6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
5 Klovers! Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques, August 20, 2007
This review is from: Improper Etiquette (Paperback)
Three modern women each find a time-worn copy of `Miss Matilda' s Guide to Love and Romance for the Proper Young Lady', copyright 1949. Flipping through the aged advice book, each woman scoffs at first, but soon each finds that Miss Matilda was right on the money when it came to romantic advice as her tips work magic on the men of their dreams...
I have read Janice Maynard previously and thoroughly enjoyed her stories, so when Improper Etiquette was offered to Ck2S Kwips & Kritiques for review, I snapped it up as quick as possible! As before, I was in no way disappointed with this author's work. Maynard has a knack for penning fun little romances that are sweet and sexy all at once. Even her novellas draw the reader in quickly, and she is adept at telling what feels like a full story without overloading the story with too much plot. The end result is always a romance that is guaranteed to captivate the readers from page one, and satisfy them with a tidy little happy ever after at the finish.
I will admit, after reading the sound and sometimes sexy advice Miss Matilda's guide gave our three heroines in Improper Etiquette, I find myself hoping against hope that a copy will land in my hot little hands one day soon! I believe Ms. Maynard has heard that wish from more than one fan since this book was released... LOL
~Catering to His Needs~
Francesca was known for both her warm sticky buns and her warm heart. Determined to give her new neighbor Brett a taste of each, she inadvertently causes him to fall off of his ladder while working on his house. But the scowl on his face couldn't just be from that little mishap, could it? There had to be some deeper reason behind his unfriendliness... Still, Francesca can't stop thinking about her hunky neighbor, and resolves to break through his unwelcoming façade with a few home-cooked meals, thanks to Miss Matilda's handy little guide.
Brett Gilman moved to the remote town of Camron to get away from the public eye and recoup. Company is the last thing he wanted - until he met his beautiful and hard-to-discourage neighbor. Her cooking may have gotten his attention, but it is the woman herself who has stirred his long dormant libido...
With her simple, homespun charm and her collection of man-pleasing recipes, it was easy to see why Francesca quickly won both Brett's and our hearts. As unassuming as she is tenacious, her selfless nature ensured that Brett could not easily run and hide as he had hoped when he moved to Tennessee. Her sweet, nurturing personality was the perfect balm for his wounds and did more for his soul than her cooking did for his stomach.
Brett just broke my heart when we met him. Obviously in pain from the moment we met him, it was not long before we discover the betrayal that has left his heart bereft. Watching as Francesca did not allow his rudeness to dissuade her, I wondered if I would have been able to forgive his brusque manner as quickly as she did. But Francesca never wavered, and soon she wriggled her way firmly into the hole in his heart, filling it with more love than he could ever imagine.
~Tag, You're It!~
Lily has had a crush on her neighbor since she first moved to Boston. He helped her unload her moving van the day she arrived across the street from his 2-story house, and they'd fallen into a kind of informal friendship ever since. But Lily is ready for more, and Miss Matilda's advice seems just the thing to stir Ben's male instincts to hunt and capture... With Lily being the prey, of course!
The typical clueless genius, Ben has no idea what has come over Lily. All of a sudden she is missing their daily runs, gallivanting with strange men, and cooking dinner without inviting him over to join her! Every instinct inside him is raging to claim her and stake his territory, though the logical side of him knows he isn't cut out for a long term relationship and Lily is most certainly wife and mother material. But somehow all of his logic goes right out the window when it comes the lovely Lily...
This story made me laugh out loud more than once! Ben reminded me of the clueless Professor from Gilligan's Island, never noticing that the most beautiful woman on the island had eyes only for him. Ben may have been different in that he noticed Lily, but it is also certain that he took her presence in his life for granted, and underestimated his own reaction if she were gone. Miss Matilda must have known a Benjamin or two in her own day, because she had him pegged to a 'T'! The very first time Lily tries Miss Matilda's advice on Ben, his reaction is immediate, shocking Lily with its unexpected predictability. (Yes, I know that should be an oxymoron, but trust me it fits here! Lol)
Lily is the perfect woman for Ben, able to anticipate his needs, his shortcomings, and most importantly - his desires. Having insinuated herself subtly into his life over the last year, her sudden absence jolts him into action, much to her delight!
~Seducing the Duke~
Serves her right for daydreaming during an important meeting. Because that is the only way Caitlyn Anderson would allow herself to be teamed up with the insufferable Duke Yancey. Well, that and because the mayor asked, of course. Truth is, she wanted to dislike Duke, but she couldn't help being drawn to the handsome business owner - and that is what scared her most. She was not about to become another filly in his stable of cast-offs...
Duke couldn't be more pleased to be paired with the beautiful Caitlyn and is determined to make the most of his chance to spend time with her. He isn't sure why he seems to rub her the wrong way, but he will use every seductive tool in his arsenal to change it...
The story of Duke and Caitlyn spoke to that woman inside me who loves to be chased! And I identified with Caitlyn in more than one way - her fear of Duke's player past and doubts about their ability to have a future together are palpable. Duke's persistent pursuit is ultra-romantic, and his reaction when disaster strikes stirs the heart like nothing else.
Duke is a man I could fall for, and Caitlyn is a woman I could easily call friend. The two together were a wonderful match and I enjoyed every moment of this story!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Romantic fun!, August 20, 2007
This review is from: Improper Etiquette (Paperback)
When Francesca Fremont takes a meal to her new neighbor to welcome him to the neighborhood, they don't exactly get off on the right foot. Despite their disastrous introduction, Francesca catches the eye of Brett Gilman. Brett has moved into the old fixer upper just to catch some breathing room from scandal that has his life in a shambles. It isn't long before Francesca takes the sage advice of Miss Matilda's writings and sets out to seduce Brett. The two are soon heating up the kitchen and every other room in the house.
Lily Lanford has her own guy to snag and she decides that Miss Matilda's advice to play it cool might be just what it takes to heat things up with her neighbor, Ben Reynolds. Lily and Ben are very good friends and while Lily wants more, Ben seems oblivious. Lily decides to take a clue from Miss Matilda and play hard to get, and it isn't long before Ben finds Lily simply irresistible and he wants to be more than just her next-door neighbor.
Caitlyn Anderson is thrilled at the opportunity to serve on a mayoral-appointed committee whose purpose is the improvement of impoverished neighborhoods in her city. Duke Yancey is also serving on the committee. While the two are both hard-working, highly successful business owners, the similarity ends there. Caitlyn is poised and serious, a lady through and through, and Duke is a born ladies' man, smooth, suave, and rarely serious, which thoroughly chafes Caitlyn. When these two get together, the fun - and the passion - are ever so sweet.
If you like romance with characters that are successful and sweet, and passions that are sizzling with depth, then this anthology is for you! I give it a high recommendation and hope that you'll be tempted to get your own copy!
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