Jerk. Asshole. Douchenozzle. Admit it- you hate to love the jerks. That alpha male character who is so arrogant and rude but sexy as hell.
That foul mouthed douche bag of a man who rocks your traitorous heart.
We've all read them and we've all liked them to some extent. In real
life you wouldn't touch the man with a ten foot pole. But in the
fictional world? Nothing can stand in the way!
Everyone would be lying to themselves if they didn't admit that the
meaner the man, the further we run... Towards them! *sigh* That's what this weekly meme is about- those jerky delicious
men! Each Friday this meme will go up, and you can share your jerk
anyway you want: review, interview, lines and quotes, giveaway of a
book. However you want! All you have to do is sign up and follow the
linky. Any time you comment on someones post, leave your link so that
person can comment back.
Holy cow! Sabastian aka Viscount St. Vincent, has agreed to marry Evie!
Goodness Gracious! How in the world is he going to be able to redeem
himself after what happened with Lillian and what he did to her? And how
are the wallflowers going to deal with Evie and her marriage to St.
Vincent? Only one way to find out and I can't wait to read it!
UPDATE SINCE FINISHING THE BOOK-
Lisa
Kleypas is a gifted writer. This is what she was born to do! I am
absolutely amazed at her work. Sometimes, when I read, I'll ask myself if I could ever write something like this. Sometimes I'll say maybe,
and other times I say no. Well, there is no way in the world that I
could ever write like Lisa Kleypas. She is in a league of her own, and I feel like no one could hold a candle to her.
“He looked like a fallen angel, replete with all the dangerous male beauty that Lucifer could devise.”
Lord St. Vincent is one wicked, wicked Lord- and in a
good way, too. At first you can't stand him or the site of him. He was a low down dirty rotten player who only did what he needed to further himself along.
“Women beg me for it, and not the other way around." "Then you should go to one of them." "Oh,
I will. When we return to London, I'm going to embark on a spree of
orgiastic debauchery that won't end until someone is arrested for it.
But in the meanwhile...do you truly expect that the two of us are going
to share a bed tonight-and tomorrow night-as chastely as a pair of nuns
on holiday?”
Somehow, someway, he slowly but surely got back on our good graces. He totally redeemed himself in this novel and I didn't
think it was going to be possible. He is a wonderful man with a big
heart but didn't know how to show it until Evie came along. Naturally,
he only shows it to Evie, but I'm ok with that. If he was my
hubby, I'd want all his good traits to be shared with me, and only me.
“Murmuring her name, he brought her hand to his face and nuzzled
ardently into her palm, his lips brushing the warm circlet of her gold
wedding band. 'My love is upon you,' he whispered... and she knew then
that she had won.”
I
have enjoyed getting to know Evie since the first book and I really
couldn't wait to read her story. She is one tough wallflower and has
been through a lot. I liked that she is shy and keeps to herself until
she really gets to know someone. Reminds me of myself in a way. I also
like the fact that she has a stammer. It's not something that we see often. It didn't bother me in the least. I
actually found it to be cute in a way and it fit her perfectly even
though she was made fun of for it.
This novel was a little
darker than the first two, but I still enjoyed it very much. Lisa Kleypas
definitely holds a place in my heart where so few other authors are.
Favorite lines:
“Because I’m Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent. I can’t be celibate. Everyone knows that.”
“I want to fill every part of you, breathe the air from your lungs and
leave my hand prints on your soul. I want to give you more pleasure than
you can bear.”
“Slowly his resistance ebbed. She felt the change in his body, the
relaxing of tension, his shoulders curving around her as if he could
draw her into himself. Murmuring her name, he brought her hand to his
face and nuzzled ardently into her palm, his lips brushing the warm
circlet of her gold wedding band. “My love is upon you,” he
whispered…and she knew then that she had won.”
“I rarely dislike people for things they can't change, they usually give me sufficient cause to dislike them for other reasons.”
Tempt Me At Twilight is the 3rd book in the Hathaways Series
I
am really enjoying Lisa's books. So much that I've read three series of hers back to back now. Her books have addicting story lines that can
hold it's own. They have emotion that pulls at you in opposite directions, beautiful romance and characters you come to love as your own. And what's better than that?
Mr. Rutledge was so charming in the
beginning. He was mysterious, dark and very sensual to me. There was
something very alluring about the way he watched Poppy when she would speak that had
me wanting him.
As the novel progressed though, I started to despise him for
interjecting himself into Poppy's and Micheal's relationship. Poppy and
Michael wanted to get married but Michael was waiting for the right
time to ask his father for permission. Michael's family is of blue blood
and they are only suppose to marry their own kind, which Poppy was not.
What Mr. Rutledge did to Poppy and Michael was ruthless. Mr. Rutledge
didn't really love Poppy at first, but wanted to win her; it was more
of a game to him then. There were times I wanted to throttle Mr.
Rutledge for some of the things he would say and do to Poppy. Like when
he compromised her. So sneaky of him!
I feel like Michael should have fought for
Poppy if he truly wanted her. That was how, for me, Mr.
Rutledge totally redeemed himself. He fought tooth and nail to win
Poppy's love and affection, which he did, and at the same time falling
head over heals in love with her.
I
enjoyed this book very much. Such a great read! We get to see the other Hathaways in this
book along with the witty humor that comes with them. I loved watching Leo and Cat bicker. It was
the best! This was another stellar novel to add to my Lisa Kleypas Collection.
A couple of my favorite parts of the book were-
"My God. Something else we agree on." Leo gave the companion a
half-mocking smile, half-uneasy glance. "We have to stop doing this
Marks, it's making my stomach turn."
"Please, do not say that word," she snapped.
"Stomach? Why not?"
It is indelicate to refer to your anatomy." She gave his tall form a
disdainful glance. "And I assume you, no one has any interest in it."
"You think not? I'll have you know, Marks, that scores of woman have remarked on my--"
"Ramsay," Cam interrupted, giving him a warning glance.
-Leo to Catherine Marks, the sisters companion
Beatrix was the first to speak. "Have you been compromised, Poppy?" she asked with concern. "As Win was last year?"
"Yes, she has," Leo replied while Poppy let out a little moan. "It's a
bad habit our family's gotten into. Marks, you should right a poem
about it."
The chef looked deeply concerned. "You think there's a problem with his carrot?"
"Watercress, carrot--is everything food to you?" Jake demanded.
The chef shrugged, "Oui."
"Well," Jake said testily, "there is a string of Rutledge's past
mistresses who would undoubtedly there is nothing wrong with his
carrot."
"Alors, he is a virile man....she is a beautiful woman....why are they not making salad together?"
"Yes, but it's...well...it's a masculine problem."
Leo blanched. "I wouldn't know anything about that, either. I don't
have masculine problems. In fact, I don't even like the phrase
'masculine problems'."
"Oh." Crestfallen, Poppy pulled a blanket on herself.
"Damn it. What exactly are we calling a 'masculine problem'? Did he
have trouble running the flag up? Or did it fall to half-staff?"
"Do we have to speak metaphorically, or--"
"Yes," Leo said firmly.
"All right. He..." Poppy frowned in concentration as she searched for
the right words, "...left me while the flag was still flying."
"Was he drunk?"
"No."
"Did you do or say something to make him leave?"
"Just the opposite. I asked him to stay and he wouldn't."
Shaking his head, Leo rummaged in a side compartment beside his seat
and swore. "Where in the blazes is my liquor? I told the servants to
stock the carriage with drink for the journey. I'm going to fire the
bloody lot of them."
"There's water, isn't there?"
"Water is for washing, not drinking."
"Cam is visiting Lord Westcliff at Stony Cross Park, Amelia is inside
with the baby, Beatrix is roaming the woods, and Merripen is with some
of the tenants, lecturing them on the new technology of hoeing."
The word caught Leo's attention. "I know all about that. If you don't
want to go to a brothel, there are certain districts of London--"
"Hoeing, Leo," Win said."Breaking the ground with farm implements."
"Oh, well I know nothing about that."
Secrets Of A Summer Night is the 1st book in the Wallflowers Series
I
am absolutely head over heels in love with this author, er...I mean her
books! : I am so glad that I decided at the last minute to
buy all her books in paperback and hardcover instead of on my kindle.
I
woke up one day with this urge to read a Historical Romance novel. It
really came out of no where. So I tried three different ones and couldn't
stand any of them. One was so long and written in a way that I've never
seen before that I had a hard time following it. I was looking up
words every other page because I had no idea what they meant! Very
frustrating. Then I tried two others and they were ok but nothing great. I
actually stopped half way because they were boring. I was beginning to
think they were all like that until I found Lisa Kleypas, and boy was I
wrong.
I have always loved the Victorian era. I don't
know why really. I guess it's the dresses and balls and the way of
life. I would have loved to been around during those times. For years, I
had a Victorian style Christmas tree and never realized it until one
year my husband asked if I could change the decorations because he
isn't a fan of the Victorian era. I had no idea what he was talking
about until I looked more closely at the decorations and realized he
was right.
Secrets of a Summer Night started
off a little slow for me. But I kept going and I am beyond happy that I did! The
relationship that develops between the four wallflowers is great. They get
along famously and the best part was when Annabelle called Evie a
hussy during their letter writing. I haven't heard that word in years! I
was dying of laughter! Or when Daisy told Simon that she wasn't going
to stand by passively while he molests her friend because he
wanted to make sure her leg wasn't broken. There were some very funny
lines in this book.
