Kathy Love: Wanting What You Get

Wanting What You Get
Series: The Stepp Sisters Trilogy, Book 2
Author: Kathy Love
Original Release: November 1, 2004
List Price: Retail unavailable

Read: January 9-9, 2010
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from back cover)
IS HE FLIRTING WITH ME? I must be imagining things. Why would Mason Sweet, the gorgeous mayor of Millbrook, Maine, the man I've secretly been in love with since seventh grade, flirt with me? He's the town golden boy, and I'm, well, the local librarian. The Stepp sister who stayed close to home. The one who bakes brownies . . . then eats them all. My thighs make that whick-whick-whick sound in pantyhose. He can't possibly be flirting with me. So why is he giving me that melt-you-where-you-stand look? Why is he pulling me close? And what is he whispering in my ear . . .

IS HE FLIRTING WITH ME? I must be imagining things. Why would Mason Sweet, the gorgeous mayor of Millbrook, Maine, the man I've secretly been in love with since seventh grade, flirt with me? He's the town golden boy, and I'm, well, the local librarian. The Stepp sister who stayed close to home. The one who bakes brownies . . . then eats them all. My thighs make that whick-whick-whick sound in pantyhose. He can't possibly be flirting with me. So why is he giving me that melt-you-where-you-stand look? Why is he pulling me close? And what is he whispering in my ear . . .

MY REVIEW
Saying that Wanting What You Get is one of the best romance books I've read this year doesn't mean much, since it's only January 9, 2010 - so I will go ahead and say it's one of the best I've read in two years, if not more.

There are too many good things to say about this book and frankly, I don't want to say too much since you should just read it and see for yourself. Mason and Ellie are wonderful leading characters. They are three-dimensional, complex, and both flawed, but wholly lovable and they are --- surprisingly --- perfect for one another. I especially love books where the quiet/shy/wallflower girl gets the guy, and this is definitely that type of book.

Ellie has serious body image issues, since she's always been slightly overweight, and Love deals with this issue very well. You really see the transformation that Ellie undergoes as Mason shows her that what she expects/thinks he wants and what he actually wants are two very different things and she begins to see herself through his eyes. It's especially realistic because it's gradual, so you don't have one week of Mason telling her she's beautiful and Ellie suddenly puts aside 30-years of self-consciousness and self-doubt --- instead, as Ellie becomes more comfortable and secure with Mason and his feelings for her, she also becomes more comfortable with herself and her own body.

Mason has the extremely serious issue of alcoholism to deal with and I thought that this was well incorporated into the book. The way that it affected their relationship, his refusal to admit he has a problem, how everyone deals with it and what ends up happening and changing things around seemed, again, very realistic. The fact that the two main characters are dealing with real everyday problems instead of some evil psycho-murderer or plan-spoiler in the background trying to ruin their lives made the book that much more enjoyable since you can actually imagine all of this truly happening.

In addition to Ellie and Mason being amazing characters on their own, the relationship that develops between them is absolutely wonderful and just writing about the book in this review makes me want to pick it up and read it again. There are so many scenes between them where your heart will go seriously pitter-patter and the banter, as well as serious conversations, that take place really make their romance one of love, not just lust. There's also a lot of humor, which is a must, and the lingerie-bathroom scene had me literally laughing out loud.

AVAILABILITY
This book is very hard to find - out of print on Amazon, so only used copies are available and they start in the $20 range, PaperbackSwap.com didn't have any, neither did my local library system, and I finally resorted to buying a used copy on Amazon.co.uk (no new ones there either). It cost me a total of $16, but oh was it worth it!!

"STEPP SISTERS" SERIES
1) Getting What You Want - Abby and Chase
2) Wanting What You Get - Ellie and Mason
3) Wanting Something More - Marty and Nate

BOTTOM LINE
If you're a romance reader, give yourself a late holiday present and somehow get your hands on a copy of this book!!! It is fabulous (*****^*) and I can't wait for the next time I read it.

Julie Garwood: For the Roses

For the Roses
Series: Claybornes' Brides, Book 1
Author: Julie Garwood
Original Release: January 31, 1996
List Price: $7.99

Read: December 29-31, 2009
My Rating:

Author Homepage | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from back cover)
In Blue Belle, Montana, everyone knew better than to mess with the Claybornes. The brothers had once been a mismatched gang of street urchins --- until they found an abandoned baby girl in a New York City alley, named her Mary Rose, and headed west to raise her to be a lady. They became a family --- held together by loyalty and love if not by blood --- when suddenly they faced a crisis that threatened to tear them apart . . .

Trouble came to town with one Lord Harrison Stanford MacDonald. Armed with a swagger and six-shooter, he cut a striking figure --- but it soon became apparent to Mary Rose that he was too much of a gentleman to make it in her rough-and-tumble town. She asked her brothers to teach him the basics of frontier survival, which he acquired with ease. And soon he possessed a deep and desperate love for Mary Rose. She returned his affection wholeheartedly . . . until MacDonald revealed a secret that challenged everything she believed about herself, her life, and her newfound love. Now her search for identity and meaning would begin, raising questions that could only be answered if she listened to the truth within her heart . . .

