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Jamesville #1
Discovering Dani
Burke Black wanted something he could live with, but ended up finding someone he could live for. Book 1 of Jamesville Dani O'Rourke has had the responsibility of raising her two brothers, Patrick and Shamus, since the death of their parents. As sole owner and operator of O'Rourke Cleaning Services, she is no stranger too hard work, but she is a beginner when it comes to men. Burke is a very rich and successful businessman whose brush with death has made him question his priorities. He's traveled to Jamesville for peace and quiet while he plans the rest of his life. Their lives collide when Burke accuses her of breaking into his cabin to steal from him. Their attraction to each other is immediate, and after a series of misunderstandings he finds himself caught up in the lives of Dani and her brothers. But can this gentle, giving woman get a man as hard and cynical as Burke to believe in the power of love? Or will Burke leave town without ever discovering the wonders of life with Dani?
216 pages, Trade Paperback
First published March 14, 2006
24 people are currently reading
445 people want to read
About the author
N.J. Walters
168 books1,275 followersOnce upon a time N.J. had the idea that she would like to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the bookstore and her hometown and settled in for another seven years.
One day she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first erotic romance novel and life would never be the same.
N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.
One day she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first erotic romance novel and life would never be the same.
N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 1, 2012
This is a very sweet, "feel good" story with a fairly simple plot: hero meets heroine, they develop a tentative relationship, a few conflicts arise along the way, but they manage to work everything out and live HEA. There are no mysteries to be solved and no dangerous villains to defeat, this is a straight contemporary novel set in a small town called Jamesville (I'm assuming this is a fictional town, but I might be wrong).
Dani O'Rourke is a 25-year-old virgin who's spent the last eight years of her life raising her younger brothers Patrick and Shamus. Dani and her brothers were left on their own when their mother died from cancer, no more than two years after they'd lost their father to a heart attack, and then 18-year-old Dani had to quit high-school, look for work and become the family provider. Dani doesn't regret her decision and doesn't think about what-might-have-been, because keeping the family together is what really matters to her. They don't live a luxury life, but they're happy.
Burke Black is in Jamesville on a sabbatical, after spending the last five months recovering from a car accident that made him realize how shallow and lonely his life is. He has no family and no friends, only business acquaintances and employees. He's already filthy rich and doesn't need to keep dedicating all his life to his business anymore. So he's sold his business and headed to Jamesville, where he hopes to spend some time relaxing while pondering what to do with the rest of his life. Then he meets Dani, and suddenly relaxing is the last thing on his mind...
Dani and Burke feel strongly attracted to each other, but they've lived completely different lives and have opposite expectations: she wants to build a serious relationship with him and isn't willing to sleep with him until she really gets to know him - remember, she's a virgin - but he's never done this relationship thing and wants to get physical as soon as possible. Naturally, he ends up acting like a jerk and hurting her, and must find a way to win her trust (and love) back.
Oh boy, how I wanted to smack Burke in the beginning of this story! He was cold, callous, and even though I felt he really liked Dani, he didn't have a clue about how to treat her. In time, I learned to understand (and forgive) him. He'd never met anyone like her before, so he was right to be p!ssed when he thought she was leading him on and playing with him. He also earned major points from me when he came around and set out to show Dani he was worthy of her love.
As for Dani, I really liked her from the start, even though she was too sweet and saintly to be true. If I lived in Jamesville, I'd want to be her BFF. I especially loved her relationship with her brothers and how well-adjusted they were, despite what they'd been through. I know Patrick's and Shamus's stories are books #3 and #4 in this series, and I can't wait to read them.
Overall, I really liked this story, but it had some problems. The biggest one was the way Dani kept jumping to wrong conclusions about Burke over and over again. I understood her insecurities, but she'd known that b!tchy Cynthia James all her life and she should have known better than to let that jealous tart needle her. In the end, it was kind of funny to see Burke address that issue when he proposed to Dani:
"Damn it, woman! I want to marry you. God only knows why, you jump to conclusions so fast. But there's no accounting for taste, is there?"
I also had some trouble adjusting to the pace of the story, especially near the end. I didn't need to read about all the wedding preparations, and those scenes felt like fillers to me. Maybe I was just anxious to get to Burke and Dani's wedding night, when they would finally make love for the first time, LOL. Fans of N.J. Walters's erotic novels should be "warned" that this single lovemaking scene in Discovering Dani is very tame and nothing like she's known to deliver in her spicier stories. To me, the whole scene was kind of old-fashioned, but sweet and fitting to the story.
