Pippa Cochran flees an abusive boyfriend only to end up in a small California town working for Seth Wyatt, a man everyone calls the Grim Reaper—and not just because he’s a bestselling author of horror novels. His fame and fortune make him an imposing presence, but he’s battling more inner demons than even an indefatigable caretaker like Pippa can handle. Still, she can’t resist the emotional pull of his damaged son or the chance to hide in the fortress he calls home. Although Pippa’s generous nature begins to alter Seth’s world in ways neither of them could have imagined, something goes disastrously haywire. Nearly lethal accidents oddly similar to the one that crippled Seth’s son threaten to destroy the new love that Pippa and Seth have dared to discover. Is it time for Pippa to move on before one of them is hurt beyond redemption?
With several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice writes emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances which have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards.
Her books have also been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.
A firm believer in happily-ever-after for good reason, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina and Missouri, she currently resides in Southern California, and now does accounting only for herself.
According to GoodReads here I’ve already read this book since I rated it. It came up recently as a freebie and I’ve read her books before and she is one of those authors who write in a number of different genres, historical, western, and contemporary. I’ve enjoyed her books in every type. This particular book is a contemporary.
Pippa Cochran is a heroine I can really relate to. She handles the tough times with humour. She’s been called a Pollyanna type, but that’s not the way I see her. I see her as more doing what she has to do to get through and she has a lot to get through. She’s just recently lost her mother, been let go from her job as a nurse, a job that helped define her and is trying to break up with an abusive, cop boyfriend. When he really beats her and destroys her apartment that’s the final straw. Since he’s a copy she knows she won’t get any help there. She covers her tracks as best as she can and heads to California where she has a good friend from childhood. She gets a job working as an assistant and part time nurse for a very cranky, grumpy teddy bear type hero, Seth Wyatt. And as much as I could relate to Pippa, Seth was just adorable. He’d lived a life in an ivory tower kind of life. His parents were rich beyond belief and he was kept isolated from other children his own age. Whenever he did try to reach out to them, it ended badly for him. As a result he hasn’t really learned how to deal with people in a normal kind of way. He’s divorced; his ex-wife was cheating on him and hated him by the time their marriage ended. He has custody of their six year old son Chad. When Chad was just a baby, the two of them were in very bad accident and Chad left unable to walk. Because Seth’s own childhood was so dysfunctional and his love for Chad so deep and he’s such a grouchy teddy bear type hero, he is handling Chad all wrong.
But all that begins to change when Pippa enters the picture. She has no trouble taking the guff that Seth throws her way and throwing it right back at him. The back and forth between these protagonists is delightfully amusing at times and this book was headed to a well-earned 4.5 stars. But then we got close to the end and Ms. Rice through in the I’m not good enough/he can never love me card. It’s clear to the readers and should be to Pippa that he adores her but is just unable to really verbalize it because of all the hurts and rejections he’s suffered all his life. I don’t think that added part is needed. The author has given enough believable conflict throughout the story, she didn’t need that last bit. So the book goes down half a star.
But still I have no problems recommending this book if you like strong heroines who like to do battle with grouchy teddy bear heroes, then this is a book you should surely try.
This book was sooo very good. Seth is a reclusive millionaire who secretly writes best-selling horror novels and lives with his paralyzed six year old son and a few maniacal servants (they're the only one's willing to put up with him). He's moody, grouchy, bossy and doesn't deal well with people, not surprisingly his community members are scared to death of him. When his administrative assistant/nanny takes a leave of absence he's at a loss.
When Pippa loses her mother, her job at the Hospital and gets beaten to a pulp by her abusive boyfriend she leaves everything behind and hopes to start over in a small town. She takes the job at Seth's mansion even though all of her instincts tell her not to. She's had it with dangerous men and resolves to keep her fragile heart closed where Seth is concerned. He's sexy, he's gorgeous but he's incapable of love or so he thinks until Pippa, with her smiles and irresistible sunny personality, turns his tortured life upside down and teaches him how to laugh . . .
I just loved this book full of wounded souls who eventually find the strength to love and begin to heal. There wasn't a thing about it to dislike. The hero and heroine are perfectly matched and watching the way they interacted with each other while trying to avoid love was both funny and touching. I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves a well developed love story rich in characterization.
This is such a good romantic mystery. Pippa is fleeing an abusive relationship when she finds a job looking after a young boy in a wheel chair. His father is also broken with a history of isolation and doing everything himself. I loved how the story took each of them through situations that allowed them to grow. Pain and joy and friends and family. Patricia Rice always delivers.
I really wanted to like this so much more than I did...there was story potential with endearing characters but the villain was pathetic and the plot just really fell apart.
Philippa has been let go at her workplace. To escape an obsessed ex, she moves to Garden Grove where she accepts a job to work for a Seth Wyatt. Seth is a wealthy eccentric and isnt easy to get along with. He's been receiving death threats
I don't find a book that is absolutely amazing very often. But this one was!
Needing to get away from her abusive boyfriend, Pippa took a job working for Seth as an RN/administrator. When his assistant took a leave of absence he was in desperate need of someone to replace her but finding someone who would work for him was not easy. He was a grumpy man that everyone was afraid of. But not Pippa. Nobody was going to push her around again. I chuckled at how she talked to Seth in a way that nobody else dared to do. He was used to having his orders done without question. She even took on the little boy, turning him from a spoiled brat to a cute little guy. I loved the way that Pippa transformed the lives of all the people around her. I felt sorry for each of the characters in this story, at some point. Even though many of them were wealthy, appearing to have life by the tail, they weren't completely happy.
Both Pippa and Seth were surprised at their feelings for each other. But opposites attract, right? And there's no denying that despite some initial animosity on Seth's part, these two are being pulled together like magnets. I liked the romance but loved the suspense! Who was out to kill them and were they after Seth or Pippa? I was guessing right up until the end.
Blue Clouds is the first book in this series. Which, after reading this book, I'm very excited about!
So if you really enjoy romantic suspense, with a cast of multi-layered characters then you will love Blue Clouds.
I enjoyed as well as hated the writing of this book. I loved the voice the author gave these characters-- the heroine was hilarious and outrageous and the hero was a grumpy and growling ninja teddy bear (if that makes any sense). Its the non-character writing I didn't enjoy that brought the rating down for me. The mystery and suspense wasn't exciting really and the resolution to it was a little bit anti-climactic. I think this author has strong abilities when it comes to humor and sympathy because that kept me continuing to read the story... the rest was a little boring and outdated (yeesh those love scenes were awkward to read). I am excited to read more from this author however, as long as she gives me more heroines like Pippa:)
This is an older book by Patricia Rice, but is still relevant today. Everything from the town and its economic problems, to the main characters and there issues, are things that were relevant when the book was first written and still relevant today. It is a fast paced book, that sucks you in within the first chapter and keeps you glued to your seat until the end. These characters are fully developed and the story never feels rushed. I think this is actually one of my all time favorite contemporary suspense novels by Patricia, and one of the first I read of hers. While re-reading the book this past week, it felt fresh and new to me all over again, and reminded me why I originally fell in love with her books.
A weak storyline with a strong female lead in an unrealistic scenario. That about sums it up. And the names; Seth, Chad? As overbearing and obnoxious as they are written.
Pippa leaves her hometown for the suburbs of Southern California. Escaping her physically abusive boyfriend who happens to be a police officer, only to apply for a job as the executive assistant to an emotionally and verbally abusive father of a handicapped 6-year old boy. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with little Chad and his explosive personality. Soon, sparks fly; not all of them disastrous. Will Pippa meet her match with Seth and his son in the exclusive world they choose to live in?
This the story Pippa and Seth, whose personalities couldn't be further apart. Pippa is one of those upbeat people, that sees the best in every situation. It's amazing Pippa is so positive, as when we first meet her, she is in major transition mode. Her mother has recently died, she just got fired and just ended an abusive relationship with her jerk ofa boyfriend. She takes a new position across the country as a nurse/nanny to a spoiled 6 year old boy, whom was paralyzed in a car accident as a baby. The accident still haunts his father, Seth. Pippa also has the role of personal assistant to Seth, a reclusive author of horror stories and also a successful, but not well liked business man. He is very grumpy and over-protected of his son, Chad. Within a few days, Pippa has taken over his life. First, she thinks a little boy needs to experience live, have friends, and play and swim like any other little boy. It takes awhile before Seth warms up to Pippa and the two share some very emotional scenes, especially when Chad gets seriously ill. In-between everything else, someone is after Seth or Pippa or both of them. This story will keep your interest, and eventually you will warm-up to Seth.
The story sounded intriguing and had a flair of Beauty and the Beast to it, but I was sorely disappointed. Lust was the main theme until they finally declared their love for each other at the end of the book (after a few sex scenes that I skipped over). The mystery of the attempted murders draaaaaagged on forever, making me lose interest and forgetting it was even happening. Billy's part in it was so small! I thought for sure he'd have more of an appearance, because Pippa had trust issues and was scarred for life, but it wasn't addressed much. And the times he did show up, he was a wimp! There was no epic battle between them or a search and rescue to save her from the big, bad Billy. Nope. Just a quick, lame confrontation and then it was over. Not impressed. The only good thing I enjoyed was Pippa's and Chad's relationship. She was so sweet to him, even when he was a spoiled brat at the beginning, and then their friendship blossomed to a mother son relationship. Loved it! Only reason this book got 2 stars.
I have to say this is quite a lovely book. The story flows nicely and all loose ends get tied up which I tend to like.
The grammar used confuses me. I am certain Rice does not know how to use a colon; it is misused too many times incorrectly for it to be a mistake. If you don't know how to use a piece of punctuation, stay away from it!
The characters are likable and although it is more than obvious where the story is heading, it is a nice journey to go on them with.
Unfortunately I did think the idea that xxx (I won't spoil it for potential readers) was attempting to kill Seth was a little weak and this element of the story could have been a little more convincing.
Although not my favourite by a long shot, I would not shy away from reading another Patricia Rice book. If the colon had not been used so inconsistently and incorrectly I would have given this book a 3 star, but with my bug bear of poor grammar taking over I will only rate this book a 2.
First of all, I don't read modern romance novels like ever. So I didn't expect to like it very much. But I really like Patricia Rice's historical novels so I figured I would give it a go. It didn't work for me. I didn't finish the book. I stopped at page 85. The biggest issue for me is that it doesn't seem realistic!
Pippa has the audacity to tell a father how to raise his child. Actually compared being overprotective (because he's afraid his disabled kid will get sick) to child abuse and then was like, well, I don't remember saying that (moments ago) because I was angry, but I'm a nurse so I know what I'm talking about. She worked for the man for two days!
She poured water on the head of a 6 year old that was having a tantrum...um, never in my life could I consider that appropriate. Never. I liked Seth but can't get over Pippa. So I am not going to finish it.
I’ve never read Patricia Rice but I think I found a new favorite writer and I’m so glad she has tons of books for me to explore! From the first sentence my attention was grabbed and I was able to get lost in the world she created. Every detail is described so you feel you are there. The characters are rich, well developed and full of human failings. I found them very relatable and was rooting for a happy ending. The romance scenes were tastefully written and occurred when it made sense as part of the story. I didn’t feel like it was rushed or just another gratuitous sex scene. The story was the focus not the romance. I enjoyed seeing the characters grow and change as real people do. I’ve already started the next book.
This story has the full deal, excellent characters, interesting plot, a few twists and lots of romance. Pippa is on the run from an abusive ex and Seth is hiding from a hurtful past. The two of them together make the perfect couple, if they can get past their fears and trust each other. Seth's son, Chad, provides the delightful icing on the cake. This story was especially fun, but in my opinion, because once Pippa realized what she and Seth really need, she doesn't back off until she gets everything she dreams. There were plenty of times along the way that I felt like reaching through the pages and shaking her, but in the end her way was worth it.
