Roomies/ Christina Lauren/ 358 pgs

Roomies is a contemporary romance set in NYC. Holland is in her mid-twenties and drifting a bit. She has a job as an assistant at a Broadway theater, but only because her uncle by marriage is the producer of a hit musical. She readily acknowledges this. She's always thought she would be a writer of some sort but isn't sure what the next step in her life should be. Calvin is a busker who plays music in the subway. Holland has a huge crush on him but he seems completely unaware of her until one day she boldly introduces herself. When her uncle's musical needs a new lead musician, Holland suggests Calvin. While he's more than talented and experienced enough, there's one big problem. He's an Irishman who has overstayed his visa by four years and is in the US illegally. And so we have a modern day marriage of convenience (or immigration fraud, if that's they way you see it:-)). This is a fun, sweet, sexy romance as well as coming of age story for Holland--as long as you ignore the relatively easy time the couple has with ICE. I will say this wasn't quite as good as some of the author's other books but it's still charming. Of course it is, there's an Irishman.

Hammersteins / Oscar Andrew Hammerstein 236 p.

Oscar Hammerstein, II, the public knows and loves through his wonderful musicals, Show Boat, Oklahoma!, Flower Drum Song, Sound of Music and more. This famous lyricist grew up in the world of Oscar Hamemrstein, I, his grandfather. Oscar, I, turned his attention to music and theater after establishing himself as a successful businessman. It is Oscar I who built many theaters in New York City. He turned the Longacre Square into Times Square, the theater capitol of the world. His sons managed these theaters and nurtured the careers of Will Rogers, W.C. Fields, Al Jolson, Charlie Chaplin.

Written by Oscar, II's grandson, Oscar "Andy" Hammerstein, this work presents all sides of the entire Hammerstein family including its scandals and tragedies. It chronicles development of popular musical theater.

What fun to read "behind the scenes" of this talented family.