All things considered, I really enjoyed this read and will definitely read the next books in the series.
Dani O'Rourke is a 25-year-old virgin who's spent the last eight years of her life raising her younger brothers Patrick and Shamus. Dani and her brothers were left on their own when their mother died from cancer, no more than two years after they'd lost their father to a heart attack, and then 18-year-old Dani had to quit high-school, look for work and become the family provider. Dani doesn't regret her decision and doesn't think about what-might-have-been, because keeping the family together is what really matters to her. They don't live a luxury life, but they're happy.
Burke Black is in Jamesville on a sabbatical, after spending the last five months recovering from a car accident that made him realize how shallow and lonely his life is. He has no family and no friends, only business acquaintances and employees. He's already filthy rich and doesn't need to keep dedicating all his life to his business anymore. So he's sold his business and headed to Jamesville, where he hopes to spend some time relaxing while pondering what to do with the rest of his life. Then he meets Dani, and suddenly relaxing is the last thing on his mind...
Dani and Burke feel strongly attracted to each other, but they've lived completely different lives and have opposite expectations: she wants to build a serious relationship with him and isn't willing to sleep with him until she really gets to know him - remember, she's a virgin - but he's never done this relationship thing and wants to get physical as soon as possible. Naturally, he ends up acting like a jerk and hurting her, and must find a way to win her trust (and love) back.
Oh boy, how I wanted to smack Burke in the beginning of this story! He was cold, callous, and even though I felt he really liked Dani, he didn't have a clue about how to treat her. In time, I learned to understand (and forgive) him. He'd never met anyone like her before, so he was right to be p!ssed when he thought she was leading him on and playing with him. He also earned major points from me when he came around and set out to show Dani he was worthy of her love.
As for Dani, I really liked her from the start, even though she was too sweet and saintly to be true. If I lived in Jamesville, I'd want to be her BFF. I especially loved her relationship with her brothers and how well-adjusted they were, despite what they'd been through. I know Patrick's and Shamus's stories are books #3 and #4 in this series, and I can't wait to read them.
Overall, I really liked this story, but it had some problems. The biggest one was the way Dani kept jumping to wrong conclusions about Burke over and over again. I understood her insecurities, but she'd known that b!tchy Cynthia James all her life and she should have known better than to let that jealous tart needle her. In the end, it was kind of funny to see Burke address that issue when he proposed to Dani:
"Damn it, woman! I want to marry you. God only knows why, you jump to conclusions so fast. But there's no accounting for taste, is there?"
I also had some trouble adjusting to the pace of the story, especially near the end. I didn't need to read about all the wedding preparations, and those scenes felt like fillers to me. Maybe I was just anxious to get to Burke and Dani's wedding night, when they would finally make love for the first time, LOL. Fans of N.J. Walters's erotic novels should be "warned" that this single lovemaking scene in Discovering Dani is very tame and nothing like she's known to deliver in her spicier stories. To me, the whole scene was kind of old-fashioned, but sweet and fitting to the story.
All things considered, I really enjoyed this read and will definitely read the next books in the series.
May 27, 2014
Not a Harley Davidson in sight. Just what the doctor ordered.
Successful, rich, businessman meets small-town girl.
No drama, no sex – well, not until the end. No violence, no deaths. Yep, worked for me today
Being in love was hard work
December 5, 2009
3 ½ stars – Contemporary Romance
This is a relatively simple, albeit sweet and emotional, romantic story, but the hero's bitter, crappy attitude and despicable behavior towards the heroine for most of the book really bugged me. My rating would have been higher if I hadn't spent about 90% of the time reading wanting the heroine to just slap him silly. But at least I got to take some consolation from the heroine's brother giving him a nice, much deserved shiner at one point! Also, I was expecting more frequent and explicit love scenes (it is a Samhain after all), but it's got a fairly low/mild heat factor. I might have enjoyed it a bit more and been less annoyed by such an alpha, jerk hero if the sex had at least been hotter!
This is a relatively simple, albeit sweet and emotional, romantic story, but the hero's bitter, crappy attitude and despicable behavior towards the heroine for most of the book really bugged me. My rating would have been higher if I hadn't spent about 90% of the time reading wanting the heroine to just slap him silly. But at least I got to take some consolation from the heroine's brother giving him a nice, much deserved shiner at one point! Also, I was expecting more frequent and explicit love scenes (it is a Samhain after all), but it's got a fairly low/mild heat factor. I might have enjoyed it a bit more and been less annoyed by such an alpha, jerk hero if the sex had at least been hotter!
