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A Great Kisser
Kauffman writes smart and sexy, with sizzle to spare!--Janet Evanovich. Now the "USA Today"-bestselling author of "Catch Me If You Can" takes readers for a fun ride, with a gorgeous pilot who knows how to leave any woman breathless.
Jake McKenna fixes planes, not people. Compared to an engine, humans are high-maintenance and unpredictable - which is why Jake has zero interest in indulging his sister's request that he play tour guide and rent-a-date to her boss' visiting stepdaughter. Still, Lauren Matthews is nothing like the uptight, reed-skinny workaholic he expected. She's curvy - deliciously so. Funny. Open. And convinced that there's more to her mother's hasty marriage to the local mayor than meets the eye. Leaving her fast-track Washington career is the most impulsive thing Lauren has ever done - right until the moment she arrives in Cedar Springs, Colorado. Everything about sexy, enigmatic pilot Jake tempts Lauren to unleash her inner bad girl and let him take her places she's never been...even as her snooping around town provokes some extremely hostile reactions. At this altitude, losing your head is easy. Trusting your heart can cost you everything...
Jake McKenna fixes planes, not people. Compared to an engine, humans are high-maintenance and unpredictable - which is why Jake has zero interest in indulging his sister's request that he play tour guide and rent-a-date to her boss' visiting stepdaughter. Still, Lauren Matthews is nothing like the uptight, reed-skinny workaholic he expected. She's curvy - deliciously so. Funny. Open. And convinced that there's more to her mother's hasty marriage to the local mayor than meets the eye. Leaving her fast-track Washington career is the most impulsive thing Lauren has ever done - right until the moment she arrives in Cedar Springs, Colorado. Everything about sexy, enigmatic pilot Jake tempts Lauren to unleash her inner bad girl and let him take her places she's never been...even as her snooping around town provokes some extremely hostile reactions. At this altitude, losing your head is easy. Trusting your heart can cost you everything...
403 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
16 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Donna Kauffman
147 books1,799 followersUSA Today bestseller and award winning author of the Cupcake Club series and the Blueberry Cove series, DONNA KAUFFMAN has been gratified to see her books get rave reviews in venues ranging from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal to Entertainment Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, where she is happily working on the next book in her brand new Blue Hollow Falls series, set right in her mountain home area. When she's not writing, she can be found recapping the popular tv show NCIS for USA Today, or escaping into her garden to play in the dirt. Donna also works as a volunteer wildlife transporter for two local sanctuaries, giving orphaned and injured wildlife a second chance at survival. You can catch up on all of her adventures via her author page on Facebook, or on Twitter, or Instagram @writerchick. Donna loves to hear from readers!
Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.
Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 2, 2010
Oh boy, what to say...Okay, the positives first: This book was very well written, with lots of detail and and you could tell that the author did her research. Lots and lots of dialogue, so for dialogue junkies, you'll like this one. A really nice, sexy little romance between a former lawyer/political aide looking for her place in life and a flight school owner (who was a real dreamboat/sweetheart all-around-good guy) who never thought he'd want a 'forever' woman. A little hint of suspense and an encounter with a whack-job near the end that had the H/h's lives in danger. A satisfying little HEA that put a smile on my face.
Now, with all that good stuff, why only 3 1/2 stars? The book was entirely too long! Seriously, it could have lost 75-100 pages easily and it wouldn't have suffered. The conversations went on too long, things were related over and over again, and at times I just wanted to step on the accelerator and say "Let's get this story moving!" It didn't help that the plot (or maybe it was the subplot) of the heroine, Lauren, being so obsessed with finding out why her 60-ish, widowed mom eloped with an aging politician just wasn't all that compelling to me. Or maybe it was the fact that the author took forever to get that plot to get moving. I'm not sure what it was, but I just wanted Lauren to leave her mom alone and start concentrating on her own developing relationship with sexy pilot Jake! I will admit that part of the story was really well done. Unfortunately, whenever things started to get cooking with Lauren and Jake, Lauren had to start obsessing with her mom's business. *sigh* And yes, I'll admit, Lauren was right to have her suspicions, I just think that DK dropped the ball on telling that part of the story.
So, to sum up-- very hot and well-written romance with a couple of likable characters, but a not so compelling story for me about the mom and the is-he-shady politician. Not quite my cuppa tea, but may be for others. 3 1/2 stars.
Now, with all that good stuff, why only 3 1/2 stars? The book was entirely too long! Seriously, it could have lost 75-100 pages easily and it wouldn't have suffered. The conversations went on too long, things were related over and over again, and at times I just wanted to step on the accelerator and say "Let's get this story moving!" It didn't help that the plot (or maybe it was the subplot) of the heroine, Lauren, being so obsessed with finding out why her 60-ish, widowed mom eloped with an aging politician just wasn't all that compelling to me. Or maybe it was the fact that the author took forever to get that plot to get moving. I'm not sure what it was, but I just wanted Lauren to leave her mom alone and start concentrating on her own developing relationship with sexy pilot Jake! I will admit that part of the story was really well done. Unfortunately, whenever things started to get cooking with Lauren and Jake, Lauren had to start obsessing with her mom's business. *sigh* And yes, I'll admit, Lauren was right to have her suspicions, I just think that DK dropped the ball on telling that part of the story.
So, to sum up-- very hot and well-written romance with a couple of likable characters, but a not so compelling story for me about the mom and the is-he-shady politician. Not quite my cuppa tea, but may be for others. 3 1/2 stars.
March 3, 2016
Very good book with a good romance and a touch of suspense. Jake is a pilot/flight school owner who enjoys his bachelor status and handles his younger sister's dramatics on a regular basis. He's not too thrilled with her when she begs him to take her boss, the mayor's, stepdaughter out and show her around. He's too busy getting his WW2 fighter plane ready for a big race. But he gives in to his sister's pleas and discovers that the visitor is nothing like what he expected.
Lauren was heavily involved in her job as an aide to a Washington DC senator until her widowed mother eloped with a small town Colorado mayor. After six months of strained relations with her mom, Lauren has come to Cedar Springs to see what is really going on. She's also trying to figure out what she wants to do now that she has quit working for the senator. Jake is a distraction she really doesn't need, but a temptation too big to resist.
I loved the immediate connection between Jake and Lauren. Though she isn't his usual type, there is something about Lauren that grabs his attention and won't let go. It was pretty sweet to see the way that he went from "hell no" to "hell yes". Their conversation on the way from the airport to Cedar Springs was a beautiful example of getting to know each other. I loved Lauren's obvious interest in Jake and hearing about his plane and the racing and so on. Something about him must have also made her willing to trust him because she told him about quitting her job.
I liked Lauren's concern about her mother and how she is upset over their estrangement. She really wants to repair their relationship, but she's also worried because her mother's actions were so unlike the woman she knows. It was really wonderful to see the two of them talk honestly with each other. Lauren saw a different side to her mom and her mom was able to share her new outlook with Lauren. However, Lauren's acceptance of her mom's happiness didn't change her own feelings about the mayor.
I really enjoyed the development of the relationship between Jake and Lauren. Their quick connection shows them both that there is something there worth pursuing. Though Jake tries to pretend that he's a tough macho kind of dude, it's easy to see that there is a really romantic center to him. Likewise, Lauren has always been a city girl, and one who is big on planning out direction she wants her life to go. But starting with quitting her job, then deciding to run with her growing feelings for Jake, she discovers a joy to spontaneity. One of the things I loved most about the two of them was their willingness to talk honestly with each other. Their one brush with Jake holding back because of a promise made to his sister is dealt with pretty quickly because they don't resort to hurt feelings and silent treatments. I also enjoyed the increasing attraction between them as they indulge in steamy kisses and building tension.
One of the things that brought Jake and Lauren together was her investigation of the mayor. Jake has his own, similar, opinion of the man and he is more than willing to be Lauren's sounding board and assistant. There are a couple really great scenes where he serves as a distraction so that she can get information that she needs. As Lauren delves deeper into the mayor's background it becomes obvious that she was right to be concerned. Information from Jake's sister sets both Jake and Lauren onto new leads. Some really strange occurrences that seem harmless when looked at separately don't seem so when a possible link is discovered. The final confrontation was pretty intense, as Lauren ends up in some serious danger, but keeping her cool helps bring it to a satisfactory end. Jake plays a significant part in the resolution, as do his sister and Lauren's mom. One of the players was not a surprise, but the other hadn't been on my radar until near the end.
The epilogue was really great as Jake finally gets to race his plane and Ruby Jean embarks on a new direction for her career. With the mayor's unexpected exit from his post, his job is now vacant. I loved the twist involving his replacement, as I really didn't see that one coming. It was the perfect solution.
There were a few places where the story seemed to drag a little, but not enough to reduce my enjoyment of the book. Overall, I was hooked and unable to put it down until I finished it.
