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Opening Act
USA Today bestselliing author Patricia Kay delivers a sexy romance that is lighthearted but still contains the emotional punch her readers have come to expect.
Playwright Alex Summerfield can't wait to get away from New York City. From his devastating divorce to a difficult bout of writer's block, his problems have made his life miserable. A working vacation in the quiet town of Juliette, New York is just the thing to get him back on track. The last thing he needs is to get stopped for speeding. And it certainly doesn't help that the cop who stops him is a sexy, blue-eyed vixen who just happens to be the sheriff of Juliette.
Sheriff Veronica Valentine has heard of Alex Summerfield -- of course, she has. She's even seen a few of his shows, but she had no idea he was a tall, dark-haired, gorgeous hunk. When his gray eyes pin hers as he argues about the speeding ticket she's writing, she knows he's trouble. And when she discovers he's the person who's rented the carriage house at the back of the property where she lives, she is very much afraid trouble has just landed at her back door.
As the summer days begin to heat up, so does the attraction between Ronnie and Alex. And even as Ronnie encourages his progress on the new play, she tries to ignore the desire that swells whenever he's near. All too soon, she knows, the season will end, and Alex will return to the city, leaving her with a broken heart and only the memory of a scorching summer passion.
Playwright Alex Summerfield can't wait to get away from New York City. From his devastating divorce to a difficult bout of writer's block, his problems have made his life miserable. A working vacation in the quiet town of Juliette, New York is just the thing to get him back on track. The last thing he needs is to get stopped for speeding. And it certainly doesn't help that the cop who stops him is a sexy, blue-eyed vixen who just happens to be the sheriff of Juliette.
Sheriff Veronica Valentine has heard of Alex Summerfield -- of course, she has. She's even seen a few of his shows, but she had no idea he was a tall, dark-haired, gorgeous hunk. When his gray eyes pin hers as he argues about the speeding ticket she's writing, she knows he's trouble. And when she discovers he's the person who's rented the carriage house at the back of the property where she lives, she is very much afraid trouble has just landed at her back door.
As the summer days begin to heat up, so does the attraction between Ronnie and Alex. And even as Ronnie encourages his progress on the new play, she tries to ignore the desire that swells whenever he's near. All too soon, she knows, the season will end, and Alex will return to the city, leaving her with a broken heart and only the memory of a scorching summer passion.
221 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
84 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Ann Patrick
11 books6 followersPatricia Ann Kay was born on 7 March 1937 in a small town in northeastern Ohio, USA, where she raised along with three younger sisters. She considers herself a very lucky woman. The family didn’t have a lot of money, but she says that didn’t matter, because what they did have was worth more than money — a happy home. Her parents had a good marriage and they doted on their four daughters. That upbringing is reflected in the stories she writes. As readers all over the world have discovered, her books are filled with warmth and love of family.
Pat has lived in upstate New York, Northern Alabama, Southern California, and Stockholm (Sweden), and since 1969, in Houston, Texas with her husband. She says that no matter where she’s lived, she’s found that people everywhere are the same and want the same things: love and committed relationships. The marriage has three terrific grown children. They currently share their home with two longhaired cats, and a backyard filled with squirrels, birds, and other critters. Her hobbies and other interests include reading, walking for exercise, going to the movies and the theater, swimming, and traveling.
In 1990, Pat sold her first romance novel to Silhouette. Since then, more than four million copies of her novels have been published in eighteen different countries. Today, Patricia Kay, alias Ann Patrick and Trisha Alexander, is an USA Today bestselling author of 50 novels of romance and women's fiction.
Pat has lived in upstate New York, Northern Alabama, Southern California, and Stockholm (Sweden), and since 1969, in Houston, Texas with her husband. She says that no matter where she’s lived, she’s found that people everywhere are the same and want the same things: love and committed relationships. The marriage has three terrific grown children. They currently share their home with two longhaired cats, and a backyard filled with squirrels, birds, and other critters. Her hobbies and other interests include reading, walking for exercise, going to the movies and the theater, swimming, and traveling.
In 1990, Pat sold her first romance novel to Silhouette. Since then, more than four million copies of her novels have been published in eighteen different countries. Today, Patricia Kay, alias Ann Patrick and Trisha Alexander, is an USA Today bestselling author of 50 novels of romance and women's fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 22, 2018
Be Mine, Miss Valentine by Patricia Kay
Starts out with Alex Sumemrfield getting stopped in upstate NY for speeding. The officer is a female and he has some particular words to say to her that make her angry.
She knows if she was a male she wouldn't have to put up with that. Her relative interrupts her paperwork about the new tenant who's locked his cat in the broom closet. Yep it's alex, again.
She doesn't get along with him and all he can think about are sexual fantasies.
They keep running into one another as she lives upstairs from her cousin and Alex is renting the carriage house. They do spend a lot of time together over the summer months and she is even able to offer her opinion of the play he's writing.
He has to leave abruptly as his ex wife is back in town with a child-his child. Things get messy and Veronica knows they can never be a thing as she lives in Juliette, NY and he lives and works in the city. Good descriptions of the areas.
Other excerpts from the authors other works are included at the end.
Starts out with Alex Sumemrfield getting stopped in upstate NY for speeding. The officer is a female and he has some particular words to say to her that make her angry.
She knows if she was a male she wouldn't have to put up with that. Her relative interrupts her paperwork about the new tenant who's locked his cat in the broom closet. Yep it's alex, again.
She doesn't get along with him and all he can think about are sexual fantasies.
They keep running into one another as she lives upstairs from her cousin and Alex is renting the carriage house. They do spend a lot of time together over the summer months and she is even able to offer her opinion of the play he's writing.
He has to leave abruptly as his ex wife is back in town with a child-his child. Things get messy and Veronica knows they can never be a thing as she lives in Juliette, NY and he lives and works in the city. Good descriptions of the areas.
Other excerpts from the authors other works are included at the end.
April 1, 2018
AKA New Man in Town. From the wardrobes to the attitudes, you can definitely feel the 80's vibe in this story. Not a bad little romance, and even though I was at that age in the 80's, it wasn't my scene and I had a hard time relating. For a tough 'little' sheriff, she was all over the board emotionally. And the main male character started off okay, but then he turned into a self-centered egotist near the end. At least, that's my opinion for why he didn't keep her posted on what was going on after declaring his love for her. All in all, for an old remake it's not a bad romance.
April 17, 2018
Unusual love story between a lady sheriff and a big city playwright.
It was supposed to be a summer friendship, but it became much, much more. Especially when his ex returns, bringing the son he had not known about.
It was supposed to be a summer friendship, but it became much, much more. Especially when his ex returns, bringing the son he had not known about.
August 26, 2018
The hero comes across as such a sexist jerk in the first few pages that I didn't want them to get together, I wanted her to slap him silly. It gets better though. The Kindle edition has several typos, mostly missing spaces when words in cursive run into the next word.
June 18, 2018
A story about hoping for a summer fling to take the edge off, to believing in something bigger than yourself.
Want to read
March 29, 2018aka New Man in Town?
Read
April 7, 2018Alex is just a douche. He doesn’t come across as witty or smart, or even literate. She asks him for license and registration and he thinks she’s got PMS because she’s not smiling at him. Ugh.
And by contrast, Ronnie is just going on and on about how sexy he is.
Alex suggests what his next big crime will be:
And telling them to smile, presumably.
Female?
female?
FEMALE?
Oh god. *grits teeth*
Ronnie runs herself down because she’s not well manicured etc. Then an old lady who runs the antique shop sends Ronnie to interview him after she accuses him of stealing a brooch. He kisses her without her permission while she’s in uniform doing her job.
We’re done here.
***
Reading this I could not work out what was going on. It felt really really dated but said it was published in 2014. Then I saw the author’s note:
Ah. That explains it.
Did not finish at 20%
And by contrast, Ronnie is just going on and on about how sexy he is.
Alex suggests what his next big crime will be:
"Or maybe it'll be something really serious like whistling at pretty girls on Main Street..." (Kindle Locations 207-208).
And telling them to smile, presumably.
" It's still hard for me to believe that a tiny female like you is sheriff . You don't look big enough or strong enough for a job like that . " (Kindle Locations 331-332).
Female?
female?
FEMALE?
" Hey , " he called . " You're missing a great opportunity to educate me . Wouldn't you like to prove me wrong in all my assumptions about you?" (Kindle Locations 343-344).
Oh god. *grits teeth*
Ronnie runs herself down because she’s not well manicured etc. Then an old lady who runs the antique shop sends Ronnie to interview him after she accuses him of stealing a brooch. He kisses her without her permission while she’s in uniform doing her job.
We’re done here.
***
Reading this I could not work out what was going on. It felt really really dated but said it was published in 2014. Then I saw the author’s note:
This book was written and published almost twenty-eight years ago. In fact, it was my first published book and was originally called OPENING ACT
Ah. That explains it.
Did not finish at 20%
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews