Fast & Loose

Kentucky Derby #1

by Elizabeth Bevarly

In desperate need of money, glass artist Lulu Flannery agrees to rent out her house to thoroughbred trainer and media sensation Cole Early and tries to deny her attraction to this notorious playboy who makes it no secret that he wants her in his bed. Original.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Ebooks

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Elizabeth Bevarly was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky and earned her BA with honors in English from the University of Louisville in 1983. Although she can’t recall ever wanting to be anything but a novelist-oh, all right, she toyed briefly with becoming an archaeologist, until she realized how awful she looked in khaki and flannel, and there was a brief fling with the interior decorator thing, until she realized she had trouble distinguishing chintz from moiré, and… (Where was I? Oh, yeah. My brilliant career.) Anyway, her career side trips before making the leap to writing included stints working as a bartender, a waitress, a movie theater cashier, a soap-hawker for Crabtree & Evelyn, an apparel-hawker for The Limited, and a bridal registry consultant for a major department store. She also did time as an editorial assistant for a medical journal, where she learned the correct spellings and meanings of a variety of words (like microscopy and histological) which, with any luck at all, she will never use again in this life.

She wrote her first novel when she was twelve years old. It was 32 pages long-and that was with college rule notebook paper-and featured three girls named Liz, Marianne and Cheryl, who explored the mysteries of a haunted house. Her friends Marianne and Cheryl proclaimed it “Brilliant! Spellbinding! Kept me up past dinnertime reading!” Those rave reviews only kindled the fire inside her to write more.

Since sixth grade, Elizabeth has gone on to complete more than 60 works of contemporary romance. Her novels regularly appear on the USA Today and Waldenbooks bestseller lists, and The Thing About Men was a New York Times Extended List bestseller. She’s been nominated for the prestigious RITA Award, has won the coveted National Readers’ Choice Award, and Romantic Times magazine has seen fit to honor her with two-count ‘em TWO-Career Achievement Awards. Her books have been translated into two dozen languages and published in three dozen countries, and there are more than ten million copies in print worldwide. She has claimed as residences Washington, DC, northern Virginia, southern New Jersey and Puerto Rico, but she now resides back in her native Kentucky with her husband and son and two very troubled cats where she fully intends to remain.

Reviews

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This has two characters that are different and a bit quirky, refreshingly different from the usually hero and heroine. The hero is a horse trainer but really no scenes involving that, you get some of the hoopla surrounding the Kentucky Derby a little. The heroine is a glass artist, you get more artsy stuff/tone involving her.
The author did a great job introducing her characters, maybe too good a job because it feels like 60-70% of the book is introducing our characters and slowing bringing them together. We then get a rushed bottom heavy ending of them coming together and having a very quick romance. I really enjoyed these characters separately but did not get near enough time of them together to feel their romance.
There was also a secondary romance that came close to stealing the show.
Definitely a different beat contemporary if you're looking to break out of the usual contemporary fare but the rushed romance ending killed all the lengthy character ground work the author had done.

[Julie (jjmachshev) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous! Great H/H, sensual exciting sex, and sensitive relationship growth.

Against a backdrop of the beauty and pageantry of the Kentucky Derby, Elizabeth Bevarly has penned a run-away winner.

Lulu agreed to rent out her small, comfortable house for two weeks during the Derby. Lulu is a quiet, publicity-shy artist who saves all her passion for her blown glass creations.

Cole is a horse-trainer whose luck has been golden during the last several years. Now he's the media-sensation "King Cole" and spends as much time 'on' during racing season as his beloved thoroughbreds. He becomes fascinated with the mysterious, enticing, anonymous woman who lives in the house he's rented for the Derby.

These two are clearly all wrong for each other. So when Cole needs a 'buffer' girlfriend, he chooses Lulu, who clearly doesn't long for his fame, riches, or body. But the more time they spend together, the more he realizes that maybe, just maybe, his lucky streak will reward him with the ultimate prize...Lulu.

After reading this book, I want to go to the races. I want to find a man who sees that beauty is enhanced by what's inside a woman...a man willing to take the time to draw out the inner passions that translate to sensual excitement. A winner all the way around.

[Sarah B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't generally read romance books very often but since this one is horse related (plus I needed a book with a pink cover for a challenge) I thought I would read this. First I must say this is not actually a horse story at all but the main male character, Cole Early, is a trainer of race horses. But there are virtually no horses in this story at all (except for one page way near the end). Nor does Cole really talk about any horse stuff during the story. He doesn't use any of the language I would think he would use. And I find that very odd.

In fact I would go as far as saying that Cole doesn't seem like any equestrian that I know. His behavior in here doesn't add up. He has a horse who is going to be in the Kentucky Derby but instead of staying in the barn or stable with his very lucky horse he is hanging out at bars in the city/town to all sorts of late hours? I cannot imagine a decent trainer doing that. You would think a real horse person would he worried that some little thing would go wrong with the horse and then the race would need to be scratched (and yes that does indeed happen). Many trainers sleep right there in the barn. But instead he is out drinking hard liquor? Well what about his horse? Isn't he at all concerned about foundering? Colic? A stone in the frog? The conditions of the track on race day? The fact that it is a new track for this horse? I just don't think his behavior is believable. Not for a horse trainer. How can he do his job if he is out all those hours to the early AM?

I could relate to Lulu in here who is an introvert and likes to keep a low profile. She is an artist who decides to rent her home out and the lucky one to get her house is Cole. But Lulu is uncertain what to think of this wealthy man from California who is a racehorse trainer. She seems to have a poor opinion of horse trainers and people from California as she believes they are wild, out of control people. Because she never does anything slightly risky at all... So many of the things she thought and did I could understand all too well. Her thinking processes. Should she do that? Will she get in trouble? She even has doubts about the rights of entering her own home!

Otherwise the story was very predictable. No real surprises in the plot. It was entertaining but that is about it.

[Lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Lissa Staley
Posted March 18, 2008


Romance | Contemporary | Romance Contemporary

Lulu Flannery loves living in her hometown, Louisville, especially during the weeks before the Kentucky Derby. The lavish fundraising parties, the famous horse owners and trainers in town for the event all add to the excitement of the crowd as the city fills with tourists. Lulu always just watches the Derby on television though, since she doesn't really care for horses. She's happy to concentrate on her work as a glass artist, which keeps a roof over her head, although that roof could use new shingles. A rental agent convinces Lulu to stay with a friend and rent out her bungalow for two weeks to a horse racing fan. Although the money is too good to pass up, Lulu is concerned about having a stranger stay in her home, especially when she discovers who it is!

For Cole Early, this is the year he's going to win the Triple Crown. He already has a celebrity reputation as "King Cole" the well-dressed, handsome horse trainer, and when his horse wins the Derby in a few weeks, he will be on his way to success. Cole didn't anticipate that no hotels would be available for miles around Louisville though, and he's finding the little bungalow he rented to be a bit distracting. He's intrigued by his fantasies of the woman who lives here, imagining from her possessions that she's captivating, exotic and passionate. When he finally meets Lulu, he's surprised by the reality, but not disappointed. Lulu and Cole couldn't have less in common, except for the attraction developing between them!

This novel takes the actual Derby house rentals in Louisville and imagines a fabulous romance developing from the situation. The writing captures the spirit of the Kentucky Derby, although actual scenes featuring horses are minimal. The author's note at the end clarified which tourist attractions are fictitious or based on actual locations, which readers appreciate when learning about a new locale through fiction. With well-developed, entertaining characters and humorous dialogue, FAST AND LOOSE will keep you reading until the end of the race.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cole Early is a very successful Thoroughbred trainer and his horse, Silk Purse, has a chance to race in the Kentucky Derby. But when Cole tries to get a hotel in Louisville, there's nothing open so he ends up renting a house; Lulu's house.

She's a local glass artist who needs the money so she let her friend Eddie rent out her place for two weeks but quickly begins to worry. What if the person renting is someone like that rowdy “King Cole” person who keeps popping up in all the places she seems to be? A guy like that could really mess with a girl’s feng shui.

But Cole isn't really interested in Lulu's house. He's interested in her, specially after he discovers she’s the mysterious woman whose house is filled with such sensual indulgences. What’s a guy gotta do to bring the passion out of the self-possessed Miss Flannery?

This was a fun, light read. The chemistry between Lulu and Cole was hot and the secondary story with Bree and Rufus was wonderful too. Bevarly's writing is funny and quirky and Fast & Loose is fresh and delightful.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Elizabeth Bevarly's writing. She's funny and witty. I found myself laughing out loud while reading this book. It's your stereo-typical love story, but this story has a lot of humor.

[Mai Moonshine]

There were a few parts of the steamy scenes that didn't quite hit the mark for me, but the tension leading up to those points and the romance that built and followed more than made up for it. There were moments of chills and almost tears. The characters were phenomenally developed and will be missed!