Lauren was heavily involved in her job as an aide to a Washington DC senator until her widowed mother eloped with a small town Colorado mayor. After six months of strained relations with her mom, Lauren has come to Cedar Springs to see what is really going on. She's also trying to figure out what she wants to do now that she has quit working for the senator. Jake is a distraction she really doesn't need, but a temptation too big to resist.
I loved the immediate connection between Jake and Lauren. Though she isn't his usual type, there is something about Lauren that grabs his attention and won't let go. It was pretty sweet to see the way that he went from "hell no" to "hell yes". Their conversation on the way from the airport to Cedar Springs was a beautiful example of getting to know each other. I loved Lauren's obvious interest in Jake and hearing about his plane and the racing and so on. Something about him must have also made her willing to trust him because she told him about quitting her job.
I liked Lauren's concern about her mother and how she is upset over their estrangement. She really wants to repair their relationship, but she's also worried because her mother's actions were so unlike the woman she knows. It was really wonderful to see the two of them talk honestly with each other. Lauren saw a different side to her mom and her mom was able to share her new outlook with Lauren. However, Lauren's acceptance of her mom's happiness didn't change her own feelings about the mayor.
I really enjoyed the development of the relationship between Jake and Lauren. Their quick connection shows them both that there is something there worth pursuing. Though Jake tries to pretend that he's a tough macho kind of dude, it's easy to see that there is a really romantic center to him. Likewise, Lauren has always been a city girl, and one who is big on planning out direction she wants her life to go. But starting with quitting her job, then deciding to run with her growing feelings for Jake, she discovers a joy to spontaneity. One of the things I loved most about the two of them was their willingness to talk honestly with each other. Their one brush with Jake holding back because of a promise made to his sister is dealt with pretty quickly because they don't resort to hurt feelings and silent treatments. I also enjoyed the increasing attraction between them as they indulge in steamy kisses and building tension.
One of the things that brought Jake and Lauren together was her investigation of the mayor. Jake has his own, similar, opinion of the man and he is more than willing to be Lauren's sounding board and assistant. There are a couple really great scenes where he serves as a distraction so that she can get information that she needs. As Lauren delves deeper into the mayor's background it becomes obvious that she was right to be concerned. Information from Jake's sister sets both Jake and Lauren onto new leads. Some really strange occurrences that seem harmless when looked at separately don't seem so when a possible link is discovered. The final confrontation was pretty intense, as Lauren ends up in some serious danger, but keeping her cool helps bring it to a satisfactory end. Jake plays a significant part in the resolution, as do his sister and Lauren's mom. One of the players was not a surprise, but the other hadn't been on my radar until near the end.
The epilogue was really great as Jake finally gets to race his plane and Ruby Jean embarks on a new direction for her career. With the mayor's unexpected exit from his post, his job is now vacant. I loved the twist involving his replacement, as I really didn't see that one coming. It was the perfect solution.
There were a few places where the story seemed to drag a little, but not enough to reduce my enjoyment of the book. Overall, I was hooked and unable to put it down until I finished it.
September 19, 2011
Very cute book... Kauffman has a way of making me smile throughout the book... I have to smile when the guy goes off and tells of how it is written in the stars for them to be together and maybe they just now and blah blah blah and then the next chapter starts with "Jake thought to himself what the hell was I thinking saying all that crap and believing it?" Jake is a romantic at heart... I love that both he and Lauren say whatever is on there minds to each other. Yes the whole falling in love at first sight thing was a little much but who cares I don't read romances for the intellect.. do you? Lauren comes to Colorado to find out why her mom ran off and eloped with a man she just met. Jake is only supposed to be a air taxi but their engines soar together. The "suspense" part (if you want to call it that) I did not have figured out until the near end and I like that. I enjoy Kauffman's books a lot and plan to get more! You should too!!!
December 20, 2009
I realized reading while this book that an author can be a good writer technically, and still write a boring book. I wanted to like this book, and I did like the main two characters, even if they were a little too perfect and the romance a little too Hallmark card worthy. But Ms. Kauffman's story was weak and her suspense plot almost nonexistent. On top of that, she had the characters repeating the same thoughts over and over again, either through an internal monologue (an unfortunately popular method of word-padding in romances) or through prolonged dialogs.
Pick any paragraph out of the book, or read through almost any dialog, and you'll see Ms. Kauffman has an enjoyable style and a good handle on writing dialog. What she needed here was a better plot and characters who repeated themselves less.
