Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Mr. Perfect - Linda Howard

Description~

Jaine Bright and three close friends share dinner one night and during casual conversation, create a list of qualifications for the perfect man--some logical, some hilariously funny, some racy. Within days, their tongue-in-cheek wish list of attributes for Mr. Perfect has been leaked to the press and the resultant publicity is overwhelming. Coworkers, TV crews, and reporters barrage the quartet with comments and criticism.

As if Jaine doesn't have enough to cope with, she has a new neighbor who she suspects is a criminal. She's relieved to learn that her neighbor is really an undercover cop, but she's still wary--because smart, sexy Sam Donovan handles her sharp witticisms with easy humor, and Jaine suspects that he may threaten her heart. What Jaine doesn't know is that she's about to need Sam desperately for something other than romance because her circle of friends is in big trouble. Unfortunately, that list of qualifications for Mr. Perfect has touched off a madman's rage. All of their lives are threatened and some of them are going to die, maybe all of them, if Sam can't stop the unknown killer.

We open up the story with Jaine Bright buying her first home...all would be perfect if she didn't have to deal with her loud and obnoxious neighbor Sam. Sam Donovan is a detective who works odd hours and isn't very happy when his new neighbor backs over his garbage cans and wakes him. From the first confrontation the two are nose to nose with blood pressures on high! This unlikely pair soon finds their passion for each other too much to handle and gives into the temptation. In the midst of a love affair Jaine and her friends make a 'Mr. Perfect' lists that lists all the qualities (honest and a bit outrageous) that they would want in their perfect man. Soon the media gets a hold of this list and not everyone is happy. One in particular person is ready for murder..When bodies start turning up Sam finds himself trying to fight to keep Jaine alive. Will Sam be able to keep Jaine alive long enough to get her down the aisle? And when the time comes will Jaine be able to run for her life?

I gotta say this is an exciting little book! At first I felt like I was waiting around for the "list" to be made but then again I must say that I am an extremely impatient little gal so its probably just me! lol But once it got made the ball started rolling! I totally loved the friendship between all 4 girls and even wished I had some friends to go out to eat and bitch with! lol the list is hilarious! Two words...10 inches!!! OMG! I'd run for the hills! lol So that right there proves the list is just great!...very humorous!

One thing that i love in romances is when a bit of mystery is tied in! It always makes the story exciting, edgy and suspenseful! And I have to admit I love cops! lol Sam being a cop and coming to "save the day' is just great. Sam is the type of guy that knows what he wants and will tell you outright! Hes very in-your-face and damn hot! ;o) I really enjoyed the part where Jaine wakes up and its a normal morning, she fixes her coffee and looks out the kitchen window and...BAM! Sam is SO in the buff walking around his house with the blinds open like its no ones business! lol When Janie calls his house to inform him of his very apparent manhood hes flaunting he looks out the window and just smiles! LMAO!!! OMG!

Alright since I'm so sex craved (at least according to SOME GIRLS I KNOW...oh you know who you are! ;op) here is a change I'll give you an emotional snib bit...because actually this book did have its sad parts...

Her eyes were anxious as she studied his expression. He knew he was wearing his cop face, as emotionless as a mask, but she went white.

He put his hands around her slender waist and lifted her into the truck, then walked back around to get behind the wheel.

A tear slid down Jaine's cheek. "Tell me," she said, her voice choked.

He sighed, then reached out and drew her into his arms. "I'm so sorry," he said against her hair.

She clutched his shirt. He could feel her shaking, and held her even tighter.

"Shes dead, isn't she," she said in a trembling whisper, and it wasn't a question.

She knew.

Now don't get fooled by the rating...its a great book you should go get it! Its just I would've rated it higher if the ending was different. Here is what I didn't like...highlight! But don't if you don't want a spoiler.

*I didn't like that when they finally got to the airport to meet her parents you were like so anticipating what all was gonna go on, would you get to see the wedding or would it flash forward to after they got married and maybe joke that she was prego (b/c you know how they joked about his sperm getting to her eggs) but no...once her family got there it ended with her dad saying a joke about his Parkinson disease. So it was like a TOTAL drop off for me.*

I give this book a total of...

34 comments:

Amy said...

Wow -- I loved the ending. A total departure for the diehard romance fan who needs to see the wedding and babies and it lets you create your own image, I guess. But...*shrug* that's just me. MR. PERFECT is probably one of my top 5 romances of all time! Great review!

June 9, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Amy-
Thanks! Ya I'm a sap...lol I wanted to see the babies etc! lol But I still loved the book!

June 9, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Lori said...

Oh, Sam is da bomb. Loved him!!

June 9, 2009 at 8:19 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Lori-
OH SAM...*sigh...licks lips* LMAO! He was da bomb!

June 9, 2009 at 8:23 PM
Tia said...

Oh KA-POW! Walking around in the buff like nobody's business? Then he just smiles? (eyes wide, sly grin) WHAT!??!?!?! I HAVE to read this book. He's my boyfriend already. I don't even know him but I WANT HIM. He's cocky. Apparently in more ways than one. I LOVE THAT...yeah whatever I'm a fiend for sexy fictional characters who are unabashed and well endowed. Sue me. ;) I think this may actually be in my TBR pile! YES! (punching fists in air) My auntie (dirty old woman she is seeing that she failed to mention the in-your-face naked maleness) is a big Lisa Jackson fan and gives me all of her books so she makes sure we discuss. I might end up eating the pages wishing it was Sam...I think I'll risk it though.

June 9, 2009 at 9:25 PM
Kristie (J) said...

I love this book and I love Linda Howard. Have you read many of her books 'cause if you haven't, I can give some real good recommendations *g*. I think my very favourite is After The Night followed by To Die For.
I loved so many parts in Mr. Perfect - the one you already mentioned - the scene where she calls him when she sees she sees too much - heh heh, the banter between Sam and Jaine - oh so many parts I love.

June 9, 2009 at 9:41 PM
Isabel said...

I loved the window scene. Yummm.

June 9, 2009 at 10:01 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Tia-
Yes! you should go get this book it was pretty hot! Not to mention the mystery in it was great! Who doesn't love a good murder! :o)

Kristis J-
Yes I love their fire between them! It was great. And I love how she was sorta determined to wait a while for them to have sex...ummm ya! lol Didn't quite work out for her!

Iz-
So ya I reading that part and I'm like "Wheres my naked neighbor?" lol Some people have it all!

June 10, 2009 at 3:14 AM
Stacy~ said...

Classic Howard. My favorite of hers. I want a Sam of my own. Yum. Plus Jaine was cool too. No whimpering heroine, and I liked that. But it really was all about Sam.

June 10, 2009 at 6:43 AM
~ames~ said...

Sam is my fave contemporary hero to this day. He's so great.

And let's not forget the car washing scene? That was good too. LOL

June 10, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Monroe Dawson said...

Stacy-
Ya I liked how strong Janie was too! Its nice to have a girl who can hold her own.

Ames-
Sams pretty hot...I have a weakness for Cops! lol Maybe its the uniform! ;op OH MAN I loved the car wash scene...when it talked about her practically climbing his body to get to his "goods" and he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waits! OH DEAR!!!

June 10, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Tia said...

I just started this book! (happy dance) I had to search and search and search for it.

June 10, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Tia-
You wont be sorry! Its a good little book!

June 10, 2009 at 4:06 PM
Tia said...

I'm already lovin' Jaine and Sam. I'm only on page 28 but that's right after she cusses him out, you after she knocks over his trash can. I LOVED that scene. Probably because I was reminded of myself. Jaine's a hellcat.

June 10, 2009 at 4:24 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Tia-
Isnt she totally strong?!?! LUVS IT!

June 10, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Tia said...

She is! I guess I need a surly cop to be MY neighbor. Most guys I know want to break your hand or run away when you start the chest stabbing. AND Jaine likes the eff word! Love that. I've been told too many times by the EVIL one that it's not ladylike. Well. At least I'm not the DEVIL.

June 10, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Tia-
Youre totally crazy! LMAO!

June 10, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Tia said...

Too bad. He is the DEVIL. And I DO want a surly cop. Only he has to be big and sexy. Not rotund.

June 10, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Tia said...

I mean I like a little chub...but he has to be at least 6' tall. AT LEAST. Maybe 5'11", if he's gorgeous. Oh and he has to have gorgeous eyes. They always do. They get these great eyelashes, while I'm stuck curling and coating with mascara. I'd happily kill a man for a great set of eyelashes.

June 10, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Tia-
I never curl mine...lol my hubby is stuck with me cute eyelashes or not!

June 10, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Tia said...

If he cared whether you have cute eyelashes he probably wouldn't be worth marrying. Lol. I'm just saying. The guys get all the good ones...so my surly cop better have AMAZING eyes. Preferably green. With mink brown hair. Maybe hair with a little curl. And pretty teeth. Without an excess of body hair. I mean no hairy back. And tattoos would be okay but not required. Dimples are preferred. Maybe I should post an application for the position.

June 10, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Tia-
I think you should....how funny would that be?!?! Make an app for the Perfect guy and post it on your blog! lol

June 10, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Rowena said...

Awww, it's all about preferences then because I loved the ending. I thought it was a perfect way to end things because the happily ever after is given and so to finally meet the parents, I thought it was great!

And ditto to what Ames said because it's true, that car washing scene was hot too and the grocery store kiss, for me really it was all about Sam, any scene that had him in it, I was a fan of! haha.

Great review sweets, so seriously...hurry up and read BED or NP so that we can really get the discussin.

June 10, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Wena-
Thats a good way of putting it "preference". I preferred to see more BUT dont get me wrong LOVED that book!

Ok So i went on the DH site and the book list has books after FL...so are yall sure Night Pleasure is the next DH book...im total OCD and cant read them out of order!

June 10, 2009 at 5:34 PM
Tia said...

Yes....Night Pleasure is the next book! I'm OCD too. Don't worry. I wouldn't steer you wrong! I get itchy if I read books out of order. Lol. That Dragonswan thing is an ebook and it doesn't matter for the rest of the series. You won't miss anything.

I just got to the part in Mr. Perfect where she calls him to tell him to close his blinds! I LOVE him. I was laughing like a loon reading that scene. I should be farther but my damn dog keeps dropping her tennis ball on my book! Anyways...that scene was GREAT. I re-read it. Twice.

June 10, 2009 at 5:47 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Tia-
Dont you love books that make you re-read scenes?!?! Gosh everyone is making me feel like I shouldve rated it higher...BUT its my opinion so I guess I gotta stay true to me! lol Hey i messaged you on yor email....i guess to ask you have you ever considered getting an ebook?

June 10, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Tia said...

I do...if I can't find the book I want in print or if it was just an ebook release. I would rather have the book in my hands but in a pinch ebooks are good too. I had a Kindle (which makes ebook reading a lot better) but the EVIL ONE took it when he moved out and now I have to get the books on my laptop...I think that's why I don't like them anymore.

And yes I love books that make you re-read scenes. I couldn't stop laughing but I was like "Oh yeah!" at the same time. You know?

June 10, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Tia-
LOL I know what you mean...thats sad about your ebook! I just got mine A Sony 505.

June 10, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Tia said...

I emailed you! I didn't see that...and it is easier. Man. We're like crazy people when it comes to books. Seriously. Like crackheads. Only not ashy.

June 10, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Monroe Dawson said...

Tia-
Hmmm...I don't have an email yet...LMAO...not ashy...seriously you gotta be older than 20! your killing me here!

June 10, 2009 at 5:58 PM
Tia said...

No I'm really 20. At least physically. Thank you sweet baby Jesus. I don't want to part with my perkiness. Or firmness.

June 10, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Tia said...

I think my email is jacked up. It took a long time to get yours. I'll send you an invite for the im thing. That's waaaaay faster.

June 10, 2009 at 6:02 PM
Little Miss Busy said...

I may have to check into this one. Linda Howard is def an author up my alley. I've read some of her works that were compiled with some of my other fav authors into holiday romances.

June 11, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Monkey Bear Reviews said...

This is my fave Linda Howard. I haven't been as fond of her more recent books ('Death Angel' & 'Drop Dead Gorgeous').

June 12, 2009 at 7:41 AM