June 29, 2021
Dani has been taking care of her two brothers ever since her parents died. She owns her own cleaning company and is cleaning out a cabin when she first meets Burke. He thinks that she is stealing from him since she knocked over a briefcase and is putting all the spilled papers back inside when he comes into the cabin. He makes a big mistake telling her he won't call the police if she's "nice" to him. I hated this guy right away.
Burke has been on his own for a long time and he's made a lot of money for himself. But he has no friends or family and that fact hit him right between the eyes when he had an accident and only a couple of business acquaintances came to see him in the hospital. He made changes after he got out of rehab and wants a family and friends which is why he's in Jamesville. His first real run in with Dani was a complete misunderstanding that made him look like a jerk but she's still nice to him afterwards.
When Burke realizes that he's made a terrible mistake, he goes to Dani's house to apologize where she invites him in and he has dinner with her and her brothers. Her brothers are very protective of her and don't trust Burke right away. But Burke is kinda in awe of the way they all get along and react towards one another which is not something he's used to since he's never had a real family like Dani does.
Even though everything seems to be going well for the two of them, Burke once again ends up acting like a complete jerk and emotionally hurts Dani, which made me hate this guy. I really wanted her to erase his memory from her brain and find something worthy of her because his bad temper, irrational behavior and the way he treated her, like picking up and leaving without telling her a thing for over a week was more than I ever would have put up with. But they do get back together more than once and things seem to be working out for them. It ended well but I can't help think that she is going to have nothing but problems with this guy in the future and I still don't like him.
Burke has been on his own for a long time and he's made a lot of money for himself. But he has no friends or family and that fact hit him right between the eyes when he had an accident and only a couple of business acquaintances came to see him in the hospital. He made changes after he got out of rehab and wants a family and friends which is why he's in Jamesville. His first real run in with Dani was a complete misunderstanding that made him look like a jerk but she's still nice to him afterwards.
When Burke realizes that he's made a terrible mistake, he goes to Dani's house to apologize where she invites him in and he has dinner with her and her brothers. Her brothers are very protective of her and don't trust Burke right away. But Burke is kinda in awe of the way they all get along and react towards one another which is not something he's used to since he's never had a real family like Dani does.
Even though everything seems to be going well for the two of them, Burke once again ends up acting like a complete jerk and emotionally hurts Dani, which made me hate this guy. I really wanted her to erase his memory from her brain and find something worthy of her because his bad temper, irrational behavior and the way he treated her, like picking up and leaving without telling her a thing for over a week was more than I ever would have put up with. But they do get back together more than once and things seem to be working out for them. It ended well but I can't help think that she is going to have nothing but problems with this guy in the future and I still don't like him.
June 28, 2013
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Discovering Dani was my first read by N. J. Walters. As I understand, she is mostly known for her erotic romances, but this one is a sweetly sensual, traditional contemporary. It has the feel of a fairy tale, Cinderella story. Our hero is a filthy rich businessman, while the heroine is essentially a maid, but she has two great brothers rather than a nasty stepmother and stepsisters. It's a pretty simple straight-forward story that's a little slow in places and has a few issues which I'll address later, but I couldn't deny that it appealed to the hopeless romantic, fairy tale lover in me.
