Heaven, Texas (Paperback)

~ (Author) "A bodyguard! I don't need any damn bodyguard!..." (more)
Key Phrases: sex trophies, football quiz, Bobby Tom, Terry Jo, Gracie Snow (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"No one tops Susan Elizabeth Phillips" -- -- Jayne Ann Krentz

"Susan Elizabeth Phillips triumphs once again" -- -- Romantic Times --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Description

It's Gracie Snow's job as a new motion picture production assistant to get the legendary ex-football player, Bobby Tom Denton, back to his Texas hometown to begin shooting his first movie.

Good luck with that.

"There's been a terrible misunderstanding, Mr. Denton. Can't you see that I don't look like a stripper?" Gracie snatched up her suit jacket. "Please. Could we go somewhere private to talk?"

Bobby Tom sighed and uncoiled from his chair. "I s'pose we'd better. But you've got to give me your word you'll keep your clothes on. It wouldn't be fair for me to see you naked when my party guests can't."

"I promise, Mr. Denton, that you will never see me naked."

He looked doubtful. "I don't mean to question your good intentions, honey, but judging from my past history, it might not be that easy for you to resist."

A head-spinning battle of the sexes—with Beauty waging war against Brain—except this male beauty has a fine intelligence, and brainy Gracie isn't nearly as ordinary as she thinks.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Avon A; Reprint edition (May 19, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061731145
• ISBN-13: 978-0061731143
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (101 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #309,286 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely heavenly..., February 10, 2001

By	mirope "mirope" (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Heaven, Texas (Mass Market Paperback)

Another sure-fire winner by Susan Elizabeth Phillips! I must say I had my doubts aobut this one - I didn't think there was any way I could get excited about a hero named "Bobby Tom" who wears a cowboy hat, but I shouldn't have worried. As always, SEP has managed to create a great story, unique characters, laugh-out-loud dialogue and sexy love scenes. Bobby Tom is a football star forced into retriement by a career-ending injury, and beneath lots of good ol' boy charm, he's not too happy about it. Not knowing what to do with his life, he agrees to star in a movie. The producers are justifiably concerned about this infamous playboy's reliability, so they hire a babysitter - the none too tempting Gracie Snow. The resulting relationship is just great.

SEP succeeds at doing a lot of things in this book that usually turn me off in a romance novel. First, I don't like unattractive heroines that either miraculously become beautiful, but Gracie's transformation into a cute, perky and kind of sexy leading character works. Second, as a former Texan I usually can't stand the loud, folksy stereotype that Bobby Tom initially appears to be. However, SEP managed to make it work without being silly and does a good job portraying smalltown Texas. I still refuse to picture Bobby Tom wearing a great big cowboy hat, but if it works for you... Third, there is a secondary romance between two older characters, and I usually find that distracts from the main plot. Here it's so well done and flows so seamlessly into the main storyline that I was glad to see it. There are few authors who never fail to deliver, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips certainly falls into that category!

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Second in the Chicago Stars/Bonner Brothers series, June 21, 2005

By	Tracy Vest (Northern California) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Heaven, Texas (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the second book in the Chicago Stars/Bonner Brothers series. Luckily, each stands on its own merits.

Bobby Tom Denton is a former wide-receiver for the Chicago Stars. Due to a career ending injury, he is about to make his movie debut, provided it is filmed in his hometown to drum up business due to the town's primary employer relocating. Of course, getting him to the set is going to be half the fun. The production company hires virginal Gracie Snow, a no-nonsense former elder care administrator to bring him on location. Gracie is a mousy little thing - we know this because we are hit over the head with how plain she is and how gorgeous he is throughout the story. Most of Gracie's charges give her a hard time, but none as bad as Bobby.

One of the funniest scenes is when he is on a "date" with Gracie tagging along. The interaction between the three of them, cramped in his tiny Thunderbird while he is sweet talking his "date" (but paying far too much attention to Gracie) is hysterical.

The whole trip down he tries to dump her, but she keeps outsmarting him. When they finally arrive on location, several days late, Gracie is fired. Out of guilt, Bobby makes them hire her back, and agrees to secretly pay her salary. After a makeover, he asks her to pretend to be his fiance to fend off unwanted females. She agrees under the stipulation that she pays her own way - she does not want to be just another sponge that hits him up for cash. Soon, Bobby does the charitable thing by initiating Gracie in "erotic arts" - what a philanthropist!

One thing that annoyed me throughout this story was the goofy language - instead of saying bull, Gracie says balderdash. Now who since the 19th century says that? Yeah, she has spent a lot of time with old people, but please. I prefer contemporary stories to have believable dialogue.

The story is a bit far-fetched - but a cute and very quick read. The secondary romance of his mother could have been fleshed out more.

The series includes (in order of publication): It Had to be You; Heaven, Texas; Nobody's Baby But Mine; Dream a Little Dream; This Heart of Mine; Match Me if You Can.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prince Charming picks Plain Jane, July 10, 2000

By	Mandy Chambers (OKC,OK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heaven, Texas (Mass Market Paperback)

I completly fell in love with Gracie and Bobby Tom. To say this book was good is a complete understatment. I am a huge SEP fan and read almost everything I can by her, but Heaven, Texas is my favorite. Gracie Snow is a plain jane gal who spent her entire life in a nursing home, when given the opportunity to leave and work at a film corporation, she jumps. She's determined not to let anyone jeopordize her new "exciting" job. Not even Bobby Tom Denton. Former wide reciever for the Chicago Stars. After a career ending accident Bobby Tom felt lost and alone. He was surounded by former teamates and beautiful women, but he didn't feel anything until skinny, unattractive Gracie Snow does a strip tease at a party, in an attempt to get his attention and drag him to an engagment with the film studio to do a movie he wasn't looking forward to. Gracie doesn't know how famous Bobby Tom is and he loves it. He soon discovers that this plain jane is gorgeous on the inside. Just to mix things up SEP has thrown in a little side plot that will tug at the hearts of everyone, but most assuredly those women going through the rigors of menopause. This book just goes to show that even though we as women don't always feel wanted and attractive, someone disagree's. And he's willing to prove it. This book is chock full of doofy jocks, ditzy bimbos, and loyal, but slightly "off" hometown people. Just enough to keep you laughing through the entire read.

I fell in love with this book because, I see myself in a way as Gracie, as I'm sure other women will too, and it's just good to know that sometimes Prince Charming picks Plain Jane.