Something Different

by Kay Hooper

Fictional Romance, Romantic Ficiton, Women's Literature, Fictional Novel

Tom Galasinski (Cover Art)

Genres: Romance

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1984

About the author

Kay Hooper (aka Kay Robbins) was born in California, in an air force base hospital since her father was stationed there at the time. The family moved back to North Carolina shortly afterward, so she was raised and went to school there.

The oldest of three children, Kay has a brother two years younger and a sister seven years younger. Her father and brother are builders who own a highly respected construction company, and her mother worked for many years in personnel management before becoming Kay's personal assistant, a position she held until her untimely death in March 2002. Kay's sister Linda works as her Business Manager, Events Coordinator, and is playing a major role in the creation and operation of The Kay Hooper Foundation.

Kay graduated from East Rutherford High School and attended Isothermal Community College — where she quickly discovered that business classes did not in any way enthrall her. Switching to more involving courses such as history and literature, she also began to concentrate on writing, which had been a longtime interest. Very quickly hooked, she asked for a Christmas typewriter and began seriously working on her first novel. That book, a Regency romance titled Lady Thief, sold to Dell Publishing in 1980. She has since published more than 60 novels and four novellas.

Kay is single and lives in a very small town in North Carolina, not far from her father and siblings. Deigning to live with her are a flock of cats — Bonnie, Ginger, Oscar, Tuffy, Felix, Renny, and Isabel — of various personalities who all like sleeping on manuscripts and whatever research happens to be spread across Kay's desk. And living amongst the many felines are two cheerfully tolerant dogs, a shelter rescue, Bandit, who looks rather like a small sheepdog, and a Sheltie named Lizzie.

Reviews

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written in 1984. I say that because it should be very dated. The only things dated about it is that the heroine uses a typewriter, there are no computers or cell phones and there is no discussion of birth control. Otherwise, it is as fresh, if not fresher, than many of the romances I have read recently. Gypsy is a mystery writer. She is extremely eccentric. Not only does she know this, she owns it. She doesn't think it makes her useful in a relationship but she doesn't fool herself either. She likes herself and what she does. She moves around a lot because she house-sits for people while she writes her novels. Chase Mitchell rear-ends her (or rather her car, Daisy) while she is driving home. She keeps Chase so completely off balance that he is intrigued beyond reason. Gypsy doesn't cook or clean but Chase was brought up in military schools. He does both. Well. He doesn't care that she is unconventional. He's an architect. He has his own way of being unconventional. Although the conclusion was inevitable, getting there was a lovely ride. This reminded me not only how wonderful Kay's romances were but how good the Loveswept line could be.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like older romances from the eighties, this book is actually good. The banter and exchanges between the two characters is very entertaining. It has no big surprises, but it's a romance, plain and simple.

[Kurt · Rating 3 out of 5]

fluffy- a bit sappy- but entertaining- more of a "chic" book.