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The Devil Has Dimples
Adopted!
In the Deep South, one of the first questions asked when meeting someone new in a small town is, "Who's your daddy?" The answer defines you as a person. Not knowing is disheartening.
Sara McLaughlin never knew she was adopted and is stunned to realize that if she wants to find out the questions burning in her brain as to the 'why' she was given up at birth, and who her father might be, she has to live in her birth mother's apartment for the next six weeks.
Grant St. Romain, attorney, is supposed to be helping, but the hunky dimpled devil is making her mind think of other things.
Can she find the truth? Or will she break her heart trying to find out the answers in Boggy Bayou, where many secrets are hidden?
In the Deep South, one of the first questions asked when meeting someone new in a small town is, "Who's your daddy?" The answer defines you as a person. Not knowing is disheartening.
Sara McLaughlin never knew she was adopted and is stunned to realize that if she wants to find out the questions burning in her brain as to the 'why' she was given up at birth, and who her father might be, she has to live in her birth mother's apartment for the next six weeks.
Grant St. Romain, attorney, is supposed to be helping, but the hunky dimpled devil is making her mind think of other things.
Can she find the truth? Or will she break her heart trying to find out the answers in Boggy Bayou, where many secrets are hidden?
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
42 people are currently reading
482 people want to read
About the author
Pepper Phillips
9 books84 followersPepper Phillips wrote her first play in the seventh grade.
Before that she read every book in her age group at the small local library.
An only child, she entertained herself in the worlds she created in her mind.
She's still pretty mindless in some respects, but her writing world is where she is the happiest.
She ventured into self-publishing in 2011.
Before that she read every book in her age group at the small local library.
An only child, she entertained herself in the worlds she created in her mind.
She's still pretty mindless in some respects, but her writing world is where she is the happiest.
She ventured into self-publishing in 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
April 20, 2012
Yipes!!! Slipped under the radar.
Ah, the publishing world, what a strange and mysterious place. And, it seems as time passes there are going to be more and more books that I'm going to miss just because it's getting harder to find them on a list. Well, it almost happened again with The Devil has Dimples, a little gem of a book. Or should I say ebook. A self-published ebook. A self-published ebook in first person and also a contemporary. And, no this isn't some kind of twilight zone SidneyKay must be a pod person thing. I actually liked this book.
It was a very charming book with some very unique southern characters in it. There is also a faster moving mystery to be solved...the mystery of who Sara's father is/was. You see, our heroine, Sara, finds out that she's adopted and that her natural mother has died, leaving her an antique shop where she has to stay for six weeks. This all comes has a bit of a surprise to Sara; the parents she thought were her parents aren't, so she is determined to find out who she is. Sara has never felt that she belonged with her parents, or as it turns out, adoptive parents. So, there are a lot of things going on in her search for her father, because along the way she also searches for clues to her real mother's life. And, let me tell you that there were a number of surprises awaiting Sara. There are also a number of people who are hostile to Sara and don't want her finding out all of their secrets. Almost everyone in the town of Boggy Bayou is disrupted by Sara's arrival. Especially our hero.
Enter Grant, our hunk, so handsome his smile will blind you. He has a butt you can bounce nickels off of, he's an attorney and he lives in the building that Sara's real mother owned...right across the hall way. He's got his problems: he's angry with his father, doesn't like his step-mother and has been dating the queen of psychotic romance women almost forever.
There are a lot of sparks flying all over the place, a lot of humor, and southern small town quirkiness. You can almost hear that slow, southern accent dripping off the page. It was mighty enjoyable following Sara in her search for herself.
Now, there were some things that threw me out of the story (see it happens in contemporaries). Sara's real mother, Maudie, is supposed to be sixty-six, which if my calculations are correct would put her in high school in the middle 60's. Now, she hung around with a group of girls who called themselves the six-pack...so, they are all about the same age. Well, one of them mentions that Lash LaRue was the hottest movie star of her day. Well, my mind immediately said, "I don't think so." You see, my children, Lash LaRue made what are lovingly called B-Westerns. I vaguely remember the Western Theater on Saturdays. My brother and I would sit and watch these old cowboy movie reruns and yes, I think Lash LaRue was in some. However, Lash's heyday was between 1941-1950, so, when someone who was in high school in the 60's says Lash LaRue was the hottest movie star in her time, it throws me for a loop. If she had said James Dean, Cary Grant, Sal Mineo, Troy Donahue, Paul Newman, Jeffrey Hunter, Rock Hudson, Marlon Brando, Gregory Peck, or even Peter Brown, then I would have been more accepting. Maybe Lash LaRue was big in the south.
Another throw-out-of-the-moment scene was when Sara is looking at a photo of the Six-Pack, not just any photo, a "sepia" photo. Now, for all of you who don't really know me in real life, photographs just happen to be one of my specialties and I can see an old "black and white" photo from the 60's being what Sara had in her hands, but a sepia? That would have been a photo from the late 1800s or early 1900s, unless there was some really bad chemicals being used to develop that photo. Or maybe it was one of those horrible Polaroids. There are a couple of other odd time-not-feeling-right moments in the book, but these are just minor quibbles.
