Review: Rachel Gibson "Simply Irresistible"

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN:  9780380790074

My rating: 3/5

Georgeanne Howard, charm school graduate and Southern belle extraordinaire, leaves her fiancé at the altar when she realizes she just can't marry a man old enough to be her grandfather, no matter how rich he is. John Kowalsky unknowingly helps her escape, and only when it's too late does he realize that he's absconded with his boss's bride. At the height of his hockey career, this bad boy isn't looking to be anybody's savior but his own, no matter how beautiful this angel may be. But a long night stretches ahead of them--a night too sultry to resist temptation.
When Georgeanne and John meet again, she is on her way to becoming Seattle's domestic darling and he is past his hellraising days. But he is shocked to learn that their single unforgettable night in paradise produced a daughter, and he is determined to be part of her life. Georgeanne has loved John since the moment she jumped into his little red Corvette seven years ago, but she doesn't want to risk her heart again. Is he really a changed man? And will he risk the wrath of his boss, and one final chance at glory, to prove that this time his love will be everlasting? (rachelgibson.com)


My thoughts

Another nice summer read, but I have to admit it reminded me A LOT of  Rachel Gibson's "No Man of Mine"

Georgeanne  meets John Kowalsky, a Chinook player when she runs away from her wedding. Although John knows he plays with fire, as the husband-to-be is Virgil Duffy, the owner of the Chinooks, but John can't keep his hands off her - the result, as he finds out seven years later, is a little girl "Lexie".

The characters are okay, but without any depth, yet I loved the moments between father and daughter. That was well done! And the dialogues between Mae and Hugh had some good pinch to them.

Bottom line - if you have read No Man of Mine ... you've read this one. Nothing new.

Also, lots of sudden scene changes confused me at times, so much that I the re-reading was annoying and I put the book aside. But I'm not sure whether that was just me.

Rachel Gibson - True Love and other Disasters

Publisher: Avon

ISBN: 9780061579066

My rating: 2/5

DISASTER NUMBER ONE: MEN
Hard knocks and hunger taught Faith Duffy not to believe in love. Still, when she married her very wealthy—and very old—husband, she became the perfect wife. He gave her security; she gave him fidelity and loyalty, but not her heart. And then he went to that big bank in the sky, leaving Faith with a lot of lonely nights, a pile of money, and a total mess of a pro hockey team. Heck, Faith doesn't even watch hockey!
DISASTER NUMBER TWO: PASSION
But most of America and half of Canada is watching Ty Savage, team captain. His lethal sex appeal and deadly right hook make him the favorite of hockey fans. For most of Ty's life, he's dreamed of winning the Stanley cup. The last thing he needs is a gold-digging bimbo messing up his plans.
DISASTER NUMBER THREE: LOVE
Faith loathes Ty on sight, but she can't stop thinking about him all day...and all night. Then a night of temptations ends with Faith in Ty's bed, and she begins to see there's more to him than sex appeal and slap shots. Ty discovers there's far more to Faith than beauty and billions. A relationship with Faith is impossible, and falling in love---would be a disaster (rachelgibson.com)

My thoughts

OK - I have to admit this one was disappointing.

Basically it's Stripper marries rich guy, rich guy dies and leaves her a Hockey Team (Chinooks), Stripper falls in love with the Team's captain and throw in a little blackmail (waayyyy to late). The rest of the book is filled with yadi yadi yada of self doubt, guilt, attraction and other uninteresting stuff.

That's about sums it up.

I didn't really like it. The characters were plain, without depth and the story reminded me too much of Susan Elizabeth Phillip's first Chicago Stars' book.

Rachel Gibson - No Man of Mine

Publisher: Avon

ISBN: 9780061579110

My rating: 3/5

Autumn Haven's Las Vegas "to-do" list said to catch a show and play the slots—not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam Leclaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her run. And she did—right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality and before she could say "pass the coffee" Sam was gone.

Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn she hasn't clapped eyes on the heart-breaking hockey superstar for over two years... until she organizes his teammate's "Special Day," where Sam makes a BIG play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever? (www.rachelgibson.com)

My thoughts

This story reads like a little stream of water trickling away in front of you - you like it, but it doesn't get your heart racing.
Autumn and Sam spent a few days and nights years earlier in Vegas, got married, got divorced, and Autumn ended up raising their son on her own, though with financial help from Sam and some overnight stays.

Autumn is a lovely character, a struggling mum trying to establish her business as a wedding / events planner. Sam is the typical "over-alpha-male" and  Hockey player with the Chinooks. After five years they meet again at a wedding. Wait, meet again? I thought they had a son together and Sam was taking him for overnight stays? Yes, I didn't get that one.

Anyway, they meet again and the whole "Why?" with-himself-conversation starts. And I don't get it either ... he left her in the hotel room, because she wasn't his type?  Then of course, Autumn's with-herself-conversation that she couldn't trust him. I kinda get that, once bitten twice shy ...

So - all in all, not the best Gibson story, but a lighthearted read for a weekend in front of the fire or at the beach .... don't expect too much though. If you haven't read a Gibson book yet, I'd recommend "Daisy's Back in Town"

Rachel Gibson - See Jane Score

Publisher:  Avon Books

ISBN: 978-0060009243

My rating: 2/5


THIS IS JANE

A little subdued. A little stubborn. A little tired of going out on blind dates with men who drive vans with sofas in the back, Jane Alcott is living the Single Girl existence in the big city. She is also leading a double life. By day, she's a reporter covering the raucous Seattle Chinooks hockey team—especially their notorious goalie Luc Martineau. By night, she's a writer, secretly creating the scandalous adventures of "Honey Pie"...the magazine series that has all the men talking.
SEE JANE SPAR
Luc has made his feelings about parasite reporters—and Jane—perfectly clear. But if he thinks he's going to make her life a misery, he'd better think again.
SEE JANE ATTRACT
For as long as he can remember, Luc has been single minded about his career. The last thing he needs is a smart mouthed, pain in the backside, reporter digging into his past and getting in his way. But once the little reporter shed her black and gray clothes in favor of a sexy red dress, Luc sees that there is more to Jane than originally meets the eye.
Maybe it's time to take a risk. Maybe it's time to live out fantasies. Maybe it's time to....  SEE JANE SCORE! (http://www.rachelgibson.com/)



My thoughts

Thank goodness I know better books by Gibson! *smiles*

Main plot is sexy ice hockey player with the Seattle Chinooks, Luc Martinau, a man with a wild past meets female reporter, Jane Alcott, who is eager to suceed with her new assignment as a sports reporter traveling with the Chinooks.

I honestly am disappointed. The story was predictable, though many would argue they always are in a romance, but the certain "oompf" that I liked in "Daisy's back in town" is missing. The constant "inner thoughts" by both Jane and Luc were annoying - "he doesn't like me, I'm not his type, he likes blond and gorgeous looking women etc". And the end - well all of a sudden it was finished, and I couldn't really figure out what had changed Luc's mind in regards to her and being with her.

Not a bad book, but not at the top of my list of recommendations.