This book was excellent. In every way that you can think of this book had romance it had mystery. The characters are outstanding Pippa is a unique individual who has suffered in her life as many women have. You will want to be her champion and follow her through to her finding happiness. Great characters read the book you will not be sorry absolutely not!!
Lord help me!!! This book was nothing but a bunch of ramblings place together in an attempt to make a book. It felt like twelve stories in one. It was like you stepped into a story that begun from the middle and not the beginning made it to 60% before I had enough. I did not like Pippa or Seth. Needs massive editing and this author needs to learn how to tell a story. Deleted!!!!
Unappealing main characters. Dated. Anti-feminist. Cheery upbeat domestic abuse victim lands a job with a misanthropic jerk ... from whom any normal person would have taken off running after the first five minutes. You would think an abuse victim would have started running after 30 seconds. But then there was that po' lil' cripple boy for added pathos. In this book's bizarro world, she stays... blah ... blah... blah... silly complications... ad nauseum. Sorry I wasted my time on it. At least it was free because otherwise I would really be kicking myself.
More and more, I appreciate Patricia Rice. Lets face it, if you can get through to an angry, over protected child and make him smile without being his slave, who WOULDN'T go for the ultra rich poor little man child father- but Rice's take on the trope populates the family, estate, the town- even the extended employees, with humanity and humor, and personalities you want to take to brunch or maybe potluck, or even be trapped on a cruise with! Good fun!
Mystery and intrigue without the gore and death of today's mystery books. Love and passion expressed so well without the excessive smut. A smart heroine who wasn't just another mouthy female. An alpha hero who was strong without being abusive. Great repartee. Lots of moments of laughter. All in all a great read.
I loved the way that Pippa transformed the lives of all the people around her. Her boss, Seth Wyatt, underwent the greatest change from a recluse to a benefactor in the community of Garden Clove. The mystery isn't solved too quickly, either, and the murderer is rather clever. A very good read.
Ours is a difficult world and people grow up in reality, which means we have a lot to overcome. The number of men who are super rich in books, however, is not so real. I enjoy reading novels in which people manage to grow and change. This was skillfully written and reminded me of some of Grace Burrows works. I liked this book better than some of the fantasy element books Rice has created.
I have never read anything written by Patricia Rice before and was somewhat reluctant to read this. Thank heavens I did!!!! The outstanding romantic suspense story line coupled by excellent writing made it difficult to stop reading. The characters come alive, love and compassion is clearly illustrated! More please!!!!
3. 5 stars I liked the main characters and the suspense. I really loved the relationship with Seth and his son. And Pippa and Seth's son. But the story went on forever. I felt it could have been shorter. Even the end dragged on. But it was written well and enjoyable.
Pippa had a difficult time building her confidence after her terrible beating by the ex-boyfriend, but she managed. Helping a young boy and his father find hope and love was just as hard. Great story, a modern day Jane Austin novel. I could do without the vivid sex scenes, but loved the rest of the story.
I do so enjoy Patricia Rice in every genre she writes. Though contemporary romance is not my favorite, I enjoyed the battle between "pollyanna " Pippa and "Grim Reaper" Seth. Bubbly nurse Pippa, out to console everyone, and closed off Seth, a man who doesn't know how to show emotion, except to his disabled son. Just a heartwarming story. I did get a little frustrated in the end because Pippa should have given Seth a little leeway because of his cluelessness.
I loved the plat of this book and the characters. Don't many women think they can reform a bad boy? This story shows that sometimes that is true. An injured child in a wheel chair brings his nurse and his father together when they find problems make them part. The characters are developed so that you sympathize with them and this caused me several nights without much sleep.
What happens to a nurse turned hospital administrator whose cop boyfriend beats her? She leaves her home town in KY to take a job in California. Her boss is a rich man with a handicapped son. She thinks she will be caretaker for the son, only to find out she will also be his administrative assistant.