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Mr. Perfect
What would make the perfect man?
That's the deliciously racy topic that Jaine Bright and her three girlfriends are pondering one night at their favorite after-hours hot spot: Mr. Perfect. Would he be tall, dark, and handsome? Caring and warmhearted -- or will just muscular do? As their conversation heats up, they concoct a tongue-in-cheek checklist that becomes an overnight sensation, spreading like wildfire at work and sizzling along e-mail lines. But what began as a joke among friends turns deadly serious when one of the four women is murdered....Turning to her neighbor, an unpredictable police detective, for help, Jaine must unmask a killer to save her friends -- and herself. Now, knowing whom to trust and whom to love is a matter of survival -- as the dream of Mr. Perfect becomes a chilling nightmare.
That's the deliciously racy topic that Jaine Bright and her three girlfriends are pondering one night at their favorite after-hours hot spot: Mr. Perfect. Would he be tall, dark, and handsome? Caring and warmhearted -- or will just muscular do? As their conversation heats up, they concoct a tongue-in-cheek checklist that becomes an overnight sensation, spreading like wildfire at work and sizzling along e-mail lines. But what began as a joke among friends turns deadly serious when one of the four women is murdered....Turning to her neighbor, an unpredictable police detective, for help, Jaine must unmask a killer to save her friends -- and herself. Now, knowing whom to trust and whom to love is a matter of survival -- as the dream of Mr. Perfect becomes a chilling nightmare.
405 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2000
About the author
Linda Howard
253 books6,980 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Linda S. Howington is an American best-selling romance author writing under the pseudonym Linda Howard. After 21 years of penning stories for her own enjoyment, she submitted a novel for publication which was very successful. Her first work was published by Silhouette in 1982. She is a charter member of Romance Writers of America and in 2005 Howard was awarded their Career Achievement Award.
Linda Howard lives in Gadsden, Alabama with her husband, Gary F. Howington, and two golden retrievers. She has three grown stepchildren and three grandchildren.
Linda S. Howington is an American best-selling romance author writing under the pseudonym Linda Howard. After 21 years of penning stories for her own enjoyment, she submitted a novel for publication which was very successful. Her first work was published by Silhouette in 1982. She is a charter member of Romance Writers of America and in 2005 Howard was awarded their Career Achievement Award.
Linda Howard lives in Gadsden, Alabama with her husband, Gary F. Howington, and two golden retrievers. She has three grown stepchildren and three grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,148 reviews
March 25, 2015
Dear book:
This is my favorite Linda Howard so far <3
I enjoyed every second of it, laughed like crazy at half the book and swooned over Sam the other half of it :D
“Let me go,” she said, more nervous than she cared to reveal.
“No.”
“No!” she repeated. “You can’t say no. It’s against the law to hold me against my will.”
“I’m not holding you against your will; I’m holding you against your car.”
The story
Four friends meet for lunch and make a fun list about what a perfect man should be like.
That, of course, goes public and makes a lot of problems with them, especially when a psycho lunatic finds himself insulted by their requirements and decides to punish them all.
This was fun though I don't think it would've gotten so big in real life (the list and all the hype around it), but who cares ahahhah :D
“I changed my mind.” She was still pushing on his shoulders. She was still accomplishing exactly nothing.
“You can’t change your mind!” He sounded desperate now.
“Yes, I can.”
“Do you have herpes?”
“No.”
“Syphilis?”
“No.”
“Gonorrhea?”
“No.”
“AIDS?”
“No!”
“Then you can’t change your mind.”
“What I have is a ripe egg.” That was probably a lie. Almost positively a lie. She would probably start her period tomorrow, so the little ovum was long past viability, but she didn’t take chances with potential offspring. If any life was left in the bundle of DNA, Sam’s sperm would jump-start it. Some things were just a given.
The ripe-egg news gave him pause. He thought about it. Offered: “I can use a condom.”
Sam and Jaine
The romance here was so fun and the attraction between them amazing!
They were a mix of love and hate and that's what made it awesome :D
They fought all the time and flirted all the time and I just loved it all <3
One thing though that didn't make sense and I have to say I've noticed LH has a tendency to do insta-love in her books, but here it went a bit too far...
That's basically the only thing I didn't like in this book but I looked past it because everything else was perfect :)
“I didn’t shake you. I kind of bounced on you, but I didn’t shake you.”
“Bounced,” he repeated.
“You had a hard-on. I couldn’t let it go to waste, could I?”
“You could have woke me up before you started not letting it go to waste.”
“Look,” she said, exasperated, “if you don’t want it used, don’t lie on your back with it sticking up like that. If that isn’t an invitation, I don’t know what is.”
Overall
Mucho love for this one <3
The romance <3
The dialogue <3
The fights <3
The humor <3
Oh and I forgot, the bad guy! I totally didn't see it coming when it was revealed who it was. Maybe I'm just that stupid but oh well, it was a surprise and I'm happy I didn't guess right :D
For anyone who hasn't tried LH and would want to, you can start with this one, or After the Night if you like jerkish heroes :D
April 3, 2023
THERE ARE MULTIPLE REASONS WHY I LOVE THIS BOOK….
A) THE BANTER
B) THE CHEMISTRY
I can’t count anymore how often this book made me laugh out loud. The dialogues between Sam and Jaine are on point, funny, sexy, hilarious. Janie is such a straightforward kind of person, she attacks life with gusto, and tenacity. She is not afraid of anything, and it shows. Sam, the poor guy, should be afraid, but he is the opposite, he loves everything about Jaine. He is confident, unfazed, and perfectly equipped to handle a strong-willed woman like Jaine, and it shows in many ways throughout the novel. And he is never in danger of losing sight of what’s important, and the way he takes care of Jaine is still my favorite part of the book.
Together they were explosive. And I had a first row seat, enjoying it all.
Also their easy way with each other, their no-nonsense approach to a future relationship was refreshing, and so Linda Howard. Now, reading this book in 2019, I realize that there is a hefty dose of insta-marriage in this book. I’m trying to remember if this was the norm in 2000. I’m not usually a fan of insta-anything, but the overall feel of this novel is still the same as it was when I read it the first time.
The suspense is through the roof, and I’m actually shocked every time about the author not pulling any punches. There is quite the body count in this novel. I feel like this rarely happens in romantic suspense novels anymore. And it surprises me every time I read it.
So, if you love romantic suspense you MUST read Linda Howard’s books, but especially this one.
A) THE BANTER
B) THE CHEMISTRY
I can’t count anymore how often this book made me laugh out loud. The dialogues between Sam and Jaine are on point, funny, sexy, hilarious. Janie is such a straightforward kind of person, she attacks life with gusto, and tenacity. She is not afraid of anything, and it shows. Sam, the poor guy, should be afraid, but he is the opposite, he loves everything about Jaine. He is confident, unfazed, and perfectly equipped to handle a strong-willed woman like Jaine, and it shows in many ways throughout the novel. And he is never in danger of losing sight of what’s important, and the way he takes care of Jaine is still my favorite part of the book.
Together they were explosive. And I had a first row seat, enjoying it all.
Also their easy way with each other, their no-nonsense approach to a future relationship was refreshing, and so Linda Howard. Now, reading this book in 2019, I realize that there is a hefty dose of insta-marriage in this book. I’m trying to remember if this was the norm in 2000. I’m not usually a fan of insta-anything, but the overall feel of this novel is still the same as it was when I read it the first time.
The suspense is through the roof, and I’m actually shocked every time about the author not pulling any punches. There is quite the body count in this novel. I feel like this rarely happens in romantic suspense novels anymore. And it surprises me every time I read it.
So, if you love romantic suspense you MUST read Linda Howard’s books, but especially this one.
June 16, 2021
This book was okay. I chose it because I wanted to read some romantic suspense. Don’t have much to say other than it was fun but nothing memorable. I thought "the list" making national news is outstretched. The characters were fine, I knew who the first victim was going to be, obvious. But just that, didn't figure out the mystery (not sure if the prologue had any hints but I read it around a month ago). The interaction between the MCs was cute, I liked their relationship (even if rushed).
Not bad if you’re into this genre or looking for a quick read but don’t expect something great.
Not bad if you’re into this genre or looking for a quick read but don’t expect something great.
February 4, 2012
I only read SEVEN PERCENT of this book. So take my review with a grain of salt.
I often search the internet for "best romance novels of all time." There are, surprisingly, a lot of lists dedicated to enumerating the best romance novels ever written. I've found quite a few gems this way. THIS novel made the top ten of most of those lists. I spent most of my life thinking that all romance novels were a waste of my time and intellect, until I rediscovered romance about four years ago. I discovered that romance can be well-written AND highly enjoyable and entertaining.
But this novel is an example of why I turned up my nose at the genre 25 years ago.
Life is too short to waste on drivel. I can see where this book is going from 1200 miles away.
Four friends are in a bar having a HILARIOUS good time. OMG. Men suck. Yeah, men are so sucky. What kind of man would you want if you could have THE PERFECT MAN? OMG. Don't talk like that. You're insane. No, really. What's the perfect man? No. You're taking it too far. Heheheheheheh. Funny stuff. Seriously. Okay, he would definitely have to be faithful. Seriously? Really. Well, if you think so. Yeah, that's MOST important. What about a sense of humor? OMG. You are SO right. A sense of humor. OMG that's funny. Teehee. He should be good looking. Teehee. He should be great in bed. Teehee. He should be rich. Teehee. He should be responsible. DUDES!!! This is all so original and FUNNY. Seriously though? He should have a ten inch penis.
Hmmmm.....where does the story go?....hmmm...I already know this is a murder suspense romance. The next door neighbor is a cop.....hmmm.....there is a serial killer and the title is Mr. Perfect....hmmmm.....nah, not predictable at all. I really have no idea what could possibly happen next. Oh, are the friends going to be murdered one by one? By a serial killer that heard about their original requirements for a man? Or something to that effect? WHATEVER. I seriously don't care.
This is an example of severely dumbed down writing. Romance readers are idiots, right? Otherwise they would read serious literature instead of romance trash. Obviously romance readers can't handle big words or nuanced narratives. And of course, grammatical integrity, consistent voice and a plot that takes more thought than a infant can muster would just be TOO MUCH for a romance reader to handle.
EXCERPT:
You and me BOTH Jaine! I don't understand the purpose of the entire passage.
Is this an obvious set-up for future happenings in the plot? The cat will be murdered and the car destroyed?
Is this a pathetic attempt at characterization? Because now I hate Jaine and think she's a whiny baby. I feel no accord with this character.
Or was this merely an attempt to pad the word count?
It was all so stilted. Unnecessary. Like a conversation with someone who gives you way too many details about a story they're about to tell and you're just sitting there thinking: "Please get on with it. For the love of God--please."
I often search the internet for "best romance novels of all time." There are, surprisingly, a lot of lists dedicated to enumerating the best romance novels ever written. I've found quite a few gems this way. THIS novel made the top ten of most of those lists. I spent most of my life thinking that all romance novels were a waste of my time and intellect, until I rediscovered romance about four years ago. I discovered that romance can be well-written AND highly enjoyable and entertaining.
But this novel is an example of why I turned up my nose at the genre 25 years ago.
Life is too short to waste on drivel. I can see where this book is going from 1200 miles away.
Four friends are in a bar having a HILARIOUS good time. OMG. Men suck. Yeah, men are so sucky. What kind of man would you want if you could have THE PERFECT MAN? OMG. Don't talk like that. You're insane. No, really. What's the perfect man? No. You're taking it too far. Heheheheheheh. Funny stuff. Seriously. Okay, he would definitely have to be faithful. Seriously? Really. Well, if you think so. Yeah, that's MOST important. What about a sense of humor? OMG. You are SO right. A sense of humor. OMG that's funny. Teehee. He should be good looking. Teehee. He should be great in bed. Teehee. He should be rich. Teehee. He should be responsible. DUDES!!! This is all so original and FUNNY. Seriously though? He should have a ten inch penis.
Hmmmm.....where does the story go?....hmmm...I already know this is a murder suspense romance. The next door neighbor is a cop.....hmmm.....there is a serial killer and the title is Mr. Perfect....hmmmm.....nah, not predictable at all. I really have no idea what could possibly happen next. Oh, are the friends going to be murdered one by one? By a serial killer that heard about their original requirements for a man? Or something to that effect? WHATEVER. I seriously don't care.
This is an example of severely dumbed down writing. Romance readers are idiots, right? Otherwise they would read serious literature instead of romance trash. Obviously romance readers can't handle big words or nuanced narratives. And of course, grammatical integrity, consistent voice and a plot that takes more thought than a infant can muster would just be TOO MUCH for a romance reader to handle.
EXCERPT:
Why on earth her mother had wanted her to baby-sit the cat, instead of Shelley or Dave, was beyond her. They both had kids who could play with BooBoo and keep him entertained. Since school was out for summer vacation, that meant someone was home at both their houses almost all day, every day.
But, nooo. Jaine had to keep BooBoo. Never mind that she was single, was at work five days a week, and wasn't used to having a pet. If she did have a pet, it wouldn't be one like BooBook, anyway. He'd been in a feline pout ever since he'd been neutered, and he took out his frustration on the furniture. In just one week, he had frayed the sofa to the point that she would have to have it reupholstered.
And BooBoo didn't like her. He like her well enough when he was in his home, coming around to be petted, but he didn't like being in her home at all. Every time she tried to pet him now, he arched his back and hissed at her.
To top it off, Shelley was mad at her because Mom had chosen Jaine to baby-sit her precious BooBoo. After all, Shelley was the oldest, and obviously more settled. It didn't make sense that Jaine had been chosen over her. Jaine agree with her, but that didn't soothe the hurt feelings.
No, what really topped it off was that David, who was a year younger than Shelley, was mad at her too. Not because of BooBoo; David was allergic to cats, No, what had him steamed was that Dad had stored his precious car in her garage--which meant she couldn't park in her own garage, since it was a single, and it was damned inconvenient. She wished David had the blasted car. She Wished Dad had left it in his own garage, but he'd been afraid to leave it unattended for six weeks. She understood that, but she didn't understand why she'd been chosen to baby-sit both cat and car. Shelley didn't understand the cat, David didn't understand the car, and Jaine didn't understand any of it.
You and me BOTH Jaine! I don't understand the purpose of the entire passage.
Is this an obvious set-up for future happenings in the plot? The cat will be murdered and the car destroyed?
Is this a pathetic attempt at characterization? Because now I hate Jaine and think she's a whiny baby. I feel no accord with this character.
Or was this merely an attempt to pad the word count?
It was all so stilted. Unnecessary. Like a conversation with someone who gives you way too many details about a story they're about to tell and you're just sitting there thinking: "Please get on with it. For the love of God--please."
August 4, 2020
4.5 Stars
August 5, 2013
"If you're looking for Mr. Perfect, you're going to spend your whole life being disappointed, because he doesn't exist."
I generally hate books where any female or group of females start making a mental or physical list of what they want in a man. Lists are absolutely stupid. Love is unpredictable and shouldn't be put in a box. Sure, six-pack abs and a huge salary can be awesome, but the sweet guy with the messy hair and cute dimples might be the right one, even if he doesn't have guns of steel or a six figure income.
Whoops. Let me get off my soap box because this wasn't that type of book. On the contrary, the list was supposed to be a fun game and nothing more, which made me thankful that I wasn't going to have to hate the characters in this book for being ultra-shallow.
Mr. Perfect is a romantic suspense/murder mystery book with a side of comedy. Suspense is not my preferred genre, and cops are not my preferred type of hero, but Linda Howard surprised me by making both work in her favor because I ended up really liking this book!
It must have been that side of comedy which made the book feel like it wasn't as somber as it could have been.
Computer Nerd office signs for the win!
XEROX AND WURLITZER HAVE ANNOUNCED THEY WILL MERGE TO MARKET REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS.
NEW PRESS RELEASE BY THE FDA : RED MEAT IS NOT BAD FOR YOU. RESULTS OF TESTS SHOW IT IS FUZZY GREEN MEAT THAT IS BAD FOR YOU.
These signs sprinkled throughout the book, along with some of the fun banter, brought a great balance to the dark subject matter.
After all, there was still a killer on the loose, terrorizing the four women who started the list. Looks like someone didn't feel perfect enough to make the list...
"Which one are you?" whispered a ghostly voice.
I mentioned the cop hero. Sam was great. Who knew I just needed the right author to come along and make me fall for a cop? He might have been a little too gruff at times and made a few off remarks (yes, he called his ex-wife a bitch) which you might not see in a more recent novel, but when he needed to be, he was sweet and protective.
There were a couple of little pokes at feminism which were odd, but I sort of rolled right over them because I wasn't seeing any big malice showing through. In fact, I didn't have much to complain about when it came to Mr. Perfect. Between the mystery, the romance, and the comedy, I got enough to keep me entertained on a lazy night. If I had to come up with one complaint it would have to be hidden behind a spoiler tag, so only look if you don't mind being spoiled.
I'll definitely pick up another Linda Howard book again in the future, if only to get my fix of random wacky lines such as :
"Then I got inside you and it was like sticking my cock in an electrical outlet."
Read
October 15, 20185 (Still) Perfect Stars!!
Re-read time June 19 to 21 2013.
Still perfect after all this time. I've reread this book more than I could count and it never fails to make me laugh, cry and swoon. This book is what made me a fan of Linda Howard's writing. This was Linda Howard at her peak writing form; witty, fun, hilarious and terrifying at the same time.
Mr. Perfect is a story about four friends and their idea of Mr. Perfect. The fours friends understood, of course, that Mr. Perfect doesn't really exist in real life but that didn't stop them from making the Mr. Perfect list. It was supposed to stay between them but one thing led to another and suddenly, the ladies find themselves as the newest national sensation. Worst of all, they also attracted the attention of a very disturb and sinister mind who will stop at nothing to hurt them. As to who and why he'd want to hurt them, well, I say, you must read the book because I'm not spoiling anything. :D
Why I love this book...
We're all familiar with that book where the heroine meets the hero and it was viola! Instant attraction, lust and even love at first sight. And then we get a heroine who keeps saying in her head, "He's so gorgeous," or "he's the most beautiful man I've ever met," or "he's perfect I wanna devour him." That plus the gushing and clenching their girly parts.
This book doesn't have that. You'd get the exact opposite. First of all, Jaine (that's our female MC) thinks that Sam (our male MC) is foul-tempered drunk and a world-class jerk. No ifs and buts about it. She wasn't a bit attracted to him. In fact she contemplated on boiling her fingers because it touched him. :D
All she knew was that he was a rough-looking character, and he didn’t seem to hold down a regular job. At best, he was a drunk, and drunks could be mean and destructive. At worst, he was involved in illegal stuff, which added dangerous to the list. He was a big, muscular guy, with dark hair cut so short he almost looked like a skinhead. Every time she had seen him, he looked as if he hadn’t shaved in two or three days. Add that to the bloodshot eyes and bad temper, and she came up with drunk.
It was downright hilarious the moment they "officially" met too. And boy, was Jaine ever wrong about her first impression of the guy.
“I haven’t had any sleep, any breakfast, or any coffee. I’d better leave before I hurt you.”
He nodded. “That’s a good idea. I’d hate to have to arrest you.”
She stared at him, taken aback. “What?”
“I’m a cop,” he said, then turned and walked back into his house. Jaine stared after him, shocked. A cop?
“Well, fuck,” she said.
See, what I mean? That was just refreshing to me. I always find it fascinating when a romance author tries to subvert a well known trope, in this case the insta-attraction or insta-lust trope, and give us something different.
Of course, this dislike turned into something a lot more pleasant when Jaine saw Sam in his birthday suit outside her kitchen window. Jaine's inner monologue in that one was seriously funny and seriously hot. I swear reading that part made me wish, I had a hunky neighbor I could perv on. LH described Sam's nakedness and Jaine's reaction to it in way that make you laugh and turn you on at the same time.
What then happened wasn’t her fault. She was standing at the sink rinsing out her cup when the kitchen light in the house across the way flicked on and Sam walked into view. She stopped breathing. Her lungs seized, and she stopped breathing. “Sweet baby Jesus,” she croaked, and managed to inhale.
She was seeing more of Sam than she had ever thought she would; everything, in fact. He stood in front of the refrigerator, stark naked. She barely had time to admire his buns before he took a bottle of orange juice from the fridge, twisting off the top and tilting it to his mouth as he turned around. She forgot all about his buns. He was more impressive coming – no pun intended – than he was going, and that was saying something, because his butt was severely cute. The man was hung.
In spite of that encounter, they didn't immediately jump into bed and have sex. They had to work out some issues first, plus the fact there was a killer on the loose after Jaine and her friends. But when they did? YOWZA! LH writes some of the best love scenes around. She's not overly descriptive. There's almost like a brusque quality to the way she writes these scenes that does something your imagination. And for someone with a very active imagination like moi, this was just perfect for me.
Sam Donovan, or as Jaine referred to him as the jerk, was a wonderfully swoony character. He is alpha without being too over the top and the jerk is funny. He can totally match Jaine in the wit department. Plus, he ain't that bad looking either. Oh, who am I kidding? Sam is gorgeous in a totally manly way and most of all, he's got the right equipment.
“I tracked it down on the Web. It was funny stuff – Ms. C.” She gaped at him. “How did you know?” she demanded.
He snorted. “Like I wouldn’t recognize your smart-ass mouth even in print. ‘Anything over eight is strictly for show-and-tell’,” he quoted at her.
“I might have known you’d remember only the sex stuff.”
“Sex is much on my mind these days. And just for the record – I don’t have anything for show-and-tell.”
If he didn’t, he hadn’t missed it by much, Jaine thought, remembering with great fondness how he had looked in profile.
He continued, “I’m just happy I’m not in the point-and-laugh category.”
The story was seamlessly told in multiple POVs, with Jaine having the most of them. We also get to be inside the mind of the killer and let me tell you, it was creepy as hell and very disturbing. I have to warn you though, there is much sadness that happened in this book. I won't elaborate anything more than that but this book isn't all hearts and rainbows. But it does have an HEA.
Overall, very solid and pretty much unforgettable story from Linda Howard. Definitely worth the five stars!
November 19, 2015
What do you get when four friends get together for their weekly girls night out and have a little too much to drink? Well, in this story, you get a list detailing what these friends think it takes to make the perfect man.
And what do you get when that list becomes an overnight sensation with a nearly cult like following? Well, in this story, you get murder!
I’ve had this book on my shelves for quite awhile and whenever my Goodreads friends would talk about Linda Howard’s books, Mr. Perfect was sure to be listed as one of her very best, and almost always a favorite. So why did I put off reading this book, you ask? Because I thought the cover was ugly. And let me just tell you now, it’s true what they say; you should never judge a book by its cover.
Mr. Perfect was a fun, fast paced, sexy read and once I got started I just couldn’t put it down. And while the idea that such a list could become so insanely popular and cause such havoc is a bit on the farfetched side, the story was written in such a way that made it believable, and the characters were written just as well.
Jaine Bright and Sam Donovan were both so perfect, and yet so flawed that they felt like real people to me, not just words and images bunched together to give us characters to read about, but honest to goodness real people. Their banter was laugh out loud funny and their sexual chemistry burned up the pages.
I also loved the secondary characters who filled out the group of friends, four ladies working for the same company yet in different departments. Their love for each other was so apparent, and it made me think of a couple of my own closest friends. I could easily see us all sitting down and getting carried away, laughing and just having a great time creating our ideal man, our own Mr. Perfect.
The bottom line – This was my first Linda Howard read and before I was even 1/3 of the way through I was ordering more of her books. It was fun, exciting and very sexy, so needless to say, I really enjoyed Mr. Perfect and I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!
4.5/5.0
January 29, 2024
Despite reading the plagiarized version before, I couldn't put this book down.
Sam was funny, Jaine was feisty and together they were scorching. All the other characters were equally entertaining. Buttttt I still don't think TJ should have forgiven her jackass husband.
Sam was funny, Jaine was feisty and together they were scorching. All the other characters were equally entertaining. Buttttt I still don't think TJ should have forgiven her jackass husband.
April 19, 2013
This is an old book but I see that most of her books have now been released on Kindle - Lucky Me - Not So Lucky my Credit Card!!!! I have read a few of Linda's other books and loved them. This was a great story with a spunky, sassy heroine and a gorgeous hero - wouldn't mind a bit of Sam living next door to me. Sad, funny, mysterious - it had it all - hopefully the kindle edition will bring a new realm of readers to discover Ms Howard.
February 28, 2013
This book was very funny and a good romantic suspense. The interaction between Jaine and Sam was hilarious. She is a bit of a spit fire and he has a bit of a temper. I love the part where she sprays him with the hose then he hold her against her car. She tells him he is holding her against her will but he says he isn't, he is holding her against her car. The diagolue was great and the suspense portion was good. This is a great read if you enjoy a laugh, good romance and a bit of suspense!
April 15, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ four stars -
This has to be one of the most well-crafted books I’ve read in quite some time. It’s obvious to this serial reviewer that this book was one of the author’s cherished children. It’s clearly been outlined, plotted, edited, and retouched. I noticed and thoroughly appreciated the love and care that went into the crafting of this story. Well done, Howard 🙌.
This romantic suspenseful crime drama is not only one of the better books I’ve read this year, it’s also an enjoyable heart-pounding murder mystery. (Note: even though this book was new to me, original publication date is 2000.) The plot arc also satisfyingly includes a plot twist that was wholly enjoyed by this reader. Just an all-out enjoyable read for me.
This story centers around our fmc, Jaine, and her group of friends - all professional women who come into contact with a serial killer. The story is thrilling with the murder mystery it centers around. I also enjoyed the portrayal of female friendships and the storyline of growth each of these characters are shown to have for their own personal arcs. It’s that well done that each character’s own arc is fulfilling and complete.
This being a novel by Howard, romance (and adult sexy times) are also a strong component of the story. Being a reader of romance near exclusively, this is one of the main reasons I picked up a Howard to begin with, and the romance here between our main H and h does not disappoint. The story features one of my own favorite tropes: enemies to lovers - *sigh.
Beyond the slightly gruesome murders happening in the story (in this one it’s not too terribly graphically gruesome) the romance that develops between our two mcs is sweet, sexy, and heartfelt. Howard’s Heroes tend to lean to the alpha side, which I love, so I was pretty on board with that - ha.
Overall, I was engrossed in this story, entertained, and I fed off the suspense and intrigue. I most definitely enjoyed the romance, and I would recommend this book to anyone out there who enjoys romantic suspense.
As mentioned above, I also remain highly impressed with the attention to detail in this novel. Clearly Howard loved this story, and also benefited from a publisher that provided excellent editing. Kudos to all involved - if no one else notices you all loved this book, at least this reader did. Fantastic job.
Four stellar galactic stars. Highly recommend.
This has to be one of the most well-crafted books I’ve read in quite some time. It’s obvious to this serial reviewer that this book was one of the author’s cherished children. It’s clearly been outlined, plotted, edited, and retouched. I noticed and thoroughly appreciated the love and care that went into the crafting of this story. Well done, Howard 🙌.
This romantic suspenseful crime drama is not only one of the better books I’ve read this year, it’s also an enjoyable heart-pounding murder mystery. (Note: even though this book was new to me, original publication date is 2000.) The plot arc also satisfyingly includes a plot twist that was wholly enjoyed by this reader. Just an all-out enjoyable read for me.
This story centers around our fmc, Jaine, and her group of friends - all professional women who come into contact with a serial killer. The story is thrilling with the murder mystery it centers around. I also enjoyed the portrayal of female friendships and the storyline of growth each of these characters are shown to have for their own personal arcs. It’s that well done that each character’s own arc is fulfilling and complete.
This being a novel by Howard, romance (and adult sexy times) are also a strong component of the story. Being a reader of romance near exclusively, this is one of the main reasons I picked up a Howard to begin with, and the romance here between our main H and h does not disappoint. The story features one of my own favorite tropes: enemies to lovers - *sigh.
Beyond the slightly gruesome murders happening in the story (in this one it’s not too terribly graphically gruesome) the romance that develops between our two mcs is sweet, sexy, and heartfelt. Howard’s Heroes tend to lean to the alpha side, which I love, so I was pretty on board with that - ha.
Overall, I was engrossed in this story, entertained, and I fed off the suspense and intrigue. I most definitely enjoyed the romance, and I would recommend this book to anyone out there who enjoys romantic suspense.
As mentioned above, I also remain highly impressed with the attention to detail in this novel. Clearly Howard loved this story, and also benefited from a publisher that provided excellent editing. Kudos to all involved - if no one else notices you all loved this book, at least this reader did. Fantastic job.
Four stellar galactic stars. Highly recommend.
July 28, 2020
Una combinación de romance y suspenso, donde el suspenso le gana al romance. No es que no me haya gustado, tiene algunas partes muy buenas, pero me faltó conocer el punto de vista de Sam; la relación sólo se ve desde la perspectiva de Jaine y creo que eso influye en que el avance de la relación no sea muy creíble. En todo caso me encantaron ambos como personajes; hay que reconocer que tienen mucha química y las pullas entre ellos le dan un toque muy fresco a un argumento que a medida que avanzan las páginas se pone cada vez más serio.
La parte de intriga estuvo muy bien manejada. Todo comienza con una broma, un lista que hacen cuatro amigas una noche de viernes en un bar, con las características que debiera tener el hombre perfecto. Esta lista se filtra e, increíblemente, llega a los medios locales y, a falta de mejores noticias, comienza a circular de forma desproporcionada. El problema comienza realmente cuando, además de las bromas de los compañeros de trabajo y el acoso de periodistas, un psicópata comienza a acechar a estas cuatro amigas ya que siente esta lista como una afrenta personal.
Me gustó que en esta parte la autora no se fuera con medias tintas y elabora una trama que mantiene en vilo, porque realmente no se sabe qué esperar. A medida que avanza la historia, las acciones del psicópata van en aumento y cuando se revela su identidad, es en verdad una sorpresa.
Definitivamente una buena lectura, que quedaría excelente cómo película.
Reto #7 PopSugar 2019: Un libro del que creas que debería hacerse película
La parte de intriga estuvo muy bien manejada. Todo comienza con una broma, un lista que hacen cuatro amigas una noche de viernes en un bar, con las características que debiera tener el hombre perfecto. Esta lista se filtra e, increíblemente, llega a los medios locales y, a falta de mejores noticias, comienza a circular de forma desproporcionada. El problema comienza realmente cuando, además de las bromas de los compañeros de trabajo y el acoso de periodistas, un psicópata comienza a acechar a estas cuatro amigas ya que siente esta lista como una afrenta personal.
Me gustó que en esta parte la autora no se fuera con medias tintas y elabora una trama que mantiene en vilo, porque realmente no se sabe qué esperar. A medida que avanza la historia, las acciones del psicópata van en aumento y cuando se revela su identidad, es en verdad una sorpresa.
Definitivamente una buena lectura, que quedaría excelente cómo película.
Reto #7 PopSugar 2019: Un libro del que creas que debería hacerse película
September 28, 2018
Reseña completa: http://masromance.blogspot.com/2018/0...
Segunda lectura para el reto Rita 2.0
Pues no creo que sea un novelón, la verdad. Pero me lo he pasado tan bien con él, sobre todo hasta el último tercio de que le voy a dar las 4 estrellas
Analizando, lo cierto es que la historia de ellos es muy inverosímil. No es un instalove esto es lanzarse de cabeza sin pensar en nada lo de ella lo puedo entender, porque él es un encanto. Pero lo de él no termino de entenderlo… ¿en serio?
Pero la verdad es que con sus diálogos me he reído, algo que no acostumbro a hacer. Y eso vale una estrella!!!
Y no solo eso es complicado de asimilar… todo lo que pasa alrededor de estas cuatro mujeres es muy difícil de asimilar. Pero esto es América en donde todo es posible!!!
Sobre el suspense.. pues mucho me temo que la autora me ha metido un gol. Y eso que si lees detenidamente lo dice claro, alto y decidido, pero no he caído. Eso me ha gustado, aunque admito que me lo he pasado tan bien leyendo esta historia surrealista que el tema del asesino me ha dado un poco igual y queda totalmente en segundo plano. Y creo que a la autora le ha pasado lo mismo.
Es una novela bastante corta que se lee rápida, con una historia increíble y llena de muchos tópicos pero si os queréis reír un rato, no lo dudéis
Segunda lectura para el reto Rita 2.0
Pues no creo que sea un novelón, la verdad. Pero me lo he pasado tan bien con él, sobre todo hasta el último tercio de que le voy a dar las 4 estrellas
Analizando, lo cierto es que la historia de ellos es muy inverosímil. No es un instalove esto es lanzarse de cabeza sin pensar en nada lo de ella lo puedo entender, porque él es un encanto. Pero lo de él no termino de entenderlo… ¿en serio?
Pero la verdad es que con sus diálogos me he reído, algo que no acostumbro a hacer. Y eso vale una estrella!!!
Y no solo eso es complicado de asimilar… todo lo que pasa alrededor de estas cuatro mujeres es muy difícil de asimilar. Pero esto es América en donde todo es posible!!!
Sobre el suspense.. pues mucho me temo que la autora me ha metido un gol. Y eso que si lees detenidamente lo dice claro, alto y decidido, pero no he caído. Eso me ha gustado, aunque admito que me lo he pasado tan bien leyendo esta historia surrealista que el tema del asesino me ha dado un poco igual y queda totalmente en segundo plano. Y creo que a la autora le ha pasado lo mismo.
Es una novela bastante corta que se lee rápida, con una historia increíble y llena de muchos tópicos pero si os queréis reír un rato, no lo dudéis
December 20, 2013
●
The Mr. Perfect List
●
★Faithful
★Nice
★Dependable
★Steady job
★Sense of humor
★Financially comfortable
★Good to look at
★Great in bed
★10" requirement
★Last in bed at least 30 minutes
Four co-workers go out for drinks after work and after a few drinks they've comprised a list of requirements for their Mr. Perfect. The list somehow makes their work newspaper and begins to cause all kinds of chaos for these four women. It was all fun and games until one of them turns up murdered.
I've read four books by Linda Howard. All 5 stars:
#1 - Cry No More
#2 - Dream Man
#3 - Mr. Perfect
#4 - After the Night
Standalone
★Faithful
★Nice
★Dependable
★Steady job
★Sense of humor
★Financially comfortable
★Good to look at
★Great in bed
★10" requirement
★Last in bed at least 30 minutes
Four co-workers go out for drinks after work and after a few drinks they've comprised a list of requirements for their Mr. Perfect. The list somehow makes their work newspaper and begins to cause all kinds of chaos for these four women. It was all fun and games until one of them turns up murdered.
I've read four books by Linda Howard. All 5 stars:
#1 - Cry No More
#2 - Dream Man
#3 - Mr. Perfect
#4 - After the Night
Standalone
September 28, 2015
5 STARS
Well, that's three for three for Linda Howard! Another winner. I read a few reviews before I started this one, so my expectations were high. And I wasn't the least bit disappointed!
A few people had a hard time with the insta-love between Jaine and Sam, but for some reason it didn't bother me a bit. In fact I felt it added to Sam's incredible charm and cocky appeal. He knew what he wanted, and he didn't waste any time playing games. What's not to love about that?
I have to admit, I have a serious girl-crush on Jaine. She was so mouthy and sarcastic. A girl after my own heart. She also didn't even try to fight off the strong feelings she had for Sam. No head games here. Just a straight shooter. They were perfect together.
"I don't know how serious it is," she said, knowing she was lying.
"I'm not rushing into anything."
For her part, she couldn't get much more serious.
She was in love with the big jerk.
Exactly how or what he felt was still open for discussion.
The story was very suspenseful. The killer was one sick individual. And that final showdown... wow! The last 10% of the book was so intense, I didn't even remember turning the pages.
Fabulous.
Well, that's three for three for Linda Howard! Another winner. I read a few reviews before I started this one, so my expectations were high. And I wasn't the least bit disappointed!
A few people had a hard time with the insta-love between Jaine and Sam, but for some reason it didn't bother me a bit. In fact I felt it added to Sam's incredible charm and cocky appeal. He knew what he wanted, and he didn't waste any time playing games. What's not to love about that?
I have to admit, I have a serious girl-crush on Jaine. She was so mouthy and sarcastic. A girl after my own heart. She also didn't even try to fight off the strong feelings she had for Sam. No head games here. Just a straight shooter. They were perfect together.
"I don't know how serious it is," she said, knowing she was lying.
"I'm not rushing into anything."
For her part, she couldn't get much more serious.
She was in love with the big jerk.
Exactly how or what he felt was still open for discussion.
The story was very suspenseful. The killer was one sick individual. And that final showdown... wow! The last 10% of the book was so intense, I didn't even remember turning the pages.
Fabulous.
October 15, 2017
Jaine works in an office with a bunch of computer nerds who provide us with some slightly funny signs on the elevators each morning.
“FIRST YOU PILLAGE, THEN YOU BURN. THOSE WHO DO NOT COMPLY WILL BE SUSPENDED FROM THE RAIDING TEAM.”
That was the funniest one, in my opinion, but I like nerdy gamer stuff sometimes, and it only got a tiny half-smile out of me. No lol-ing.
What also didn't make me Lol was when Jaine gets together with three of her friends and they write a list describing what would be their perfect man. I guess it just seemed kind of lame to me. Why would they write it down? Plus, they were described as laughing so hard through it that they were disturbing other tables at the restaurant, but I just didn't find it that funny. It was okay, but not hilarious. *shrugs*
What did make me laugh was her interactions with her hot neighbor, Sam. Those were very funny cute-meet moments, and Sam was definitely adorable and funny.
At the moment, he kinda knew how the male praying mantis felt when he
was approaching Ms. Mantis, knowing the sex was going to be great but he was going to get his head bitten off.
Ah, well. Some things were worth losing your head.
So this written "list" gets picked up by an office worker who prints it in their newsletter, which somehow makes it to a local news station who talks about it as a human-interest story, and then comes to national attention via an employee with a sister who works at Good Morning America.
Craziness ensues.
The price of fame.
And the other price of fame? Psychotic killers who decide they don't like your list and that they are going to kill you all. I hate when that happens.
The mystery in this book is actually pretty good. I figured it out, but I thought it was clever enough. The romance is completely insta-love, but cute. The h and H are both great characters as well. The only drawback was the cheesiness and also the cut-out characters of her friends. This would be a good beach read if you are the type that goes outdoors. For me, it was a good comfy-chair-late-at-night read.
September 30, 2015
4.5 - a re-read - not as good the second time around. I sort of knew the "wow" factor so that took away from it. I think I might have already reviewed another version so apologies if there are two reviews on here. Well, I did read it twice so maybe that's OK.
I love both main characters. Knew what they wanted ... each other! Sam sure is sexy.
Jaine is a great heroine. Has a temper, has a backbone, has a sense of humour.
“If you're looking for Mr. Perfect, you‟re going to spend your whole life being disappointed, because he doesn‟t exist. You have to get the best deal you can, but there will always be problems.”
And that is where all the trouble started. With "the List"!
“I told you, we haven't had sex! It was just a kiss."
Like the Viper was just a car, and Mount Everest was just a hill.”
September 10, 2009
4 ½ stars – Romantic Suspense
I love the line, "The wheel's still going around, but her hamster's dead".
I love this verbal sparring scene between the H/H, (page 18):
"I haven't had any sleep, any breakfast, or any coffee. I'd better leave before I hurt you." He nodded. "That's a good idea. I'd hate to have to arrest you." She stared at him, taken aback. "What?" "I'm a cop," he said, then turned and walked back into his house. Jaine stared after him, shocked. A cop? "Well, fuck," she said.
I love the line, "The wheel's still going around, but her hamster's dead".
I love this verbal sparring scene between the H/H, (page 18):
"I haven't had any sleep, any breakfast, or any coffee. I'd better leave before I hurt you." He nodded. "That's a good idea. I'd hate to have to arrest you." She stared at him, taken aback. "What?" "I'm a cop," he said, then turned and walked back into his house. Jaine stared after him, shocked. A cop? "Well, fuck," she said.
February 28, 2016
* Audio book review: June 2015
5 Perfect Stars!!!
4 Friends make a list....and their lives will never be the same.
I LOVED this book!! One of my favorites by Linda Howard!!!
Jaine, Luna, Marci, and TJ are co-workers and best friends who meet one Friday after work at their normal meeting place for dinner, their conversation turns into what would make the perfect man. Soon they have their criteria for their "Mr. Perfect".
The List
*Faithful
*Nice
*Dependable
*Steadily Employed
*Sense of Humor
*Financially Stable
*Good Looks
*Good Lover
*10"....I think you get it!
*At Least 30 Minutes of Thrusting...again, I think you get it!!
Meanwhile, Jaine is battling her growing attraction to her neighbor Sam, who upon first impressions seems to be deadbeat drunk until during one of their heated confrontations she learns he's a cop, a Detective actually. All of their confrontations are entertaining and fun and will have you laughing out loud at times!!
Now throw in a daranged killer who takes a personal offense to "The List" which has captured national attention after going viral. The four friends are now targets of a killer, and as Sam and Jaine's relationship heats up, Sam dedicates all his time to catching the person targeting the ladies of "The List"...including Jaine.
Such a great read, I could have done without a couple of things that saddened me but Mr. Perfect still remains a favorite of mine.
· Narrated by Laura Hicks who does a great job!!!
· Originally read in April 2011
December 13, 2018
I literally forced myself to finish this book.
It was well written and till they killed the 1st woman/h's BFF, I enjoyed it.
But well, the murders bothered me. The 1st victim was the best of their ladies-group. Very likable woman.
The 2nd victim was nice, but weak toward her man (who screwed around on her for one year and then suddenly wanted her and she accepted his lame excuse, the day before she was killed). What was the purpose of all this?!
I'd rather stop rambling, coz it doesn't make sense even to me...
I wanted to like it more.
And where is the epilogue?!
It was well written and till they killed the 1st woman/h's BFF, I enjoyed it.
But well, the murders bothered me. The 1st victim was the best of their ladies-group. Very likable woman.
The 2nd victim was nice, but weak toward her man (who screwed around on her for one year and then suddenly wanted her and she accepted his lame excuse, the day before she was killed). What was the purpose of all this?!
I'd rather stop rambling, coz it doesn't make sense even to me...
I wanted to like it more.
And where is the epilogue?!
February 18, 2014
~~~~ 4 STARS OR 7.5-8/10 ~~~~
Despite being released years ago, the books I've read by Linda Howard are so evocative and sexy that some newer books honestly can't compete. This is the third book by LH I've read so far but after the first, she became one of my favourite authors. Romantic suspense when written well is fantastic.
I loved the suspense here, it had me stumped till past half way through when I realized I was making a grave error in my assumptions.
The disturbing nature of the crimes committed were riveting and I was horrified by the inner workings of the killers mind. We get several pov's here, with the majority being Janie's, the heroine. Reading this was like solving an intelligent puzzle and I really enjoyed it.
The romance was sweet but the sensuality was RAW. It's hard to write like that when tackling love scenes. But instead of drawn out sex scenes and verbal catalysts, LH zeroes in on the sexual sensuality between people. Her sexy time is short but packs an intensity no lengthy and drawn out sex scene can ever accomplish.
I know I've mentioned this in previous reviews of her books, but when it's that good it deserves mentioning all over again. I loved how laid back and confident Sam was. With the Mr. Perfect list causing a huge controversy for men all over, Sam seemed to find the whole thing amusing and not at all demeaning. That's a man in charge of himself and confident in his abilities!
There was a scene early on when Jaine catches Sam in his kitchen, naked, chugging back a container of milk. Instead of being embarrassed or scandalized, he relished in the ability to shock her and advertise exactly what she's been missing. Honestly, it was hot, and from then on I developed a respect for him and his security in being a real man.
The only thing I found puzzling was the speed in which Sam and Jaine progressed in their relationship. It felt too insta love-ish. But even considering that, I loved their interaction and enjoyed the story very much.
The ending was edge-on-your-seat good, with the killer finally reaching a desperate precipice. I loved it. If you haven't read LH before, start now!! My fave remains to be 'After The Night'.
Despite being released years ago, the books I've read by Linda Howard are so evocative and sexy that some newer books honestly can't compete. This is the third book by LH I've read so far but after the first, she became one of my favourite authors. Romantic suspense when written well is fantastic.
I loved the suspense here, it had me stumped till past half way through when I realized I was making a grave error in my assumptions.
The disturbing nature of the crimes committed were riveting and I was horrified by the inner workings of the killers mind. We get several pov's here, with the majority being Janie's, the heroine. Reading this was like solving an intelligent puzzle and I really enjoyed it.
The romance was sweet but the sensuality was RAW. It's hard to write like that when tackling love scenes. But instead of drawn out sex scenes and verbal catalysts, LH zeroes in on the sexual sensuality between people. Her sexy time is short but packs an intensity no lengthy and drawn out sex scene can ever accomplish.
I know I've mentioned this in previous reviews of her books, but when it's that good it deserves mentioning all over again. I loved how laid back and confident Sam was. With the Mr. Perfect list causing a huge controversy for men all over, Sam seemed to find the whole thing amusing and not at all demeaning. That's a man in charge of himself and confident in his abilities!
There was a scene early on when Jaine catches Sam in his kitchen, naked, chugging back a container of milk. Instead of being embarrassed or scandalized, he relished in the ability to shock her and advertise exactly what she's been missing. Honestly, it was hot, and from then on I developed a respect for him and his security in being a real man.
The only thing I found puzzling was the speed in which Sam and Jaine progressed in their relationship. It felt too insta love-ish. But even considering that, I loved their interaction and enjoyed the story very much.
The ending was edge-on-your-seat good, with the killer finally reaching a desperate precipice. I loved it. If you haven't read LH before, start now!! My fave remains to be 'After The Night'.
June 7, 2014
This is me at the beginning, the middle and the end of this amazing book:
I laughed. I swooned. I laughed some more. My ovaries overheated because of Sam. I laughed - again. I was shocked.
I loved every word of Mr. Perfect.
Read this!
I laughed. I swooned. I laughed some more. My ovaries overheated because of Sam. I laughed - again. I was shocked.
I loved every word of Mr. Perfect.
Read this!
January 20, 2016
This book was perfect! Perfect amount of everything!
I have a soft spot for neighbors that want to strangle each other and then can't keep their hands off each other. It's basically a win win situation for me when choosing a book. And this one didn't disappoint at all!
It was funny, easy to read, hot and had a psycho to catch.
I have nothing bad to say, everything was amazing but there was one Itsy Bitsy thing that had me eye rolling!
I mean, really?!?! Seriously?!?! This doesn't happen even in new insta love books which are full of things like that. But I will let it slip away because I truly enjoyed this gem!
Loved the story and the characters, their banter and chemistry between them.
Sam was one prefect assh@ole and I loved everything that came out of his mouth.
And I am def reading other books by this author, especially if there are lots of others assh@oles!
I have a soft spot for neighbors that want to strangle each other and then can't keep their hands off each other. It's basically a win win situation for me when choosing a book. And this one didn't disappoint at all!
It was funny, easy to read, hot and had a psycho to catch.
I have nothing bad to say, everything was amazing but there was one Itsy Bitsy thing that had me eye rolling!
I mean, really?!?! Seriously?!?! This doesn't happen even in new insta love books which are full of things like that. But I will let it slip away because I truly enjoyed this gem!
Loved the story and the characters, their banter and chemistry between them.
Sam was one prefect assh@ole and I loved everything that came out of his mouth.
And I am def reading other books by this author, especially if there are lots of others assh@oles!
September 30, 2017
This book was soooo GOOD!!! I absolutely loved the chemistry between Sam and Jaine!!! I especially liked their “no nonsense” approach to their relationship. The plot was intense for a Linda Howard book because I hadn’t read one of her suspense books before this. Another winner!!!
March 18, 2017
I cannot praise this book enough: brilliant, fantastic, amazing, awesome - yes, I do realize these are all synonyms.
This is the best book I've read by Linda Howard, so far that is. I wish to recommend it to all my friends.
Mr.Perfect not only assures you to have a great time, but you can also be sure that once you start reading this book, the pages will turn like there is no tomorrow. This is hilarious, it completely took me by surprise, as I was not expecting to laugh so much. The mystery and thriller the chills, a book usually doesn't make me react like this, but this one sure did. The romance is out of this world, both main characters are just so perfect for each other, it also helped the fact that they couldn't stand each other, I'm especially in love with love/hate relationships - you have to admit it always makes things more interesting when they unfold.
Linda Howard did everything right while writing this book, for this book is a master-piece and has won a very-well deserved place on my favorites list. - Unforgettable!
This is the best book I've read by Linda Howard, so far that is. I wish to recommend it to all my friends.
Mr.Perfect not only assures you to have a great time, but you can also be sure that once you start reading this book, the pages will turn like there is no tomorrow. This is hilarious, it completely took me by surprise, as I was not expecting to laugh so much. The mystery and thriller the chills, a book usually doesn't make me react like this, but this one sure did. The romance is out of this world, both main characters are just so perfect for each other, it also helped the fact that they couldn't stand each other, I'm especially in love with love/hate relationships - you have to admit it always makes things more interesting when they unfold.
Linda Howard did everything right while writing this book, for this book is a master-piece and has won a very-well deserved place on my favorites list. - Unforgettable!
March 2, 2023
03/01/23 Reread - Whitty, sarcastic and just fabulous. I wish there were more authors who could write such wonderful books. Hot romance, scary suspense and humorous dialogue, with some real insights thrown in here and there. The audio narration by Laura Hicks perfectly captured all the fantastic humor, the hot sex banter and the riviting suspense.
04/21/13 - WOW!! This is a fantastic book. It is truly one of Linda Howard's best books. It has it all for me. Romance, Suspense and Humor.
It is so LOL funny that you forget that there is a deranged killer on the loose. Jaine and her friends meet for drinks and dinner on a Friday after work. They discuss what would make the perfect man and come up with a list for Mr. Perfect. This list ends up in the company newsletter and the thing takes on a life of its' own.
Jaine has just moved next door to a neighbor, she calls a jerk. It turns out to be a big misconception on Jaine's part. Sam is a cop and they are perfect for each other. Of all the Linda Howard books I have read I love Jaine and Sam the most.
04/21/13 - WOW!! This is a fantastic book. It is truly one of Linda Howard's best books. It has it all for me. Romance, Suspense and Humor.
It is so LOL funny that you forget that there is a deranged killer on the loose. Jaine and her friends meet for drinks and dinner on a Friday after work. They discuss what would make the perfect man and come up with a list for Mr. Perfect. This list ends up in the company newsletter and the thing takes on a life of its' own.
Jaine has just moved next door to a neighbor, she calls a jerk. It turns out to be a big misconception on Jaine's part. Sam is a cop and they are perfect for each other. Of all the Linda Howard books I have read I love Jaine and Sam the most.
April 8, 2016
Uch... honestly, I just wanted a light read, a thriller type deal that would keep me gripped over a journey I was making, but this was too damned stupid to enjoy it on that level.
The four women from Sex and the City make a list of what makes a Perfect Man. The list is exactly what you would imagine such a list would contain, but for some reason it makes actual national news. Even before it did so, and the women receive scorn and mocking and teasing in response to it leaking into the office, I found it an overreaction, so when actual news agencies became interested I wondered if this was supposed to be science fiction. I suppose if this were set in the mid 19th century I could see it making the newspapers, but the year 2000!? If the list were at least original, contained anything surprising or were particularly witty, but honest to goodness it isn't any of those things. It's things like: handsome and faithful. I mean, seriously. No. Seriously. Just... seriously.
The thriller/mystery part is not very good. You can't work it out for yourself, because there isn't a puzzle to work out. Tension is created by people behaving too stupid for actual normal humans to comprehend
I wasn't aware, before I bought this book, that the author was a romance author, so I was surprised about the sex scenes, and the amount of attention on Sam's body. But honestly, I found the romance part really badly done. There was no romance, actually. There was just sex. They have sex and then they decide to get married, after a week. Sam is a personality-less walking erection. How exactly am I supposed to feel about him, if I know nothing about him, but that he wants to have sex all the time. Hmpf.
There are a couple of things which are ridiculous and over-the-top but I can't be bothered to list them . On the whole, and on every level this was a disappointment. Luckily, it's the sort of thing that I will forget tomorrow.
The four women from Sex and the City make a list of what makes a Perfect Man. The list is exactly what you would imagine such a list would contain, but for some reason it makes actual national news. Even before it did so, and the women receive scorn and mocking and teasing in response to it leaking into the office, I found it an overreaction, so when actual news agencies became interested I wondered if this was supposed to be science fiction. I suppose if this were set in the mid 19th century I could see it making the newspapers, but the year 2000!? If the list were at least original, contained anything surprising or were particularly witty, but honest to goodness it isn't any of those things. It's things like: handsome and faithful. I mean, seriously. No. Seriously. Just... seriously.
The thriller/mystery part is not very good. You can't work it out for yourself, because there isn't a puzzle to work out. Tension is created by people behaving too stupid for actual normal humans to comprehend
I wasn't aware, before I bought this book, that the author was a romance author, so I was surprised about the sex scenes, and the amount of attention on Sam's body. But honestly, I found the romance part really badly done. There was no romance, actually. There was just sex. They have sex and then they decide to get married, after a week. Sam is a personality-less walking erection. How exactly am I supposed to feel about him, if I know nothing about him, but that he wants to have sex all the time. Hmpf.
There are a couple of things which are ridiculous and over-the-top but I can't be bothered to list them . On the whole, and on every level this was a disappointment. Luckily, it's the sort of thing that I will forget tomorrow.
June 18, 2024
Jaine is a quirky, feisty, thoroughly modern and very likable woman. When she starts sparring with her grumpy but sexy next-door neighbor, Detective Sam Donovan, I felt like getting a tub of popcorn and just sit there watching them exchange insults, flirtations, and hot kisses all day long.
"Tell me something,” he asks her after she got herself into yet another predicament, "Is there ever a day when you don’t pick a fight?”
“The days when I don’t see you,” she shoots right back at him.
Later, when she catches him strutting naked in his kitchen, her first thought is to run right over to his house "to audition as his mattress."
"Don’t kiss me,” she warns him on their next encounter, even though that's exactly what she wants him to do.
"I don’t intend to ,” he quips, I don’t have my whip and chair with me."
And so on and so forth. So why did I not rate this book higher, when it had me chuckling at almost every page? It was the "suspense" part of this "romantic suspense" story that ruined it for me.
The plot is centered on a woman-hating serial killer who targets Jaine and her close-knit group of friends because they made up a silly list of the attributes they would wish on an ideal man, a "Mr. Perfect", which became a viral national news interest story and sparked a kind of gender war between the women who rallied to their "sisters" and the men who were offended and disgusted by some of the items on the list.
My problem is that it was very difficult for me to imagine that the list the ladies came up with would elicit any interest in the media or outrage people. It was so tame, talking about how men should be faithful and have a sense of humor and at the end, that they should be good looking and good in bed, preferably with a ten inch penis. That's it. Hard to imagine Good Morning America and People Magazine descending on an obscure group of low level corporate employees who were simply having a laugh at happy hour and give them their fifteen minutes of fame based on a tame list like this Sorry, just didn't buy it.
As for the psycho who goes after them because they offended his sensibilities with their crude, vulgar, whorish ways, he was such a cartoon character, Frankensteined from various, equally buffoonish villains featured on popular crime/horror movies and TV shows like Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, Dressed to Kill or Law & Order.
I really enjoy LH' signature witty and sexy banter but this story has not aged well: one scene has the detective patiently wait for thirty minutes for a file to download from his email to his computer lol, characters struggle with cell phones, etc.
"Tell me something,” he asks her after she got herself into yet another predicament, "Is there ever a day when you don’t pick a fight?”
“The days when I don’t see you,” she shoots right back at him.
Later, when she catches him strutting naked in his kitchen, her first thought is to run right over to his house "to audition as his mattress."
"Don’t kiss me,” she warns him on their next encounter, even though that's exactly what she wants him to do.
"I don’t intend to ,” he quips, I don’t have my whip and chair with me."
And so on and so forth. So why did I not rate this book higher, when it had me chuckling at almost every page? It was the "suspense" part of this "romantic suspense" story that ruined it for me.
The plot is centered on a woman-hating serial killer who targets Jaine and her close-knit group of friends because they made up a silly list of the attributes they would wish on an ideal man, a "Mr. Perfect", which became a viral national news interest story and sparked a kind of gender war between the women who rallied to their "sisters" and the men who were offended and disgusted by some of the items on the list.
My problem is that it was very difficult for me to imagine that the list the ladies came up with would elicit any interest in the media or outrage people. It was so tame, talking about how men should be faithful and have a sense of humor and at the end, that they should be good looking and good in bed, preferably with a ten inch penis. That's it. Hard to imagine Good Morning America and People Magazine descending on an obscure group of low level corporate employees who were simply having a laugh at happy hour and give them their fifteen minutes of fame based on a tame list like this Sorry, just didn't buy it.
As for the psycho who goes after them because they offended his sensibilities with their crude, vulgar, whorish ways, he was such a cartoon character, Frankensteined from various, equally buffoonish villains featured on popular crime/horror movies and TV shows like Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, Dressed to Kill or Law & Order.
I really enjoy LH' signature witty and sexy banter but this story has not aged well: one scene has the detective patiently wait for thirty minutes for a file to download from his email to his computer lol, characters struggle with cell phones, etc.
July 16, 2012
Perfection is the name of this book! I was up till 5:30 in the morning finishing this and when I got to the end I wanted more, more Jaine and Sam. I loved the romance and wanted so much more. Jaine was a firecracker and I loved her. She was soo kick-ass and knew cars and didn't mind speaking her mind and throwing herself in the fray.
She just bought a house, her siblings are miffed with her since her vacation parents left their cat and her dad's prized car in her possession. She also thinks her neighbour is a drunk boor, proof he is dressed badly, comes in late and always looks hungover and then she finds out is because he is a cop on a task force. They have the most hilarious and sexy encounters. Sam has a habit of sneaking up on her and she has a habit of using a lot of cuss words and they have a hilarious conversation about eggs.
On a Friday night after work, she and her friends make a list of Mr Perfect and that list goes public and viral bringing a lot of attention to them and a psycho killer. One of the friends gets murdered and so does another one later. The mystery and romance are perfectly blended. This is pure vintage Linda Howard at her best. I loved the romance, despite being whirlwind it worked for me. Even the fights between Jaine and Sam were sexy. Jaine had been anti-men since by the age of 23 she had three broken engagements under her belt but with Sam there was instant fire between them.
I so didn't want this book to end.
She just bought a house, her siblings are miffed with her since her vacation parents left their cat and her dad's prized car in her possession. She also thinks her neighbour is a drunk boor, proof he is dressed badly, comes in late and always looks hungover and then she finds out is because he is a cop on a task force. They have the most hilarious and sexy encounters. Sam has a habit of sneaking up on her and she has a habit of using a lot of cuss words and they have a hilarious conversation about eggs.
On a Friday night after work, she and her friends make a list of Mr Perfect and that list goes public and viral bringing a lot of attention to them and a psycho killer. One of the friends gets murdered and so does another one later. The mystery and romance are perfectly blended. This is pure vintage Linda Howard at her best. I loved the romance, despite being whirlwind it worked for me. Even the fights between Jaine and Sam were sexy. Jaine had been anti-men since by the age of 23 she had three broken engagements under her belt but with Sam there was instant fire between them.
I so didn't want this book to end.
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