Josie Day Is Coming Home (Zebra Contemporary Romance) [Paperback]

Lisa Plumley (Author)

Book Description

Series: Zebra Contemporary Romance | Publication Date: April 5, 2005

Her Name Was Josie, She Was A Showgirl...Until the night she Heimliched a martini olive out of fabulously wealthy and eccentric casino owner Tallulah Carlyle. Now Josie Day - proud new owner of one of Tallulah's spare estates - is leaving Vegas behind for...Donovan's Corner, Arizona? Ironically, her "reward" has brought her right back to the dusty hometown she thought she'd left behind forever. Still, Josie's ready to prove there's more to her than feathers and a wicked rumba. She plans sell the old mansion and use the profits to open a dance school. But first, she'll have to figure out some fancy footwork to avoid knocking heads - and other things - with caretaker and local bad boy Luke Donovan...It isn't every day a woman like Josie comes strutting into town - which is fortunate, since her presence on the estate has Luke hotter and more bothered than he's been since, well, ever. He's a little annoyed with his Aunt Tallulah, though. This was supposed to be his property to renovate and sell - an opportunity to make good after being cut off from the family fortune. But Josie doesn't have to know that...at least not until Luke figures out a way to make both their dreams come true - and prove that Vegas isn't the only place where taking a chance can change everything. ..

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Las Vegas showgirl Josie Day saves wealthy widow Tallulah Carlyle from choking to death on a martini olive, she hardly expects to receive a ranch for her efforts. But the well-meaning, and somewhat harebrained, matron insists that Josie have Blue Moon, which is conveniently located in Josie's old hometown of Donovan's Corner, Ariz., but which inconveniently already belongs to Tallulah's bad boy nephew, Luke Donovan, who's turning it into a motorcycle repair shop. Upon her arrival at Blue Moon, Josie mistakes Luke for the handyman. Luke, meanwhile, thinks Josie is a real estate lady looking to sell the place out from under him. Typical of Plumley's lighthearted romances, madcap mayhem ensues. However, Josie's initial decision to return to Donovan's Corner, the "Aqua Net–soaked, small-minded gossip haven" that once branded her disreputable, is more than unexpected; it's unbelievable. The same could be said for the townspeople's decision to just as suddenly and inexplicably embrace Josie for her false eyelashes and skimpy Spandex skirts. This unreality cripples the story from the start. A slow-paced plot doesn't help, either, nor does the heroine's penchant for atrocious knock-knock jokes. Agent, Ethan Ellenberg. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

After she saves wealthy Tallulah Carlyle from choking to death during one of her Las Vegas reviews, showgirl Josie Day is given a mansion as a reward. Unfortunately, the place is falling apart. Worse than that, it's in Donovan's Corner, Arizona, the very town Josie left in disgrace so many years ago. Josie is a pariah in Donovan's Corner; even her father believes the vicious rumor that she is a lap-dancing stripper. Whispers, smirks, and snubs greet her wherever she goes, but she refuses to give up on her dream of turning the Blue Moon into a dance studio. Unbeknownst to Josie, the Blue Moon already belongs to Tallulah's nephew, Luke, whom Josie mistakes for a handyman. Luke's father doesn't approve of him, either. He wants Luke to work in management instead of repairing motorcycles. In this heartwarming, often humorous story, the feisty Josie proves that you can go home again--if you've got the right stuff. And once again, the talented Plumley, whose books include Perfect Switch [BKL Je 1 & 15 04], proves that when it comes to writing romantic comedy, few do it better. Shelley Mosley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Zebra (April 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821776967
• ISBN-13: 978-0821776964
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,152,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, Light, and Entertaining. . . ., March 17, 2005

By 

MaryGrace Meloche (Ontario, Canada.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Josie Day Is Coming Home (Zebra Contemporary Romance) (Paperback)

JOSIE DAY IS COMING HOME is every woman's whimsical dream: to sport 'Clairol Sedona Sunset' hair; to have a Harley driving, rough-and-ready guy to hang with; to wear a hot pink mini on her Vegas showgirl body; and to be able to dance like JLo. Could life get any better? Well perhaps, if that Harley bad boy was as rich as 'The Donald'? He is! Ummm, life is sweet!

Josie Day is a Vegas Barbie doll - dazzling. Luke Donovan is every little girl's Ken doll - drop-dead gorgeous. He's a bad boy; she's a naughty girl, and together they are fun.