Following his recovery from a horrific car accident that nearly claimed his life and left him with disfiguring scars, Burke started reassessing what he wanted out of life and found it rather lacking. In an effort to gain perspective, he decided to sell off his business interests and go on a sojourn in the little town of Jamesville where he temporarily takes up residence in a rented cabin. He doesn't exactly get off on the right foot with Dani. In fact, he acts like a total jerk toward her when he finds her in his cabin. She was there cleaning, but he instantly jumps to conclusions and accuses her of robbing him. He also pretty overtly implied that he'd be willing to accept sex in exchange for not calling the police and all but forced a kiss on her. Once Burke realized that she was telling him the truth, he at least felt bad about his behavior and went searching for her to apologize, but then he goes into jerk mode again a few weeks later. By then, the sexual tension has started to heat up between them, and he just assumes Dani is ready for sex. When she turns him down cold, he gets mad and says a lot of horrible things to her. Normally, I'd probably hate a hero who acts like this, but from there on out, he cleans up his act pretty well. When Burke realizes how much Dani means to him and that he doesn't want to lose her, he goes to apologize again, and this time, he did some pretty amazing groveling. If more jerk heroes took a page from Burke's book, I might fall for them in the end too.;-) We also find out that he had a really rough upbringing with a mother who basically abandoned him. He is a self-made man who worked hard for every penny he earned, but somewhere along the line, he became jaded and cynical. Dani is the complete opposite, sweet, innocent and giving, whereas all the other women he's sought out for companionship in the past knew the score, that he doesn't do commitment. Those who sought him out were usually gold-diggers, so between that and his mommy issues, he isn't particularly trusting of women either. Dani is unlike any woman he's ever been with before, and I think that scared him a little. He doesn't really even know how to actually date a woman and has to learn with her as he goes along. When he connects with Dani and her brothers and spends Christmas with them, it was sweet how the sense of family and belonging he finds with them is a foreign but very pleasant thing. It makes him really start rethinking his priorities and realizing that a quiet life with a wife like Dani and a few kids is exactly what he wants after all.
Dani is a very sweet young woman, who's forgiving, trusting, virginal and perhaps a little naïve. When Burke forced his kiss on her, I thought she warmed up way too fast, when she probably should have slapped him in the face instead, but of course, her body started reacting in an unfamiliar and desirous way. When he comes to her home to apologize, she can't help but forgive him and invite him to share dinner with her and her brothers, which leads to him spending Christmas with them as well. Dani was a very responsible person to take on the care of her two younger brothers at the tender age of eighteen when their parents passed away. They're both wonderful young men, so overall, I'd say she did a remarkable job of finishing raising them. She was also quite intelligent and enterprising to come up with the idea for her cleaning business and then make it a reality. Dani has never been in a real relationship, but she does have a lot of self-respect, knowing that she doesn't want to sleep with any man unless she has a commitment from him first. Dani admittedly isn't exactly the kind of heroine who has come to be admired in most current romances, but I related to her pretty well and thought she was adorable.
Dani's two brothers are great secondary characters. Patrick works hard too, helping Dani with the bills while attending college, hoping to eventually get a job in law enforcement. I love how protective he is of Dani and how he sometimes takes care of her even though he's younger than her. Shamus is a fairly happy-go-lucky and charming teenager who also contributes his fair share to the finances even though he's still in high school. These two will become the heroes of books 3 & 4 in the Jamesville series, The Return of Patrick O'Rourke and The Seduction of Shamus O'Rourke. Since these two young men still have a bit of growing up to do, I guess it's not too surprising that there is another book in between, The Way Home, which features Jake Tanner as the hero. Jake put in a quick appearance in Discovering Dani, selling Dani his truck.
Overall, I enjoyed Discovering Dani, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I thought it had a few issues, not the least of which is plot weaknesses. To start with things go from 0 to 60 between Burke and Dani in no time flat. They've no sooner met, and not exactly in a nice way either, than she's inviting him to spend Christmas with her and her brothers. Although the rapid pace of this part of the story didn't entirely sit well with me, if I chalk it up to small town hospitality, it does make some sense. However, Dani also decides she's in love with Burke after only spending a couple of weeks with him. This and other parts of the story weren't entirely believable to me. I think allowing a little more time for their relationship to grow would have been preferable, and there were times when a few more details to shore up plot points would have been appreciated. Also, much of the conflict relies on repeated misunderstandings or miscommunications which isn't my favorite way to go, although I admit most of them were resolved fairly quickly, not allowing them to build into annoyances. I found a number of editing errors as well, which could be a bit distracting, but thankfully not totally egregious. When I factor in the issues with story structure and editing, Discovering Dani is probably more of a 3.5 star book, but there were several elements in this novel that remind in some ways of a book I'm currently writing. Therefore, I couldn't help adding on a few additional points for Ms. Walters being a woman after my own heart, and I'll definitely be checking out the other books in the series.
Discovering Dani was my first read by N. J. Walters. As I understand, she is mostly known for her erotic romances, but this one is a sweetly sensual, traditional contemporary. It has the feel of a fairy tale, Cinderella story. Our hero is a filthy rich businessman, while the heroine is essentially a maid, but she has two great brothers rather than a nasty stepmother and stepsisters. It's a pretty simple straight-forward story that's a little slow in places and has a few issues which I'll address later, but I couldn't deny that it appealed to the hopeless romantic, fairy tale lover in me.
