Rating: 
Summary: Started out with promise but didn't live up to the potential
Review: It's possible that I'm the only person out there who _didn't_ like this book, but I do have my reasons! I started out really enjoying the book; the opening scenes showing Georgeanne's background were realistic and emotional. And I started out liking John, as well. Yes, he was easily identifiable as a Susan Elizabeth Phillips style hero, which I have absolutely no problem with! I love SEP-style heroes, but just as I was settling in for a good read, John and Georgeanne started to bother me. I felt the story was getting into a cycle of ''I hate you, I think you could be okay, let's jump into bed--oh, wait, yes, I hate you'. That is, of course, simplifying the plot, but I felt like I was on a roundabout and I didn't know why Georgeanna and John liked each other or what they had to give each other. I _loved_ the character of the daughter, I thought she was extremely realistic and sympathetic without being too cute. But a cute kid can't carry a book. I got the feeling that the author knew all the 'elements' for a successful romance but she didn't mix them properly. I was too aware of a 'now plug in Element K' feeling to get wrapped up in the book. And perhaps it's a cultural thing but I _hated_ the ending! I found it embarrassing and far too showy. It was more like a 'watch me profess my love in front of 20,000 people' than 2 people who truly loved one another. And again, I didn't get the feeling of why they _should_ love on another, and I didn't see any character growth. But I _will_ check out Rachel Gibson's new releases--I think her writing has loads of potential, even if I didn't think she carried it off in this book.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is Incredible!
Review: I must have read this book at least 5 times already! I always come back to it when I want a good comic, steamy, and touching story. Geaorgeanne and John are so good together. John, a professional hockey player, is the sexiest male lead character I've ever read about! When John meets Georgeanne, they spend one incredible night together and Georgeanne has given her heart to John. John's life is a mess and he has no intention of furthering the one night he spends with the Georgeanne. He dumps her off at the airport the morning after and never looks back. Georgeanne is heartbroken with no real home to go to, no job, and not much education, but she finds that she has the courage and strength to pull it all together. Now it's seven years later and Georgeanne is a co-owner in a successful catering business that is catering a fundraiser that John is attending. He is dumbstruck when he sees her across the room. And from this point on, I gaurantee you wont be able to put this book down! You'll also fall in love with Mae and Hugh. Mae is Georgeannes best friend and co business owner, and Hugh is John's team mate on the hockey team he plays on. The dialog between them had me cracking up! This book deals with more than just romance. It talks about Georgeanne's learning problems, and John's first wifes suicide and what it takes for people to rise above their insecurities and mistakes. You may read a lot of reviews that promise that this book or that book was the best they ever read. I give you my solemn word that this is absolutely the best book I've ever read. I cant wait until Rachel Gibson comes up with another sweet, sexy, and comical book to read. Also, dont miss SIMPLY, MADLY YOURS. It is an awesome book too.
Rating:
Summary: 2 stars for potential, but......
Review: it never went anywhere. The whole synopsis of the book occurred in the first 50 pages and then there were 250 more to go and I could care less. There was no chemistry between the h/h the way there was in See Jane Score and True Confessions. And as for their daughter, she was the sterotypical annoying kid who talks baby talk even though she's seven years old. Gibson tried to show that the h/h had their vulnerabilities and were wounded souls, but she never brought that out onto the pages. I'd skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: I can't believe this is Rachel Gibson's debut novel...
Review: Because "Simply Irresistible" has to be one of the better romance novels I read... even compared to some of the veterans romance writers. She might have written about flawed heroines and heros... but these characters have great chemistry (lotsa zing!) and they create some amazing plots! Geogeanne Howard might be flighty and fickle but she is a great heroine, nonetheless! Overcoming her faults and becoming a successful businesswoman is a fantastic victory! And John Kowalsky's relationship with his daughter was so sweet and cute, I just wanted to read more about them! The part where he was playing barbie with her was the best! (You just have to read it...) And Lexie is the most BELIEVABLE little girl ever written in a romance novel! She is just a doll! The story of Georgeanne and John might not be the most ideal but they overcome some very interesting obstacles to finally come together! This is such a good book! I HIGHLY recommend it!
Rating: 
Summary: A story of two flawed people working their way toward love
Review: I've read two Rachel Gibson books - first her most recent "See Jane Score" (loved it!) and now her very first book "Simply Irresitible" - both stories of hockey jocks tamed by the right woman. The reviews for this book are definitely mixed, so you have to understand from the start that neither John nor Georgie are perfect and there will be times you will dislike both of them. This was not a problem for me as I found it realistic, but I have to agree that how the love develops between these two is not well drawn. Georgeanne Howard is a girly girl (ugh!) whose childhood leaves her feeling that her only assets are her looks, charm and cooking skills in that order. She was set to marry a man old enough to be her grandfather for financial security, but bails at the last minute. She begs a ride from John Kowalsky who she discovers is a hockey star who plays for the team her former fiance owns. When John discovers who she is, he wants nothing to do with her as it could ruin his career, but hormones and jocks and girly girls with self-esteem issues being what they are, they wind up in bed. John then displays his ability to be a tremendous jerk by unceremoniously dumping her at the airport the next morning, driving away without a backward glance. Crushed, Georgie finally has to face facts, grow up and take charge of her life and so she does. Seven years later, she is a partner in a successful catering business and runs into John at an event she is working. Stunned, scared and desperate to get away from him, she drops her checkbook on her way out the door. When he shows up at her house to drop it off, he discovers to his shock that their night together resulted in an adorable, incorrigible, irrepressible six year old girl! The last thing Georgie wants is John Kowalsky back in her life, but he is determined to be a part of his daughter's and so it seems she has no choice. Time spent together, while John gets to know Lexie, draws them back toward each other. Their mutual sexual attraction reignites, but is something more lasting possible? If you have no tolerance for jocks (you know - huge egos, short on sensitivity) then you likely won't care for John. But I'm usually amused by the type (though any guy that called me "baby doll", especially in public, would get a swift kick!). It was John's relationship with Lexie - especially the first time she called him "daddy" which was sweet and funny (he was such a [pushover]!) - that salvaged his character for me. The romance between John's pal goalie Hugh and Georgie's partner Mae was also a kick. But I wish more time had been spent on John and Georgie's relationship, I mean they really didn't know much about one another to start with and it would have helped if you knew better what made John, in particular, tick. Not without flaws, but still recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Great story...bad guy
Review: I won't give an overview because you probably already know what the book is about. It has a great story line and it flows really well. It's different from a lot of romance books out there. First, the woman in the book actually has (...)! Now, me being a C myself, I really identified with Georgie. I'm also insecure about my figure and it was good to read a romance with a non-skinny woman in it. Another unique point is that this book is about a hockey player. Of course, this is kind of Rachel Gibson's specialty, but there aren't a lot of these books out there. The only thing I didn't like was the hero's part. John was NOT a nice guy. I probably shouldn't go into everything he did in his past, but let's say he doesn't have the normal morals that most good romance guys have. At one point he tells Georgie, "If you ask real nice, I might just let you polish my stick", (Sorry if I'm not supposed to say that on a review) this following other such derogatory remarks. I wanted to yell at him for Georgie...but it was late at night so I couldn't. :( While I can handle a bad boy most of the time, his character almost ALWAYS acted like this. I couldn't really make myself like him that much.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully charming
Review: "Simply Irresistable" by Rachel Gibson, is, quite simply, irresistable. Reminiscent of Susan Elizabeth Phillips' "It Had To Be You", this book is filled with warmth, humor, and marvelous characters. Southern-belle extraordinaire Georgeanne Howard has just left her extremely wealthy and much, much older fiance' at the altar. Skilled at charm and flirtation, but not much else, Georgeanne hitches a ride with John "The Wall" Kowalsky, an up-and-coming hockey player. John recognizes a high-maintenance woman when he sees one. He is definitely not interested, especially when he learns the beauty in the shrink-wrapped wedding dress is his team's owner's runaway bride. John, however, cannot resist Georgeanne's charms for long, and they share one unbelieveable night. But come morning, John puts Georgeanne on a plane back home. His career is just taking off and he is not ready to settle down, especially with a helpless, useless bimbo. Georgeanne, on the other hand, has other ideas. She has no desire to return home, but has no resources to stay. Searching the want ads, Georgeanne applies for a chef's position at a faltering catering firm. Seven years later, John spots Georgeanne at an extravagant benefit dinner. John is now a high-profile hockey star and Georgeanne is co-owner of a successful catering business. John also learns he and Georgeanne have a daughter, a result of their one night together. Determined to be a part of his daughter's life, John tries to convince Georgeanne to accept him back into hers. The ensuing courtship is hilarious and touching. John and Georgeanne's daughter is the most realistic and charming child character I have ever encountered. The secondary characters in this book are wonderful. This is a laugh-out-loud story, a story to be shared with friends. I can hardly wait for Rachel Gibson's next book.
Nina M.
Rating: 
Summary: Hated the hero.
Review: I haven't finished the book yet, but I just had to chime in and confirm that this book has the most unappealing, unsympathetic hero of any romance I've read in a long while. I mean, he had a one-night-stand with his first wife, and marries her when he gets her pregnant. After their son dies he proceeds to cheat on her numerous times, leading her to commit suicide. Then, while drunk, he marries a stripper whom he divorces a day later. Then he has a one-night-stand with the heroine, and dumps her at the airport the next day. This is all in the first 50 pages!! I thought we would actually see some introspection on his part, and perhaps understand why he was such a [jerk] in the past. But, that didn't happen. The heroine was little better. A very sad and confused woman with absolutely no self-esteem or self-respect. And, frighteningly, she's raising a 6-year-old who you suspect won't turn out much better. Also, I know I tend to be a stickler for grammar, but it drove me absolutely crazy that the 6-year-old repeatedly said "gots" instead of "has" or "have," yet none of the adults in her life ever corrected her. Apparently her first-grade teacher never corrected her either. Drove me crazy. Anyway, this is an okay book to read on the beach, but there are many better that would do much better. I certainly wouldn't spend any money on this one.
Rating:
Summary: Hockey Player + Southern Belle+ Great Cooking= WOW
Review: Well I'm Southern, I love hockey and I hate romance novels, yep you heard me right..I just dont like them! BUT when my mom got me this book as a gag...WOW I couldnt belive a woman wrote a book about a hockey player and used the jargon and didnt make him all sissy, Rachel Gibson has a dang good thing goin!
And one last thing....TALKIN 'BOUT STEAMY!!!
Rating:
Summary: loved it!........(4 1/2 stars)
Review: "Simply Irresistible" was a fantastic read! It was unbelievably fast paced..I wasnt bored for a second..the story sucked me in and then..poof! suddenly it was done..I was so wrapped up I couldnt put it down. I LOVED Georgeanne and John together. I think that they were portrayed in such a way that made them come across as being very realistic. I will admit that at times I wanted to strangle them both, particularly John, but in the end I was completely satisfied..."Simply Irresistable" may not be as fabulous as "See Jane Score"...but close :o)
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