Customer Reviews

Simmer All Night (Bad Luck Wedding series)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although Western historicals are not usually my cup of tea, I am truly a devoted fan of G. Dawson. I have read all of her recent books and this one tops the list of favorites. She has an unusual, canny wit and dialouge that is rivaled by few. There is a particular introduction portrayed in this story that had my family coming to check on me and my howling ( with laughter of course) and I even found myself chuckling a few days later at work when this particular scene replayed through my mind. The story is really very crisp and we have quite a mixture to devour - mystery, romance, childhood trauma, and humor. I can't wait for Jake's story (Sizzle All Day) to be released. If you have never read anything by this author this book is an excellent one with which to begin.

The only thing better than a bowl of hot chili on a cold night is this tasty escapade Simmer All Night. Dig right in to warm your spirits and libido; you deserve a treat. Geralyn Dawson stirs in the ingredients I enjoy most from her: witty dialogue, humorous situations, unexpected plot twists, and a hero to heat up a reader's and heroine's blood. If you have any doubts about a Texan's chances to shine against a background of British wealth and privilege, gulp down this book. Chrissy creates the best chili in San Antonio to earn the title of Chili Queen, but kissing a vaquero in the square gets her banished to England and grandfather. Childhood friend Cole is relieved to have the temptation she's become out of reach--until he's delegated to escort her there and recover a copy of Texas' lost Declaration of Independence to boot. With Chrissy acting the lady and cooking the gooses of British lords anyway, Cole's attention to business strays. How can a cowboy among lords focus on documents when this outrageous, beautiful flirt has to be watched? Bent on resisting her lures while protecting her from proposals, he ends up fishing for the catch of his life in a private fishing pavillion complete with a warm pool that's perfect for seduction. The reprise of the Throbbing Bob is more than appropriate.

Geralyn's Texas Declaration series continues to satisfy every reading appetite with this spicy dish. A romp seasoned with danger and scalding with desire Chrissy and Cole have denied too long, Simmer All Night kept me reading all night.

I've read six of Geralyn Dawson's books and SIMMER ALL NIGHT is my favorite. Cole and Chrissy are wonderful characters. Watching them discover their love for one another was pure joy. As usual, this author made me laugh out loud in places, and the suspense at the end kept me up too late finishing the book. I highly recommend SIMMER ALL NIGHT and after reading the teaser in the back of the book, I can't wait for SIZZLE ALL DAY.

This is the first book I've read by Geralyn Dawson, and I'm ordering her backlist right away. Great characters. Cole is my kind of hero. If you love a lot of smiles when you read, yet want a story to go along with the laughs this book is for you.

Geralyn Dawson's latest offering, Simmer All Night, is a wonderful concoction of Texas swagger and English sensibilities, with much of her trademark humor to warm up a chilly winter day.

The book opens when Cole Morgan finds out that one Christina Elizabeth Delaney has just been crowned Queen of the Chili Queens of San Antonio. The problem is that the Delaneys are a very respected and proper family, and Christina's coronation is just the latest of the rebellious acts with which she's bombarded the family since childhood. Cole and Christina's brother, Jack, must find a way to deal with the scandal but Chrissy defiantly continues serving her chili and kissing men in view of everyone in town.

What Chrissy's mother, Elizabeth, daughter of the Earl of Thornbury, has in mind this time is no mere reprimand for her wayward daughter. She will ship Christina off to England to live with her grandfather - she's sent Chrissy away before, mind you - and hopefully it won't be the Chili Queen who comes back, but a properly behaved lady instead. Since Cole has been enlisted to go to England to find one of the spare copies of the Declaration of Independence of Texas, he is given the role of Christina's guardian. To Cole, who has recently begun looking at Christina as much more than the annoying little "sister" he always thought her to be, this proves unbearable news, but his devotion to Elizabeth means he would do as she bid no matter what, much to Chrissy's chagrin.

In England, Chrissy goes back to her flirting-with-every-pair-of-pants-in-sight habits, her outward vivaciousness hiding how dejected and miserable she really is because she can never be what her family wants her to be. Cole spends much of his time glowering at Chrissy's new fiancé, Lord Welby, and looking for the long-lost document. It is only after Cole proves that he loves Chrissy as she is - with a very satisfactory confrontation with her mother - that Chrissy's fear of not being accepted can be conquered, and after some revelations and dangers dealing with the Declaration, can the pair can finally be together.

Chrissy gets a bit extreme now and then, and goes through some personality altering throughout the book. She is either kissing people in the town square or she is ready to marry a nobleman and be a proper English wife, and it was a little difficult to reconcile her repeated explanations of why she can't marry Cole with all the lovemaking going on. Also, the main conflict is solved for her rather than by any action she takes. However, she is a passionate heroine, one who demands all of the man she loves or she won't have him at all, and I did cheer at her happy ending.

Cole Morgan is Christina's match in every way, a fact that surprises the heck out of him. The son of an English gardener and his wife, he was raised in Texas by Elizabeth and is deeply loyal to her and Jack - to the extent that for most of the book, he is blinded to the way their rigidity is stifling Christina. He loves the girl he grew up with - and not like a brother anymore - and won't give up in convincing her that she belongs with him.

I enjoyed Simmer All Night a lot. Ms. Dawson's next book, Sizzle All Day, is Jack Delaney's story in Scotland where he is hunting down the Declaration. I very much look forward to it, and also look forward to seeing what Cole and Christina have been up to by then.

Absolutely loved this book. Dawson's characters sizzle. A sexy, funny book with the perfect combination of love and laughter. It'll make you long to eat a steamy hot bowl of chili in front of a hearth with your favorite squeeze.

The only thing in the blurb for this book that interested me was the free download. I've never read the author, and not only had second thoughts about downloading it, but third and fourth as well. I don't have a Kindle. I have the Kindle app on my Iphone, and I have Kindle for PC. Most of my downloads are short free reads that can be easily accomplished on these 2 devices. I love books, but due to budget constraints I'm being forced to reread favorites or download free ones. Most of my short free downloads are mildly entertaining for the time that it lasts but in the end I come away with the overall opinion that I'm glad I didn't pay money for it.

I can't tell you the chain of events that led to this book, but like most everything in my life these days I will blame it on the Twitter or one of the bloggers I have gotten to know there. Some one tweeted or mentioned a free download and I took a look. Then I moved on to search other books for my wish list.

Here's the blurb:

Cherished for her "unique charm and delightful sense of humor" (Romantic Times), Geralyn Dawson brings a heart-catching pleasure to her romances that readers have come to expect. Now she cooks up a delicious new story where the taste of Texas blends with the flavor of Britain to create her most lovable characters yet.

A CHILI QUEEN IN ENGLAND

Independent daughter of socially prominent Texans, Christina Delaney stirs up scandal along with her spicy Texas Red when she's crowned Chili Queen of San Antonio. Her family reacts to this culinary coronation by packing her off to live with her grandfather on his English estate, hoping to transform Chrissy from Chili Queen to countess. Never mind the fact that what she longs for is a modest home and loving family deep in the heart of Texas.

A TEXAN WITH A CRAVING

Born British but reared Texan, Cole Morgan would do anything for the Delaney family, even escort the incorrigible Christina to England. Besides, he has his own agenda abroad: to locate the missing copy of the Republic of Texas' Declaration of Independence. But when a viscount offers Christina marriage, Cole is forced to see that the girl he grew up with is now a woman whose fiery passion -- and love -- he craves. So he sets out to win her, and in the process proves that only he can make the Chili Queen...

Now here are all the reason why I hesitated to download this book:

First, I love historical romances, usually the ones set in England. I have never read an American historical. There is nothing about the wild west yippy kye aye cowboys that appeal to me. (I live in the "Wild West" and it gets really boring.) There just doesn't seem to be enough history and tradition for me in the American West.

Second, the idea of becoming Chili Queen just struck me as utterly ridiculous and I had no idea how that could be so scandalous as to get you sent to England.

Third, in the blurb on GoodReads, there are 2 editing errors. (I have corrected them in my post) Blatant errors in books are my pet peeves and if they can't get it correct in the advertising I have little hope for enjoying the novel.

Here's why I downloaded the book:

I'm sitting at the coffee shop, when horror of horrors, I realize I have forgotten to bring a book with me. I have a couple of hours to kill, and my day isn't going very well. Without a distraction there is a chance I could kill people instead of hours. So I turn to the book that I really don't want to read. I'm desperate and people's lives are at stake. I had No idea it was a full length novel. So here I sit at the coffee shop with only my Iphone and this book that I'm dreading and I begin reading.

Here's what happened:

This book grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon, last night and this morning doing nothing but reading this book ON MY IPHONE. There were times when my eyes strained and my head ached and I could not separate from this book. It is one of the funniest books I have read in a long time. She captured the spirit of America, the stubborn pride and rebellion that makes us at heart who we are. There was always a shenanigan that had me busting at the seems with laughter. By chapter 3 I wanted to be the Queen of all Chili Queens.

Oh there were parts when I wanted to scream at Chrissy to quit rebelling and acting like a selfish child. It did seem as if she held her resistance to marriage just a little to tightly. Her fights against the hero boarders on ridiculous at times. But somewhere in my heart I understood why she fought so hard against marrying the person "chosen" for her, even if he was the one perfect for her. But through the heart ache and the tears the laughter just kept coming. The passion between Chrissy and Cole was hot and swept me up with them. Their fights, their passion, their love, frustration, laughter, I was with them for it all.

And the worse part of this book is right towards the end, you see where things are heading with her brother. Now the only thing I can do is download the next book in this series and follow Jake on his adventures in the Scottish highlands.This book isn't free and I have to read it on my phone, but I will make the sacrifice.

This spicy, humorous tale involves two stubborn characters a read can't help but love. Christina Delaney has just been crowned Chili Queen of San Antonio. All she has ever wanted was her family's acceptance, but this latest stunt earns her a trip to visit her grandfather in England instead.

British-born, Texas-raised Cole Morgan has always loved Chrissy as a sister, until the feisty woman's impromptu kiss. Both are surprised by their passion and dismiss it. To their mutual dismay, he is asked to escort her to England while fulfilling his mission abroad to find a missing copy of the Texas Declaration of Independence. When Chrissy decides to compromise her need to be loved for herself and marry a viscount, Cole realizes his vision of her has changed. Instead of the bothersome tagalong he once knew, he sees her as a woman, one whose love and passion he needs. The quest to win her love is anything but smooth, but he is as determined.

The orneriness of these two characters is so tangible the reader can be easily frustrated by them, but they are lovable anyway and the plot is strong in this highly sensual tale.

I have read most of her books and this one was my favorite. Different and entertaining - My only complaint would be that it is very predictable - obvious as to the match between secondary characters and as to who the villan was going to be. I am looking forward to SIMMER ALL DAY.

I have read most of her books and this one was my favorite. Different and entertaining - My only complaint would be that it is very predictable - obvious as to the match between secondary characters and as to who the villan was going to be. I am looking forward to SIMMER ALL DAY.