Category Archives: Michele Summers

November 30, 2016 · 11:57 pm

Review: Sweet Southern Bad Boy by Michele Summers

Title: Sweet Southern Bad Boy by Michele Summers
Harmony Homecomings Series Book Three
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

HE’S GOT SOMETHING SHE WANTS
When Katie McKnight gets lost location-scouting for her father’s TV studio, she stumbles upon the perfect setting for their angsty new teen vampire series-a remote barn house unfortunately occupied by a grouchy, disheveled, and incredibly sexy man who instantly mistakes her for the new nanny. Should Katie tell him the truth, or get her foot in the door?

SHE’S GOT EVERYTHING HE NEEDS
Bestselling author Vance Kerner doesn’t just have writer’s block-he’s been run ragged ever since he was saddled with taking care of his brother’s three kids, an adopted kitten, and a runaway mutt. The last thing he needs is a teen drama defiling his property, but with fascinating and unconventional Katie underfoot charming the entire Kerner household, Vance is finding it harder and harder to say no.

Review:

The newest installment in Michele Summers’ Harmony Homecomings series, Sweet Southern Bad Boy is a charming romance between a California cutie and a grouchy Southern author.  This latest release can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend the previous novels as well.

Twenty-eight year old Katie McKnight is hoping that finding the perfect location for an upcoming miniseries will finally impress her impossible to satisfy father.  The youngest of three siblings, she has never quite measured up to her parents’ unrealistic expectations and as a result, she gave up her teaching job in order to work in the family business.  With extremely low self-esteem due to her mother’s disparaging comments about Katie’s appearance and her loathsome (sort of ex) boyfriend Tad’s equally withering observations, Katie is a bit of a doormat who finds it impossible to stand up for herself.  Absolutely convinced she has found the right place for her father’s next project, Katie has her work cut out for persuading the owner to sign the contract.

Novelist Vance Kerner is under deadline but temporarily caring for his brother’s rambunctious children leaves him little time or energy to work on his novel.  Initially mistaking Katie for his newly hired nanny, he agrees to listen to her proposition in exchange for her taking care of the kids.  Vance has no intention of allowing her father film on his property but Katie hopes that over time, she’ll convince him change his mind so she agrees to work for him temporarily while he writes his novel.   Vance has a serious case of lust for Katie, but this bad boy is really a Southern gentleman in disguise so he tries to keep his distance from his curvaceous nanny.

On paper, Vance and Katie are perfect for each other but their relationship follows a formulaic pattern with very predictable external conflicts and betrayals.  Katie’s self-doubts quickly become repetitive and since she loved her career as a teacher, it is impossible to understand why she allowed her father to manipulate her into giving up her job to work for him.  It is also a little incomprehensible that Katie allows her self-absorbed and shallow mother’s comments to have such a negative effect on her self-image.  Katie’s relationship with Tad is also a little hard to believe since she clearly sees that he is using her as a stepping stone in his career.  Why she does not cut him loose is a complete mystery and it is incredibly frustrating that she continues to let him get to her.  Her father’s sneaky behind the scenes maneuvering is also a source of irritation and it is extremely maddening that Vance allows himself to get sucked into his scheme.  It is very easy to guess how Katie is going to react once she learns the truth about what has been happening behind her back but thankfully, this is just the impetus she needs to finally discover her backbone, confront her parents and  make decisions about her future that are based on what is best for her.

Despite some frustration with overused plot devices, Sweet Southern Bad Boy is a cute romance between two very likable characters. Insta-lust quickly turns to  insta-love which results in a very fast progression of Vance and Katie’s relationship.  With plenty of witty banter, cutsey nicknames and a cast of  quirky characters, this latest outing in Michele Summers’ Harmony Homecomings series will appeal to readers who enjoy small-town romances.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harmony Homecomings Series, Michele Summers, Rated C+, Review, Romance, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Sweet Southern Bad Boy

July 6, 2015 · 11:56 pm

Review: Not So New In Town by Michele Summers

not soTitle: Not So New In Town by Michele Summers
Harmony Homecomings Series Book Two
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

You can’t go back, and you can’t stand still…
Lucy Doolan is a marketing genius. She can sell rain to a frog and snow to a polar bear. Newly single and unemployed, she’s lured back to her hometown of Harmony, North Carolina to help out her pregnant evil stepsister…only to find former crush heartthrob Brogan Reese has returned too, to open a new business in town. To add insult to injury, he’s still hot.

If the thunder don’t get you, then the lightning will…
Brogan never noticed Lucy much when they were young, but seventeen people have recommended her to help him. She’s got his attention now. With her sweet personality, brilliant imagination, and penchant for doing the completely unpredictable, Brogan is finding a whole lot of excuses to spend his days-and nights-with Lucy.

Review:

Not So New In Town by Michele Summers is a super cute and zany small town novel. With a cast of wacky but loveable characters, an appealing storyline and a steamy romance, this second installment in the Harmony Homecomings series is a delightfully charming read.

Lucy Doolan’s homecoming is off to an discouraging beginning when her car breaks down outside of town and the good Samaritan who stops to assist her is none other than her one time crush (and her stepsister’s ex-boyfriend) Brogan Reese. She has returned home temporarily to concentrate on reviving her career while taking care of her evil stepsister Julia and teenage nephew Parker. The last thing she needs is to reconnect with Brogan but when Parker needs a mentor, she finds herself spending quite a bit of time with the sexy entrepreneur. Lucy is dismayed to discover her long ago crush has morphed into a serious case of lust, but given the history between them, she has no intention of acting on her attraction.

Lucy is funny, vivacious and incredibly smart. She has high hopes that her short stay in Harmony will give her the opportunity to mend her relationship with her stepsister, but Julia does not make things easy on her. She is looking forward to spending time with Parker, but her sweet nephew has turned into a surly teen who cannot seem to stay out of trouble. Having recently ended a bad relationship with a loser who took advantage of her sweet nature, Lucy is not interested in beginning another one, but when she accepts a lucrative job offer from Brogan, the sexual tension between them continues to grow.

Brogan is a really nice man but he has more than his fair share of emotional baggage. His unresolved past continues to haunt him and he has serious commitment issues. While he was once the town’s golden boy, old gossip about him and Julia is still swirling around so he is having trouble getting customers into his new health food store. Desperate to save the business so he can move on, Brogan finally convinces Lucy to accept his job offer and her creative marketing strategy quickly pays off.

Brogan and Lucy work well together and the lines between their personal and professional lives soon blur. Brogan is a frequent visitor at Lucy’s house and they also spend long hours together at the health food store. Their friends have easily picked up on their interest in one another and they devise some pretty inventive schemes to throw them together. Brogan and Lucy finally give in to their attraction, and they agree to a no strings fling. Their interludes are very steamy and while both begin to realize their feelings run deeper than lust, neither is willing to admit it to the other. An unexpected complication arises at the same Brogan comes face to face with his past and the future of their relationship is soon in jeopardy.

Not So New In Town is a marvelous addition to the Harmony Homecomings series. Lucy and Brogan are wonderfully developed, three-dimensional protagonists with realistic issues to overcome. The secondary cast of characters is quite colorful and their quirkiness adds to the story’s appeal. The storyline is quite engaging and although mostly light-hearted, there are also real problems to solve. Michele Summers brings the setting vibrantly to life and she fully captures all the nuances of small town living.  All in all, it is a witty romance that old and fans of the series are sure to love.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harmony Homecomings Series, Michele Summers, Not So New In Town, Rated B, Review, Sourcebooks Casablanca