[Stephanie Bowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, fast read. Cole is a horse trainer in Louisville for the Derby and rents a house. He is intrigued by the person who owns the house and begins learning more about her by snooping. He learns that Lulu is the one who own the house and hires her to be his "buffer" against the pretty trainer hangers who are after him just because of his money. Lulu accepts the offer so she can redo her roof. When Cole picks Lulu up for a dinner, he is blown away by her and quickly falls for her. Lulu takes some time to realize that her true self is the artist side of her and not the cautious side she has been showing everyone for so long. Cole buys horse land in KY so he can be near Lulu (glass artist) and she agrees to live with him for the other half of the year in CA. Side stories: Lulu's best friend Bree allows herself to fall for Rufus (true love) instead of a rich guy who can afford to pay for her mother's nursing home bills.

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set around the Kentucky Derby, this book is the best of the trilogy Bevarly puts at the race. It's not, as I assumed, a series.
This book has glass artist Lulu Flannery offering up her house (sort of a vrbo). But she doesn't know it's to playboy Cole Early. Though she's wickedly attracted to the man, she is worried about his house.
I had several issues with this book. Like, if Cole was so certain his horse was going to the Derby, why didn't he get a place earlier? And, why did Bevarly make him such an alpha male in a book written in the late aughts? And why, as in the other books, did she make the B plot the more interesting one? In this book, it's Lulu's friend Bree, an admitted fortune hunger who ends up falling in love with her friend Rufus, a man who has no aspirations above being a bartender.

[LaFleurBleue · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like a 2.5, but I cannot put it at 3
It was obviously a light and fluffy read, with nice things and some others not so nice.
I thought the main love story not really realistic and neither of the main characters seemed real. The heroine is an artist, who's been repressing her spontaneous and fun side all her life, but we never get any clue WHY. Of course, when all of a sudden she decides to change her mind, it did not come as a shock as it only seemed dumb before.
The hero had nothing really special, except for me a very crappy taste in terms of clothing (the purple suit is a definite no to my fashion statement).
The heroine's friend, who seemed a real opportunistic gold-digger, finally turned to be the most interesting character. But her lover is almost a carpet to her, so I had trouble believing in their HEA.

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this book is first in series, and I gave it a little bit of leadway. However, I could not wait to finish this book. Not because I was wrapped up in it so bad I couldn't wait to see what happens next; but because I couldn't wait for it to end. I have a very firm "finish what you started rule". 98% I find I like the book a whole lot better because I saw it through to the end. Not with Ivanhoe and not with this one. I'm a Kentuckian. I know Louisville. One the surface I should have loved this book. But I only liked the surface of it. It liked a lot of depth and heart. I was so disappointed.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could equally honestly be titled Light and Fluffy. Nothing wrong with that, though. Easygoing, quirky romance harkening back to Bevarly's early work (My Man Pendleton), and much improved over the eye-rollingly mediocre Express Male series. Part of the joy here is the setting. Bevarly, who lives in Louisville, clearly loves her hometown, and serves it up like the little slice of heaven it is. The only real stumbling block to enjoying this one, as I see it, is the difficulty of reading a pro-Derby horse-racing romance the same year as Eight Belles' death.

[Shari · Rating 3 out of 5]

The font was itty-bitty, so I expected a deep story. But it seemed like the romantic part of the story wrapped up in the last 55 pages of a 284 page novel. Like the editor or the author had a deadline and a long manuscript that they needed to chop. It was fun, reading about how a trainer for horses ended up in the Derby and a chick that had absolutely no interest in his life... I liked it, but felt robbed at the end.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was cheesy and too descriptive, in a bad way. I liked the idea, but it could have been so much better. And it was too polite and discreet and didn't have and raunchy sex scenes. It was kinda good how they had both Bree and lulus stories, but not really. I didn't really like it that much. I don't think I'll read the others.

[Ann (Noumena12) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was better than I expected. It is the first in the series and I'm looking forward to reading the others. Interestingly, I read it the same weekend as the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Although the Derby had disturbing results.

[Kenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but the reluctance of the female characters to willingly engage in promiscuous sexual encounters, despite the title, made the story actually depressing. The scene where they have sex in the glass studio honestly grossed me out.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, easy read.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute fun read if you're looking for something light and not so in-depth.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

the author lives in Louisville and this book takes place in Louisville around Derby, I really enjoyed all the local places mentioned in the book, it was a good read, too.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started it forever ago and now I finally finished it. Yay! It clears some book shelf space lol - it was an okay read I suppose.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving this to Eileen to read, this writer had a humorous style as well as a little HOT too. I am going to look for other books by the same author.

[Eomicheli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely light and enjoyable. I loved the main characters! The book was funny and steamy...

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read, nice at times. sometimes steamy! Light, mostly a 2.5 for me.

[Heather T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of bland but ok.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thought it would be fun to read for Derby; OK, but some trashy parts.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Modern