"Is a wooden doll the key to finding the man of her dreams?"

Independent bookstore co-owner Jenny has sacrificed to keep her store afloat. On a rare day off work, she wanders into a nearby curio shop. She sees an unusual wooden doll -- an anatomically correct man with jointed limbs. For some reason, this doll reminds her of her favorite childhood toy. With the low cost of the doll, Jenny feels compelled to take him home.

Jenny christens the doll "Charlie" after her childhood doll. After bringing Charlie home, Jenny begins to get visits from an invisible lover. He exists only to please her and her wishes are the impetus to his actions. Is Jenny going crazy or is something else going on?

Jenny initially is dismayed by the visits and considers getting rid of the doll. But her ghostly lover is everything she's ever wanted in a man. Can Jenny give up the phantom lover to pursue a different -- real -- lover? What will happen to Charlie if she does?

Short and sweet, THE DOLL is a great quickie. Although I would have liked a longer story, Ms. Starr makes good use of the limited word count allotted to her. The entire story is told from Jenny's point of view, which makes sense considering the storyline. Give this one a try for a fast, fun read!

Sensuality: Rated NC-17 by the publisher. Explicit sex, anal sex; sexually explicit scenes: 3.

Reviewed by Denise Powers
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted August 22, 2003

Summary

A young woman finds a wooden figure that reminds her of a childhood toy, but there is nothing childish about the invisible stranger who visits soon after she brings the doll home. Soon all her sexual desires are met, except the one she wishes the most—that her unseen lover was real.

Sexual Content: Rated: NC-17. Genre: Contemporary paranormal. Book Length: Short story.