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Billionaire's Beach #2
Unravel Me
The follow-up to How to Knit a Wild Bikini.
Who knew knitting could be so sexy?
Young widow Juliet Weston finds solace—and friendship—at beachside knitting shop Malibu & Ewe. But closer to home, a longtime family friend and former soldier is the one who will help her discover just how to knit two hearts together.
Who knew knitting could be so sexy?
Young widow Juliet Weston finds solace—and friendship—at beachside knitting shop Malibu & Ewe. But closer to home, a longtime family friend and former soldier is the one who will help her discover just how to knit two hearts together.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 30, 2008
189 people are currently reading
876 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
February 3, 2010
It has really not much to do with knitting. The yarn store could easily be changed into book store without affecting much of the story. I got also annoyed that it said LYS is short from 'little yarn store', I believe even though some of them are small businesses LYS still means Local Yarn Store... So if you're planning to take it out from library just because it has knitting in it, don't! Take it out because you want some light reading and not-so-bad romance.
October 30, 2015
Juliet Weston is having a very weird day. First, she learns that she has two sisters she never knew existed. Second, she finds a naked man in her pool, and not just any man, Noah Smith, her late husband's assistant.
Juliet has given up on feeling anything since her husband of eight years passed away. Now, she can't get Noah's naked body out of her mind.
Noah has been attracted to Juliet since he first saw her. He has the urge to not only be her friend, but to protect her, too.
As Juliet gets to know her sisters, she discovers how strong she has always been. And, when Noah helps Juliet say her final goodbyes to her husband, she realizes that he may be the second chance at love she never knew she needed.
Juliet has given up on feeling anything since her husband of eight years passed away. Now, she can't get Noah's naked body out of her mind.
Noah has been attracted to Juliet since he first saw her. He has the urge to not only be her friend, but to protect her, too.
As Juliet gets to know her sisters, she discovers how strong she has always been. And, when Noah helps Juliet say her final goodbyes to her husband, she realizes that he may be the second chance at love she never knew she needed.
May 30, 2013
I really, really loved this book! It was better than the first, and I loved that one as well. The sisters have captured my heart.
Summary:
Juliet Weston has had a difficult few years, but the last has been the hardest. It's been almost a year since she lost her much older husband General Weston. She was devastated by his passing, although she knew it was coming as he'd struggled with cancer for a number of years. Still, her grief is waning, but the guilt of not being with him when he took his final breath and her emerging feelings for his former aide are eating her from the inside out. To top it all off, she has just discovered that she has two half sisters she never knew existed or could exist. Her shell that has kept her together since her husband's passing has completely cracked and fallen away. No telling what sorts of emotions will emerge. Noah Smith was a soldier, but more importantly, he was aide to General Weston in his last years of life. Since meeting Juliet, Noah has acknowledged that he has had inappropriate thoughts about her, but the woman truly loved her husband and really took no notice of him. Noah thought it was because he wasn't a noble man like the General and he came from the wrong side of the tracks. Things are quickly about to change, though. For the first time, as her grief subsides, Juliet is feeling womanly. She wants to be desired and loved and held again, not anyone will do either. Only Noah sets her motor running. On top of finding her long lost sisters, she feels a bit like she doesn't know who she is. The media is blaming her for the General's lack of presidency, and her step-daughter is leading that charge. Noah wants to protect her, but he feels guilt over the secrets he carries. Soon, nothing can break the sizzling bond they share. To stay apart is impossible for them. Juliet never feels so alive or passionate as when she's with Noah. It's empowering. Together, they try to navigate their relationship with a hungry media and while getting to know Juliet's sisters, Cassandra and Nikki. Juliet also realizes that she is stronger than before. She has support, a family, and now she can speak up for herself and the General. She forges ahead with Noah and her sister's support and just when things are falling into place, her step-daughter, Marlys, steps in to shatter it all. Marlys is jealous of Juliet's role in her father's life and blames her for how her life has turned out. She also thinks she has nothing to lose after sabotaging her own love interest with Noah's army buddy, Dean. Can Juliet's new inner strength hold her together after secrets are exposed or was that strength just an illusion? She will have to trust in her sisters and open herself up to their bond, and analyze her feelings for Noah to find where she belongs in this new life she has forged.
Juliet was fantastic. I loved watching her emerge from the fragile shell she was in while married to the General. Noah was truly her catalyst and the people they were together were beautiful. Nikki and Cassandra were also great. Of course we know Nikki's story, but in this book, we get a bit more on Cassandra and a backstory on Gabe to whet our appetite for the final book in the trilogy. I hate Marlys. I believe her to be a spoiled, selfish young woman who cant take responsibility for her actions or feelings. I do want to know what happens to her, though. Maybe book three will give insight. Fantastic read, and definitely a reread in future. <3
Summary:
Juliet Weston has had a difficult few years, but the last has been the hardest. It's been almost a year since she lost her much older husband General Weston. She was devastated by his passing, although she knew it was coming as he'd struggled with cancer for a number of years. Still, her grief is waning, but the guilt of not being with him when he took his final breath and her emerging feelings for his former aide are eating her from the inside out. To top it all off, she has just discovered that she has two half sisters she never knew existed or could exist. Her shell that has kept her together since her husband's passing has completely cracked and fallen away. No telling what sorts of emotions will emerge. Noah Smith was a soldier, but more importantly, he was aide to General Weston in his last years of life. Since meeting Juliet, Noah has acknowledged that he has had inappropriate thoughts about her, but the woman truly loved her husband and really took no notice of him. Noah thought it was because he wasn't a noble man like the General and he came from the wrong side of the tracks. Things are quickly about to change, though. For the first time, as her grief subsides, Juliet is feeling womanly. She wants to be desired and loved and held again, not anyone will do either. Only Noah sets her motor running. On top of finding her long lost sisters, she feels a bit like she doesn't know who she is. The media is blaming her for the General's lack of presidency, and her step-daughter is leading that charge. Noah wants to protect her, but he feels guilt over the secrets he carries. Soon, nothing can break the sizzling bond they share. To stay apart is impossible for them. Juliet never feels so alive or passionate as when she's with Noah. It's empowering. Together, they try to navigate their relationship with a hungry media and while getting to know Juliet's sisters, Cassandra and Nikki. Juliet also realizes that she is stronger than before. She has support, a family, and now she can speak up for herself and the General. She forges ahead with Noah and her sister's support and just when things are falling into place, her step-daughter, Marlys, steps in to shatter it all. Marlys is jealous of Juliet's role in her father's life and blames her for how her life has turned out. She also thinks she has nothing to lose after sabotaging her own love interest with Noah's army buddy, Dean. Can Juliet's new inner strength hold her together after secrets are exposed or was that strength just an illusion? She will have to trust in her sisters and open herself up to their bond, and analyze her feelings for Noah to find where she belongs in this new life she has forged.
Juliet was fantastic. I loved watching her emerge from the fragile shell she was in while married to the General. Noah was truly her catalyst and the people they were together were beautiful. Nikki and Cassandra were also great. Of course we know Nikki's story, but in this book, we get a bit more on Cassandra and a backstory on Gabe to whet our appetite for the final book in the trilogy. I hate Marlys. I believe her to be a spoiled, selfish young woman who cant take responsibility for her actions or feelings. I do want to know what happens to her, though. Maybe book three will give insight. Fantastic read, and definitely a reread in future. <3
November 9, 2015
Second chance at love and marriage…do you or don’t you?
Such is the question for Juliet Weston, aka The Deal Breaker, aka the Happy Widow, aka the young, lonely widow married to a man she loved for eighteen years but was married to for only eight. Juliet fell in love with General Wayne Weston when she was a child and then met up with him again as an adult at her parent’s funeral. Love blossomed between them despite the age difference, but fate had other plans for her and now she’s alone.
Except for her assistant/friend/confidant/naked pool boy… Noah. Noah Smith has had his heart captured by Juliet since the first day he arrived to help out the General. Of course she was married then and he’s kept his feelings quiet ever since, but he’s constantly amazed by her strength and perseverance through her husband’s illness and death. Juliet’s husband may have been loved by the media but Juliet was not. They tagged her as the reason the General did not run for President, thus the ‘Deal-Breaker’ moniker. Plus, the tight circle of well-to-do friends of her husband did not think too well of their May-December romance. Add to this a decidedly antagonistic ‘step-daughter’ who was close to Juliet’s own age and Noah knows Juliet needs a friend now more than ever. He just doesn’t know if he can be ‘just’ a friend anymore.