I wasn't crazy of Simon Hunt at
first. I did not like that way he was described in the beginning. He
sounded like a creep to me and I wasn't sure how he was going to work
out. Simon was always looking out for Annabelle. Soon Annabelle
started to fall for him and once I got to know Simon, I started to fall for him even after my complaints. I simply adored him in the end!
A few
things that bothered me was the way Lord Westcliff and the other women viewed Annabelle. They all thought that she was a self-absorbed, smug
woman who only thought about herself. I never got those feelings from
her. To me, she was the least self-centered woman who thought about
everyone else's well being but her own. She looked out for her mother
and brother and did everything in her power to take care of them. I
actually began to hate Lord Westcliff and how he kept making remarks to
Simon on how Annabelle was the wrong woman to marry. In the end, Lord
Westcliff did redeem himself and now I can't wait to read his book.
This was such a beautiful love story and I am enjoying this series very much.
Seduce Me At Sunrise is the 2nd book in the Hathaway Series
5 Stars!
Oh Kev! My heart aches for him and what he went though.
Brava to Lisa Kleypas! Amazing! A HUGE must read! I simply can not get enough of Lisa's books!
This
has to be one of the most heart wrenching novels I have ever read- which happens to be my favorite kind of read. It
was romantic, sensual, erotic, classy, emotional, and quite beautiful a love
story. I shed quite a few tears while reading this book.
Another book by Lisa that has rendered me speechless...sorry but that's my review.
To
sum it up: A billionaire playboy, and all-around ladies’ man, Jake
Travis has a reputation as big as the state of Texas. He drives too
fast, lives too hard, and loves too many women to count.
In her
advice column, and her love life, Ella Varner is always practical. So
when she’s left holding her reckless sister’s baby, she decides to ask
Jake Travis to take a paternity test. ...Ella is instantly struck by
Jake’s bold good looks and easy charm- but she’s not falling for his
sweet talk. This big sexy tomcat needs to take responsibility for his
actions, and Ella’s making him stick to his word. Now if she can only
ignore the unspoken attraction that smolders between them...
This
book ended up being completely and one hundred percent opposite of what
I love in a romance novel. I had no idea that the book involved a
heroine with commitment issues, and a hero who did the chasing. That is
something that I absolutely CAN’T tolerate- I make it a
point to avoid that theme at all costs. I can’t stand a hero who chases
after a heroine who pushes him away consistently. (I honestly can’t
stand a hero who chases after the heroine PERIOD.) …I can’t stand a
heroine who has an “independent-I-don’t-need-a-man-in-my-life” attitude.
And I can’t stand a heroine who consistently puts her ex-lover above
the hero for more than half-way through the book. Needless to say, this
book included all of the above, and I hated every single page I had the
displeasure of reading- I don’t even know how I had the will-power to
even finish this book, to be completely honest.
For one, I
didn’t like Ella’s character at all. She was a walking contradiction.
One second she tells Jack that she wants space so that she can figure
things out with her ex-lover-boy, and then the next second, she’s
frustrated that Jack’s giving her too much space after she just
asked for it. For another, she was ALWAYS trying to keep Jack at a
distance, and anyone who knows me, knows how much I absolutely hate despise that characteristic in a heroine. I also hated how she found EVERYTHING
annoying. Jack wasn’t answering her phone calls? She was annoyed. She
found herself liking Jack’s kisses? She was annoyed. Jack wasn’t giving
her enough space? She was annoyed. …Ugh- all of her annoyance issues
made me freaking annoyed. …And she just focused so much on her
environmental vegan-loving ex- whatever you want to call him… I mean,
was it really necessary to spend a good chunk of the beginning
of the book featuring Ella making up excuses for the guy, and calling
her friends and getting their opinion on why things weren’t working out?
Let’s face it- you dated the man for four years, and when you
ended up getting your sisters baggage loaded up on you, he tells you
that he doesn’t mind if you experience other relationships freely. Oh,
and also that it “wouldn’t work for him” if she brought the baby home
for a few days until she figured things out. Nope. He was either going
to move out, or pay her half of the rent instead, if she stayed
elsewhere. That’s a real winner there, let me tell you. Ella’s a
smart girl- she works for an advice column, for goodness sake- I mean,
how many friends do you need to call to come to the conclusion that your
ex isn’t worth it? And why in the world were her thoughts consistently straying back to him? …”Oh
no, I feel guilty I haven’t called Dane.” “…Oh no, I feel guilty that I
kissed Jack.” “…Oh no, why hasn’t Dane called me in two days?” ...notice the annoyance issues I have yet?