Following his recovery from a horrific car accident that nearly claimed his life and left him with disfiguring scars, Burke started reassessing what he wanted out of life and found it rather lacking. In an effort to gain perspective, he decided to sell off his business interests and go on a sojourn in the little town of Jamesville where he temporarily takes up residence in a rented cabin. He doesn't exactly get off on the right foot with Dani. In fact, he acts like a total jerk toward her when he finds her in his cabin. She was there cleaning, but he instantly jumps to conclusions and accuses her of robbing him. He also pretty overtly implied that he'd be willing to accept sex in exchange for not calling the police and all but forced a kiss on her. Once Burke realized that she was telling him the truth, he at least felt bad about his behavior and went searching for her to apologize, but then he goes into jerk mode again a few weeks later. By then, the sexual tension has started to heat up between them, and he just assumes Dani is ready for sex. When she turns him down cold, he gets mad and says a lot of horrible things to her. Normally, I'd probably hate a hero who acts like this, but from there on out, he cleans up his act pretty well. When Burke realizes how much Dani means to him and that he doesn't want to lose her, he goes to apologize again, and this time, he did some pretty amazing groveling. If more jerk heroes took a page from Burke's book, I might fall for them in the end too.;-) We also find out that he had a really rough upbringing with a mother who basically abandoned him. He is a self-made man who worked hard for every penny he earned, but somewhere along the line, he became jaded and cynical. Dani is the complete opposite, sweet, innocent and giving, whereas all the other women he's sought out for companionship in the past knew the score, that he doesn't do commitment. Those who sought him out were usually gold-diggers, so between that and his mommy issues, he isn't particularly trusting of women either. Dani is unlike any woman he's ever been with before, and I think that scared him a little. He doesn't really even know how to actually date a woman and has to learn with her as he goes along. When he connects with Dani and her brothers and spends Christmas with them, it was sweet how the sense of family and belonging he finds with them is a foreign but very pleasant thing. It makes him really start rethinking his priorities and realizing that a quiet life with a wife like Dani and a few kids is exactly what he wants after all.
Dani is a very sweet young woman, who's forgiving, trusting, virginal and perhaps a little naïve. When Burke forced his kiss on her, I thought she warmed up way too fast, when she probably should have slapped him in the face instead, but of course, her body started reacting in an unfamiliar and desirous way. When he comes to her home to apologize, she can't help but forgive him and invite him to share dinner with her and her brothers, which leads to him spending Christmas with them as well. Dani was a very responsible person to take on the care of her two younger brothers at the tender age of eighteen when their parents passed away. They're both wonderful young men, so overall, I'd say she did a remarkable job of finishing raising them. She was also quite intelligent and enterprising to come up with the idea for her cleaning business and then make it a reality. Dani has never been in a real relationship, but she does have a lot of self-respect, knowing that she doesn't want to sleep with any man unless she has a commitment from him first. Dani admittedly isn't exactly the kind of heroine who has come to be admired in most current romances, but I related to her pretty well and thought she was adorable.
Dani's two brothers are great secondary characters. Patrick works hard too, helping Dani with the bills while attending college, hoping to eventually get a job in law enforcement. I love how protective he is of Dani and how he sometimes takes care of her even though he's younger than her. Shamus is a fairly happy-go-lucky and charming teenager who also contributes his fair share to the finances even though he's still in high school. These two will become the heroes of books 3 & 4 in the Jamesville series, The Return of Patrick O'Rourke and The Seduction of Shamus O'Rourke. Since these two young men still have a bit of growing up to do, I guess it's not too surprising that there is another book in between, The Way Home, which features Jake Tanner as the hero. Jake put in a quick appearance in Discovering Dani, selling Dani his truck.
Overall, I enjoyed Discovering Dani, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I thought it had a few issues, not the least of which is plot weaknesses. To start with things go from 0 to 60 between Burke and Dani in no time flat. They've no sooner met, and not exactly in a nice way either, than she's inviting him to spend Christmas with her and her brothers. Although the rapid pace of this part of the story didn't entirely sit well with me, if I chalk it up to small town hospitality, it does make some sense. However, Dani also decides she's in love with Burke after only spending a couple of weeks with him. This and other parts of the story weren't entirely believable to me. I think allowing a little more time for their relationship to grow would have been preferable, and there were times when a few more details to shore up plot points would have been appreciated. Also, much of the conflict relies on repeated misunderstandings or miscommunications which isn't my favorite way to go, although I admit most of them were resolved fairly quickly, not allowing them to build into annoyances. I found a number of editing errors as well, which could be a bit distracting, but thankfully not totally egregious. When I factor in the issues with story structure and editing, Discovering Dani is probably more of a 3.5 star book, but there were several elements in this novel that remind in some ways of a book I'm currently writing. Therefore, I couldn't help adding on a few additional points for Ms. Walters being a woman after my own heart, and I'll definitely be checking out the other books in the series.
October 12, 2016
Virtually no steam. That would be fine but the story itself was so tame it dragged along. Endlessly. Oh, and Burke Black is an ass. Not good when one of the MC's is an ass. Onward to book 2.
September 28, 2010
This is a sweet story. Guy meets girl. They have a developing relationship with some wrinkles and conflicts along the way.
Dani's parents died when she was 18. She dropped out of school to work so she could support and take care of her two younger brothers. As a result, there is a wonderfully warm family relationship among Dani and her brothers. I prefer a little more suspense, mystery or humor. Nothing surprised or delighted me. But, it was nicely done if you're looking for a simple romance story. Story brief: Very rich self-made man sells his business after surviving an auto accident. He now manages his own investments and moves to Jamesville for a few months to decide what to do with his future. He meets and falls for Dani, who is very different from the sophisticated city women he is used to being with. She wants to be a virgin until her wedding night.
DATA:
Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: two. Setting: current day small town Jamesville (5,000 people) in U.S. Copyright: 2006. Genre: contemporary romance.
Dani's parents died when she was 18. She dropped out of school to work so she could support and take care of her two younger brothers. As a result, there is a wonderfully warm family relationship among Dani and her brothers. I prefer a little more suspense, mystery or humor. Nothing surprised or delighted me. But, it was nicely done if you're looking for a simple romance story. Story brief: Very rich self-made man sells his business after surviving an auto accident. He now manages his own investments and moves to Jamesville for a few months to decide what to do with his future. He meets and falls for Dani, who is very different from the sophisticated city women he is used to being with. She wants to be a virgin until her wedding night.
DATA:
Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: two. Setting: current day small town Jamesville (5,000 people) in U.S. Copyright: 2006. Genre: contemporary romance.
August 16, 2022
This was a wonderful, old fashioned, small town romance. A millionaire comes to town at a crossroads in his life. A shy, hardworking, blue collar virgin, with no parents and two brothers she’s raised. Miscommunication, temper tantrums, and slow burning desire, it was all here, and I lapped it all up!
October 29, 2009
****4 1/2 stars****
This was a sweet, emotional and wonderful story! I really enjoy this author's writing.
This was a sweet, emotional and wonderful story! I really enjoy this author's writing.
August 30, 2018
Pretty tame compared to what I normally read but a sweet story overall. My heart ached for all that Dani went through and she was such a great provider for her brothers. Think I fell more in love with Patrick then anyone else. What a sweet kid and so protective at 19! Burke was your typical asshole ceo type of guy and they certainly had a few bumps along the way to their HEA but I enjoyed the focus on the growing pains that normal relationships take and look forward to the other books in the series (except for Shamus'......not too sure a certain someone can be redeemed but we will see)
September 26, 2018
I was so disappointed in this book.
It was my first by N.J. Walters, and I'm afraid it'll probably be my last. I forced myself to finish it because a) I hate DNF a book, and b) I kept hoping it would get better.
It didn't.
This was the tamest Samhein Publishing book I've ever read. There was one, yes ONE, love scene, and it did not have any kind of heat whatsoever. I don't need a smut-filled book, and I can appreciate a good down-home romance, but this wasn't even a good one of those!
It was my first by N.J. Walters, and I'm afraid it'll probably be my last. I forced myself to finish it because a) I hate DNF a book, and b) I kept hoping it would get better.
It didn't.
This was the tamest Samhein Publishing book I've ever read. There was one, yes ONE, love scene, and it did not have any kind of heat whatsoever. I don't need a smut-filled book, and I can appreciate a good down-home romance, but this wasn't even a good one of those!
February 21, 2018
3.5 Stars
May 22, 2022
I like this book the first time I read it and I liked it this time! Reread.
