Customer Reviews

Heaven, Texas

5 star:		(85)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Another sure-fire winner by Susan Elizabeth Phillips! I must say I had my doubts aobut this one - I didn't think there was any way I could get excited about a hero named "Bobby Tom" who wears a cowboy hat, but I shouldn't have worried. As always, SEP has managed to create a great story, unique characters, laugh-out-loud dialogue and sexy love scenes. Bobby Tom is a football star forced into retriement by a career-ending injury, and beneath lots of good ol' boy charm, he's not too happy about it. Not knowing what to do with his life, he agrees to star in a movie. The producers are justifiably concerned about this infamous playboy's reliability, so they hire a babysitter - the none too tempting Gracie Snow. The resulting relationship is just great.

SEP succeeds at doing a lot of things in this book that usually turn me off in a romance novel. First, I don't like unattractive heroines that either miraculously become beautiful, but Gracie's transformation into a cute, perky and kind of sexy leading character works. Second, as a former Texan I usually can't stand the loud, folksy stereotype that Bobby Tom initially appears to be. However, SEP managed to make it work without being silly and does a good job portraying smalltown Texas. I still refuse to picture Bobby Tom wearing a great big cowboy hat, but if it works for you... Third, there is a secondary romance between two older characters, and I usually find that distracts from the main plot. Here it's so well done and flows so seamlessly into the main storyline that I was glad to see it. There are few authors who never fail to deliver, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips certainly falls into that category!

This is the second book in the Chicago Stars/Bonner Brothers series. Luckily, each stands on its own merits.

Bobby Tom Denton is a former wide-receiver for the Chicago Stars. Due to a career ending injury, he is about to make his movie debut, provided it is filmed in his hometown to drum up business due to the town's primary employer relocating. Of course, getting him to the set is going to be half the fun. The production company hires virginal Gracie Snow, a no-nonsense former elder care administrator to bring him on location. Gracie is a mousy little thing - we know this because we are hit over the head with how plain she is and how gorgeous he is throughout the story. Most of Gracie's charges give her a hard time, but none as bad as Bobby.

One of the funniest scenes is when he is on a "date" with Gracie tagging along. The interaction between the three of them, cramped in his tiny Thunderbird while he is sweet talking his "date" (but paying far too much attention to Gracie) is hysterical.

The whole trip down he tries to dump her, but she keeps outsmarting him. When they finally arrive on location, several days late, Gracie is fired. Out of guilt, Bobby makes them hire her back, and agrees to secretly pay her salary. After a makeover, he asks her to pretend to be his fiance to fend off unwanted females. She agrees under the stipulation that she pays her own way - she does not want to be just another sponge that hits him up for cash. Soon, Bobby does the charitable thing by initiating Gracie in "erotic arts" - what a philanthropist!

One thing that annoyed me throughout this story was the goofy language - instead of saying bull, Gracie says balderdash. Now who since the 19th century says that? Yeah, she has spent a lot of time with old people, but please. I prefer contemporary stories to have believable dialogue.

The story is a bit far-fetched - but a cute and very quick read. The secondary romance of his mother could have been fleshed out more.

The series includes (in order of publication): It Had to be You; Heaven, Texas; Nobody's Baby But Mine; Dream a Little Dream; This Heart of Mine; Match Me if You Can.

I completly fell in love with Gracie and Bobby Tom. To say this book was good is a complete understatment. I am a huge SEP fan and read almost everything I can by her, but Heaven, Texas is my favorite. Gracie Snow is a plain jane gal who spent her entire life in a nursing home, when given the opportunity to leave and work at a film corporation, she jumps. She's determined not to let anyone jeopordize her new "exciting" job. Not even Bobby Tom Denton. Former wide reciever for the Chicago Stars. After a career ending accident Bobby Tom felt lost and alone. He was surounded by former teamates and beautiful women, but he didn't feel anything until skinny, unattractive Gracie Snow does a strip tease at a party, in an attempt to get his attention and drag him to an engagment with the film studio to do a movie he wasn't looking forward to. Gracie doesn't know how famous Bobby Tom is and he loves it. He soon discovers that this plain jane is gorgeous on the inside. Just to mix things up SEP has thrown in a little side plot that will tug at the hearts of everyone, but most assuredly those women going through the rigors of menopause. This book just goes to show that even though we as women don't always feel wanted and attractive, someone disagree's. And he's willing to prove it. This book is chock full of doofy jocks, ditzy bimbos, and loyal, but slightly "off" hometown people. Just enough to keep you laughing through the entire read.

I fell in love with this book because, I see myself in a way as Gracie, as I'm sure other women will too, and it's just good to know that sometimes Prince Charming picks Plain Jane.

Need I say more? Okay, then...RUN, don't walk to your local bookstore to buy this book! (Or purchase it directly from amazon.com!). Anyway, this book was a delightful surprise to me. "A former professional football player as a hero?", I asked myself snidely. YES! This is sooooooo good that I don't have the words. It's just too darn wonderful to pass up. It is original, sexy, funny, and emotional. You will chuckle, laugh out loud, cry, sob, yell at Bobby Tom, swoon at Bobby Tom, and want to kiss Bobby Tom senseless! As I said before, I lack the words so I will just beg...PLEASE, please read this book! Not to mention every other word SEP has ever written!

