Product Description
Dear Reader:

In a previous life, before the time of Plum, I wrote twelve short romance novels. Red-hot screwball comedies, each and every one of them. Nine of these stories were originally published by the Loveswept line between the years 1988 and 1992. All immediately went out of print and could be found only at used bookstores and yard sales.

I'm excited to tell you that those nine stories are now being re-released by HarperCollins. Back to the Bedroom is presented here in almost original form. I've done only minor editing to correct some embarrassing bloopers missed the first time around.

I lived in northern Virginia when I wrote Back to the Bedroom. My children were young, and we spent a lot of time visiting the Washington, D.C. museums and wandering through the historic neighborhoods. One day while strolling Capitol Hill I came upon two townhouses that captured my imagination. The houses were totally different -- a birthday cake of a house and a bran muffin of a house, and yet they shared a common wall. I wondered about the people who lived inside the houses. And eventually the houses inspired Back to the Bedroom.

Back to the Bedroom is the story of a young woman with the soul of a birthday cake living in a bran muffin house -- and a nice-looking guy with the substance of a bran muffin living in a birthday cake. They share some misadventures, some romantic moments, some misunderstandings, and ultimately they turn into wedding cake.

And for Plum fans, you'll be interested to find that this was the first of the four romances to feature Elsie Hawkins, the prototype for Grandma Mazur.

Janet Evanovich ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Back to the Bedroom/Wife for Hire
Typical Evonovitch.Great for a laugh and books that I like to re-read.As usual Ms. Evonovitch has produced a perfect story line with comedy being the primary focus.Though her books certianly can't be considered real life there is enough of that involved to make a reader want to be there.

Nice and Fluffy
If your looking for Plum put this book down. You wont find her between these sheets of romance or cello music.

Kate is a riches to rags sort of gal and Dave is a rags to riches sloucher.She works all the time tutoring and playing cello.He sits home all day eating pizza and reading comics.They're neighbors and well...they dont get along until one day when Kate has an object fall from a plane thru her roof. Then a series of events get started that heats things up.

I am a huge fan of Janet Evanovich and I really liked Back to the Bedroom.While I agree it doesn't come close to her Stephanie Plum novels it is still a great soft, funny, cushy kind of read. It's more of a quirky romance book than a mystery.

I recommend this book to folks who want a light and quick read.

[...]

Nothing to jump about
A bit bellow average book.....no big deal of a read....you will not want to make cart wheels after reading the book.lol

The stupidest book I have ever read!
My review title says it all... this is the stupidest book I have ever read.I kept waiting for something interesting to happen but it never did.Don't waste your time or money.

Back to the Bedroom
David Dodd is a happy go lucky guy that is perfectly content to hang out with his friends and read comic books for entertainment.He is a big kid who still loves the things that gave him such joy when he was a child.He has seen his neighbor Kathryn Finn come and go, but really knew nothing about her until one afternoon when something fell from the sky and crashed through her roof. The little glimpse he got of her made him want to get to know that crazy person better.Kate is a professional cellist known as a child progeny.As they get to know each other, she discovers his lack of a job is because he recently won the lottery, and it dismayed her to learn that it really bothered her that he didn't seem to have any life goals.Kate had always been goal oriented from the day she learned to pick up the cello.When people start trying to break into Kate's house, it becomes obvious that whatever it was that crashed into her house was important, and being search for.David feels this is the perfect opportunity to get close to Kate.Can two opposites find a middle ground?

This was a short read.It is obviously one of JE earlier works, and not up to the caliber of more recent work.
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Customer Reviews (180)

another review
excellent.....when i buy several books at a time these reviews are time consuming...can't they be shortened??>>>

Stephanie Plum does it again
I just recently found the Stephanie Plum adventures, bought every book available and read them all in a very short time.This one fills the bill nicely.Not quite as much fun as the numbers series, but good reading just the same.I hope Stephanie lives on for ever!

lucky, funny, great break from the #'s
I really enjoyed this little short read from Janet.I've read all the numbered novels and picked up Plum lucky, Plum Spooky and Plum Lovin at a closeout sale.Plum lucky had me laughing out loud and I've since let several friends borrow the book who thought the same.It gives you a break from Ranger and Morelli without totally diverting from the characters.It is a fast paced cheer you up book and I would recommend it to anyone who needs a laugh.

Reader
I am very happy with the business conducted by Thermite Media. I ordered paperback (Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich) on 6/26 and received it 7/3/10. Excellent service and the book was in the condition it was said to be. I will seriously consider Thermite Media when ordering paperback in the future.

Font problem with this title.
I love all of the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich.I have bought most of them on my Kindle.Unfortunately this one was ruined by a horrible font apparently chosen by Macmillan publishing.Try the sample before buying this book to make sure you can live with the font. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (278)

Plum Lovin's up to Evanovich storiesWho co
Who could NOT like an Evanovich "Plum" story?We wll look forward to the next one.

If You Need Your Stephanie Plum Fix
I read a lot of books, mainly mysteries.I have my favorite authors but love to find good new ones.My dessert in reading are Janet E's Stephanie Plum books.I love to have fun with her and devour the books quickly and satisfyingly like a lovely chocolate cake,mousse,pie,ice cream or bar.Plum Lovin' was a good "Stephanie fix" while I wait for another number series book to come out.I wasn't disappointed.If you want something deep, intriguing, slightly dark - this isn't the book for you.For fun and a few laughs, grab this and enjoy!And it's not fattening.

Not a Tasty Plum
I am a hard core Janet Evanovich fan, with her Stephanie Plum (bounty hunter) series.I never thought I'd read one that wasn't great.Sadly, this one was not great.

Apparently these "books between the numbers" Plum short novels feature "Diesel" as her male opposite.Diesel first appeared in "Visions of Sugar Plums", her first between-the-numbers book that was charming, different, and Christmas-y.

With this third book, Diesel again co-stars and he isn't exciting.He's more just "there". Even the hint of his having super powers has diminished. His character is not fleshed out enough for us to get to know him.If there is a fourth "between the numbers" book, I hope that Ms. Evanovich either gives us more about Diesel so that we care about him or hooks us in about him, or that she changes Stephanie Plum's "between the numbers" co-character.

I think the book lacked the author's sparkling humor. The book had a lot of different characters in it - too many for such a short book - and by the time I got towards the end I had to go back and re-read the beginning to remember who was who.
This is one Stephanie Plum book I could have missed - and should have.

Plum Lovin
Loved the book! As with every Janet Evanovich book, it's well written and a very cute story.

Plum Lovin
I do not like the in-between novels.Not of the same caliber as her regular ones. ... Read more

Product Description

Authors Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes have paired up to create a fast-paced, wacky novel filled with eccentric characters and southern ambiance. In the time-honored tradition of such detective couples as Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man, After the Thin Man) the hero and heroine trade quips and parry sexual innuendos with panache while easily deciphering clues and adroitly coping with danger. Readers will thoroughly enjoy this Jamie Swift/Max Holt adventure, the first in a new series from this author duo. --Lois Faye Dyer ... Read more

Customer Reviews (117)

Let down...
I, too, struggled through this book and was disappointed.It is very distracting when the lead character's brother-in-law is called his cousin sometimes and his brother-in-law at other times.It was a little difficult to read and it was the second book by her that I've read where there are inconsistencies.Why isn't the editor catching these errors?

Not Janet Evanoviches Best by far!
This book was very slow and while it was supposed to be written in light of the Stephanie Plum books it had very little "laugh out loud" parts that I always found in the Plum series.I was pretty disappointed

Good book!
Great light summer time read. Not quite as good as the stephanie Plum series, but still a great read!

Another funny Evanovich Action-Mystery-Romance
Janet Evanovich has become synonymous, in my mind, with open mouth loud laughter. I normally get the audio version and laugh as I drive around town. This a reprint from the Time Before Stephanie Plum, at a low price. She does not disappoint.The book is overloaded with wildly eccentric characters, who act as if they don't know they are eccentric.They do funny things. I will not list them, although it is tempting.I liked the book. I will look for the rest of this series, especially since they are in print, so no waiting.

Reading with Tequila
Full Tilt was very fun, sort of like Knight Rider for written for women. The main star of the novel is a sweet car with a mega-powerful computer. The computer, named Muffin, comes fully equipped with a sexy Marilyn Monroe voice. The actual main characters, Jamie and Max, share a thick romantic tension felt throughout the book.

While I enjoyed the book a lot, I have some complaints as well. Most importantly, the would be killer said some rather obvious things in the middle of the book that, while not ruining the mystery, ruined the surprise reveal at the end. Evanovich and Hughes described Max and Frankie as both brothers-in-law and cousins at different points of the book, While not effecting the story, it was a distracting typo that made me think Max's sister had married her own cousin more than once.

The good more than out-weighted the bad in Full Tilt. It was a very fast, enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series. ... Read more

Product Description

Alexandra (Barney) Barnaby roars onto the Miami Beach scene in hot pursuit of her missing baby brother, "Wild" Bill. Leave it to the maverick of the family to get Barney involved with high-speed car chases, a search for sunken treasure, and Sam Hooker, a NASCAR driver who’s good at revving a woman's engine.

Customer Reviews (258)

Stephanie Plum Lite
This was sort of "Stephanie Plum-lite", right down to the tomboyish main character (Barney), obviously forward love interest ("Nascar Guy" Sam), and crazy sidekicks (gay best friend and Cuban cigar rollers). And I think that's why I didn't love it. While you expect a certain voice and style in a Janet Evanovich book, this was a little too copycat for my tastes. Though I confess that I did like Sam, who was what you would get if Ranger and Morelli had a baby. I'll probably read the second one if I feel like something light I can read in a day, but it won't be something I'll rush to get to.

Insanely bad
Let me start out by saying I love the Stephanie Plum series and read all 16 of them in a month. This book however was stupid. The NASCAR Guy references were idiotic and offensive. The references to the gay character were stereotypical and offensive. The fact that a full cast of characters materialized out of the woodwork was mind boggling. I made it through four chapters and couldn't read any more. I skipped to the last chapter and the epilogue. That was more than enough for me. I bought the second in the series and plan to return it.

Now I see that Evanovich is starting another series with a main character named Diesel -- hello, already used the name in the between the numbers Plum books. Not even going to pick that one up. She needs to get a little more creative and go back to the first 8 Plum books and see what made those so great because these books and the most recent Plum books have really missed them mark.

