Saving the best (if
you're into hunky guys) for last, I give you the trio of men who are orbiting
around Pilar in IN NEED OF THERAPY. You
could not find a more diverse group of guys.
Ford is a psychiatrist from New York; he's down-to-earth,
intelligent, kind - Pilar likes him instantly and they become good friends, bonding over their careers,
families, and mutual love of a good cheeseburger. The very smooth, charming, and wealthy Victor
is Pilar's recently dumped ex. While she
bears him no ill will, she's growing impatient with his repeated, over-the-top
attempts to win her back. It doesn't
help matters that her mother is Victor's biggest cheerleader. Pilar's new patient, Mitch, is not her usual
type as he's not well-educated or career-driven (He's in his 30s and works as a
lifeguard!), but the man is undeniably gorgeous, not to mention entertaining
with his swagger, and she finds herself enjoying their weekly interactions.
Author’s Notes: You'd
think that Pilar had an embarrassment of riches in the Hottie Dept., but alas, no. While all of these fellas are very appealing,
each in his own way, they, also, have mega-watt "Don't go there!"
signs flashing over their heads. Ford is
a happily married man with a small child (the adorable Nate) and Pilar is too
moral of a person to ever contemplate an affair (Okay, she might contemplate it
because she is human and Ford has the dreamiest pair of blue eyes she's ever seen, but that's
as far as she's willing to go.) And
there is no way that Pilar would ever dally with a patient no matter how sexy
and flirty he was. She's far too mindful
of the restrictions that come with any
therapist/patient relationship and she would never do anything to
jeopardize her career. So, that leaves
Victor. Is it ever a good idea to give
an ex-boyfriend a second chance? Should
you believe him when he tells you he's changed?
These are all questions Pilar has to wrestle with.
Ford Quotes (non-spoilery): "Maybe
Victor keeps coming back because your rejections lack conviction? Maybe there's some part of you that enjoys
all of the attention?"
"I
know what they are, Pilar, thank you.
Anatomy was my best subject in medical school."
"You really put the whammy on
men."
Victor Quotes (non-spoilery): "You have no
romance in your soul, mi querida. Most
women would be thrilled to have a man fall at their feet and pledge his eternal
devotion."
"You
shouldn't be acting so familiar with a man you just met. You'll give him ideas. I didn't like the way he was looking at you .
. ."
"I know you think I'm
all flash and no substance, Pilar, but there's more to me than meets the
eye. I have hidden depths."
Mitch Quotes (non-spoilery): "Doc,
I've got a job where I meet young, beautiful, half-naked women every day, and a
lot of them come on to me. If I didn't
respond, I'd have to be gay or have some kind of medical problem."
"Nine years of school? I only made it through three months of junior
college. You must be really smart."
"I handed her a couple of casabas and
asked her to squeeze my melons and tell me if they were ripe."
Casting Ford: This
was not easy! I racked my brain for an
actor who was handsome in a rugged, regular guy way and had the kind,
intelligent face and piercing blue eyes I reference in the book, but I could
not come up with a single actor who could do Ford justice. So, I finally consulted the experts, my
hottie-loving friends, and the always-imaginative Natalie Aaron came back with
an excellent suggestion - Irish actor Jason O'Mara! Honestly, I can't believe I didn't think of
Jason myself as I've adored him since I first saw him on the TV show, MEN IN
TREES. He's perfect for Ford!
Casting Victor: Victor
is good-looking and stylish (he's always dressed in designer suits), so he has
no trouble catching the eye of most of the women who come into his tapas
restaurant. I ran down a list of
handsome Latino actors with dark coloring, and the one who most resembled the
vision of Victor that I had in my head was the very yummy Adam Rodriquez.
Casting Mitch: I
started writing IN NEED OF THERAPY back when I was still in the throes of my
LOST-watching fever. So, I based Mitch's
physical appearance on my favorite LOST actor, the deliciously sexy Josh
Holloway. I even heard his Sawyer-voice
saying Mitch's dialogue as I was writing it.
No one smirks with a naughty twinkle in his eye better than Josh and
that's just what the character of Mitch calls for, along with a rockin' bod and
a head full of shaggy blond hair.
If you want to know more about these three handsome hotties and who Pilar ends up with, be sure to pick up my book, IN NEED OF THERAPY, when it goes on sale at Amazon and Barnes & Noble on Monday!
