Out Of Town Bride (Harlequin American Romance) [Mass Market Paperback]

Kara Lennox (Author)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (December 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373750978
• ISBN-13: 978-0373750979
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,080,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kara Lennox (a.k.a. Karen Leabo) published her first book when she was in the eighth grade. She wrote a children's book as a class assignment, then convinced her yearbook publisher to print up bound copies, which she distributed herself to friends, relatives and neighbors. Though this was hardly a high-profit venture, the urge to see her work in print never deserted her.

Kara began her first novel in college, a truly awful gothic that was best left in a drawer. Then graduation, finding a job, marriage and moving cross-country got in the way. She toiled in anonymity for the Texas Society of CPAs, writing brochures for their continuing education program. Naturally, with such scintillating subject matter to occupy her days, her imagination ran wild at night, and soon she was working on her second novel.

The horrible first job gave way to an even worse second job (writing insurance policies in plain English) and a third. But she never completely lost sight of the dream of earning her living as a writer--a real writer, with a byline.

She worked several years as a nonfiction magazine writer with hundreds of articles to her credit. She would get up at five every morning to work two hours on her novels before tackling her various freelance jobs. Three years and five novels later, Kara sold her first book, Roses Have Thorns (by Karen Leabo) to Silhouette Romance.

Determined to earn a living as a novelist, Kara focused relentlessly on her goal to sell at least three books per year (the minimum she figured she could live on). And during the past fifteen-plus years, that's exactly what she's done (if you average things out!). Writing has always been her priority, and in sixty-plus books, she has missed only two deadlines (both only by a few days).

Kara has written for seven different category lines (for Harlequin, Silhouette and Bantam Loveswept). In addition, she's written ten screenplays (three of which have been optioned, none produced, alas) and numerous novels and proposals that haven't sold (yet). She also blogs, tweets and spends way too much time on Facebook. The blank page doesn't frighten her.

Kara's books have finaled in several romance industry contests including the National Readers' Choice Awards, the Holt Medallion competition and the Rita. Her Harlequin American PLAIN JANE'S PLAN won the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice.

Currently Kara writes a romantic suspense series for Harlequin Super Romance, PROJECT JUSTICE. She lives in a 105-year-old fixer-upper Victorian house in California with her husband Rob, also a writer, and various pets. When she is not writing, she enjoys an ever-changing array of activities that currently includes bicycling, yoga, mosaic-making and selling vintage jewelry online.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars terrific romantic suspense, December 15, 2005

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Out Of Town Bride (Harlequin American Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

Still in shock though several weeks have passed since her fiancé Marvin Carter vanished taking money with him, Sonya Patterson continues to prepare as if her wedding was to occur. Sonya wants to delay telling her ailing mom Muffy the truth for fear that would trigger a deadly final heart attack as her beloved mom has not recovered from a recent one.

Sheriff's' Deputy John-Michael McPhee assumes that Sonya, whom he has known since childhood as the son of a gardener and later her bodyguard for a decade, is a spoiled brat. However, he looks into the case of her missing boyfriend though he wants nothing to do with Sonya, who he assumes continues her nuptial preparations to avoid the embarrassment of being jilted. However, as he gets to know her like he never did when he was a child or employed by her family, John-Michael sees a kind hearted woman worried only about her mother. As he falls in love, he wonders if his beloved can see him as her soulmate rather than her former employee.

The final Blond Justice trilogy is a terrific romantic suspense starring two likable obstinate individuals who readers will root for them coming together as much as seeing Marvin the con finally caught. The cameo return of the heroines from the previous books (see HOMETOWN HONEY and DOWNTOWN DEBUTANTE) showcases how clever Marvin is and the difficulty of catching him. Fans will enjoy this fine investigative romance as the lead couple fall in love and close in on Marvin, but will they succeed whereas the previous two paring found love but not the con artist.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and wild conclusion to 'Blond Justice' series, December 12, 2005

By 

booksforabuck "BooksForABuck" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Out Of Town Bride (Harlequin American Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

Marvin (the ratfink) Carter had a thing for blondes. He chased them, wooed them, got engaged to them, then took them for everything they were worth. But three blondes decided to fight back. Socialite Sonya Patterson was the first of Marvin's conquests, and she's determined to be the one to bring him to justice. But her mother's sudden illness puts her revenge plans on temporary hold. Warned by the doctor that anything that upsets her mother could be dangerous, and that her upcoming wedding is the one thing that seems to keep her mother connected, Sonya goes through the motions of planning a wedding--to a man she knows is a heel.

The man who isn't a heel, sexy bodyguard John-Michael McPhee. Sonya had a crush on her bodyguard since she was young (her father's death at the hands of kidnappers made her mother extremely protective), but John-Michael rejected her the time she threw herself at him. She intends to be over the crush, but having John-Michael tag along while she plans a wedding that would be a nightmare makes her dream of a wedding that would be a dream.

When Marvin hears of the wedding plans, and tries to come back onto the scene, apparently believing that Sonya didn't catch on to his embezzlement, Sonya changes her plan--she'll go forward with the wedding and trap Marvin once and for all.

Author Kara Lennox concludes her fun 'Blond Justice' series with OUT OF TOWN BRIDE. The sexual tension between Sonya and John-Michael sizzles, and Lennox continues the strong relationship between the three blond women--first victims, but now stronger and united through their shared struggles. The entire series is a wonderful blend of laughter, adventure, and sensuality. If you haven't discovered the Blond Justice series yet, you're in for a treat. OUT OF TOWN BRIDE is a winner.