Columbus Zoo the backdrop of a novel that's emotionally and factually engaging

Columbus Zoo the backdrop of a romance novel that's emotionally and factually engaging

You might expect romance novels to be set at beachside resorts, Gothic castles or New York skyscrapers.

Columbus author Kerry Rea adds a twist to the formula with a lighthearted but emotionally rich novel set at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

Lucy Rourke, a 30-year-old zookeeper in the primate department looking to move up in the ranks of the zoo's hierarchy, is just recovering from the break-up of a long-term romance. She's looking to focus more on her gorilla charges than on more human companionship when she meets charismatic, hunky and irritatingly smug Kai Bridges, who is, at least in Lucy's initial opinion, a “cocky, ignorant mansplainer.”

Kai is the host of a popular wildlife television show, and the son of Lucy's long-time hero, the Jane Goodall-like gorilla expert Dr. Charlotte Kimball.

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He's arrived at the zoo to spend a month filming a documentary series, with heavy emphasis on the gorillas, including Keeva, a four-month-old from another zoo whose parents died in an E.Coli outbreak and who desperately needs a surrogate mother, a role Lucy hopes can be played by one of the Columbus Zoo gorillas.

Lucy has zero interest in appearing on camera, but for Keeva's sake, as well as for the sake of advancing her career, she agrees. As Kai coaches her, and as the two spend time watching Keeva's progress, they open up to each other and sparks begin to fly.

While romance propels the novel, Lucy has a rich life beyond it, including friends from her work life, a mother who left her with her grandmother when she was young to go to Hollywood and work as a soap opera star, and a young half sister who she resents for having the relationship with her mother Lucy always wished she had. Those mother issues create a surprising bond with Kai, who has a few of his own.

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Though Rea's Columbus Zoo is populated by a fictional cast of characters — even the gorillas don't share names with their real-life counterparts — readers curious about the behind-the-scenes operations of the zoo, how medical problems are confronted and how life within the gorilla compound operates will find that Rea has done her homework. The sub-plot involving Keeva and her integration into the gorilla troop is fully developed, rather than tacked on as an afterthought.

Readers from the Columbus area should also enjoy references to local landmarks such as the Liberty Tavern and Huli Huli in Powell.

Lucy is an appealing heroine, and the roadblocks to her relationship with Kai are believably grounded in her background and personality. Rea's quirky sense of humor keeps the mood light: When Lucy and Kai flirt, they do so by exchanging “freaky animal facts” such as: “Some butterflies drink blood” and “Cows kills more humans than sharks do.”

Readers looking for a fast-moving, spicy novel with a dash of wildlife education should enjoy this one.

margaretquamme@hotmail.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Novel 'Lucy on the Wild Side' set at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium