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Jack's Stories #2
Best Laid Plans
BEST LAID PLANS
When Cody Johnson first caught sight of structural engineer Abra Wilson, he thought of endless possibilities. She had style and confidence--and was distracting as hell. She'd called his design an impractical piece of fancy, but then, he'd always preferred frankness to subtleties.
Abra had met men like Cody before. They usually thought they could smile their wa out of trouble, and this overconfident East Coast architect was no exception. She'd told him to back off, but he wasn't listening.
Friction was inevitable, but when sparks turned to flames of passion, could either of them take the heat?
When Cody Johnson first caught sight of structural engineer Abra Wilson, he thought of endless possibilities. She had style and confidence--and was distracting as hell. She'd called his design an impractical piece of fancy, but then, he'd always preferred frankness to subtleties.
Abra had met men like Cody before. They usually thought they could smile their wa out of trouble, and this overconfident East Coast architect was no exception. She'd told him to back off, but he wasn't listening.
Friction was inevitable, but when sparks turned to flames of passion, could either of them take the heat?
250 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1989
947 people are currently reading
1414 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,210 books59.8k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
September 24, 2017
Ok. We all know I am a HUGE Nora fan. But, this book left me cold. The main characters kept ticking me off.
He is an arrogant ass who is also an architect. He has designed a hotel in Arizona. She is the engineer in charge on the building site. The operative point is that she is in charge on the building site. She is a woman who has spent years building up her reputation and he undermines her constantly. She tells him a better way to make something work from a construction viewpoint and he all but pats her on the head while insisting they never deviate from his drawings. My God, man, they weren't drawn in stone and brought down from the mountain by Moses!
He also laid a huge kiss on her in front of the crew. I know that might sound mushy, but when you're a woman trying to hang on to the respect of a bunch of workers it is condescending. Especially if its after the old, "You're just so cute when you're mad."
*screams in frustrated anger* Lets see if the paramedics think I'm cute when we call them to haul your broken body to the hospital! That's just me, she lets it slide.
But, of course, he's sexy so she takes all his crap. Romance ensues, he becomes easier to endure. Then he's nice and his protectiveness stops feeling like he thinks she can't do her job. After a few more things happen they get to their HEA. And once again I'm to that uncomfortable place of realizing that if I was a character in a romance novel, I would never have reached a HEA. 🤷♀️
He is an arrogant ass who is also an architect. He has designed a hotel in Arizona. She is the engineer in charge on the building site. The operative point is that she is in charge on the building site. She is a woman who has spent years building up her reputation and he undermines her constantly. She tells him a better way to make something work from a construction viewpoint and he all but pats her on the head while insisting they never deviate from his drawings. My God, man, they weren't drawn in stone and brought down from the mountain by Moses!
He also laid a huge kiss on her in front of the crew. I know that might sound mushy, but when you're a woman trying to hang on to the respect of a bunch of workers it is condescending. Especially if its after the old, "You're just so cute when you're mad."
*screams in frustrated anger* Lets see if the paramedics think I'm cute when we call them to haul your broken body to the hospital! That's just me, she lets it slide.
But, of course, he's sexy so she takes all his crap. Romance ensues, he becomes easier to endure. Then he's nice and his protectiveness stops feeling like he thinks she can't do her job. After a few more things happen they get to their HEA. And once again I'm to that uncomfortable place of realizing that if I was a character in a romance novel, I would never have reached a HEA. 🤷♀️
July 3, 2023
i liked this one better than the previous book. i think it was bc i tolerated both main characters equally well. cody was the best mmc of this whole series. in my perfect world he would’ve ended up with fmc from second book jack but abra was good too.
💥
actually i don’t get it why characters don’t want complicated relationships when they get the perfect chance with perfect partner. like you have this opportunity to love and to be loved - why not take it??
💥
“Okay. How about dinner?”
She cast him a short, level look. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’ve got a pretty face.” When he grinned, she granted him the briefest of smiles. “I don’t trust men with pretty faces.”
“Do you know what I would really like? To see you hanging by your thumbs over a large open fire.” She advanced toward him while he poured two glasses. “A big fire, Johnson, with just enough breeze to draw the smoke away so it wouldn’t dull your senses.” She slapped her palms on the bar and leaned her face close to his.
“Why don’t you try the wine instead?”
actually i don’t get it why characters don’t want complicated relationships when they get the perfect chance with perfect partner. like you have this opportunity to love and to be loved - why not take it??
October 21, 2020
Okay so I know it’s a romance, right, and they can’t fall into each other’s arms at once, there has to be some tension in the beginning, but can this be something other than ‘she-wants-him-but-she’s-saying-no and he-knows-she-wants-her-so-he-ignores-her-protests-repeatedly’?
This dude straight up lifts her into his car, drives to his hotel, and carries her in while she keeps saying no. That’s not okay, even if this is a romance with no other purpose that to provide some light entertainment. No means no, children, okay?
If you, like me, were looking for a quick read to pass the time, I recommend a washing machine instruction manual. Not this book. Anything but this book.
This dude straight up lifts her into his car, drives to his hotel, and carries her in while she keeps saying no. That’s not okay, even if this is a romance with no other purpose that to provide some light entertainment. No means no, children, okay?
If you, like me, were looking for a quick read to pass the time, I recommend a washing machine instruction manual. Not this book. Anything but this book.
July 24, 2025
tja wat moet je erover zeggen: een rokkenjager die voor het eerst weggeblazen is door de liefde + een romanticus die alles rationaliseert doordat haar hart in een eerder leven is gebroken = recept voor een lekker smeuïg boekje. Pluspunten omdat de vrouw engineer is en haar mannetje staat (op een of andere manier zijn de weinige sterke vrouwelijke karakters in dit soort boeken allemaal roodharig. Hoe zit dat??)
November 1, 2015
Se o primeiro livro soube a pouco, este segundo encheu-me as medidas! Adorei ler este livrinho e a verdade é que li-o num dia! Comecei de manhã e depois peguei-o à noite e não descansei enquanto não acabei. A ligação que este livro tem com o primeiro é Cody, o sócio de Nathan. Cody, também arquitecto, bonito e atraente, irá encantar-se pela bela ruiva, Abra!
Tanto o arquitecto como esta engenheira de cabelos de cor de fogo, dirigem um projecto em conjunto, uma construção no Arizona que irá dar alguns problemas, visto que como qualquer arquitecto, Cody tem alguns caprichos que quer incluir na obra mas que na opinião da Abra, não são possíveis e são dispendiosos. Não é só no mundo da literatura, mas mesmo na vida real, é do conhecimento geral que arquitectos e engenheiros são duas profissões que não se ligam, e aqui também irá haver muitos conflitos entre Cody e Abra.
A par destas divergências, a atracção é mútua mas ambos detestam ceder e vai ser muito difícil caírem nos braços um do outro. Claro que acabam por não resistir a toda esta química sexual e para bem da obra e deles próprios, os pombinhos lá se entendem.
Adorei o Cody! Muito descontraído, relaxado, via-se que gostava mesmo da Abra e que ia ser difícil domá-la mas lá conseguiu. Claro que adorei a protagonista, não só pela sua força e forte personalidade mas também pelo seu lado sensível que foi mostrando ao longo do livro, percebia-se bem o porquê de ela resistir a Cody!
A história em si, da construção do Hotel foi bem enquadrada, e gostei muito das descrições de arquitectura, não achei nada maçador e foi bom imaginar como seria este edifício no meio do deserto do Arizona!
Mesmo no fim temos um toque de suspense que dá um novo fôlego à história, algo que faltou no primeiro livro.
Sem dúvida que gostei muito mais deste segundo livro, e aqui sim, Nora Roberts mostra que mesmo estando no início da sua carreira, já era uma grande contador de histórias.
Tanto o arquitecto como esta engenheira de cabelos de cor de fogo, dirigem um projecto em conjunto, uma construção no Arizona que irá dar alguns problemas, visto que como qualquer arquitecto, Cody tem alguns caprichos que quer incluir na obra mas que na opinião da Abra, não são possíveis e são dispendiosos. Não é só no mundo da literatura, mas mesmo na vida real, é do conhecimento geral que arquitectos e engenheiros são duas profissões que não se ligam, e aqui também irá haver muitos conflitos entre Cody e Abra.
A par destas divergências, a atracção é mútua mas ambos detestam ceder e vai ser muito difícil caírem nos braços um do outro. Claro que acabam por não resistir a toda esta química sexual e para bem da obra e deles próprios, os pombinhos lá se entendem.
