Keeping Company

Rainbow Chasers #2

by Tami Hoag

 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag comes a classic novel of mismatched lovers who give a whole new meaning to the phrase “Fake it till you make it.”  Sensible corporate lawyer Alaina Montgomery has been frustrating her matchmaking friends for years. But this time they’ve really tried to set her up with the wrong Dylan Harrison, a free-spirited single dad who runs a ramshackle bar and bait shop. Appropriately enough, she meets him on the way to a science-fiction-themed masquerade party. When cops mistake the costumed pair for a lady of the evening and her client, Alaina and Dylan end up in jail together. And soon they hatch a plan to foil the matchmakers once and for all by pretending to be a couple. What begins as a good-natured ruse quickly blossoms into a real romance, as these two polar opposites discover that desire can’t be so easily disguised.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Humor

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1990

About the author

Tami Hoag is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than thirty books published in more than thirty languages worldwide, including her latest thrillers—BITTER SEASON, COLD COLD HEART and THE 9TH GIRL. Renowned for combining thrilling plots with character-driven suspense, Hoag first hit the New York Times Bestseller list with NIGHT SINS, and each of her books since has been a bestseller.

She leads a double life in Palm Beach County, Florida where she is also known as a top competitive equestrian in the Olympic discipline of dressage. Other interests include the study of psychology, and mixed martial arts fighting.


Visit her at www.tamihoag.com, Facebook.com/TamiHoag and on Twitter @TamiHoag

Reviews

[Jayne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just grabbed this off the shelf to listen to during my commute and, if I had to go to the effort to actually read it as a book, I would have put it down after 1 chapter. The characters are such unrealistic caricatures of their "type" and the dialog and situations are really stupid. The premise (pretending to be a couple then falling love for real) is common but I can't get over the moronic way the characters think and act. Do not read it. I will avoid Tami Hoag's books like the plague from now on.

[Delynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is down from a 4 because of the ending: it was so rushed and jammed into a couple pages, not even a chapter! There were major conflicts happening at the beginning of the last chapter that did not have the time to play out or be reconciled, which was very sad because the first three quarters of the book took so much time lovingly working out resolutions. Squeezing everything in at the end was so unsatisfying and made me really sad after a mostly good book.

As the second in the Rainbow Chasers series, this one made me very excited to read Bryan's book. His character has not shown up in person in the current timeline; he has only made appearances through poignant gifts and letters. I am interested to see how his character is written from a different perspective. Jayne pops up quite a bit in this one, so I'm looking forward to her story as well.

I don't like the main character quite as much in this one because she never fails to miscommunicate. She has an interesting background that makes it realistic to a point, but somewhere along the line she becomes complicit in causing further problems. I found her love interest to be charming through her eyes, but when his jealous rage and childish problems were shown firsthand, it was concerning. He has a hair trigger that constantly annoyed me, and it almost made it worse that he acknowledged his failures so shortly afterwards - like maybe don't do it in the first place; the time for thinking is before you speak.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for the suspense works by Tami Hoag, this isn't one!

However, if you like an occasional absurd romantic comedy, then you'll probably enjoy this light-hearted early work by Tami Hoag. If you don't think to hard about the over-used plot devices such as "let's pretend to be together so no one will bother us," Keeping Company was fun and frothy. There was a bare hint of paranormal in it, but nothing that can't be overlooked as whimsy. Keeping Company is the second in the "Rainbow Chasers" series (four books) following four very different people who became fast friends in high school. I've read this one and the third one, Reilly's Return. Keeping Company is the better book, imo. I might seek out the rest of the series, now that I kow it is a series. I think my library has them.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in Tami Hoag's Rainbow Chasers series, and so far it's the best. Whereas the first book leaned toward the romantic suspense genre, this book is more of a screwball romantic comedy. The main characters are attractive and quirky, the dialog is the quick-witted, sharp and sexy banter you would expect in this genre. Since this book was written early in Hoag's career, and part of the Loveswept line of books, the sex scenes are on the cheesy side, but fortunately the story and the characters make up for that. This is Tami Hoag before she became the excellent suspense writer of today. Her best work was yet to come when this was written, but you can definitely see hints of the best-selling writer she would become. I'm giving it a weak 4 stars.

[Sherri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like Tami Hoag's mystery books so when I was in the mood for a romance I grabbed one by her. Unfortunately, this was written in 1990 and reminds me of the romances I used to read way back in the 80's...not sure if it's because I'm older or not, but this was just ok. It was light and an easy read but also entirely predictable and not that exciting.

[Elaine]

Okay, I listented to this book, I didn't read it. It is boring, predictable and embaressing... I like Tami Hoag, even like some of her romances but this one, despite the Doctor Who references, was over the top. The characters THINK for pages and pages and pages ...in ways that made me cringe.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book despite myself. it was Fluffy predictable nothing really happened, but it was the dialogue that made me really enjoy it. Dylan is just a hoot. Can't help myself, when I fall in love with the main character I gotta think the book is good :-)

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like Tami Hoag...but this book? the worst example of self-deprication and an inablity to communicate. blech - i can hardly imagine this story in my mind. Too sappy and wayyyyyyy to predictable.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the more enjoyable of her Loveswept additions. Both characters were interesting and their issues were believable without extra melodrama.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very humorous, sweet read.

[Carol Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tami Hoag can write mystery and she can write romance. This romantic novel has a lot of humor and heart. A nice beach book. Diverting.

[L · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Tami Hoag...but I was a little bored. It was pretty predictable.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sensible corporate lawyer Alaina Montgomery has been frustrating her matchmaking friends for years. But this time they've really tried to set her up with the wrong guy: Dylan Harrison, a free-spirited single dad who runs a ramshackle bar and bait shop. Appropriately enough, she meets him on the way to a science-fiction-themed masquerade party.
When cops mistake the costumed pair for a lady of the evening and her client, Alaina and Dylan end up in jail together. And soon they hatch a plan to foil the matchmakers once and for all by pretending to be a couple. What begins as a good-natured ruse quickly blossoms into a real romance, as these two polar opposites discover that desire can't be so easily disguised.
A great read that make you want to believe in fairy tales again. 5 stars.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Tami Hoag's mysteries and saw this audio so snapped it up. A comedy of errors romance that truly had me laughing out loud. I absolutely loved the mismatch of Alaina and Dylan and each of their screwy encounters were realistic (to a point) and funny.

I listen to audiobooks during my commute and this honestly kept me from thinking of snarled traffic. This is part of a quartet - each of the four best friends has their own book. I will definitely be back to Anastasia California for more zany (I hope) romantic adventures.

[JoAnn M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alaina and Dylan have a meet cute. Everyone’s always trying to fix them up (separately), so they decide to have a fake romance. You know how it goes… these things always develop into real feelings. Alaina bugged me, though, she was always lighting up a cigarette when she got stressed. Just shows the datedness of the book (written in 1990); you don’t read about that habit much anymore these days.

[Emily Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alaina Montgomery is a corporate lawyer who moves from Chicago to Northern California for a change in lifestyle. Dylan is the owner of a bar and bait shop. Alaina and Dylan are attracted to one another, even though Alaina fights the attraction because she thinks Dylan is wrong for her.

[Shan · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a predictable ending and the character Dylan was so lovable, it was hard to embrace the character Alaina with her up tight attitude and illogical thinking so it was hard to love the book and the journey

[Terri Palermo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I particularly enjoyed the parts where Alaina and Dylan were each in turn debating with themselves over an issue that would have easily been resolved had they talked to each other :)
A fun, comfortable book to enjoy on a rainy Saturday.

[Joann · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was ok a little on the boring side

[Quintin Reitzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good!

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a reprint of a 1990 Loveswept, # 405, book.

[Nancy Rundle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeping company was a great read. They say opposites attract, but can polar opposites?
A fun, funny, fast paced romantic read.

[Norma Dushack · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a typical love story type of book. It was easy reading and brainless but good.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a huge fan of Tami Hoag's romance books but I am stubbornly going to read them, I dunno why, but I set this as a reading goal. This was not her worst, but definitely, she has better work.

[Sandra Foreman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was written in the 90’s and did not age well. What should have been funny and charming came across as rude and condescending.

[Jan]

Light hearted reading, not anything like similar Tami Hoag books, but entertaining

[Laura Jean Short · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not Worthy

I guess I expected more from a Tami Hoag book. It was the first book I’ve read of Tami Hoag that wasn’t a mystery. This was just silly. I think it will be the last book of this type written by her that I’ll read. No I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously fluffy story. Angst was possible but skimmed over. I think this was supposed to be a romantic comedy, but the comedy part mostly missed. The hero is a former financial / investment whiz who threw it all over to run a bar & bait shop when his career oriented wife dumped him and the kids to chase her TV newsperson career. The heroine is a lawyer who quit her shark like law firm in Chicago or somewhere and moved to this small coastal California town to open her own practice so she can turn down clients she doesn't want to represent. They meet on a highway on their separate way to science fiction themed party, both of them dressed in costume. This was one of those moments that was supposed to be cute and was pretty eye-rolling instead. It was a good story, but the humor tried way too hard, and took away from things like character development and real conflict. It could have been more. Still, it was cute and I enjoyed the read.

[Joy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dressed as a sexy comic-book princess on her way to a costume party, Alaina Montgomery couldn't believe it when her car broke down on a dark mountain road!

The last thing she needed was a disguised Dylan Harrison trying to rescue her -- and getting them both arrested! So what if he was impossibly sexy, irresistibly charming, and made her laugh -- she wasn't looking for a lover, even if her friends kept trying to fix her up with every bachelor in town.

Dylan adored Alaina's legs and her tender mouth made for long, slow kisses, but wondered if he could slip beneath her armor to find the vulnerable woman inside. When Dylan proposed they foil the matchmakers by pretending to be in love, Alaina decided to take him on -- until passion melted her cool facade and his firm vows against getting involved.

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's sad to see the rating on this book go down so far because people read it mistaking it for one of the author's suspense novels. In the category of romance, I think this was a very enjoyable book. It was very quirky and atypical - which is great. I love that there's a Deputy Skreawupp (Screw Up) and there were a lot of laugh out loud moments in this book. I don't identify with Alaina because she's materialistic, but I don't dislike her because of it. And Dylan is an honestly great guy (with a bit of self-blindness about his own materialism). These two have a lot of great moments together! And I love Dylan's kids - his son, the genius who tells him, "You look particularly prepossessing tonight, Dad." Dylan looks at him and says, "Been reading the thesaurus again?" A very cute romance.