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Caught Up In Me: A Laugh-out-loud Love Story! (Susan Wade Saga Book 2) Kindle Edition
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What's good for the head isn't always good for the heart...
Susan’s only thinking of a promotion when she takes a shortcut transfer. But she should have read the fine print. The sleepy beach town of Havelock, NC, is not ready for the likes of Susan, and she quickly learns that her brusque Philadelphia attitude is not welcome down South.
Susan's never had trouble making enemies, and Pete Walsh, Havelock's version of The Bachelor, is no exception. When they lock horns on her first day, Susan discovers this handsome good ol' boy is a worthy adversary. And while Pete's pranks and fake gentleman routine drive her nuts, Susan is shocked by his uncanny ability to see through to the insecure girl hiding behind her carefully constructed mask. And she's not the only one with something to hide...
When Susan’s world falls apart and Pete is there to pick up the pieces, she’s left wondering if love is what she might have needed all along.
★★★★★ “Grabs at a woman’s heart and soul.” –Award-winning Author AJ Lape
★★★★★ “There are no words to describe how I feel about this book. Well, no - that's not quite true. Superlative, stupendous, sensational.” --Bella’s Books
★★★★★ “Witty, sharply observed, rich with numerous little passages that transform an enjoyable read into something really quite special.” –Readers Favorite
★★★★★ “I’m hopelessly hooked. I can't recommend it highly enough.” –Goodreads
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateJuly 9, 2014
- File size1846 KB
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Product details
- ASIN : B00LNRWZPW
- Publication date : July 9, 2014
- Language : English
- File size : 1846 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 816 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #254,468 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #200 in American Humorous Fiction
- #306 in Humorous Literary Fiction
- #11,551 in Romantic Comedy (Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Click follow to be notified by email whenever Virginia Gray publishes a new book!
Get Virginia's free bonus content: https://www.virginiagray.com/free-stuff.html
Bestselling Author Virginia Gray looks for humor in every situation. A graduate of Wake Forest University, she spent part one of her career as a college professor. But after years of research, eighty-hour work weeks, and generally trying to take over the world, she stepped away from academics to pursue her love of writing. And because no task is more daunting than making sense of the senseless male psyche, her stories always explode from the glorious mouth of chaos. (You're welcome.) Until she packs her bags and moves to the beach, she lives in the Midwest with her wonderful family and far too many pets.
To leave a personal message or sign up for her newsletter, drop by virginiagray.com
Customer reviews
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Top reviews from the United States
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Why? Because it was so exceptionally well written. The fact the author had developed a character so completely that she got on my last nerve made me feel I owed it to her to keep reading, to see where it was going. Her prose was fantastic, at times poetic, the imagery beautifully drawn. It was a pleasure to read, pure ambrosia, even if Susan was messed up and the plot crawling at glacial speed.
As I plodded through, page by page, gradually things started to make sense. I began to appreciate the fact that the slow pace was allowing me to get drawn deeply into the story and its characters. The sense of place was amazing. I love it when a book takes you someplace new; by the time I finished, I felt as if I'd spent several months in coastal North Carolina.
When it started to come out why the protagonist was the way she was, I began to be more sympathetic. Maybe Susan put me off at first because there were things about her that reminded me of myself. As her motives and life experiences became more clear, it was easier to care about her, then eventually start cheering her on. Some people are slow to come around such that it takes numerous hard knocks before they learn.
From about halfway in, the story started to move and by the time I was 75% through, it was hard to put down. It was touching and I really connected with the characters. The corporate gymnastics and dog eat dog environment were well-characterized as well. Having spent over 20 years in the world of NASA contracting, I could definitely relate to some of the games people play.
Probably the underlying theme of this story is "Be careful what you wish for." Another candidate would be "What you're trying to escape is exactly where you belong."
This was an outstanding story that was beautifully written. It has numerous life lessons within that astute readers can learn vicariously. It takes a while to get moving, but all that background is essential and what draws you in until you're hopelessly hooked. If you love well-developed characters, outstanding imagery, and a rather common situation regarding the balance of career ambitions with relationships, I can't recommend it highly enough.
First, the narrative voice is crisp and fresh. Susan Wade, the twenty-nine year old protagonist and narrator is not just your average power-hungry career woman, hell-bent on climbing to the top of the ladder in her cutthroat computer company. She is someone who is incredibly funny, snarky, and flawed. For despite the wall that she’s constructed between herself and the world, this young woman soon captures the readers’ heart from her unique, yet skewed conception of the world.
Admittedly, Susan is not a completely likeable character at the beginning. She seems cold, ruthless, and incapable of human feelings and emotions. But we soon discover that is simply the front she shows to the world. Beneath her brash exterior is someone who has been hurt and is seeking to find meaning in the heartless world of her hi-tech company. We soon start to care for Susan, and we become willing to follow her life as she goes through the various travails of being sent back to her home state of North Carolina, from which she desperately sought escape several years earlier, after having her heart broken by a southern boy.
What makes this book truly remarkable is the quality of Gray’s writing. The reader is treated to gorgeous lyrical descriptions seldom seen in genre fiction. Here is one of my favorites:
Without the least warning, the heavens breached wide and the sun exploded, streaming fantastical ribbons of color in all directions. The clouds bloomed amazing shades of orange and fiery pink, and I gawked in wonder as if I’d never seen such a sight before. As quickly as it appeared, the sunset in all its magnificent perfection was gone, the light eclipsed as if a Cyclops, disturbed from slumber, closed its droopy lid once more.
This is merely one example of dozens that demonstrate Gray’s literary abilities. And she maps not only physical terrain with great skill and precision, but emotional territory as well.
Beyond the beautiful writing is a story that grabs us and won’t let go. The characters jump off the page, and we follow them willingly and whole-heartedly through a tale that is truly epic in proportions. Despite the length of this book, one keeps plowing through it as if caught up in a whirlwind romance. Each chapter ends on a perfect, lyrical note that propels the reader forward.
It is difficult to say enough good things about this book. It is truly a treat to read the work of such a gifted storyteller. Remarkably, this is Gray’s first book. One can only imagine what she has in store for the future.
Top reviews from other countries

What sets this book above others of its kind is the writing of Virginia Gray. Her prose is a delight to read. Witty, sharply observed, rich with numerous little passages that transform an enjoyable read into something really quite special.
Here's one such gem:- "Hovering above the ranks of fallen relatives, several flies were unsuccessfully convincing the glass to dissolve and set them free."
Her characters are satisfyingly flawed, her dialogue rich and authentic - as is her description of the area. I've never been to North Carolina, but I could identify with the people and the places in this book, and that is the mark of a truly accomplished writer.
I also enjoyed seeing the lead character gradually evolve from an ambitious hard-bitten career woman into ... Well, you'll just have to read this excellent novel to find out. Believe me, you will not be disappointed.

There are aspects of the story which challenge me as a male and share helpful insights. I laughed aloud a few times and want to visit North Carolina. The contrast between hard-nosed corporate life and an idyllic world are beautifully drawn. Anyone who uses Twitter may have seen my odd approving comment as I read – not typical of me.
I heartily commend Virginia Gray to you. And why, you may ask, the four stars? Ms Gray is an excellent writer and most worthy of your readership. And, I believe, there are opportunities to move this story beyond excellence. Try it. Buy it. And form your view.
I'm glad I read The Carrot.
