Ain't Misbehaving

by Jeanne Grant

Mitch Cochran had been kept from enjoying life to its fullest, but he's now ready for all love has to offer. He wants much more than just a casual encounter, though. He's looking for love, and Kay Sanders is the real thing. But when he learns she's a sex ed teacher, Mitch worries that he'll be unable to live up to the expectations of this very passionate woman.Kay can tell Mitch is hiding something, and the less he volunteers about his past, the more intrigued she becomes. Despite kisses that could tempt Kay to go against her own rule of no sex without commitment, Mitch ends each date like the perfect gentleman. Kay soon realizes that if she wants to move their budding relationship to the next level, she's going to have to take matters into her own hands...Previously published.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1985

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

(1)Jeanne Grant aka Jennifer Greene

Reviews

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad read but not something I might remember for a while.

[Saly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This was a nice, short & quiet read. The hero/heroine meet at a hospital they like to visit, spending time with sick kids, lifting their spirits up. The hero spent thirteen years in and out of the hospital since he was fifteen and is now finally building a normal life. He missed all of the experiences of being a teenager and young adult. The heroine is a sex-ed teacher who has hoards of friends, a family she loves and normal life. Their is instant chemistry between them but the hero is hesitant with her and backs away. They meet weeks later and start dating and despite growing closer the hero always puts the break because of his inexperience. I found the book sweet. There was a slight misunderstanding at the end which felt unnecessary.

[Sandy M · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the blurb for this book, it sounded cute and fun, which is something every reviewer will tell you they need once in a while. Once I started reading, however, I got much more than I bargained for. Mitch is a delight and I love the way Kay helps him through his issues, even though he doesn’t realize it.

The “much more” in this book is that a very young Mitch had to deal with heart problems, in and out of hospitals during his teenage years, a time when other kids his age are getting their first taste of girls and all that goes with it. So now, years later, more from the fear of failing to go along with his inexperience, Mitch is still a virgin. Meeting Kay at the local hospital where they both spend time with sick kids kicks his libido into high gear, but he can’t get past his fear of what her reaction will be once she finds out how inexperienced he truly is.

Kay is the girl that everybody loves. Her home is always full of friends and strays she wants to help, and not just the four-legged variety if she can pull it off. She spends some of her Saturdays at the hospital in an effort to give back because of her younger sister, who is now living on the East Coast with mom and dad for the sake of her health. When she meets Mitch, it’s at first hard to believe he’s such a gentleman, the kind who don’t seem to exist anymore. But the more she gets to know him, she finds out he’s the real deal. What she doesn’t realize is that some of that frustrating leaving her on the doorstep with a goodnight kiss is something she’d never imagined, though she should have put two and two together earlier. Especially once she finds out he’d been really sick at one point in his life.

In between all of this and the heavenly kisses and divine petting they allow themselves, this couple has fun together. Mitch takes Kay to some of his favorite places he frequented as a kid, things like that to just enjoy being with one another. Then as much as Mitch hates to leave Kay at her door unsatisfied, she’s beginning to realize that the only way to get him to run the next base is become a little more aggressive. Let the man know she wants more. Then she figures out his secret and she knows it’s time to step things up.

When Mitch loses that darned virginity, you guessed it, he can’t get enough of Kay. Loving Mitch is as addictive for Kay as his hunger for her is, but when he starts talking about getting married, Kay hesitates. She’s his first and only lover. What will happen when that newness wears off and he begins to look at other women, wanting to try something different? So Kay cools things down, backs off for a bit, all to Mitch’s dismay. Maybe he’s not good enough in bed for Kay. He’s learned a lot since their first time, but his doubts still remain.

I enjoyed both of these characters, especially when they’re together. Mitch is so infectious in his thirst for life. Though I understand Kay’s logic about Mitch and his newfound sexuality, I think she let it go on a tad too long. Mitch is now a grown man, not in the throes of teenage sexual angst even though it’s his first time. So I think that issue is taken a bit too far at this stage in Mitch’s game. Ms. Greene does tell readers at the beginning of the book that this is a re-issue of a previous Harlequin and she worked with Carina Press to update it, but there are a few things that are dated that pull you out of the story for a moment or two. Whether they’ve been left in intentionally or just missed, I have no idea, of course, but they still have that older feel to them.

But other than those two small issues, this is a nice story of love and romance after a lifetime of pain and doubt, and it will touch your heart and make you smile.

See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: 11/15/10
How I got this book: NetGalley

Mitch spends every other weekend at the hospital, trying to bring cheer to the kids that are stuck in the hospital all alone. It's there that he meets Kay, and immediately upon setting his eyes on her, he knows that he wants her all to himself. But Mitch is scared, partly because of the illness he had as a teen, and partly because of his lack of experience in the bedroom. When he finds out Kay is a sex ed teacher, that insecurity blows up even more.

After Kay gets kissed into a puddle of goo, she knows that she wants to know more and more about Mitch, but the more he deflects questions about himself and pulls away from her, the more intrigued she is about him. As Mitch does his best to court her properly, hoping she will fall in love with him, she does. But will miscommunications and misunderstandings be enough to break the fragile bond these two have begun to build?


I totally felt for Kay throughout this whole story, somewhat frustrated with Mitch and his stubbornness. I constantly felt like he was holding himself back from both Kay and himself. There were times I wanted to yell at him to open up and just talk to her dang it. Then maybe they wouldn't have had to go through such heartache.

When I first got this book, I didn't realize that it was a re-release of Greene's, but while reading through the story, it was easy for me to tell that it was an older book. Not that it made a huge difference, I just wish that the main characters would have talked to each other, instead of keeping secrets and making assumptions.

That being said, I really enjoyed the way that Mitch was able to really make the best out of life, especially given the nature of the illness that stole his teen and early adult years. It was nice to see that he was able to make something of his life, give back to the kids at the hospital, and really take a chance at love. Like wise, Kay was also someone who had to life through heart break at the hands of an illness, watching her sister fight a terminal illness her whole life as well. Because of that, she really seemed to life her life to the fullest everyday, and was really happy with the way things were going.

The one thing I really enjoyed about this book was the way that Mitch courted Kay. The different dates that he took her on, the different places he took her to, it was all very romantic. I felt like Mitch was, at times, Kay's real prince charming. He did everything he could to woo her and make her fall in love, and I can see just how easily she fell for him.


All in all, I give Ain't Misbehaving a C.

[Tiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 2.5.

I really wanted to give this book more stars, but in the end, I just couldn't do it.

About 10% through, I started to notice how different the writing style was compared to books these days; and then I realised this book was originally published in the mid-80's, and then re-published. I actually had no issues with the writing style, it was very sophisticated and had an old-fashioned tone (and I mean that in the least disrespectful way possible). It was focused a lot around descriptions and feeling. The character development was great in the beginning, and the dialogue was realistic and sometimes even a little funny in a subtle way.

However, about half way through, I started to notice that all this book seemed to be doing was building up towards the main character losing his 28 year old virginity. And then...when it actually finally came, the author skipped over the sex scene; didn't even write it! Like, are you seriously going to build the sexual tension up and up and then...not even let us read the moment that it happens? It just seemed so utterly pointless. I mean, I like the sex scenes in books to be minimal, however in this book, there was none other than roleplay beforehand, and then the author cut the scene off. And I just found it so useless that the author would purposely write a book about a virgin, increase the sexual tension throughout most of the book, and then not even give us the sex scene when it eventually comes. Then there was about 6 short scenes after that, of them "having sex", but us readers didn't get to read it. I mean, it was pretty annoying to say the least. And then after his virginity was lost, there wasn't much point to the story anymore. There was no drama. There was no action. There was nothing but short-scene build ups towards sex, which we never got to see, and then there was a pointless part of the book where the two main characters had a falling out or some shit because Kay didn't think Mitch really wanted to get married, and then eventually he proved to her he did wanna get married after some bullshit chapters passed. And that was it.

This book started off great, and then it just completely plummeted. Very disappointed. I'd finally found a book with a mature writing style, but the plot just eventually seemed pointless and it really ruined things for me.

[Janga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m really excited about the recent explosion of backlist titles that readers now have access to as ebooks. When I saw Jennifer Greene’s Ain’t Misbehaving as one of Carina Press’s new titles in NetGalley’s catalog, I recognized it as one of her old categories written as Jeanne Grant and rushed to request it. I remembered the virginal hero, but not much else. After rereading it, I understand my fuzziness. The hero is the best part of the book.

Mitch Cochran’s lack of experience is credible. At fifteen, he developed a strep infection that damaged his heart. His medical condition, which required lengthy periods of hospitalization, prevented his living the life of a typical teen and young adult. Successful valve replacement has finally given him a chance at the life he has been denied, and it is at this point that he meets Kay Sanders, a sex-ed teacher. The two have in common a commitment to giving back to the medical community, Mitch for his own care and Kay for her sister’s, and they are strongly attracted to one another.

Given his lack of experience and Kay’s profession combined with her experience (two engagements), Mitch’s initial insecurities and anxieties are understandable. The role reversal—virginal hero-experienced heroine—was more unusual twenty-five years ago when the book was first published, but it’s still an interesting premise. My problem with this one is that it just takes too long for Mitch and Kay to trust one another. I found Kay’s equating Mitch’s love for her with adolescent infatuation particularly irritating: “It was Mitch’s feelings that increasingly concerned her. How many times had she said it to the ninth graders? First sex sexual feelings are incredibly powerful. But they aren’t necessarily love.” Even the HEA couldn’t overcome my irritation.

Still, Jennifer Greene is a gifted writer who has given me hours of reading that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, and I’m glad Carina Press is reissuing her Second Chance at Love and To Have and To Hold books. I have some good memories of those lines, and I look forward to rereading more of the Jennifer Grant books. I wonder when Trouble in Paradise is being reissued.

[Megan]

This is a really cute and excellent-fitting title, because Kay and Mitch spend a good deal of the book in a state where they ain't misbehaving and they ARE saving their love for each other. Kay, a big-hearted sexual education teacher, experiences some great chemistry with Mitch, a charming gem expert, but she's frustrated by what she assumes are his old-fashioned values. The two can be starting to edge toward getting hot and heavy, and then he always backs away. Mitch, who had been sick since the age of 15 and has now had a successful heart-valve surgery, is insecure about his virginity and about the expectations he fears Kay might have.

I like my romances with more communication and open honesty between the hero and the heroine, and the pacing of this book was particularly luggy. I did, however, really enjoy the chemistry between the two, and both of them slowly learning to be comfortable and in sync with one another. The scenes were they explore different aspects of intimacy were pretty memorable. I was less interested by Kay's circle of friends, and I thought the "I know you think you love me, but what if you don't?" conflict was grating. There was a lot to like about the book, and it was quite sweet and spicy, which is a tone many books can't quite hit but this one managed well.

This is a reissue originally published in 1985, but the book read to me as a little less than strictly contemporary. I'm in my twenties, around the same age as the characters, but some of the little details didn't come across as very fresh or snappy or contemporary to me, which jarred me from my reading experience. No one I know other than my grandmother uses the word "fanny," and every time the word was used, I had to stop and roll my eyes. Some of Kay's clothing choices also came across as feeling not-so-contemporary.

Note: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Laurie Gold · Rating 2 out of 5]

"When a book by Jennifer Greene showed up in the netgalley.com database for Carina Press, I was surprised; why would a highly established author be writing new material for the digital-only imprint of Harlequin? Because I've enjoyed her in the past - and will never forget that she wrote a Desert Isle Keeper review for me at All About Romance of the classic novel Mrs. Mike - I requested a copy. After downloading it to my Kindle and opening it, however, I realized it was not a new book. Instead it was a book written by Greene as Jeanne Grant, originally published in 1985 by Berkley books. According to an author's letter prefacing the book, Carina Press will be reissuing two of her Jeanne Grant books each month for several months, just about as originally published, albeit without "a few outdated phrases and references." I think Greene's Carina Press editors succeeded in that area, although a reference to a " $500 Savile Row suit" stuck out like a sore thumb."

This is the introduction to my review of Jennifer Greene's book on my blog, which you can read in its entirety at http://laurie-gold.blogspot.com/2010/...

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe that this book is a reissue. Sometimes, I find that I can't relate to the reality that reissues are set in. Especially ones from the 80's or early 90's because I was so young when they originally came out, I can't relate at all to that reality.

Anyway, I didn't find that was the case here. I'm not sure if things were changed, but the story was set in a time that didn't really feel dated at all. Now that I think about it, there was no mention of the internet or cellphones but it didn't feel like those were missing.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the hero's occupation. I've never read a book where a main character was in the business of stones and there wasn't any stealing or suspense involved. I really liked it.

I also appreciated the plot. The hero was a different kind of hero, with little sexual experience but still a lot of sexual appeal. And with the heroine being more sexually aware, it made for an interesting dynamic.

I really enjoyed this book, love the new cover, and would reccomend it to several of my friends as a light but love-filled read.

[BecksBookPicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very sweet romance. It is one to get swept away in as we figure out the mystery behind Mitch in Kay's quest to figure out if he is the one. This is a light read. You yourself spend most of the time confused by Mitch as much as Kay is. For me when reading this book I kept waiting for the conflict in this book or the big thing that caused a rift in their relationship. It just wasn't there. I didn't feel the connection in this book and found myself not dying to pick this one back up to read it. Now, that isn't to say this wasn't a good story, because it was. As I stated, this is a good light read. One for someone who doesn't want to have to concentrate on too much of a plot and just wants to get lost in the romance of this book.

This was my first book by this author. Even though I didn't fully enjoy this book, I want to read another and hopefully get swept away. If you have read a book by Jennifer Greene, tell me which one you recommend me try.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun fast read ... and what an "untouched" hero! Because of a 10-year stretch of heart operations ... and when he finally meets the heroine, he's just fine thank you very much! It's sweet, truly a small-town paradise of a book and I'd be interested in hearing some recs for more books by Jeanne Grant. Plus he's a geologist/gemologist and the descriptions of precious and semi-precious stones are fascinating.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our hero, due to heart damage sustained during adolescence, has spent most of his teen/young adult years as a semi-invalid, learning how to trade rare gems but not gaining any experience with women. When he meets the heroine (they both volunteer with hospitalized children), he's instantly attracted. But when he finds out she's a sex-ed teacher, he's way intimidated. This was very cute. I even learned a little about geology.

[Kaetrin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I liked this one quite a bit. The end conflict was just a little silly (IMO) but I enjoyed the writing style and the characters. I was wary about an old book re-edited and re-published but I needn't have worried. I think I've found a new author to follow.

[Radiant · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice read!
Sri.

[Mell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this back in the mid 80s in its original paperback form.

[Periwinklepsyche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and quite intense read.