Alex Barnaby
Janet Evanovich's new series introduces Alex Barnaby, a big sister out to rescue her missing brother. Several stolen cars and one hot NASCAR driver later, the brother is rescued and now it's the NASCAR driver's turn to rescue Alex, just in time to end the book.

Loved it!
It's defintely not the Plum series, but I enjoyed it. Fast paced and funny. Worth a read for sure!

Barney is No Stephanie, Still a Saucy Contemporary Heroine
Metro Girl is the first in Janet Evanovich's Alexander Barnaby Adventure series with our Heroine better know as "Barney."Because my first Janet Evanovich reads were not Stephanie Plum, I am completely able to read the "Barnaby Adventures" and "Full Series" for what they are, fun books by the same author, same style, completely different.If you can read this with that approach, you can enjoy it and find yourself rolling on the coach laughing at the antics and the NASCAR details.If you are so much of a Stephanie Plum fan and only want that from Evanovich, then indeed, pass this series by.It is not Stephanie Plum.

That said, Barney is racing into Miami Beach in search of her baby brother Bill (yes, nice alliteration) who she is frequently rescuing and Sam Hooker of NASCAR races along with her to help, blustering about with male aggression.She's been 3x engaged, and as her dear brother puts it to Hooker, "Barney's hell on men.I hope you haven't got any ideas."The spicy and saucy street smarts mouth style quintessential of Evanovich is throughout "Metro Girl."She is all about cars, a stolen/borrowed boat of Sam's ("The Happy Hooker", Sam Hooker, Happy Hooker, see what I mean? exactly. F bombs as well. Quintessential Evanovich, if you find that snarky funny like me, you will definitely enjoy it.).This is definitely a fast-paced, humorous adventure romance and a light frothy read for the beach or a cold winter night.Curl up and enjoy!





... Read more

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Customer Reviews (58)

Trying way too hard...
I am a big fan of Janet Evanovich and the quirky individuls that populate her books but this one tries way too hard to be goofy and cute and ultimately fails at both. There are too many and they are all way too eccentric - it would have worked better if they had taken the silliness down a notch or two.And the romance between the main characters was totally unbelievable.About half way through I skimply skipped to the end to see "whodunnit" and tossed it into my "books to give away" pile.

Good book!
Great light summer time read. Not quite as good as the stephanie Plum series, but still a great read!

Not enough Max & Jamie!
I've been a fan of this series, but I have to say that I was a little disappointed to find that Jamie and Max weren't the main characters in this adventure.Instead, we get Annie, the owner of the B & B where their wedding is being held, her mysterious tenant, Wes, and Annie's missing husband buried in the backyard.It still had all the zaniness that you would expect from Evanovich, and a pretty good red herring that led to me not having a clue who the real bad guy was. There's one book left in this series, and I'll definitely be reading it.

Lorelei King can bring anything to life
I have listened to the Stephanie Plum's series read by Lorelei King and enjoyed them and didn't think it would be any different with this audio. I love her characters and how she is able to distinguish them all. As for the story I was truly surprised at the end. Great story.

An evolving series, a great concept
This fifth book in the Full Series is the best so far. The first book Full House was a nice romance book with a limited mystery, but it introduced us to Max. The next three books: Full Tilt, Full Speed and Full Blast took Max and now Jamie into adventures and a developing romance. When it seem to be evening out, enter this book. I love that the characters move from book to book so that there is an atmosphere of familiarity without stagnating. For me it brings this charming southern town to a more dimentional level. This book also brings in the humor I associate with Evanovich in Her Plum series. Though not as developed I still found some laugh out loud moments and look forward to Full Scoop, the next in the series. ... Read more

Product Description

Dear Reader,

If you like hot men, hot action and hot attraction you’re going to love this HOT new series! HOT STUFF introduces Cate Madigan, a Boston native from a large and crazy Irish family. Cate has far too much going on to get involved in extracurricular activities, like men and marriage. She spends all day in school, earning her teaching degree, and all night working as a bartender in Boston’s South End. Ex-cop Kellen McBride has decided to make Cate’s bar his nightly haunt. He likes Cate’s sassy Irish spirit and wild red hair. He also has an ulterior motive for getting close to her. Cate has sworn off all things romantic, but when she comes home to a ransacked apartment, a roommate who has flown the coop, and a sleeping bullmastiff named Beast, Cate has no choice but to ask Kellen for help. Can Kate resist the charming Kellen McBride while keeping herself out of danger? Or will Kellen turn up the heat on Cate and everything in her life?

We know you’ll have a blast with HOT STUFF!

Janet & Leanne

Customer Reviews (36)

Hot Stuff is Actually Luke-Warm Stuff
The Evanovich formula came up short this time. It did not measure up to Evanovich's best works. It seemed to rehash previous efforts. It lacked the humor of her most enjoyable stories.

Bob Boan is the author An Introduction to Planetary Defense: A Study of Modern Warfare Applied to Extra-Terrestrial Invasion, Brown Walker Press; Williams Lake Was Once The Center Of The Universe, Verbal Pictures Press and Bobby Becomes Bob, Twilight Times Press.

That was fun....
Now, this is from someone who has never read any of Evanovich's or Bank's books, so I wouldn't know, if this is better or worse than their usual stories.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was the perfect read for those long and rainy fall nights, a little bit of love, a bit of crime, some crazy characters mixed in, and to top it off, a big slobbering dog named "Beast". Light entertainment, as much fun, but with a lot less calories than a box of pralines...

Patrick Pugg is Quite a Crazy Character!
This is a romance novel with a bit of mystery mixed in to spice it up! Crazy characters from Patrick Pugg (whom always refers to himself in the 3rd person) provides lots of humor while you read this novel. I also enjoyed the character Julie, Cate's neighbor, with her wacky stories about her family life back home!!

Cate & Kellen are the main characters and it is fun seeing them fall in love all the while trying to find out what is going on with Cate's roommate Marty who's gotten himself in a tight spot!

Looking for a quick escape from reality? Then this novel is the quick fix you'll need!

Not quite Plum,but not a prune either
I love Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books (the numbered ones, not the in-betweeners) because the characters are entertaining and vivd, the dialogue is lively and believable, and the writing is crisp. Hot Stuff was more like lukewarm. The characters were up to Evanovich's quality and the story had a fun twist to it, but the writing was rushed and the dialogue was ridiculously sophomoric at times. I could take a highlighter and show where Janet was doing the dialogue writing versus someone else. You can't fake witty!!!

Having grown up in the Boston area, the descriptions of the locations were familiar but could have been in just about any U.S. city. Janet and her co-author, Leanne Banks (who I suspect did most of the book) failed to capture the flavor of Boston, and particularly "Southie", the Irish neighborhood where the main character grew up.

While the actual outcome wasn't 100% predictable, it was close. The happily-ever-after ending for all seemed rushed. I would have been open to a sequel to tie up more loose ends. Hopefully, in a second installment, Janet and Leanne could have developed Cate Madigan into an up-and-coming Stephanie Plum.

Even on her worst day, Janet Evanovich is more entertaining than so many other writers of her genre. "Hot Stuff" may not live up to its name but it's still a fun, quick read.

Recycled Plum
I don't think this one was as bad as the typical non-Plum Evanovich books I've read - the ones that are romance novels with not a whole lot more thrown in (I'm talking about the ones with the Knight-Rider-like car that talks?Not worth reading but I did for some reason).

I'll probably read the next one in this series but from the library or borrowed - mostly because the Plum books keep me hopeful.The characters were all familiar but none stood out as especially great.None were all that likeable or interesting.The southern one was definitely Lula rehashed but not laugh-out-loud funny like the original Lula.The romantic tension was zero and I didn't find myself rooting for the main character or even caring what she did.

I actually probably liked Pugg the best even though the "Pugg this" and "Pugg that" stuff got on my nerves and I was happy when his new girlfriend told him to knock it off (he did thank God).I know I'm probably the only person out there who liked him at all but I thought he had a few hidden redeeming characteristics after you got past the third-person way he had of referring to himself.That got old QUICKLY.Kellen was too fake and uninteresting and definitely not a Joe Morelli.

Who out there didn't know the dog bowl had something hidden in it as soon as it arrived or that the cross-dresser wasn't dead?I don't even remember all the final resolutions - it wasn't a very memorable book.Even after reading the other reviews on here I've forgotten the names of most of the characters.Before reading the reviews I didn't remember any of the names other than Pugg - gee, I wonder why I remember that name? ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (32)

More fun with Janet and Stephanie
If you love Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, you won't want to miss this compilation of the fourth, fifth and sixth books in the Plum series. In "Four to Score", "High Five" and "Hot Six", you'll find more of the murder, mayhem, food cravings and fashion crises that always seem to follow Stephanie around, along with her usual cadre of friends, enemies and lovers. While following the trials and tribulations of Stephanie, Lula, Connie, Morelli, Grandma Mazur, Joyce Barnhardt, transvestite rocker Sally Sweet, and of course, Ranger.

Stephanie and Rex (her hamster) move in with on again, off again boyfriend, vice cop Joe Morelli when she finds herself homeless and out of money; champion boxer and homicidal rapist Benito Ramirez (the main villain in the very first book in the series, "One for the Money") returns for revenge, and darkly hunky Ranger is the prime suspect in the brutal murder of the son of an international black-market arms dealer. As usual, Stephanie's loving family - and her two heartthrobs - drive her nuts, and Lula helps her drown her troubles in doughnuts and fast food.

Have three times as much fun in this laugh-out-loud trio of romps. It's like a nice, long getaway with a bunch of old friends.

shipping could be better - book in great condition
I was disappointed when told the book's eta was 3 weeks, but it did show up in less than that.I ordered 2 books and they were shipped separately.I did not request combined, but thought they would see that they went to the same place.They showed up 2 days apart but luckily I got the first in the series firts.The books were in great condition.Overall I am satisfied.

where's the next one?
I loved the first anthology of 3 Plums in One (books 1, 2, and 3.) AND the second anthology of numbers 4, 5, and 6. WHERE IS THE NEXT BIG BOOK CONTAINING 7, 8, and 9? Publisher, HURRY UP ALREADY!

Great to add to fill in a collection
Yes it is 3 books you have probably already read, but that shouldn't give it less stars.I fell in love with these books in high school and borrowed them from the library to read.Now that I'm older, I'm collecting them all in hardback.The 3 Plums in One and More Plumbs in One are in expensive ways to fill in the collections.

not available
was told it was not in stock after ordering it, but did receive a refund shortly thereafter.Really don't know how to rate something I didn't receive, thus the two stars. ... Read more

Product Description

Miami is still freakin' humid. The nights are even hotter. And there's a body on ice. And that's just the beginning of this adrenaline-rush of a hot-wired ride from phenomenal number one New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich.

Customer Reviews (99)

another winner
Evanovich is a hit-machine.This is classic fall off your chair funny with lots of excitement too.

great audio book!
CJ Critt delivers again....Motormouth is entertaining, campy & fun. Whilst I adore Stephanie Plum, I also love Alex barnaby. She's great! I keep seeing the story as a movie. It would be great if cast & directed right. It's kinda like Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels. A hoot, I totally give it 5 stars. People are way too critical, it's popcorn poppin, great summer listening!

Loved it1
Definitely not the Plum series, but very enjoyable. Fast paced and funny. The characters are great. A great, fun read.

A great comedy
This is a great light-hearted screwball comedy. I'm not a fan of NASCAR, but that didn't really matter - you don't have to be a fan to enjoy this book. As usual, Evanovich delivers a fast-paced, funny, light-hearted read.

Motor Mouth
This product arrived on time and was in good condition.
I will buy from this seller again. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (44)

Ultimate in Irony
This book is the epitome of irony.

It is akin to Kevin Costner writing a book on how to act.

What I wouldn't give to read a book by a writer that speaks to things that matter, with raw honesty and real people living their own lives, instead of today's cartoon cut-outs that speak sitcom-ese or the equally idiotic pseudo-mafioso clowns trying to be the next Godfather. Where, where, where are the great writers of today?

This one is the best one!
I have several books on writing. This is my favorite. Kind of a "you are there," right in the room with Janet. Convrsational, very informative. I pack this book around with me.

VJM

Great Way to Get To Know Janet Evanovich
As far as writing tips go, you will find the usual main advice on putting a story together, plotting, story ideas, setting and atmosphere, dialogue, point of view, etc.

What is unique about this book is that you have the opportunity to get into the mind of one of the funniest and most successful authors around. Throughout the book Evanovich uses extensive examples from the Stephanie Plum series to make her point.

Janet's daughter Alex is her webmaster, among other things. When the website was constructed in 1996, Alex began a question and answer series that is still going strong today. This book is constructed from those Q&A's, providing readers with the answers others have asked throughout the years.

Along with the usual writing advice, Janet gives readers a look at a day in the life of a writer, and shares much information about her personal life. She shares how her career got started, the pitfalls to watch out for, and what's hopefully ahead for this marvelous writer.

I strongly recommend this book to all Janet Evanovich fans as you will learn so much about the author and her family that you would not pick up elsewhere.

How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author

Start Here
Best selling author breaks down the ins and outs of writing and the methods she uses to improve your own writing. The book is nicely structured in a question and answer response to the most typical questions you would love to ask an author at a book signing but didn't have the time or nerve to ask.

Helpful - and loads of fun to read!
Evanovich's signature style shines through in this playful, humorous, and extremely useful writing guide."How I Write" is almost as much fun to read as her Plum novels themselves!

Lots of specific examples round out Evanovich's personal advice for writing, revising, and publishing a first book."How I Write" has plenty of relevant details without overwhelming or bogging down the reader - instead, it inspires the novice author to take the plunge into professional writing.

Question-and-answer format is fun and easy to read, and book organization is logical and linear.A table of contents provides the road map, but "How I Write" would have benefited from a detailed topic index in the back.

If you are interested in writing and publishing contemporary fiction, don't miss this quick, fun, and useful read! ... Read more

Product Description
Her tall, dark, and deliciously dangerous boss...

When the delightful, daffy Dog Lady of station WZZZ offered to take on the temporary job of traffic reporter, Steve Crow tried to think of reasons to turn Daisy Adams down. Perhaps he knew that sharing the close quarters of a car with her for hours would give the handsome program director no room to resist her quirky charms. He'd always favored low-slung sportscars and high-heeled women, but that was before he fell for a free spirit who caught crooks by accident, loved old people and pets, and had just too many jobs!

Loving Daisy turned Steve's life upside down, especially once he adopted Bob, a huge dog masquerading as a couch potato. But was Daisy finally ready to play for keeps? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

Loved This Book
I loved this book! It made me laugh out loud. The story lines about Bob the dog, and Elsie were especially funny. It was a cute book, and I was sorry to see the story end.

:0(
It was just o.k.I have read all the Plum books and was expecting more from the author.I find this book slow, and way predictable...and a little boring.I'm having a hard time finishing it.

"Bob" the Dog
I like to read Evanovich's books because there are always fun and they ignite laughter.There is not one of her books that has not made me laugh out loud.This book is the same.You really get to know her characters.You remember the funny scenes and the lines stick with you creating more laughs. I love the "Plum" novels and am so glad to hear of another "Bob the Dog."

Rocky Road to Romance
Daisy Adams is a very busy lady, but she thinks it may be her lousy time management. When she gets up in the morning she delivers papers, then is a crossing guard to protect children on their way to school. She has a temporary job at WZZZ Radio Station doing traffic reports, after which she waitresses at Rogers Steakhouse part-time, and then she moonlights as a taxi cab driver! In her spare time, she wrote a doggie cookbook called Bones for Bowser and has been asked to write another. On top of all her other commitments, she is working on her doctorate in geriatric psychology, and has an internship at a nursing home. Her little brother Kevin is also staying with her while their parents are out of town.

Steve Crow is the owner of WZZZ, and although he hired Daisy to do Bowser spots on Mondays, he had really not noticed her until he hired her to do the traffic reports. Now that he has he wants her bad, but she has no time for anything or anyone. Daisy does need a dog to do taste tests on her doggie meals, so Steve does the only thing he can think of to be near her - he gets a dog named Bob. When Daisy unintentionally hits a drug dealer with her car while doing the traffic report, she is targeted for retribution. Steve has fallen for Daisy, and takes it upon himself to protect her.

This was a fun read. Steve and Daisy have chemistry, are good together, and Bob is just loveable. Who wouldn't be absolutely smitten with a dog that requires pop tarts as motivation to go running in the morning?

Rocky Road to Romance
Daisy Adams is a very busy lady, but she thinks it may be her lousy time management. When she gets up in the morning she delivers papers, then is a crossing guard to protect children on their way to school. She has a temporary job at WZZZ Radio Station doing traffic reports, after which she waitresses at Rogers Steakhouse part-time, and then she moonlights as a taxi cab driver! In her spare time, she wrote a doggie cookbook called Bones for Bowser and has been asked to write another. On top of all her other commitments, she is working on her doctorate in geriatric psychology, and has an internship at a nursing home. Her little brother Kevin is also staying with her while their parents are out of town.

Steve Crow is the owner of WZZZ, and although he hired Daisy to do Bowser spots on Mondays, he had really not noticed her until he hired her to do the traffic reports. Now that he has he wants her bad, but she has no time for anything or anyone. Daisy does need a dog to do taste tests on her doggie meals, so Steve does the only thing he can think of to be near her - he gets a dog named Bob. When Daisy unintentionally hits a drug dealer with her car while doing the traffic report, she is targeted for retribution. Steve has fallen for Daisy, and takes it upon himself to protect her.

This was a fun read. Steve and Daisy have chemistry, are good together, and Bob is just loveable. Who wouldn't be absolutely smitten with a dog that requires pop tarts as motivation to go running in the morning? ... Read more

Product Description

It's the last race of the season, and the wheels are smoking and the temperature is rising at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Alexandra Barnaby is NASCAR driver Sam Hooker's raceday spotter, his eye-in-the-sky, telling Hooker when to pass and when to get off the gas. From her vantage point high above the grandstand she's also seeing things going on in the infield that will change her life. Things that will lead to a stolen racecar hauler, a kidnapped Saint Bernard, a bizarre murder, some restless nights under the covers with Hooker, and a reunion with super cigar roller Rosa Florez and the queen of wholesale fruit Felicia Ibarra.

Customer Reviews (7)

Disappointing to an Evanovich fan
I'm a big fan of Janet Evanovich and the Plum novels.I also usually enjoy C.J. Critt as a reader, but this one failed to capture my attention.Critt's reading made Sam Hooker more lecherous creep than sexy, though flawed, hero.

I'm intrigued by the NASCAR concept and love that Barney is an engineer, but the formula isn't working.It seems like Evanovich did more research for Stephanie Plum's bounty hunter than she has on women in NASCAR, so it's harder to get into these books.There are also too many location changes, unlike the Plum novels, where Trenton, NJ almost becomes a character itself.

As a fan, I know Janet Evanovich can do much better than this. The family business needs to drop this product line and stick with what they know.

Motor Mouth
This book is very funny!The reader is perfect, and has all of the inflections nailed.

Good
Janet never has any new twists.Looking forward to new story lines in the future.

Funny & Fun
This was the sequel to Metro Girl. I enjoyed listening to this book. It is about a Nascar Driver and his ex-girlfriend/mechanic/spotter for his races. The action picks up quickly and is basically non-stop! Some of the situations the characters get into are pretty hilarious. There is a little romance/history between Hooker and Barney, but that is not focused on too much. At first Hooker and his friend Gobbles voices annoyed me very much... but if you can get past that part... the book is actually very good! I don't follow Nascar and was still able to enjoy the story. Each of the characters was funny and different. The descriptions of Miami were awesome (made me wish I was there!) but the descriptions of the murdered people were a little too much... it is hard to be completely amused with a story while picturing some of the scenes. Overall, enjoyable story, fun and funny to listen to, and a good sequel to Metro Girl. If there is another book after this one, I'd love to read it or listen to it.

If you like cheating boyfriends, dog poop, annoying characters and drivel this is the book for you
Janet, what were you thinking of???It is so sad, to see an author who produced a book like One for the Money churning out this garbage.

If you like juvenile gags and the same lame jokes over and over, you get plenty of that in Motor Mouth. Anyone with a smigden of intelligence will want to put it through the shredder. I think Evanovich was aiming for madcap, but instead Motor Mouth was simply maddening. Weak characters, ridiculous storylines, hackneyed over-used childish pranks and pratfalls. I like animals in novels, particularly dogs such as the ones in Linda Lael Miller's books, but this dog, the badly behaved and out of control Beans, was really annoying. Beans was like a cartoon dog, knocking people completely flat all the time and also biting into a corpse for a snack.Totally disgusting.

Hooker, who was so annoying in Metro Girl, was even worse in this book. He actually cheated with on Barney with another woman on page 2, but improbable as it may seem for a woman supposedly as strong as Barney, she didn't drop him like a stone. The guy has no integrity, treated Barney like some track bimbo and she still goes ahead and hangs around and sleeps with him. What is it with Janet Evanovich and cheating? She had Stephanie Plum showing no remorse when trying to cheat on Joe in Twelve Sharp. Is she such a fan of infidelity she now considers it second nature?

This book didn't work on any level. The way Barney and Hooker could steal cars, locate microscopic chips and evade the baddies was completely off the credibility scale. The violence was over the top.

It was repetitive, non-stop garbage. The dog poop stuff, especially the bag of dog poop and corpse biting, was disgusting and anyone feeding their dog the diet fed to the poor Beans should be a target of the Humane Society. It is not funny, and I'd hate to think it would encourage anyone to do the same.It is as JE thinks her readership are 12 year boys who like vomit and poop.

The NASCAR stuff was boring. B O R I N G.

JE churns her books out too quickly, pushing out at least two books a year. This shows as the quality of her work has gone down as the quantity goes up. I would much rather she spend more time on her books like other authors. Let's hope she dumps the Alex Barnaby books and spends more time improving the Plum series, or starts a new series with Ranger.

I only finished this book because I had nothing else to read on a trip. I got this book out the library as I would never buy another Evanovich book after Metro Girl. I wouldn't read another in this series, even a library copy.

... Read more

Product Description
Trenton native Stephanie Plum is out of work, out of money, and her car's in repo-hell.So how does a hardly working girl turn to when the going gets tough?Meet cousin Vinnie, bail bondsman.Stephanie figures it's nice work if you can get it -- shagging bail jumpers for $10,000 a pop.So she joins up.Not that she knows the first thing about it.But hey, beggars can't be choosers.

But now the bad news -- there's a cranky ex-prize fighter dogging her, unfinished business with Maestro Morelli himself, and a nasty habit she has of leaping first and looking later.If Stephanie doesn't wise up fast, the first dead body she sees could be her own.

Amazon.com Review
Stephanie Plum is so smart, so honest, and so funny that her narrativecharm could drive a documentary on termites. But this tough gal from NewJersey, an unemployed discount lingerie buyer, has a much more interestingstory to tell: She has to say that her Miata has been repossessed and thatshe's so poor at the moment that she just drank her last bottle of beer forbreakfast. She has to say that her only chance out of her present rut isher repugnant cousin Vinnie and his bail-bond business. She has to say thatshe blackmailed Vinnie into giving her a bail-bond recovery job worth $10,000(for a murder suspect), even though she doesn't own a gun and has neverapprehended a person in her life. And she has to say that the guy she hasto get, Joe Morelli, is the same creep who charmed away her teenagevirginity behind the pastry case in the Trenton bakery where she workedafter school.

If that hard-luck story doesn't sound compelling enough, Stephanie'sseveral unsuccessful attempts at pulling in Joe make a downright hilariousand suspenseful tale of murder and deceit. Along the way, several moreoutlandish (but unrelentingly real) characters join the story, includingBenito Ramirez, a champion boxer who seems to be following Stephanie Plumwherever she goes.

Janet Evanovich shares an authentic feel for the streets of Trenton in herdebut mystery (she developed her talents in a string of romance novelsbefore creating Ms. Plum), and her tough, frank, and funny first-personnarrator offers a winning mix of vulgarity and sensitivity. Evanovich iscertainly among the best of the new voices to emerge in the mystery fieldof the 1990s. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (602)

One worth the money
As a fan of Stephanie Plum this book definitely sets the stage for her adventures. Although Janet Evanovich writes in a way that you can read the books "out of order" but still know what's going on and the characters' relationships, One for the Money helps to put everything in order. Highly recommended!

Implausible Plum
I didn't like this book. I didn't hate it by any means--I thought it was good enough--but I did not like it. The characters were kind of fun, and it was an easy read. It was also a bit of a page-turner. On the other hand, the main character was utterly and unbelievably dense. I saw nothing romantic about Joe, a guy who molested Stephanie when she was six and took her virginity at eighteen (then never talked to her again and spread rumors about it). I, personally, would probably not make-out with a child molester/player/murderer (but I guess that's just me). Also, were a known rapist and sexual torturer calling me regularly to tell me he was goingto rape me, I probably would call the police and not spend all my time alone. Stephanie Plum did the opposite, and somehow the rapist decided not to rape her on her daily early morning jog . . . alone. In short, the book had mostly implausible characters.

The best book I have ever read
I really like this book I could not put it down and I started on the next right after I got done with this one I just cant wait till I get to the 3nd one...

Entertaining but not my personal favorite
This book is a perfect escape novel, a great read for cuddling up by the fire for an afternoon. That being said if you are looking for serious literature this isn't it. It was fairly graphic and if it were made into a movie it would be more in the genre of a thriller cop movie than say a Miss Marple kind of movie. Anyways, this was a fun read and entertaining.

Addicting Fun!
Darn it!I found another series that I can't put down.I am not sure what I was expecting before reading this book but I can tell you that it has suspense, action, humor, and a little bit of romance.I am not going to repeat the background story as other reviewers have already covered that but it was a great read for me.I couldn't put my nook down with this book and thought I knew who the culprit was all along.I especially like Plum for being a somewhat heroine in this book albeit clumsy and inexperienced.I felt like I was right there by Plum as she set out to catch her man.I will quickly move onto the next book in the series.

P.S.Remember, this is not a literary classic here but something to read purely for entertainment purposes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Loved it!
This book had me laughing out loud from the get-go. Can't wait to read more of the misadventures of Lizzie, Cat, Carl, Glo, Clarinda, Sir Hatcherson, Wulf and, of course..... Diesel! Hmmm, let's see. There are Seven Deadly Sins... so, that means at least six more books, if not more? Thanks JE. I was very entertained by your story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

WHAT A GREAT BOOK.!!!
I WAS ABSOLUTELY THRILLED WITH THIS BOOK. IT WAS ONE OF JANET'S OLDER BOOKS BUT IT WAS GREAT AS ALL HER BOOKS ARE. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED ITS A GREAT READ AND A GOOD LITTLE STORY TOO..

Meet Stephanie Plum's Ancestress & Enjoy A Fun Romance Too!
Long before author Janet Evanovich turned Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire, loose on the citizens of Trenton, NJ, she wrote 12 short romance novels, all screwball comedies with happy endings, some involving just a tad of mystery/suspense. These small treats, (like a piece of good chocolate, they lift your spirits), were published by the Loveswept line between the years 1988 and 1992. I have read and enjoyed them all - but then I love almost everything Ms. Evanovich writes. "Ivan Takes A Wife" is one of my favorites.

Oddly enough, "Ivan Takes A Wife's" heroine is named Stephanie too, Stephanie Lowe, and could very well be the ancestress of Ms. Plum. Like Stephanie P., Stephanie L. is bright, witty, sexy, and in law enforcement....a former a cop. When she graduated from the Academy she looked all of sixteen, perfect to work undercover as a narc at a high school. She had personal reasons for wanting to help the kids to stay off drugs, and to put the pushers away for a long time. When she was identified by the bad guys as a cop and almost killed, she resigned from the force, burnt out. She wanted a change of pace, scenery and local culture, so she moved a good distance away from New Jersey.

Her dream home is in Camden, Maine, overlooking the ocean. Stephanie plans to turn it into a B&B for the tourists who flock to the area each year for the Windjammer cruises, as well as to spend time on the gorgeous Maine coast and offshore islands. She purchases the house, called Haben, from schooner Captain Ivan Rassmussen, a descendant of pirates. His family had lived at Haben for generations. After the sale is completed, she discovers that the toilet is dysfunctional. It leaks so bad that the bathroom floor collapses and falls into the kitchen and downstairs bathroom. The bathroom mirrors go the way of the floor. A new heater is needed desperately before the cold sets in, and the wooden porch floor is rotten. Stephanie, with limited funds, feels she has been swindled by Ivan, And the final straw, his ancient Aunt Tess, long departed from this world, (at least physically), haunts the widow's walk. Fortunately for Ivan, the ghost will only speak to women.

Stephanie's cousin Lucy, the chef on the "Josiah T. Savage," the Captain's schooner, is engaged to a plumber. The couple plan to take a week off to wed and enjoy a short honeymoon. Lucy promises Stephanie that if she will take her place as cook on Ivan's 100 year-old ship for this one week, and feed the handsome Captain, a confirmed bachelor, the crew and passengers, she will have her new husband install the toilet. Although our protagonist barely knows how to boil water, she desperately needs an indoor john. As she steps onboard the "Savage" and greets Ivan, something happens to both of them that never surfaced during the house signing. Sparks fly!! Bigtime! Ivan the Terrible finds the temperature rising rapidly. And Steph, although a virgin, really feels the heat!

The sea trip with passengers is a blast. The kitchen is only a mega disaster for a day or two. The dialogue is fast, furious and delightful. Ms. Evanovich's outrageous humor will be immediately recognizable to fans of the Stephanie Plum series. It is also fun to glimpse prototypes for her future characters.

This is a short, simple, well-written romance - wonderfully entertaining fluff. It's the perfect read for a plane trip or a dismal weekend afternoon. I enjoyed! Hope you do too!
JANA

Early Evanovich is a charmer
Janet Evanovich is better known for her immensely popular, offbeat series of Stephanie Plum novels (beginning with "One For the Money"). Ms Evanovich broke into the business by writing romance novels, and "Ivan Takes a Wife" is not only a charming example of this genre, but anindication of where the character of Stephanie might have originated. Forthe Stephanie of this novel is not a fragile, gentle flower but a retiredcop with a habit of falling (off hillsides, roofs, and boats) and an sassyattitude. Janet includes trademarks her fans will recognize and appreciate,from the steamy sexual situations to the offbeat, delightful supportingcharacters, and even throws in a bit of a mystery to keep the story movingalong. If you have the good fortune to find this novel, enjoy it! ... Read more