MY REVIEW
The second half was better than the first half, but this book was still my least favorite Julie Garwood book. Normally, I love her work, but too many things in this book drove me nuts. Eleanor was wholly unnecessary and although Garwood heroine's are always beautiful/smart/innocent/naive/etc., this one was just a little too much for me; they're always somewhat clueless and kind of head-in-the-clouds, but Mary Rose was more than I could handle.

"CLAYBORNES' BRIDES" SERIES

• For the Roses - Mary Rose (Book 1)
• One Pink Rose - Travis (Book 2)
• One White Rose - Douglas (Book 3)
• One Red Rose - Adam (Book 4)
• The Clayborne Brides - anthology of Books 2, 3, and 4
• Come the Spring - Cole and Daniel (Book 5)

Linda Francis Lee: Sinfully Sexy

MY REVIEW

Sinfully Sexy
Series: Sexy
Author: Linda Francis Lee
Original Release: September 27, 2004
List Price: $7.99

Read: December 21-21, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from back cover)

After a close encounter of the sexy kind, Chloe discovers her wild side

Plain-Jane Chloe Sinclair has never been bad ... until she stumbles - literally - into the arms of a gorgeous stranger. To make matters worse, her world is rocked completely off its axis the morning after when the sensual dreamboat turns out to be the man brought in to save the TV station where she works.

Sterling Prescott is hard-driven, sexy as hell, and determined to take over the struggling KTEX TV. But all bets are off when the shameless wildcat who disappeared on him last night walks back into his life - acting like a squeaky-clean librarian. Life gets truly complicated, however, when Sterling decides to win more than the station - and to show  her that being sexy isn't a sin.

MY REACTION
This is the second book that I have read by Linda Francis Lee and I'm very conflicted about what rating to give it - 3.5 stars (worth reading once, recommendable, check it out from the library) or 4 stars (will want to read it again, buy a copy of my own if I read a borrowed one). The other book was Looking for Lacey and it was really not a recommendable book, except for the side romance going on between the heroine's high school daughter and her classmate - that was literally the only thing that made the book worth reading.

"SEXY" SERIES
Sinfully Sexy is Book 2 in Lee's "Sexy" Trilogy - it's preceded by Kate's story in Suddenly Sexy and followed by Julia and Ben's story in Simply Sexy. The three heroines are all coworkers at KTEX TV and have been friends since childhood.

CONS
In Sinfully Sexy, there were a lot of things that were a mess:

• the story and the plot were not "tight"
• there were a lot of contrivances created solely for the author's character machinations
• the whole last-minute-dating-show-that-will-miraculously-save-the-station-and-oh-what-a-surprise-there-are-some-twists-that-make-certain-characters-have-to-be-contestants was ... yeah, not much appreciated by this reader
• the secondary kind-of-romance between Julia and Ben that sets us up for Book 3 in the trilogy was annoying, felt very forced, and definitely did not make me inclined to read their story
• Chloe's father was blah and the emotional scene and discussion at the end was far too corny and neatly-timed for me
• ... and I could go on.

PROS

*However*, Chloe was (for the most - if one ignores some random weird spots here and there) a good heroine and Sterling was (also for the most part - if one ignores his too sudden realization of love and quick turnaround) a good hero. There were some great scenes between them that were very amusing, very enjoyable, and *very* chemically-charged and Sterling sometimes does or says things that will have you sighing out loud. The interactions between him and his brother Ben were also nice additions.

NOTE

When I had first read the summary of this book, I thought that Chloe and Sterling basically have a one-night stand with one another and then are surprised to find out the next day that the stranger they slept with last night is someone they're going to have to work with. Although that's where things are heading, they *do not* sleep with each other at the beginning of the book and when they finally do it is absolutely perfect and at the right time in their relationship and in the book/story.

RATING DECISION

So basically it comes down to whether or not the good parts of the book outweigh the bad parts enough to warrant a 4-star rating instead of a 3.5-star one ... and after writing this review and being able to sum it all up for myself, I'm afraid to say that I'm going to have to go with 3.5 stars.

BOTTOM LINE

The pros of this book make it definitely worth checking out from the library (which is what I did), but I would hold off on buying it - I know some people have really liked this book, so it could be me, but IMO it just doesn't warrant a spot on my keeper and/or reread shelves.

Jennifer Crusie: Charlie All Night

MY REVIEW

Charlie All Night
Author: Jennifer Crusie
Original Release: November 30, 1995
List Price: $5.99

Read: December 3-6, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Book Page | Excerpt | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from back cover)
Dumped by her boyfriend and demoted from WBBB's prime-time spot, radio producer Allie McGuffey has nowhere to go but up. She plans to make her comeback by turning temporary DJ Charlie Tenniel into a household name. And if he's willing to help her cure her breakup blues with a rebound fling, that's an added bonus.

Charlie just wants to kick back, play good tunes and eat Chinese food. He's not interested in becoming famous. But he is interested in Allie. And after all, what harm is a little chemistry between friends?

But suddenly their one-night stand has become a four-week addiction. Night after night on the airwaves, his voice seduces her ... and all the other women in town. He's a hit. It looks as if Charlie's solved all Allie's problems ... except one. What is she going to do when he leaves?

MY OPINION
Charlie All Night is not my favorite Jennifer Crusie book and like a few of her other earlier ones feels more like a novella than a full-length novel. Regardless, it is an enjoyable read and very entertaining. The chemistry between Allie and Charlie is great and they have some fantastic dialogue, there are several humorous scenes, and the secondary characters are wonderful - especially Joe, Allie's gay roommate. All in all, the book is definitely worth checking out from the library (which is what I did).

In Charlie All Night, like in Anyone But You (read my review), Crusie features a heroine who is both older than usually found in the genre (Allie is 36) and than the hero (though only by two years here - not the ten that separates the hero and heroine of Anyone But You).

My favorite Crusie books so far are: Bet Me (5 stars - amazing!!), Manhunting (4 stars), and Getting Rid of Bradley (4 stars - read my review). They are all both read- and buy-worthy!

Julie Ortolon: Drive Me Wild

MY REVIEW

Drive Me Wild
Author: Julie Ortolon
Release: March 7, 2000
List Price: $7.99

Read: November 28-28, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Book Page | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from back cover)

~ He was a devastating TV anchorman who thought he'd seen it all ~

With the face that launched a thousand newscasts, drop-dead gorgeous TV anchor Brent Michaels returns to his Texas hometown --- to be the "bachelor" in a Dating Game fundraiser. He can't refuse his old friend Laura Beth Morgan's request. And soon, he can't refuse the shy do-gooder anything. The tomboy he remembered had blossomed into a beautiful woman. An irresistible challenge for the man every woman wants ...

~ Until he rediscovered the girl next door ~

Laura Morgan yearns to break free, just as Brent Michaels did. He'd come a long way from the boy who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, the friend who kissed her once, then ran. But even as he warns her he's incapable of love, he's not running now. For Laura was stirring him like no woman had before, making him consider the "M" word for the first time, leaving him certain of only one thing: Laura Morgan could be his undoing ...

MY OPINION
My first book by Ortolon was Lead Me On and I really enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars. Drive Me Wild was entertaining, but I don't think I would reread it because of several issues I had with the story/characters.

My biggest was Laura's realization of love for Brent happened **WAY** too soon. Two days after seeing each other for the first time in ten years she realizes she's in love with him? I don't think so! Once the story moves to Houston and their relationship actually kicks off the book is good and very enjoyable, but I had a hard time getting over my initial skepticism. Also, Laura towards the end of the book and leading up to the climax fight bothered me --- she's a little too pushy and somewhat manipulative (very "somewhat," because that word seems far too strong).

Brent was an absolutely wonderful hero and I liked how three-dimensional and realistic he was. Romance heroes always have some obligatory faults, but in this case Brent's issues didn't seem added on by the author because she can't make the hero absolutely perfect --- they were believable and made him very compelling (*very*, lol ;-).

All in all --- worth the read, but glad I got it from the library since I don't think I'll be coming back to it. ... Though Brent really almost makes it worth it!

Suzanne Enoch: The Care and Taming of a Rogue

MY REVIEW

The Care and Taming of a Rogue
Series: The Adventurers Club, Book 1
Author: Suzanne Enoch
First Release: October 27, 2009
List Price: $7.99

Read: October 30-31, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Excerpt | Amazon.com

Can't believe I'm saying this about an Enoch book ... but it wasn't that great

Suzanne Enoch is a fabulous writer and some of my absolute favorite historical romances have been written by her, namely London's Perfect Scoundrel and Always a Scoundrel, with close second favorites being England's Perfect Hero, By Love Undone, and After the Kiss. Needless to say, I was ecstatic about this book coming out and expected it to join my "all-time favorite" bookshelf - it won't, and frankly, I'm considering whether to post it on PaperBack Swap right away, because I doubt that I will want to reread this.

The Care and Taming of a Rogue (The Adventurers Club, Book 1) wasn't bad in the sense that I didn't actively dislike it, but in almost every aspect it either fell short or just didn't click; it was boring and I was at times somewhat tempted to just put it down and forget about it. The premise was an interesting one and quite original, and I'm always a huge fan of books where the heroine is overlooked, shy, bookish, unusual, whatever. Plus, taking into account it's written by Enoch, it should be a natural five-star book, right? Wrong: The Care and Taming of a Rogue did not live up to my expectations. Both of the main characters were pretty forgettable, their relationship is not compelling and I never really understood how they got together or why they felt (or even THAT they felt) so strongly about one another, and the chemistry just wasn't there (which starkly contrasts with some of Enoch's other books).

SPECIFIC CRITICISMS
Both Bennett (29) and Phillipa (20) felt somewhat flat and one-dimensional. Bennett is supposed to be this "uncivilized explorer" who won't obey any of London society's "rules" and wants to drag his woman back to his cave ... and although we're told this repeatedly and other characters constantly describe him this way, it didn't really ring true. Yes, he was blustery and aggressive, but it ended up just being annoying and not at all endearing, adventurous, bad-boy-attractive, or any other positive thing; he wasn't as unconventional as he was made out to be (an example of where that type of unconventional adventurer-hero was well done and *did* work is Christina Dodd's Rules of Surrender).

Phillipa is a nice heroine, but nothing to write home about. We're told that she's practical and logical ... but I didn't see that emphasized very much (there was no resemblance to someone like Dr. Brennan from the TV show "Bones," who is definitely an extreme of those two adjectives). She's also supposed to be unconventional in her own way - embracing her "bluestocking" tendencies, completely bookish and somewhat anti-social (though friendly) - yet she insists on Bennett courting her according to the rules and keeps placing emphasis on teaching him how to behave in London society (no such teaching really occurs) ... while then going in broad daylight to the house he's staying in and making love for the first time with him in a kitchen larder (umm, can you say unromantic?).

Then there is their relationship, which seemed completely unsubstantiated to me and so was hard to believe. Basically he hears her voice - is attracted to her, sees her face - likes how she looks, remarks on her smelling of lemons - oh how nice, and bam! they're off. We know that Phillipa already has a little thing for Bennett in that she has been an admirer of his travel/adventure books, but why this romantic interest in Phillipa in particular? We're never really shown why he is THE ONE for her and she is THE ONE for him. [Sidenote: Why is it that aside from our heroines (and whatever friends they may have) almost all the other women in these novels are nitwit chits who only giggle, simper, and are catty when it comes to men??? Even Flip's sister, Olivia, kind of falls into this category - at least for the first two adjectives.] Bennett and Phillipa are both nice people, sure, but I just don't see why their relationship takes off so quickly, with no trouble going from hello to kisses to making love to declaring love to talking about marriage (though actually that happens before some of those other ones) ... which brings me to another point ...

There are no obstacles in their romantic relationship!!! Well save one, to be fair, which was in fact a good one: she likes to stay at home and read, he's Mr. Adventure, so how is a real, lasting relationship (i.e. marriage) going to work for them? This was an interesting twist because it was a real consideration that is similar to the problems that nowaday long-distance relationships face. However during the book it isn't really dissected, just mentioned repeatedly and put aside; then in the end, it's resolved very nicely and quickly (TOO nicely and quickly). Other than that though, which wasn't even fully explored, any hurdles placed by themselves or other characters were either completely missing or not very substantial. I *HATE* books that have those big misunderstandings or throw obstacle after obstacle in front of the main characters for no apparent reason, but can't there be a happy balance between those two extremes??

Finally, the whole "Adventurers' Club" was a little ridiculous and when that's first introduced in the beginning of the book my reaction was "What? This seems very contrived ... Maybe it's going to be made into a series?" ... Which I then discovered it is. I don't understand the purpose of the club, don't see it's use or understand how it works or why it exists, etc. - basically it's all a huge contrivance.

BOTTOM LINE
I feel very bad about giving such a negative review for a Suzanne Enoch book, but I was so disappointed! She has such talent and has written other novels that literally have me going to sleep with a smile on my face and waking up the next morning wanting to read the book all over again; The Care and Taming of a Rogue in no way compares to those books. There were some funny moments, some sweet ones, Kero (Bennett's pet monkey) was a great addition, but check it out from the library if you're set on reading it, don't buy it.

J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts): Naked in Death

MY REVIEW

Naked in Death
Series: In Death, Book 1
Author: Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb
First Release: June 30, 1995
List Price: $7.99

Read: October 7-8, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | J.D. Robb Page | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from inside front page)
Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In more than ten years on the force, she's seen it all - and knows that her survival depends on her instincts. And she's going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire - and a suspect in Eve's murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it's up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about - except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.

MY OPINION
Naked in Death is absolutely fantastic - both a great romance and a wonderful murder mystery. I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series and seeing the relationship between Eve and Roarke progress and continue to develop; they are both fantastic characters and complement one another very well. Definitely one of my favorite books by Nora Roberts so far, if not my favorite - it's hard to decide, because she does have some really great ones. Is automatically going on my "to-buy" list!

NEXT BOOK OF THE "IN DEATH" SERIES
Naked in Death is followed by Glory in Death, Book 2.

Rachel Gibson: Tangled Up In You

MY REVIEW

Tangled Up In You
Series: Writer Friends, Book 3
Author: Rachel Gibson
Release: July 31, 2007
List Price: $7.99

Read: October 5-7, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Book Page | Excerpt | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from back cover)
Maddie is determined to uncover the untold story about the town's sordid past - her past. As a child, Maddie lost everything, and now she's back at the scene of the scandal - a local establishment that's always belonged to the Hennessys - determined to uncover the truth, and nothing is going to stand in her way. Especially not a black-haired, blue-eyed Hennessy.

Everyone in Truly knows that the Hennessy men are irresistible, and the current owner, Mick, is no exception. His late father was a skirt-chasing heartbreaker who ended up causing disaster for two families. So far, Mick's managed to keep the ladies in line, but when he claps eyes on Maddie, with her luscious curves and tempting lips, he can't resist getting tangled up with her.

But Maddie is keeping secrets, not the least of which is her true reason for being in town. And when Mick discovers what‘s really going on, there is going to be a whole lot of trouble in Truly.

SERIES: Writer Friends

1. Sex, Lies, and Online Dating - Lucy Rothschild and Quinn McIntyre, detective
   
2. I'm In No Mood for Love - Clare Wingate and Sebastian Vaughan, international journalist
   
3. Tangled Up In You - Madeline Jones and Mick Hennessy, ex-military and current bar owner
   
4. Not Another Bad Date - Adele Harris and Zach Zemaitis, high school football coach
   

Gibson's four-book series follows the happy-ever-after of four friends living in Boise, Idaho who are all writers. They each write in different genres: Lucy writes murder mysteries, Clare romance, Maddie true crime, and Adele science fiction.

MY OPINION
Tangled Up In You is a decent read; got it from the library and am glad I didn't buy it. Not a waste of time, but not a reread. Gibson has definitely written better (i.e. See Jane Score, Truly Madly Yours, and It Must Be Love)!!

Nora Roberts: Finding the Dream

MY REVIEW

Finding the Dream
Series: Dream Trilogy, Book 3
Author: Nora Roberts
Release: July 31, 1997
List Price: $7.99

Read: September 28-29, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from online)
Nora Roberts presents the final novel in a dramatic trilogy. Margo, Kate, and Laura were brought up like sisters amidst the peerless grandeur of Templeton House. But it was Laura who seemed to have it all - until she lost almost everything and had to begin again ...

Laura Templeton found out the hard way that nothing in life is guaranteed. The daughter of a wealthy hotelier, she had always known comfort, privilege, and security. But by the age of thirty, her storybook marriage had been destroyed by her husband's infidelity. Laura's divorce left her both emotionally and financially devastated - but determined to rebuild her life without the help of the Templeton fortune.

Laura had always defined herself as a wife, a daughter, or a mother. Now, she must finally discover Laura the woman ...

SERIES: The Dream Trilogy
I didn't read Book 1 of the Dream Trilogy, Daring to Dream, because the heroine just didn't really do anything for me - lol, don't mean it like that, just that Margo is beautiful and an ex-fashion model and just not really my type of heroine. She seems very nice and I like her as a supporting character in the two other books, but did not have an interest in reading her book. The second book in the series, Holding the Dream, was just as fantastic as Book 3 and I also gave it 4.5 stars.

MY OPINION
Roberts' book summaries are very odd because I feel like they leave out so much - mainly the romance! You know it's there - that's why we read these books - but so many times the hero is hardly mentioned, if at all. This book has the wonderful hero of Michael Fury, Josh's bad-boy friend from childhood (Josh is Laura's brother). He's basically been a nomad/wanderer for most of his life, doing a variety of things - and doing them all well - and he has now recently finally settled on raising / breeding horses.

This book was absolutely *fantastic*!! I love bad-boy heroes and Michael was a great counterpart for Laura; she's so prim and proper, always doing what was right and what she felt she should do, so it was wonderful to have a guy who wanted to focus on her (and her children - the scenes between Michael and her daughters will make you go "awww" out loud), make her live on the wild side and show her passionate side, and really give her the all-consuming love she has always wanted and dreamed (haha, no pun intended) of.

HERO AND HEROINE LOOKALIKES
Laura, the heroine of this book, is very similar to Abby O'Hurley, from Roberts' short story The Last Honest Woman, which is the first story in Born O'Hurley and Book 1 of the O'Hurley Collection (I rated that story 4.5-5 stars). Both women had horrible marriages and husbands that were complete ____ who abused them either emotionally or physically and left them in financially dire straits.

Michael, the hero, reminded me of Murphy Muldoon, from Born in Shame (rated 4 stars), in the way that they're both very comfortable with themselves, who they are, and what they want from life. They are also similar in their livelihoods, and connection to natureand the heroine of the books they're in.

BEST AMAZON.COM REVIEW
The review is by Jill Clardy and is repasted below, but here is the permalink if you want to read it on the Amazon.com website.

"Two years after her loveless 10-year marriage to Peter Ridgeway has ended, Laura Templeton is immersed in working two part-time jobs, raising her two daughters, and running the Templeton estate in Monterey. Peter managed to wipe out most of Laura's considerable assets, but she still has the home and a job working in one of the Templeton hotels. Her life is hectic and overscheduled, but basically lonely.

Enter the dark, mysterious, brooding Michael Fury. Raised nearby but on the 'wrong side of the tracks', Michael had been a good friend of Laura's brother, Josh, but had left the area right after high school to live a life of danger and adventure. Michael is back in the area, raising and breeding horses, but his stables and home were destroyed in a mudslide and Josh convinces Laura to let Michael rent her unused stables until he can rebuild.

Having married Peter at 18, Laura has little experience with dating or flirtation, and has compartmentalized and organized her life, leaving no room for dating or passion. When Michael strikes her a spark in her, she is confused and in denial, but he pursues her relentlessly. He is charming, sexy, good with animals and wonderful with her two daughters.

The usual misunderstandings, protective family, meddling friends, and circumstances attempt to thwart their romance, but after all this is a romance novel, so you know the guy gets the girl in the end. I didn't realize that the book was part of a trilogy, but the characters and scene are so captivating that the book stands alone and is a quick, entertaining, satisfying read."

Jennifer Crusie: Bet Me

MY REVIEW

Bet Me
Author: Jennifer Crusie
Release: July 31, 2004
List Price: $18.45 (hardcover), $4.99 (mass market paperback)

Read: September 27-27, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Book Page | Excerpt | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from inside flap)

~ Minerva Dobbs knows how to work the odds. Calvin Morrisey always plays to win. But when fate deals the cards, neither one is prepared. Because when real life meets true love, all bets are off ... ~

Minerva Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man who asked her to dinner to win a bet, even if he is gorgeous Calvin Morrisey. Cal knows commitment is impossible, especially with a woman as cranky as Min Dobbs, even if she does wear great shoes and keep him on his toes. When they say good-buy at the end of their evening, they cut their losses and agree never to see each other again.

But fate has other plans, and it's not long before Min and Cal meet again. Soon they're dealing with a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a freakishly intelligent cat, Chicken Marsala, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed of. Including the biggest gamble of all - true love.

MY OPINION
In the past few months I have read many, many books and let me just say that this one is definitely one of the best that I have read in a long time. It was absolutely charming and engaging, *hysterically* funny, had fantastic primary and secondary characters, an interesting plot, witty dialogue, and on and on and on.

There are almost always things - even in an absolute-5-star-favorite book - that I would want to change if given the option, even if it's very small. Here, the ONLY thing I would want to change would be in the epilogue where it says that Cal and Min don't have kids ... in my mind, they do, the epilogue just hasn't got that far yet time-wise.

BOTTOM LINE
WONDERFUL!!! READ IT!!!

Lisa Kleypas: Tempt Me at Twilight

MY REVIEW

Tempt Me at Twilight
Series: The Hathaways, Book 3
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Release: September 22, 2009
List Price: $7.99

Read: September 22-22, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Book Page (with excerpt) | Amazon.com

A solid Kleypas read with a wonderful "villain" hero and another charming Hathaway sister

At last!! Another Kleypas novel - now we all just have to survive the wait for the story we've all been waiting for: Leo and "Marks" (or Catherine/Cat, which we learn in this novel is her first name). I completely agree with the reviewer Luckee that this book was definitely satisfying and enjoyable, but there was just a little something missing. Is it worth rushing out to your nearest bookstore and buying though? Yes. Will you be left feeling giddy after you read it? Yes. And are there the classic characters we all love, the chemistry Kleypas excels at writing, and the humorous and witty scenes we adore? Yes. So basically: yes, buy it, steal it, whatever, but read it!

SUMMARY (from back cover)

~ He was everything she'd sworn to avoid. ~

Poppy Hathaway loves her unconventional family, though she longs for normalcy. Then fate leads to a meeting with Harry Rutledge, an enigmatic hotel owner and inventor with wealth, power, and a dangerous hidden life. When their flirtation compromises her own reputation, Poppy shocks everyone by accepting his proposal - only to find that her new husband offers his passion, but not his trust.

~ And she was everything he needed ... ~

Harry was willing to do anything to win Poppy - except to open his heart. All his life, he has held the world at arm's length ... but the sharp, beguiling Poppy demands to be his wife in every way that matters. Still, as desire grows between them, an enemy lurks in the shadows. Now if Harry wants to keep Poppy by his side, he must forge a true union of body and soul, once and for all ...

SERIES: The Hathaways

1. Mine Till Midnight (2007) - Amelia Hathaway and Cam Rohan
   
2. Seduce Me at Sunrise (2008) - Winnifred Hathaway and Kev Merripen
   
3. Tempt Me at Twilight (2009) - Poppy Hathaway and Harry Rutledge

The Hathaways Series follows the siblings of the Hathaway family. Their parents have passed away and they are now just left with one another. There's Leo, the oldest and only son, who inherits an unexpected title at the beginning of the series. Amelia is the oldest daughter and is kind of the "mother hen" of the family. Then there is Winnifred (Win), who has been severely ill for several years, followed by Poppy, who is intelligent, kind, somewhat socially awkward, and just longs for a quiet and settled family/home life with a husband and children. Finally, there is Beatrix, who adores animals - is practically obsessed - and is the baby of the family.

MAIN CHARACTERS, Harry Rutledge and Poppy Hathaway
Harry (early 30s) is a wonderful hero - the kind of bad-guy-whom-we-love-to-love hero that Kleypas created for Dreaming of You, The Devil in Winter, and Where Dreams Begin. Harry is ruthless, complex, very emotionally closed-off, and will stop at nothing to get what he wants - which usually comes very easily to him now. However he's also fair, humorous, extremely hardworking and intelligent, intense, passionate, loyal, and can be extremely tender and sensitive.

Here LK has created a "hero" à la Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent (from Devil in Winter), because as Harry himself says in the scene that was being used as the teaser-excerpt: in this story, it's the villain of the fairy-tale who gets the princess, not the prince. Harry definitely does some questionable things, though I would say that Kleypas does a very good job of having her character toe the line, but never quite crossing it - and writing him in such a way that one can't help but understand why Poppy is so attracted and drawn to him, because frankly what woman wouldn't be?! Basically, you know him ... he's the bad/cold guy who just secretly (even unconsciously) wants to love and cuddle / be loved and cuddled but was - surprise, surprise - just waiting (even if he didn't know it) for the right woman to come along. Let's not even pretend that we don't all (or okay, to be fair, *most* all of us) absolutely **LOVE** this type of hero, lol.

Poppy (23) is a great counterbalance to Harry - as he so eloquently puts it in one scene in the book when he compares her to a clock mechanism ;-). She's charming, friendly, outgoing, loving, intelligent, and a wonderful conversationalist (sounds like a mundane attribute, but really isn't in this case) who is interested by almost everything and everyone. All Poppy has ever wanted is a calm and quiet life - something not often found in the Hathaway household - with a partner whom she loves, and though she thinks she has found this in the form of Michael Bayning, Harry maneuvers everything so that ... well, let's just say that path becomes somewhat obstructed for Poppy.

I liked Poppy's freshness and honesty - there is no guile with her and it's easy to see why someone like Harry (or anyone, for that matter) would be drawn to her. One of the things I loved best about Poppy was that she wasn't written as being so perfect that it was almost hard to like her or feel any kinship with her; she has flaws - though admittedly not as many as Harry, lol - and there's one scene in particular where after speaking with Leo about something, she decides that she was in the wrong and is going to apologize. If you want to know what other LK heroines she's most like, I would probably say a combination of Sara Fielding (Dreaming of You) for her honesty and friendliness, Daisy Bowman (Scandal in Spring) for her simplicity and positivity, and Charlotte Howard (Worth Any Price) for how her relationship with the hero is portrayed and in the way that he needs/wants her.

OTHER COMMENTS
We see lots of the whole Hathaway clan (and are given great teasers about Leo and Marks, see P.S. for more details) and the staff of the Rutledge Hotel are great additions to the book. They really add to the story, as well as giving further depth to Harry and the relationship he develops with Poppy. They also provide some wonderful humor, which is always a great thing for any romance book, and this book definitely has some of the LOL scenes that I always come to treasure in LK's novels - one of the greatest ones is when the hotel top-staff are in the kitchen discussing the intimate side (or lack thereof) of Harry and Poppy's relationship and the chef is making all these vegetable metaphors. :-))) Couldn't stop laughing!

CRITICISM
The "there's-something-missing-but-I'm-not-exactly-sure-what" factor is hard to describe because, yes, I'm not exactly sure what it is. The whole relationship feels somewhat rushed to me and takes place over a shorter period of time than I feel is usually used in Kleypas' books (at least in her historicals). Because they know each other for so little time and the period (time-wise) that the book covers is somewhat on the short side, I think that the development of their relationship seems a little rushed or stilted, not containing as much plausible depth as some of Kleypas' other main characters, and problems that dog the story and their marriage seem to conclude almost too quickly right before the end.

Also, although the chemistry between Harry and Poppy is definitely there, it's not AS shimmery/practically-tangible as in some of her other novels. Compared to a lot of other authors out there, it's still absolutely wonderful and excellently written when it is there and you definitely will NOT feel like you were short-changed on the romance part - however compared to the first two Hathaway books (Mine Till Midnight and Seduce Me at Sunrise), it just was not as "charged."

Finally, most authors have to include some mystery/villain twist at the end and LK provides this obligatory plot twist. I myself thought it seemed a bit superfluous and could have been done without, but no more details since then I would have to include spoilers.

BOTTOM LINE
It's still a great read, and I definitely do NOT regret rushing out this morning and buying it at the nearest bookstore (my apologies, Amazon.com). We're teased at the end that Summer 2010 will see - get this - TWO NEW HISTORICAL ROMANCES by LK. Yes, I know, take a moment to sit down, take a deep breath, and collect yourself (... or was that just my reaction?). They are the remaining two books in the Hathaway series: Married by Morning and Love in the Afternoon.

P.S. FOR ALL THE LEO AND MISS MARKS FANS (i.e. everyone in existence who is aware of them)
The rumor is that Married by Morning is Leo's story (and Marks/Catherine/Cat's, because really, it's just too cruel to even IMAGINE she's not his heroine) and will be the next Hathaway book released - I don't know about the rest of you, but even the thought of the Leo/Cat story has me jumping up and down like a kid in a candy store (but no pressure LK, lol). As other reviews mention, this book is choc-a-bloc FULL of little teasers and further developments in their relationship (plus some new and *very interesting* disclosures about Cat's past - though still not everything, of course). Whenever their book finally DOES come out, it will be an absolute must to reread the previous Hathaway books first so the anticipation can really build ... and then we can just wallow in enjoyment, lol. I can (seriously) barely contain my excitement - good to know I have a whole ~10 months to work on it ::sigh::.

For mini-micro-spoilers about both books (though really mini when it comes to LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON) go to this interview with Lisa Kleypas that was posted the day after this book came out. Thank you to L. ROACH for the post about it; the spoiler for MARRIED BY MORNING is absolutely great and is a definite must-read if you're left wondering about a certain exchange between Leo and Cat at the end of the book.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Match Me If You Can

MY REVIEW

Match Me If You Can
Series: Chicago Stars, Book 6
Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Release: August 29, 2006
List Price: $7.99

Read: August 27-29, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Chicago Stars Series | Browse Inside | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from inside and back flap)

In This Heart of Mine you met Kevin Tucker. Now meet Kevin's shark of an agent ... and Annabelle Granger, the girl least likely to succeed.

Annabelle is tired of being the lone failure in a family of overachievers. She's endured dead-end jobs and a broken engagement. Even her hair's a mess! But that's going to change now that she's taken over her late grandmother's matchmaking business. All Annabelle has to do is land the Windy City's hottest bachelor as her client, and she'll be the most sought-after matchmaker in town. Nothing is going to stand in her way - not the drunk lying comatose under her car, not her family's disapproval, and certainly not the lingering effects of a broken heart.

With his money green eyes and calculated charm, Heath Champion is the best sports agent in the country. He's wealthy, driven, and gorgeous, so why does he need a matchmaker, especially a red-haired screw-up like Annabelle Granger? True, she's entertaining and she does have a certain quirky appeal. But Heath is searching for the ultimate symbol of his success - the perfect wife. And to make an extraordinary match, he needs an extraordinary matchmaker, right?

Thin, rich, utterly fabulous Portia Powers has spent her career making matches for everyone but herself. Her take-no-prisoners attitude has built Power Matches into the top matchmaking agency in Chicago. So what if she has more enemies than friends and she's one breath away from a nervous breakdown? Neither an upstart like Annabelle Granger nor Heath Champion's menacing, but oddly intriguing, bodyguard will keep her from getting what she wants - a Power Match for Heath ... the city's very own Jerry Maguire.

Soon everyone in Chicago has a stake in the outcome, right down to Annabelle's overprotective book club. When the matchmaker promises she'll do anything to keep her star client happy ... does she mean anything? If Annabelle isn't careful, she just might find herself going heart-to-heart with the toughest negotiator in town - a man who's beginning to ask himself: Exactly how perfect does perfect have to be?

SERIES: Chicago Stars Series

1. It Had to Be You (1994)
2. Heaven, Texas (1995)
3. Nobody's Baby But Mine (1997)
4. Dream a Little Dream (1998)
5. This Heart of Mine (2001)
6. Match Me If You Can (2005)
7. Natural Born Charmer (2007)

The Chicago Stars Series features characters that are somehow tied to the Chicago football team, the Stars. Book 1, It Had to Be You, features Phoebe Somerville, a sexy bombshell-type who inherits the football team, and Dan Celebow, the head coach of the team with whom she immediately clashes. Book 2 is Heaven, Texas and quickly became a favorite of mine; the heroine is an unusual ugly-duckling type, Gracie Snow, who becomes a (still unusual) swan, and the sexy and surprisingly complex Bobby Tom Denton, ex-quarterback for the Stars, is the hero.

Nobody's Baby But Mine is Book 3, starring physics professor Dr. Jane Darlington and the legendary quarterback Cal Bonner, followed by Dream a Little Dream, featuring single-mother Rachel Stone and widower Gabe Bonner, who tragically recently lost his wife and child. Book 5 is This Heart of Mine, featuring children's book author - and Phoebe's sister - Molly Somerville and handsome Stars quarterback, Kevin Tucker.

Book 6 is covered in this review and Book 7 is Natural Born Charmer, a book I just checked out from the library; the hero is new hotshot quarterback Dean Robillard whom we were introduced to in Match Me If You Can and the heroine is down-on-her-luck Blue Bailey.

OPINION
This is another great book by Phillips! It's my second by her, following Heaven, Texas, which was absolutely fantastic (5 stars). Match Me If You Can wasn't as good, but it was still excellent and after reading it from the library, I put it on my "to-buy" list, since I know that it will be a definite reread in the future.

The book had several laugh-out-loud scenes (I loved how Molly's daughter kept stealing Heath's cellphones!!), an interesting secondary romance between Portia Powers and Heath's friend Bodie (they were great - and a very interesting - pair), wonderful supporting characters (can't wait for Dean's story next, Natural Born Charmer), and the ending (or almost-ending, since there is an epilogue) where Annabelle asks Heath the two questions on the cliff is so sweet and very cute and funny.

MAIN CHARACTERS, Annabelle (31) and Heath (34)
The two main characters are absolutely wonderful and the interactions between them were from the start extremely entertaining. Annabelle is a feisty, red-haired woman, accurately described as "quirky" in the book's summary. She has a great sense of humor, is wonderfully generous and thoughtful, but is also a real spitfire who knows when to be sarcastic and poke someone who needs it (i.e. Heath). Heath is an equally great hero; he's determined, driven, dedicated, charming, loyal, and deeply in need of some relaxation, fun, and someone who is not as high-strung as he is (i.e. Annabelle).

They were really just perfect for each other and the reader sees from the beginning how well they balance one another. There were so many sweet and friendly interactions between them, with also plenty of chemistry between Annabelle and Heath to make the book into a romance. The teasing exchanges kept putting a smile on my face and when Heath would go visit Annabelle, find himself at her house, wonder why she was the first person he wanted to call with good news ... ::sigh:: yeah ...

CRITICISM
One of my critiques is that Match Me If You Can didn't have the same chemistry as Heaven, Texas - or rather, it did, but there weren't as many ... shall we say, "chemistry induced" scenes that featured and showcased the sexual tension between the hero and heroine, lol ;-).

I also thought that the Epilogue could have used some retouching - it was told from Pippi's point of view (what a nickname ... does anyone else wonder at the pronunciation of that - isn't Philippa, which I think is her name, normally shortened to Pippa?) and though I loved having that detail, it could have been told in a straight-narrator form instead, IMHO.

Finally - and this isn't really criticism, but more of an observation - I saw some striking similarities between Heaven, Texas and Match Me If You Can in the way that Phillips fashions her endings. Basically: the woman knows she's in love with him, the man won't admit his love, he proposes and gives various reasons (other than love) for why he wants to marry her, she publicly spurns his offer, he becomes destroyed and everyone tells him he's stupid, there's some chase involved and then the realization of love, declarations, etc. We'll see if this pattern holds in more of her books.

BOTTOM LINE
Read it and be prepared to laugh while you do! Not as sexually-charged as Heaven, Texas was - the hottest scene was actually one with the secondary romance characters, Portia and Bodie - but still wonderful and a definite reread for me in the future.