Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7852 in Books
• Published on: 2009-03-31
• Released on: 2009-03-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 352 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Ella Varner grew up with a troublesome mother and an insecure sister, but she has managed to come out of it reasonably sane, with a good (if vegan) boyfriend, Dane, and a job as an advice columnist. All of this gets turned upside down when her sister disappears and sticks Ella with her newborn, Luke. Determined to find Luke's father, Ella tracks down a likely suspect—millionaire playboy Jack Travis. The encounter results in Travis and Ella unexpectedly engaged in an irrepressible attraction. Meanwhile, Ella grows fond of baby Luke and fears what will happen when Tara returns. As Ella grapples with conflicting desires, she learns some important lessons about love and trust. Though Kleypas has trouble breaking her male characters out of archetype and the arc is familiar, Ella's familial dysfunction distinguishes her from other heroines, and her self-awareness draws her out of a stereotypical shell. This will please romance fans, even if it hews a bit too closely to genre conventions. (Apr.)
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From Booklist
As advice columnist “Miss Independent,” Ella Varner thought she had all the answers, but when her sister, Tara, leaves her brand-new baby with their mother and then disappears, Ella discovers that problems in the real world are not quite as easy to solve as those in print. Ella’s mother insists that she come and deal with the situation, since the very idea of her being a grandmother will ruin her social life. When Ella arrives in Houston, her first goal is to find the baby’s father—one of Tara’s friends believes it’s millionaire Texas real-estate developer Jack Travis. When Ella shows up at Jack’s office, she is surprised to discover that not only is Jack more considerate than she imagined—especially since he insists the baby is not his—but way sexier than she thought possible. RITA Award–winning Kleypas’ clever pairing of a testosterone-rich hero and a wonderfully endearing heroine gives her latest romance its irresistibly sexy flavor, while adding fresh zest to her exceedingly successful series of loosely connected contemporary romances, which began with Sugar Daddy (2007). Kleypas’ fans and readers of women’s fiction alike will take to this richly rewarding story of love, commitment, and family. --John Charles

About the Author

Customer Reviews

Smooth talking writer!
Ella Varner is a columnist living and working in Austin, Texas. She loves her life with her boyfriend Dane and is content in their relationship. Everything changes dramatically however when Ella's younger sister, Tara, has a baby, Luke, and Ella is forced to take care of him. Suddenly, Ella's neat and orderly life is interrupted with bottles, nightly feedings, little sleep, and a small but growing baby.

Ella is determined to do her best by Luke and Tara and she decides the best choice is to find the father. When Tara names wealthy playboy Jack Travis as the father, Ella marches down to his Houston office to get answers. Jack denies that he is Luke's father straight away, but Ella wants a paternity test. Jack agrees knowing he is not the father. But he sure would not mind spending more time with the feisty Ella. Jack is used to arm candy in the women he dates. Ella is anything but that. She is intelligent, strong-minded, and determined to never truly lose herself to a man. Let the battle of wills commence!

Smooth Talking Stranger is not as intense as the previous Travis story, Blue-Eyed Devil. There is more laughter and a lightness that Haven's story lacked, which makes sense given the very different plots of the story. While I definitely enjoyed Smooth Talking Stranger, it did not pull me in quite as much as Haven and Hardy's story. This is a romance that skims along the surface rather than delves deep into the characters' hearts and souls. This is not a bad thing but it is just a major difference. Jack and Ella's story is very enjoyable, and perhaps the most romantic out of all of Lisa Kleypas's contemporary romances but it just did not totally grab me.

That being said, it is still a Kleypas story and considering some of the romance drivel that is published, this book stands heads and tails above others. Ella is an interesting woman to get to know. She feels the pull of love, not only for Jack, but for Luke, but she wants to heartily deny it. She plays her emotions close to the vest while Jack is very free with his feelings, letting her know just how much he has started to love her. Jack is definitely the charmer and rascal he was in previous books as a secondary character, but there is a more serious side that is a welcome addition to his character. He is not perfect and as some of his previous relationships come back to haunt him, he gets a better understanding for just why Ella is so much more right for him.

Smooth Talking Stranger has its swoon-worthy moments and it showcases Lisa Kleypas's fun and unique writing style. I liked the characters and particularly the ending which just seemed very appropriate and wonderful for the overall tone of the book. Love comes in many forms as Ella is about to discover.

Fantastic Book!
This was by far my favorite of Lisa Kleypas' contemporary novels, which is saying a lot, because I've really enjoyed the others. I did not expect to love this book as much as I did, but Ella and Jack are such well-drawn characters - the reader gets a very real sense of who they are as people, and what has led to them being who they are. Both are flawed, but in a way that makes them all the more real, and they don't judge each other, but demonstrate a very real, very deep, mutual sense of understanding and acceptance.

Plus, their banter is fantastic! They're both incredibly bright and funny, and a lot of their conversations and back-and-forth snark are a lot of fun to read. That said, Kleypas doesn't skimp on meaningful conversations, either; Ella and Jack have many serious, meaningful talks that give us real insight into their ever-growing and intensifying feelings for one another.

The actual progression of their relationship is very well done. It does not move at a snail's pace, but it doesn't happen overnight, either. The reader is treated to seeing how their initial attraction to, and wariness of, one other develops into real friendship and trust, heat and passion, a breaking down of old walls and defenses, and a truly beautiful, strong love. Kleypas does all of this while managing to avoid a cliche or two that are repeated ad nauseum in books that feature alpha male playboys, and does so in such a way as to turn those cliches to her advantage, and strengthen the bond between the characters.

Then, too, there is involvement by other members of the Travis family (particularly Haven), and their significant others/spouses. It was a great to read about how their lives have grown and changed, and Kleypas integrated them very well into Jack and Ella's story.

This book was very good - in fact, it's one of the best romances that I've ever read. I *highly* recommend this book to all of those who are looking for a novel featuring real, deep love and romance; fun and playfulness; intense passion and need; some heart-string tugging events; and even some suspense. Kleypas truly outdid herself with this book!

Her Best in the Series Yet!
Lisa has done it again, she brings our heroine Ella and the Smooth Talking Stranger Jack together in this sizzling romance that has to glued to each and every page. Her best contemporary to date.