Customer Reviews

Simply Irresistible

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I must have read this book at least 5 times already! I always come back to it when I want a good comic, steamy, and touching story. Geaorgeanne and John are so good together. John, a professional hockey player, is the sexiest male lead character I've ever read about!

When John meets Georgeanne, they spend one incredible night together and Georgeanne has given her heart to John. John's life is a mess and he has no intention of furthering the one night he spends with the Georgeanne. He dumps her off at the airport the morning after and never looks back.

Georgeanne is heartbroken with no real home to go to, no job, and not much education, but she finds that she has the courage and strength to pull it all together.

Now it's seven years later and Georgeanne is a co-owner in a successful catering business that is catering a fundraiser that John is attending. He is dumbstruck when he sees her across the room.

And from this point on, I gaurantee you wont be able to put this book down!

You'll also fall in love with Mae and Hugh. Mae is Georgeannes best friend and co business owner, and Hugh is John's team mate on the hockey team he plays on. The dialog between them had me cracking up!

This book deals with more than just romance. It talks about Georgeanne's learning problems, and John's first wifes suicide and what it takes for people to rise above their insecurities and mistakes.

You may read a lot of reviews that promise that this book or that book was the best they ever read. I give you my solemn word that this is absolutely the best book I've ever read. I cant wait until Rachel Gibson comes up with another sweet, sexy, and comical book to read. Also, dont miss SIMPLY, MADLY YOURS. It is an awesome book too.

I've read two Rachel Gibson books - first her most recent "See Jane Score" (loved it!) and now her very first book "Simply Irresitible" - both stories of hockey jocks tamed by the right woman. The reviews for this book are definitely mixed, so you have to understand from the start that neither John nor Georgie are perfect and there will be times you will dislike both of them. This was not a problem for me as I found it realistic, but I have to agree that how the love develops between these two is not well drawn.

Georgeanne Howard is a girly girl (ugh!) whose childhood leaves her feeling that her only assets are her looks, charm and cooking skills in that order. She was set to marry a man old enough to be her grandfather for financial security, but bails at the last minute. She begs a ride from John Kowalsky who she discovers is a hockey star who plays for the team her former fiance owns. When John discovers who she is, he wants nothing to do with her as it could ruin his career, but hormones and jocks and girly girls with self-esteem issues being what they are, they wind up in bed. John then displays his ability to be a tremendous jerk by unceremoniously dumping her at the airport the next morning, driving away without a backward glance. Crushed, Georgie finally has to face facts, grow up and take charge of her life and so she does.

Seven years later, she is a partner in a successful catering business and runs into John at an event she is working. Stunned, scared and desperate to get away from him, she drops her checkbook on her way out the door. When he shows up at her house to drop it off, he discovers to his shock that their night together resulted in an adorable, incorrigible, irrepressible six year old girl! The last thing Georgie wants is John Kowalsky back in her life, but he is determined to be a part of his daughter's and so it seems she has no choice. Time spent together, while John gets to know Lexie, draws them back toward each other. Their mutual sexual attraction reignites, but is something more lasting possible?

If you have no tolerance for jocks (you know - huge egos, short on sensitivity) then you likely won't care for John. But I'm usually amused by the type (though any guy that called me "baby doll", especially in public, would get a swift kick!). It was John's relationship with Lexie - especially the first time she called him "daddy" which was sweet and funny (he was such a [pushover]!) - that salvaged his character for me. The romance between John's pal goalie Hugh and Georgie's partner Mae was also a kick. But I wish more time had been spent on John and Georgie's relationship, I mean they really didn't know much about one another to start with and it would have helped if you knew better what made John, in particular, tick. Not without flaws, but still recommended!

"Simply Irresistable" by Rachel Gibson, is, quite simply, irresistable. Reminiscent of Susan Elizabeth Phillips' "It Had To Be You", this book is filled with warmth, humor, and marvelous characters. Southern-belle extraordinaire Georgeanne Howard has just left her extremely wealthy and much, much older fiance' at the altar. Skilled at charm and flirtation, but not much else, Georgeanne hitches a ride with John "The Wall" Kowalsky, an up-and-coming hockey player. John recognizes a high-maintenance woman when he sees one. He is definitely not interested, especially when he learns the beauty in the shrink-wrapped wedding dress is his team's owner's runaway bride. John, however, cannot resist Georgeanne's charms for long, and they share one unbelieveable night. But come morning, John puts Georgeanne on a plane back home. His career is just taking off and he is not ready to settle down, especially with a helpless, useless bimbo. Georgeanne, on the other hand, has other ideas. She has no desire to return home, but has no resources to stay. Searching the want ads, Georgeanne applies for a chef's position at a faltering catering firm. Seven years later, John spots Georgeanne at an extravagant benefit dinner. John is now a high-profile hockey star and Georgeanne is co-owner of a successful catering business. John also learns he and Georgeanne have a daughter, a result of their one night together. Determined to be a part of his daughter's life, John tries to convince Georgeanne to accept him back into hers. The ensuing courtship is hilarious and touching. John and Georgeanne's daughter is the most realistic and charming child character I have ever encountered. The secondary characters in this book are wonderful. This is a laugh-out-loud story, a story to be shared with friends. I can hardly wait for Rachel Gibson's next book. Nina M.

Because "Simply Irresistible" has to be one of the better romance novels I read... even compared to some of the veterans romance writers. She might have written about flawed heroines and heros... but these characters have great chemistry (lotsa zing!) and they create some amazing plots! Geogeanne Howard might be flighty and fickle but she is a great heroine, nonetheless! Overcoming her faults and becoming a successful businesswoman is a fantastic victory! And John Kowalsky's relationship with his daughter was so sweet and cute, I just wanted to read more about them! The part where he was playing barbie with her was the best! (You just have to read it...) And Lexie is the most BELIEVABLE little girl ever written in a romance novel! She is just a doll! The story of Georgeanne and John might not be the most ideal but they overcome some very interesting obstacles to finally come together! This is such a good book! I HIGHLY recommend it!

i absolutely loved this book..not only was it funny but it mixed my fave sport hockey in it. as soon as i started this book, i had a hard time putting it down. i LOVED THIS BOOK! rachel gibson has won me over as one of my fave authors . after reading this i found truly, madly yours. that book was just as awesome as this one...i have read the reviews of others..and have also read books by SEP..i just have to say i found rachel gibson much more exciting and funny..she may not have many books out now but 2, but in my eyes she holds court in awesome writing even over the much respected SEP..keep up the good work rachel. i'm a die hard fan now! ( 5 stars is not enough )

This is the first in Gibson's series on the Seattle Chinooks hockey team. Georgie, a dyslexic beauty queen from Texas flees her Seattle wedding to a millionaire old enough to be her granddaddy, and hitches a ride with one of his prized hockey players, John "The Wall" Kowalsky. A one night stand whereby John dumps her at the airport with an airline ticket produces a precocious daughter named Lexie.

Georgie has tried to move on with her life, she has a successful career as a caterer. Seven years after their liaison, John runs into Georgie at a fundraiser. When he stops at her house to return the checkbook she dropped, he discovers his love child and wants to play daddy, even if he has to sue for custody.

Despite her misgivings as well as the start of a new romance, Georgie reluctantly invites John into their lives, and soon they are back in bed. When team owner Virgil discovers Lexie's parentage, he issues John an ultimatum - Georgie or the Chinooks.

There is also a great secondary romance between her sarcastic business partner, Mae, and hockey goalie, Hugh Miner, who has met his match. I would have liked more of their romance, since it was so funny (and she was so anti-jock).

I loved the story (even if it was pretty predictable), but found the constant "cryin' all night" exclamations from Georgie, and Lexie's constant use of the term "gots" (cute the first 2 times; annoying and redundant by the 30th utterance) to grate on my nerves.

It's my first book I read by Rachel Gibson and it took me only a couple of pages to figure out, that there's another author I have to put on my list of "Favorite Romantic Writers". Right next to Susan Elisabeth Philipps, Judith McNaught, Julia Quinn and Susan Andersen.

At first I thought, if one of the characters has kids, the book can't be that romantic, but I was terribly wrong. Lexie, the seven-year-old daughter of beautiful Georganne and "Mr. Masculino " John is so sweet and funny (no wonder by having those parents !!) that I just couldn't imagine, why I've thought, she would disturb the romantic touch of the book. She makes the book special, especially when she shows her tough-hockey-playing daddy how to play barbie. I think Rachel Gibson did a great job involving a kid but keeping the romantic up on the highest level.

It was also great to read, that these characters weren't as perfect as they are in most books. Georganne has a little learning disability, which makes her just more adorable. But see for yourself. Just don't let the opportunity of a great romantic, funny, loveable novel pass...

I won't give an overview because you probably already know what the book is about. It has a great story line and it flows really well. It's different from a lot of romance books out there. First, the woman in the book actually has (...)! Now, me being a C myself, I really identified with Georgie. I'm also insecure about my figure and it was good to read a romance with a non-skinny woman in it. Another unique point is that this book is about a hockey player. Of course, this is kind of Rachel Gibson's specialty, but there aren't a lot of these books out there.

The only thing I didn't like was the hero's part. John was NOT a nice guy. I probably shouldn't go into everything he did in his past, but let's say he doesn't have the normal morals that most good romance guys have. At one point he tells Georgie, "If you ask real nice, I might just let you polish my stick", (Sorry if I'm not supposed to say that on a review) this following other such derogatory remarks. I wanted to yell at him for Georgie...but it was late at night so I couldn't. :( While I can handle a bad boy most of the time, his character almost ALWAYS acted like this. I couldn't really make myself like him that much.

I went to buy this book only after reading the many good reviews. Honestly, it's a good book that lives up to the standard of what a good romance should be. It has all the elements to be attractive and appealing to readers - the handsome man, the gorgeous lady, the tension, the final realisation... And yet, one cannot help but to compare Rachel Gibson with Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Their styles of writing are rather similar but while Rachel Gibson can create great characters, they are not as "memorable" and as "irresistible" as those created by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Anyway, I'm glad that now I do have a choice besides SEP. Nonetheless, a big applause to Rachel Gibson. (I really liked the ending, but then it's so SEP's style) Just a endnote: the basic storyline reminds me of SEP's Fancy Pants, of which I like better.

Georgeanne Howard, a southern gal, leaves her fiance at the altar and John Kowalsky unknowingly helps her escape. He later finds out that she is his boss supposed-to-be bride. Even so, he couldn't help to feel attracted towards her and they have a one night of love. He leaves her at the airport the next day, leaving her with a broken heart. Seven years later, they meet again and John finds out their one night stand has resulted in a daughter. Now, 35 year old John who has thinking about having a family of his own, is trying everything he knows to be part of his daughter life.

I loved this books so much...spent 4 hours reading it and got hooked with all the great characters. It was delighful and entertaining. My favorite part would be the one where John played Barbie with Lexie, his daughter. It was so sweet.