Customer Reviews

Footloose

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Footloose by Leanne Banks is fabulous read. This is the third novel in the Bellagio Series that tells the story of amazing assistant Amelia Parker. Amelia excapes to the Florida Keys to help of the grande dame of Bellagio Inc. While making a 'to do list' she meets Jack. Lots of twists and turns with a great love story. Check out the entire Bellagio Series: Feet First (1), Underfoot (2) Footloose (3).

Expecting her fiance Will to set a wedding date, Bellagio temp Amelia instead finds herself dumped. She has spent her life since adolescence being everything Will wanted - sedate, organized, and nurturing, so it is a huge blow when he dumps her for a wild gal. She is sent to the Florida Keys to act as a temporary assistant to crusty matriarch Lillian Bellagio, and manages to make a huge impression on the brusque diva, as well as the wealthy and mysterious corporate raider Jack, who romances her. Little does she know he is collecting info about Bellagio, as he contemplates a takeover of the shoe empire once ruled by his birth father.

When she returns to Atlanta, she is surprised to find Jack installed as a new board member, who has exercised his right to oversee daily operation in the company, and soon realizes that his seduction was planned all along to get information on the company. Jack is treated as an outsider, and loathed by CEO Marc Waterson. As much as Amelia wants to ignore him, her attraction is deep, and the two continue a clandestine affair. Despite their obvious attraction for each other and his assistance in making Will squirm at a family wedding, Amelia's reluctance to tell anyone about them makes Jack feel like a bastard all over again.

With the requisite humor and sensuality inherent in all of Bank's novels to date, "Footloose" makes a fabulous bookend to a fantastic trilogy, and makes Banks a must-read novelist.

This was the weak link in the trilogy. I didn't sense the chemistry between Jack and Amelia while they were in the Keys. Jack was not that likeable and Amelia was flat. Brooke was an irritating distraction and then she was dropped. The book was much better once the setting moved back to Atlanta. Making Marc the bad guy bothered me, though, as we had gotten to love him in book 1. Jack got more depth to his character, and I started to empathize with him. I was looking forward to a wonderfully exciting and highly romantic ending, however. The ending seemed rushed and the revelation of Jack being a Bellagio was thrown in as almost an aside with loose ends tied up too quickly. I missed the very romantic discovery that they loved each other and then the great proposal that has been evident in other Banks' books. The emotional tug-at-your heart was missing. Books 1 and 2 were great, though.

...when you sip it, your teeth ache but it slides down smooth. Charming, upbeat, lightweight novel to relax away a few days with, still the best part--both lead characters are highly skilled professionals. So it's really a meeting of equals, rather than one character needing rescue. Part of the charm though, lies in the male lead, who is so deserving of the "Knight In Shining Silver" medal of the year. He gives credit to "Irish" charm, but we ALL deserve someone just like him once--at least in our dreams!! This author certainly has a way with writing wonderful and believeable male characters. A big miss is a secondary story with another couple that--just when it gets interesting--and for no apparent reason--the couple and storyline disappear. C'mon didn't you think we'd miss Ian the snake?

In Atlanta, Amelia Parker is depressed because she believed her former boyfriend Will was going to propose, but instead told her he loved someone else. Burying herself at her job at Bellagio, Amelia realizes she needs to get a life, but would like to start her new life living on a beach. She at least obtains some of her new life when she is chosen to accompany the firm's matriarch Lillian Bellagio to her home in the Keys.

At a Tiki Bar, Amelia meets the mysteriously handsome Jack "The Shark" O'Connell, who sees an opportunity to make some easy money off of Bellagio as he feels they owe him big time. When she shows him her list of things to do to bring élan into her life he turns it around and challenges her to use her time away from Georgia to try things that until Will gave her the boot three weeks ago she would never have considered since she is a reticent person. She falls in love with Jack, but fears this venture capitalist is a shark about to hurt Lillian and Bellagio as she believes he is using her to get at them.

The Bellagio shoe story is an interesting contemporary romance starring a capable female and a fascinating lead male who has to choose between his love for his "Magnolia" and thirst for vengeance because he hates the Bellagio family. A late twist to the story line will surprise Amelia and the readers as they learn why Jack detests the Bellagios. Footwear has never been considered romantic until Leanne Banks designed her miniseries (See FEET FIRST and UNDERFOOT).

Harriet Klausner

Once again Leanne Banks delivers another great read. Funny story line, great charactors, just an all-around fun book to read. Can't wait to see what she writes next!

"Footloose" is the 3rd in the Bellagio Shoes Series. The first "Feet First" and the second "Under Foot" were entertaining and witty with likable characters.

Amelia Parker works for Bellagio and gets sent on assignment to a tropical location. Once there she meets Jack O'Connell who is mysterious and sexy (although sometimes come off as arrogant). Jack keeps his true identity from Amelia, along with a big secret not revealed to the reader until halfway through the book. Needless to say, his secretive ways come back to bite him in the butt and therefor doesn't make a whole lot of friends at Bellagio, Amelia included. But readers won't be able to help but sympathize with poor Jack, who is all but isolated at work. He comes off as a ruthless bastard (in the corporate world) but I fell in love with him anyway, as does Amelia.

Ms. Banks is one of my favorite authors who pens feel-good, quirky romances. She creates characters well suited for each other and relate-able to readers. With each book, I read she leaves me wanting more.

Erin Kern
author of Looking For Trouble

This is the first that I have read in the Bellagio series. I couldnt put the book down. I love the character descriptions, you feel like you are right in the story. I recommend to read this book!

Albeit the book is fast paced, well written and thrilling in some parts this is the worst book of the series. If you read first this book and then the other two may be you'll rate higher this book because you won't have anything to compare with. As the second book of the series this also can or can't be part of the series because you won't read anything about the other two books. So I don't really know why LB made a three books' series of these stories. On the other hand you'll enjoy reading it.