After an injury that ends his football career, ex-jock Bobby Tom Denton signs on to become an actor. When he doesn't show up on the day of shooting prim and proper Gracie Snow is sent to retreive him.

Gracie Snow is ready to change her life. At the age of 30, she has finally left the retirement home that her parents ran and is ready for a change. She needs to get Bobby Tom to Texas on time, or else.

Once in Texas, gorgeous Bobby Tom tells everybody that mousy. frumpy Gracie Snow is his fiance in order to keep the matchmaking mamas away. Gracie plays along. Bobby Tom gets her a make-over, making Gracie actually look cute. The two spend time together and Gracie falls madly in love with Bobby Tom.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has once again written a wonderful, witty and memorable romance. Gracie and Bobby Tom will remain in your hearts and you will laugh out loud at their outrageous romance. I can guarantee you'll fall in love with Bobby Tom and never look at a plain woman the same again.

This was the third SEP book I read, so I had a little bit of an idea of just what to expect. Like other SEP books, I found this story to be funny, entertaining, and unique - so why did I give it three stars only? Although I grew to like the character more, I thought the hero spent too much of the story being patronizing and derogatory to the heroine. It was a little difficult to believe that he was developing feelings for her at all when he spent so much time and energy being a pig toward her. While there were several moments that the hero was sympathetic, there were also many times where I didn't like him at all. I'm not sorry I read it, and I was entertained - I just thought some of SEP's other books did a better job of making the reader care about the characters.

Bobby Tom Denton, the legendary football player from Chicago Stars, is forced to retire at the age of 33 when he suffered from knee injury. Now he is ready to be one of the Hollywood leading man with his woman-killer face and dazzling smile. Problem is, his attitude is not as charming as his face and Gracie Snow is forced to find him and bring him to the shooting location and makes sure he stays. Come hell and high water, Gracie is determined to drag this stubborn mule with every single thing she knows how. Now the two couple meet face to face, all Hell breaks loose, and only God knows what happen next when passion overcomes them.

I've been a loyal SEP fans after finishing Lady Be Good and Dream a Little Dream. I agree with all the reviewers that this is one of her best works ever. No, let me repeat that, one of the best romance book ever written! You'll fall in love with Bobby Tom, you'll admire Gracie Snow, and the next second you'll find yourself brought to Heaven, Texas, and like LaVyrle Spencer wrote on the back-cover of this book "Watch Susan Elizabeth Phillips Go Places".

PS: Dan and Phoebe from It Had to Be You also made a special appearance since Dan used to be Bobby Tom's coach at Chicago Stars

This is probably the most thought out romance novel I have ever read. SEP's amazing writing and creative talents brought a sore spot to my helpless romantic mind. Bobby Tom's cocky, charming, football attitude affects Gracie's "school-teacher" attitude. While Gracie is trying to get Bobby Tom's butt to Telarosa, she was actually falling in love with him, while he was quite annoyed by her behavior. I really love their conversations at the beggining at the book. But then the plot changes, and she becomes this innocent wildcat out to strike, YOWL! Gracie's flirty behavior really puts him at his edge, and his only solution is to teach this virginal-flirty-wildcat, the ways of sex. So this closer relationship between Gracie and Bobby Tom learn more about eachother physically and mentally, but Gracie found out he was making her paychecks, and she feels like a pitied lovesick fool. Suddenly Bobby Tom realizes his turbulent emotions towards Gracie, and there's only one way to prove it.............Read the book for the ending.

I absolutely loved this book - I received it yesterday and read the whole thing in one sitting! It is wonderfully written with believable characters and a good story line that flows very well. In some aspects it reminded me of another one of SEP's books - Nobody's Baby But Mine - where the hero is an ex-footballer that is well loved by his home town and the heroine is something of an inept social outcast. Both the heroes were injured and sidelined in their careers and were both out of sorts about what to do with their lives after football. But they are different on many levels as well and its worth your money to buy both of them!

I was captivated by Bobby Tom - especially his intense sex appeal. I also especially loved the fact that he really came to love a person that was considered plain and unattractive. The ending was wonderful too! Read this book if you want to laugh out loud, if you want to cry and if you want to see two different well deserving and well suited people to get together!

When I first picked up this book, I thought, uh-uh. No way can I get into a book where the hero's name is Bobby Tom. He sounded too much like some red-neck cowboy and not at all like the darkly handsome heroes of other romances. However, it took me about 2 whole seconds to fall head over heels in love with both Bobby Tom and this book. Phillips perfectly masters the romance genre combining great characterization with an interesting plot and lots of sweet humour. Yet at the same time she spices up her story with steamy sex scenes and gut-wrenchingly emotional confrontations between her 2 lovers. The romance between former NFL quarterback and Miss Gracie Snow is a roller coaster ride of thrills and smiles from start to finish. In short, its absolutely wonderful and I highly reccommend it.