July 30, 2008
A very sweet contemporary romance, "Discovering Dani" is an interesting dpearture from N.J.Walter's more normal erotic offerings. The plot is more realistic and the small town setting provides a very homey feel to the Jamesville series.
Burke is a rich, successful, self-made businessman. His hard past has taught him to look out for himself and that others do the same. After a serious injury, his slow recuperation provides him with too much to do nothing but think and review his life. He decides to sell out and change his direction in some way, searching for something more even if he's not sure exactly what.
Dani hasn't let life get her down. When her parents died, she quit school and began working to keep her two younger brothers together with herself as a family. She doesn't regret it, but she does sometimes think about the things she's missed and wonder if this is all her life will be.
When these two meet, Burke first mistakes her for a boy, then later a burglar. Not the most auspicious beginning! I found Burke rather hard, but a man with his past would be. Dani was a little too naive and sweet, but maybe in small towns such a thing is still possible. Their problems were all too real and their differences take quite of bit of time and effort to work through.
A very satisfying love story. Just not what I normally expect from N.J.Walters. The first book in this series reads more like a mid-heat Harlequin than the blistering erotica I normally read by this author.
Burke is a rich, successful, self-made businessman. His hard past has taught him to look out for himself and that others do the same. After a serious injury, his slow recuperation provides him with too much to do nothing but think and review his life. He decides to sell out and change his direction in some way, searching for something more even if he's not sure exactly what.
Dani hasn't let life get her down. When her parents died, she quit school and began working to keep her two younger brothers together with herself as a family. She doesn't regret it, but she does sometimes think about the things she's missed and wonder if this is all her life will be.
When these two meet, Burke first mistakes her for a boy, then later a burglar. Not the most auspicious beginning! I found Burke rather hard, but a man with his past would be. Dani was a little too naive and sweet, but maybe in small towns such a thing is still possible. Their problems were all too real and their differences take quite of bit of time and effort to work through.
A very satisfying love story. Just not what I normally expect from N.J.Walters. The first book in this series reads more like a mid-heat Harlequin than the blistering erotica I normally read by this author.
April 25, 2012
3.5 stars
My first book of N.J.Walters and won't be the last. Very quick read. It was like read Harlequin books, nice and sweet story. I would never guess that NJ Walters is used to write erotica. This book was very modest and moderate romance.
The hero, Burke was a very wealthy man, recently recovered from accident and decide to move into small town. He attracted with 25 year old innocence woman, Dani, an orphaned with responsibility of 2 younger brother.
The hero was a cynic man, with trust issue and emotional baggage. He tried to seduce the heroine, ended being rejected because they had different value (Dani was forever kind a girl), and he was lashed out his frustration by dated another woman. In the middle of the date, he came to his senses, came to the heroine and begging for the second chance. Their begin to built relationship but still he kept his wealthiness a secret which off course another major bump. But finally they got their HEA.
I loved how the writer describe the small town atmosphere and family value. The secondary character was wonderful especially Dani's brothers, Patrick and Shamus. Though Patrick protectiveness was way too much for 19 year old teenager. He will be the hero in the third installment of this series The Return of Patrick O'Rourke.
My first book of N.J.Walters and won't be the last. Very quick read. It was like read Harlequin books, nice and sweet story. I would never guess that NJ Walters is used to write erotica. This book was very modest and moderate romance.
The hero, Burke was a very wealthy man, recently recovered from accident and decide to move into small town. He attracted with 25 year old innocence woman, Dani, an orphaned with responsibility of 2 younger brother.
The hero was a cynic man, with trust issue and emotional baggage. He tried to seduce the heroine, ended being rejected because they had different value (Dani was forever kind a girl), and he was lashed out his frustration by dated another woman. In the middle of the date, he came to his senses, came to the heroine and begging for the second chance. Their begin to built relationship but still he kept his wealthiness a secret which off course another major bump. But finally they got their HEA.
I loved how the writer describe the small town atmosphere and family value. The secondary character was wonderful especially Dani's brothers, Patrick and Shamus. Though Patrick protectiveness was way too much for 19 year old teenager. He will be the hero in the third installment of this series The Return of Patrick O'Rourke.
April 12, 2011
This was a free kindle book that I got a couple of months ago. When I read the product description it seemed like an interesting concept - it gives you a descent overview.
