Review - Not Another Bad Date

Title: Not Another Bad Date
Author: Rachel Gibson
Publishing Date: 2008
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I downloaded an audio book from my library.

Not Another Bad Date is the final installment in Rachel Gibson's Writer Friends Quartet. Adele Harris is a successful Science Fiction author who suffers from the worst case of dating bad luck. The last man she was serious about when psycho on her and since then every date ends in disaster. Adele's sister needs her help, so off to her home town of Texas she goes to help her out. While in town, Adele runs into her college sweetheart, the man she was never able to get over. Zach Zemaitis pro-football player, turned high school coach, ambles back into her life.

Not Another Bad Date was a really enjoyable book. As a matter of fact, I think this one is my favorites by Rachel Gibson, thus far. (I have only read three or four of her books, for what it's worth). Anyway, this book had a lot going for it, sweet poignant flashbacks of Adele and Zach's young budding relationship, zany evil ex-wife, pre-pubescent teenage girls, fantastic funny dialogue and great sexual tension. Can you tell this book has a lot going for it???

Not Another Bad Date is both funny and poignant. The characters Adele and Zach are fun to read about. I thought they were both smart and stupid about each other. But that is what made this book an entertaining read for me. It kept me laughing and wanting to cry or shout all at the same time. At some points it feels a little silly, but then there are other points where the author really touches on a real emotion. I think this is a fun, easy read for someone who enjoys contemporary romance.

Review - Nothing But Trouble

Title: Nothing but Trouble
Author: Rachel Gibson
Publishing Date: May 2010
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: B
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I received a used copy from Paperbackswap.

Nothing but Trouble is part of Rachel Gibson's Chinook's Hockey series. Mark Bressler is recovering from a very bad car accident which has devastatingly ended his career as a professional hockey player for the Chinooks. To make matters worse, his team has just won the Stanley Cup and he had to sit at home and watch instead of skating on the ice with his teammates. Chelsea Ross is a struggling actress who takes a position as Mark Bressler's home health care assistant. Mark's surly demeanor and grumpy disposition will stretch her nerves to the breaking point as she tries to stick out the duration of the job for three months, which will earn her a $10,000 bonus.

Nothing but Trouble is a solid read. I enjoyed the fast paced antics between Chelsea and Mark. Mark is a grumpy bastard for the first part of the book. Gibson makes this understandable because of his circumstances and he does have his sensitive moments. Chelsea puts up with a lot in the beginning but easily dishes it out back just as good as she gets it from Mark. They are evenly matched with their explosive chemistry.

Nothing but Trouble is not a deep read by any means, but it is fun and entertaining. It does have a rather predictable confrontation at the end. However, it is not dragged out to the point of frustration. Mark and Chelsea easily work through their misunderstanding and a sweet ending is had for all. For fans of contemporary or sports themed romances, Nothing but Trouble is a quick, fun read.

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This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon.

Review - True Love and Other Disasters

Title: True Love and Other Disasters
Author: Rachel Gibson
Publishing Date: May 2009
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Hot

Faith Duffy's husband and owner of the Seattle hockey team has recently died, leaving Faith as the owner. Faith is only 30 years old and has a stigma attached to her as a gold-digger since her former husband Virgil was 80 years old and a billionaire. With all the negative buzz surrounding her, the hockey team doesn't want to be caught in the middle of it, especially Captain of the team, Ty Savage. He wants to win the Stanley Cup and nothing is going to make him loose focus, not even a beautiful bimbo like Faith Duffy.

I had trouble relating to Faith. Faith being a former stripper and playboy bunny, I have very little in common with her. She is unashamedly a gold-digger. She totally owns up to the fact that she married her former husband because he was rich and would provide her with the security she has always longed for. I don't really agree with this kind of marriage and not knowing anything about her, I would probably be one of those people who would judge her. So I kept thinking there was going to be a catch as to why she married a man 50 years her senior, but there wasn't. Honestly, she was a gold-digger. Okay... so not exactly heroine material in my book.

Having said that however, there was an innate honesty and conviviality to Faith that does work. When interacting with Ty this playful side to her comes out. She rediscovers herself, because Virgil molded her into this polite, proper woman for the upper crust society she had to be around. That really wasn't who Faith is and so she is rediscovering herself. Occasionally, there were these odd references to Faith's wild side that she dubs "Layla". A few times the references bordered on creepy, like Faith has a multiple-personality disorder. I could have done without that part of it.

I did like Ty. He comes across as a man's man, but not overly so. I would say it's a good balance. He wants to focus on winning the Stanley Cup, but he keeps finding Faith distracting. Ty and Faith have some good interaction to build up the sexual tension. I love how the author shows the process of how he perceives Faith. She goes from being a hot body to have sex with, to a woman he cares about and enjoys spending time with. I felt that the pacing of Ty and Faith's relationship was appropriate and believable, but the ending came much to swiftly. I could have used a few more pages tacked onto the end of the book.

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