Previously titled Always Kiss Me Goodnight, this is Jenny’s version of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. (The Turn of the Screw is a novella (short novel) written by Henry James. Originally published in 1898, it is ostensibly a ghost story. Due to its ambiguous content, it became a favorite text of New Criticism.
The novella has had many differing interpretations, often mutually exclusive, including those of a Freudian nature. Many critics have tried to determine the exact nature of the evil that is spoken of in the story.
The Turn of the Screw has lent itself well to operatic and film adaptation.)
Blurb~ Andie Miller is ready to move on in life. She wants to marry her fiancé and leave behind everything in her past, especially her ex-husband, North Archer. But when Andie tries to gain closure with him, he asks one final favor of her before they go their separate ways forever. A very distant cousin of his has died and left North as the guardian of two orphans who have driven out three nannies already, and things are getting worse. He needs a very special person to take care of the situation and he knows Andie can handle anything.
When Andie meets the two children she quickly realizes things are much worse than she feared. The place is a mess, the children, Carter and Alice, aren’t your average delinquents, and the creepy old house where they live is being run by the worst housekeeper since Mrs. Danvers. What’s worse, Andie’s fiancé thinks this is all a plan by North to get Andie back, and he may be right. Andie’s dreams have been haunted by North since she arrived at the old house. And that’s not the only haunting.
What follows is a hilarious adventure in exorcism, including a self-doubting parapsychologist, an annoyed medium, her Tarot-card reading mother, an avenging ex-mother-inlaw, and, of course, her jealous fiancé. And just when she thinks things couldn’t get more complicated, North shows up on the doorstep making her wonder if maybe this time things could be different between them.
If Andie can just get rid of all the guests and ghosts, she’s pretty sure she can save the kids, and herself, from the past. But fate might just have another thing in mind…
I love Jenny Crusie and I've been craving one of her funny/love/mystery type books here for a while. I think we can all agree that Jenny has her own voice out there and every time you read one of her books you can't help but smile! So come August Ill be elbowing in the book stores to grab this one! =)
Blurb~ Tess Newhart knows her ex-boyfriend Nick Jamieson isn't the right guy for her. He's caviar and champagne; she's take-out Chinese pot stickers. He's an uptight Republican lawyer; she was raised in a commune. He wants to get ahead in business; she just wants…him. But there's no way Tess will play second fiddle to his job.
Yet somehow she finds herself agreeing to play his fiancée on a weekend business trip that could make or break Nick's career. And while he's trying to convince Tess that he needs her in his respectable world, Tess is doing her best to keep her opinions to herself and her hands off Nick.
Everyone knows I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jennifer Crusie...but to me this book was a bit of a hiccup. =/ I must say the biggest thing I have to complain about...to me its like a low budget Cinderella Deal. If you read my review of The Cinderella Deal you'll see that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Strange Bedpersons however is just short of enjoyment in my eyes!
So like I said these two stories are VERY similar...Originally brought together by quirky similarities one weekend things quickly took a turn for the worse when Tess noticed Nick being solely driven by his need to make partner with his law firm. Tess broke things off yet a very persistent Nick needs her help.
Nick needs Tess...Tess has a heart too big for her britches and decides to help her ex impress his boss by playing the fiance. Obviously things unfold...Nick is uptight, Tess is outgoing yet they fall for each other. But can Nick let go of the drive to be MORE? Will Tess let her heart fall again for a man that could very well want to change everything she is and stands for???
Was this book good...well ya, it was ok to me. I mean it's Jenny Crusie after all. BUT BUT BUT bc I read The Cinderella Deal FIRST I have to say that this wasn't Jenny's best. HOWEVER I adore/worship this woman! *bows before the Goddess
Blurb~ Sometimes you have to go more than halfway to meet in the middle.
Caitlin Moore has every reason to celebrate. She’s through with law-school finals, and out for some post-semester fun when she runs smack dab into Eamon Blake, the Irishman with whom she had a summer fling years ago. Time hasn’t dimmed their lingering friendship—or their sexual chemistry.
Eamon isn’t looking for love when he bumps into Cat while he’s in Seattle on a job. Yet over the next year, he finds himself involved in a rekindled long-distance romance that moves from casual to a lot more.
That’s the rub. Cat is determined not to repeat her past mistakes with men and give up the dream job for which she’s worked so hard. Independence is something she’s spent years achieving. Eamon can start over so much easier than she can—why shouldn’t he make the sacrifice this time?
But Eamon doesn’t much relish leaving the life he’s been building in Los Angeles—and he really doesn’t like ultimatums. At an impasse, goodbye seems the only direction to go. Ending it is the right thing to do…or the biggest mistake they ever made.
This is my first official Lauren Dane book! =) It came highly recommended by Ames over at Thrifty Reader. Ok this is why Amy and I are BFF...the girl KNOWS ME! lol This book rocked my world! Its a hot sexy read that you'll finish in one sexy sitting! ;)
Ok so Caitlin and Eamon met 4 years back at his dads pub in Ireland. Caitlin was in school for being a lawyer and went abroad for the summer. The two her hot and heavy yet light with their relationship while their time together. All ended fine and they parted.
4 years later they run into each other in Seattle where Cat now lives. Things quickly heat up and the two fall right back into where they left...back into bed! lol But things seem different this time...both are more mature and a bit more into their own lives.
Obviously the two end up having a long distant relationship that actually seems to work for them! On both sides of their fences they are getting pushed...Eamon to commit and Cat to un-commit her heart! Both go back and forth between about a year and a half or so and when Cat's graduation comes forward shes faced with deciding if she wants to commit herself and her heart to this one man.
She does...does he???
This is was SOOOO GOOOOD! The obvious...did you hear me up there...Eamon...Irish...HELLO SEXY ACCENT! I swear when he talked I heard his voice flew off the pages...ok or ebook! lol ;) Eamon was hot & sexy! He totally knew what Cat wanted at all times whether it was in the bed or out in real life! He was such a hot little flirt but when it came to Cat he held her on high! =)
Cat...poor girl ran after a guy and held off her career for years then got cheated on. Therefore shes held herself back so much in her love life. Being with Eamon is a big step for her on every level. And now that shes done with school shes got to decide if she will throw it all away and uproot herself once again for a guy! She has issues with that as Eamon does with leaving his business in LA! =/
If you need a hot and steamy little read pick this one up PRONTO! I finished it within a few short hours! =)
Snippet~ Warning: This excerpt contains adult content. 18 and over only, please.
Her door beckoned, bright gleaming red. She unlocked it and waved him inside, locking up behind herself.
Eamon filled her small entryway with more than just his physical presence. His heat, his vitality took up every inch of the place, sliding over her skin, seeping into her pores. The man was potent. Caitlin hesitated, unable to remember if he’d always been so. She seemed to recall his sexuality had been more casual, playful. Then again, hers had too. Four years had been a lifetime for her. In that time he’d lost his father and had taken on a new life’s path. That would change anyone, deepen their focus. It worked on him, she decided after taking a long look.
He put his bag down—he’d told her earlier it contained his camera—and hung his coat up before taking hers. “I like it here,” he murmured, drawing her into the main room. “I don’t suppose I’d have imagined you in a room with these deep purples and golds. And yet, looking at you now, here, it works. It’s regal.” He stood in front of her, the bed only steps away. He drew the backs of his fingers down her cheek and she relaxed.
She knew this man, he knew her. Everything would be fine.
“You still with me, Cat?”
She reached down and grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling it up and off, tossing it on the chair behind her. Releasing the clip that held most of her hair, she sent it cascading down her back and shoulders.
“Yes. You?”
“Good Lord, you’re beautiful.” He bent his body, dipping his head to brush his lips across her bare shoulder briefly.
“Would you like a beer or a glass of wine? It’s a bit chilly, I thought I’d start a fire before we got naked.”
“I approve of your priorities. What sort of beer and or wine do you have?”
“Take your sweater off first. I want to see you. Or part of you for now.” Caitlin realized her voice had shifted lower, into a sort of purr. It had been a while since sex had been more than a perfunctory meeting of a need. A long while since she’d truly felt sexual, especially sexy herself. Perhaps it was that he represented a part of herself she’d lost.
“Pleased to oblige you.” His sweater joined her shirt and she sighed happily. His upper body was beautiful. Hard but not bulked. Just the right amount of muscle. She was unwilling to stop herself from sliding her palms across his pecs, delighting in the way they jumped at her caress. Just the right amount of hair on his chest, lovely, flat nipples she remembered were very sensitive.
Boutique owner Ashley Larsen hates flying. Especially when there's a sugar-fueled little hellion on board. But then David McLean (sexy!) sits next to her, and suddenly Ashley finds herself hoping the delay will last forever—and that David won't notice her comfy pink bunny slippers (sadly, the opposite of sexy).
David does notice Ashley, and when the flight is delayed overnight, they can't get to the airport hotel fast enough. Off with the slippers and in with the zing! Fortunately, America is filled with cities—L.A., New York, Miami—and nothing says "smoking-hot passion" like an intercontinental affair!
Alrighty...IM BACK!!! *said in really creepy voice! lol Ive been sick/hurt this week! lol But Im back now and YOWZA this was the perfect book to start off with!
This happens to be my first Harlequin!!! Yay me! I have to admit that I once thought that these books were hokey and for old chicks...I know I know but I was TOTALLY proven wrong! lol
We meet Ashley...she is divorced and owns a few new chichi boutiques! =)
This was the perfect book to pop my Harlequin cherry! ;) Ashley HATES...absolutely HATES flying but when David sits next to her on one of her many business trips all things start to head for the Mile High Club.
David is a (I forget what you call it) but a numbers guy in business's! lol He tells them all what they should do to get ahead in their company etc. David is also divorced (and let me tell you his story is a B-U-R-N) and has no plans for a love affair but when he sits near this bombshell Ashley he cant help but think of getting her near a bed!
Oh darn...looks like the plane wont get to take off after all. So what better to do then to shack up for a one nighter with a hot bod laying next to you! ;) Ashley and David never knew what hit them after this long night of lovin' and obviously when things leave all was well but they couldn't help but think of each other and soon form a bond. Meeting state to state though soon took a toll of them and when push comes to shove can they handle a relationship...is it something they even want?!?!? What happens when they leave the bedroom and real life calls?
I LOVED THIS STINKING BOOK! It had so many facets for being such a small gem. I loved that each character had their faults and issues yet by the end of the book all was well. The sex was HOT HOT HOT and and their dialogue was superb! I loved how the was quarky in ways like Ashley would hear her overbearing/extremely needy little sisters voice in her head! I looks at it as her internal demons! lol You'll understand as you read the book! Ashley and her family had ISSUES! As did David! David and his brother had a KING of issues! I don't want to give anything away but lets say that he too has to come past a lot of hurt within his family!
Overall I thought this book TOTALLY hit the spot in every way! Was it erotica? No...was it just about as hot...HECK YA and it still had heart! LOVED IT! =)
Blurb~ Reese Duncan wanted a wife, pure and simple. Someone to have children with, someone to help him rebuild his ranch, someone uncomplicated...and someone very different from his first wife, the woman who'd destroyed his life.
But he hadn't bargained on Madelyn Patterson. She was sophisticated and citified, and she was willing to herd cattle, keep house and start a family with Reese. The only thing she asked for in return was love - the one thing Reese refused to guarantee.
Ok Ive REALLY began to L-O-V-E Linda Howard! Her writing just jumps off the pages and grabs your heart! Duncan's Bride is NO exception!
Ok Reese is a good ol' boy that was raised on a huge far and now runs it by himself after getting basically SLAMMED by his ex wife that couldnt deal with the country life. She took him to the cleaners and hes barely able to make ends meet. SO he gets the great idea of a male order bride! (lol I know I know...) He throws the add in the paper thinking no one would answer...little did he know that little miss Maddie Patterson was looking for a change! And once she meets this studly cowboy she had her heart set! Trouble was Resse was wanting to avoid two things things...1) A city-girl like his ex (and from the looks of it Maddie put the girl in city-girl) and 2) LOVE (which Maddie was SO determined to have).
So you see the problem... ;o)
Man this book was SO GREAT! I swear I read it in like a day and a half! I liked Maddie from the VERY beginning! She was pretty strong willed in her life. When she figured out what she wanted she went for it! Once she met Reese and came to visit the farm he quickly judged her and thought she couldnt handle the country life...BUT SHE SHOWED HIM! The simple life of the country was exactly what she needed! Something drew her to Resse and it wasnt just his hard, hot body...it was his manners, his love for his farm, his want for kids and his deep rooted love she knew shed have a time bringing out.
Now Reese...oh Reesey-poo...*sigh...let me tell you...it was a love/hate relationship with this man and me. Like I said Resse was a good ol' boy...old fashioned in every sense! Which in some ways is good. I mean after all I too am a southern (NOT country but southern) girl. So I REALLY appreciate the charm our boys have...BUT being sexist is a total turn off...and let me tell you Resse lit a fire under my cute little fanny! There were times that he would just lay into Maddie like she shouldve known to have dinner on the table the second he came in from work, or that she should tell him everywhere she goes or that she couldnt do "manly" things...well *gagging sounds, that put me off...but thats also the beauty of this story! Reese totally learns his lesson. I dont wanna say HOW he learns everything but lets just say Maddie is JUST what he needs...he makes him question everything that he says he didnt want...she takes it all away and THEN he realizes whats most important!
One other thing that cant go unmentioned is...HELLO TO THE HOT LOVIN'!!!!! I mean its like they were cats in heat! lol At times it was sweet and soft then at other times it burnt m,y retinas just reading the words! I mean...they did it in the field, in his truck, in the house...JEEZ! There was NOT LACKING in the steam department here folks! ;) Oh one other thing I have to say that piggy backs hot hot Resse is...well he had NO TROUBLE letting Maddie know how much he wanted her! I mean jeez from like the first day he was telling her how he wanted to push up her skirt! LOLOLOLOL!!!!
Ok ok so ya this is a oldy but a goody so go and get it! You WONT be sorry!
Blurb~ Curious people want to know: is dashing millionaire Rory Kincaid about to resign his position as the "sexiest man in town"? If Rory decides to step down as the most eligible bachelor in America, millions of women will be left crying on his way to the altar...Rory Kincaid has everyone talking...and the women swooning. After a lifetime of living down his family's scandalous past, the handsome public figure decides to take up the mantle of respectability. But first he must survive the scandal caused by a curvy siren named Jilly Skye.With her snug, vintage clothes and free-spirited ways, Jilly can't quite discover why Rory makes her feel so....tingly. Though he's far from an antique, no one that tempting should appear so stodgy. When the two are caught on film in a distinctly compromising position, Jilly agrees to pose as his fiancee - at least until his reputation gets back in order. But neither of them counted on love...
You know...I read this book last week and at the time was like 'ok Im digging this' but now looking back I notice that it wasnt all the greatest...it was just ehh...kinda passing the time.
Its your typical eccentric woman falling for the uptight rich guy. She teaches him to let go and have the life he REALLY wants and not the one everyone else wants him to have. Rory wants to live down his families scandalous life so he sets out to be a politician. When Rory gets caught in a compromising position with Jilly he is forced to fake an engagement but will Jillys past interfere with his goals? The big question is in the end what will Rory choose...Jilly or his career?
Theres also another story on the side...this one is WAY more interesting and personally I think it shouldve been the headliner! Rorys brother fell in love with his grandfathers young and beautiful wife YEARS ago. After she produced an heir he kicked her out on her fanny...when the two are face to face after all these years sparks start to fly...but how will it all play out when theres not only a past to overcome but a child she hasnt seen since birth?!?!
Like I said this book was just meh for me...very predictable and sketchy at parts/ I do love this author but I must say that this one didnt lite my fire! ;o) After reading it I felt like Ive read it before. I guess at the time I needed something more fresh. SO if this wouldnt be something you've read before you may enjoy it way better than I did! So give it a shot and let me know what you think!
Blurb~ TJ—the oldest brother of Cam and Stone—on his expedition of the heart. His destination: Harley Stephens, a blond spitfire TJ's wanted for a long time. Harley, who's recently gotten her degree in wildlife biology, needs TJ's help on a dangerous research trip that may lead to a good job in Colorado, but she won't ask for it. TJ, meanwhile, wants her to stay local and offers her work with his family's wilderness guide company. After TJ lends his support to Harley's expedition, their love for each other builds, but will they be able to make it work?
Ok sexual tension is the theme in this little gem of a book! If youve read the prior two books in this trilogy youve met the Wilder boys! And 'Yum' doesnt begin to describe these wild child's!
TJ and Harley have know each other for years! TJ wants...but cant have! lol Harley has been forced to grow up quick...taking care of her younger sister and helping out her parents. Shes geld back a lot in her life but now shes reaching out for what she wants in life...a big job...in a different city. When TJ is thrown into a temporary working relationship with Harley he starts to get hot and bothered by his wanting...a fling starts into a relationship...but will Harley stay and gave up her big dreams in the big city...and what about the unknown person shooting innocent animals on her turf???
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I have to say it wasn't my MOST FAV but it was second in the line of all three!
Give back and forth in this book was amazing! lol Both had sparky personalities yet still oozed sexiness! lol Obviously like all romances both parties tried to fight their love for each other! But ALSO like others they fail miserably! lol
TJ is a man who totally avoids everything "real" in his life....love, failure and responsibility are sorta low on his list of 'To Do's'. But when he gets back around the one gal who awakens the man in him he doenst know what to think. I love these sorta stories...wild boy gone straight!
The thing is Harley plans on moving if she gets this big shot job in the city and that means leaving her family that she supports and TJ behind. Harley is totally stuck in between a rock and a hard place! Once she finally realizes she cant ignore her feelings for TJ (btw he realizes it WAY before her lol) she finds herself confused about what she really wants. Shes been taking treks with TJ working part him for Wilder Adventures and LOVING IT! So being stuck in an office all day is beginning to not look so well.
The best part of this story for me is that its so real. Here you have Harley...a girl whos always been in love with a guy thats totally out of her reach (btw *SPOILER* he was her first...he used to be wild in high school and drunkingly had sex with her) and she torn because now hes showing interest at the WRONG TIME...then you have TJ...a wild child gone straight. Scared of his strong feeling for the girl hes always looked at in big way!
Oh btw I forgot to mention...in the background there are some dudes killing animals and getting in the way of Harley working. Not the biggest or most interesting part of the story so I couldve done without that but eh, whatever! ;o)
So overall this was a great finish to the Wilder Brothers Trilogy/ Im really sad to say goodbye to these guys but everything good must come to an end! lol Btw Cam is still my fav! ;o)
Snippet~ If you asked TJ Wilder to choose between a warm autumn night in the Sierras or a warm woman, he knew that most people would put money on him taking the woman.And while that might have been true in his wild, unchecked youth, tonight they’d have been wrong.Not that he didn’t love women. He did. Short or tall. Willowy or curvy. Sweet or hot-as-hell sexy– actually, make that especially hot-as-hell sexy. Over the years he’d loved plenty.But he loved the Sierras, too. And while it was true that the tall, rugged, remote mountain peaks could be deadly dangerous to both life and limb, the mountains couldn’t break a man’s soul.At least not without permission.And TJ no longer let anything break him. He didn’t let anything break him or get to him, period. He was cool, calm, and prepared, always. Cam and Stone had long ago accepted this, that as the oldest brother, TJ just knew things, like which direction to go on the mountain, whether on skis or a bike, or in the helicopter. He knew which of their outdoor expedition company clients would be a pain-in-the-ass, and he could sense trouble a mile away. Usually. And then, as he walked through Moody’s Bar And Grill after a quick dinner with Cam and Stone, feeling full and surprisingly content for the moment, something plowed into his chest with the force of a cyclone. Not something. Someone.Harley Stephens. AKA the one source of trouble that he’d never managed to avoid.Absorbing the impact, he managed to keep them both from tumbling to the floor, and as his brain registered how warm and soft she felt in his arms, she lifted her face, the scent of her filling his head. That’s when something else hit him too, the same inexplicable sense that he always got with her, the deja vu feeling that he’d been here before. Not in the doorway of Moody’s with the fiery Indian summer sun setting behind her and the sound of the dinner crowd behind him, loud and rowdy . . . but having her practically wrapped around him.
Blurb~ Emily is an advertising executive who is marketing the perfume Sizzle. Richard is the number cruncher who has to keep Emily within her budget.When Emily and Richard get together they are so hot they sizzle. The problem is, Richard has selective hearing. When Emily decides to fight for her love by curing his deafness things really reach boiling point...
Ok guys...being JC's new book came out this month I had to go back to where it all began! WITH SIZZLE! lol This was Jennys first novella to write and while she doesn't totally shun this book she doesn't quite claim it either. Dont believe me...here are her words on the book! lol
DO NOT ASK FOR A SIZZLE REPRINT. That damn book is following me around the way early porn films follow actresses.
While I dont feel as strongly apposed to this story as Ms. Crusie I have to say there were so flaws.
The story is stated pretty plain and simple...Emily is a marketing agent for some perfume called Sizzle. Emily has a tendency to go over budget therefore her boss assigned her a partner (in comes sexy hotshot Richard) to aid in her problem areas. And boy does she have some areas that need attention ;o) lol
From the get go Emily isnt to excited to have a partner, especially one that acts as a parent to her and never listens. BUT the bigger issue is Emily is wildly attracted to Richard. And as you start to see Richard cant seem to keep his mind on work. The two start to get things rolling but Emily notices a problem...Richard never seems to listen. At work OR in bed. He makes all of Emilys decisions and actually seems to not even notice her talking at times.
So basically this short story is about Emily getting Richard to listen up so they can be equals in their relationship...that quickly turns to an engagement.
Highlights~ Like all of JC's books her heroine is strong willed, sexy and smart. You always seem to laugh at the wittiness of JC's characters and just b/c this is her first go doesnt mean your let down! The story was short - yes but you get the idea of the problem and everything pretty much gets summed up by the end.
Low Points~ On the other hand b/c this is such a short story you felt quite rushed at times. You know the H/H falling in love SO quickly and then turning engaged! Now I understand in the world of novellas this is totally common but I wouldve rather them just stayed in their relationship. Maybe it wouldve felt a bit more believable. Another issue was you never got into the heros head. You were in Emilys POV the entire time so to me that kept me a bit disconnected from Richards character. My last issue was (and this is nit picky) that the plot was a bit of a stretch! I mean the issue was a man that didnt pay attention to his woman. Not the normal guy "not paying attention" I mean to him Emily was talking and looking at him and he was dead to the world...and the way she supposedly "fixed" the problem...well I didnt see how that worked but I guess in their world it did! lol But afterall it is fiction...what more could I ask for right?!?! ;o)
Now dont get me wrong...just b/c my low points were longer than my highs doesnt mean this wasnt a good book. It was very Jenny Crusie-ish lol Her typical stuff I guess just not NEARLY as developed as normal. If you get a chance to get your grubby little hands on this one keep it b/c its a hard one to find! :o)
Description~ In a split second they were gone . . . A tragic accident took everything that mattered to Rome Matthews -- his wife, Diane, and their two little boys. And it robbed Sarah Harper of her best friend. In the two years since the tragedy, Sarah has wanted to reach out to Rome, but she knew she needed to stay away, guarding the secret she had kept from him and Diane all those years -- that she was in love with her best friend's husband.
But now Rome needs her. And though another woman will hold his heart forever, Sarah agrees to be his wife, knowing that everything has a price, including love. Then something totally unexpected rekindles her hidden hope that a marriage of convenience will become a union of love. Will Rome keep fighting his own growing need for a woman who dares him to believe there are second chances in life . . . or will he give in to the healing power of love and miracles?
Alright…Ill begin with saying I gobbled this book up in one full day! Start to finish baby…it was great!
Sarah fell for Rome the minute she seen him years ago when both were right out of college…problem was Rome fell for Sarah’s best friend Diane. Rome and Diane lived happily ever after…until one day taking their kids out Diane and both boys get struck by a drunk driver and die. About a year later while cleaning out the house to sell Rome calls Sarah to go through some of Diane’s stuff…Diane and Sarah were more sisters than friends so the fact she loved…yes LOVED Rome was a terrible secret to have to keep. But she did none the less. Once faced with Rome again all those old time feelings came back. What she didn’t expect was that her feelings were reciprocated! As both struggle with this new found relationship we get to see many many emotions!
I refuse to do spoilers for this book…EXCEPT THIS ONE…Rome ends up (within the first quarter of the book) asking Sarah to marry him! He felt it was his duty to take care of Sarah b/c she meant SO MUCH to his dead wife. I tell you this b/c this book is SO MUCH MORE than about him asking her. It digs a lot deeper into the lives…the SOULS of these characters! This book is about moving on with your life even when you want to curl up and die!
I really just recommend you to read this. I’ve read a ton of reviews putting this book down. I think it takes a good author to portray a new love while keeping the love of a deceased still in the hearts of the characters. LH did a wonderful job so here is a great little snippet to dampen your pallet!
Snippet~ "Sarah Harper," she said briskly. "Sarah, this is Rome," a deep voice said by way of identification. Her heart gave a jump and hung in her throat. She didn't need to hear his name to know who was on the other end of the line. She knew his voice as well as she knew her own, and the clipped accent that hadn't softened despite years in the south would always give him away. But she swallowed the lump, straightened her spine, and pretended this was just another business call. "Yes, Mr. Matthews?" He made an impatient sound. "Damn it, don't call me that! It's all right in the office, but this...this isn't business." Sarah swallowed again, but she couldn't say anything. Had she conjured him up? Had thinking about him produced this call? After all, it had been months since he'd said anything to her other than a polite "good morning" whenever he came into the office to talk to Mr. Graham. "Sarah?" He was really impatient now, and his rising ire was revealed in the way he barked her name. "Yes. I'm still here," she managed. "I'm selling the house," he said abruptly. "I'm boxing up Diane's things...and the boys'.... I'm going to give them all to the Salvation Army. But I found a box of things that Diane had kept from high school, stuff that the two of you did together, pictures, and I thought you'd like to go through it. If you want any of it, you can have it. If not...." He didn't finish the sentence, but she knew. If not, then he'd burn it. He'd take all of those memories and destroy them. She winced inside at the thought. "Yes," she said hoarsely, forcing the word out. "Yes, I want it." "I'm about to leave now, to go to the house and finish packing. You can get the box anytime tonight." "I'll be there. Thank you," she whispered, and he hung up, leaving her with the phone still pressed to her ear and the dial tone buzzing. Her hand was shaking as she replaced the receiver, and suddenly she noticed that she was no longer sitting. At some point during the conversation, tension had propelled her to her feet. Quickly she leaned down to get her purse from the lower drawer of the desk, then locked the desk and turned out the lights, locking the door behind her as she left. It wasn't only her hand that was shaking; her entire body was quivering. Talking with Rome always did that to her. Even after years of training herself not to think about him, of not allowing herself to even dream about him, just hearing his voice had the power to reduce her to jelly. Working for the same company was bad enough; she'd even transferred to a different department so she wouldn't see him as often, but that had eventually backfired on her: He'd been promoted steadily through the ranks and was now one of the corporate vice presidents. Her position as secretary to the senior vice president threw her constantly into contact with him; the only salvation she'd had was that his attitude toward her was strictly business, and she'd forced herself to treat him in the same manner. What else could she do, when she'd been foolish enough to fall in love with her best friend's husband?
***BTW***
Every year I go to a spa day with my best friend from Florida! This is our weekend and I cant wait! Yall know I'm a Florida girl so what better place in the panhandle to go for a spa day than DESTIN!!! Oh ya thats right...and we WILL be hitting up the Destin Commons for a bit of shopping afterwords! ;o)
Since I obviously cant read and drive (lol I totally do around town) Ill be buying a audio book! Its my very first one and Im double excited b/c it’s a brand new author Ill be read…LISTENEING to! Lol Have yall read Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning? How is it???
Blurb~ AN ALLURING LAIRD He was known throughout the kingdom as Hawk, legendary predator of the battlefield and the boudoir. No woman could refuse his touch, but no woman ever stirred his heart—until a vengeful fairy tumbled Adrienne de Simone out of modern-day Seattle and into medieval Scotland. Captive in a century not her own, entirely too bold, too outspoken, she was an irresistibly challenge to the sixteenth-century rogue. Coerced into a marriage with Hawk, Adrienne vowed to keep him at arm's length—but his sweet seduction played havoc with her resolve.
A PRISONER IN TIME She had a perfect "no" on her perfect lips for the notorious laird, but Hawk swore she would whisper his name with desire, begging for the passion he longed to ignite in her. Not even the barriers or time and space could keep him from winning her love. Despite her uncertainty about flowing the promptings of her own passionate heart, Adrienne's reservations were no match for Hawk's determination to keep her by his side...
Alrighty then well hope to hear from yall soon about the books Ive talked about! ;o) And have a great rest of the week and weekend!
Description~ Daisy Flattery is an incorrigible free spirit with a soft spot for strays and a weakness for a good story and a bit of adventure. Why else would she agree to the outrageous deal offered by her button-down, workaholic neighbor Linc Blaise? The history professor is desperately in need of a fiancée to capture a dream job at a local college—and Daisy is up for the challenge. But something funny happens on their way to the altar that breaks all the rules and changes the game. Falling in love was never part of the bargain. Their little charade has taken in everyone—including themselves. Now with the proverbial midnight hour approaching will the fairytale finally be over or will opposites not just attract but live happily ever after?
I must admit…this is a typical Jenny Crusie book…quirky yet lovable character falls for uptight and snooty counter part! Lol BUT BUT BUT it totally works! JC NEVER gets old to me and in this little gem she shines!
Linc (like I said) is a bit snooty and uptight. He has lied to a potential employer about his marital status to get a teaching job at a college! Linc is frantically trying to think of just the right woman to pose as his wife…in walks Daisy. Daisy is Lincs erratic upstairs neighbor whos recently quit her job to peruse painting! When Daisy sees this as an opportunity to get the rent paid she jumps on board with Linc and his charade! Little did both know that a bit of each other ends up rubbing off and they find themselves dealing with a love that runs deeper than any façade. What happens when time runs out on their Cinderella Deal??? Will the shoe fit or will all be forgotten at the stroke of midnight?
This was such an adorable book! Ok so like you read above Daisy decides to take Linc up on his offer. So they go down to the college, introduce her to everyone and he gets the gig! Great right…WRONG! After he gets the job and moves they both sorta start to miss each others company. They fought constantly but it only made them bend to each others different ways. Well so when people start to ask around where his wife is he starts to question if he should make the jump to REALLY marry her…WHICH HE DOES! Lol I just knew this was a recipe for disaster b/c how would you marry someone for a year then split without a thought…well you don’t! The story quickly turns into Daisy and Linc not only falling in love with the town and its people but with each other! :*)
I love books where opposites attract and this one is a prime example. Linc and Daisy made such a funny couple! Linc is very traditional and plain so when that meets up with Daisys wild and outrages personality things go haywire! From the wedding planning, the in-laws and the animals this book was a wild little ride!
My fav part~ Daisy being the artist she is decides to “redecorate” their house…well when Linc gets home he sees all this holey furniture and crazy colors. He TOTALLY flips hurting Daisys feelings. This is a great overall example of the book b/c once he realizes how hes hurt Daisy (by seeing what those things meant to her) he made amends. He learned to think outside the box and see beauty where it truly is…from within.
Daisy crawls her way into his heart in more ways than one. She takes care of his sick mother, and him when hes sick, his students come over to help her around the house or to just hang out, and she even gets to be close friends with the deans wife! By the end of the book she starts to be who she thinks everyone else wants her to be but Linc shows her he loves her how she is! :o) This book warmed my heart but also made me laugh (like JC always does)!
Oh my Snippet is Linc describing Daisy! LOL!!!! It’s the beginning of chapter one and it totally cracked me up!
Snippet~ The storm raged dark outside, the light in the hallway flickered, and Lincoln Blaise cast a broad shadow over the mailboxes, but it didn’t matter. He knew by heart what the card on the box above his said:
Daisy Flattery
Apartment 1B
Stories Told, Ideas Illminated
Unreal but Not Untrue
Linc frowned at the card, positive it didn’t belong on a mailbox in the dignified old house he shared with three other tenants. That was why he’d rented the apartment in the first place: it had dignity. Linc liked dignity the way he liked calm and control and quiet. It had taken him a long time to get all of those things into his life and into one apartment. Then he’d met his downstairs neighbor.
His frown deepened as he remembered the first time he’d seen Daisy Flattery in the flesh, practically hissing at him as he shooed a cat away from his rebuilt black Porsche, her dark, frizzy hair crackling around her face like lightning. Later sightings hadn’t improved his first impression, and the memory of them didn’t improve his mood now. She wore long dresses in electric colors, and since she was tall, they were very long, and she was always scowling at him, her heavy brows drawn together under that dumb blue velvet hat she wore pulled down around her ears even in the summer. She looked like somebody from Little House on the Prairie on acid.
Description~ After a woman claims she’s pregnant with Wade O’Riley’s love child, Major League Baseball’s most celebrated catcher and ladies’ man is slapped on the wrist by management and ordered to improve his image. His enforcer is the team’s publicist, the tough and sexy Samantha McNead.
When Wade needs a date for a celebrity wedding, Sam steps up to the plate as his “girlfriend.” But given her secret crush on him and that one awkward night a year ago in a stuck elevator with too much scotch, the whole thing is an exercise in sexual tension.
Wade is thrilled when the pretense turns into an unexpected night of hot passion. But the next day Sam is back to her cool self. As a catcher, Wade’s used to giving the signals, not struggling to read them. Now, to win the love of his “pretend” girlfriend, he needs a homerun–even it involves stealing a few bases…
Ok I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jill Shalivs and her Baseball books are my FAVORITE!
In the second story we get into Wade and Sam’s story! We met the two in Double Play as side characters that had a past! I was super excited to see them get their own book b/c let me tell you I believe it was even hotter than the first!
Sam is the Heats publicist and Wade is the infamous play boy catcher on the team. The two shared a wild night of passion while stuck in an elevator at a hotel during an away game. Since then both have thought of nothing but the other person…even though they weren’t able to react on their feelings. Now Wade has put himself in a pickle by having Tia (the crazy stalker from the first book) claim to be carrying his BABY! So Sam being who she is steps in to save the day by playing “girlfriend” and making Wade look like a stable man. The problem arises when the fine line of pretend and reality gets blurred. Will the two be able to call it quits after the deadline of a month? Or will they finally give into their true feelings?
I loved how in this story the h/h already has a past! Like I said they had hot sex in an elevator but after that night avoided each other at all costs. Sam went along with her work as did Wade. At one point in the story Sam tells wade that it took her a year to get over their actions of that night and my little heart squeezed! Wade is TOTALLY scared of commitment! He’s never even attempted but who could blame him. His mother and father both were drunks and never had a true relationship with their son. This bleeds into his life now. Going girl to girl Wade is anything but ready for a relationship. That’s what’s so great b/c it seemed it took the right woman to show him the real man he truly was! Sam was that woman!
Besides us getting to see our fav’s from book one we also get a few new side characters that really made the story more dynamic! One of these characters in Tag, Sam’s nephew. Tags father is Jeremy (the baddie from book 1) and hes :trying” to get his life in order by going to rehab. So what does he do? Ship his 10 year old son to Sam to watch for 3 months. It was hard at first for Sam to crack Tag’s harsh exterior but when she realized the hardships he’s faced she soon gets to his level and they find a common ground to walk on. Their relationship warmed my heart! By the end of the book they are really like mother and son! Also Tag and Wade really got along. Wade saw a bit of himself in Tag which helped him to steer him towards being a good boy and straightening his act up.
Another great character was Wades dad John. John was a drunk all Wades life…all the way up until he sought Wade out to seek his help. Wades puts him off for years. Just shoving money at his father seemed to ease the pain inside him but when his father gets serious about changing his life he tells Wade all he wants is him! I loved when John came into the picture! He was funny and interesting. You got to see Wade heal old wounds and grow! :o)
My last thing I have to mention would have to be the chemistry between Wade and Sam! I loved their relationship! They banked on it always being pretend when inside they knew there was something more. They could never help themselves when they were around each other! Sam made Wade grown up while Wade loosened Sam up! (No pun intended lol) It was great seeing this small little family start to form between the 4 characters! Sam, Wade, Tag and John are by no means perfect but in each other found a strength that no one could break! :*)
Snib Bit~ “When were you going to tell me they want us to do this boyfriend/girlfriend thing for a whole month?” “You heard?” she asked in surprise. She’d been asked to talk him into it. “I work with a bunch of women, Sam. They tell all. Is your father’s okay with it?” he asked carefully. With good reason. Her father was one of the owners of the Heat. “Yes,” she said quietly. “My father thinks it’s a good idea.” “So they’re willing to pimp out their princess when it suits them.” Ouch. But the answer was yes, a McNead was expected to stick to the pack. She’d known that by the time she could talk in full sentences. “It’s just an illusion.” “It’s an entire month.” The reminder made her stomach quiver. An entire month of being his girlfriend. “We’re grown-ups.” “Really?” His stark green gaze was more genuine curiosity than sarcasm. “Because we’ve not spent more than two minutes together without snarling at each other.” “Well, except for the elevator,” he said. Also true, and her stomach executed a double gainer with a twist as the memory flew back, hot and sexy, resurrected by nothing more than the sound of his voice and the sudden sleepy look in his eyes. It’d happened last season. The Heat had just lost, bad. The press had been ruthless, and her father had been pissed at her for somehow not being Super Woman. She’d been in desperate need of some alone time. What she’d gotten instead was stuck in an elevator on the way to her hotel room with Wade and a couple little bottles of airplane Scotch, and her pity party for one had turned into a naked party for two. The erotic, alcohol-tinged memories came to her in slow-mo and as always, always, sent her spinning between total and complete humiliation and an even more devastating aching hunger and desire. If she could just erase from her memory banks the picture of Wade taking her straight to heaven in under five minutes she would, but the pictures in her brain only seemed to only strengthen with time instead of lessen. "I don’t want to discuss that night.” Wade shrugged. No skin off his nose. Hell, he’d probably had lots of nights like that since. She concentrated on the view. Not a hardship. Santa Barbara wasn’t called the American Riviera for nothing, and she watched as they passed four-thousand-foot peaks covered in unique and beautiful chaparral and sandstone outcrops. “So we’re good?” she asked quietly. Wade smiled. It was his professional smile, the one that could melt a woman’s panties at fifty paces and make men wish that they had half his athletic prowess, and it was a charmer. She knew its potency, braced herself for it, and still felt her panties begin to melt. “What the hell.” He stretched out even further, his leg sliding to hers. “We’re good. Girlfriend.” “Fake girlfriend,” she corrected.
If you haven’t checked this series out you need to! They are not only hot but very heartwarming!
With a hot new figure, her dream job as an archaeologist, and two gorgeous boyfriends to scratch her seductive Itch — an angel and a vampire — Jackie Brighton is totally getting the hang of life as a succubus. Then she accidentally knocks the pizza guy unconscious with her touch. Great — she's cursed. After striking a deal to get the curse lifted by a crafty demon, Jackie and her best friend Remy take a road trip to deliver a cryptic message to the nation's oldest succubus. Unfortunately, neither of her jealous lovers is talking to Jackie right now, and due to the curse, she's desperate to get her Itch scratched very soon. Their journey gets weirder with every mile — demonic possession, a charming stalker, a cryptic warning — and when they get to New Orleans, Jackie discovers a dangerous catch to her supernatural bargain. Someone wants her dead — again. Can a brainy vixen in a miniskirt outsmart the forces of evil?
Description~ An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love--and face the hardest decision of his life.
*SPOILERS*
I started reading this book in preparation of a girls night out...Mexican, Margaritas & Movies!!! BUT needless to say this book has turned out to be an experience that I cant wait to get over with! :o/ Yes yes...I know its Nicholas Sparks and he likes to rip your beating heart out of your chest but I figured at least we'd get a HEA...NOT! Lets start off with a quote from the book that explains a bit.
"Our story has three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. And although this is the way all stories unfold, I still can't believe that ours didn't go on forever."
So you know right off the bat they don’t end up together…I was sorta ticked but had hoped that both would get their HEA. Ok so we open the story up meeting John. He was a troubled kid with no mother. His father was very closed off and collected coins so much that it effected how they ate and lived! :o( John ends up going in the military and while on leave meets Savannah at the beach! Instantly they fall pretty hard for eachother and spend non-stop time together.
"Even now, I'm still not sure how it happened. One instant we were talking, and in the next she leaned toward me. For a second, I wondered whether kissing her would break the spell we both were under, but it was too late to stop. And when her lips met mine, I knew that I could live to be a hundred and visit every country in the world, but nothing would ever compare to that single moment when I first kissed the girl of my dreams and knew that my love would last forever. "
We also get to meet Savannahs childhood friend Tim that you knew just adored her! RIGHT THERE was when I didn’t want to finish the book. I KNEW Tim and Savannah would end up together! UGH! Either way they you really liked Tim and that’s what made everything so wishy washy for me :o/ Ok so John ends up having to go back and they decide they will stay together b/c he’s getting out in 1 year! So the letters start…
"I love you, not just for now, but for always, and I dream of the day that you’ll take me in your arms again."
He visits a few times but its hard and they start to fight which was really sad but you could tell it somewhat made them stronger. BUT it also showed they were beginning to really be strained by him being away. Both were counting down the days till he got to come home. Then 9/11 happens! :*( Everyone started to re-up their stays in the military and the decision that John made changed his path and Savannahs. He decided to re-up as well. Savannah tried to be understanding but it was hard. She ended up writing him a ‘Dear John’ letter letting him know she had fallen in love with someone else!
John was more of heartbroken than anything. Savannah was all he had ever known. His focus switched however very quickly to the war and his now dying father. His father’s situation was SO heartbreaking. Turns out his father had a disability (I think they said he had Asperger's syndrome) so John found a way for they to bond which was great but when his father started having multiple heart attacks he seen that it was staring to come to an end. John had pretty much hit rock bottom in his life and didn’t know where to turn after his father passed.
So John turns to find Savannah. Little did he know hed find her MARRIED TO TIM!!! Then an even bigger shocker was that Tim was in the hospital with Melanoma! He was dying!!! OMG! LIKE SERIOUSLY?!?!? John talks with Tim and Tim decides that if he leaves that John should take care of Savannah b/c he knows that she still loves him. (Savannah had settled for Tim) Tim needed special treatment that cost $$$ so what does John do…sales his father coin collection and discreetly pays for Tims treatment…slipping out of Savannahs life forever. And he ends up alone! WTH?!?!
"It's possible to go on, no matter how impossible it seems, and that in time, the grief . . . lessens. It may not go away completely, but after a while it's not so overwhelming."
And we end the book with him secretly spying on Savannah during their full moon they always watched. It broke my heart! She still loved him yet he knew it was wrong and that their time had passed. Couldn’t NS given us SOME hope that John would eventually have a happy ending?
"And then I feel as if I'm witnessing a miracle, as ever so slowly she raises her face towards the moon. I watch her drink in the sight, sensing the flood of memories she's unleashed and wanting nothing more than to let her know I'm here. But instead I stay where I am and stare up at the moon as well. And for the briefest instant, it almost feels like we're together again."
*sigh…I wanted to rip the book in half!
My BIGGEST issue with this book was the fact that while Tim was in the hospital John came over for like 2 straight nights and ate dinner etc. Well in that time they almost kissed! AND She had to change at one point and he seen her naked back from another room…she knew he did and she turns around to show him…almost an invitation. I understand NS was trying to show us she was scared and confused but omg that was just WRONG!
I WAS however happy that in the end Savannah asked John could she write to him and see him and he shut her down! Not in a mean way and I know that was the hardest thing he had to do but it was the RIGHT thing. He gave Savannah to Tim :*(
"I finally understood what true love meant...love meant that you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be."
Sorry this was a pretty much play-by-play of the book but it truly speaks for itself! The writing was great...I mean it is Nicholas Sparks after all. But if youre not wanting your heart ripped out STAY AWAY! Im sure some of you might agree or disagree…but I wanna hear it! What did you think?
And btw next time I try to read NS will someone slap me and remind me about this book please? Everyone is like "oh it was bitter sweet"...I tell them "im just plain bitter"! lol
Description~ When Dorie Anderson meets a cute guy, she becomes a huge klutz. But one phone call has turned her dead-end dating life into an adventure: she's won a trip on a singles' cruise to Fiji. On board, she soon meets pro baseball player Andy, and the ship's hunky French doctor. She's sure she'll fall head-over-heels in no time. Unfortunately, she's right: soon, she trips over her luggage right in front of them. Mortifying. But a bigger disaster is just on the horizon. Dorie finds a man murdered in his bunk the same night a storm wrecks the ship, stranding everyone on a deserted shore. It'd be a perfect setting for romance-if it weren't for the fact that there's a killer among them.
Once again here we have a great one by Jill Shalvis!!!
Dories stuck with a crap routine life with a crap routine job. Looking for excitement is second in her life but becomes head first when she scores a free ticket on a private ship for a vacation! Dorie meets a handsome baseball player who’s shown some interest, a few silly and colorful girlfriends, and one HOT (yet moody) French speaking doctor. Everything is full sails ahead until a storm hit, someone is murdered, and the boat capsizes! Now being stuck on a island with a possible killer has given Dorie the adventure she wasn’t quite looking for!
THIS BOOK WAS WHAT I NEEDED! After my recent venture to the Nerd series I was bummed out and needed a good, funny pick me up! This book did the job!
I love how Dorie had this dull and drab life and with one change (her getting the ticket) she seemed to want to fix everything! See Dorie went to school for design and yet she was only working at a department store. She realized she wasn’t living her life to its fullest extent but when she receives the ticket she looks at it as a sign to change it up! I love my heroines to take full control of their lives! Strong badass girls ROCK!
Now problem comes in when two VERY different guys take notice to Dorie and she can’t seem to choose. Andy the baseball player is sweet, hot and rich. Yet on the other side of the spectrum is Mr. Grumpy Gorgeous doctor Christian. The name speaks for itself! Hes stuck on this boat working off debts as a hot doctor that gets nothing more than splinters or sea sickness. The guys pretty much have a pissing contest to see who can come out on top! Lol
And speaking of splinters I must bring up one of my fav parts in the book. Poor Dorie (like me) is very clumsy! The day she first arrives she falls backwards and get a splinter on her tush! Lol She too embarrassed to get anyone to help her to take it out (esp a hot doctor she’s crushing on) so she leave it there. Problem is that is starts to cause a big problem with her sitting! ;op Finally when Christian realizes she has a splinter he tricks her by sexing her up then removing it! Lol BUT OMG when he starts to caress her afterwards…and kiss the booboo! YOWZA! ;o)
Lets talk about the killer fro a tick. Right before the boat tips Christian and Dorie find a bloodied room but no body! They can only think the worse of the situation and assume hes dead. Lots of the crew and guests are worried about a killer being amongst them but its not in the front running of the story. You do get to find out what happened by the end and I gotta say I was shocked! I never knew who the killer was or even thought his (or her) way!
Snib Bit~ Day Two on deserted island without cookies, and it’s not pretty. “How’s the patient?”Ah, there he was, the bane of her existence. She knew this because just his voice made her nipples go all happy.Damn nipples.She felt him sit in the sand at her side but she didn’t look at him. Nope, looking at him was a really bad idea because then her brain would begin that painful tug-o-war. Want him. Hate him. She sighed. “Go away.” “Ah. You’re feeling better.” He lay next to her so that his arm brushed hers, the one she would definitely sell for that bag of chocolate chip cookies. “Question, do you ever think about chocolate?” He turned his head and looked at her. He was all hard, lean, sinewy lines to her soft, curvy ones. She imagined if she pointed out how different they were, he’d say he liked those differences very much. “I think about other things,” he finally said. “Like?”His arm shifted, just barely pressing into the side of her breast. And more than just her nipples got happy. Bad. Bad body. “I’m tired.” “Here’s something to wake you up.” Instead of taking the hint and leaving, he rolled to his side, facing her. “Our bet.” Oh, no. “We are not going to talk about the bet.” No way. “That’s because you’ve lost.” “You cheated.” “You could just pay up,” he suggested.That thought shot excitement directly into certain areas of her anatomy that had no business getting excited. She closed her eyes, a bad idea because then her other senses took over. She had no idea how he managed to smell like heaven on earth while on a deserted island, but he did. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she finally said.He just laughed softly. Bastard. “You didn’t hit your head that hard,” he said. “You know.” “You’re not going away. Why aren’t you going away?” she asked desperately. Dancing. Naked. Beneath this very star lit sky. “If you were nice, you’d go.”He lifted a broad shoulder. “Never claimed to be nice.”Also true. Damn it.“Plus we’re stuck on an island,” he pointed out. “Just how far away do you think I can go?”Keeping her eyes closed, she sighed again. Because she really hated it when he was right.
This book overall was a blast! A light fluffy read that steamed up the windows in my house! Lol This book is getting reprinted in September 2010! Make sure to grab you a fresh copy! :o)
Fashion model Eve Dupree is fed up with being labeled the pretty one while her sister's called a genius. Eve's got loads of brilliant ideas, not the least of which is the invention she's building in her garage. But when she turns to the nerd next door to help get it off the ground, she finds herself on dangerous ground.
Charlie Shepherd has discovered that there's more to Eve than meets the eye. But it's not just her body he likes -- it's those sexy brains of hers. Romance is a complication he doesn't need right now. The problem is, she has something he needs and he can't seem to resist her.
Keeping her creation under wraps is harder than Eve expected -- as is denying her attraction to Charlie. But when a saboteur starts sniffing around her project, she questions everyone around her, even her nerd in shining armor. Can opposites attract or will they ignite a fire they can't control?
*Blank stare...someone tell me the other books are better b/c I'm upset! I’m just gonna say this is probably going to be full of spoilers so heads up guys!
This is the first time Ive ever read this author and I actually won the book a few months back on a blog. Its taken me a while to get around to reading it…I wanted something light and fluffy b/c lately I had been reading a bunch of dark things…well…this was light but just plane frustrating!
Eve: Super model recently moved into small town and is secretly a genius at inventions! Charlie: Local nerd with big plans to move the Vegas.
My likes…the writing was good, I had no issues there. It had its funny moments and plenty of hot ones.
My issues…Ok this will probably seem like a rant and rave here but do try to keep up!
- The storyline is a bit of a stretch but I was able to keep it into focus. Eve is inventing a hovercraft and she meets Charlie, takes advantage of his brains and recruits him to help. Obviously she falls for him, but when her house starts getting broken into etc his protective nature sets in. Ok my issue…I love nerdy guys don’t get me wrong but this one was a bit too much of a puss. I still expect my man to be a man and be tough but I felt Charlie was more into calling the cops etc and didn’t take charge like the normal hero does. So I needed more man in this man! ;o)
- The sex…the FIRST time was hot. Up against a wall! YOWZA! But the few times they went back and did it, OMG it was filled with nerdy talk. Like “all systems go”, “retrieving data” etc. I was like are you kidding me?!?! It wasn’t even funny! I just kinda stared at the book. It wasn’t doing anything for me! And me being a hussy, it doesn’t take much! Lol
- So Charlie’s cuz is the person trying to sabotage everything. Whatever, that’s fine and dandy, but when they figure it out (btw he almost kills eve, blows her house up, and wrecks her car) they forgive him and help him get out of his jam with the cops AND the mobster guy that’s after him…WHAT?!?!?! ALL IS FORGIVEN?!?!? I don’t think so! That truly bothered me. Not EVERYONE should get their HEA. By the end they even had him married to Eve’s neighbor…he got his effing HEA! UGH!
- The relationship were a bit off with me. Eve and Charlie…ok they made sense. Although they got engaged and everything within like a week but whatever. But her sis (and like I said the bad guy Chrlies cuz) all got married off by the end and they only knew the people a few days!
- Lastly, the entire book Eve wanted this down to earth living...she had her dreams etc. and Charlie had his own...thats why they tried to stay away from each other BUT by the end she magically wants what he wants and forgets everything else. That didnt sit right with me!
Ok enough complaining. Maybe this one just didn’t do it for me…will the others in the Nerd series? The thing is the writing itself was good, just the story had so many hiccups that I didn’t want to finish it. So what do yall think?
“What happened to you” she asked sadly, lamenting the loss of the comfort she once felt with him.
“The blinders were torn from me, Pel. And I saw what I was missing.”
The Stranger I Married - Sylvia Day
A total waste of my time. Eh...I would read it maybe if I didn't have anything else to read. I liked it even though it had room for improvements. You should go by this book! It was entertaining and very worth it! SUPERB WRITING! You wont be disappointed! Go get it!
Blurb~
