What do you think?
Rate this book
Starstruck
Wisconsin
How Could She Resist a Man Who Ate His Peas?
Any man who attempted to turn an interview into a seduction, then had the nerve to invite himself to dinner, deserved exactly what he got. Liv James couldn't help feeling that actor Joe Harrington, America's heartthrob, deserved a good dose of reality - Liv's kind of reality. That included a hyperactive rabbit cavorting in the back of her van, a slightly charred casserole and, of course, the children.
Five of them. If the casserole didn't poison him, the commotion would deafen him... It must have been the novelty he loved, Liv decided. But as time passed and Joe began to talk of settling in Madison, Liv prayed the novelty would wear off before she got in too deep!
How Could She Resist a Man Who Ate His Peas?
Any man who attempted to turn an interview into a seduction, then had the nerve to invite himself to dinner, deserved exactly what he got. Liv James couldn't help feeling that actor Joe Harrington, America's heartthrob, deserved a good dose of reality - Liv's kind of reality. That included a hyperactive rabbit cavorting in the back of her van, a slightly charred casserole and, of course, the children.
Five of them. If the casserole didn't poison him, the commotion would deafen him... It must have been the novelty he loved, Liv decided. But as time passed and Joe began to talk of settling in Madison, Liv prayed the novelty would wear off before she got in too deep!
Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1985
40 people want to read
About the author
Anne McAllister
348 books124 followersAnne McAllister has written nearly 70 romance novels for Tule Publishing and Harlequin Books.
She has won two RITA awards from the Romance Writers of America — for COWBOY PRIDE and THE STARDUST COWBOY — and has had nine other books which were RITA finalists.
Her books have also been finalists for the National Readers’ Choice Award. She was named Midwest Fiction Writers “Writer of the Year” and also received Romantic Times’ Career Achievement Award as “Series Author of the Year.”
But while the awards and sales are wonderful, Anne thinks the best part of writing is telling the story. With every new book she writes, she meets new characters – or gets to know old ones even better – and discovers what makes them and their relationships tick.
It’s the relationships that interest her most and the question about “where do you get your ideas?” has always astonished her as she has more ideas than she knows what to do with!
She has won two RITA awards from the Romance Writers of America — for COWBOY PRIDE and THE STARDUST COWBOY — and has had nine other books which were RITA finalists.
Her books have also been finalists for the National Readers’ Choice Award. She was named Midwest Fiction Writers “Writer of the Year” and also received Romantic Times’ Career Achievement Award as “Series Author of the Year.”
But while the awards and sales are wonderful, Anne thinks the best part of writing is telling the story. With every new book she writes, she meets new characters – or gets to know old ones even better – and discovers what makes them and their relationships tick.
It’s the relationships that interest her most and the question about “where do you get your ideas?” has always astonished her as she has more ideas than she knows what to do with!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 29, 2020
I really liked this book. It's definitely not a typical hqn heroine. As it begins it is the heroines 32nd birthday and she has been asked to interview God's gift to women, movie star Joe Harrington. She's not thrilled. As far as she is concerned Joe Harrington is the role model that men like her ex-husband try to emulate. The fact that Joe H is single as oppsed to her ex who was married and a father makes no difference. On top of that interviewing him causes havoc in her schedule. She says no to the interview and her boss says no interview no job. So she bullys her resistant ex into taking her son to his cello lesson, dashes to the vet to pick up the pet rabbit, dashes to the drycleaners, calls her oldest son to put casserole in the oven and makes it to Joe H's hotel in time for their 5 pm meeting and he's late. He gets there at 5:40 and she's steaming. He immediately puts a move on her and she's even more steamed. She says she has to leave and he invites himself to her house for dinner and the interview. They stop to pick up her daughter at the baby sitter and by the time he gets to her house he finds out she's divorced and the mother of FIVE KIDS! OOPS! Joe, the H, had agreed to this interview but only with her because he's seen her picture in the paper and was intrigued, but 5 KIDS.
The H is famous for frequent, short lived shallow affairs with models and actresses. He's tired of his life and especially tired of the film character he's become famous for. On the other hand he is definitely resistant to marriage and Liv, the h, is not the kind of woman who would want to be next in line for one of his cheap affairs.
Liv doesn't want to like him but the kids like him from the start. However, he does have his good points; he's attractive (think young George Clooney), he's good with the kids and he eats his peas just to be a good role model to the kids, and he has a social conscience (he's in town to give a speech on world peace).
This is small town at its best. The kids ride their bikes where they want to go and its safe to leave your 12 year old at home and in charge for short periods of time.
The few points that didn't work.. the kids seldomly fight/argue, and the h doesn't appear to have any family. I mean her family is never mentioned. If the author didn't want to deal with her parents then she should have killed them off or something. I mean there are more orphans in HQNlandia than anywhere else in the world.
This is a fun, humorous and at times sad, sweet romance. Talk about obstacles. FIVE KIDS
The H is famous for frequent, short lived shallow affairs with models and actresses. He's tired of his life and especially tired of the film character he's become famous for. On the other hand he is definitely resistant to marriage and Liv, the h, is not the kind of woman who would want to be next in line for one of his cheap affairs.
Liv doesn't want to like him but the kids like him from the start. However, he does have his good points; he's attractive (think young George Clooney), he's good with the kids and he eats his peas just to be a good role model to the kids, and he has a social conscience (he's in town to give a speech on world peace).
This is small town at its best. The kids ride their bikes where they want to go and its safe to leave your 12 year old at home and in charge for short periods of time.
The few points that didn't work.. the kids seldomly fight/argue, and the h doesn't appear to have any family. I mean her family is never mentioned. If the author didn't want to deal with her parents then she should have killed them off or something. I mean there are more orphans in HQNlandia than anywhere else in the world.
This is a fun, humorous and at times sad, sweet romance. Talk about obstacles. FIVE KIDS
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2012
What a delightful little book, I have always said that the old Harlequin books were gems. This book had a h working as a reporter when she is told to interview Hollywood heartthrob Joe, she doesn't want to do it but her boss gave her a chance when she was 29, newly divorced with five kids and no experience, he tells her to do it for him, Joe's agent asked for her specifically. When she does meet him, he's late and hits on her and she brushes him off but much to her dismay he comes to her house and gets comfortable with her kids and she sees that maybe he isn't that shallow, she also sees that he cares about peace, the topic on which he has been giving speeches.
Her antipathy towards Joe comes in part because of her ex-husband Tom. They were married for ten years when suddenly it wasn't enough for him, she wasn't passionate enough and spent too much time with kids and what not, he was cheating on her so they got divorced and for all intents and purposes she is a single mom since she has to force Tom to spend time with the kids.
Joe is 36 and a bachelor and he enjoys his life and the women and then he meets Liv and he can't get her out of his mind, they talk when he goes away on his tour and then he comes back to town renting a house. They almost make love when her ex-husband and his ex interrupt and he leaves but comes back slowly becoming friends with a very careful Liv.
For Joe marriage was something like a death sentence because he felt people stopped living after that and it was something his accountant father tried to push him into, so he rebelled and became an actor but now he is tired of playing the same roles and wants to write a screenplay and live in a house that isn't for show. Being with Liv is mighty confusing to him, he loves her kids but doesn't know what he wants with her.
When they do end up in bed Liv tells him she loves him and he asks her to move in with her, but she can't do that she has five kids to think about and he takes off hoping to go back to his old life, being miserable and stubborn until finally admitting he wants it all with her.
I found the book to be sweet, Liv was great, a great mother balancing work with family and wary of being hurt. She wasn't in awe of Joe or his fame instead she was suspicious what could he want of her and her kids. Joe was well like a child who grows up.
Her antipathy towards Joe comes in part because of her ex-husband Tom. They were married for ten years when suddenly it wasn't enough for him, she wasn't passionate enough and spent too much time with kids and what not, he was cheating on her so they got divorced and for all intents and purposes she is a single mom since she has to force Tom to spend time with the kids.
Joe is 36 and a bachelor and he enjoys his life and the women and then he meets Liv and he can't get her out of his mind, they talk when he goes away on his tour and then he comes back to town renting a house. They almost make love when her ex-husband and his ex interrupt and he leaves but comes back slowly becoming friends with a very careful Liv.
For Joe marriage was something like a death sentence because he felt people stopped living after that and it was something his accountant father tried to push him into, so he rebelled and became an actor but now he is tired of playing the same roles and wants to write a screenplay and live in a house that isn't for show. Being with Liv is mighty confusing to him, he loves her kids but doesn't know what he wants with her.
When they do end up in bed Liv tells him she loves him and he asks her to move in with her, but she can't do that she has five kids to think about and he takes off hoping to go back to his old life, being miserable and stubborn until finally admitting he wants it all with her.
I found the book to be sweet, Liv was great, a great mother balancing work with family and wary of being hurt. She wasn't in awe of Joe or his fame instead she was suspicious what could he want of her and her kids. Joe was well like a child who grows up.
June 21, 2012
Wonderful book. Too long, in my opinion, but wonderful!
March 28, 2020
Was pretty good. Few parts made me giggle which is rare when reading.
Read
May 23, 2020Fun read.
October 12, 2012
A delightful read. Sweet & funny.
The characters are very likeable.
Joe is sex symbol actor, who is fed up with the character he plays & is looking for something more meaningful to do with his life. Liv is a working single mom of FIVE children, she has no time or energy for a playboy like Joe, their first encounter is HILARIOUS. From the start, The attraction sizzles between Joe & Liv, and the love blossoms, but it takes Joe some time to figure it out.
The characters are very likeable.
Joe is sex symbol actor, who is fed up with the character he plays & is looking for something more meaningful to do with his life. Liv is a working single mom of FIVE children, she has no time or energy for a playboy like Joe, their first encounter is HILARIOUS. From the start, The attraction sizzles between Joe & Liv, and the love blossoms, but it takes Joe some time to figure it out.
September 25, 2009
Modern
Read
February 19, 2011I liked it quite a story, famous guy gets an interview with a small town reporter she has 5 or 6 kids is divorced, one thing leads to another and they're married and have another baby.
January 13, 2014
This is a really delightful and absorbing romance. Kind of ageless too because it didn't read as dated - well - maybe in some details, but, really, it doesn't read like it's from the '80's.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews