Customer Reviews

THANKSGIVING (Loveswept)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

This a witty romance with snappy dialogue and an entertaining romantic duo. If you've enjoyed Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, you're going to get a kick out of her stories for the Loveswept Romance imprint.

This one tells the story of Megan Murphy, a potter who works part-time as a weekend aide in Colonial Williamsburg, and Patrick Hunter, a newly minted doctor who's taken over a pediatrician's practice there. They meet as a result of a rabbit attack and have to deal with one another because of a temporarily abandoned baby. There's instant... chemistry between them that they both immediately (but not very successfully) try to tone down, and the mixed joy of pretend parenthood as they both try to take care of the baby. Of course, both of them have commitment issues - Megan as a result of her past, and Patrick due to his uncertain future. But since this is an Evanovich book, it isn't bogged down with excessive introspection and instead perks along with witty repartee, the aforementioned cute baby, a suspiciously overweight horse, matchmaking sets of parents, a former suitor who's a victim of a dart attack, and, needless to say, a destroyed car.

If you can find a copy of this book, it's definitely worth buying for the amount of amusement and sweet romance it provides.

Megan Murphy met new resident and pediatrician Patrick Hunter when his lop eared rabbit roommate Tibbles tried to turn her skirt into lunch. She met him again when she went to his home, and returned said rabbit after finding him unaccompanied on the street. While visiting with Megan, one of Patrick's patients Tilly Coogin came and left her baby with them stating she would be back as soon as she could to get him. Patrick was going to call social services to intervene because with his patient load, didn't have time to care for little Tim. Megan told him they couldn't do that to little Timmy, so she would baby-sit him during the day, and then bring him to Patrick for the night shift. It wasn't until after she got his agreement that she realized that was his plan all along. Patrick had ulterior motives, as he had plans of getting to know Megan's body much better! As they settle into a routine of sorts with Tim, both of them start feeling like they have a little family. When both sets of parents invade for Thanksgiving, Megan and Patrick really start to get attached and feel like they belong together. They even start planning a wedding. Then Tilly shows up, and both of them are devastated that they have to give Tim up. They start to wonder - is what they had real? Can their fragile relationship survive the loss of Tim?

Megan and Patrick were funny together, and the rest of their families complemented the looney bin nicely.

Meghan Murphy has a late 20's woman trying to find her nitch in life. She has had 3 failed engagements, if you count the first one which happened when she was in grade school. After the last one she ended up in Colonial Williamsburg working part time as a weekend ticket taker for local shops and a full time tea pot maker during the week. While this current lifestyle is lonely she is happy with herself and feels like she is making her way finally.

While Meghan is sitting enjoying lunch one weekend she sees a floppy eared rabbit come up and is amused. The amusement dies when she finds him eating her skirt though. The rabbit's owner appears and claims him. The owner Pat Hunter is the new pediatrician in town. He is fresh out of med school and internship so while he is 30 he is just starting his practice. Pat is immediately drawn to Megan in her Colonial attire and flaming red hair, when she turns out to have a fun personality it only makes it better. Meg thinks Pat is scrumptious but as she has sworn off men she decides to just let things lie. Unfortunately for Meg the rabbit is back a few days later in a different section of town and Meg fears for its safety. Meg takes the rabbit to Pat's house and is reading him the riot act about responsible pet ownership when one of Pat's patients shows up assumes Meg is Mrs. Hunter and leaves her baby with them, saying it is for 2 weeks. As Tilly runs off both Pat and Meg are stunned and left literally holding the baby.

Pat and Meg shudder at the thought of putting the child into the system and decide they will take turns watching him and look for Tilly at the same time. The little fellow quickly wins over their hearts even though neither has raised a child. As they continue to act as parents they decide to start to pursue their mutual attraction and date. Meg decides that while she is never going to marry taking a lover is acceptable. Pat on the other hand is suspicious of anyone who doesn't want marriage at some point. But, being game he decided to take the relationship he is offered and run with it, until he finds himself caring more for her. Then Pat is unable to commit to marriage but wants to keep Meg in his life. But, when they both can't find Tilly and figure they want to personally adopt Timmy they talk around the marriage subject. Meg finds herself not only falling in love with Timmy but with Pat as well. She thinks all is going to finally work out for her but then Tilly shows up and brings Timmy's father with her and takes him back. Now there is no reason to keep talking about marriage in Pats mind but Meg is devastated. Most of this is due to lack of communication on both parts.

There are a number of funny scenes that involve the rabbit, Meg's parents and the world's largest cooked Turkey.

This is by far not up to the Evanovich caliber of the Stephanie Plum novels but if you just want a fast contemporary romance read it will fit the bill.

Megan is a woman who has been engaged 3 times. She has moved to Colonial Williamsburg to start over and give up men. Then one day while sitting on a bench a bunny starts eating her skirt. The bunny's owner is the new pediatrician in town, Patrick.
Soon they find themselves playing house and hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for both their families.
This is a cute story about two people who think they are not ready for love. Janet adds her usual flair with some zany happenings. There is witty and funny banter between characters. And of course an undesciplined animal, this time in the form of a bunny.
Not the deepest of romances, but enjoyable all the same.

