Customer Reviews

Impetuous (Famous Firsts)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After a devastating divorce from a real jerk, gorgeous third grade teacher Carlie McDaniels hid herself away behind ugly glasses and uglier clothes. When her best friend Bren convinces her to come to her Halloween party, Carlie lets Bren pick out her costume. Bren picks out a sexy harem girl outfit for Carlie. Very self-conscenious in the costume, Carlie no more than makes an appearance at the party then goes to the pool house to hide. During her brief time at the party, Carlie catches the eye of Bren's brother-in-law, the devastatingly handsome Tyler Ramsay. Although he's seen her many times, Tyler does not recognize Carlie with her dark wig, colored contact lenses and veil. Tyler follows the mysterious harem girl to the pool house where they make hot (and I mean really hot) love. When Tyler dozes off, Carlie sneaks off determined that Tyler would never know it was her.

When Carlie stops by Bren's to square up details of Bren's husband, Jason, helping with an after school recreation program, she learns that Jason had something come up and his brother Tyler is going help Carlie instead. Carlie is determined to keep Tyler at arms length so he won't recognize her as the mysterious harem girl. Although he's never given Carlie more than a passing glance in the past, working closely with her on the after school program, he quickly learns that she is unlike any other woman he's ever met. Instead of throwing herself at him, she seems to want to keep him at a distance. He also discovers that she is smart and funny. Soon, he's less determined to find his harem girl and more determined to get Carlie to want to spend more time with him.

I really liked this book. Carlie was a very sympathic heroine. Her ex-husband did a major mind job on her and totally destroyed her self-confidence to the point that she had to hide who she really was behind her old maid clothes or the harem girl costume. Although rich, handsome and able to attack any woman he wants (and plenty he doesn't), Tyler is bored and dissatisfied until he gets to know Carlie better. These characters are so well written that you can believe them and understand why they are the way they are.

Carlie McDaniels and Tyler Ramsay have known each other for some time - after all, his brother is married to her best friend. But it is not until Carlie reveals her hidden self at a Halloween party that she really engages Tyler's interest. And now, although he doesn't know who the mystery woman who got him all hot and bothered really is, Tyler can't seem to get mousy Carlie McDaniels out of his mind.

He's hot, he's well off, he's charming. Everything Carlie is trying to hide from following on from a divorce from a man she perceives is just like him. But Tyler is nothing like her ex-husband, and soon he sets about proving it to her...

Lori Foster is a prolific and talented writer of romance, and I always enjoy reading her stories. This is no exception. The highlights are the relationships between the four central characters - the Ramsay brothers, Carlie and her friend Brenda. And Foster paints the picture of Carlie - damaged and hiding behind awful clothes and unflattering hairstyles and glasses, becoming someone who fades into the background and prefers to be unnoticed. These feature more strongly than the usual Foster sizzle - this is not the most electrifying book I've read of Fosters possibly as the story was first released a few years ago. It is instead a sweet and warm story that gradually leads you to the clear romantic conclusion. Not that the spice isn't there, given how Carlie draws Tyler's attention in the first place.

If you have a best friend you want to play matchmaker for, or if you hide your own light under a bushel, have a read. You might recognise someone.

IMPETUOUS- Lori Foster
I realize this is a re-release but I still found it entertaining. Lori Foster wrote this book in 1996 and I can see she hadn't quite developed her now signature Lori Foster Alpha-Male character. This book seemed a little more balance to me, not so much male brevado as she is writting now.

Carlie is a shy woman hurt by the men in her past and isn't looking for a man. She lets her best friend talk her into wearing a very revealing costume to a party and attracts the #1 male batchelor in town, Tyler. Tyler is intrigued by carli from a distance, unlike the rest of the female population this disguised woman isn't throwing herself at him she's running from him.

Well Tyler follows and one thing lead to a one nite stand with a woman he doesn't even know and he can't get his sister-in-law to tell him who she was. So he moves on but doesn't quite forget the woman and the instant chemistery they shared.

Enters fate, Tyler ends up helping shy Carli with a charity project and becomes intrigued with her too. She isn't throwing herself at him. The premise is good and enjoyable. Read the book to find out did Tyler find out who his mystery woman was or does his memory of the mystery woman disrupt a great friendship and budding romance with Carli.

ONE WICKED WEEKEND- Julie Elizabeth Leto
Lauren returns to New Orleans to write an article for her magazine and decides to also punnish her former lover, Luc, for dumping her painfully eight years ago. But Luc has other plans.

I like this very short story.

I think this book was worth the price I paid for it, but Carlie got on my LAST nerve! Geez, I was rolling my eyes as she kept that stick up her butt throughout the entire book. I didn't care for the way Tyler was thinking she was fat only to be so relieved and happy to find out that she was very lean. That was actually pretty insulting and offensive and could've been left out of the story. I'm not looking for a romance novel with a particularly large woman as the main character, but come on, I didn't really need to read how ecstatic the leading man was when he found out the woman he's "falling" for is thin. I realize the descriptions for the women in these romance novels are always..."flat stomach"...."small ankles".... "petite frame" ..... "slight" ... "delicate".... "narrow hips" ETC. But for some reason unbeknownst to me, THIS description and the way it was written really peeved me. Maybe I'm PMSed or maybe it really is written offensively. Not sure, but I didn't really enjoy this story. But like I said, it was worth what I paid, it kept me busy reading for a while.

This is a vintage Harlequin El Cheapo for Kindle that is definitely not the best example of the author's work.

I actually don't mind Lori Foster's writing style. She's one of those authors whose books are nice, easy reads (I just picked up a cheap Lori Foster ebook bundle to get me through a couple of weekends), but with this earlier effort she stuck pretty close to the How To Write a Category Romance handbook.

We have:
* Heroine lacking in confidence, but who is a sex goddess once she drops the track pants and dons a harem costume for Halloween.

* Sexy and successful hero who all the women want - playboy reputation is in place - but who is really just a sensitive guy with abandonment issues.

* Heroine who had a bad relationship in the past, so now lives in baggy clothes and wears big glasses (those evil glasses - ugly with them, sexpot without. I can't begin to tell you how much I hate that stereotype!).

* Heroine who keeps her harem girl identity a secret, so that the hero falls in love with her frumpy self instead of her sexy self.

* Big Misunderstanding after Big Misunderstanding.

* Heroine - while romantically involved with hero - calls him and pretends to be another woman, to `test' his feelings for the mysterious harem girl.

* Hero who is shamed by all for getting upset about the duplicity; remember, we always have to sympathise with the woman in these situations, no matter what she does.

* Big, Cheesy, Dramatic Gesture to go with the marriage proposal.

* Heroine promises to dump the glasses - no sexy woman worth her salt can be seen dead in them I suppose.

The book did everything I expected it to and nothing I didn't. Lori Foster has written better stuff than this, so the only real reason you have to read this one is that you'll be paying less than a dollar for it.

Lori Foster started the wave of hot contemporary category romances with her book, IMPETUOUS. Here's a great chance to revisit this groundbreaking story, newly packaged. Also, you get a free bonus read from up-and-coming author, Julie Elizabeth Leto. ONE WICKED WEEKEND is ultra-hot!

This is a quick read. In fact you can skip a good chunk of it, it's so predictable. For the price, this is acceptable, but this writer has done better.

I've read other Lori Foster books in the past and liked them. So, I thought I would give this one a try. I hated it! I couldn't get into Carlie's character. There was no background as to why she was so prickley and I ended up hating her because I thought she was such an idiot. If I had a hot guy like Tyler poring his heart out to me, I wouldn't push him away. I didn't like how she acted and her personality just stunk. Not a good read, don't know why it is getting good reviews.

There is nothing more annoying than a heroine who is constantly whining about her insecurities. Whine whine whine. Jeez. I kept reading in hopes she would get over herself but no dice. i have read plenty of Lori Foster books that were good but this sure wasnt one of them.

I purchased this Kindle when I saw it was one of the most purchased Kindles in 2010. I was looking for something light that I wouldn't have to get too wrapped up in. However, I didn't get around to reading it for a few weeks and by the time I did, I'd forgotten what it was about. I started it on a Sunday evening around 7:00pm while my kids were pre-occupied with their own activies and my husband was out of town on business. To say I got hooked would be an understatment! My kids were talking to me and I didn't even hear them. My pulse was racing while I was reading that initial scene in the pool house. Holy cow!

I'm not used to reading "romance" novels. I usually go for other genres in my books - fantasy or mystery with some romance thrown in. So this was definitely more descriptive in the love making than I'm used to. I was sort of shocked but I couldn't stop reading! I had to drag myself away from it to try to be a good mom and put my kids to bed. But the moment I had them tucked in and kissed goodnight I was back at the reading. I literally sat there and read this book until I finished it at 3:00am (taking quick bathroom breaks and such). So much for a book that I wouldn't get too wrapped up in!!

I liked the characters and I enjoyed the build-up of the relationship between Carlie & Tyler. I liked how they both had pre-conceived ideas about one another and then they realized how wrong they were after getting to know each other. I thought parts were funny, other parts very romantic and other parts just plain HOT!

Admittedly, Carlie's character started to get on my nerves when she wouldn't let Tyler back in and he was practically begging her forgiveness and pouring his heart out to her. But I can understand the author's desire to drag out the finale a bit longer and give the book a more dramatic ending. And, I did enjoy the ending very much. It was a good read and even though I was dragging through work on Monday, I still found myself smiling (and probably blushing) when I would think of some part in the book the next day.

Maybe I should read romance books more often!