Deputy Chief Virginia West has a mood to match the heat in the city of Charlotte. Another out-of town businessman has been found murdered in his hire car, a wise-ass detective has taken her parking slot, the new police headquarters still resembles a construction site and her boss is telling her to go out on patrol as escort to Andy Brazil, a rookie reporter on the local paper

A Scott Fenney is a Dallas corporate lawyer in the prime of his life. Raking in $750,000 a year, with a beautiful house, a beautiful wife and an adored daughter, life could not be better. But when a rich senator's son dies in mysterious circumstances, Fenney is asked by the federal judge to put his air-conditioned lifestyle on hold to defend the accused: a black, heroin addicted prostitute.

Jane Spring has discovered that twenty-first century relationships are built on a myth. A successful New York lawyer, she's organized, attractive, strong-minded, self-sufficient - but single. She's everything men say they want in a woman - smart, ambitious and sexually confidant - yet somehow, while all her friends plan their weddings, no one wants to marry her.Then one day, when a blizzard hits, she finds the answer. Drinking her way through a depressing afternoon snowed into her apartment, she turns on the TV and finds a Doris Day marathon. And that's when the revelation hits her: Doris wouldn't be stuck inside alone at a weekend. Doris wouldn't scare men off. Doris always gets her man. Because, despite everything men say, they're terrified of women like Jane. What they really want is a cute little blonde with frosted pink lipstick, a tight pencil skirt and kitten heels. What they really want is Doris......