Another
thing that frustrated me was the way she continuously put up with her
mother. I mean, c’mon… how rude, impolite, and selfish does her mother
have to be before she finally lets her mother have it? My gosh,
I was frustrated just reading all of the conversations between the two-
I couldn’t imagine biting my tongue any and EVERY time that woman made
an unnecessary remark.
As for Jack, I never really felt like I got to know
him. It could be because of the first person point of view that the
book was written in, but not feeling like you get a real sense of who
the hero is as a person, is a complete and total bummer. Something just
felt missing between these two, and it was never really clear why he
fell in love with Ella in the first place... I almost felt like there
relationship sort of just started up out of nowhere.
For me, this
turned out to be an “everyone loved but me” read… I not only found it
frustrating, but boring as well. I’m not bashing Lisa Kleypas writing
style at all while writing this review- she truly is a very gifted
author, and although I didn’t care for this installment in the series,
it definitely won’t be the last book I read by her- There were just too
many things that irked me the wrong way, starting with the book
revolving around a theme I can barely tolerate. For goodness sake, Jack
is a strong and sexy alpha male who’s not only loving, but loyal. Yet,
Ella just doesn’t seem to think it will ever work between them. I don’t
know… her hang-ups about commitment just didn’t make sense to me- I
never really felt there was a good enough reason for her to push herself
away from a relationship with Jack, when she spent four years of her
life with another man… I just didn’t get it. I’m disappointed to have to
say, that this was definitely my least favorite read out of the
Travises series. The only good thing I can say that came out of this story, were the brief and seldom glimpses I got to see of Hardy… ohhh Hardy… *sigh*…
To
sum it up: His name is Hardy Cates. He's a self-made millionaire who
comes from the wrong side of the tracks. He's made enemies in the
rough-and-tumble ride to the top of Houston's oil industry. He's got hot
blood in his veins, and vengeance on his mind.
She's Haven Travis. Despite her family's money, she refuses to set
out on the path they've chosen for her. But when Haven marries a man her
family disapproves of, her life is set on a new and dangerous course.
Two years later, Haven comes home, determined to guard her heart. And
Hardy Cates, a family enemy, is the last person she needs darkening her
door or setting her soul on fire...
There are just simply no words for this book- it was that
perfect. For all of you who have read my review for the first book in
the series, Sugar Daddy, you’re all aware that I felt the story was
lacking big time in the romance department. It wasn’t enough to
completely make me want to stop reading, but it was enough to make me a little
skeptical about reading the second book in the series, Blue Eyed Devil.
But I’m very happy to say, there was definitely enough romance in this
book to satisfy me, and not affect the rating! I’ll be the first to
admit, as a rule, I tend to avoid anything revolving around the whole
“instant attraction” thing between a hero and heroine, while reading my
romance novels- but… Blue Eyed Devil is most definitely an
exception. Let’s just say, that Haven’s first encounter with Hardy was
enough to have me fanning the sweat off my brow! …and I’ll never look at
wine cellars the same…
I really truly loved and cared for Haven’s character- She stayed in
an abusive relationship, and even once she got out of it, she was still
buried in feelings of worthlessness. Her ex-husband, Nick, had always
blamed her for the abuse, (what a scum-bag!) and his conviction had
spread through her. Never once did I get annoyed with her character, or
any of the decisions that she made- she truly was a smart woman, who's
worst weakness was to be desperately needed- someone who mattered to
someone.
When it comes to Hardy Cates, where do I even begin? Hardy may be
the devil to the Travis family, but to Haven, he is everything
wonderful, and dangerous, in a man. Let me just say, it’s very hard for
me to find a hero who sticks with me long after reading there story-
they’re few and far between... And I'm certainly happy to say that Hardy
Cates is EVERYTHING you could ever want in a man, and is now considered one of my favorite heroes ever! ...*sigh*... Everything that man said or did had me swooning.
Everything about this story was just simply so well developed. The
story never felt rushed. The detail was never too much. And although the
romantic relationship that develops between Hardy and Haven is kept at a
pretty slow pace, I wouldn't have had it any other way- it was
something that I felt was necessary in order to help Haven with
her much needed healing, and make this story only that much more
believable. Blue-Eyed Devil was a story of healing, reclaiming your
life, strength, and courage. It impressed me from page one to the very
end, and was one of those books that stay with you long after reading
it, and one that I'll never stop raving about.
Some of my favorite swoon-worthy quotes…
- "Hardy spoke against my hair. 'I want you to understand .
. . you’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you in any way. And if I do
something you don’t want, or you start to feel scared, I’ll stop. I’m
not going to lose control.' I flinched as I felt a tug at the front of my jeans and heard the snap being unfastened. 'I’m just going to find out what you like.' My fingers curled into his T-shirt as his hands ventured inside the loosened waist of my jeans. 'I want to find out what you like too.' '...I like it all, darlin’,' he whispered, peeling my clothes off as if he were unwrapping a bandage. 'I told you, I’m easy to please.'”
- "...he felt better than any human being I'd ever met. 'Okay,' I said unsteadily, 'forget about what I said about not exchanging names. Who are you?' ...'for you honey, I'm trouble...'"
To
sum it up: Liberty Jones has dreams and determination that will take
her far away from Welcome, Texas- if she can keep her wild heart from
ruling her mind. Hardy Cates sees Liberty as completely off-limits. His
own ambitions are bigger than Welcome, and Liberty Jones is a
complication he doesn't need. But something magical and potent draws
them to each other, in a dangerous attraction that is stronger than both
of them.
When Hardy leaves town to pursue his plans, Liberty finds herself
alone with a young sister to raise. Soon Liberty finds herself under the
spell of a billionaire tycoon- a Sugar Daddy, one might say. But the
relationship goes deeper than people think, and Liberty begins to
discover secrets about her own family's past.
Two men. One woman. A choice that can make her or break her. A woman
you'll root for every step of the way. A love story you'll never
forget...
This was my first Lisa Kleypas book, and let me just say- it won't
be my last! I was thoroughly impressed with her writing style, and she
truly did write a beautiful story when she wrote Sugar Daddy... note
that I said story... not LOVE story. Sure, the book might have
revolved around her love for a man that she's never been able to have,
but I just didn't feel like I got heavily into the romance aspect until I
was a little more than half-way through the book. The first half of the
book walks us through the heroine's life during adolescence. However,
the romance and conflict that took place during the last half of the
book seemed a little too rushed for my taste. The scenes between Hardy
and Liberty were few and far between, unfortunately. I just couldn't
help but feeling not only disappointed, but a little frustrated that so
little of the book involved the two of them together. As for Gage and
Liberty's relationship, I just felt that there love story should have
been longer and more detailed. When Gage first meets Liberty, he
absolutely can't stand the sight of her- yet after only a few pages or
so later, his feelings have magically changed, and now he's in love with
her. It just seemed as if there feelings for each other were nothing
stronger than lust. Everything about their relationship just seemed to
fall into place too quickly, and too nicely wrapped up, if you know what
I mean.
This book just wasn't so heavy a romance novel, as it was just a
good old-fashioned story. And unfortunately for me, that's enough to
take away some stars. One thing about this book that seemed a bit too
over-the-top, is how descriptive everything was. And I mean EVERYTHING.
From the inside decor of a fancy restaurant, to a cashmere throw- it
just got to be a little too much, and I found myself wanting to
skim through quite a bit, just to get back to the main story-line. To
be fair, maybe that's one thing fans of Lisa Kleypas love about her
writing- for me though, it just became over-bearing.
Hardy was put on such a high pedestal in this story, that I found it
disappointing to see that he turned out to be much more absorbed in his
business endeavors, than he was about Liberty. Let's just say that it
was pretty obvious that Kleypas used this as an easy way out, in order
to achieve that happy ending we all crave. After the amount of time that
was invested into the whole Liberty and Hardy storyline, I couldn't
help but feel a little cheated with how neatly packaged the story
wrapped up. With that being said though... I can't wait to read Blue
Eyed Devil- instead of only glimpses and a few short scenes involving
Hardy, we get to read his entire story! ...*sigh*... I think that more than makes up for his lack of appearance in Sugar Daddy!
All-in-all, I felt that this book was more "chick-lit" than romance,
considering that we really don't see the romance come into full effect
until you're more than half-way through the book. I did still enjoy
reading about Liberty's life journey, but let's face it: when you're an
avid romance fan, it's a big bummer when you come to
find out that it takes a backseat in the book. All of the negative
criticism aside though, I still felt that this was a good read- it felt
deeper than your average romance novel, even though at times, I was left
wishing for a little more of this, and a little less of that.
Regardless though, Lisa Kleypas has a gift for story-telling, whether
it's filled with full-fledged romance or not.
To help promote Lisa Kleypas's new novel, Rainshadow Road, Lisa's Divas got together for a blog hop hosted by Under the Covers. Many thanks to that blog crew for putting this together!! xoxox
I was one of the lucky ducks to receive Rainshadow Road early. What a delight to read! I really enjoyed that book very much. I do hope you all go out and buy the book on release day. It's another wonderfully written installment by Lisa. A true gem to add to your ever growing collection of books by her....Lords knows I have almost her entire back list. :)
My review for Rainshadow Road-
5 Stars!
Lucy's trembling fingers came to his lips, caressing them gently. "Are you sure? How do you know it's not just about sex?"
"It's about sex....sex with your mind, sex with your soul, sex with
the color of your eyes, the smell of your skin. I want to sleep in your
bed. I want you to be the first thing I see every morning and the last
thing I see at night. I love you the way I thought I could never love
someone."
*swoon*
Well, she did it again. Lisa Kleypas has struck gold with the first
book of her new series, Rainshadow Road. How does she do it every time?
Once I started this book I wasn't able to put it down....but that
happens every time I read a Klyepas book. I’m beginning to feel envious
of Lisa and I'm not even a writer, nor do I have aspirations to be one!
Her work is fantastic every single time! Can she even write a bad book?
The imagery she paints sets you right in the story without anything
missing. Amazing! As always, Lisa Kleypas does not disappoint. You'll be
drawn by the magical colors, infectious humor and the love two people
can share. This is surely another wonderful book to add to my Lisa
Kleypas collection. Easily one of my favorites!
SPOILERS!
Lucy and her sister, Alice, grew up in a strict household. The girls
always followed the rules and never spoke out…always behaving as
told…until everything changes when Alice falls ill with Meningitis.
Forced to go to the neighbor’s house while Alice is at a doctor
appointment, Lucy discovers the beauty of art glass. She is mesmerized
by the changing of colors and shapes it can yield....setting in motion
her fate. Once Alice is better and released from a stay at a hospital,
she is granted whatever she wants. It's all about Alice now. Doing what
she wants when she wants, with Lucy's parents constantly telling her,
“not now Lucy”, leaving Lucy vying for her parents’ attention.
Fast forward to Lucy's early twenties. Lucy never gave up on her
love of glass. She knew as a young child what she wanted. Sometimes all
you need is a little magic and belief in yourself. Lucy is now making a
steady career with her passion of art glass. She has been in a
relationship with Kevin for two years now and even though Lucy has some
trust issues, she feels like she has made progress with Kevin, not to
mention she loves him. They bought a house together and he's taught her
so much in life making her wonder how she can be so fascinated with him.
It's the little things he does that bring her joy. Her life is great,
that is, until Kevin drops the bomb that he wants to separate. He has
been seeing and sleeping with her sister, Alice. To Lucy, not only is
this a complete and utter shock, but just another way of Alice getting
her way. Lucy has helped Alice countless times over the years with
whatever she has needed. But this time Alice has crossed the line and
Lucy cannot forgive either of them for what they have done to her. Do
you blame her?
Immediately after Kevin ended their relationship, he told Lucy she
must leave so that her sister could move in. With no plans of anywhere
to stay, she learned that her friends had a vacancy in their bed and
breakfast home. While out one night having drinks, her fortune finally
takes a turn for the better when she runs into a man she met a few weeks
earlier along the shoreline. Coincidentally, he happens to be friends
with Lucy's friends who own the home she has been staying in. The sparks
that were left simmering slowly start to ignite, just like they did
that one rainy night.
While Lucy is trying to keep a platonic relationship with Sam, an
unexpected accident leaves Lucy in Sam’s care. Lucy is noticing what an
honest caring man Sam is. He's intelligent, makes her laugh, and he's
hot to boot! But there's one little problem: Sam is not a family man
and he wants to stay a bachelor for the rest of his life! However, he
too finds magic between them that is too hard to fight. Will Sam resist
his feelings for Lucy? Or will he take a chance on what could be the
love of a lifetime?
"Let me have you," he had whispered, resting his forehead on
hers. "Let me make love to you all night. I want to wake up with you
again. Just tell me what you need, Lucy, and I'll do it." -Sam to Lucy
SPOILERS END
Colors are a big part in this book, so you'll need to let your imagination run wild with them.
"The early evening had turned the sky a dark purple, with an overlay of clouds like the silvery wax bloom on a plum."
The colors are absolutely beautiful! That was probably one of my
favorite parts too; reading the description of the colors. Whether it'd
be the sky, the glass Lucy made, the ocean, a glass window, it was
just....wow! So vibrant! But it had to be done just right too because of
Lucy's passion for art, and naturally it was. I would love to see where
Lisa got her ideas for this book. I've always been big on colors so
this was a fantastic read for me.
As ever, Lisa is well versed in writing her books. Whether it be her
historicals or contemporaries, you can tell she did her homework and
checked it repeatedly. This woman doesn't miss a beat! As readers, we
want the book cover to match what the book is about. And I have to say, I
couldn't have chosen a better book cover for this book. It was what the
book was about and of course with stunning colors. Really, Lisa, you
are amazing!
Here are some of my favorite parts of the book:
"Some distraction would be nice."
Lucy looked down at the periodic table that covered the front of her
shirt. "Where is glass?" she asked, trying to read the chemical
elements upside down.
"Not on the periodic table. Glass is a compound. It's mostly silica,
which is....crap, I can't think straight. It's SiO2. Here..." He
touched the Si, which happened to be located high on the right side of
her chest. "And here." The pad of his thumb brushed the O on her left
side, close to the tip of her breast.
"Glass also has sodium carbonate," she said.
"I think that's...." Sam paused, struggling to concentrate.
"...Na2CO3." He studied to front of her shirt and shook his head. I
can't show you the sodium carbonate. Dangerous territory."
"What about calcium oxide?" His gaze scanned the shirt until he
found it. He shook his head. "I'd have you on your back in about five
seconds."
Pushing away from her, Sam went to a tall stool and sat
negligently. "Apparently, Kevin and Alice think the solution is to set
you up with someone. They want some guy to romance you until you're so
full of endorphines, you won't have a problem with them getting married
anymore."
"And you're suppose to be that guy?" she asked incredulously. "Mr. Endorphins?"
"Speaking."
"I look like a geek," Lucy said. "I smell like a brewery. And I need a bra."
"My dream date."
"I don't trust my instincts where men are concerned," Lucy said.
"It's like this article I read the other day about the decline of the
firefly population. One of the reasons they're disappearing is because
of modern artificial lighting. Fireflies can't find the signals of their
mates, because they're so distracted by porch lights, street lamps,
illuminated sign letters..."
"Poor things," Zoe said.
"Exactly," Lucy said. "You think you've found the perfect mate and
you head for him, blinking as fast as you can, and then you find out
he's a BIC lighters. I just can't handle that again."
In defense of geeks," Justine said, "they're great in bed. They
fantasize a lot, so they're really creative. And they love to play with
gadgets." As the two started laughing, Justine handed them a glass of
wine. "Here. Whatever else you may say about Sam, he makes fantastic
wine."
"I don't love you. Tell me you feel the same way."
A big thank you to St. Martin's press for sending me this advanced copy. I loved every minute of it.
~~~~~~
Being a Lisa's Diva myself, St. Martin's Press sent out hardcover copies of, Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. So
the giveaway today will be just that. A hardcover edition of Christmas
Eve at Friday Harbor. Depending on how many comments and entries I
receive, I may be able to give more than once copy away.
To be entered in the giveaway, just leave a comment telling me which Lisa Kleypas book is your favorite. If you have more than one, then go ahead and list it! I absolutely adore It Happened One Autumn, but I also loved Rainshadow Road.
*If you already have the book I'm giving away, I will be happy to do an ebook copy of another Lisa Kleypas book from either her Wallflower series or the Hathaway series.
*This is a US giveaway only.
*The winner will receive the book in the mail.
*To be entered in the contest, you MUST fill out the form.
Lucy's trembling fingers came to his lips, caressing them gently. "Are you sure? How do you know it's not just about sex?"
"It's about sex....sex with your mind, sex with your soul, sex with
the color of your eyes, the smell of your skin. I want to sleep in your
bed. I want you to be the first thing I see every morning and the last
thing I see at night. I love you the way I thought I could never love
someone."
*swoon*
Well, she did it again. Lisa Kleypas has struck gold with the first
book of her new series, Rainshadow Road. How does she do it every time?
Once I started this book I wasn't able to put it down....but that
happens every time I read a Klyepas book. I’m beginning to feel envious
of Lisa and I'm not even a writer, nor do I have aspirations to be one!
Her work is fantastic every single time! Can she even write a bad book?
The imagery she paints sets you right in the story without anything
missing. Amazing! As always, Lisa Kleypas does not disappoint. You'll be
drawn by the magical colors, infectious humor and the love two people
can share. This is surely another wonderful book to add to my Lisa
Kleypas collection. Easily one of my favorites!
SPOILERS! Lucy and her sister, Alice, grew up in a strict household. The girls
always followed the rules and never spoke out…always behaving as
told…until everything changes when Alice falls ill with Meningitis.
Forced to go to the neighbor’s house while Alice is at a doctor
appointment, Lucy discovers the beauty of art glass. She is mesmerized
by the changing of colors and shapes it can yield....setting in motion
her fate. Once Alice is better and released from a stay at a hospital,
she is granted whatever she wants. It's all about Alice now. Doing what
she wants when she wants, with Lucy's parents constantly telling her,
“not now Lucy”, leaving Lucy vying for her parents’ attention.
Fast forward to Lucy's early twenties. Lucy never gave up on her
love of glass. She knew as a young child what she wanted. Sometimes all
you need is a little magic and belief in yourself. Lucy is now making a
steady career with her passion of art glass. She has been in a
relationship with Kevin for two years now and even though Lucy has some
trust issues, she feels like she has made progress with Kevin, not to
mention she loves him. They bought a house together and he's taught her
so much in life making her wonder how she can be so fascinated with him.
It's the little things he does that bring her joy. Her life is great,
that is, until Kevin drops the bomb that he wants to separate. He has
been seeing and sleeping with her sister, Alice. To Lucy, not only is
this a complete and utter shock, but just another way of Alice getting
her way. Lucy has helped Alice countless times over the years with
whatever she has needed. But this time Alice has crossed the line and
Lucy cannot forgive either of them for what they have done to her. Do
you blame her?
Immediately after Kevin ended their relationship, he told Lucy she
must leave so that her sister could move in. With no plans of anywhere
to stay, she learned that her friends had a vacancy in their bed and
breakfast home. While out one night having drinks, her fortune finally
takes a turn for the better when she runs into a man she met a few weeks
earlier along the shoreline. Coincidentally, he happens to be friends
with Lucy's friends who own the home she has been staying in. The sparks
that were left simmering slowly start to ignite, just like they did
that one rainy night.
While Lucy is trying to keep a platonic relationship with Sam, an
unexpected accident leaves Lucy in Sam’s care. Lucy is noticing what an
honest caring man Sam is. He's intelligent, makes her laugh, and he's
hot to boot! But there's one little problem: Sam is not a family man
and he wants to stay a bachelor for the rest of his life! However, he
too finds magic between them that is too hard to fight. Will Sam resist
his feelings for Lucy? Or will he take a chance on what could be the
love of a lifetime?
"Let me have you," he had whispered, resting his forehead on
hers. "Let me make love to you all night. I want to wake up with you
again. Just tell me what you need, Lucy, and I'll do it." -Sam to Lucy
SPOILERS END
Colors are a big part in this book, so you'll need to let your imagination run wild with them.
"The early evening had turned the sky a dark purple, with an overlay of clouds like the silvery wax bloom on a plum."
The colors are absolutely beautiful! That was probably one of my
favorite parts too; reading the description of the colors. Whether it'd
be the sky, the glass Lucy made, the ocean, a glass window, it was
just....wow! So vibrant! But it had to be done just right too because of
Lucy's passion for art, and naturally it was. I would love to see where
Lisa got her ideas for this book. I've always been big on colors so
this was a fantastic read for me.
As ever, Lisa is well versed in writing her books. Whether it be her
historicals or contemporaries, you can tell she did her homework and
checked it repeatedly. This woman doesn't miss a beat! As readers, we
want the book cover to match what the book is about. And I have to say, I
couldn't have chosen a better book cover for this book. It was what the
book was about and of course with stunning colors. Really, Lisa, you
are amazing!
Here are some of my favorite parts of the book:
"Some distraction would be nice."
Lucy looked down at the periodic table that covered the front of her
shirt. "Where is glass?" she asked, trying to read the chemical
elements upside down.
"Not on the periodic table. Glass is a compound. It's mostly silica,
which is....crap, I can't think straight. It's SiO2. Here..." He
touched the Si, which happened to be located high on the right side of
her chest. "And here." The pad of his thumb brushed the O on her left
side, close to the tip of her breast.
"Glass also has sodium carbonate," she said.
"I think that's...." Sam paused, struggling to concentrate.
"...Na2CO3." He studied to front of her shirt and shook his head. I
can't show you the sodium carbonate. Dangerous territory."
"What about calcium oxide?" His gaze scanned the shirt until he
found it. He shook his head. "I'd have you on your back in about five
seconds."
Pushing away from her, Sam went to a tall stool and sat
negligently. "Apparently, Kevin and Alice think the solution is to set
you up with someone. They want some guy to romance you until you're so
full of endorphines, you won't have a problem with them getting married
anymore."
"And you're suppose to be that guy?" she asked incredulously. "Mr. Endorphins?"
"Speaking."
"I look like a geek," Lucy said. "I smell like a brewery. And I need a bra."
"My dream date."
"I don't trust my instincts where men are concerned," Lucy said.
"It's like this article I read the other day about the decline of the
firefly population. One of the reasons they're disappearing is because
of modern artificial lighting. Fireflies can't find the signals of their
mates, because they're so distracted by porch lights, street lamps,
illuminated sign letters..."
"Poor things," Zoe said.
"Exactly," Lucy said. "You think you've found the perfect mate and
you head for him, blinking as fast as you can, and then you find out
he's a BIC lighters. I just can't handle that again."
In defense of geeks," Justine said, "they're great in bed. They
fantasize a lot, so they're really creative. And they love to play with
gadgets." As the two started laughing, Justine handed them a glass of
wine. "Here. Whatever else you may say about Sam, he makes fantastic
wine."
"I don't love you. Tell me you feel the same way."
A big thank you to St. Martin's press for sending me this advanced copy. I loved every minute of it.
+L.K.+Blue-eyed+devil.jpg)