Pick any paragraph out of the book, or read through almost any dialog, and you'll see Ms. Kauffman has an enjoyable style and a good handle on writing dialog. What she needed here was a better plot and characters who repeated themselves less.
September 26, 2016
This is a nice story with likable characters and a plot that got interesting once it got started. But 400+ pages? It could easily have been half that and every bit as good. I almost gave up after reading one more conversation about the reasons why Charlene married Arlen.
This author surprised me because she dug a couple of holes and then found her way out of them. The climax was a little over the top, the romance way too fast, and yet still it was a fun story. Just way too long!
This author surprised me because she dug a couple of holes and then found her way out of them. The climax was a little over the top, the romance way too fast, and yet still it was a fun story. Just way too long!
July 12, 2017
I thought this would be another trashy romance-- one of the books to read and clear my shelf of! It actually has a plot!!! Not that there wasn't steamy very romantic awwww moments but there was a mystery and a cast full of characters and a dog who sleeps thru the whole thing! From politics to a lovely Colorado High to the depths of Washington DC it was a really enjoyable read with plenty of action-- not just in the bed either! Will not give the plot away-- but if anyone wants to read it next--- let me know! Not just another guilty pleasure! But a pleasure none the less!
October 1, 2022
The book took a slow start, but was really well written. There was a good bit of mystery mixed in with a romantic story. There were really long conversational scenes, but they were needed to explain the things going on between the characters. The pace of the book really picks up about halfway through and it has a HEA.
February 3, 2020
Great book. ☆☆☆☆♡♡♡♡☆☆☆☆
April 10, 2015
This story is different from most romance novels because the hero and heroine talk out how they feel even if they are afraid to discuss. This is so different from how people function in real life, which makes the conflict in this novel external instead of internal.
Lauren is the woman who has planned everything her whole life. She's an overachiever from a family that plans everything. Her mom's marriage changes that for her. She ends up doing a lot of soul searching to figure out her next moves and decides to hell with planning lets just fix my relationship with my mom. I like this about the story because I related to Lauren's experience.
I like this novel because most of it is about the relationships we have with or family. Lauren has an almost Gilmore Girls relationship with her mother. And Jake has a really close relationship with his sister. The other family members feelings matter to Lauren and Jake's relationship.
What I appreciate the most is Jake and Lauren's realization that their family members are more than relatives, they are people with feelings and desires just like them. A large portion of the book is dedicated to exploring these family relationships. I don't think this takes away from the romance between Lauren and Jake especially since they come together fairly quickly and the author acknowledges this process.
Lauren is the woman who has planned everything her whole life. She's an overachiever from a family that plans everything. Her mom's marriage changes that for her. She ends up doing a lot of soul searching to figure out her next moves and decides to hell with planning lets just fix my relationship with my mom. I like this about the story because I related to Lauren's experience.
I like this novel because most of it is about the relationships we have with or family. Lauren has an almost Gilmore Girls relationship with her mother. And Jake has a really close relationship with his sister. The other family members feelings matter to Lauren and Jake's relationship.
What I appreciate the most is Jake and Lauren's realization that their family members are more than relatives, they are people with feelings and desires just like them. A large portion of the book is dedicated to exploring these family relationships. I don't think this takes away from the romance between Lauren and Jake especially since they come together fairly quickly and the author acknowledges this process.
December 8, 2011
What I found refreshing about this Romance over most I read was the communication between the main characters once they acknowledged their attraction to each other (which was almost immediate), they were so open with each other about their feelings *(or should I say most of them) rather than going back and forth with the usual...I do, but I don't, we can but we shouldn't. You could really feel the chemistry between them...however *if you're looking for those 3 little words that solidify the commitment of feelings between the H/h in their happily ever after, then you'll have to look elsewhere. I was shocked that with the depth of their feelings for each other early on, that neither one ever said it to the other (throughout all of over 400 pages!) that's why I gave 3 stars instead of 4...hearing it somehow helps to complete the picture for me
I also thought the storyline really dragged on and was too repetitive, it could have been consolidated with at least 100 less pages and probably wouldn't have suffered. I think the mystery that was added in was what kept me interested.
And although I love a good Epilogue, this one felt like I hit fast forward, it was way too rushed
I also thought the storyline really dragged on and was too repetitive, it could have been consolidated with at least 100 less pages and probably wouldn't have suffered. I think the mystery that was added in was what kept me interested.
And although I love a good Epilogue, this one felt like I hit fast forward, it was way too rushed
July 23, 2016
Flight school instructor/airplane mechanic/pilot Jack McKenna would rather do anything with a plane than go on a blind date with ex-political aide, Lauren Matthews, his sister's boss' stepdaughter. But what's a big brother to do but help his baby sister cries when she asks for a favor?
The drama is all about family. Lauren has difficulty accepting her mother has remarried after oh so many years. Arlen ?, the unopposed mayor of this very small town, whose just what he appears to be to this reader. Jack's sister Ruby Jean is a character that made this reader smile at her antics and look forward to reading more about her.
Though their relatives inadvertently had a hand in putting the pair together the motives couldn't have been more different as they were involved with the leads and their own threads. Lauren and Jack were surprisingly drawn to each other and had great chemistry. Their ongoing flirt complemented the writing style and was so cute it made the read fun.
Rating: 4.25stars
The drama is all about family. Lauren has difficulty accepting her mother has remarried after oh so many years. Arlen ?, the unopposed mayor of this very small town, whose just what he appears to be to this reader. Jack's sister Ruby Jean is a character that made this reader smile at her antics and look forward to reading more about her.
Though their relatives inadvertently had a hand in putting the pair together the motives couldn't have been more different as they were involved with the leads and their own threads. Lauren and Jack were surprisingly drawn to each other and had great chemistry. Their ongoing flirt complemented the writing style and was so cute it made the read fun.
Rating: 4.25stars
January 20, 2010
Okay, I'm officially a Donna Kauffman fan now!
This was a great book, pretty much the epitome of what a contemporary romance should be!
It was a little long, and I did end up breaking it up...Reading the book in parts, taking a break, then reading some more, taking a break, ect... but being all to familiar with badly written romance novels, the extra length barely even registers as a negative!
There's a tiny tiny bit of suspense thrown in, and there's a lot of introspection going on from both the Hero and heroine, and the overall story isn't as in your face as a lot of moderns are...It's more drawn out, and I couldn't help but really like both the main characters and want everything to work out for everyone! For the most part though, the book is exactly what it's classified as...A romance in a contemporary setting...Full of realistic attitudes and reactions and even dialogue all make this an excellent read!
I can't wait to read more by Ms Kauffman!
This was a great book, pretty much the epitome of what a contemporary romance should be!
It was a little long, and I did end up breaking it up...Reading the book in parts, taking a break, then reading some more, taking a break, ect... but being all to familiar with badly written romance novels, the extra length barely even registers as a negative!
There's a tiny tiny bit of suspense thrown in, and there's a lot of introspection going on from both the Hero and heroine, and the overall story isn't as in your face as a lot of moderns are...It's more drawn out, and I couldn't help but really like both the main characters and want everything to work out for everyone! For the most part though, the book is exactly what it's classified as...A romance in a contemporary setting...Full of realistic attitudes and reactions and even dialogue all make this an excellent read!
I can't wait to read more by Ms Kauffman!
March 2, 2011
I had a hard time getting into this book. I found it a bit boring and would frequently read for a little bit, put the book down and go do something else for a while, then try to read a bit more. It literally took me all day to finish it b/c I'd get bored enough w/it I'd only read a few chapters at a time. Judging by the reviews & how many stars it received from others, I'm one of the few who was bored and not impressed w/the book. Won't be recommending it or rereading it...
February 25, 2010
Due to the title, I had trouble reading this book in public. I like to read this stuff, but I don't necessarily want to telegraph my interest to the general populus. In general, it's another great bunch of characters and a story that held my attention.
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August 14, 2011Terrific book. The title threw me off, though. This is a romantic suspense that turns into a page-turner halfway through. Great mystery. Unbelievably believable dialogue! The hero and heroine don't always say the exact right things, and there are more than enough "issues" on both sides.
October 10, 2012
I really liked this story. It was a little more mystery than romance. Jake and Lauren are very likable. After the mystery is solved, I would have liked to gone through the good times with them instead of it being rushed to the end. Very enjoyable.
December 17, 2009
Easy, fun read! Good characters, chemistry and a little mystery thrown in that was easily solved long before the book ended.
August 26, 2014
Great story!!!
Stubborn guy meets crazy off the charts spoiled rich girl...wonder what happens?!
funny quips will make you laugh and roll your eyes...but overall a fantastic love story...
Stubborn guy meets crazy off the charts spoiled rich girl...wonder what happens?!
funny quips will make you laugh and roll your eyes...but overall a fantastic love story...
October 22, 2015
A bit predictable but okay read non the less.
January 17, 2011
Boring.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews