Heartthrob [Mass Market Paperback]

Suzanne Brockmann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1999

NO WOMAN COULD RESIST HIM . . .

Once voted the "Sexiest Man Alive," Jericho Beaumont had dominated the box office before his fall from grace. Now poised for a comeback, he wants the role of Laramie bad enough to sign an outrageous contract with top producer Kate O'Laughlin--one that gives her the authority to supervise JB's every move, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

ESPECIALLY THE ONE WITH THE MOST AT STAKE . . .

The last thing Kate wants to do is baby-sit her leading man, and Jericho Beaumont may be more than she can handle. A player in every sense of the word, he is an actor of incredible talent--and a man with a darkly haunted past. Despite her better judgment, Kate's attraction flares into explosive passion, and she is falling fast. But is she being charmed by the real Jericho or the superstar who dazzles the world?

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A MASTER OF LOVE AND LAUGHTER.”
—Romantic Times

“An author of tremendous range and versatility, Brockmann proves herself a master of love and laughter.”
—Romantic Times

“Thanks to Suzanne Brockmann’s glorious pen, we all get to revel in heartstopping adventure and blistering romance.”
—Romantic Times

From the Inside Flap

NO WOMAN COULD RESIST HIM . . .

Once voted the "Sexiest Man Alive," Jericho Beaumont had dominated the box office before his fall from grace. Now poised for a comeback, he wants the role of Laramie bad enough to sign an outrageous contract with top producer Kate O'Laughlin--one that gives her the authority to supervise JB's every move, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

ESPECIALLY THE ONE WITH THE MOST AT STAKE . . .

The last thing Kate wants to do is baby-sit her leading man, and Jericho Beaumont may be more than she can handle. A player in every sense of the word, he is an actor of incredible talent--and a man with a darkly haunted past. Despite her better judgment, Kate's attraction flares into explosive passion, and she is falling fast. But is she being charmed by the real Jericho or the superstar who dazzles the world?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Ivy Books (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449002551
• ISBN-13: 978-0449002551
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #141,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Suzanne Brockmann is the award-winning author of fifty-one books, and is widely recognized as one of the leading voices in romantic suspense. Her work has earned her repeated appearances on the New York Times bestseller list, as well as numerous awards, including Romance Writers of America's #1 Favorite Book of the Year and two RITA awards.

Married to author Ed Gaffney, Suz divides her time between Sarasota, Florida; Boston, Massachusetts and New York City. They have two grown children, Melanie, who is a personal trainer and a writer, and Jason, who is an actor and tap dancer, and two miniature schnauzers, C.K. Dexter-Haven and Little Joe, both of whom (unlike Mel and Jason) still live at home.

Suz is a proud member of PFLAG -- Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. She is also a card-carrying member of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, and MassEquality. A firm believer in civil rights for all people, she has fought hard to bring equal marriage rights to all citizens of her home state, Massachusetts.

Suz also recently produced her first independent feature-length movie, a romantic comedy called THE PERFECT WEDDING, that she co-wrote with her husband Ed and her son Jason. The film is currently in post-production. (Find out more at www.ThePerfectWeddingMovie.com)

Visit Suz's Website at www.SuzanneBrockmann.com
Find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SuzanneBrockmannBooks

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner from Suzanne Brockmann!, March 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Heartthrob (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the first mainstream romance by an award-winning series romance author, and it's well worth the wait! Brockmann delivers drama, comedy and believable, three-dimensional characterizations in this tale of Jericho Beaumont, a former a-list actor trying to rebuild his career after its flaming wreck due to his prescription-drug and alcohol abuse, and Kate O'Laughlin, a first time producer and screenwriter who is determined to get her independant movie made and made right, even if she has to demand her lead actor submit to daily drug testing and 24/7 supervision. The secondary characters also shine, particularly Susie McCoy, a 15-year-old child star who is trying to be taken seriously in her first adult role, and Jamaal Hawkes, a young, African-American man struggling to figure out how to deliver his best performance in the role of a slave when all he feels is anger and humiliation at the thought of being another man's property. Brockmann has obviously done her research on both movie production, and substance abuse and recovery. Yet, while the book deals with some very serious issues, the story and characters never wallow in self-pity or melodrama. I read very little romance, and buy even less of it new, but Suzanne Brockmann's name is at the top of my list. Read this book. Then do yourself a favor, and look into Suzanne Brockmann's backlist. Her books are well worth your time.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best contemporary romances IMO, November 19, 2001

By 

camille (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Heartthrob (Mass Market Paperback)

I originally borrowed this book from the library and after taking it out again 2 more times, went out and bought a copy -- for this book is definitely a keeper. The author creates a believable story from a fantasy -- a relationship with a celebrity once voted "sexiest man alive." From the fantasy any woman might have about such a man, Brockmann weaves a poignant, funny, and ultimately credible plot with well-developed characters, good love scenes, and a point of view which does not hit you over the head -- which is the damage done to us by our families and the self-destructive paths we pursue. The male protagonist -- Jericho-- is so well written that even after you finish the book you can remember his thought processes and feelings as described. This is especially true in such scenes as the one is which his bodyguard handcuffs him to a bed and then leaves him -- the anger and anguish and embarassment just flow off the page, as do his feelings for the heroine. The secondary characters are also well fleshed and contribute to the main story line. Although I generally prefer romances with a lot of humor, this book has stayed in my own library when many humorous romances have gone to the trading pile. This book is a fine example of the writer's craft and is not to be missed.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Moving Story!!!, April 17, 2004

By 

Kristi Ahlers (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heartthrob (Mass Market Paperback)

I have been a long time fan of this author. This is the first time I have read one of her older books. Previously I've only read were her SEAL team books. This book on the other hand went much deeper and really delved into a very touchy subject and that is substance abuse.

In "Heart Throb" our hero is a recovering alcoholic and prescription drug abuser. This is so different from the "perfect" hero that we normally find in the romance genre. As a result we are able to see what kind of conflict comes from this kind of life. Jed or Jericho is not perfect in life, but he had been perfect on the big screen. Then he hit rock bottom and finds that his ticket back to the A list in a movie called "The Promise". Problem is the producer of the movie Kate does not trust him as far as she can throw him. This is her movie and even though Jericho is the real life version of her hero on screen she can't run the risk that he will ruin everything by taking a drink. Kate's problem though is she finds herself attracted to Jericho and she knows that this could be the biggest mistake of her life is she allows herself to act on those feelings.

Ms. Brockmann does not tie up this romance all nice with a pretty bow. She allows both of them to experience a wide range of feelings one of which is mistrust on Kate's part. She would not be true to real feelings if this issue was ignored. As a result this was a much deeper romance and as a result of this much better. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is not afraid to have a touchy topic as a backdrop for a story.