This Perfect Kiss [Mass Market Paperback]

Christie Ridgway (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 2001

Curious people want to know: is dashing millionaire Rory Kincaid about to resign his position as the "sexiest man in town"? If Rory decides to step down as the most eligible bachelor in America, millions of women will be left crying on his way to the altar...

Rory Kincaid has everyone talking...and the women swooning. After a lifetime of living down his family's scandalous past, the handsome public figure decides to take up the mantle of respectability. But first he must survive the scandal caused by a curvy siren named Jilly Skye.

With her snug, vintage clothes and free-spirited ways, Jilly can't quite discover why Rory makes her feel so....tingly. Though he's far from an antique, no one that tempting should appear so stodgy. When the two are caught on film in a distinctly compromising position, Jilly agrees to pose as his fiancee -- at least until his reputation gets back in order.

But neither of them counted on love...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in the heart of Hollywood, Ridgway's latest contemporary romance (after Wish You Were Here) captures the zeitgeist of a culture ruled by bright lights and scandal. Rory Kincaid, who hails from a decadent family of actors, is intent on being sponsored as the Blue party senate candidate and salvaging his tarnished name. His straightlaced political ambitions are threatened, however, when he meets curvy Jilly Skye, an eccentric but compassionate vintage clothes retailer. Although Jilly's purpose in Rory's life is to sell two generations' worth of his family's memorabilia, the two arrange a sham engagement to make Rory look better in the eyes of his party and to satisfy Jilly's growing attraction to her "desert prince." Despite their spurious relationship, Rory and Jilly must fight their strong attraction to each other in order to save themselves from what they believe would be their downfall--his to scandal and hers to love. Rory's stormy relationship with Jilly is a blend of humor and scorching sexual chemistry, and their story is made all the richer by a subplot involving Rory's four-year-old aunt Iris. While readers will appreciate Jilly for her zest for life, it is Rory who truly comes alive in this story as he strives to rid himself of his preoccupations with the past and his image.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Smart, peppy..." -- -- Publisher's Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (January 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380812568
• ISBN-13: 978-0380812561
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,022,677 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Christie Ridgway is a California native and author of over thirty contemporary romances. A five-time RITA finalist and USA Today bestselling author, she writes sexy, emotional reads starring determined heroines and the men who can't help but love them. Married to her college sweetheart, Christie lives in Southern California in a house filled with boys and pets. She writes as an escape from sports equipment, football on TV, and dog hair.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very nearly a Desert Isle Keeper!, January 6, 2001

By 

Laurie Gold "bookie" (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Perfect Kiss (Mass Market Paperback)

I always find it exciting to be swept away by a book I didn't expect much from, and this "forced engagement" romance didn't look promising in the year 2001. But author Christy Ridgway's THIS PERFECT KISS turned out to be the perfect book to kick off a new year of romance reading, and provided not one but two romances to savor.

Millionaire Rory Kincaid will be running for the Senate and has worked his entire life to separate himself from the scandals surrounding his parents and grandparents. Jilly Skye was raised by a grandmother whose daughter was nothing but a scandal; Jilly does not know that love can exist without pain and coercion. When the two meet and are forced into an engagement in order to prevent a new scandal from sullying the Kincaid name, the attraction threatens both Jilly and Rory down to the core.

THIS PERFECT KISS is an intense read. Both Jilly and Rory are fully-fleshed characters filled with internal contradictions. Rory's four year old...Aunt, who acts as catalyst to the story, both for Jilly and Rory and the secondary romance that develops between two other characters, brings both humor and pathos to the book.

I don't grant Desert Isle Keeper status very often - lately only once or twice a year - and this book was on the cusp. It settled on the B+ rather than the A- side because, as good as the story eventually became, it took just a little too long to fully engage me. Still, for readers looking for strong characters, terrific chemistry, and a strong balance between lighter and darker elements, I strongly recommend THIS PERFECT KISS.

TTFN, Laurie Likes Books Publisher, All About Romance

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An OK Read!, February 11, 2001

By 

Christine Shaw "cms246" (Scranton, PA. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Perfect Kiss (Mass Market Paperback)

After thoroughly enjoying the author's previous novel "Wish You Were Here", I looked forward to "This Perfect Kiss". I was somewhat disappointed with Christie's latest effort. Although this book had its moments, they were too few. I felt the plot was weak and dragged on with a rushed ending. The main characters, who were adults and supported established careers, were too immature and naive for my taste and I felt the author missed some golden opportunities to write a few scenes around the webcam and Jilly's Victorian underwear. I thought this was an OK read and I would recommend it but felt it was not up to par for this talented author.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect read!, February 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: This Perfect Kiss (Mass Market Paperback)

THIS PERFECT KISS is a perfect read for those who love witty, wonderful romance. The characters are quirky, charismatic, and just plain fun, and the situtations they find themselves in are equally fun. Further, there's a wonderful secondary plot entailing the hero's 4-year-old aunt that simply warms the heart. THIS PERFECT KISS really is a book not to be missed--a perfect Valentine's Day treat as yummy as chocolate, but not nearly as fattening!