Overall, I thought this was a fast-moving, enjoyable book, even with Birds are tweetin', Butterflies are a flittin', Hummingbirds are a hummin' happy happy ending. This is a feel good book, it will make you smile, maybe even laugh. It's sprinkled with a bit of poignancy and a lot of pretty good writing. I hope Pepper Phillips is intending to write some more books, because I think there is some room for her out there in Bookland.
KaysBlog
Ah, the publishing world, what a strange and mysterious place. And, it seems as time passes there are going to be more and more books that I'm going to miss just because it's getting harder to find them on a list. Well, it almost happened again with The Devil has Dimples, a little gem of a book. Or should I say ebook. A self-published ebook. A self-published ebook in first person and also a contemporary. And, no this isn't some kind of twilight zone SidneyKay must be a pod person thing. I actually liked this book.
It was a very charming book with some very unique southern characters in it. There is also a faster moving mystery to be solved...the mystery of who Sara's father is/was. You see, our heroine, Sara, finds out that she's adopted and that her natural mother has died, leaving her an antique shop where she has to stay for six weeks. This all comes has a bit of a surprise to Sara; the parents she thought were her parents aren't, so she is determined to find out who she is. Sara has never felt that she belonged with her parents, or as it turns out, adoptive parents. So, there are a lot of things going on in her search for her father, because along the way she also searches for clues to her real mother's life. And, let me tell you that there were a number of surprises awaiting Sara. There are also a number of people who are hostile to Sara and don't want her finding out all of their secrets. Almost everyone in the town of Boggy Bayou is disrupted by Sara's arrival. Especially our hero.
Enter Grant, our hunk, so handsome his smile will blind you. He has a butt you can bounce nickels off of, he's an attorney and he lives in the building that Sara's real mother owned...right across the hall way. He's got his problems: he's angry with his father, doesn't like his step-mother and has been dating the queen of psychotic romance women almost forever.
There are a lot of sparks flying all over the place, a lot of humor, and southern small town quirkiness. You can almost hear that slow, southern accent dripping off the page. It was mighty enjoyable following Sara in her search for herself.
Now, there were some things that threw me out of the story (see it happens in contemporaries). Sara's real mother, Maudie, is supposed to be sixty-six, which if my calculations are correct would put her in high school in the middle 60's. Now, she hung around with a group of girls who called themselves the six-pack...so, they are all about the same age. Well, one of them mentions that Lash LaRue was the hottest movie star of her day. Well, my mind immediately said, "I don't think so." You see, my children, Lash LaRue made what are lovingly called B-Westerns. I vaguely remember the Western Theater on Saturdays. My brother and I would sit and watch these old cowboy movie reruns and yes, I think Lash LaRue was in some. However, Lash's heyday was between 1941-1950, so, when someone who was in high school in the 60's says Lash LaRue was the hottest movie star in her time, it throws me for a loop. If she had said James Dean, Cary Grant, Sal Mineo, Troy Donahue, Paul Newman, Jeffrey Hunter, Rock Hudson, Marlon Brando, Gregory Peck, or even Peter Brown, then I would have been more accepting. Maybe Lash LaRue was big in the south.
Another throw-out-of-the-moment scene was when Sara is looking at a photo of the Six-Pack, not just any photo, a "sepia" photo. Now, for all of you who don't really know me in real life, photographs just happen to be one of my specialties and I can see an old "black and white" photo from the 60's being what Sara had in her hands, but a sepia? That would have been a photo from the late 1800s or early 1900s, unless there was some really bad chemicals being used to develop that photo. Or maybe it was one of those horrible Polaroids. There are a couple of other odd time-not-feeling-right moments in the book, but these are just minor quibbles.
Overall, I thought this was a fast-moving, enjoyable book, even with Birds are tweetin', Butterflies are a flittin', Hummingbirds are a hummin' happy happy ending. This is a feel good book, it will make you smile, maybe even laugh. It's sprinkled with a bit of poignancy and a lot of pretty good writing. I hope Pepper Phillips is intending to write some more books, because I think there is some room for her out there in Bookland.
KaysBlog
June 2, 2012
I knew I was in for a fun romance when I looked at the cover of this story. And that's exactly what I got: A fun story with an added dash of romance, but not much more.
Sara has been left with no family. Both of her parents have passed away and no one else in her family has ever been close to her. So when she gets a mysterious letter from a lawyer informing her that her birth mother just died and wants her to take over her antique shop, Sara knows she has to get down to the bottom of this. She was adopted? Sara storms right into the small town her supposed mother lived, only to come face to face with the devilishly handsome and dimpled lawyer who sent her the letter.
The lawyer, whose name is Grant, is taken by surprise by the fiery redhead demanding to know who her parents were. With no known father, Grant and Sara take the town to find out who exactly she is. The story is cute enough, with Sara and Grant growing closer as they dig up so many past conflicts and insecurities of the people in the town. How things happen, though, seem far too rushed and I wished relationships had developed more.
The other thing that bugged me about this book was how tidy everything was at the end. Here Sara was with a life that had jumbled to pieces, so the ending just seemed way to good to be true. Some drastic things would pop up, only to be simmered two seconds later as not true. The story needed more suspense and reality to keep the readers interested.
If you read The Devil Has Dimples, a cute story is all you're going to get. Though that's enjoyable, I was still left wanting more from the story than what I was given.
Sara has been left with no family. Both of her parents have passed away and no one else in her family has ever been close to her. So when she gets a mysterious letter from a lawyer informing her that her birth mother just died and wants her to take over her antique shop, Sara knows she has to get down to the bottom of this. She was adopted? Sara storms right into the small town her supposed mother lived, only to come face to face with the devilishly handsome and dimpled lawyer who sent her the letter.
The lawyer, whose name is Grant, is taken by surprise by the fiery redhead demanding to know who her parents were. With no known father, Grant and Sara take the town to find out who exactly she is. The story is cute enough, with Sara and Grant growing closer as they dig up so many past conflicts and insecurities of the people in the town. How things happen, though, seem far too rushed and I wished relationships had developed more.
The other thing that bugged me about this book was how tidy everything was at the end. Here Sara was with a life that had jumbled to pieces, so the ending just seemed way to good to be true. Some drastic things would pop up, only to be simmered two seconds later as not true. The story needed more suspense and reality to keep the readers interested.
If you read The Devil Has Dimples, a cute story is all you're going to get. Though that's enjoyable, I was still left wanting more from the story than what I was given.
May 21, 2012
My Summary:
When Maudie Cooper died, the town rejoiced. She wasn't exactly liked because, she liked to gossip and she was quick to point out who was cheating on whom. So, you can imagine the town's surprise when Maudie's illegitimate daughter Sara comes to town after her funeral.
Sara McLaughlin never knew she was adopted, so when she receives a letter stating that her birth mother had died, to say she was surprised would be an understatement. When Sara responds to the letter sent by Maudie's attorney, Grant St. Romaine, she never expect to find a handsome young guy. As Grant explains the details of Maudie's will to Sara, she's unsure if she can follow through with the plan. When she finds out that Grant was Maudie's roommate, things become much more interesting and the thought of staying put for six weeks doesn't seem so bad after all.
My Take:
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from this book. The blurb for the book sounded good, but I was trying to figure out how the cover reflected the story. I thought maybe it would be a cheeky romance, but what I found was a really lovely story about new love, old love, and finding out who you are.
When the story begins with Maudie's death, it's being told from a local reporters point of view. I won't say how it ends, but the ending is also told from the reporters POV. However, the rest of the story is told from Sara's point of view. It made it easier to get a reading on her and what was happening throughout the process of finding her answers. I really felt for Sara having to learn such a shocking bit of information. I can't imagine learning that not only are you adopted, but your birth mother has just passed away and you have no answers. Because Sara's adoptive parents have also passed away, she's left unraveling the mystery of why she was adopted, what kind of person her mother really was, and who her father is. She hopes that by finding her father, she can solve the mystery of why they let her go.
I loved following the clues in figuring out who her father was. Since the setting takes place in a small town, they all knew each other since childhood. So many different theories on who Sara's father was, kept floating around. As soon as she felt like she had the answer, more pieces of the truth would be revealed. Even though this was somewhat of a bittersweet story, it was kind of fun figuring out who her father was.
As for the romance, I felt like the romance was a little light between Sara and Grant. They have an instant attraction, but don't act on it immediately. He does provide her with a load of emotional support through the process. In fact, he seems just as invested in finding out the truth as she is. The relationship that does evolve turns out to be very sweet. I think I just felt more like I was reading Maudie's love story than Sara and Grant, which wasn't disappointing. Maudie had such a rough go at love, so I was completely on board with seeing what had happened with her and Sara's father.
My overall thoughts are: it really was a pleasant read. It's a short read that only took me a few hours to finish. I was entertained the entire time. I read this book while on a road trip and it was perfect way to fill my time in the car. If you are looking for a sweet love story that has a little bit of mystery to it, this is the perfect book for you.
When Maudie Cooper died, the town rejoiced. She wasn't exactly liked because, she liked to gossip and she was quick to point out who was cheating on whom. So, you can imagine the town's surprise when Maudie's illegitimate daughter Sara comes to town after her funeral.
Sara McLaughlin never knew she was adopted, so when she receives a letter stating that her birth mother had died, to say she was surprised would be an understatement. When Sara responds to the letter sent by Maudie's attorney, Grant St. Romaine, she never expect to find a handsome young guy. As Grant explains the details of Maudie's will to Sara, she's unsure if she can follow through with the plan. When she finds out that Grant was Maudie's roommate, things become much more interesting and the thought of staying put for six weeks doesn't seem so bad after all.
My Take:
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from this book. The blurb for the book sounded good, but I was trying to figure out how the cover reflected the story. I thought maybe it would be a cheeky romance, but what I found was a really lovely story about new love, old love, and finding out who you are.
When the story begins with Maudie's death, it's being told from a local reporters point of view. I won't say how it ends, but the ending is also told from the reporters POV. However, the rest of the story is told from Sara's point of view. It made it easier to get a reading on her and what was happening throughout the process of finding her answers. I really felt for Sara having to learn such a shocking bit of information. I can't imagine learning that not only are you adopted, but your birth mother has just passed away and you have no answers. Because Sara's adoptive parents have also passed away, she's left unraveling the mystery of why she was adopted, what kind of person her mother really was, and who her father is. She hopes that by finding her father, she can solve the mystery of why they let her go.
I loved following the clues in figuring out who her father was. Since the setting takes place in a small town, they all knew each other since childhood. So many different theories on who Sara's father was, kept floating around. As soon as she felt like she had the answer, more pieces of the truth would be revealed. Even though this was somewhat of a bittersweet story, it was kind of fun figuring out who her father was.
As for the romance, I felt like the romance was a little light between Sara and Grant. They have an instant attraction, but don't act on it immediately. He does provide her with a load of emotional support through the process. In fact, he seems just as invested in finding out the truth as she is. The relationship that does evolve turns out to be very sweet. I think I just felt more like I was reading Maudie's love story than Sara and Grant, which wasn't disappointing. Maudie had such a rough go at love, so I was completely on board with seeing what had happened with her and Sara's father.
My overall thoughts are: it really was a pleasant read. It's a short read that only took me a few hours to finish. I was entertained the entire time. I read this book while on a road trip and it was perfect way to fill my time in the car. If you are looking for a sweet love story that has a little bit of mystery to it, this is the perfect book for you.
May 23, 2012
There's nothing better than a small Southern town and its secrets! Welcome to Boggy Bayou, Louisiana!
Sara McLaughlin received a shocking letter from attorney Grant St. Romain stating that she was adopted, and that he represents her late birth mother Maudie Cooper. Sara left her home in Baton Rouge for Boggy Bayou to find out the truth about her birth parents and to get answers to why she was adopted. What she didn't expect was to be the center of attraction from the whole town of Boggy Bayou. Sara and Grant's quest to find out who her birth daddy is whips the town into a frenzy with rumors and secrets. And in the middle of all that fun, Sara and Grant have a mutual attraction for each other that is more sizzling than a 4th of July fireworks display! So come along for the journey, where the details behind small town friendships, relationships and secrets are deeply hidden!
The Devil Has Dimples is a sassy little ol' Southern romance story that is so entertaining, it will put a smile on your face! The author provides the reader with a sweet romantic storyline with a twist of mystery that engages the reader to join in Sara's quest with intriguing clues throughout the story. The story is mainly told in the first person narrative by Sara, but the first and last chapters are narrated by Boggy Bayou's resident newspaper owner/reporter T-Jack Couvillion, and in between are journal entries from Maudie Cooper. The reader is introduced to a lot of eccentric characters from the small Southern town of Boggy Bayou, whose antics will keep you in stitches. Sara's arrival in Boggy Bayou throws the townsfolk into a frenzy, their little ol' way of life is disrupted and all hell breaks loose. This neat little story has it all: a fun puzzle of a mystery to solve, humor to tickle your funny bone, enough sweet romance to make you sigh, and a surprise ending that will leave you satisfied!
As a fan of Southern fiction novels, I was really excited to get the chance to read and review The Devil Has Dimples as a participant in a virtual book tour, and I was left pleasantly satisfied. I absolutely loved the author's writing style: she provides the reader with a story that has a nice balance of romance and mystery; mouth watering Southern food descriptions, rich descriptions of the setting of the classic small Southern town of Boggy Bayou, intricate descriptions of Maudie's antique store and apartment; and the crazy antics and witty interactions between the characters that provides a lot of laughs. I have only one suggestion to the author, if you're going to tease your readers with tantalizing food descriptions, provide recipes!
Contemporary romance, chick lit and Southern fiction fans, if you're looking for a sassy, fun and entertaining story, then The Devil Has Dimples is a must read, you won't be disappointed!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event.
Virtual Book Tour Event: On Wednesday, May 23, 2012, in association with Chick Lit Plus, author Pepper Phillips participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews. http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Sara McLaughlin received a shocking letter from attorney Grant St. Romain stating that she was adopted, and that he represents her late birth mother Maudie Cooper. Sara left her home in Baton Rouge for Boggy Bayou to find out the truth about her birth parents and to get answers to why she was adopted. What she didn't expect was to be the center of attraction from the whole town of Boggy Bayou. Sara and Grant's quest to find out who her birth daddy is whips the town into a frenzy with rumors and secrets. And in the middle of all that fun, Sara and Grant have a mutual attraction for each other that is more sizzling than a 4th of July fireworks display! So come along for the journey, where the details behind small town friendships, relationships and secrets are deeply hidden!
The Devil Has Dimples is a sassy little ol' Southern romance story that is so entertaining, it will put a smile on your face! The author provides the reader with a sweet romantic storyline with a twist of mystery that engages the reader to join in Sara's quest with intriguing clues throughout the story. The story is mainly told in the first person narrative by Sara, but the first and last chapters are narrated by Boggy Bayou's resident newspaper owner/reporter T-Jack Couvillion, and in between are journal entries from Maudie Cooper. The reader is introduced to a lot of eccentric characters from the small Southern town of Boggy Bayou, whose antics will keep you in stitches. Sara's arrival in Boggy Bayou throws the townsfolk into a frenzy, their little ol' way of life is disrupted and all hell breaks loose. This neat little story has it all: a fun puzzle of a mystery to solve, humor to tickle your funny bone, enough sweet romance to make you sigh, and a surprise ending that will leave you satisfied!
As a fan of Southern fiction novels, I was really excited to get the chance to read and review The Devil Has Dimples as a participant in a virtual book tour, and I was left pleasantly satisfied. I absolutely loved the author's writing style: she provides the reader with a story that has a nice balance of romance and mystery; mouth watering Southern food descriptions, rich descriptions of the setting of the classic small Southern town of Boggy Bayou, intricate descriptions of Maudie's antique store and apartment; and the crazy antics and witty interactions between the characters that provides a lot of laughs. I have only one suggestion to the author, if you're going to tease your readers with tantalizing food descriptions, provide recipes!
Contemporary romance, chick lit and Southern fiction fans, if you're looking for a sassy, fun and entertaining story, then The Devil Has Dimples is a must read, you won't be disappointed!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event.
Virtual Book Tour Event: On Wednesday, May 23, 2012, in association with Chick Lit Plus, author Pepper Phillips participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews. http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
June 5, 2012
Pepper Phillips is currently on tour with CLP Blog Tours and The Devil Has Dimples. This was such a cute, romantic read. And did I mention funny? Oh – and a bit mysterious? There were many fabulous elements wrapped up in this book, and it made for a great journey with the MC Sara McLaughlin. When Sara finds out she is adopted and her mother is Maudie Cooper, the town gossip, Sara is determined to find some answers. Why did Maudie give her up? And who is her dad? As Sara sets about her business, a romance is trying to blossom between her and Grant St. Romaine, Maudie’s attorney who made the initial contact with Sara. When the two become roommates, things get even more heated between them. Will Sara be able to find all her answers surrounding her past – and will she get the guy?
Overall, I had a really fun time reading this novel. I loved the mystery and intrigue surrounding Sara’s past, and had a blast trying to piece all the elements together. Sometimes the romance between her and Grant got a little awkward and I didn’t quite get the connection, but in the end, I was happy with how they ended up. The ending through quite the curveball, and I’m actually still not sure how I felt about it. Surprised of course, but also for happy for Sara’s ending. I thought she deserved it. I would recommend this book!
Overall, I had a really fun time reading this novel. I loved the mystery and intrigue surrounding Sara’s past, and had a blast trying to piece all the elements together. Sometimes the romance between her and Grant got a little awkward and I didn’t quite get the connection, but in the end, I was happy with how they ended up. The ending through quite the curveball, and I’m actually still not sure how I felt about it. Surprised of course, but also for happy for Sara’s ending. I thought she deserved it. I would recommend this book!
February 18, 2015
Imagine getting a letter from an attorney telling you that he’s settling your mother’s estate, but the name of the deceased is not your mother. That’s exactly what happens to Sara McLaughlin. Like any rational human being, she goes to investigate, but as with most small towns, rationality is checked at the city limits sign. It’s a good thing for Sara that the attorney is so darn good looking. And it’s a good thing for Grant (the attorney) that he has great dimples.
As the terms of Maudie’s will are revealed, Sara must stay in Boggy Bayou and run her antique shop in order to inherit the estate. Or she can walk away and everything will be sold and the moneys donated to charity. Sara decides to stay and what follows is a hilarious, sexy tale about two people who were meant to be together, but never knew it until now.
This zany story is laugh-out loud funny, squirm in your seat sexy, and so much fun to read. No, I’m not going to tell you who Sara’s daddy is. That would spoil all the fun. I will tell you that I would love to taste one of Sara’s lemon cookies and visit Maudie’s antique shop. Boggy Bayou, despite its secrets and quirks, is my sort of town!
As the terms of Maudie’s will are revealed, Sara must stay in Boggy Bayou and run her antique shop in order to inherit the estate. Or she can walk away and everything will be sold and the moneys donated to charity. Sara decides to stay and what follows is a hilarious, sexy tale about two people who were meant to be together, but never knew it until now.
This zany story is laugh-out loud funny, squirm in your seat sexy, and so much fun to read. No, I’m not going to tell you who Sara’s daddy is. That would spoil all the fun. I will tell you that I would love to taste one of Sara’s lemon cookies and visit Maudie’s antique shop. Boggy Bayou, despite its secrets and quirks, is my sort of town!
October 6, 2012
A fascinating, romantic read.
Coming from a small town in the south I can relate to the small town gossips and the situations and reactions of town folk. A city person might be surprised to learn that dimpled, dreamboat devils are not only in big cities, but also in small towns.
I believe the author did a great job creating the characters, who could remind you of real life people. I liked the plot, which is hilarious, sometimes mindboggling, but also heartwarming. I also love how the author wrote the book in the first person.
I wonder how anyone would react if a bombshell was dropped, and you found out that you weren't who you thought you were.
I hope you all get a chance to read about Sara McLaughlin and her journey. I think you will grow to love her as much as I did. You might even choose to adopt her and the author as well. In my opinion,
The Devil Has Dimples" is a fun, page-turning read.
Jeannie Walker - Award Winning Author of "Fighting the Devil" - A True Story of Consuming Passion, Deadly Poison, and Murder
Coming from a small town in the south I can relate to the small town gossips and the situations and reactions of town folk. A city person might be surprised to learn that dimpled, dreamboat devils are not only in big cities, but also in small towns.
I believe the author did a great job creating the characters, who could remind you of real life people. I liked the plot, which is hilarious, sometimes mindboggling, but also heartwarming. I also love how the author wrote the book in the first person.
I wonder how anyone would react if a bombshell was dropped, and you found out that you weren't who you thought you were.
I hope you all get a chance to read about Sara McLaughlin and her journey. I think you will grow to love her as much as I did. You might even choose to adopt her and the author as well. In my opinion,
The Devil Has Dimples" is a fun, page-turning read.
Jeannie Walker - Award Winning Author of "Fighting the Devil" - A True Story of Consuming Passion, Deadly Poison, and Murder
February 4, 2015
*WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS*
MAUDIE'S DEAD! But wait....SHE'S NOT?! I honestly thought the book was pretty good. I mean there were a few grammatical errors (not many!) but over all it was good. Quite confusing in some parts. Like I didn't actually know what was going on with any of the 6-pack (what the old women called their group of friends) at any given time, and pretty much every interaction between the two main characters was strange but if you can overlook that then it was decent.
Definitely a quick read!
MAUDIE'S DEAD! But wait....SHE'S NOT?! I honestly thought the book was pretty good. I mean there were a few grammatical errors (not many!) but over all it was good. Quite confusing in some parts. Like I didn't actually know what was going on with any of the 6-pack (what the old women called their group of friends) at any given time, and pretty much every interaction between the two main characters was strange but if you can overlook that then it was decent.
Definitely a quick read!
December 13, 2011
This is an old-fashioned romp through the layered secrets of a small Southern town. Threaded between the decades-old friendships, rivalries, and jealousies, a young woman searches for information about her birth parents. A hot dimpled lawyer shows Sara the ropes and a very good time. Pepper Phillips caught the pulse of small towns and the eternal pull of true love.
May 24, 2015
I love when the freebies surprise me ! I started this book with the lowest expectation possible . I enjoyed it very much . If you can get past the weird chapter one , you won't stop until you're finished .
January 10, 2015
It was a fun quick read.
October 5, 2017
Possible spoilers
I enjoyed the read with a little mystery. There were somethings that happened that didn't flow with character development. The way the romance began just didn't make much sense because both characters were telling us that they couldn't get involved but then got involved fairly quickly with very little lead up to it. There was also a narrative from the male character that was only there in the first couple chapters, but then we get no narrative from him again.
There are also a few holes in the plot that doesn't make sense. If some people were in on the mystery, why be strung along? If he knew she was around, why didn't she tell him about the father? Those parts were frustrating when it didn't have to be.
I enjoyed the read with a little mystery. There were somethings that happened that didn't flow with character development. The way the romance began just didn't make much sense because both characters were telling us that they couldn't get involved but then got involved fairly quickly with very little lead up to it. There was also a narrative from the male character that was only there in the first couple chapters, but then we get no narrative from him again.
There are also a few holes in the plot that doesn't make sense. If some people were in on the mystery, why be strung along? If he knew she was around, why didn't she tell him about the father? Those parts were frustrating when it didn't have to be.
May 5, 2020
This could easily have been a five star review, and I don't give the easily. However, and remember I am old and crotchety, inserting random, single page views from another character were unnecessary and served no purpose other than to slow down the story. SPOILER* The completely unnecessary gruesomely graphic sex scene wadded up and stuffed in was ridiculous. This writer has talent, and ability, but bad advice from someone.
I stayed up to finish it, and enjoyed it, other than the above. The book was good enough to hold me past these obstacles.
I stayed up to finish it, and enjoyed it, other than the above. The book was good enough to hold me past these obstacles.
July 8, 2023
The title is deceptive
The devil with dimples isn't devilish at all. He is quite the gentleman throughout the book. His worst character flaws are tantrums about a long held grudge against is step mother, and he can't do laundry. It was an interesting read but the title was misleading. I wanted a main man I could root for to win her heart. But he had it from day one and never did anything devilish. 4 of 5 stars. Worth a read.
The devil with dimples isn't devilish at all. He is quite the gentleman throughout the book. His worst character flaws are tantrums about a long held grudge against is step mother, and he can't do laundry. It was an interesting read but the title was misleading. I wanted a main man I could root for to win her heart. But he had it from day one and never did anything devilish. 4 of 5 stars. Worth a read.
September 10, 2018
Ever start a book and after several pages wonder hwy you're bothering to finish it? The overall storyline was pretty cute and I enjoyed it a whole, but it didn't flow right and was honestly quite cheesy. Things happened quickly and made little sense, but the pieces came together for a total story at least.
December 6, 2024
Loved this book. After finishing I was ready to devour everything by this author. I was disappointed to see it is actually written quite some time ago and there is not much written by her. The characters in this book are so interesting and following the heroine Sara through her journey of both finding love and who her birth parents were was fun.
October 9, 2017
Could have been a great book without the sex scene
Could have been a great book without the sex scene. I loved the story and the restraint used on the bad language. I wish authors would leave the sex to our imagination. Rated R
Could have been a great book without the sex scene. I loved the story and the restraint used on the bad language. I wish authors would leave the sex to our imagination. Rated R
July 25, 2021
Great story!
Kept me wondering the entire book. Who’s her dad. Who’s her dad? Great ending, a complete surprise lol I hope there are more to the series, but definitely will read more books by this author!
Kept me wondering the entire book. Who’s her dad. Who’s her dad? Great ending, a complete surprise lol I hope there are more to the series, but definitely will read more books by this author!
January 4, 2017
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
May 30, 2017
Loved it
A light witty read. Some parts of the story felt far fetched but all in all it was very entertaining
A light witty read. Some parts of the story felt far fetched but all in all it was very entertaining
November 6, 2013
4.5 stars
Sara's parents have both passed away when she receives a mysterious letter from someone who claims to be her birth mother but Sara never knew she was adopted. Maudie, her birth mother, has also passed away and has stipulated in her will that, in exchange for leaving all of her possessions to Sara, Sara must live in Maudie's apartment for six weeks. Deciding it is the only way she will find the answers as to why she was adopted and who her birth father is, Sara agrees. It doesn't hurt that her new roommate, Grant, is absolutely gorgeous.
This book has been on my Kindle for months now because I have way too many books on my Kindle but I am so happy I finally read it because I loved it! Sara was a great main character, intelligent, spunky and big hearted. And I definitely have a new book boyfriend in Grant. He was gorgeous, funny, sexy and sweet: perfection personified! All of the secondary characters were well fleshed out and added more heart and humor to the book. This wasn't your typical "chick lit" read in that there was a mystery aspect as well. I didn't see the end coming AT ALL which is hard to do. Kudos to the author.
The only thing about the book I wasn't quite sure of were the letters from Maudie. I wanted to know where they came from, who was reading them, etc. They sort of felt out of place although I understand that they were the author's way of giving the reader Maudie's perspective. It didn't really work for me.
In sum, I absolutely loved this book and would be happy to read another novel from this author!
Sara's parents have both passed away when she receives a mysterious letter from someone who claims to be her birth mother but Sara never knew she was adopted. Maudie, her birth mother, has also passed away and has stipulated in her will that, in exchange for leaving all of her possessions to Sara, Sara must live in Maudie's apartment for six weeks. Deciding it is the only way she will find the answers as to why she was adopted and who her birth father is, Sara agrees. It doesn't hurt that her new roommate, Grant, is absolutely gorgeous.
This book has been on my Kindle for months now because I have way too many books on my Kindle but I am so happy I finally read it because I loved it! Sara was a great main character, intelligent, spunky and big hearted. And I definitely have a new book boyfriend in Grant. He was gorgeous, funny, sexy and sweet: perfection personified! All of the secondary characters were well fleshed out and added more heart and humor to the book. This wasn't your typical "chick lit" read in that there was a mystery aspect as well. I didn't see the end coming AT ALL which is hard to do. Kudos to the author.
The only thing about the book I wasn't quite sure of were the letters from Maudie. I wanted to know where they came from, who was reading them, etc. They sort of felt out of place although I understand that they were the author's way of giving the reader Maudie's perspective. It didn't really work for me.
In sum, I absolutely loved this book and would be happy to read another novel from this author!
September 1, 2016
As a total hater of chick lit, I had to break my primary rule--never buy a book with a cartoon cover--but the synopsis sounded so good that I took a chance on this one. I can't imagine why, but the author started off by trying to ruin her story with the usual blah, blah, blah hackneyed generic elements--shoes, shopping, and chocolate--and came close to losing me, but I stuck with it and am glad I did. Thankfully, the author quit trying to ruin her story by conforming to the rules of how to write a hackneyed, generic chick-lit story, so when the story started to take a more serious tone about the protagonist's search for her biological parents and what she could salvage of her family history, we left the chickie nonsense behind and proceeded into an original, warm, engrossing, and satisfying story that allowed the main characters to be a human beings instead of just your flat generic chick lit stereotypes, and the book improved immensely. I would have given this book 5-stars, but for the blah, blah, blah chickie-stuff beginning.
October 6, 2012
Contacted by a lawyer following the death of her biological mother, Sara McLaughlin comes to Boggy Bayou to claim what is hers. She’s a career woman, and not that interested in money. Most of all, she aches to know who her biological father was and why they gave her up for adoption all those years ago.
Only problem is, she can’t keep her eyes off of this studly lawyer. It doesn’t help matters when she learns that by coincidence she’ll be living in the same house with him for the length of her stay in this backwoods town. And why is it that all the townspeople clam up whenever she comes around with her questions?
With elements of romance, comedies of manners and even mystery, The Devil has Dimples is a delightful romp set in a small-town gossip mill. Pepper Phillips deftly touches on serious themes while keeping it as light as one of Sara’s famous lemon cookies. There were plenty of surprises to keep me guessing, and I enjoyed the book thoroughly.
Only problem is, she can’t keep her eyes off of this studly lawyer. It doesn’t help matters when she learns that by coincidence she’ll be living in the same house with him for the length of her stay in this backwoods town. And why is it that all the townspeople clam up whenever she comes around with her questions?
With elements of romance, comedies of manners and even mystery, The Devil has Dimples is a delightful romp set in a small-town gossip mill. Pepper Phillips deftly touches on serious themes while keeping it as light as one of Sara’s famous lemon cookies. There were plenty of surprises to keep me guessing, and I enjoyed the book thoroughly.
May 2, 2013
This is another freebie Kindle book. Although it is basically a RO-mance and the cover art is stupid, I was surprised to find the story very entertaining. It starts with a young (gorgeous redhead, natch) woman coming to a small town because she receives a letter from an attorney saying her parents who recently died were not her natural parents, that her birth mother, a local character and antiques dealer, had died and was leaving everything to her if she would stay in the mother's apartment for six weeks and run the store. I suspect the birth mother was murdered and the daughter will locate the killer. I may read other books by Pepper Phillips.
* * * * *
Explicit sex scene was off-putting, as was a just-met couple's immediate and continual lusting thoughts. There was a twist at the end which was very silly. All in all, not as good as I first thought, and it definitely was a RO-mance, a genre I do despise, even with a mystery thrown in.
* * * * *
Explicit sex scene was off-putting, as was a just-met couple's immediate and continual lusting thoughts. There was a twist at the end which was very silly. All in all, not as good as I first thought, and it definitely was a RO-mance, a genre I do despise, even with a mystery thrown in.
May 16, 2013
What a surprising read! I got this as a Kindle freebie, and had been sitting waiting for me to read for a while.
Sara receives a letter from her mother's attorney after her death - only the name was not that of her mother. Her "mother and father" never told her she was adopted.
Now coming to her mother's home town, she wants to find her father, but who is he?
This was a fun, easy read, though I was disappointed in how rushed the end was.
95% of the book was about the trials of finding her father, and falling in love with the dimpled attorney, then in the last 5%, she finds her father, her mother comes back from the dead, she gets engaged and married!
All in all, well worth the read
Sara receives a letter from her mother's attorney after her death - only the name was not that of her mother. Her "mother and father" never told her she was adopted.
Now coming to her mother's home town, she wants to find her father, but who is he?
This was a fun, easy read, though I was disappointed in how rushed the end was.
95% of the book was about the trials of finding her father, and falling in love with the dimpled attorney, then in the last 5%, she finds her father, her mother comes back from the dead, she gets engaged and married!
All in all, well worth the read
February 11, 2017
Cute, Recommended
Mystery and romance, easy to read. Loved all the characters. Definitely felt like I was part of the town gossip!
Mystery and romance, easy to read. Loved all the characters. Definitely felt like I was part of the town gossip!
August 20, 2013
So I'm going to start backwards here. The ending was SOOO rushed together! I did not enjoy the ending at all, it was just too out of place. LIKE WHAT! Now lets go back to the beginning. I really liked the story. Sara finding out that she was adopted, and figuring out her mother Maudie from a small town, where everyone knew everyones business! Grant was awesome, he helped Sara a lot, and of course there was romance, not a whole lot of it but there was some. I really liked him. The fact that everyone thought that the wrong man was Sara's dad was pretty funny! I'm really glad who it actually was. So over all it was really good until the end, that is was really did it for me.
September 13, 2013
What if you got a letter from an attorney telling you that he’s settling your mother’s estate, but the name of the deceased is not your mother. That’s exactly what happens to Sara, the protagonist of this novel. Like any normal person, she goes to investigate, but as with most small towns, rationality is checked at the city limits sign. It’s a good thing for Sara that the attorney is so darn good looking. And it’s a good thing for Grant (the attorney) that he has great dimples. A chemistry between the two characters is instantly created. Honestly, the novel is very humorous and the plot is very interesting. I recommend this to everyone who wants a fun, romantic comedy to read!
January 10, 2014
This really had all the elements of a good book, but what ruined it for me was the ending (spoiler alert) where there was no logical...or good explanation for the aunt not being dead and then just showing up.
It was resolved too easy...which gave me the feeling the author was just tired of writing the story so just did a hurry up THE END. That was so unfortunate because the characters were likeable, yet flawed. There were so many secrets that I wished were resolved...but it just went flat.
I have to say, I was very disappointed as I was really liking the first part of the story.
It was resolved too easy...which gave me the feeling the author was just tired of writing the story so just did a hurry up THE END. That was so unfortunate because the characters were likeable, yet flawed. There were so many secrets that I wished were resolved...but it just went flat.
I have to say, I was very disappointed as I was really liking the first part of the story.
March 5, 2014
Okay, first let me say this was a free Kindle book. I have a habit of trolling the lists on
Amazon and just downloading anything that is free and looks okay. Well, I was looking for something to read the other night and found this one. (I was feeling guilty getting all these books and never reading any). Anyway, it was a quick read and relatively well written. I've read worse and of course I have read better.
I don't know that I would recommend this as there are sooooo many better books out there.
Amazon and just downloading anything that is free and looks okay. Well, I was looking for something to read the other night and found this one. (I was feeling guilty getting all these books and never reading any). Anyway, it was a quick read and relatively well written. I've read worse and of course I have read better.
I don't know that I would recommend this as there are sooooo many better books out there.
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