Runaway Bay

Rating:
Summary: Awesome book!
Review: Dr. Jacqueline Barnett was about to walk out the door for a rare vacation when her boyfriend of two years broke up with her by voice mail! Jackie considered canceling the trip. After all, who wanted to spend two weeks alone at a Caribbean resort? Then she found out Farley Phelps would be at the same resort! Phelps would be the one to decide who would get a million dollar research grant! Even so, Jackie still would have canceled the trip if one more piece of information had not came up. Dr. Reade Hunter, her main competitor for the grant, would be there as well!

Reade's mother, Lenore Hunter, really believed she was sick. Reade, however, thought her simply depressed. A Caribbean holiday to cheer her up was the perfect excuse for him to be in St. Sebastian. If he just happened to meet, make nice to Phelps, and win the grant ...

***** Oh, Lisa Hendrix writes SOOOOOO WELL! I could not stop reading! Two romances are blooming in this book and the co-characters are as delightful as the main ones! The competition between Jackie and Reade, in more ways than one, make the story even more tantalizing! This is NOT one to miss! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

Rating:
Summary: Very Curvy Heroine
Review: Heroine:  plump/buxom

Methodical medical researcher Dr. Jackie Barnett has been looking forward to her Caribbean getaway with her boyfriend, Ben. She's been packing, checking and double-checking her lists a full 36 hours before having to leave. Everything is coming together in clockwork fashion, except for one tiny detail: Ben has just left Jackie a message on her voicemail backing out of the vacation . . . and the relationship altogether! He just can't take anymore of her "stick-in-the-mud" uptight attitude.

Mortally wounded, as well as unnerved by the notion of taking the trip by her lonesome, she attempts to salvage from the travel agent whatever she can of the major finances she's invested. But her boss Walt vetoes Jackie's plans to back out when he discovers that Phelps grant sponsor Farley Phelps will be vacationing at that same spot, and he orders Jackie to get down there and win that million dollar grant for their lab!

Reade Hunter is fit to be tied. His erstwhile, long-distance, scientific nemesis is making a covert move to secure the Phelps Foundation grant. But Reade is a fighter and doesn't plan on making things easy for the conniving Dr. Barnett. In a whirlwind, he packs up his hypochondriac of a mother and heads to St. Sebastian to try and get the jump on his "esteemed" colleague.

But Dr. Hunter's hopes of winning the grant waver when he discovers his curvaceous competition clad in a mere scrap of a sundress, and he's overcome with the certain belief that his enemy is playing dirty. He is desperate to find the means to combat Jackie and her use of her feminine wiles on Farley Phelps to get her way. To make matter worse, handsome Reade is chagrined to find that he is in far more danger from those wiles than Phelps is!

With the rules anyone's guess and no referee in sight, who will come out the winner in this game of secrets, lies, and lust?

What worked for me:

I sure can relate to Jackie's feelings about creepy-crawly critters. And I really enjoyed watching her transformation from a wet blanket to a wild woman. (Well, she didn't get _that_ wild, but she at least let her hair down and took off that invisible lab coat that she always seemed to wear.)

For the most part I liked the secondary romance, as well. It's always nice to see older women get their fair share of loving too.

 Size-wise Jackie began the story as a size 18 conservatively-dressed frump. By the end of the story she had discovered a new, more flattering style of dress. (She also lost a bit of weight, supposedly due to her new active lifestyle, but it didn't really specify how much. Still, for a book that went out of its way to make a point of having a size 18 heroine, it would have suited me just fine if she had just stayed that size.)

What didn't work for me:

It's always a little iffy to jump into bed with someone just after breaking up with another person. Even if there is major relationship potential, trying to make things work too soon doesn't always pan out. (Why else do women on the dating scene warn friends away from recently heartbroken men? "No, you don't want that guy. He's on the rebound!")

On the other hand, the wrap-up of the book (which was somewhat predictable and manipulated) certainly addressed that point by swinging to the other extreme. Personally, I thought that leaving things hanging between the happy couple for an entire year while the heroine went off incommunicado to "find herself", was a bit too long. Even if we're talking soul mates here, when a person does something like that she runs the risk of losing her loved one to another.

Overall:

This story was a cute, quick read with a bit of humor, suspense, and hot sex sprinkled throughout its pages.

Warning: there are some steamy passages in this book.
If you liked "Runaway Bay" you might also enjoy "Dear Cupid", "His E-mail Order Wife", "The Bridesmaid's Reward", "Carried Away", "His Seductive Revenge", "Looking for Laura", "It Had to be You", "This Heart of Mine", "Too Much Temptation", "Faking It", or "Say You're Mine".

Rating:
Summary: Very Curvy Heroine
Review: Heroine:  plump/buxom

Methodical medical researcher Dr. Jackie Barnett has been looking forward to her Caribbean getaway with her boyfriend, Ben. She's been packing, checking and double-checking her lists a full 36 hours before having to leave. Everything is coming together in clockwork fashion, except for one tiny detail: Ben has just left Jackie a message on her voicemail backing out of the vacation . . . and the relationship altogether! He just can't take anymore of her "stick-in-the-mud" uptight attitude.