After three failed engagements, twenty-seven-year-old Megan Murphy has finally come to the conclusion that she is not cut-out for marriage. Sure, relationships can come and go, but she refuses to put on another wedding gown only to fall victim to disappointment, which is how she ends up in Colonial Williamsburg - to escape her past. Thirty-year-old Patrick "Pat" Hunter, on the other hand, has just finished his internship, and is attempting to establish himself as an old-fashioned pediatrician. A swell doctor who gets invited to his patient's weddings, and knows each and every one of them by name. When Pat encounters Megan, thanks to an incident involving his skirt-eating pet rabbit, Tibbles, her flaming red hair and playful personality capture his heart. However, she refuses his affections profusely, attempting to stay true to her vow to swear off men. But when eighteen-year-old Tilly Coogan, an unwed mother, and unemployed waitress, leaves her baby, Timmy, in the care of Pat and "Mrs. Hunter," the two are suddenly playing surrogate parents to the little fellow - who quickly wins a place in each of their hearts, despite his love of tossing strained beats and peas into their hair. Now, as Thanksgiving is approaching, and Pat's family is on their way to celebrate the season of giving with him, he begins contemplating a proposal to the elusive Megan. One that will tie the pair together, and leave an opening for a possible adoption of the little abandoned boy. But when Megan's pushy parents arrive in town, throwing both families together, all bets are off.

So few adult novels revolving around Thanksgiving are published, so when I stumbled upon Janet Evanovich's THANKSGIVING at the store over the weekend, I knew that I had to give it a try. As is her custom, Evanovich has created a pair of witty characters, whose banter and supposed dislike towards one another is charming; while the chemistry between them is absolutely enchanting. The scenes involving the Thanksgiving hoopla, and communication between family members and offspring is hilarious, and certainly reminiscent of Evanovich's crazy Plum family; while the constant talk of marriage between the two unwilling participants - Pat and Megan, of course - will lead you to believe that their parents are off their rockers, and consumed by wishful thinking. The descriptions of the fall weather, and quaint Colonial Williamsburg are refreshing, and truly make the reader feel as if they are walking along the leaf-strewn street, gazing into the antique shops, and small pubs; while the talk of traditional Colonial food, and Thanksgiving will make the reader salivate. A one-of-a-kind Thanksgiving romance that will leave you planning a road trip for the holidays!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

While this is a reprint of an older story of Evanovich it still holds together nicely. A fun, light heart read that is timeless. It's setting in Williamsburg helps a lot. Bunnies, babies, a fun guy and a soft heart gal what's not to like. Read it when it was first printed and the reprint was just a good. Buy it. I did twice.

I picked up Thanksgiving hoping for a cute fun read for the holidays. Instead I found the plot of this novel rather thin and the humor a bit 'meh.' From the moment where the rabbit was eating our heroine's costume to the scene where the single teen mom drops her baby off with Dr. Pat, I just found it a little too silly. Too implausible even for Evanovich.

I guess I'm a bit bored of the sterotypical 'single people who cannot cook...' humor. Been there read that. Also the cutsey baby humor and the way the heroine oozes over the baby made me roll my eyes. If I'd known this was one of those baby books I'd never have picked it up.

I gave up halfway through when the heroine and the doctor conspire to keep the baby for the holidays... I just found I could not maintain any interest.

2 stars.

'Thanksgiving', by Janet Evanovich, really captures the emotions as you follow a random couple charged with caring for a young baby...through those wonderful and awful moments guaranteed with such an adventure.

Janet Evanovich is one of my favorite authors. I've read every one of her books and never been disappointed. She writes with sensitivity and humor combined and her characters are always one of a kind. I've recommended her books to all my friends and they've enjoyed them too. The story of Thanksgiving is quaint and the two main characters fall in love with so much baggage between them, but they work it out. There's a baby and a bunny involved too, so how can a reader go wrong?

I'm a big fan of this author's series on Stephanie Plum, but I wanted something Thanksgivin-ey to read at this time of year. The lovely cover made this hard to resist. Tho I figured it was one of Janet Evanovich's older romance novels re-issued, I noticed she did not have a co-author on this one (I did not like the first novel she did with Charlotte Hughes).

The novel is a romance (not my cup of tea) but I liked this very much. It is set in Williamsburg, VA and all the ambience of the place is there. All the Thanksgiving elements are there. It revolves around two characters, a fiery red-headed potter and employee for Colonial Williamsburg and a pediatrician who are thrown together when a young mother drops her baby off for them to take care of unannounced and unplanned. The ups and downs of instant family are entertainment. Evanovich's sharpened sense of humor shines thru, and I laughed - out loud! - as her hoped-for sparks of delight appeared over and over.

This is a fast read because it's not a long book but, more than that, it's a delight. It definitely added an extra oomph to my holiday season.