Juliet manages to keep a strong face and open heart despite all the press and negativity surrounding her. She had hidden herself within her role as caretaker for her husband for so long that she almost doesn’t realize her life has changed. It’s Noah who is there to encourage and support her in her new path of life. She is no push-over however, but her life is definitely changing.
As the second book of the Billionaire’s Beach series, this one continues the story of three women without families coming together to see if strangers can really form bonds of their own. It’s the story of these women and the men that support them. This second book is even better than the first, as Juliet’s dealing with not only how to interpret her new life as a single person and her feelings for Noah, but also the surprise she discovers at a ‘little yarn shop’ on Malibu Beach. Tack on a really good side story about Juliet’s step-daughter, Marlys, and you have a no-brainer for a good read.
This can definitely be read as a stand-alone but the story is richer if you’ve read the first book, Take Me Tender. Book three is by far my favorite so definitely read on from here to finish out the series!
I did receive and ARC from the author for an honest review.
Such is the question for Juliet Weston, aka The Deal Breaker, aka the Happy Widow, aka the young, lonely widow married to a man she loved for eighteen years but was married to for only eight. Juliet fell in love with General Wayne Weston when she was a child and then met up with him again as an adult at her parent’s funeral. Love blossomed between them despite the age difference, but fate had other plans for her and now she’s alone.
Except for her assistant/friend/confidant/naked pool boy… Noah. Noah Smith has had his heart captured by Juliet since the first day he arrived to help out the General. Of course she was married then and he’s kept his feelings quiet ever since, but he’s constantly amazed by her strength and perseverance through her husband’s illness and death. Juliet’s husband may have been loved by the media but Juliet was not. They tagged her as the reason the General did not run for President, thus the ‘Deal-Breaker’ moniker. Plus, the tight circle of well-to-do friends of her husband did not think too well of their May-December romance. Add to this a decidedly antagonistic ‘step-daughter’ who was close to Juliet’s own age and Noah knows Juliet needs a friend now more than ever. He just doesn’t know if he can be ‘just’ a friend anymore.
Juliet manages to keep a strong face and open heart despite all the press and negativity surrounding her. She had hidden herself within her role as caretaker for her husband for so long that she almost doesn’t realize her life has changed. It’s Noah who is there to encourage and support her in her new path of life. She is no push-over however, but her life is definitely changing.
As the second book of the Billionaire’s Beach series, this one continues the story of three women without families coming together to see if strangers can really form bonds of their own. It’s the story of these women and the men that support them. This second book is even better than the first, as Juliet’s dealing with not only how to interpret her new life as a single person and her feelings for Noah, but also the surprise she discovers at a ‘little yarn shop’ on Malibu Beach. Tack on a really good side story about Juliet’s step-daughter, Marlys, and you have a no-brainer for a good read.
This can definitely be read as a stand-alone but the story is richer if you’ve read the first book, Take Me Tender. Book three is by far my favorite so definitely read on from here to finish out the series!
I did receive and ARC from the author for an honest review.
October 15, 2015
So here we are back on Billionaire’s Beach. Fortunately this book in the series does not feature an actual billionaire which was a relief to me.
Our Heroine is an angst-filled woman. Our Hero is, well, heroic. He’s a warrior, after all. I love how we meet him, swimming naked in her pool. Something happens and he races into her kitchen, naked and dripping wet. He covers himself with an apron and we are left with Our Heroine’s delightful speculations about his naked backside. Oh yes, drool-worthy scene.
Julie has a step-daughter with Issues. Frankly, the step-daughter was rather a caricature and not well-developed as a character.
There is a lot of hanging out in a yarn shop which, as a knitter, I enjoyed. However, no one can knit as fast as these people, especially Cassandra. As new knitters, Nikki and Julie would have to be slower. While it seems as if Ridgway is familiar with the atmosphere of yarn shops, the speed of her knitters was unrealistic and that bothers me.
There is an actress we met briefly in Take Me Tender (Billionaire’s Beach #1) who is nameless but is addressed as Oomfaa, an acronym, If I remember correctly for One Of Most Famous American Actresses.
Julie has history to live down. She met her future husband when she was twelve and despite the fact that he was some thirty years older than she, married him ten years later. He was going to run for public office but his handlers said he couldn’t marry what would like a trophy wife. He decided life with Julie was more important than public office and all of his friends barely tolerated Julie as a result. His daughter, the brat, was very jealous of Julie. But the man died and Julie has escaped to Billionaire’s Beach to get on with her life. The story starts about eleven months after his death.
She has known our hero for quite sometime because he was right-hand man and caregiver to her husband as he struggled with cancer. He came with her to the Beach because he had promised the husband he’d help her out. he was busy making sure the new house was all ship-shape.
As a result they actually spent time in conversation, rather than their previous conversations which had been limited to the husband’s needs. Of course, sparks fly and it’s happily ever after.
It’s a quick and easy read, quite enjoyable.
Our Heroine is an angst-filled woman. Our Hero is, well, heroic. He’s a warrior, after all. I love how we meet him, swimming naked in her pool. Something happens and he races into her kitchen, naked and dripping wet. He covers himself with an apron and we are left with Our Heroine’s delightful speculations about his naked backside. Oh yes, drool-worthy scene.
Julie has a step-daughter with Issues. Frankly, the step-daughter was rather a caricature and not well-developed as a character.
There is a lot of hanging out in a yarn shop which, as a knitter, I enjoyed. However, no one can knit as fast as these people, especially Cassandra. As new knitters, Nikki and Julie would have to be slower. While it seems as if Ridgway is familiar with the atmosphere of yarn shops, the speed of her knitters was unrealistic and that bothers me.
There is an actress we met briefly in Take Me Tender (Billionaire’s Beach #1) who is nameless but is addressed as Oomfaa, an acronym, If I remember correctly for One Of Most Famous American Actresses.
Julie has history to live down. She met her future husband when she was twelve and despite the fact that he was some thirty years older than she, married him ten years later. He was going to run for public office but his handlers said he couldn’t marry what would like a trophy wife. He decided life with Julie was more important than public office and all of his friends barely tolerated Julie as a result. His daughter, the brat, was very jealous of Julie. But the man died and Julie has escaped to Billionaire’s Beach to get on with her life. The story starts about eleven months after his death.
She has known our hero for quite sometime because he was right-hand man and caregiver to her husband as he struggled with cancer. He came with her to the Beach because he had promised the husband he’d help her out. he was busy making sure the new house was all ship-shape.
As a result they actually spent time in conversation, rather than their previous conversations which had been limited to the husband’s needs. Of course, sparks fly and it’s happily ever after.
It’s a quick and easy read, quite enjoyable.
September 23, 2013
Reviewed by Lissa Staley
Posted October 15, 2008
Romance Contemporary | Contemporary Chick Lit
Juliet Weston, a widow for 11 months now, loved her husband deeply -- he was much older than her, a wealthy, distinguished military general. He had sheltered and provided for her, maybe more than she wanted or needed. Now that he's gone, his most trusted soldier, Noah Smith, is fulfilling a promise to the general to continue taking care of Juliet.
After the negative press surrounding the general's death, protecting his widow becomes even more important to Noah, especially since he feels guilty about his own fascination with the beautiful Juliet. As Juliet emerges from her grief, she's distraught to find her sexual desires awakening and her attraction to the enlisted man in her guest house growing stronger. Juliet's own guilt about the day of the general's death prevents her from pursuing Noah, until her careful facade is torn apart and she comes unraveled. Can Noah help Juliet knit together a new life?
In this second book in the Malibu and Ewe series, the romance of Juliet and Noah is intertwined with the story of three half-sisters who share a sperm-donor father and meet through a knitting shop. Christie Ridgway weaves the stories together brilliantly, keeping each sister relevant while focusing on the developing romance of her main characters. The first book in this series, HOW TO KNIT A WILD BIKINI, introduced the romance of chef Nikki and magazine mogul and playboy Jay. The forthcoming third book promises to detail the relationship between knitting shop owner Cassandra and her troubled neighbor and fellow businessman Gabe. I can't wait for the third book, so I can find out more about Gabe's past and his potential future with Cassandra. Ms. Ridgway's novels are humorously written, touch on serious life and family issues, and are a delight to read. Her storytelling is fresh and original and the only thing that could make these books better would be a free knitting pattern at the back of each the book.
Posted October 15, 2008
Romance Contemporary | Contemporary Chick Lit
Juliet Weston, a widow for 11 months now, loved her husband deeply -- he was much older than her, a wealthy, distinguished military general. He had sheltered and provided for her, maybe more than she wanted or needed. Now that he's gone, his most trusted soldier, Noah Smith, is fulfilling a promise to the general to continue taking care of Juliet.
After the negative press surrounding the general's death, protecting his widow becomes even more important to Noah, especially since he feels guilty about his own fascination with the beautiful Juliet. As Juliet emerges from her grief, she's distraught to find her sexual desires awakening and her attraction to the enlisted man in her guest house growing stronger. Juliet's own guilt about the day of the general's death prevents her from pursuing Noah, until her careful facade is torn apart and she comes unraveled. Can Noah help Juliet knit together a new life?
In this second book in the Malibu and Ewe series, the romance of Juliet and Noah is intertwined with the story of three half-sisters who share a sperm-donor father and meet through a knitting shop. Christie Ridgway weaves the stories together brilliantly, keeping each sister relevant while focusing on the developing romance of her main characters. The first book in this series, HOW TO KNIT A WILD BIKINI, introduced the romance of chef Nikki and magazine mogul and playboy Jay. The forthcoming third book promises to detail the relationship between knitting shop owner Cassandra and her troubled neighbor and fellow businessman Gabe. I can't wait for the third book, so I can find out more about Gabe's past and his potential future with Cassandra. Ms. Ridgway's novels are humorously written, touch on serious life and family issues, and are a delight to read. Her storytelling is fresh and original and the only thing that could make these books better would be a free knitting pattern at the back of each the book.
January 8, 2009
Christie Ridgway is so darned good at what she does, and this is a pretty darned good example of what she does well. The widow of a general, the enlisted man sworn to protect her - it sounds like it shouldn't work, but in Ridgway's hands, it does and then some. Nikki and Jay from How to Knit a Wild Bikini reappear, and are seamlessly integrated into the current action, but I found this to be a more complete, more honest book than its predecessor. The dramatic tension this time comes not from a date-rape subplot, but from a stepdaughter hell-bent on revenge. I think that the fact that the stepdaughter didn't get a happy ending because of her hurtful actions made this a more real book - that honesty thing again.
The other thing that really reeled me in was how seamless Ridgway has set up the final novel with the third sister, Cassandra, and her rescue project, Gabe. I really, REALLY want to know how the heck Ridgway is going to pull together a story for these two, because they've been bickering for two whole books now, and the preview chapter didn't inspire a lot of hope for a happy ending. Only six more months to go to find out!
The other thing that really reeled me in was how seamless Ridgway has set up the final novel with the third sister, Cassandra, and her rescue project, Gabe. I really, REALLY want to know how the heck Ridgway is going to pull together a story for these two, because they've been bickering for two whole books now, and the preview chapter didn't inspire a lot of hope for a happy ending. Only six more months to go to find out!
January 13, 2009
The next in the series following the How to Knit a Wild Bikini, this steamy romance stars young widow Juliet and her late, much-older- husband's hunky assistant. There is sure to be a third in this heartwarming and a little heartbreaking series. This one shines a fuzzy light on the topic of grief in a respectable way. I'll read the next.
What I really want, however, is a little knit shop like the one in this story!
What I really want, however, is a little knit shop like the one in this story!
January 21, 2012
I really like the way the author is carrying characters through each of the sisters' stories. The main characters as well as the rest of the cast from first story reappear here a supporting characters, but their roles aren't just window dressing; we get to know them better. And I have no doubt Marlys and Dean will show up in the third book as well. And I wonder if the author plans another book or two since she mentions two adopted brothers. Either way, I'm looking to more fun from this author.
April 22, 2021
Another cute book by Christie Ridgway that continues the story of three unlikely sisters. Juliet Weston’s husband had passed away and she was trying to get her feet back on the ground. Her late husband had been considerably older than she was and had been a General in the military. When he married someone so much younger, Juliet had been trashed in the press because her husband had given up the chance of going into politics after their marriage. Now she was trying to regain her old self and continue her life. Noah Smith had been hired to help the General before and even after his illness. Now that it was just Juliet, Noah still wanted to protect her. This is a very good story of gaining a family and friends when you don’t have any.
January 7, 2025
Not as good as the first one. There is not really much of a plot-just a lot of strung together sex scenes. Juliet’s transformation from a polite “please take care of me” woman to a take charge “don’t f*** with me” confident woman is too sudden and therefore unbelievable. Her grief as a widow is given such light treatment as to be almost nonexistent. The subplot with Marlys is left unresolved. Wish I hadn’t wasted my time.
December 3, 2021
I'm doing this series of reviews very belatedly, and nothing about this book really stands out to me. I liked Juliet much better, but the plot line with her step-daughter was a distraction I could've done without.
October 22, 2024
Registered on Bookcrossing - https://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/...
My Review: Really good romance. I love the main characters, I read the other two books in this series a while ago, glad to read this one finally.
My Review: Really good romance. I love the main characters, I read the other two books in this series a while ago, glad to read this one finally.
September 18, 2017
LYS = local yarn shop. Ask anyone.
January 27, 2018
Not a run-of-the-mill romance
Somehow Christie Ridgway's romances seem different than most. The characters are more richly defined and stories are infinitely more detailed.
Somehow Christie Ridgway's romances seem different than most. The characters are more richly defined and stories are infinitely more detailed.
April 18, 2019
Really enjoyable book which kept me enthralled from start to finish. Loved the 1st book equally and now looking forward to finishing the series with number 3.
June 7, 2019
Audible
April 20, 2021
Very good!
November 9, 2015
This was a great second story in the billionaire beach trilogy. I loved Juliet and Noah! We never got to meet these characters in the first story but the characters from the first are present in this story. Juliet is the sister to Cassandra and Nikki. The sister and family relationship has a very prominent role in this story. Juliet starts to awaken from you shell that she has been in and starts to feel again. Her sisters and the news they give her are a big part of this. It opens her up to see Noah differently than she had before and once she does there is no going back.
I loved the way that this story was written and the way that the characters were introduced and interacted with each other. I love the way that we get to see a lot of the secondary characters as well and get their stories and more of their stories. Everything is blended really well. I loved the way that the emotions were a part of this story and were worked in. Noah and Juliet have a great relationship even with its ups and downs as Juliet figures out this new part of herself. I can't wait to figure out what happens next with Cassandra and a few of the other characters.
This is the second book in a trilogy and it is not really necessary to read the first book but it will definitely up the enjoyment of this book because while you will not be left in the dark if you haven't read the first you will not have all of the details.
I loved the way that this story was written and the way that the characters were introduced and interacted with each other. I love the way that we get to see a lot of the secondary characters as well and get their stories and more of their stories. Everything is blended really well. I loved the way that the emotions were a part of this story and were worked in. Noah and Juliet have a great relationship even with its ups and downs as Juliet figures out this new part of herself. I can't wait to figure out what happens next with Cassandra and a few of the other characters.
This is the second book in a trilogy and it is not really necessary to read the first book but it will definitely up the enjoyment of this book because while you will not be left in the dark if you haven't read the first you will not have all of the details.
August 4, 2009
Meh.
We are introduced to sister Juliet's life in this one. Juliet was married to a general who was a contender for the presidential ticket but gave it all up to marry his true Love Juliet - who was 20 or so years his junior. When he died the press called her The Merry Widow and The Deal Breaker and hounded her. Fortunately she has Noah - the Generals Aid - who is still sticking around and trying to help with everything. And of course she has her newly found sisters to help her as well.
These books are just not very good. The characters are weak. The plot is weak. In this book you also get a tease. One of the subplots is about the stepdaughter who hates Juliet. She starts to fall for the friend of the Generals Aid - and you think - Ahhhh. Evil character redeems herself! There is a plot! And frankly that plot line was more interesting than the main plot line - sadly the subplot just fades away. It built up and then fizzled.
Argh. I bought the next book in this arch - so I will crack that open next - but if I had not already bought it I would not go out and buy it after having read the first two. Disappointing.
We are introduced to sister Juliet's life in this one. Juliet was married to a general who was a contender for the presidential ticket but gave it all up to marry his true Love Juliet - who was 20 or so years his junior. When he died the press called her The Merry Widow and The Deal Breaker and hounded her. Fortunately she has Noah - the Generals Aid - who is still sticking around and trying to help with everything. And of course she has her newly found sisters to help her as well.
These books are just not very good. The characters are weak. The plot is weak. In this book you also get a tease. One of the subplots is about the stepdaughter who hates Juliet. She starts to fall for the friend of the Generals Aid - and you think - Ahhhh. Evil character redeems herself! There is a plot! And frankly that plot line was more interesting than the main plot line - sadly the subplot just fades away. It built up and then fizzled.
Argh. I bought the next book in this arch - so I will crack that open next - but if I had not already bought it I would not go out and buy it after having read the first two. Disappointing.
dnf-did-not-finish
August 3, 2011I'm about two thirds of the way through the book, and it is not appealing too me. I'm officially declaring it a DNF I am working my way through a variety of romance genres and novels this summers, so I am not sure if it's a problem with the genre or with the book.
I picked up the book because of the title and the cover. I'm an avid knitter so thought it would be fun, but the knitting is a barely mentioned after thought. If other aspects of the book caught my interest, I would not care about the lack of knitting.
I find the heroine tiresome. And she sounds like a cross between Calista Gingrich and Cindy McCain. I also found it hard to believe that both political parties would have shunned her now-dead husband because he married a younger woman. Again, see Calista and Cindy.
There are some who will like this book. It's got some really hot sex scenes - really hot. But to me the plot felt like something that was thrown in between sex scenes, and not the main focus. Just not my cup of tea.
I picked up the book because of the title and the cover. I'm an avid knitter so thought it would be fun, but the knitting is a barely mentioned after thought. If other aspects of the book caught my interest, I would not care about the lack of knitting.
I find the heroine tiresome. And she sounds like a cross between Calista Gingrich and Cindy McCain. I also found it hard to believe that both political parties would have shunned her now-dead husband because he married a younger woman. Again, see Calista and Cindy.
There are some who will like this book. It's got some really hot sex scenes - really hot. But to me the plot felt like something that was thrown in between sex scenes, and not the main focus. Just not my cup of tea.
November 21, 2011
Book two of the trilogy was every bit as good as the first but in a different way. Being only the second Ridgway book I've read, I wasn't sure what to expect. Often with these romance trilogies it is the same story with slight variations told three times. This is very different than the first story.
Widow of a war hero, Juliet starts to deal with moving on after her husband's death. She also learns to find and accept family as she finds it. But the story just sort of ends with so many loose ends. I'll read the third book and see how everything is tied together.
I'm hovering at 3.5 on this. Points for originality and overall story arc but points off for an only marginally likable heroine. I'll go with a three star for now but may change to a four after finishing the third book.
Widow of a war hero, Juliet starts to deal with moving on after her husband's death. She also learns to find and accept family as she finds it. But the story just sort of ends with so many loose ends. I'll read the third book and see how everything is tied together.
I'm hovering at 3.5 on this. Points for originality and overall story arc but points off for an only marginally likable heroine. I'll go with a three star for now but may change to a four after finishing the third book.
May 6, 2012
I had a hard time getting "into" this heroine at first - Juliet Weston began as a teeny-bopper with a crush on a foxy older man, to his wife as a very innocent young woman, to his widow, still a young woman, in the blink of a few pages. So it's hard figuring out who she is, when not in relation to others, a problem that lingers till the book is almost done. Turns out Juliet does have a personality, after all.
However, Ridgway's strong writing, and her sexy and complicated hero, Noah, kept me turning pages. I liked the newfound family thread, and speaking of threads, of course I was a sucker for the knitting shop theme. My biggest problem with this book was almost everyone, from the newfound sisters, to the hero(es) and the quasi-villain, stepdaughter from hell Marlys (who I actually liked better than anyone else) seemed more interesting than the heroine.
However, Ridgway's strong writing, and her sexy and complicated hero, Noah, kept me turning pages. I liked the newfound family thread, and speaking of threads, of course I was a sucker for the knitting shop theme. My biggest problem with this book was almost everyone, from the newfound sisters, to the hero(es) and the quasi-villain, stepdaughter from hell Marlys (who I actually liked better than anyone else) seemed more interesting than the heroine.
August 10, 2010
A solid follow-up to How to Knit a Wild Bikini. The whole "yarn shop" theme isn't really a strong one. The store, owned by one of the three lead female characters, is more of a meeting place than a plot point. (But since I don't knit, no big deal!) The hero/heroine in this installment are both different enough from the first book not to feel redundant, and I'll read the third, as well, though I'm going to read something else first. The sub-plots advance the story, as well as being stories of their own. And just like in real life, not everything has to be resolved in those sub-plots by the last page. Ridgway gives satisfying conclusions to the main story, and moves sub-plots along enough to carry into the next installment, making for a satisfying series.
August 17, 2014
This is the second in the Malibu & Ewe series. Juliet's husband has been dead almost a year. Slowly she is coming back to life. She notices Noah, the man that helped her care for her dying husband. She wants him. Noah wants her but he is having a hard time getting past her dead husband.
Juliet finds out that she was conceived by sperm donor and that the donor also fathered two other women. They befriend her, which comes in so handy because she needs family. Her step-daughter, Marlys, is still treating her badly. Juliet's husband wrote a book before he died and it is coming out. This brings up a lot of stuff - especially in the press. Can Juliet get past this and have a relationship with Noah?
I liked this book. I will be reading the other two.
Juliet finds out that she was conceived by sperm donor and that the donor also fathered two other women. They befriend her, which comes in so handy because she needs family. Her step-daughter, Marlys, is still treating her badly. Juliet's husband wrote a book before he died and it is coming out. This brings up a lot of stuff - especially in the press. Can Juliet get past this and have a relationship with Noah?
I liked this book. I will be reading the other two.
November 8, 2015
I read this book ad Take Me Forever, the second book in the Billionaire Beach series. Juliet is the oldest of the three half series, sharing the same sperm donor father, but the last to know. She fell in love with General Weston when she was 13 (Daddy issues?); he noticed her when she was 21. Despite objections from many, they married, nixing a possible political career. This is the unbelievable part, as that would not effect political ambitions in DC. He then is terminally ill with cancer. She nurses him with the help of his assistant Noah. Once widowed, Noah is still looking out for her. With the help of her sisters' she lightens up and learns to love again, despite the nasty antics of her step daughter.
March 15, 2016
This is the second book in this trilogy and I liked this book better than the first one. From the first page I was drawn into this story and emphasized with the main characters. Juliet is a widow for the last 10-11 months who feels nothing. She is totally numb until she arrives home one night and discovers a naked man in her pool. She fumbles around in the dark in her kitchen, cuts her finger and ends up crashing into the kitchen island. The naked man jumps out of the pool to run to her rescue. He rushes into her kitchen, she covers her eyes spreading blood over her face and she realizes It is Noah her dead husband's caregiver. And she feels. She feels LUST. The story gets better from that point on.
March 20, 2012
"Unravel Me" is the second of the "Malibu and Ewe" series. This one focuses on Juliet and Noah. Everyone thinks that Juliet is fragile and proper, but when she sees Noah naked, her true inner self creeps to the top layer of her skin and exposes itself for all to see. She is determined to have a better life with friends, family and a lover. She has been mourning for her dead husband for about 11 months, but discovers there is more to her young life to live. I enjoyed this book. Christie Ridgway always has her steamy scenes. If you can get past that, you will cheer Juliet until you reach the end.
October 21, 2015
This is the 2nd book in the Billionaire's Beach series set in Malibu, CA. In this story, the main romance involves Juliet Weston, a general's widow, and Noah Smith, a former soldier who was the general's aide. Many of the moving/emotional scenes center on Juliet's grief process and moving forward in life. There's are a few side stories that add other layers to a typical romance tale including the character of Marlys Weston, the general's daughter from his first marriage, and Juliet's half sisters, Cassandra and Nikki. I enjoyed the various interactions among all of the characters.
Thanks to CR's California Girls for the copy of this book.
Thanks to CR's California Girls for the copy of this book.
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