Search - With Seduction in Mind (Girl-Bachelor, Bk 4)

My least favorite of her books to date. I wasn't engaged by the characters until the final 2-3 chapters due to a loose plotline where the author introduced too many conflicts (writers block, problem holding down a job, conflict between characters leading to romance, overcome addiction, character identity crises, etc.). There were so many issues that the characters never seemed emotionally developed. The introductory chapters of the book introduced the primary female character by having her publish a bad review of the primary male character's most recent play and the characters agree that the writing is not up to the standards of his earlier career. It is somewhat ironic that the book itself is in line with the author's plot in that it also does not match the quality of her previous books.

London 1896
Another from Guhrke's Girl-Bachelor series. And as the rest, an excellent read. The book had lots of great interaction between the hero and heroine. The dialogue was perfect. The plot, though a little predictable, flowed quickly. The ending was happily ever after. A definate recommendation. And although it is not first in the series, very few previous characters are in this story so it is not necessary to read the others first.

Having just finished this book moments ago, I have officially placed it on my Keeper shelf. If you get choked up as the music swells toward the end of "Pretty Woman" or "An Officer and a Gentleman," you will experience those emotions at this ending also.

Our hero has struggled with an addiction that has caused him to have serious writer's block for more than three years. Daisy is assigned to help him complete his manuscript and he has been ordered by his publisher to help her improve her writing skills. Being forced in each other's company for weeks on end leads to a slow but intense seduction. Daisy has all the pluck and sass of a young, beautiful Julia Roberts while Sebastian is the perfectly flawed, charismatic Richard Gere.

My only complaint (other than Daisy's silly name) is that the happy ending came so quickly. But, that may have been because my fingers were flying to turn the pages as quickly as I could read them...

Story: 5
Romance: 5
Overall rating: 5 stars

Sebastian? An overly-dramatic, whining loser who is rude to everyone (including his loyal unpaid staff). A broke and lazy author, he stubbornly refuses help or advice and wallows endlessly in self-pity. (It's over, he can't do it anymore, there are no more books in him, blah-blah, on and on.) I made it halfway into the book and there was still no hint of possible character growth short of a personality transplant. Too many fatal flaws for my taste. A waste of time to wait until the final pages for an about-face to occur. Just didn't see it happening.