Monday, August 19, 2013

T.G.P. #1 - Simply Irresistible

Simply Irresistible
Published: January 1, 1998
Publisher: Avon

Purchase Links: Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Georgeanne Howard leaves her fiancé at the altar when she realizes she can't marry a man old enough to be her grandfather, no matter how rich he is. Hockey superstar John Kowalsky unknowingly helps her escape, and only when it's too late does he realize that he's absconded with his boss's bride. This bad boy isn't looking to be anybody's savior but his own. Still, a long night stretches ahead of them—a night too sultry to resist temptation.

Seven years later, Georgeanne and John meet again. She is on her way to becoming Seattle's domestic darling and he is past his hellraising days. Shocked to learn that he has a daughter, John's determined to be part of her life. Georgeanne has loved John since the moment she jumped into his car, but will he risk the wrath of his boss, and one final chance at glory, to prove that this time his love will be everlasting?



"Virgil can't fire me, honey. He can trade me to a team below five hundred if he wants to, or worse, I could find myself wearing a duck on my sweater. But only if I don't beat him to it."
- John "The Wall" Kowalsky (Simply Irresistible, pg. 370)


I know I said I would be reading these books on my Kindle. I got about half way through Simply Irresistible on my Kindle and it just felt wrong. I'm so used to holding her books in my hands, so I switched back to my super yellow copy. I think its time to finally replace it.

I don't know if it was because I was young(er) - shush! - when I read Simply Irresistible, but dang, I didn't remember how messed up John and Georgie were. I remembered Georgie had dyslexia, but I totally forgot that John's wife committed suicide. Both were changed by the events of their past. After Georgie left Virgil (the rich man she left at the alter) and was dumped at the airport by John, she went on to prove to herself and to everyone who called her dumb that she could succeed in life. And she did. Georgie became a terrific mom and a successful business woman with her friend, Mae. John, on the other hand, turned to alcohol after the death of his wife. After he left Georgie the first time, he turned his life around and he's living right. When their paths cross 7 years later, John is stunned to learn that he's the father of a precocious little girl, Lexie.
Original Cover

Both John and Georgie had moments where I loved them and moments where I didn't like them. John is a little bit of an ass towards her at the beginning of the book. He keeps telling her that she's a mistake he's not willing to make. He knows that if word got back to Virgil, he would have John dropped by the team. Georgie is no peach, either. After all, she is about to marry a man she didn't know just for his money. However, once I got to know these characters again, I realize that there are reasons behind their actions. John is an ass because he's still jaded and guilty over Linda's death. Georgie is marrying Virgil because she grew up being told she was dumb and her only slot in life was to marry a rich man. We don't agree with their actions, but I think it is natural to like a character even though they do things that you don't agree with. I've always felt that it made the character feel more relatable.

Simply Irresistible introduced me to two types of romances. It was my first romance book with an athlete or with a sports theme. Holy Hannah, it went downhill from here. 10+ years later and I'm still addicted. I love that Rachel Gibson mixes real hockey teams and players with her fictional team, Seattle Chinooks. However, Rachel, if you should read this - why'd you have to diss my Ducks? Not cool... Sorry, I went on a bit of a tangent. The second type of romance Simply Irresistible introduced me to was of two characters reuniting and the guy finds out he has a kid. This will probably sound wrong, but I have come to enjoy this type of romance. I love how possessive John becomes towards Lexie and Georgie. That was awesome! The scene where John finds a picture of a very pregnant Georgie. The emotions he feels towards it and then he steals the picture. *sigh* I loved re-watching the three of them become a family. To watch them start off as virtual strangers and follow them as they grow together, made me want to root for them all over again. They had so much to teach each other. John and Georgie had to teach each other what its like to love and be loved. Lexie brings them together and they start growing as a family. The scenes between John and Lexie were adorable. Especially the scene of the two of them playing dolls. That was so cute! If that wasn't enough, the secondary romance between Mae and Hugh was an added bonus. More on the two of them later...

I realize that I'm probably over-dramatizing the book, but I really enjoyed reading Simply Irresistible again. It was my first Rachel Gibson book and it will always carry to special place in my heart. I know that it is not a book that everyone will like. The actions of John and Georgie alone will make some people hate them. Let's face it, they are not perfect, but if you like a cute and fun romance with characters that will screw up, then give it a shot.

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I hope you enjoyed the first installment of The Gibson Project. I am having a blast re-reading the books. It is certainly bringing back a lot of memories.
 
Coming up next Monday is one of my favorites, Truly Madly Yours.

4 comments:

  1. I love that you are doing this! Love Rachel Gibson- this makes me want to re-read my collection right now!

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    1. Thanks! I'm happy that I get to bring out my collection again. :)

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  2. This sounds sweet, and isn't it funny how as we age we become more aware of things!

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  3. What a great idea! And I love your blog:)

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