Adorei o Cody! Muito descontraído, relaxado, via-se que gostava mesmo da Abra e que ia ser difícil domá-la mas lá conseguiu. Claro que adorei a protagonista, não só pela sua força e forte personalidade mas também pelo seu lado sensível que foi mostrando ao longo do livro, percebia-se bem o porquê de ela resistir a Cody!
A história em si, da construção do Hotel foi bem enquadrada, e gostei muito das descrições de arquitectura, não achei nada maçador e foi bom imaginar como seria este edifício no meio do deserto do Arizona!
Mesmo no fim temos um toque de suspense que dá um novo fôlego à história, algo que faltou no primeiro livro.
Sem dúvida que gostei muito mais deste segundo livro, e aqui sim, Nora Roberts mostra que mesmo estando no início da sua carreira, já era uma grande contador de histórias.
October 23, 2012
My hopes for this book were low. The book is late 1980s Nora Roberts, sure, but still 80s and that's been a more miss than hit experience in the past, for me. I was glad to find this one an outlier in that respect, however. Abra and Cody are very 80s characters, though (and not just for their names). Men and women are still working the kinks out of workplace relations in an equal-opportunity era and that's very much on display in this book. And I don't mean that in a bad way. Indeed, it lends the characters authenticity in their situation as I could really picture these two in the positions they find themselves in during that time. Cody is a bit too domineering and almost self-consciously macho. Abra vacillates a little too much between confidence and insecurity. Both were very likeable from the start and their relationship had great dynamics.
A note about Steamy: Standard for Nora Roberts at pretty much any time. Pretty good sex scene and some minor playing around.
A note about Steamy: Standard for Nora Roberts at pretty much any time. Pretty good sex scene and some minor playing around.
October 24, 2009
A Harlequin-style story of about 20 years ago that was such a waste of my time. I did get some cleaning and gardening done while I listened, so I guess it wasn't a complete waste.
This probably should be a 1* - the audiobook reader had the voice and presentation of a perky high-school cheerleader, and I can't begin to explain how wrong that sounded.
This probably should be a 1* - the audiobook reader had the voice and presentation of a perky high-school cheerleader, and I can't begin to explain how wrong that sounded.
February 20, 2021
Not the best Book I've read of Nora Roberts, but an enjoyable beach Read.
I found a copy of the book at the beach rental we stayed in whiritoa NZ, I didn't want to take my brand new book to the beach so I took this to read, it was an easy story with a slightly predicable plot but I enjoyed it.
I found a copy of the book at the beach rental we stayed in whiritoa NZ, I didn't want to take my brand new book to the beach so I took this to read, it was an easy story with a slightly predicable plot but I enjoyed it.
February 19, 2023
#Retoplaneta
⭐⭐⭐💫
Es un libro ligero,sin muchas complicaciones. Y con la dosis justa de romance.
⭐⭐⭐💫
Es un libro ligero,sin muchas complicaciones. Y con la dosis justa de romance.
November 27, 2021
Female engineer tangels with architect.
September 26, 2020
Nån sliskig harlequin som mest passar som disträ läsning vid en poolkant
May 3, 2021
Read
I Love all of Nora Roberts books,they are so good never want to put them down when you start reading
I Love all of Nora Roberts books,they are so good never want to put them down when you start reading
March 27, 2013
This book is about an architect named Cody and an engineer named Abra. They become involved with each other when Cody travels to the Anigona desert to work on a job site. He drew the plans for the beautiful structure that is going to be a resort. He travels from Anigona to oversee the construction Abra is the engineer in charge of the site and she has not met many architects that she likes or respects. Abra is strong, willed, sensible and tough enough to sand up to any of the male construction workers on the job Once Cody sets his eyes on her he finds himself falling for her Abra is not going to let that happen, no matter how sexy she thinks he is. They are constantly arguing and bickering. As they get to know each other more, and are force to spend more time together on the job, Cody continues to try and date her. Abra begins to let down her defense and give into him. An accident on the job site changes everything for the both of them, forever.
The story held my interest, but I would recommend it for women in their thirties or fourties, It was a nice story, quick read, but not something I would read again.
The story held my interest, but I would recommend it for women in their thirties or fourties, It was a nice story, quick read, but not something I would read again.
May 29, 2022
Realnije bi bilo 3,5/5 zvezdice ali zbog utiska na kraju je bilo tih 0,5 više. Najviše mi se dopao kraj i ceo udar adrenalina (ne želim da vas spojlujem). Početak mi je bio klasičan, uobičajen. Ona je prkosna i odgovorna, nedosti��na i predana poslu. On je prezgodan frajer, arhitekta sa drugog kraja države i prihvata da radi sa inženjerkom teške naravi. Prevgazilaze lične i poslovne probleme od prve do zadnje stranice. Za čvrstu 4/5 su mi falile mane glavnog lika, dok je glavna junakinja puna mana ali na neki način je to pozitivno i borbeno.
November 28, 2022
Dos motivos por el cual seguí leyendo estos libros: lo tengo en papel, es muy agradable ver como la literatura romántica he evolucionado. Adoro a Nora Roberts, he leído muchos libros de ella pero la verdad en la actualidad sus libros en solitarios son los mejores, hay muchos elementos clásicos de Nora pero ambos personajes son insoportables de principio a final!!! Totalmente predecible y totalmente olvidable!!
May 28, 2019
2.5*
ok , but nothing to write home about.... pretty dated... Also - the heroine was being a bitch most of the time for absolutely no reason. Man or woman - who gives you the right to YELL at your workers?! I would have slapped her across the face more than once....
ok , but nothing to write home about.... pretty dated... Also - the heroine was being a bitch most of the time for absolutely no reason. Man or woman - who gives you the right to YELL at your workers?! I would have slapped her across the face more than once....
January 23, 2014
Another no stress, no drama straight forward love story. I must admit I love the first book better than this one. I really enjoyed it.
May 2, 2018
The only thing that made this any better than your average romance novel was that each of the two main characters had a great sense of humor. It was worth reading for that, alone.
April 30, 2019
This is a classic love story by Nora Roberts. However it had a different tone than her normal writing.
Architect Cody designs structures that seem unrealistic to Engineer Abra and she has something to say about it. She thinks that Cody is arrogant and doesn’t take the landscape into consideration not to mention the ridiculous waterfall he wants installed. She is going to let him know the changes he needs to make.
But Cody is not open to suggestions or willing to bend in any part of his designs. Cody and Abra go head to head multiple times and it turns into a relationship. Can Cody convince her it’s worth having strings attached?
When someone is seriously hurt in the job several things come to light. The whole project comes to a halt, which is heartbreaking to Cody as well as Abra because both have poured their heart and souls into the projects. Can the job be salvaged? Will they admit their feelings to one another before it’s to late?
Architect Cody designs structures that seem unrealistic to Engineer Abra and she has something to say about it. She thinks that Cody is arrogant and doesn’t take the landscape into consideration not to mention the ridiculous waterfall he wants installed. She is going to let him know the changes he needs to make.
But Cody is not open to suggestions or willing to bend in any part of his designs. Cody and Abra go head to head multiple times and it turns into a relationship. Can Cody convince her it’s worth having strings attached?
When someone is seriously hurt in the job several things come to light. The whole project comes to a halt, which is heartbreaking to Cody as well as Abra because both have poured their heart and souls into the projects. Can the job be salvaged? Will they admit their feelings to one another before it’s to late?
July 24, 2025
I read this book once before back in 1989. I liked it then, but my opinion has changed with the times. When a woman says 'no,' she means 'no.' Cody ignored that. Abra told him 'no' several times but he kept pushing. Cody came across as entitled and chauvinistic.
The author should have done some research before writing about an engineer. The book was written in 1989. Slide rules were no longer in use. My husband is an engineer. By 1974 he was using a calculator. Computers were coming into use at that time, also. I worked for a group of engineers in 1974 as the computer person. They would come to me to run particular programs. I taught college math in 1989. Students did not even know what a slide rule was.
The book did not get really interesting until toward the end. By that time I already knew what was happening. I found the book to be so so.
The author should have done some research before writing about an engineer. The book was written in 1989. Slide rules were no longer in use. My husband is an engineer. By 1974 he was using a calculator. Computers were coming into use at that time, also. I worked for a group of engineers in 1974 as the computer person. They would come to me to run particular programs. I taught college math in 1989. Students did not even know what a slide rule was.
The book did not get really interesting until toward the end. By that time I already knew what was happening. I found the book to be so so.
December 14, 2023
A follow-on book by Ms Roberts to two previous books with the only real connection is several characters who hardly rate a mention really. To my mind, that is not a follow on book but just coincidental lazy writing. Keep a few characters in the back pocket to create a kind of 'the people want it' story is just boring.
