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Man Trouble
Beth Nash-Swenson is a widow and single mother whose two year hibernation is disturbed by friends who coax her out for an evening at a honky tonk. She finds herself being two-stepped around the dance floor by a striking stranger who turns out to be the surly owner of the construction company that botched her bedroom addition. Jack agrees to take care of the repairs personally so that his daughter can play with Beth's two boys and so he can maneuver the hot widow into some quality horizontal time.
150 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2009
184 people want to read
About the author
Sabine Ferruci
7 books27 followersThe worst job Sabine ever had was at a special place located in retail hell. Every shift was life in slow motion.
It was better to work in restaurants and bars and hospitals. Military service was an improvement, including the unpaid job as a military spouse. Eventually, she began to write. She wrote about hospitals and research and veterans. Finally, in 2008, she published her first novel. And then another.
Now she's back with the new Obosian Warriors series. Her work celebrates a simple fact. There's nothing like the friction and attraction between men and women to spice up life. Or fiction.
When not reading or writing, Sabine enjoys her family, live music, abstract needlepoint, and the rare DIY home project.
It was better to work in restaurants and bars and hospitals. Military service was an improvement, including the unpaid job as a military spouse. Eventually, she began to write. She wrote about hospitals and research and veterans. Finally, in 2008, she published her first novel. And then another.
Now she's back with the new Obosian Warriors series. Her work celebrates a simple fact. There's nothing like the friction and attraction between men and women to spice up life. Or fiction.
When not reading or writing, Sabine enjoys her family, live music, abstract needlepoint, and the rare DIY home project.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 3, 2011
I don't know what it was about this book, but I really, really enjoyed it. There's something about this author's writing style...it's different, and I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn't put it down. Maybe it was the characters too. Half the time the hero (divorced, single-dad contractor Jack O'Brien) was a real a**, yet somehow I liked him, and was intrigued by him. He could be rude, crude, argumentative and moody, yet also sweet, vulnerable, kind and definitely sexy. The heroine (widowed, single mom, successful illustrator Beth Nash) had her snarky moments with Jack, but most of the time she had the patience of a saint with him. I liked the whole lust/hate thing they had going...Jack didn't know what it was liked to love or be loved, and Beth was just the woman to teach him.
Jack...
The plot of the book is simple. Beth is recently widowed, and her house needed some repairs. Jack's company did some of the work, but Beth is unhappy with it and refused to pay. Beth and Jack meet in a bar on a rare night out for both of them, share a heated dance filled with sexual attraction, and are surprised to discover that they know each other from their phone conversations about her house. They come to an agreement that Jack will look over the work his men did on her house, and fix anything that is his fault. Jack ends up bringing his 6 year old daughter over to the house while he's working, and it's not long before she's getting along famously with Beth's two sons. The more time Jack spends at Beth's house, the more their mutual physical attraction grows, but they still have their disagreements. Can two people be compatible when all they seem to do is argue?
If you enjoy a good love/hate story (and once they got to the love, it was steamy), you'll like this one. If you like a stubborn hero with a sometimes bad attitude, you'll like this one. If you like an opposites attract story, you'll like this one. If you like a story where the characters aren't perfect, and sometimes do things to hurt the ones they love, then you'll like this story. If you enjoyed this author's other story (Chloe's Donor), then I think you'll like this one. This was an easy read for me, and sometimes I didn't know how Beth put up with Jack, but she knew he was worth it (as did I). He just needed a strong woman to show him the way to love. 4 1/2 stars
Jack...
The plot of the book is simple. Beth is recently widowed, and her house needed some repairs. Jack's company did some of the work, but Beth is unhappy with it and refused to pay. Beth and Jack meet in a bar on a rare night out for both of them, share a heated dance filled with sexual attraction, and are surprised to discover that they know each other from their phone conversations about her house. They come to an agreement that Jack will look over the work his men did on her house, and fix anything that is his fault. Jack ends up bringing his 6 year old daughter over to the house while he's working, and it's not long before she's getting along famously with Beth's two sons. The more time Jack spends at Beth's house, the more their mutual physical attraction grows, but they still have their disagreements. Can two people be compatible when all they seem to do is argue?
If you enjoy a good love/hate story (and once they got to the love, it was steamy), you'll like this one. If you like a stubborn hero with a sometimes bad attitude, you'll like this one. If you like an opposites attract story, you'll like this one. If you like a story where the characters aren't perfect, and sometimes do things to hurt the ones they love, then you'll like this story. If you enjoyed this author's other story (Chloe's Donor), then I think you'll like this one. This was an easy read for me, and sometimes I didn't know how Beth put up with Jack, but she knew he was worth it (as did I). He just needed a strong woman to show him the way to love. 4 1/2 stars
July 14, 2011
I felt the same way about this book as Auntee did so go read her review, LOL!
After a day of thinking about my lame review I decided to add to it by saying One of the things that appealed to me about this book was that the hero was 40 and the heroine 33. They were both mature and had kids. What an ass he could be though. I shed a few tears at the things he said to her and would have kicked him to the curb if I were her. I think when a book makes you feel so much that the author is doing a great job of the story. I got all this from a 112 page story and THAT is what was so amazing about this book.
After a day of thinking about my lame review I decided to add to it by saying One of the things that appealed to me about this book was that the hero was 40 and the heroine 33. They were both mature and had kids. What an ass he could be though. I shed a few tears at the things he said to her and would have kicked him to the curb if I were her. I think when a book makes you feel so much that the author is doing a great job of the story. I got all this from a 112 page story and THAT is what was so amazing about this book.
July 16, 2011
What I really liked about this book was that it felt so real. Just a sweet story about 2 single parents trying to do right by their children and falling in love in the process. Even though Jack was a self-proclaimed bastard... and at times he certainly lived up to his reputation...I really felt for him and understood why he was so hesitant to accept his feelings for Beth. She did not put up with his snarly ways and went right back at him. Beth was compassionate, determined, not a wilting flower, she was a great partner for Jack. I really enjoyed her character.
A very satisfying short read that wrapped up nicely.
A very satisfying short read that wrapped up nicely.
July 5, 2011
Man Trouble by Sabine Ferucci has certainly delivered me from the funk I was in after my last two reads which turned out to be disappointing. I am so very glad that I took the chance and obtained myself a copy of this delectable read which turned out to be fun, entertaining and sexy as hell!
The hero Jack O'Brien who is about to turn 40 is a man who has had more than his fair share of disappointments in life. A single dad with his 6 year old daughter Laurie, Jack is a man who is leery of commitment, marriage and the whole lot that goes along with it, not surprising given his past encounter with marriage and the ugly divorce that had followed.
33 year old Elizabeth Nash-Swenson is a single mother with two boys and had lost her husband almost two years back. Beth is a woman stuck in her past refusing to let go of the memories of her precious husband Tim until Jack invades her life, a man as different from Tim as night is to day.
When Jack approaches the woman least likely to turn stalkerish in a bar, he has no idea that Beth is the woman who has been refusing to pay his construction company for services rendered. Before he knows it, he has kissed her senseless and promised her that he would come around her place to find out what the problem was all about.
When Jack strikes a bargain with Beth that he would finish up whatever repairs at her place personally, this paves the path in which their repressed feelings of red-hot desire for one another fosters and starts to grow amidst all the misgivings each has against the other. When a marriage of convenience comes into the picture, all bets are off when the headstrong and stubborn Jack meets more than his match in Beth.
There were so many things that I loved about Man Trouble and Jack tops the list without any competition. He is broody, uber-alpha, a man who works with his hands and someone who definitely knows the finer points of keeping a woman satisfied on all counts in bed. He is stubborn to the point of being a pain in the ass but I couldn't help but fall in love with him as he was and subject myself to the continuous streaks of hot flashes which was a constant when Jack was around.
Beth is someone who finds it hard to let go of the memories of her dead husband and Jack certainly gives her a hard time in acting out whenever any semblance of closeness begins to develop between them. I loved Beth because she gave as good as she got from Jack and finally managed to convince him that with her lies his future steeped in love and warmth, something that has been missing from Jack's life since childhood.
A very satisfying contemporary romance recommended for EVERYONE who books of the genre. I read this in one sitting, acquiring myself hours of lost sleep which was all worth it because of the very sigh and drool worthy Jack O'Brien.
Memorable Quotes
Jack muttered a few choice words and stood. "So. You still need a hug?"
She nodded. Desperately.
He walked over with his hands in his pockets and a look in his eyes that could only be called tenderness. "I got to tell you. It's going to be tough to keep it brotherly. I was never anyone's brother."
"I'll risk it." She lifted her arms to him.
He reached down and swooped her up, afghan and all, then sat down in the rocker with her in his lap. He pulled her close, pressed her head to his shoulder, and steadily rocked the chair.
Rating=4.5/5
Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance
The hero Jack O'Brien who is about to turn 40 is a man who has had more than his fair share of disappointments in life. A single dad with his 6 year old daughter Laurie, Jack is a man who is leery of commitment, marriage and the whole lot that goes along with it, not surprising given his past encounter with marriage and the ugly divorce that had followed.
33 year old Elizabeth Nash-Swenson is a single mother with two boys and had lost her husband almost two years back. Beth is a woman stuck in her past refusing to let go of the memories of her precious husband Tim until Jack invades her life, a man as different from Tim as night is to day.
When Jack approaches the woman least likely to turn stalkerish in a bar, he has no idea that Beth is the woman who has been refusing to pay his construction company for services rendered. Before he knows it, he has kissed her senseless and promised her that he would come around her place to find out what the problem was all about.
When Jack strikes a bargain with Beth that he would finish up whatever repairs at her place personally, this paves the path in which their repressed feelings of red-hot desire for one another fosters and starts to grow amidst all the misgivings each has against the other. When a marriage of convenience comes into the picture, all bets are off when the headstrong and stubborn Jack meets more than his match in Beth.
There were so many things that I loved about Man Trouble and Jack tops the list without any competition. He is broody, uber-alpha, a man who works with his hands and someone who definitely knows the finer points of keeping a woman satisfied on all counts in bed. He is stubborn to the point of being a pain in the ass but I couldn't help but fall in love with him as he was and subject myself to the continuous streaks of hot flashes which was a constant when Jack was around.
Beth is someone who finds it hard to let go of the memories of her dead husband and Jack certainly gives her a hard time in acting out whenever any semblance of closeness begins to develop between them. I loved Beth because she gave as good as she got from Jack and finally managed to convince him that with her lies his future steeped in love and warmth, something that has been missing from Jack's life since childhood.
A very satisfying contemporary romance recommended for EVERYONE who books of the genre. I read this in one sitting, acquiring myself hours of lost sleep which was all worth it because of the very sigh and drool worthy Jack O'Brien.
Memorable Quotes
Jack muttered a few choice words and stood. "So. You still need a hug?"
She nodded. Desperately.
He walked over with his hands in his pockets and a look in his eyes that could only be called tenderness. "I got to tell you. It's going to be tough to keep it brotherly. I was never anyone's brother."
"I'll risk it." She lifted her arms to him.
He reached down and swooped her up, afghan and all, then sat down in the rocker with her in his lap. He pulled her close, pressed her head to his shoulder, and steadily rocked the chair.
Rating=4.5/5
Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance
October 12, 2013
I really really loved this and I'm just going to have a little gush-fest for a few minutes.
This book is going straight into my fav's list and is a definite feel good re-read. I was totally bowled over it. The characters captivated me with a very real story about two people learning how to have a new relationship, after death and divorce, and making a few mistakes along the way. They were perfect in their imperfection, if you like.
Now, I have to tell you that I have fallen completely in love with Jack! He was rude, crude and mean sometimes, but he'd had it rough in the past and genuinely didn't know what it was like to love and be loved. He was very decent, honest and loving and his feelings for Beth sent him in to such a tailspin that I don't think he knew whether he was coming or going. He had such a vulnerability about his character that you just want to pick him up and love him. Even when he is being a petulant jackass and helplessly sabotaging himself, I just loved him even more.
I adored Beth. I always have huge a soft spot for Widowed mothers and she shares the top spot with Tamara from Flat-Out Sexy as my favourite. She was everything I would hope to be in that situation; strong, loving, emotional, capable, incredibly kind and just doing her very best to make a good life for herself and her children. I loved how she handled Jack. She was understanding and behaved very adult with him. I was glad she didn't punish him for his limitations. She was just what Jack needed and deserved after what he had been through, even if he didn't know it. However, she wasn't afraid to give him a kick up the bum where necessary. I loved her sassy personality and her sense of humour. In fact, I laughed a lot through out this book, the dialogue was just excellent.
