Alice's Review: I Only Have Eyes For You

Author: Bella Andre
Series: Yes (Sullivan Series, Book #4)
Publication Date: December 22, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Pages: 384
Obtained: Purchased
Genre: Romance - Contemporary
Rating: 3/5
Bottom Line: A sexy good time.
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Just get it at the library

Summary:  Sophie Sullivan fell head over heels for Jake McCann at the age of five. Twenty years later, the notorious bad boy still sees her as the "nice" Sullivan twin. When they both get caught up in the magic of the first Sullivan wedding, she knows it's time to make him see her for who she truly is…the woman who will love him forever.  Jake has always been a magnet for women, but the only woman he really wants is the one he can never have. Not only is Sophie his best friend's off-limits sister…he can't risk letting her get close enough to discover his deeply hidden secret.  But when Sophie appears on his doorstep, Jake's every fantasy comes to life, and he doesn't have a hope of taking his eyes, or hands, off her. Jake knows loving Sophie isn't the right thing to do, but one look at her and he knows he can't possibly resist. ~powells.com

Review:  I Only Have Eyes for You is the fourth installment in Bella Andre’s Sullivan Series.  The novel begins with the (spoiler alert) wedding of Chase and Chloe, the love-struck couple from the first book in the series.   This time we get to enjoy the love story of younger sister Sophie’s unrequited love for bad boy and family friend Jake McCann.  What ensues is an incredibly sexy journey where two polar opposites hopefully fall in love even though he thinks he is totally wrong for her because she’s way too good for him.  And of course, she’s been totally lovesick for him even since she was five years old.

I feel pretty neutral about both characters.  Sophie is the sweet girl, nicknamed Nice by her family because she’s well nice.  She’s a librarian, brainy, smart, and sexy in that girl next-door kind of way.  Jack is the tattooed bad boy who owns a chain of Irish pubs.  He’s handsome, dangerous, and thinks love is for the birds. 

Here’s the truth, this novel drove me a bit nuts in how totally unrealistic it is.  I didn’t see how these two could fit.  The more I read, the less believable it became.  A good novel should have a sense of realism to it.  I should be able to see these characters as real people.  I didn’t do that with this novel.  Not even close.  Yet what completely caught me off guard is that I cried at the end.  Yes, I cried.  I didn’t have any feelings towards Sophie and Jake, I wanted a resolution and wasn’t expecting much.  Yet there I was, frantically turning pages at the end waiting to find out what happened with tears streaming down my face.  I’d like to blame it on PMS or something like that, but the truth is I can’t.  It really got me.  And that is the beauty about books, just when you think you have it all figured out, a masterful storyteller kicks you in the gut and pulls at your heartstrings.  It wasn’t expected and I appreciated it.

There are plenty of cameos from the Sullivan clan.  I really enjoy spending time with past characters.  I love when authors remember to actively include them instead of only mentioning them in passing. 

Overall, I enjoyed it. I still think it could benefit from a good dose of realism but then again, it’s a novel. The author has a right to suspend all logic. It’s also a romance and we all know logic has no place in love either.

Alice’s The Look of Love review here.

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Alice's Review: The Sullivan Series, Books 2 & 3

Summary:  For thirty-six years, Marcus Sullivan has been the responsible older brother, stepping in to take care of his seven siblings after their father died when they were children. But when the perfectly ordered future he's planned for himself turns out to be nothing but a lie, Marcus needs one reckless night to shake free from it all.
Nicola Harding is known throughout the world by only one name - Nico - for her catchy, sensual pop songs. Only, what no one knows about the twenty-five year old singer is that her sex-kitten image is totally false. After a terrible betrayal by a man who loved fame far more than he ever loved her, she vows not to let anyone else get close enough to find out who she really is...or hurt her again. Especially not the gorgeous stranger she meets at a nightclub, even though the hunger - and the sinful promises - in his dark eyes make her want to spill all her secrets. One night is all Nicola and Marcus agree to share with each other. But nothing goes as they plan when instead of simply tangling limbs, they find a deeper connection than either of them could have anticipated. And even though they both try to fight it, growing emotions - and sizzling attraction - keep drawing them closer together. Close enough for them to wonder if stealing one more secret moment together can ever be enough? ~amazon.com

Summary: Gabe Sullivan risks his life every day as a firefighter in San Francisco. But after learning a brutal lesson about professional boundaries, he knows better than to risk his heart to his fire victims ever again. Especially the brave mother and daughter he saved from a deadly apartment fire...and can't stop thinking about. Megan Harris knows she owes the heroic firefighter everything for running into a burning building to save her and her seven-year-old daughter. Everything except her heart. Because after losing her navy pilot husband five years ago, she has vowed to never suffer through loving - and losing - a man with a dangerous job again. Only, when Gabe and Megan meet again and uncontrollable flames of desire ignite between them, how can he possibly ignore her courage, determination, and beauty? And how can she deny not only his strong bond with her daughter…but the way his sweetly sensual kisses are challenging her to risk everything she’s been guarding for so long? This winter, if one - or both - of them aren’t careful, they just might end up falling in love. ~amazon.com

Review:  I was in the mood for some romance and with an upcoming Miami Beach vacation, I took the opportunity to read From This Moment On and Can't Help Falling in Love, Books 2 & 3 of Bella Andre's Sullivan Series.  These two novel are perfect summer beach reads.  Nothing says vacation like a sexy guy meeting a beautiful woman for a night of passion that turns into so much more.

In From This Moment On, Marcus (the oldest Sullivan) decided a night of meaningless sex is just what the doctor ordered to help him forget his two-timing ex-girlfriend.  Pop singing sensation Nicola aka Nico decides to live up to her unwarranted wild girl image.  What happens next is a hot, sexy romance.  This is a great little story that is crazily believable (well everything but the end which is a bit wonky). 

In Can't Help Falling in Love, studly fireman Gabe Sullivan (my favorite Sullivan hero so far) convinces the widowed young mother Megan to take a change on him, much like the one he is taking on her.  I really enjoyed this novel, especially Megan's daughter Summer and her matchmaking schemes.  I admired Megan's courage and much as Gabe did.  I also appreciated that she put her daughter first and not her feelings for Gabe.

Both novels were a fun read.  Both were blushingly naughty.  And sadly, both were way too short.  I believe Ms. Andre has a natural talent.  She is able to produce novel after novel in a short period of time.  The kicker is the novels are well thought out and well written.  I really have only one qualm about her work.  I wish in addition to mind-blowing bedroom (and bathroom and rooftop, well you get the picture) sex scenes, she would write a bit more sustenance to go along with the romance.  She is not only selling her readers short, but her herself as well.

Final Take - From This Moment On:  3/5
Final Take - Can't Help Falling in Love:  4/5

Alice's Review: The Look of Love

Summary:  Chloe Peterson is having a bad night. A really bad night. The large bruise on her cheek can attest to that. And when her car skids off the side of a wet country road straight into a ditch, she’s convinced even the gorgeous guy who rescues her in the middle of the rain storm must be too good to be true. Or is he's a successful photographer who frequently travels around the world, Chase Sullivan has his pick of beautiful women, and whenever he’s home in San Francisco, one of his seven siblings is usually up for causing a little fun trouble. Chase thinks his life is great just as it is—until the night he finds Chloe and her totaled car on the side of the road in Napa Valley. Not only has he never met anyone so lovely, both inside and out, but he quickly realizes she has much bigger problems than her damaged car. Soon, he is willing to move mountains to love—and protect—her, but will she let him?

Chloe vows never to make the mistake of trusting a man again. Only, with every loving look Chase gives her—and every sinfully sweet caress—as the attraction between them sparks and sizzles, she can’t help but wonder if she’s met the only exception. And although Chase didn’t realize his life was going to change forever in an instant, amazingly, he isn’t the least bit interested in fighting that change. Instead, he’s gearing up for a different fight altogether…for Chloe’s heart. ~amazon.com

Review: I was very excited to win The Look of Love by Bella Andre from the Member Giveaway section of LibraryThing. I have been on a bit of a romance kick lately and I was stoked to read this one.

We all know how romance novels start and end, it’s the middle that makes or breaks them. The Look of Love was pretty much solid throughout. I enjoyed the chemistry between Chase and Chloe. I liked the California wine country setting and I especially loved Ms. Andre’s vivid description of the winery and house. I had a real sense of being there.

This novel is the first novel in Bella Andre’s Sullivan series. It reminds me a bit of Julie Garwood’s Buchanans except of instead of law enforces the Sullivans are actors and photographers and vintners. They are rich and famous. The other thing that’s different is sex. Lots and lots of dirty, nasty, makes you blush and hide your book from your fellow train passengers kind of sex. It also makes you wish for your very own Chase Sullivan. Nudge nudge, wink wink.

It’s not all eye popping. There were a few things missing. I believe Ms. Andre tried to introduce conflict between Chase and Chloe, but it fell a little flat. There wasn’t any real angst between them. Additionally, I wish both Chase and Chloe weren’t as perfect as they were portrayed. They were missing that little realism quality that would have taken this novel from good to great.

Overall, she has me hooked, and not because of the blush inducing love scenes between our couple. I’m hooked because I want to know what happens to the next brother, and the one after that, and then their sister, and the one…well, you get the picture.

Final Take: 3/5