Josie Day is indeed a Vegas showgirl. One fateful night Josie saves her boss' life. Totally grateful, that boss rewards her with an estate. An estate located in Josie's old hometown - the small-minded hometown Josie ran away from. Feeling victorious, Josie returns home and is promptly given the social cold shoulder. Her only friend is the estate's 'handyman' - Luke Donovan. A 'handyman' who happens to be her benefactor's nephew and the estate's bona fide owner.

Luke Donovan is also a runaway. He is running from the wealth and social commitments of his prominent family. Is Luke pleased with Josie's sudden appearance? NO! But boy does Josie enthrall this so-called 'handyman'! His new philosophy: what is a little deception among friends?

The author, Lisa Plumley, does a fun job with this merry light tale. Josie Day is a delight. Plumley writes her lead character using determination, beauty, and notorious appeal. Luke Donovan is simply sexy, dangerous and fun. They are a wonderful couple.

Surprisingly, although the story is light and merry, Plumley manages to strike with a great deal of sensitivity. At times my heart ached for Josie.

The story's weak points: Our hot couple should have 'gotten it on' earlier in the story - this reader grew frustrated with the wait. And it would have been more fun to see the jealous, mean spirited town-people get their just dues! Still, JOSIE DAY IS COMING HOME is light and breezy and entertaining.
Grade: B+

This review is based on an Advanced Reading Copy.

MaryGrace Meloche
Reviewer for: Romance Designs.com

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Light & breezy romantic comedy, September 15, 2005

By 

Tracy Vest (Northern California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Josie Day Is Coming Home (Zebra Contemporary Romance) (Paperback)

After giving the Heimlich maneuver to a choking woman (only to find that she is the casino owner), Vegas showgirl Josie Day is given a mansion as a token of Tallulah Carlyle's esteem in Josie's hometown of Donovan Corner, Arizona (a place she never thought she would return to).

Upon collecting her bounty, she discovers the sexy handyman on site. Of course, she does not realize that he is actually the owner of the dilapidated estate; an estate that was not Tallulah's to give away. From the start, sparks fly between Josie and Luke, but since she wants to make a new reputation for herself, she needs to steer clear of studly guys like him.

The residents of her hometown shun her at every turn. Even her father is embarrassed about her, since a vicious rumor floated around about her and everyone thinks she is a stripper. Luke feels compelled to protect Josie, as he starts to fall for her. Of course, he never quite gets around to telling her that she is not the owner of the mansion she wants to turn into a dance school. Will Josie ever be able to forgive his deceit? Will Luke make up with his father and get the rest of his inheritance back? Do people really buy economy-sized boxes of Ding Dongs?

While at times the storyline is humorous, I expected a lot more, particularly after "Perfect Together." In a way, this book seemed like a step back, and was missing the chemistry and magic that made that book so fun to read. I recommend picking this one up at the library.

2.0 out of 5 stars It was OK, July 2, 2010

By 

IndigoRaiyne (Aiken, SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Josie Day Is Coming Home (Zebra Contemporary Romance) (Paperback)

This was not a great book. It wasn't terrible, but I won't read it again and it won't stay with me too long either.

Josie Day is Coming Home is the story of Las Vegas showgirl Josie Day returning to her hometown of Donovan's Corner after she is given a house by a grateful casino owner. This house happens to be owned by Luke Donovan, not said casino owner. The story begins.

I think my biggest problem with this book was that I didn't like Josie. I felt little sympathy for her and thought the townspeople were stupid. The part where she couldn't get a cheeseburger at the local diner because everyone thought she was a stripper was just beyond ridiculous.

Her outfits went to extremes for me as well. She was either dressing like a stripper in high heels, miniskirts and tank tops (wonder why no one believed she wasn't a stripper) or like an escapee from Little House on the Prairie when she was trying to look respectable and borrowing her sister's clothes. Apparently, the women of Donovan's Corner didn't believe in a nice pair of jeans and a t-shirt as appropriate clothing.

I also didn't care that much about Luke. He had tattoos, repaired motorcycles, he turned his back on the family fortune and was feuding with his father. He was a 'bad boy'. Aside from the fact that he was hot for Josie and he was her only ally in Donovan's Corner, I didn't see the chemistry.

Overall, I didn't enjoy this book. It was well written and flowed well, but the story was lacking. The characters were one dimensional and got annoying after awhile.