Jacobs, Holly 1963- (Holly Fuhrmann, Holly Jacobs Fuhrmann)

PERSONAL:

Born 1963; married; husband a policeman; children: four.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Erie, PA.

CAREER:

Writer.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Golden Quill Award for traditional romance for Do You Hear What I Hear?; Madcap Award, 2003, for How to Catch a Groom.

WRITINGS:

ROMANCE FICTION

Do You Hear What I Hear?, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 2001.

I Waxed My Legs for This? (bound with Making Mr. Right by Jamie Denton), Harlequin (New York, NY), 2001.

Ready, Willing and … Abel? [and] Raising Cain (also see below), Harlequin (New York, NY), 2002.

How to Catch a Groom (bound with The Great Bridal Escape by Bonnie Tucker), Harlequin (New York, NY), 2002.

How to Hunt a Husband (bound with A Baby—Maybe? by Bonnie Tucker), Harlequin (New York, NY), 2003.

Dad Today, Groom Tomorow, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 2003.

The 100-Year Itch (bound with You'll Be Mine in 99 by Jennifer Drew), Harlequin (New York, NY), 2003.

Not Precisely Pregnant (bound with Love on Line One! by Natalie Bishop), Harlequin (New York, NY), 2003.

A Day Late and a Bride Short, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Found and Lost, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2004.

Be My Baby, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Pickup Lines, Avalon Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Hung Up on You, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2004.

Raising Cain (bound with Stand-In Bride by Julie Kistler), Harlequin Mills & Boon (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2004.

Once upon a Princess, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Once upon a Prince, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Lovehandles, Avalon Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Once upon a King, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Night Calls, Avalon Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Confessions of a Party Crasher, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2006.

Here with Me, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 2006.

(With Sherryl Woods and Darlene Gardner) Dashing through the Mall, Harlequin (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2006.

Laugh Lines, Avalon Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Everything but a Groom, Avalon Books (New York, NY), 2007.

The House on Briar Hill Road (Everlasting Love), Harlequin (New York, NY), 2007.

AS HOLLY FUHRMANN

A Snowball's Chance, Neighborhood Press Publishing, 1997.

This Old Heart, Kensington Precious Gems (New York, NY), 1998.

Side by Side, Kensington Precious Gems (New York, NY), 2001.

"FAIRY GODMOTHER" SERIES; AS HOLLY FUHRMANN

Mad about Max, Imajinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2000.

Magic for Joy, Imajinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2000.

Miracles for Nick, Imajinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2001.

Fairly Human, Imajinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2004.

Also author of the Holly Jacobs Web log Hollyworld.

SIDELIGHTS:

Holly Jacobs, who also writes as Holly Fuhrmann, is a novelist who first tried several other genres before turning to humorous romance novels. On her Web page, the author noted that she "fell head over heels for the genre." She went on to comment: "Why? Because it's a genre about people, about relationships. I can add in the sci fi, the fantasy, the suspense, the mystery. I can add in any plot, but it all boils down to the people and that is why I fell for it."

The author, who writes everything from traditional to paranormal romances, wrote her earliest novels as Holly Fuhrmann, including the "The Fairy Godmother" series. The first book in that series, Mad about Max, introduces readers to romance writer Grace MacGuire, who one day finds that three of her characters—Fern, Myrtle, and Blossom—have come to life and are riding in the car with her. When Grace seeks psychiatric help as directed by her three "fairy godmothers," she does so under the guise of needing help for writing. Once there, she meets Dr. Artemus Maxmillion Aaronson, "Max," who turns out to be quite handsome, leading Grace to believe that the three godmothers are set on matchmaking. A contributor to the Fallen Angels Review Web site called the novel "an absolutely enchanting delight!" In Magic for Joy, Fern, Myrtle, and Blossom decide to employ their matchmaking skill on Max's goddaughter, Joy Aaronson. A contributor to the Sime˜Gen Web site called Magic for Joy "a more emotional and intense tale than Mad about Max."

The third book in the series, Miracles for Nick, features the fairy godmothers showing up to apply for jobs at a restaurant owned by Glory Chambers, who has just divorced her cheating husband. Although they inform Glory that they are matchmaking fairy godmothers, Glory does not accept their claim, that is, until they fix her up with woman-shy Nick. "This lighthearted romantic fantasy is quite a pool side treat," wrote Harriet Klausner on the Books 'n' Bytes Web site. Fairly Human ends the "Fairy Godmother" series with the trio being cast out of Fairyland to live solely as humans for six months. In the process, the three godmothers become romantically involved with human men. "This is a frothy romp, sweet in its depiction of romances for the three women," noted Donna Carter on the Romantic Times Online.

Writing as Holly Jacobs, the author focuses on more traditional romances, such as A Day Late and a Bride Short, which tells the story of Elias Donovan and Sarah Jane Madison, who decide to marry because of career needs, only to find love in the bargain. Judith Rippelmeyer, writing on the Romantic Times Online, called the novel "a sweet take on the standard engagement of convenience story." Confessions of a Party Crasher features Morgan Miller, who meets a handsome photographer when she crashes a wedding party with her mother. Conner Danning is attracted immediately and the feeling is mutual. However, he is put off by both Morgan's zany and complicated life, complete with numerous animals named after characters from the old television show Gilligan's Island. Romantic Times Online contributor Kristi Ahlers wrote: "This is a sweet, entertaining romance read peppered with interesting characters."

In Be My Baby, Jacobs tells the story of a romance between Amelia Gallagher and Larry MacKenzie, a lawyer at the law firm where she works. Amelia has never liked Larry despite his popularity. However, when he accepts the guardianship of a baby after the baby's parents' die, Amelia has a change of heart. "Be My Baby is fraught with typical Holly Jacobs humor," wrote Leslie Tramposch on the Paranormal Romance Web site. Once upon a Prince takes place in the author's own town, Erie, Pennsylvania. Parker Dillon, trying to escape her over-hyped life as a real princess, arrives in Erie followed by private investigator Jason "Jace" O'Donnell, who was hired by her father to watch over Parker. When Parker discovers Jace is following her, she is initially angry but the two soon find that they share a mutual attraction. "Ms. Jacobs once again proves she has a penchant for weaving a sweet story of romance with engrossing characters," noted Kelley A. Hartsell on the Love Romances Web site. "Her books are always full of witty banter and powerful attraction between her main characters."

Jacobs continues to show her adept hand at humor in books such as Lovehandles and Night Calls. Lovehandles depicts the growing romance between morn- ing WLVH DJs known as Punch (Peter) and Judy. Maria Hatton, writing in Booklist, called the novel a "funny story of clashing egos and unexpected love." Night Calls once again features radio station WLVH, with DJ Cassie Grant canceling her wedding and swearing to forgo love. However, when she meets her neighbor, Cooper, a divorce lawyer who does not believe in love, Cassie soon changes her mind. Once again writing in Booklist, Maria Hatton called the novel a "cheery and amusing contemporary romance."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, April 1, 2005, Shelley Mosley, review of Pickup Lines, p. 1349; August, 2005, Maria Hatton, review of Lovehandles, p. 2005; April 1, 2006, Maria Hatton, review of Night Calls, p. 27; February 15, 2007, Lynne Welch, review of Laugh Lines, p. 43.

Library Journal, April 15, 2006, Kristin Ramsdell, review of Night Calls, p. 63.

ONLINE

A Romance Review,http://www.aromancereview.com/ (August 21, 2007), interview with author.

Book Pleasures,http://www.bookpleasures.com/ (August 21, 2007), Sherry L. Stoll, review of How to Hunt a Husband.

Books 'n' Bytes,http://www.booksnbytes.com/ (August 21, 2007), Harriet Klausner, reviews of Fairly Human and Miracles for Nick.

CK2S Kwips and Kritiques,http://www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com/ (August 21, 2007), "Interview with Holly Jacobs."

Fallen Angels Reviews,http://www.fallenangelreviews.com/ (August 21, 2007), reviews of Fairly Human, Mad about Max, Miracles for Nick, and Magic for Joy.

Holly Jacobs Home Page,http://www.hollyjacobs.com (August 21, 2007).

Holly Jacobs MySpace Profile,http://www.myspace.com/authorhollyjacobs (August 21, 2007).

Hollyworld,http://hollyjacobs-hollyworld.blogspot.com (August 21, 2007).

Love Romances,http://loveromances.com/ (August 21, 2007), Kelley A. Hartsell, review of Once upon a Princess.

Love Romances and More,http://www.loveromancesandmore.com/ (August 21, 2007), Kelley A. Hartsell, reviews of Pickup Lines and Lovehandles.

Paranormal Romance,http://www.paranormalromance.org/ (October 30, 2006), Leslie Tramposch, review of Be My Baby.

Romantic Times,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (August 21, 2007), Judith Rippelmeyer, review of A Day Late and a Bride Short; Cindy Harrison, review of Be My Baby; Angela Keck, reviews of Dad Today, Groom Tomorrow; Christy Ahlers, review of Confessions of a Party Crasher; Karen Matheny, review of Do You Hear What I Hear?; Catherine Witmer, reviews of The 100-Year Itch, Raising Cain, Ready, Willing and … Abel?, Found and Lost, Here with Me, How to Catch a Groom, How to Hunt a Husband, Hung Up on You, I Waxed My Legs for This?, and Not Precisely Pregnant; Vera Lisa Smetzer, review of Once upon a King; Jenifer Hunt, review of Once upon a Princess; Kelly Rae Cooper, review of Miracles for Nick; Donna Carter, review of Fairly Human.

Round Table Reviews,http://www.roundtablereviews.com/ (August 30, 2005), Robert H. Goss, review of Pickup Lines; (August 21, 2007), Tracy Farnsworth, review of Hung Up on You.

Sensual Romance Reviews,http://sr.thebestreviews.com/ (June 30, 2003), Kathy Boswell, review of The 100-Year Itch.

Sime˜Gen,http://www.simegen.com/ (August 21, 2007), Tammy M. Jopp, review of Magic for Joy; Shari Brennan, review of Mad about Max.

Susan Gable Web site,http://www.susangable.com/ (August 21, 2007), Susan Gable, "The (Shhhhh!) Secrets to Success: An Interview with Holly Jacobs Fuhrmann."

Virginia Romance Writers,http://www.virginiaromancewriters.com/ (August 21, 2007), profile of author.

We Write Romances,http://www.wewriteromance.com/ (June 15, 2006), review of Confessions of a Party Crasher; interview with author.