This story had the usual girl having mummy issues, the male being all gruff and full on. At least there was some kind of side story of sorts to keep the interest going.
Generally not a bad book, but not up there as far as I would tend to say Ms Roerts wrote much later in her career.
All I can say, I am glad I am finally plowing through my 'trilogy' books of hers and moving forward to 2024 for another reading challenge with fresh authors on my list.
This story had the usual girl having mummy issues, the male being all gruff and full on. At least there was some kind of side story of sorts to keep the interest going.
Generally not a bad book, but not up there as far as I would tend to say Ms Roerts wrote much later in her career.
All I can say, I am glad I am finally plowing through my 'trilogy' books of hers and moving forward to 2024 for another reading challenge with fresh authors on my list.
June 4, 2020
One of the better Roberts novels. The romance felt naturally developed instead of rushed from an untenable start. It was nice that Abra is a woman in a position of intelligence and power who doesn't abuse her position. Her love interest is an equal and has the nice gently antagonistic position of wooing Abra without being largely unlikable to start. Too many romance writers, sometimes including Roberts, have completely irredeemable men whom the leading lady inevitably falls for and you just can't understand why she would lower herself to it. Overall, a nice architecturally based romance with a little action thrown in for fun near the end.
March 16, 2023
OMG If I was a Teacher at a Law School I would love using this book in my class, I would ask my students to imagine they are doing the prosecuting and to draw up the correct amount of charges to file against Corey, The Male chauvinistic, overbearing, slob of a man that grabs a stranger and kisses her, takes her against her will to a Cabin to talk and many other acts that should leave any modern person speechless and all politicians, pointing at it and saying see, I wasn't so bad. But the Heroine does give hope to perverts everywhere she eventually loves the forced attentions, we won't discuss her childhood problems. all in all it was a fun book to gawk at. This was a good read.
September 10, 2018
A good story full of emotions and stubbornness. Two strong willed people working together to build a resort. Each with different ways of looking at things and attracted to each other.
I have read this story several times. This is the first time listening via Audible. Gia St. Claire was not the worst but also far from the best narrator. All the voices were distinctly female but also were mixed up on more than one occasion. It was distracting and took away from the story. I recommend reading and forgoing the audio version.
I have read this story several times. This is the first time listening via Audible. Gia St. Claire was not the worst but also far from the best narrator. All the voices were distinctly female but also were mixed up on more than one occasion. It was distracting and took away from the story. I recommend reading and forgoing the audio version.
January 7, 2025
I really liked Abra and Cody's romance and their haters to lovers trope! I'd say this book was my favorite of the two, the action and the drama and the sweetness of it all made my heart swoon. From all these rereads, it's made me appreciate the stories where the main characters get to know one another and truly like each other as people before they fall in love. Not that I don't like the ones where they fall in love and then get to like each other but I feel becoming friends first and then falling in love sets up a great relationship. Overall, great book!
November 18, 2017
Cody Johnson is the architect on a major project in the desert and Abra Wilson is the structural engineer working it with him. They but heads immediately about just about everything except their attraction to each other. Determined to get Abra into bed, Cody sets out to seduce and Abra is just as set not be seduced. But when the sparks continue to fly and the project turns out to be more than either bargained for, more than their mutual attraction is at stake.
December 20, 2021
Nora Roberts only writes the best !
I dislike any epilogue . They invariably take place "later". I hate that the author has not told us what the characters were up to during that time. Of course I can make up something but it won't be as wonderful as the author would have written.
I dislike any epilogue . They invariably take place "later". I hate that the author has not told us what the characters were up to during that time. Of course I can make up something but it won't be as wonderful as the author would have written.
June 5, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nora Roberts doesn’t disappoint.
I wanted an quick and easy romance and that is exactly what I got. I love the banter between abra and Cody. The development of their relationship was also good
My only criticism for me is that it felt a little too insta-lovey for me. Only a bit at times. But it was an enjoyable and quick read
Nora Roberts doesn’t disappoint.
I wanted an quick and easy romance and that is exactly what I got. I love the banter between abra and Cody. The development of their relationship was also good
My only criticism for me is that it felt a little too insta-lovey for me. Only a bit at times. But it was an enjoyable and quick read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews