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Elsie Hawkins #2
Smitten
Single mom Lizabeth Kane isn't exactly carpenter material -- she's never picked up a hammer in her life. But she desperately needs the construction job that builder Matt Hallahan is offering. And even though he knows trouble is ahead, Matt can't refuse Lizbeth's irresistible smile.
Matt Hallahan isn't exactly relationship material -- he has always been too busy working on other people's houses to make a home of his own. And even though she knows better, Lizabeth can't stop thinking about the rugged carpenter.
Is the relationship Matt and Lizabeth are building solid -- or more like a house of cards?
234 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1990
408 people are currently reading
4797 people want to read
About the author
Janet Evanovich
332 books41k followersJanet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Trouble Maker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author, as well as the Fox and O'Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 546 reviews
December 14, 2022
4 Stars for Smitten: Elsie Hawkins Series, Book 2 (audiobook) by Janet Evanovich read by C. J. Critt.
It’s so much fun listening to a romance set around home remodeling while I’m remodeling a house. These characters are great and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
It’s so much fun listening to a romance set around home remodeling while I’m remodeling a house. These characters are great and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
December 10, 2016
3.5★s
Smitten is a pre-Plum novel by popular American author, Janet Evanovich. It is the second book in the Elsie Hawkins series, on whom, Evanovich says, Grandma Mazur was modelled. Fans of the Stephanie Plum series will also be interested to know that the precursor of Uncle Sandor’s ‘53 powder-blue Buick features in this instalment: Elsie drives a virtually indestructible ‘57 powder-blue Cadillac.
Divorced mother of two, Lizabeth Kane needs a job. None of her last fourteen interviews has been successful, so now, with her Aunt Elsie looking after Billy and Jason, she’s answering an ad for a carpenter. Matt Hallahan’s partner has a broken hip and he’s snowed under with work. Lizabeth, sweet and pretty, does not fit the bill at all, but the attraction between them is immediate, and he can’t help himself. It starts out as lust but soon becomes more, on his part. For Lizabeth too, but she’s wary after the first man she picked to marry couldn’t keep it zipped around other women.
This fluffy romance has a flasher, a delinquent dog, a hunky hero, two cute kids, a nasty ex-husband, some sexy bits and plenty of laughs. A fun read.
Smitten is a pre-Plum novel by popular American author, Janet Evanovich. It is the second book in the Elsie Hawkins series, on whom, Evanovich says, Grandma Mazur was modelled. Fans of the Stephanie Plum series will also be interested to know that the precursor of Uncle Sandor’s ‘53 powder-blue Buick features in this instalment: Elsie drives a virtually indestructible ‘57 powder-blue Cadillac.
Divorced mother of two, Lizabeth Kane needs a job. None of her last fourteen interviews has been successful, so now, with her Aunt Elsie looking after Billy and Jason, she’s answering an ad for a carpenter. Matt Hallahan’s partner has a broken hip and he’s snowed under with work. Lizabeth, sweet and pretty, does not fit the bill at all, but the attraction between them is immediate, and he can’t help himself. It starts out as lust but soon becomes more, on his part. For Lizabeth too, but she’s wary after the first man she picked to marry couldn’t keep it zipped around other women.
This fluffy romance has a flasher, a delinquent dog, a hunky hero, two cute kids, a nasty ex-husband, some sexy bits and plenty of laughs. A fun read.
January 12, 2025
A mostly entertaining romance novel from Janet Evanovich that is gently amusing and sweet at times, slightly spicy at others, but which suffers from a lack of romantic tension. The set up is simple and appealing, a 30-something single mother applies for a job on a construction site because the hours work well for the school run. The hunky owner of the building company takes a shine to her and gives her the job and romance follows. The problem is that the romance follows almost immediately and is only ever very vaguely threatened. I like lots of obstacles to the happy ever after in my romance novels and this had hardly any. Throw in a weird subplot about a local flasher that dominates the latter part of the book and you have a story that feels out of balances. The individual scenes were often charming, but it didn't really hang together.
June 10, 2017
An older what you would call "Fluff" novel by JE. Never the less I liked it. It made me laugh as only she can do. It was just the charge I needed for a very crappy day!
July 3, 2012
Ok, so there are a lot of things wrong with this novel that are also wrong with most other Janet Evanovich novels. I mean, true love in 3 days? Really? But that is okay. That is part of the fun of reading novels like this. They require a 'suspension of disbelief' of sorts but they are entertaining enough. The problem with this one is that the main male character is much too aggressive for me. There are things he does in the book that are to violent to be romantic - even if you are giving it the leeway required of the genre.
Example:
**Semi-Spoiler**
Woman goes into her bedroom needing some space (from guy she met two days ago) and locks the door. Said guy (she met two days ago) BREAKS DOWN THE DOOR. Not cool, man. Not cool. That is not romantic behavior. That is psychotic behavior. When breaking down a door is romantic: the woman is inside screaming for help, woman is inside unconscious and time is running out, when she is being held prisoner - you get the idea.
**Semi-Spoiler Over**
The other thing wrong with this book is that the woman in question has two kids. Ok, so you wanna marry some guy you've known for less than a week? You are 25 and know your own mind - go for it. Who am I to judge? You are in your thirties with TWO KIDS? Um, no. Just no.
Maybe Janet Evanovich has never been in a relationship with a person who actually disrespects your personal space and breaks things. If you have not had this experience, this man might seem romantic. But I tell you, if I met this man in real life I would back away slowly, not marry him.
Example:
**Semi-Spoiler**
Woman goes into her bedroom needing some space (from guy she met two days ago) and locks the door. Said guy (she met two days ago) BREAKS DOWN THE DOOR. Not cool, man. Not cool. That is not romantic behavior. That is psychotic behavior. When breaking down a door is romantic: the woman is inside screaming for help, woman is inside unconscious and time is running out, when she is being held prisoner - you get the idea.
**Semi-Spoiler Over**
The other thing wrong with this book is that the woman in question has two kids. Ok, so you wanna marry some guy you've known for less than a week? You are 25 and know your own mind - go for it. Who am I to judge? You are in your thirties with TWO KIDS? Um, no. Just no.
Maybe Janet Evanovich has never been in a relationship with a person who actually disrespects your personal space and breaks things. If you have not had this experience, this man might seem romantic. But I tell you, if I met this man in real life I would back away slowly, not marry him.
June 23, 2015
Cute book with Elsie Hawkins at it again. Adorable wee love story.
April 4, 2012
I have just read a whole load of Evanovich's early romance novels, and this was one of the less good ones (along with Foul Play). Found the characters less believable than usual, as we ll as less likable and the situations, which are usually exaggerated but believable in other books, to be just too unbelievable and contrived. Not one of her best :-(
April 2, 2018
I was given this book in Malawi, by someone who was heading home and trying to make room in her suitcase. It sat on my desk for a while, wedged underneath a monitor lest my co-workers see it and think their new IT technician was also a connoisseur of romance novels.
One day, the power in the office went out for, well, most of the day. As I sat there in the stifling heat, my work sitting out of reach on a dead laptop, this book cried out to me. It begged to be cracked open, its mysteries perused - because, you see, I'd never read a romance novel. I'd read novels with romances in them, certainly, and 'classics' like Pride and Prejudice that some might consider romance. But those shelves labelled "romance" at the bookstore, covered in paperbacks emblazoned with buff, shirtless men and titles like "A Surprise Pregnancy"? I couldn't run away fast enough (and stumble into that aisle I often did, as it tends to be right near that other genre-fiction mainstay, "science-fiction and fantasy").
The fact that I make a beeline for sci-fi/fantasy in any new bookstore should tell you right away that, despite my gender, I'm unlikely to be in the target demographic for a book about a thirty-something stay-at-home mom and her 2 kids and the buff carpenter she falls for. As I stared at that book on my desk, though, I thought it monstrously unfair of me to write the whole genre off based simply on my surface perceptions. I thought it would be a good exercise for me, both as a critical reader and as a writer, to see what exactly romance writing was all about. I thought, judging from the size of the print and the relative thinness of the book, that it would be a quick read. It was, but it turned out not to matter, since I only made it about halfway through (about 2 hours' investment) before deciding I had enough.
From the start, I wasn't particularly impressed by the writing, but it only took 12 pages before I confirmed the reason I'd always avoided this genre. It's sentences like this:
"She got the job! If Matt Hallahan hadn't been so overwhelmingly virile, she would have kissed him, but she instinctively knew kissing Matt Hallahan would be serious stuff."
So overwhelmingly virile? Really?
In fact, the male lead is characterized by only two things throughout most of the book - his astounding good looks/sexuality, which the heroine obviously enjoys, and his lifestyle and hobbies, which the heroine almost universally looks down upon. Being more often a reader of books aimed at the male demographic, I felt like I had entered some bizarro universe where the women were the perfect do-gooders and the men were the brainless sex-toys whose interests and personalities were brought up only to be snickered at. Tee hee, he likes motorcycles? Men are such brutes. I'm pleased to note that it unsettles me just as much as when the genders are reversed. (“She's crying again? Women are so emotional!”)
In short, the characters aren't believable and the story is unrealistic and chock full of Mary-Sue. The heroine is average in so many ways, yet somehow, in the very first chapter, she meets the most beautiful man in the world, talks him into giving her a job she isn't remotely qualified for, and finds herself making out with him. He proclaims his love for her in chapter 3. They have sex in chapter 5, about halfway through the book. One might wonder what the remaining half of the book is for. I'm sorry to say this is where I stopped, so I have no answer.
One day, the power in the office went out for, well, most of the day. As I sat there in the stifling heat, my work sitting out of reach on a dead laptop, this book cried out to me. It begged to be cracked open, its mysteries perused - because, you see, I'd never read a romance novel. I'd read novels with romances in them, certainly, and 'classics' like Pride and Prejudice that some might consider romance. But those shelves labelled "romance" at the bookstore, covered in paperbacks emblazoned with buff, shirtless men and titles like "A Surprise Pregnancy"? I couldn't run away fast enough (and stumble into that aisle I often did, as it tends to be right near that other genre-fiction mainstay, "science-fiction and fantasy").
The fact that I make a beeline for sci-fi/fantasy in any new bookstore should tell you right away that, despite my gender, I'm unlikely to be in the target demographic for a book about a thirty-something stay-at-home mom and her 2 kids and the buff carpenter she falls for. As I stared at that book on my desk, though, I thought it monstrously unfair of me to write the whole genre off based simply on my surface perceptions. I thought it would be a good exercise for me, both as a critical reader and as a writer, to see what exactly romance writing was all about. I thought, judging from the size of the print and the relative thinness of the book, that it would be a quick read. It was, but it turned out not to matter, since I only made it about halfway through (about 2 hours' investment) before deciding I had enough.
From the start, I wasn't particularly impressed by the writing, but it only took 12 pages before I confirmed the reason I'd always avoided this genre. It's sentences like this:
"She got the job! If Matt Hallahan hadn't been so overwhelmingly virile, she would have kissed him, but she instinctively knew kissing Matt Hallahan would be serious stuff."
So overwhelmingly virile? Really?
In fact, the male lead is characterized by only two things throughout most of the book - his astounding good looks/sexuality, which the heroine obviously enjoys, and his lifestyle and hobbies, which the heroine almost universally looks down upon. Being more often a reader of books aimed at the male demographic, I felt like I had entered some bizarro universe where the women were the perfect do-gooders and the men were the brainless sex-toys whose interests and personalities were brought up only to be snickered at. Tee hee, he likes motorcycles? Men are such brutes. I'm pleased to note that it unsettles me just as much as when the genders are reversed. (“She's crying again? Women are so emotional!”)
In short, the characters aren't believable and the story is unrealistic and chock full of Mary-Sue. The heroine is average in so many ways, yet somehow, in the very first chapter, she meets the most beautiful man in the world, talks him into giving her a job she isn't remotely qualified for, and finds herself making out with him. He proclaims his love for her in chapter 3. They have sex in chapter 5, about halfway through the book. One might wonder what the remaining half of the book is for. I'm sorry to say this is where I stopped, so I have no answer.
December 18, 2012
Janet Evanovich seems a big self-deprecating about her former career as a romance author, and I have yet to figure out why. The talent behind Stephanie Plum has always been there, her love of ill-behaved dogs and general chaos present from the very beginning.
Lizabeth Kane is divorced with two sons to raise, and she’s determined to make it on her own. She doesn’t have many marketable skills, but that doesn’t stop her from going to a construction site to ask for a job. The first person she meets is Matt Hallahan, part owner of the construction company, who practically falls in love with Lizabeth on the spot. He gives her a job and also starts making up excuses to fix her rundown house. He also falls instantly for Lizabeth’s sons, Jason and Billy, whose ambitious father has no time for them. Toss in a harmless midnight flasher, Lizabeth’s odd Aunt Elsie and her big, blue, indestructible Cadillac, add a big stupid dog and a couple mentions of a cat, and it’s pure, vintage Evanovich.
This is a quick read I gobbled up in a couple of hours. It’s a perfect light little snack of a novel with fun, warm characters and a happy little plot. I’m glad Janet is re-releasing these early gems because I’m sorry I somehow missed them the fist time around.
Lizabeth Kane is divorced with two sons to raise, and she’s determined to make it on her own. She doesn’t have many marketable skills, but that doesn’t stop her from going to a construction site to ask for a job. The first person she meets is Matt Hallahan, part owner of the construction company, who practically falls in love with Lizabeth on the spot. He gives her a job and also starts making up excuses to fix her rundown house. He also falls instantly for Lizabeth’s sons, Jason and Billy, whose ambitious father has no time for them. Toss in a harmless midnight flasher, Lizabeth’s odd Aunt Elsie and her big, blue, indestructible Cadillac, add a big stupid dog and a couple mentions of a cat, and it’s pure, vintage Evanovich.
This is a quick read I gobbled up in a couple of hours. It’s a perfect light little snack of a novel with fun, warm characters and a happy little plot. I’m glad Janet is re-releasing these early gems because I’m sorry I somehow missed them the fist time around.
April 13, 2018
I actually didn't realize that this was the second in a series until I grabbed the link to write this post. It totally works as a stand alone novel. I love Janet Evanovich and have read all of the Stephanie Plum series and a few other of her novels. I am going to be honest and say this was probably my least favorite from her. It is one of her early day novels (from 1990) and is just sort of silly. The relationship between Elizabeth and Matt moves way too fast and is just absurd at times. Elizabeth sort of reminds me of Stephanie Plum with her brown curly hair and her inability to do simple tasks like put a lid back on a can of paint. Then there is Aunt Elsie who is basically Grandma Mazur. I believe I read somewhere that Evanovich actually modeled Grandma Mazur after Elsie. She was actually pretty hilarious and just what you would expect from an Evanovich character. The novel was really short, and so at least there weren't any dull, unnecessary parts.
Bottom Line: Overall, the story line was pretty cute. I just didn't really love Matt or Elizabeth to be honest. True Evanovich fans would really appreciate Elsie though. And it was worth a read if you are just looking for mindless fluff to pass the time.
Bottom Line: Overall, the story line was pretty cute. I just didn't really love Matt or Elizabeth to be honest. True Evanovich fans would really appreciate Elsie though. And it was worth a read if you are just looking for mindless fluff to pass the time.
November 28, 2015
I found myself laughing over and over again while reading this book. It was so funny, but that is not unusual for books by Janet Evanovich. She is an author who has a quirky sense of humor that I have come to appreciate completely. I loved the banter between Lizabeth and Matt and thought their getting to know each other was really adorable...Lizabeth's fascination with becoming a fairy was awesome, and so was her relationship with her 2 sons. I absolutely adored Elsie! I think I laughed most at her antics, especially the scene where I didn't realize this was part of a series though and now that I know I will definitely check out the others...I would have rated this 3 stars but the humor in it gained a whole star all by itself! ☺
August 23, 2019
#2 in the Elsie Hawkins chick lit series
This series has been mildly entertaining, but it's certainly not as well-developed as the Stephanie Plum series, which I love. It has been pointed out that Elsie is the model for Grandma Mazur, although she's not quite as funny or as crazy, in my opinion. Her powder-blue Cadillac, though, is obviously the same as the powder-blue Buick that Stephanie sometimes uses. Ferguson is the silly dog, but he's a little too much to take--stealing ham, etc. Evanovich obviously toned him down a bit to become Bob, who is a lovable goofball. After pointing out these similarities, I must admit that I found Lizabeth to be annoying. She's somewhat naïve, somewhat snobbish, and irritatingly questions everything Matt does, usually to his detriment. Matt, on the other hand, is adorably helpful, charming, down-to-earth, and fits so well into their lives. The story was well-narrated by C.J. Critt, and it was a quick and enjoyable read, but I much prefer Evanovich's later writing.
This series has been mildly entertaining, but it's certainly not as well-developed as the Stephanie Plum series, which I love. It has been pointed out that Elsie is the model for Grandma Mazur, although she's not quite as funny or as crazy, in my opinion. Her powder-blue Cadillac, though, is obviously the same as the powder-blue Buick that Stephanie sometimes uses. Ferguson is the silly dog, but he's a little too much to take--stealing ham, etc. Evanovich obviously toned him down a bit to become Bob, who is a lovable goofball. After pointing out these similarities, I must admit that I found Lizabeth to be annoying. She's somewhat naïve, somewhat snobbish, and irritatingly questions everything Matt does, usually to his detriment. Matt, on the other hand, is adorably helpful, charming, down-to-earth, and fits so well into their lives. The story was well-narrated by C.J. Critt, and it was a quick and enjoyable read, but I much prefer Evanovich's later writing.
March 28, 2015
Okay this was part of my 2015 reading challenge "a book that came out the year you were born". Okay the thing that really made my eye twitch with this book was how quickly they jumped on each other. She is a mom of two and really needs a job so she goes to apply for a job in construction and starts going off to the owner about how she needs this job because of her kids (even though she doesn't know any type of construction work) and how she really wishes she was a fairy :l Okayy He hires her because he couldn't have that he sent someone with kids away on his conscience and because he thinks shes hot. They make out on like her second day? They've know each other for like a week and she sleeps with him. Dude, your a Mother of two that so desperately needs a job that you go to a construction site to get one but you sleep with the man that hires you within a week? :/ Uhhh, okay. Just made my eye twitch.
August 23, 2019
A fun read with plenty of laughs
April 1, 2019
This is a review of the following:
1. Back to the Bedroom (1989) 4 stars
2. Smitten (1990) 4 stars
3. Wife for Hire (1990) 3 stars
4. The Rocky Road to Romance (1991) 4 stars
OK, so these are EARLY Evanovich, but they are particularly interesting because you can see her growth. Apparently, that woman could write even back when she first started and was writing romantic love-at-first-sight drivel for cheap-o publishing houses. But they raise above the level of drivel because they are funny, they are cute, and they are entertaining. Plus, they don't take long to read. I read them all in a day, and I wasn't reading the whole time, either.
It is interesting to see the similarities between these books and the Stephanie Plum books. Elsie Hawkins appears as a minor character in all of these books, and she really resembles Plum's Granny. There is also a huge, clunky old car. Except for the first one, the women have (or acquire) interesting jobs. And there is always an interesting problem facing the new couple.
The reason that Wife for Hire only gets 3 stars is that the plot was just not as believable as the other three. OK, so none of the plots are really believable, but in this one, I thought "stupid" several times instead of laughing. Still good for a 2 hour diversion while you are in a waiting room or whatever.
I managed to read these books while my husband had the TV on in the same room, which is usually harder for me. It's because the author, as usual, really pulls you in.
1. Back to the Bedroom (1989) 4 stars
2. Smitten (1990) 4 stars
3. Wife for Hire (1990) 3 stars
4. The Rocky Road to Romance (1991) 4 stars
OK, so these are EARLY Evanovich, but they are particularly interesting because you can see her growth. Apparently, that woman could write even back when she first started and was writing romantic love-at-first-sight drivel for cheap-o publishing houses. But they raise above the level of drivel because they are funny, they are cute, and they are entertaining. Plus, they don't take long to read. I read them all in a day, and I wasn't reading the whole time, either.
It is interesting to see the similarities between these books and the Stephanie Plum books. Elsie Hawkins appears as a minor character in all of these books, and she really resembles Plum's Granny. There is also a huge, clunky old car. Except for the first one, the women have (or acquire) interesting jobs. And there is always an interesting problem facing the new couple.
The reason that Wife for Hire only gets 3 stars is that the plot was just not as believable as the other three. OK, so none of the plots are really believable, but in this one, I thought "stupid" several times instead of laughing. Still good for a 2 hour diversion while you are in a waiting room or whatever.
I managed to read these books while my husband had the TV on in the same room, which is usually harder for me. It's because the author, as usual, really pulls you in.
September 3, 2022
A few parts were annoying, but overall this was hilarious! It was a comedy of errors at times and had me laughing out loud at some of the antics. The one thing that irked me was that Lizabeth kept thinking that tattoos were worse than motorcycles in terms of corruption rates for her kids. She didn't like motorcycles either, but didn't think they were as dangerous as tattoos. A tattoo can't kill you, but motorcycles sure can! She sometimes looked down at people who didn't have good paying jobs, but that was just the way she was raised.
Elsie was hilarious and their dog Ferguson was just like the dog in A Christmas Story when it came to stealing food! Quite a few laughs, and a quick read as well.
Elsie was hilarious and their dog Ferguson was just like the dog in A Christmas Story when it came to stealing food! Quite a few laughs, and a quick read as well.
January 22, 2014
This book was so mind-numbingly dumb (for lack of a better word) I just couldn't bring myself to waste any more time on it. I realize it was probably meant to be a fluff romance and I have no problem with that, but the main female character was simply dumber than a box of rocks and it was irritating. The main male character wasn't much better ... the premise of the story that he would hire a woman with absolutely no work experience, let alone no construction experience and be in love with her almost instantly was just too unreal and unbelievable.
I really enjoyed Evanovich/Kelly's "The Husband List", and had hoped this would be just as good, but alas it was not.
I really enjoyed Evanovich/Kelly's "The Husband List", and had hoped this would be just as good, but alas it was not.
May 12, 2022
A lot of romance novels written at this time feature brutish men basically knocking a woman over the head and dragging her back to his cave (and the woman being ok with the whole thing). It’s nice to see that some authors at that time were portraying strong, independent women and men who were attracted to and respectful of strong, independent women.
October 15, 2022
Tons of Tenderness
I found the character of Matt plausible and fascinating. He just suddenly woke up and realized he had no family and that he wanted one. Men go through this generally at the age of 25 in our U.S.A. culture. The key part is that a man wanting to marry needs feel charmed by his potential mate.
I actually liked the character of Matt as flawed. Yet he wanted to learn and earn Lizbeth and her sons trust.
I’ll also know “love” makes us crazy sometimes. The thing I liked about Matt‘s character and pulled me in was his relationship to her children. Other reviews never mentioned his openness, playfulness, and attention. Matt arrives with baggage from loss of his mother when he turned seven. Matt lives alone, a boy who never experience a loving parent.
Matt gives Lizbeth’s boys want he wanted from his coal miner, alcoholic father.
I know a real life romance, which reflects the truth in this story. A divorced woman meets her future forever husband at a friend’s wedding party. But she can’t talk to him and excuses herself as going home to her children. This true life couple have been mates and raised children together to mutual success and joy.
So the character of Matt intrigued me and built a verisimilitude for me as a reader.
I found the character of Matt plausible and fascinating. He just suddenly woke up and realized he had no family and that he wanted one. Men go through this generally at the age of 25 in our U.S.A. culture. The key part is that a man wanting to marry needs feel charmed by his potential mate.
I actually liked the character of Matt as flawed. Yet he wanted to learn and earn Lizbeth and her sons trust.
I’ll also know “love” makes us crazy sometimes. The thing I liked about Matt‘s character and pulled me in was his relationship to her children. Other reviews never mentioned his openness, playfulness, and attention. Matt arrives with baggage from loss of his mother when he turned seven. Matt lives alone, a boy who never experience a loving parent.
Matt gives Lizbeth’s boys want he wanted from his coal miner, alcoholic father.
I know a real life romance, which reflects the truth in this story. A divorced woman meets her future forever husband at a friend’s wedding party. But she can’t talk to him and excuses herself as going home to her children. This true life couple have been mates and raised children together to mutual success and joy.
So the character of Matt intrigued me and built a verisimilitude for me as a reader.
September 21, 2021
What a disappointment! For one thing, I made the mistake of starting with the audiobook, forgetting that I find the voice completely wrong for protagonists this age--she sounds like a heavy smoker who is over 50 and nothing like a 30 something woman. Plus I don't care for how it's read, either. I would have never liked a single Stephanie Plum book if I had listened to any of them.
This is not as good as the Stephanie Plum series (I tired of that because I got sick of the back and forth between the two men, no matter how sexy they are--that only works for so many books for me, and even then, most of the time I don't care for that highly overused trope anymore.) I did enjoy Elsie, but she isn't in it enough to save this for me. If I read another Evanovich, it will be a Stephanie Plum one, even though many times there isn't enough of her grandmother in them. Also, frankly, I found
This is not as good as the Stephanie Plum series (I tired of that because I got sick of the back and forth between the two men, no matter how sexy they are--that only works for so many books for me, and even then, most of the time I don't care for that highly overused trope anymore.) I did enjoy Elsie, but she isn't in it enough to save this for me. If I read another Evanovich, it will be a Stephanie Plum one, even though many times there isn't enough of her grandmother in them. Also, frankly, I found
April 14, 2018
a great read with characters and lol funny moments. If you have just came off of a heavy read and need something light then Smitten is for you. Lisabeth Dane is desperate to find work to care for her children's needs so she goes to a construction site looking for a job. there, she meets matt Hallahan and sparks fly immediately. He tries to protect her from the hard jobs but she doesn't like his overprotection.
meanwhile Aunt Elsie hawkins has come to stay for the summer and she is a real hoot. A flasher is on the loose and Elsie doesn't want to miss any of the action. This and many more anecdotes make Smitten a fast read. Highly recommend for a lighthearted read on a warm spring day.
meanwhile Aunt Elsie hawkins has come to stay for the summer and she is a real hoot. A flasher is on the loose and Elsie doesn't want to miss any of the action. This and many more anecdotes make Smitten a fast read. Highly recommend for a lighthearted read on a warm spring day.
November 27, 2024
2.5
So I was confused when I started this because I thought I had read it before and loved it. It's heavy on the insta-love. My notes says "I don't hate it, it's kinda fun, but I don't care for the romance".. When I finished it I was wondering what compelled me to pick this book up after I put it down. There is this charm with the writing and I did end up having fun once I got over the fact that I hated how the relationship was going and just focused on the silliness.
So I was confused when I started this because I thought I had read it before and loved it. It's heavy on the insta-love. My notes says "I don't hate it, it's kinda fun, but I don't care for the romance".. When I finished it I was wondering what compelled me to pick this book up after I put it down. There is this charm with the writing and I did end up having fun once I got over the fact that I hated how the relationship was going and just focused on the silliness.
July 15, 2019
Romance / Contemporary
Lizabeth Kane, a divorced woman takes a job at a construction site to support her two kids. Her new boss, Matt Hallahan is handsome guy and they are both attracted to each other. We also meet Lizabeth's two sons, her sassy aunt Elsie, and the mysterious flasher.
It was short and quick romance story. Some parts were funny and I liked it but it felt like it was missing something. Perhaps the romance moved on too quickly.
Lizabeth Kane, a divorced woman takes a job at a construction site to support her two kids. Her new boss, Matt Hallahan is handsome guy and they are both attracted to each other. We also meet Lizabeth's two sons, her sassy aunt Elsie, and the mysterious flasher.
It was short and quick romance story. Some parts were funny and I liked it but it felt like it was missing something. Perhaps the romance moved on too quickly.
May 28, 2020
Light and breezy with a little romance and mystery thrown in. Delightful summer read.
May 25, 2024
Cute! Fluffy! Very easy read. Funny little side conflict.
July 10, 2024
Cute, easy read.
February 27, 2025
It makes me giggle while reading this book. This is a beautiful book.
April 17, 2019
Hot Mess
The house is falling apart, but the home is coming together nicely when Matt falls for his beautiful new employee.
The house is falling apart, but the home is coming together nicely when Matt falls for his beautiful new employee.
January 23, 2022
This was a good book. I think I read it before because parts of it sounded familiar.
December 8, 2011
This is a short, funny novel. The characters are rather endearing, especially the Lizabeth's formidable Aunt Elsie, but there is not much character development. Still, I enjoyed the interactions between Matt and Lizabeth. The dialog was often clever, but occasionally it didn't sound quite believable. For instance, at one point Matt calls one of Lizabeth's chick flicks a "sissy movie." Do grown men really refer to things as "sissy?" That sounds more like something a fourth grader would say.
A subplot involving a "yuppy flasher" bewildered me a bit, although I found it moderately amusing. I'm not sure what it adds to the story, other than an excuse for the hero to move in with the heroine, which could easily have been accomplished with some other plot device.
Finally, I can't end this review without mentioning Lizabeth's pet dog, Ferguson. Badly behaved dogs are one of my major pet peeves, and this dog is particularly annoying. I wanted to smack Lizabeth upside the head every time she excused Ferguson's latest misdemeanor by saying, "He's just a puppy." I hate irresponsible pet owners who refuse to take the time and effort to train their dogs properly. This made me lose a lot of respect for Lizabeth. If she's refusing to take responsibility for her dog, what kind of mother is she to her kids?
Over all, Smitten was a comfortable, fluffy read. There were a few aspects of the characters and plot that annoyed me, but most of the novel is just fun.
A subplot involving a "yuppy flasher" bewildered me a bit, although I found it moderately amusing. I'm not sure what it adds to the story, other than an excuse for the hero to move in with the heroine, which could easily have been accomplished with some other plot device.
Finally, I can't end this review without mentioning Lizabeth's pet dog, Ferguson. Badly behaved dogs are one of my major pet peeves, and this dog is particularly annoying. I wanted to smack Lizabeth upside the head every time she excused Ferguson's latest misdemeanor by saying, "He's just a puppy." I hate irresponsible pet owners who refuse to take the time and effort to train their dogs properly. This made me lose a lot of respect for Lizabeth. If she's refusing to take responsibility for her dog, what kind of mother is she to her kids?
Over all, Smitten was a comfortable, fluffy read. There were a few aspects of the characters and plot that annoyed me, but most of the novel is just fun.
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