Customer Reviews

Just the Way You Are (Lost Texas Hearts, Book 1)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

This is Christina Dodd's first attempt at contemporary romance and I have to say, she scored big. Just The Way You Are is a great story and if it is any indication, Dodd has a great contemporary future ahead of her.

This book is about Hope Prescott who lived in Texas until she was 16 and her parents were arrested for embezzeling, a fact which no one in the Texas town wants discuss. Her younger sisters and brother were seperated from her and put into foster homes and Hope drifted for 7 years until she decided to get her life back together. She came to Boston and enrolled in college and got a job as a telephone switchboard operator where she "met" Zach Givens.

Zach was enthralled by Hope's voice from the first moment he heard it, and being a rich man who always got what he wanted, he went after Hope, pretending to be his own butler. They got to know each other and fell in love. Unfortunately, events outside of their control pushed them apart.

The romance was the best part of this book. Zach and Hope had instant chemistry and it was great fun and very romantic to see their romance evolve. The owner of Hope's switchboard operation provided a wonderful secondary character, as did Zach's Aunt Cecily and Sven.

The only part of this story that put me off was the embezzelment storyline and the absurd "kidnapping" attempt at the end of the story. It just kind of ruined the buildup of the romance and all that had come before it.

But besides this minor story problem, I have to say this was a great great story. There will be a second one, and hopefully a third. Though I have always admired Dodd's historical romances, it takes great courage to break out of habit and Dodd's breakthrough into contemporary romance is a great one. She has a great future in both historicl and contemporary romance. This book is a keeper.

Zack Givens is used to barking orders and having people fall at his feet. A corrupt raider, he's used to bullying his weight around, but he's not prepared for the lady at the other end of his answering service, orphan Hope Prescott. She assumes when he calls in for messages that he's the butler and strikes up a conversation, immediately making fun of wealthy people, Zack in particular. Zack is completely enchanted by her candor, and decides to keep up the charade. Part of what keeps her working her odd jobs is her quest to reunite her sisters and brother. Thinking that she's carrying on with a man named "Griswold," Hope is enchanted with him. When she finds out that he's sick, she shows up on his doorstep with homemade chicken soup. Zack is shocked that such a nice person exists; she's surprised to find that a butler can be so young and sexy. His infatuation soon turns sexual (and of course she's a virgin), but he foolishly continues the charade, which can only come crashing down on him. Circumstances surrounding Hope's background, business enemies, scheming servants, and Zack's inability to trust conspire to keep them apart. Zack will have to be quick on his feet to get her to forgive his sins.

About the only thing that detracted from the story was the whole accounting scheme - it just did not fit, and the standoff was kinda dumb. I was also disappointed that the Prescott family was not reunited. I felt a little cheated that I will have to read two more books (also song titles: "Almost Like Bring in Love" and "Close to You") to find out how it all turns out!

I really enjoy Ms. Dodd's writing and I finished this book in no time. However, the main character, Hope, really "rubbed me the wrong way," and was so close to being TSTL (to stupid to live). So many things about her character made no sense to me:

a. Although she said over and over and over that she was "a minister's daughter," she had no qualms about her unprotected, premarital sex with a man she had only met a few days prior. But, golly gee, she really wondered how was she going to make time for the relationship.

b. I never remember her doing a lot to search for her siblings which was what her obsession was supposedly.

c. Hope was so annoying when she was spouting her political diabtribes such as: how Americans really know nothing about their own country/geography, much less that of the rest of the world, and how if they tried to learn more about the rest of the world we would be better off, blah, blah, blah. This coming from a character who was trying to make her way to Texas, ended up poor in Ohio, and ends up going back to Boston. Hello, why not buy a bus ticket to Texas instead of Mass.? Her comment about someone dying because they couldn't get cough syrup was really over the top. If you are in such sad shape, I don't think Vicks Formula 44D is going to do you much good.

4. And having lived in an orphanage you would think she'd be a little more street wise.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, finding Zach's character making up for Hope's annoying tendencies.

What can I say? I'll start with the high points since it is always good to start with a compliment. Dodd retains her sense of humor that you expect from reading her historicals, and that is good. The book moves fast so it can be read in one sitting (If you chose to finish it, that is) I don't however, believe that most people upon hearing that a child's parents had been accused of embezzlement would blame the child for the crime, especially in a modern city like Boston. That is just too unbelievable for words. Combine that with an irrational contempt for Wal-Mart (Hey, dosen't Wal-Mart sell her books?) and community colleges, and you have a reciepe for alienating most of your reading public. I think this book was a good attempt to write a contemporary, but you cannot use the same formula for a modern story as you do for a historical -times and values change and they will not ring true, which sadly is the case here.

This is my first Christina Dodd book and first review. While shopping, I noticed this colorful cover and title. I picked it up and, did my usual, read the first page. After a few minutes, I found myself on Page 8. I couldn't put the book down. I returned home and finished the book in one evening. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE is a great summer read. You laugh, cheer and shed a few tears. I just hope that Christina Dodd continues writing about Zack, Hope, Gabriel, Pepper and Caitlin. Please make this into a trilogy. I highly recommend this book. It's a feel good book, that leaves you smiling for all the characters.

Of course we knew Christina Dodd could do Historical, but who knew she'd do Contemporary so well in her first try?

For seven years Hope Prescott has been separated from her siblings after the mysterious death of her parents. Hope's dream is to make enough money so she can track down her family. Working as an answering service operator may not seem the way to fast cash, but it keeps her head above water while she works on her degree.

Zack Givens, both a self made man and from old money accidentally let's Hope believe that she's his butler. He's been badly burned once before and enjoys the sensation of knowing that he is liked for himself and not his money.

He's colder than a snow cone at the Zoo and she's as warm and stimulating as an Irish Cream Coffee and they compliment each other beautifully.

This is the beginning of a series about the separated siblings, and I hope that the rest are as good as this one is.

The only Christina Dodd books I have read, is this one and the next one on the series, Almost like being in love, and if these books are "bad" compared to normal, then she has a fan for life. I thought they were great, ergo, can only get better, right? The two totally different plots did not bother me, I loved both stories and men and plots and supporting characters. I could not put it down and got very upset with any disruptions. Because of these books, I will read much more of her. I loved it. It was hot and fast paced, the beginning was a little slower then the second half of the book. But it was never truly really slow. A good read for a cold night. It woulndt be cold for long.

Seven years ago, under suspicious circumstances, Hope Prescott's parents disappeared and were declared dead. Hope was sixteen at the time with three younger siblings. All the siblings were separated and put in foster care homes across the country. Now Hope attends college, and works for an answering service to fund her ongoing search for her brother and sisters.

Boston CEO, Zack Givens, who takes over other companies, is known for his cold, calculating and ruthless demeanor. He's also a technophobe. His secretary sets him up with an answering service to take his calls. Hope is the first person he speaks to when checking his messages, and he's immediately drawn to her sultry voice. Hope doesn't believe for a minute that Zack would lower himself to retrieve his own messages, so she believes him to be the butler. He decides to continue the charade, even when she shows up unannounced at his home. Once Zack realizes Hope's beauty goes further than her voice, he's determined to make her his mistress. Noting she dresses in rather worn clothing, he decides to shower her with what his money can buy, while she's warming his bed.

After things heat up between them, Hope is mistakenly accused of embezzling and arrested. But Zack's distrusting nature kicks in and he doesn't initially believe in her innocence. Realizing his mistake, he plans to set things straight, but before he can do this, Hope is kidnapped by a crime lord. Will Zack ever be able to convince Hope he now believes in her, especially after his deception?

I believe this may be Ms. Dodd's first foray into contemporary romance. She did have a very early book called "The Lady in Black", which I haven't read, but it may have been a contemporary.

I don't have overwhelming feelings about this story one way or the other, which is unusual, because I'm a big fan of this author's work. It started off really well, and I enjoyed the character of Hope and the secondary characters. The love scenes were quite sensual, which I've come to expect in her stories. My two problems were with Zack's character, and the kidnapping by the crime lord with subsequent rescue. Zack's decision to make Hope his mistress was a little bothersome to me, especially since his plan to share his wealth felt like he was making her his personal prostitute. Also, it was difficult to read his treatment of her when he thought she was after his money, even though he had deceived her. The kidnapping and rescue was not really funny to me, but rather silly and awkward. It just didn't flow with the rest of the story.

I believe this is the first book of a new series, and even though this wasn't her best work, in Ms. Dodd I trust. I have every confidence the next story will be better, and I will keep reading her books.

I have loved almost all of of Christina Dodd's books--and the ones I didn't love, I at least liked. I have to confess that I mostly read historical fiction or straight non-fiction, and that I thought that I would work my way into contemporary fiction via an author who was a known entity to me. I don't know if it was the characters (who I couldn't identify with), or the story (which didn't grab me) or the setting, or the time period, or whatever--I wasn't impressed. I wanted to stop after the first half-hour, but I gave it another 100 pages, & finally gave up. I put the book aside with relief and without the least interest in how it would end.

The book begins and ends with a sister's quest to find her lost siblings. The author gets way off track in between with a lot of silliness. I quickly read through it and don't know if I will pursue the obvious sequel.