Customer Reviews

Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots (Signet Eclipse)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Jamie Lee Carter is a Southern Belle from the dark roots on her hair to her bare feet. She has been secretly in love with her brother best friend all her life but the only way that Griff Sheldon sees her is as her brother little sister, or so she thinks. That is why when she makes a pact with her best friend to "spice up her love life" and Hollywood producer Parker Carrington shows in Hootertown she sees the perfect chance to fulfill her pact. That's when things start getting interesting, with a little competition and jealousy. This is a small town romance and in this little town everything is possible. LuAnn McLane has mastered a romantic comedy full of charm and sass! The characters are real, refreshing and so charming! This is another favorite, she did a great job in combining the heat, sparks and sexiness of a romance with the charm and sass of a comedy. I couldn't put this book down, another page turner you can't miss! There is an excerpt for her next book on this series and I can hardly wait!

Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots is a knock your socks off, laugh out loud good time.

Hair stylist Jamie Lee Carter is just happy with her life in small town Hootertown, Ky. But something is missing. Next thing she knows big time Hollywood producer Parker Carrington is driving into town in his shiny Jag. Is Parker the bit of excitement she needs or has it been under her now all along with hometown boy Griff Sheldon? Jamie Lee is so sure at first and she makes a pack with her best friend Macy to go for what they want this summer.

Jamie Lee and Griff's miscommunication sets off some of the funniest and sexiest scenes in print. Their banter is at times so funny and at others so moving.

LuAnn McLane's Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots will make you root for that small town girl to get her happy ever after. Looking forward to Macy's story, which I know will be as much fun and sexy as this book was to read.

Welcome to Hootertown, Kentucky a small town where everybody knows everybody and few things are kept secret. It seems a Hollywood producer has just hit the city limits and all eyes and ears are on the lookout for the latest gossip concerning the situation.

Jamie Lee Carter is the owner of the local Cut & Curl and with her best friend Macy McCoy makes sure everyone in this town is stylin' as far as the latest hair do's go. Of course the Cut & Curl is one of the best places to pick up the latest gossip too so the girls are right in the thick of things on that front. Parker Carrington, said Hollywood producer has caught Jamie Lee's eye in a big way and she aims to find out the scoop on why he is in Hootertown.

Parker Carrington said Hollywood producer is in town scouting locations for his next project. Parker thinks Hootertown will be a great fit for the vision he has for his next project. A certain local has caught his eye as well and Parker arranges to have Jamie Lee show him around so he can get the feel of the town. With any luck he hopes to get to know Jamie Lee much better before his return to Hollywood.

Jamie Lee and Parker soon have the rumor mill running wild and all the phone lines in Hootertown burning up with gossip of their sightings. A particular local has taken great notice of the fact that Jamie Lee and Parker are spending time together. Could it be that she has two men interested?

Dark Roots And Cowboy Boots is fun and flirty romance with lots of southern charm thrown in. LuAnn McLane has penned a story that is guaranteed to bring her lots of loyal readers. The characters in this book are a pure delight to read about. The friendship between Jamie Lee and Macy is an added bonus. The romance is hot and sizzling like the hottest July day in the south.

Grab yourself a cool drink. Find a comfortable reading place and be prepared to be transported to the south for a story you won't soon forget. Secondary characters are charming as well and provide several reasons for Ms. McLane to make a return visit to Hootertown in the future. I hope this is what she has planned.

Ms. McLane has penned her finest novel to date with Dark Roots And Cowboy Boots. Grab a copy today and experience sizzling romance and southern charm at it's finest.

LuAnn does a great job developing the characters in this book. The story is hilarious and yet reminds us that what we think we want may be right in front of us the whole time. I love to see the small town girl be successful, smart and accomplished and still end up with her cowboy!

The storyline captivated me and kept me glued to the book until I finished it in one sit-down. I loved the mishaps that occurred between Griff and Jamie Lee, which kept shoving them together. Even though you knew they would end up together, the process of getting to the eventual hookup was exciting. Enjoyable, mostly lighthearted read with lots crazy antics.

I can't wait to read the book with Jamie Lee's brother and her best friend getting together, coming out Summer 2007!

This is the second Luanne Mclane book I have read the first being Dancing Shoes.... I liked that one although there was something about it that bugged me and I couldn't get my finger on it. With this one I figured it out. While I liked the Southern girl references, and it was refreshing to have characters, especially the hero not being a millionaire, Jamie Lee's sometimes immature behavior and words after awhile really bug me. "My boobies"?!! I mean, come on---she is supposed to be 26 years old, not arrested at 13. I do have to agree that the romantic "hero" Griff is very hard to understand and to like. I spent more time being mad at him especially after tearing up when Jamie reveals her lifelong feelings for him but convinces him to leave. I did like Parker better but he is a shell of a person too. In summary, the first person perspective doesn't bother me so much, but in both of these books Luanne doesn't get us into the minds of the men and that is sadly lacking. Other authors do it much better. Perhaps she can shift back and forth between male and female characters in the first person. I am not sure I am going to read any more of her books--except through the library. They are pleasant but not noteworthy.

BOOK'S DESCRIPTION:

Not just another small-town babe...
Teetering on the Tennessee border, Hootertown, Kentucky, suits beautician Jamie Lee Carter just fine. She's the kind of gal who prefers longneck beers to cosmos, bare feet to high heels, and Daisy Dukes to Prada, but a bit of flash might still win out over another pool-hall line dance. That's where Parker Carrington, a hunky Hollywood producer, comes in....

Not just another Saturday night fling...
He's pegged Hootertown as an ideal movie site--and Jamie as more than a sexy extra. He's adding sizzle to Jamie's romantic slump and firing up something called jealousy in Griff Sheldon, Jamie's brother's best friend and her longtime crush. Now two hot-blooded rivals are going head-to-head. One's got a Jaguar. One's got a pickup. And only one's got what it takes to give Jamie the ride of her life.

COMMENTS:

For the most part, I did enjoy this book. It was fun and entertaining--light-hearted and full of laughs. The romance between Jamie Lee and Parker was endearing. Parker was a very sweet and likable guy (more so, I think, than Griff). Griff was just too stubborn for me, especially when it came to his feelings about Jamie Lee.

During the first half of the book, I was confused as to why Jamie Lee would have a longtime crush on Griff (as the book description implies), when she kept referring to him as a "friend" (or big brother). Throughout the beginning of the stroy Jamie Lee acted as if Griff meant little more to her than just a close friend--not a longtime crush! (That seemed weird to me). Not until Chapter 3, during their first appearance together, did things start to make some sense. Still, it wasn't clear as to why they continued to repress their mutual attraction. When Jamie Lee said, "I've been down that road," but no further details were given, I kept wondering what happened in the past to make them so skittish of each other! McLane should have discussed the history of their relationship early on, (preferably in Chapter 3), and NOT during the second half of the book.

I thought Griff's reasons for not pursuing a romantic relationship with Jamie Lee fell a little flat. At 17, Jamie Lee was in love with a then 20-year-old Griff, but he turned her down for the usual reasons: She was his best friend's baby sister; she was too young for him; and he felt guilty lusting after a girl, whom he still thought of as a kid. However, even though Jamie Lee was no longer a kid, but a fully grown woman, stubborn Griff still refused to act on his desires. I just wanted to shake some sense into the guy!

Since this is my first McLane book, I don't know if she's particuarly fond of using the first person. In romance novels, I want to know the inner thoughts and feelings of the protagonists involved. However, in this book, readers are privy only to Jamie Lee's thoughts and feelings--not Parker's or Griff's. Another thing I didn't like is how McLane overused such ridiculous phrases as "you've-got-to-be-crazy-he-is-so-hot look," or "don't-give-me-this look," or "in one of her pissed-off-for-no-apparent-reason moods." A couple of these phrases are cute at first, but becomes too repetitive and annoying! (They also disrupt the flow of the writing as well). McLane, though, sure has a knack for comedy. The funniest moment in the entire book is definitely the mechanical bull riding scene. It was hilarious; I couldn't stop laughing!

DARK ROOTS AND COWBOY BOOTS is a recommended read. Not one of the best romance novels that I've ever read, but it's good--and better than average (3.5 stars). McLane's next romantic comedy, THE REAL MCCOY, is scheduled for 2007. It will star Jamie Lee's brother, Luke, and her best friend, Macy. Can't wait!

I've enjoyed LuAnn's previous anthologies, so I decided to give this book a try, although it's not my usual type of romance novel. So glad I did ~ was it ever an enjoyable, relaxing, fun, uplifting story. If I ever write a book, this is how I'd want to make my readers feel!

The only reason I don't give 5 stars is the first person narrative. LuAnn, you're so talented! Don't deprieve us of hearing the thoughts of the hero!

That said, I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel and would recommend this book to anyone.

I just want to wrap myself up in this book like a blanket and cuddle up on a sofa. It is just such a feel good book for me! Maybe because I was raised in the south, maybe because I was raised with 3 brothers, but I totally understood the lingo and the stupid Griff comments. Some of my best boyfriends, including my husband, were men that I was sure either hated me or were not aware that I had girl parts because they so completely ignored them and me because of either my brothers and large father or because I was dating someone they knew! And then suddenly they would declare their undying love for me--usually with the help of some liquid courage-- and I would be totally flabbergasted because I had no idea. I think it must be a Southern thing that men treat you like a sister or a buddy or something even when they like you. It's like in elementary school, when the more they pick on you the more they like you. Obviously they are retarded........... Anyway, I loved it and I totally loved the misdirection. Thinking Parker was the one possibly, then realizing that Grif was. Totally surprised! I loved it. It was such a different turn from the usual romance and I really really liked it! Kind of like real life :) I emailed the author immediately and practically demanded the cell phone number for Macy so I could get the scoop on her and Luke from the next book. Sadly, I think these people are real, I bought so much into the characters. So, I happen to think she's great at drawing a picture of a place, people, and characters and I TOTALLY loved this book! Can't wait for Macy and Luke's story!

I loved this book. It's full of small town, southern charm and humor and I love the characters and their conflicts. A great, light read for those who like romantic comedies.

This book is a bit different as it is written in the first person, it is cleverly weaved and the story is written from Jamie Lee Carter's view point, but with all the heat and sizzle you have come to expect in LuAnn's stories.

Jamie Lee is a hairdresser and owns Cut & Curl with her best friend Macy McCoy. When Parker Carrington, a Hollywood producer, arrives in town scouting for locations for his upcoming movie, he puts the small town of Hootertown, Kentucky at the head of the list of prospects. Parker requests Jamie Lee, who has caught his eye and interest as well, to show him around the town and surrounding area. As in all small towns this sets off the healthy and thriving gossip mill as they are seen around town. With the arrival of Parker to town, Jamie Lee and Macy make a pact to make this summer one to remember, as they both are in unrequited love positions. Jamie Lee has always had a crush on Griff Sheldon, who is her brother Luke's best friend, but he only sees her as a friend and little sister of his friend. So she decides that it time to move on with her life.

Griff doesn't like Parker being around Jamie Lee, as he can see the interest that Parker has in Jamie Lee and it does strange things to him. Could it be jealousy that feeling in the pit of his stomach or is going to be too late when he finally acknowledges what he has been ignoring all these years This is a fun, refreshing read that has lots of heat, sparks, sass and good old fashion charm. The secondary characters only add to this well rounded sizzling romance which was a delight to read and keeps you wondering who in the end will win.. I recommend you pick up this book and find out for yourself............as for Macy and her love interest well that is another story.........