There's not much else to say really other than if you want to read a sweet and unconventional contemporary love story that will leave you with a warm glow and a silly smile on your face, this is the book for you.
This book is going straight into my fav's list and is a definite feel good re-read. I was totally bowled over it. The characters captivated me with a very real story about two people learning how to have a new relationship, after death and divorce, and making a few mistakes along the way. They were perfect in their imperfection, if you like.
Now, I have to tell you that I have fallen completely in love with Jack! He was rude, crude and mean sometimes, but he'd had it rough in the past and genuinely didn't know what it was like to love and be loved. He was very decent, honest and loving and his feelings for Beth sent him in to such a tailspin that I don't think he knew whether he was coming or going. He had such a vulnerability about his character that you just want to pick him up and love him. Even when he is being a petulant jackass and helplessly sabotaging himself, I just loved him even more.
I adored Beth. I always have huge a soft spot for Widowed mothers and she shares the top spot with Tamara from Flat-Out Sexy as my favourite. She was everything I would hope to be in that situation; strong, loving, emotional, capable, incredibly kind and just doing her very best to make a good life for herself and her children. I loved how she handled Jack. She was understanding and behaved very adult with him. I was glad she didn't punish him for his limitations. She was just what Jack needed and deserved after what he had been through, even if he didn't know it. However, she wasn't afraid to give him a kick up the bum where necessary. I loved her sassy personality and her sense of humour. In fact, I laughed a lot through out this book, the dialogue was just excellent.
There's not much else to say really other than if you want to read a sweet and unconventional contemporary love story that will leave you with a warm glow and a silly smile on your face, this is the book for you.
May 31, 2013
Beth Nash-Swenson, a widow, has a house addition that she refuses to pay for. In an attempt to socialize her, her friends get her to go out. By chance she ends up meeting a guy who she finds herself being attracted to, then finds out that he is the owner of the company she refuses to pay. She gets him to take a look, but getting her addition finished might get her more than just another useable bathroom.
Jack O’Brien, an owner of a construction company, has worked hard to get where he is. The offer of looking at the addition and fixing it himself seems to be his chance to get a few other things besides the payment from Beth; like home cooked meals, playmates for his daughter, and getting into her bed. He might end up getting a lot more though, possibly something he never thought of having for himself.
Jack was burned in his previous marriage, so he thinks all women have ulterior motives and are only good for the occasional screw. Beth was devastated by her husband’s death and will not let him go. Jack agreeing to fix the addition to her house seems to be a win-win for both of them. Events lead him to ask her for help for something unusual, which has her proposing a surprising deal of her own.
This story was one of the best I have read in a while; there is just something about Jack and Beth’s story that grabbed at me. They seem to be opposites, but the way Ms. Ferruci portrays them makes them a couple that totally work. The story had a lot of depth to it, you felt for the characters along with the things they did. I loved this story, would recommend it, and I plan on reading it again.
Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
Jack O’Brien, an owner of a construction company, has worked hard to get where he is. The offer of looking at the addition and fixing it himself seems to be his chance to get a few other things besides the payment from Beth; like home cooked meals, playmates for his daughter, and getting into her bed. He might end up getting a lot more though, possibly something he never thought of having for himself.
Jack was burned in his previous marriage, so he thinks all women have ulterior motives and are only good for the occasional screw. Beth was devastated by her husband’s death and will not let him go. Jack agreeing to fix the addition to her house seems to be a win-win for both of them. Events lead him to ask her for help for something unusual, which has her proposing a surprising deal of her own.
This story was one of the best I have read in a while; there is just something about Jack and Beth’s story that grabbed at me. They seem to be opposites, but the way Ms. Ferruci portrays them makes them a couple that totally work. The story had a lot of depth to it, you felt for the characters along with the things they did. I loved this story, would recommend it, and I plan on reading it again.
Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
July 4, 2012
I thought Beth put up with too much. There's being understanding and there's having some shame/esteem.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews