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SUN, DIVING, MYSTERY & A ROMP, July 27, 2002

By 

PadreRat (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dominant Blonde (Paperback)

I found myself in the bookstore, a half-hour before I needed to meet someone. I didn't really need another book but I just couldn't resist browsing. I came upon a table of books with a sign saying, "Urban Literature." All the books had covers that clearly screamed, "Chick Lit", so I was skeptical of this perceived name change. It seemed to me that someone decided that the current genre name wasn't serious enough and it needed more mass appeal. I found Alisa Kwitney's book "The Dominant Blonde" there.

Lydia Gold is an enigma. Her bleached blonde hair, curvaceous figure, and doe eyes make people want to protect her because they think she has no brains. As one of the characters share, "All (I) had discovered was that she looked and spoke like a glass of Hollywood champagne but she went down like the best Irish whiskey."

If only Lydia had taken her Grandmother's advice about trusting a man: you must know how he spends his money, how he holds his drink, and how he loses his temper. When we meet Lydia she has finally taken this advice. Amazingly, she finds a man like none before. Abe is so taken with Lydia that she overlooks the lack of passion in their relationship; it burns out after all.

While on vacation in Epiphany, Abe goes out diving solo from the dive group. Lydia gets concerned so she gets the captain, Liam MacNally to help look for him. Abe is missing. As Lydia is dealing with tragedy, she finds out Abe has taken three million dollars from her parent's business. Lydia starts putting clues together while cozying up with Liam.

Liam is written as a man with intimate knowledge of how women think. Alisa Kwitney's portrayal of men and women was astounding. I thought she nailed it truer than any other author. The dialogue between Lydia and Liam was so honest and insightful. If only other writers could capture this, we would have higher quality books all the way around.

This is sleeper that doesn't seem to have been marketed, which is unfortunate. "The dominant blonde" is by far my favorite book this year. I now know why the bookstore called that table "Urban Ligature." This is a straight up good read with more substance than your typical "Chick Lit" book. I grudgingly bow to their prowess.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let's Hear it for Kwitney!, June 26, 2002

By 

david uprichard - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dominant Blonde (Paperback)

As a male, I must admit I started the book thinking it would be the literary equivalent of a "chick flick". Boy was I thoroughly surprised. The tale of Lydia and Liam surpasses genders and is simply about the triumph of love and the fact it can seek us out at the most unexpected of times. What a fun story! I laughed out loud on several occasions, and I would be remiss if I did not mention the sexual overtones of the book - this is a hot tale!

Bravo - I only hope Ms. Kwitney is busy writing her next novel.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It exceeded my expectations!, June 27, 2002

By 

CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Dominant Blonde (Paperback)

I admit it: I judge a book by its cover. When I saw The Dominant Blonde on the shelf, I thought that the book was going to be as good as its weak cover, but a stranger at the bookstore told me that it was great and that I ought to buy it. So I did. Best move I could have made!

Lydia was out on a romantic vacation with Abe, her current beau. When her boyfriend drowns during a diving excursion, she thinks she'll never find someone again, for men see her blonde hair and assume that she is stupid. But when she finds out that Abe has embezzled $3 million from her father, she seeks the help of a sexy Irish scuba instructor -- and gets more than she bargains for.

The Dominant Blonde is an engrossing and sensuous read. By far, one of the best romantic mysteries I have read in quite a long time. Don't be fooled by its silly cover, read this gem! You won't regret it!