Title and Author: Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: 1 February, 2007
Paperback: 400
Genre: Contemporary Roamnce
Summary:
Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard is the luckiest man in the world: a bona-fide sports superstar and the pride of the NFL with a profitable side career as a buff billboard model for End Zone underwear. But life in the glory lane has started to pale, and Dean has set off on a cross-country trip to figure out what's gone wrong.
When he hits a lonely stretch of Colorado highway, he spies something that will shake up his gilded life in ways he can't imagine. A young woman . . . dressed in a beaver suit.
Blue Bailey is on a mission to murder her ex. Or at least inflict serious damage. As for the beaver suit she's wearing . . . Is it her fault that life keeps throwing her curveballs? Witness the expensive black sports car pulling up next to her on the highway and the Greek god stepping out of it.
Blue's career as a portrait painter is the perfect job for someone who refuses to stay in one place for very long. She needs a ride, and America's most famous football player has an imposing set of wheels. Now, all she has to do is keep him entertained, off guard, and fully clothed before he figures out exactly how desperate she is.
But Dean isn't the brainless jock she imagines, and Blue—despite her petite stature—is just about the toughest woman Dean has ever met. They're soon heading for his summer home where their already complicated lives and inconvenient attraction to each other will become entangled with a charismatic but aging rock star; a beautiful fifty-two-year-old woman trying to make peace with her rock and roll past; an eleven-year-old who desperately needs a family; and a bitter old woman who hates them all.
As the summer progresses, the wandering portrait artist and the charming football star play a high-stakes game, fighting themselves and each other for a chance to have it all.
When he hits a lonely stretch of Colorado highway, he spies something that will shake up his gilded life in ways he can't imagine. A young woman . . . dressed in a beaver suit.
Blue Bailey is on a mission to murder her ex. Or at least inflict serious damage. As for the beaver suit she's wearing . . . Is it her fault that life keeps throwing her curveballs? Witness the expensive black sports car pulling up next to her on the highway and the Greek god stepping out of it.
Blue's career as a portrait painter is the perfect job for someone who refuses to stay in one place for very long. She needs a ride, and America's most famous football player has an imposing set of wheels. Now, all she has to do is keep him entertained, off guard, and fully clothed before he figures out exactly how desperate she is.
But Dean isn't the brainless jock she imagines, and Blue—despite her petite stature—is just about the toughest woman Dean has ever met. They're soon heading for his summer home where their already complicated lives and inconvenient attraction to each other will become entangled with a charismatic but aging rock star; a beautiful fifty-two-year-old woman trying to make peace with her rock and roll past; an eleven-year-old who desperately needs a family; and a bitter old woman who hates them all.
As the summer progresses, the wandering portrait artist and the charming football star play a high-stakes game, fighting themselves and each other for a chance to have it all.
Review:
A friend told me about this book and it seemed like a fun read so I picked it up and read it. I’m actually glad I did it since this book really is a fun and fast read.
The story of this book starts when Dean Robbilard sees Blue Bailey walking down a country road dressed in a beaver costume. Her bank account has been wiped out and her life is a mess so she accepts Dean’s offer for a ride. She is immediately attracted to him but manages to hide that from him. Their banter is amazingly funny right from the start.
I really liked the main characters in this book. Blue is smart and funny. She’s also kind of a bad-ass and always has an answer ready for Dean. She definitely has a smart mouth.
When it comes to Dean, I think I feel in love with him right from the start. I don’t think it is able to resist Dean with his funny and sharp mind, perfect body and face and caring personality. He was a perfect match for Blue and their banter really is amazing. The connection between them and how they deal with each other is probably the best part of the book.
The secondary characters were great and very likeable as well and added a lot to the story instead of just being there. They helped Blue regain her footing and Dean deal with is issues.
All in all I really enjoyed this book. This was the first book I read by Susan Elizabeth Phililps and I was captivated by her ability to create witty dialogues that keep you interested. Plus, as I said before, the chemistry and banter between Blue and Dean was very well written.
This was a fast, funny and captivating read I would recommend to anyone who likes contemporary romance.
I think that after reading this book I’ll have to take a look at SEP other works.
Rating: Somewhere between Worth Your Time and Must Read (4 1/2 Stars)
Hey I nominated you for an award! Please check it out on http://ottilieweber.blogspot.com Congrats!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like one I would enjoy, even if he is a football player.
ReplyDelete@carolsnotebook
ReplyDeleteHe's a football player but I'm sure you'll like him. ;)