I love to read different authors and genres, and this was my first book my NJ Walters. While I was not really impressed by this book - I do feel that the author had good intentions and I will probably eventually read the rest of the series.
This series has seven books in it.
Jamesville: Discovering Dani (Book 1)
Jamesville: The Way Home (Book 2)
The Return of Patrick O'Rourke
The Seduction of Shamus O'Rourke (Jamesville)
A Legal Affair: Book 5 of the Jamesville series.
By the Book: Jamesville, Book 6
Past Promises: Jamesville, Book 7
I love to read different authors and genres, and this was my first book my NJ Walters. While I was not really impressed by this book - I do feel that the author had good intentions and I will probably eventually read the rest of the series.
This series has seven books in it.
Jamesville: Discovering Dani (Book 1)
Jamesville: The Way Home (Book 2)
The Return of Patrick O'Rourke
The Seduction of Shamus O'Rourke (Jamesville)
A Legal Affair: Book 5 of the Jamesville series.
By the Book: Jamesville, Book 6
Past Promises: Jamesville, Book 7
March 2, 2014
2 1/2 stars
Keeping in mind this is the first novel the author wrote allows the extra 1/2 star. If, like me, you love NJ Walters Awakening Desires and Project Alpha books, you need be prepared that this is nothing like them.
The H & h are likeable but Dani is a total Mary Sue and the hero is cookie-cutter. There is also a cartoonish villainess. He's a young, lone-wolf billionaire recovering from a car accident. She's a small-town girl whose raised her younger brothers after the death of her parents.
They come together, break apart, reunite, suffer a minor misunderstanding before having their HEA.
Keeping in mind this is the first novel the author wrote allows the extra 1/2 star. If, like me, you love NJ Walters Awakening Desires and Project Alpha books, you need be prepared that this is nothing like them.
The H & h are likeable but Dani is a total Mary Sue and the hero is cookie-cutter. There is also a cartoonish villainess. He's a young, lone-wolf billionaire recovering from a car accident. She's a small-town girl whose raised her younger brothers after the death of her parents.
They come together, break apart, reunite, suffer a minor misunderstanding before having their HEA.
March 20, 2009
A good read but I was a bit disappointed with the heroine's self pity and the heroes self-serving attitude. Personally, I don't think I could have stood being around the hero long enough to get to know him. Still, the character interaction was very good and the secondary characters made you want to know more about them (which Ms Walters does indeed write about in later books for this series). All in all this book kept me interested and wanting to read the next books in her series just to see what happens next.
February 10, 2012
This is a sweet romance. I really enjoyed the fact that no one's life was in danger, just their hearts. The strength of Dani impressed me. I was a little bothered by her level of innocence. I'm all for saving yourself for you husband, but a 25 yr. old should have some knowledge of sex. The wedding night was sweet and just how it should have gone.
I liked Burke, then I hated him, and then I loved him. I recommend this for anyone looking for a story about two people learning to love and trust.
I liked Burke, then I hated him, and then I loved him. I recommend this for anyone looking for a story about two people learning to love and trust.
September 7, 2017
The first book in N.J. Walters' Jamesville series. Dani O'Rourke's first meeting of Burke Black is helping him get a car unstuck. Burke thinks the person helping is another man. The second meeting isn't much better when Burke thinks she is a thief. Dani was in his cabin to clean and knocks over his briefcase.
A pleasant surprise. Enjoyed this sweet romance.
A pleasant surprise. Enjoyed this sweet romance.
May 28, 2012
Plot wise, it started off with promise but then fizzled into a story with barely a heartbeat. It's too bad, really, since Dani and Burke were likable characters and well written. An average romance that held off the sex (what's up with that?!!) and had the typical misunderstandings that cause plenty of hurt. It was really rather frustrating. 3 stars.
September 2, 2008
Discovering Dani: Jamesville Book 1 by N. J. Walters (2006)
January 10, 2011
Just finished this one. What a wonderful sweet book. I really enjoyed this one a lot.
February 23, 2011
This was a quick read, but fun. Not a lot of thinking needed...just a nice diversion for a couple of hours.
February 25, 2011
This was a first book i read of NJ walters and i just loved the characters were written and drew you personnally in to story itself. I just loved it.
June 30, 2011
meh. Not bad but I've read better N.J. Walters
June 14, 2012
A Sweet romance...
March 25, 2017
No he podido pasar de la página 50.
January 7, 2014
this book was boring and predictable.
January 3, 2017
good read
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