Talk of the Town [Mass Market Paperback]

Sherrill Bodine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2008

GOSSIP QUEEN DETHRONED!


Darlings, what a to-do at the Daily Mail today! After fifteen years as Chicago's gossip guru, Rebecca Covington has been demoted from divulger of secrets for the city's elite to headlining recipes in the Home and Food section. Apparently, a touchy senator is threatening legal action for Rebecca's latest extramarital scoop. But Windy City rumor has it that new CEO and dreamy Pierce Brosnan look-alike David Sumner downgraded Rebecca in favor of fresher, younger blood on the social beat.


Industry insiders expect Rebecca to fight her denouement, and inquiring minds have already seen the feisty maven trading quips and searing glances wtih her arresting new boss. Rebecca swears she'll reclaim her shining star status, but can the dishy diva even cook? And how can she ignore David's arousing effect on her sensibilities?


Don't miss a trick, darlings. Sparks are going to fly.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bodine's contemporary romance has strong bones, but the execution is marred by stock characters. Media mogul David Sumner buys the Chicago Mail and immediately moves gossip columnist Rebecca Covington to the home and food section, replacing her with young, aggressive Shannon Forrester. Rebecca enlists her gay best friend, Harry Grant, to cook while she spices up her columns with gossip. Bodine (author of several series romances as Lynn Leslie and Leslie Lynn) drowns her characters in cliché: big-spending divorcée Rebecca's endless label-dropping ([she] hiked up her black Carolina Herrera skirt... not caring if the expensive Wolford fishnets got bigger holes), Harry's immaculate home, widower David's vow to never love again, Shannon's endless jealousy. Even good chemistry between Rebecca and David can't diminish the sense that the real star is Rebecca's Juicy Couture cashmere jogging suit. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

When fortysomething Chicago gossip columnist Rebecca Covington is banished to the home pages to make way for a younger replacement, she is determined to show the paper’s new owner that he has made a mistake. But first she has to learn how to cook. By lacing each published recipe with juicy stories, Rebecca has the city talking again—and catches the attention of the handsome CEO, David Sumner. Soon she is entertaining a dream offer from the rival newspaper while embarking on a possibly ill-advised romance with her boss. Rebecca’s efforts to balance career, love, and getting older will resonate with many readers, while her lifestyle of charity balls and designer duds will serve as escapism. Chicago author Bodine, who penned traditional romance novels as Lynn Leslie and Leslie Lynn, is now writing what she calls “lady lit”—a more mature take on life as a career-driven, romance-seeking woman. --Aleksandra Walker

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Forever (December 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446618586
• ISBN-13: 978-0446618588
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A delightful, fun read, January 24, 2009

By 

Mary G. Longorio "Texasbookgirl" (Eagle Mountain, UT) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Talk of the Town (Mass Market Paperback)

Talk of the Town is a piece of fluff.....a delightful bit of fluff. Rebecca Covington has reigned as Gossip Queen in Chicago's Daily Mail. Along with the scoop she enjoys all the perks of her job, all the best party invites, tables at the best places and a sense that she is safe in her world. Safe until a blind item about a senator and his girlfriend/ not his wife gets her kicked out of her office with a view and sent down to Home and Food in the reporter's pool. Humiliated, Rebecca is determined to get her old job back, convinced that the paper's new owner is mixing business with pleasure. David Allen Sumner , the Mail's owner has his hands full.

Instead of fighting, Rebecca joins Kate down in Hand F and knocks out a food column, no matter she can't really cook, that's what her best friend Harry is for. Tweaking recipes and adding her own twist at the column's end, Rebecca is once again a hit. She can't completely enjoy her success because there is the matter of David Sumner. Rebecca's boss is not only watching her success, he is so darn attractive and so available and......Sherrill Bodine has whipped up a rambunctious romp through the newspaper and kitchen and this is a quick read, don't want to put down delight.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I had trouble sleping at night until I finished this book!, December 28, 2008

By 

Jeanne R. Sainati "Sweet Jeanne" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Talk of the Town (Mass Market Paperback)

This a great romantic uplifting story with a enough curves and bumps to make you want to see what is coming next. The fact that it takes place in Chicago makes it all the more fun. I found myself having trouble putting it down during the day and forget about it at night, just had to fionish it!

4.0 out of 5 stars good, January 3, 2012

By 

R. Laney (Fairview, UT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Talk of the Town (Mass Market Paperback)

Well this morning I read my first book by Sherrill Bodine and went and bought another on my kindle Talk of the Town. I was not disappointed by either book. I expect I will read more books from Sherrill.
Rebecca is a popular gossip colume when she is let go in order to hire a younger writer. She still had two years left on her contract. So she got moved to food colume. She does not cook. She was still throwing in gossip that got people laughing.
David the new owner of the paper who fired her is a widower who is not going to love again. Is attracted to her. David ends up asking her out saying business was seperate than personal. Finds it hard to keep things seperate.
Rebecca is funny, fiesty and stubborn. She was tossed over by her husband for younger model now her job for the same reason. She is not giving up.
I enjoyed reading this book and as someone who is middleage I want to slap guys too for always wanting younger.