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The Doolittle Stories #3
Not The Marrying Kind
Sixteen years ago, world-famous artist Harriet P. Smith was the nerdiest girl at Doolittle High School, and Jake Porter was the new boy in town. Charismatic, handsome, and instantly popular, Jake was way out of her league. Harriet was shocked when he asked her to the graduation dance . . . and devastated when he left town for good the next morning. Only his father's remarriage could bring Jake, now a hot shot L.A. music exec, back to small-town Arkansas. His only consolation is the stunning woman with the mysterious green eyes he meets at a local bar. He's got no idea he was a part of one of the best nights of her life—or that he's about to fall for her as hard as she once did for him. Jake's never been the marrying kind, but another night with Harriet might make him change his mind.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2007
4 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Hailey North
23 books52 followersHailey North is a USA Today bestselling author who began writing while employed as a “game show lawyer” for NBC Studios. Tired of hearing lawyers weren’t creative, she quit her job and typed “Chapter One” (not the chapter, just the heading!).
Since that day, North has penned eleven romantic comedies, set in her adopted hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, in her favorite imaginary town, Doolittle, Arkansas, and in her very own version of Purgatory.
Her three-book “afterlife” series (The Diva, The Billionaire and The Hero) celebrates creative, but accidentally dead, characters trying their darnedest to win a second chance at life.
North lives in Louisiana with her husband, her food-centric Labrador Shelby, and her three kindred spirit felines, Ali Kat, Rosa Pax, and Max the Cat Who Thinks He's a Dog.
Keep in touch with Hailey to see what’s coming next at www.haileynorth.com.
Since that day, North has penned eleven romantic comedies, set in her adopted hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, in her favorite imaginary town, Doolittle, Arkansas, and in her very own version of Purgatory.
Her three-book “afterlife” series (The Diva, The Billionaire and The Hero) celebrates creative, but accidentally dead, characters trying their darnedest to win a second chance at life.
North lives in Louisiana with her husband, her food-centric Labrador Shelby, and her three kindred spirit felines, Ali Kat, Rosa Pax, and Max the Cat Who Thinks He's a Dog.
Keep in touch with Hailey to see what’s coming next at www.haileynorth.com.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 7, 2008
NOT THE MARRYING KIND was an okay read. Not memorable for me. Definitely not a keeper.
The characters were interesting enough and I really liked Jake; however, the author probably could have developed the characters and the back story a little more. It was the cliche "secret baby" theme that ruined the book for me. (Those of you who know me best know how much I hate the secret baby theme, but I promise to tamp down on my inner paralegal and not rant or rave this time!)
Harriet P. Smith is a geeky, unpopular and overweight girl who grew up in the fictional town of Doolittle, Arkansas. Jake Porter is a handsome stud who breezes into town during her senior year of high school and achieves instant popularity status. Jake takes Harriet to prom based on a dare (but mostly because he claims he likes her). One thing leads to another. They do the hokey pokey at the lake after prom. Harriet discovers she is knocked up, but not until after Jake disappears and leaves town (with good reason). Harriet ends up marrying her gay best friend (another bad cliches) and they move to New York where she raises her son and eventually becomes a famous artist.
Fifteen years later Harriet is called home after her gay husband dies to care for his mother. Jake - now a successful record producer - also returns to Doolittle because he militant father is re-marrying. Harriet instantly recognizes Jake when she sees him for the first time; however, Jake does not recognize her because she has lost weight/her looks change (more bad cliches'). Several times during the book Jake remembers his night under the stars with Harriet and specifically recalls her dark green eyes and "pointy chin". Yet he can't figure out that this woman is the same person?
Too many cliches for my taste. This book is a reunion romance and could have done so much better if the author had been more creative. Even the 15-year-old son and his dialogue didn't jive with me. I have a fifteen-year-old and plenty of teenagers hanging around our pool this summer. Kids today just don't talk like that!
If you're looking for a lukewarm read and don't mind the cliches', then go ahead and give this one a shot. See if you don't like it better than picky ole' me!
The characters were interesting enough and I really liked Jake; however, the author probably could have developed the characters and the back story a little more. It was the cliche "secret baby" theme that ruined the book for me. (Those of you who know me best know how much I hate the secret baby theme, but I promise to tamp down on my inner paralegal and not rant or rave this time!)
Harriet P. Smith is a geeky, unpopular and overweight girl who grew up in the fictional town of Doolittle, Arkansas. Jake Porter is a handsome stud who breezes into town during her senior year of high school and achieves instant popularity status. Jake takes Harriet to prom based on a dare (but mostly because he claims he likes her). One thing leads to another. They do the hokey pokey at the lake after prom. Harriet discovers she is knocked up, but not until after Jake disappears and leaves town (with good reason). Harriet ends up marrying her gay best friend (another bad cliches) and they move to New York where she raises her son and eventually becomes a famous artist.
Fifteen years later Harriet is called home after her gay husband dies to care for his mother. Jake - now a successful record producer - also returns to Doolittle because he militant father is re-marrying. Harriet instantly recognizes Jake when she sees him for the first time; however, Jake does not recognize her because she has lost weight/her looks change (more bad cliches'). Several times during the book Jake remembers his night under the stars with Harriet and specifically recalls her dark green eyes and "pointy chin". Yet he can't figure out that this woman is the same person?
Too many cliches for my taste. This book is a reunion romance and could have done so much better if the author had been more creative. Even the 15-year-old son and his dialogue didn't jive with me. I have a fifteen-year-old and plenty of teenagers hanging around our pool this summer. Kids today just don't talk like that!
If you're looking for a lukewarm read and don't mind the cliches', then go ahead and give this one a shot. See if you don't like it better than picky ole' me!
April 30, 2018
Just did not hold my interest. I liked her earlier works like Love Undercover and Tangled Up in Love much better. This one left me really irritated. The most emotionally solid people? Grandma Olivia and Jake, the 15 year old!!
May 13, 2008
Not The Marrying Kind
Hailey North
Romance
372 pages
Copy Right 2007
ISBN: 978-0-06-058247-0
One night was all it took.
Sixteen years ago, world-famous artist Harriet P. Smith was the nerdiest girl at Doolittle High School, and Jake Porter was the new boy in town. Charismatic, handsome, and instantly popular, Jake was way out of her league. Harriet was shocked when he asked her to the graduation dance..and devastated when he left town for good the next morning.
Only his father's remarriage could bring Jake, now a hot shot L.A. music exec, back to small-town Arkansas. His only consolation is the stunning woman with the mysterious green eyes he meets at a local bar. He's got no idea he was a part of one of the best nights of his life--or that he's about to fall for her as hard as she once did for him. Jake's never been the marrying kind, but another night with Harriet might make him change his mind.
Hailey North
Romance
372 pages
Copy Right 2007
ISBN: 978-0-06-058247-0
One night was all it took.
Sixteen years ago, world-famous artist Harriet P. Smith was the nerdiest girl at Doolittle High School, and Jake Porter was the new boy in town. Charismatic, handsome, and instantly popular, Jake was way out of her league. Harriet was shocked when he asked her to the graduation dance..and devastated when he left town for good the next morning.
Only his father's remarriage could bring Jake, now a hot shot L.A. music exec, back to small-town Arkansas. His only consolation is the stunning woman with the mysterious green eyes he meets at a local bar. He's got no idea he was a part of one of the best nights of his life--or that he's about to fall for her as hard as she once did for him. Jake's never been the marrying kind, but another night with Harriet might make him change his mind.
August 1, 2009
In high school, Harriet P. Smith was a nerd. She wasn't popular like the other kids. But she falls in love when Jake Porter moves to town. She never expected for him to ask her to the school's dance. Harriet goes and is devastated when Jake leaves town the next morning without saying goodbye. She will never forget that night. She couldn't if she wanted to because she gets pregnant. Sixteen years later, Harriet isn't a nerd anymore. She had become a famous artist. Jake is brought back to the town he left sixteen years ago and so is Harriet. Jake doesn't remember who Harriet is and she uses that to her advantage to get closer to Jake when he asks her out. She believes that if he knew who she really was and then found out that he had a son, he would run. The attraction is there and so are secrets. Both Jake and Harriet think they are not the marrying kind, but with a turn of events and with all the secrets out, could they be wrong?
This was a great book and I really enjoyed it. 5 stars.
This was a great book and I really enjoyed it. 5 stars.
April 29, 2011
Review by Jen:
Harriet and Jake had one passionate prom night and then went their separate ways. Problem was that Harriet ended up pregnant and Jake didn't know. Sixteen years later, both have successful careers and end up back in their small Arkansas hometown for Christmas. The reunite and begin an affair, but Harriet isn't sure how to tell Jake he's a father. And what will he do when he is told the news?
I enjoyed this story by Hailey North. She's set several books in the fictional town of Doolittle and past characters made cameo appearances, but reading their stories is not necessary to enjoy this one. The characters of Harriet and Jake are well drawn and I loved that Harriet was on the quirky side and it was a great contrast to the stiffer Jake. The main storyline isn't a new one, but Ms. North puts enough of a twist on it to make it fun.
Harriet and Jake had one passionate prom night and then went their separate ways. Problem was that Harriet ended up pregnant and Jake didn't know. Sixteen years later, both have successful careers and end up back in their small Arkansas hometown for Christmas. The reunite and begin an affair, but Harriet isn't sure how to tell Jake he's a father. And what will he do when he is told the news?
I enjoyed this story by Hailey North. She's set several books in the fictional town of Doolittle and past characters made cameo appearances, but reading their stories is not necessary to enjoy this one. The characters of Harriet and Jake are well drawn and I loved that Harriet was on the quirky side and it was a great contrast to the stiffer Jake. The main storyline isn't a new one, but Ms. North puts enough of a twist on it to make it fun.
Want to read
February 15, 2016380p Sixteen years ago, world-famous artist Harriet P. Smith was the nerdiest girl at Doolittle High School, and Jake Porter was the new boy in town. Charismatic, handsome, and instantly popular, Jake was way out of her league. Harriet was shocked when he asked her to the graduation dance . . . and devastated when he left town for good the next morning.
Only his father's remarriage could bring Jake, now a hot shot L.A. music exec, back to small-town Arkansas. His only consolation is the stunning woman with the mysterious green eyes he meets at a local bar. He's got no idea he was a part of one of the best nights of her life 14or that he's about to fall for her as hard as she once did for him. Jake's never been the marrying kind, but another night with Harriet might make him change his mind.
Only his father's remarriage could bring Jake, now a hot shot L.A. music exec, back to small-town Arkansas. His only consolation is the stunning woman with the mysterious green eyes he meets at a local bar. He's got no idea he was a part of one of the best nights of her life 14or that he's about to fall for her as hard as she once did for him. Jake's never been the marrying kind, but another night with Harriet might make him change his mind.
October 18, 2010
She had to come back 'home' and straighten out who the father of her son is. They haven't seen each other in 15 years - she is an artist, he is a music ceo. The sparks ignite as if no time had passed. It was tragic in the way they had been separated, but good in that they finally got together.
January 14, 2011
Chronologically comes after Love: Undercover and it's set in the same town - it took me ages to figure this out haha."
October 29, 2009
This was a wonderful book! I just loved the entire story!!
September 29, 2011
Entertaining! :)
December 1, 2013
The dialogue in Not the Marrying Kind felt stilted. I also felt that the writing wasn’t organic. I lost interest in the characters and the story; I stopped reading the book.
Read
February 9, 2014nice fluff
could-not-finish
June 12, 2015Hero and heroine are both rich, yet her secret son is 15 and she still hasn't told the father he has a son. I wont finish this.
December 16, 2007
read 12.15.07
April 10, 2013
Was better reading it the second time around.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews