Kiss Me If You Can (Hqn) [Mass Market Paperback]

Carly Phillips (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 27, 2010 | Series: Hqn

Sam Cooper ("Coop") has just become the most eligible bachelor in New York City. Now that he has foiled a jewelry-store robbery and has been rewarded with the ring of his choice, single women all over the city are fawning over the crime reporter. But Coop isn't interested in the admirers sending racy underwear his way. His attention is centered solely on Lexie Davis, the only woman in the city who claims not to be interested in his bachelor status.

Instead, free-spirited Lexie is interested in Coop's antique ring, and its—potentially scandalous—history in her family. But Coop is quickly becoming more than just her route to the ring. When his investigation starts to uncover the truth, will she trust her heart—and her family secrets—to this most eligible bachelor?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this entertaining and sexy romance, Sam Cooper becomes the city's most eligible bachelor after foiling a jewelry store robbery. Lexie Davis, however, is only interested in the ring Coop chose as his reward, for her grandmother Charlotte owns the matching necklace. But Davis's attitude changes when she meets Cooper and sparks fly, much to the excitement of Lexie's feisty grandma and her longtime friend Sylvia. As Coop and Lexie delve into the ring's dubious history, they realize that their attraction is more than skin deep: Coop understands Lexie's self-consciousness with her family and Lexie believes in Coop's writing dreams. While the pair cannot deny their passion and growing commitment, Lexie's wandering spirit and Coop's resistance to change leave them feeling cold. This fun and romantic summer read, while occasionally over the top, will please readers with its mischievous characters, red-hot passionate encounters, and spirited plot.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Lexie is a world traveler to the dismay of her proper parents and the delight of her equally free-spirited grandmother, who encourages her to follow her dreams. Crime-beat reporter Sam Cooper foils a jewelry-store robbery on his lunch hour, and the grateful owner presents Coop with a gaudy antique ring (unaware that it was stolen decades ago) in thanks. Coop then gains new empathy for the subjects of his investigations after first being feted as the city’s newest hero on the popular Bachelor Blog, then burglarized by someone trying to recover the ring. When Lexie notices that the ring matches her grandmother’s necklace and accosts Coop, matters heat up for everyone involved. The first in best-seller Phillips’ fast-moving and sexy new contemporary romance series portraying heroic bachelors of New York City offers an intriguing premise but needs more attention to detail. Nonetheless, her many readers will clamor for this and successive Most Eligible Bachelor titles. --Lynne Welch

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books; 1 edition (July 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373774540
• ISBN-13: 978-0373774548
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,343 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips tossed away her legal briefs and a career as an attorney to become a stay at home mom. Within the year, she turned her love of reading into an obsession with writing. Over 25 published novels later, Carly writes sexy contemporary romances, striking a balance between entertainment and emotion, and giving her readers the compelling story they have come to expect and enjoy.

Carly is a New York Times bestseller, USA Today Bestseller and Publisher's Weekly bestseller. The triple play earned her a spot on Romance Writers of America's coveted Honor Roll. In 2002, Carly's novel, The Bachelor, became Kelly Ripa's "Reading with Ripa" pick on Live with Regis and Kelly, making it the first romance ever chosen on a nationally televised bookclub.

Carly received her undergraduate degree from Brandeis University and is a graduate of Boston University School of Law (J.D.). To date, Carly has over twenty-five novels to her credit, all available wherever books are sold.

When not writing or playing online, Carly loves to read, to knit, and to spend time with her family. She lives in Purchase, New York with her husband, two daughters and two soft-coated wheaten terriers who act like their third and fourth children.

For more information, visit Carly's always updated web site at www.carlyphillips.com where she has monthly contests, excerpts and much more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and frothy romance, July 27, 2010

By 

Mary (South Carolina) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Kiss Me If You Can (Hqn) (Mass Market Paperback)

Carly Phillips's books are always a fun read and this one is no exception. Coop and Lexie are fantastic characters, and I love their interactions. A bored reporter by day, novelist by night, Sam Cooper (Coop) foils a jewelry store robbery and is given a ring as a reward. Turns out this ring has a past--and Lexie Davis recognizes it as a match for her grandmother's favorite necklace. She sets out to buy it from Coop but he's already tracking its history and has found out it was reported stolen many years ago. He's not quite so willing to let it--or Lexie--out of his sight.

Coop's got some history that makes him a little wary when he finds out Lexie, a Web designer, loves to travel and hasn't set down firm roots (she lives with her grandmother). Lexie is worried about getting involved with a guy who wants to change her and prevent her from globe-trotting like she loves to do.

Besides the fast-paced banter, I really enjoyed the mystery Phillips includes in this story and, in solving the mystery, how the characters come together to have their HEA (happily ever after). KISS ME IF YOU CAN is as tasty as a cold root beer float on a hot summer day!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hot Read, July 27, 2010

By 

LAS Reviewer "The Long and the Short Of It Re... (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kiss Me If You Can (Hqn) (Mass Market Paperback)

Originally posted at: [...]

Talk about being in the right place at the right time...Sam Cooper, crime beat reporter, made his own front page story by foiling a jewelry heist. As the hero dujour, he was given a reward from the grateful jeweler's daughter, an ostentatious ring with a past and he was named the most eligible bachelor in New York City by The Bachelor Blog. What woman wouldn't want a man who looks like sex on legs, isn't afraid to do what's right and already has the ring?

Sam has a side job as a mystery/thrill writer and the more he learns about the ring the more his creative juices flow to get to the bottom of a cold case file. Enter Lexie Davis, world traveler and web designer extraordinaire. Lexie too has an interest in the history of the ring but on a more familial level.

The attraction is almost instant and the chemistry is hot! One of the aspects of this novel that really appealed to me was that Sam and Lexie both acknowledge that they feel the attraction and don't allow personal pride to get in the way of exploring what might be there. As with all great love stories there are difficulties and past relationship issues that complicate the budding relationship. Both Lexie and Coop seem to actually want to make things work. So many times I've read books where the main characters spend more time fighting to deny their attraction rather than working towards their HEA. This was refreshing.

Ms. Phillips has an excellent writing style that is easy to read and a story that is easy to follow. Kiss Me If You Can flows at a steady pace without leaving out pivotal plot building information. The book is lengthy but the character development, including the secondary characters, is necessary and not just page filler.

Ms. Phillips also does something towards the end of the book that I always like to see in a good read, she leaves a strategically placed opening for the next installment. This reviewer, for one, will be looking forward to it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars terrific romantic comedy, July 28, 2010

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kiss Me If You Can (Hqn) (Mass Market Paperback)

In Manhattan Sam "Coop" Cooper always reports the crimes news not stars in the story. That is until he stops for lunch at a dirty dog stand in Midtown while he works a story on apartment burglaries in the Upper West Side. He notices something odd in nearby Vintage Jewelers and knocked out a thief using a hot dog medal lid cover.

Watching the store along with her teenage daughter for her dad who is in Florida, grateful Anna Burnett forces Coop to take a ring as a thank you. TV news catches the aftermath of the heroics and soon the city votes him most eligible male on The Bachelor Blogs. Lexie Davis sees the ring on the news and realizes it matches a necklace that her grandma wears. She meets Coop who thinks she is another bimbo to disturb him, but she wants the ring not him. They soon pair up investigating the history of the matching jewelry starting with a cold case 1950s theft that seems to implicate granny even as they fall in love

This is a terrific romantic comedy starring two likable individuals, the Big Apple and Granny the maybe jewel thief. The story line is fast-paced as Carly Phillips paints a fun tale winking at the enthralled audience with this madcap novel. Fans should set aside time as once you begin this Manhattan maniacal mayhem you will need to finish it in one delightful sitting.

Harriet Klausner