Mortally wounded, as well as unnerved by the notion of taking the trip by her lonesome, she attempts to salvage from the travel agent whatever she can of the major finances she's invested. But her boss Walt vetoes Jackie's plans to back out when he discovers that Phelps grant sponsor Farley Phelps will be vacationing at that same spot, and he orders Jackie to get down there and win that million dollar grant for their lab!

Reade Hunter is fit to be tied. His erstwhile, long-distance, scientific nemesis is making a covert move to secure the Phelps Foundation grant. But Reade is a fighter and doesn't plan on making things easy for the conniving Dr. Barnett. In a whirlwind, he packs up his hypochondriac of a mother and heads to St. Sebastian to try and get the jump on his "esteemed" colleague.

But Dr. Hunter's hopes of winning the grant waver when he discovers his curvaceous competition clad in a mere scrap of a sundress, and he's overcome with the certain belief that his enemy is playing dirty. He is desperate to find the means to combat Jackie and her use of her feminine wiles on Farley Phelps to get her way. To make matter worse, handsome Reade is chagrined to find that he is in far more danger from those wiles than Phelps is!

With the rules anyone's guess and no referee in sight, who will come out the winner in this game of secrets, lies, and lust?

What worked for me:

I sure can relate to Jackie's feelings about creepy-crawly critters. And I really enjoyed watching her transformation from a wet blanket to a wild woman. (Well, she didn't get _that_ wild, but she at least let her hair down and took off that invisible lab coat that she always seemed to wear.)

For the most part I liked the secondary romance, as well. It's always nice to see older women get their fair share of loving too.

 Size-wise Jackie began the story as a size 18 conservatively-dressed frump. By the end of the story she had discovered a new, more flattering style of dress. (She also lost a bit of weight, supposedly due to her new active lifestyle, but it didn't really specify how much. Still, for a book that went out of its way to make a point of having a size 18 heroine, it would have suited me just fine if she had just stayed that size.)

What didn't work for me:

It's always a little iffy to jump into bed with someone just after breaking up with another person. Even if there is major relationship potential, trying to make things work too soon doesn't always pan out. (Why else do women on the dating scene warn friends away from recently heartbroken men? "No, you don't want that guy. He's on the rebound!")

On the other hand, the wrap-up of the book (which was somewhat predictable and manipulated) certainly addressed that point by swinging to the other extreme. Personally, I thought that leaving things hanging between the happy couple for an entire year while the heroine went off incommunicado to "find herself", was a bit too long. Even if we're talking soul mates here, when a person does something like that she runs the risk of losing her loved one to another.

Overall:

This story was a cute, quick read with a bit of humor, suspense, and hot sex sprinkled throughout its pages.

Warning: there are some steamy passages in this book.
If you liked "Runaway Bay" you might also enjoy "Dear Cupid", "His E-mail Order Wife", "The Bridesmaid's Reward", "Carried Away", "His Seductive Revenge", "Looking for Laura", "It Had to be You", "This Heart of Mine", "Too Much Temptation", "Faking It", or "Say You're Mine".

Rating:
Summary: Cute... but not a keeper
Review: I'd probably give this a 3 1/2 stars if I could. It was a pretty cute one, there was some pretty humorous parts - which I always enjoy. It won't be on my keepers shelf though. The little obsession of the two main characters (trying to out do each other) kind of got on my nerves after a while. The way it all wrapped up wasn't real believable either. During the last half I thought we had a real mystery going on that could have been interesting, but it fell really flat & disappointed me. I have read another of LH's books though that I enjoyed, so I'll probably give her another try.

Rating:
Summary: Cute... but not a keeper
Review: I'd probably give this a 3 1/2 stars if I could. It was a pretty cute one, there was some pretty humorous parts - which I always enjoy. It won't be on my keepers shelf though. The little obsession of the two main characters (trying to out do each other) kind of got on my nerves after a while. The way it all wrapped up wasn't real believable either. During the last half I thought we had a real mystery going on that could have been interesting, but it fell really flat & disappointed me. I have read another of LH's books though that I enjoyed, so I'll probably give her another try.

Rating:
Summary: AT LAST....A TOTALLY REALISTIC HEROINE!!!
Review: It's bad enough getting dumped via voice mail, by one's boyfriend....but to have it happen right before a planned, romantic getaway to an exotic Caribbean island resort?? That's what Jackie Barnett was faced with.....she couldn't believe Ben would call her a "stick-in-the-mud boring person".....just cuz she was organized and mythodical.....So what did she do to assuage her pain?? The same thing most of us would do.....run to the freezer and grab that gallon of triple fudge ice-cream...... Should she go to St. Sebastian alone??? Being a finalist in the Farley Phelps (medical research) Grant, and finding out that he would be staying at the same resort as she........helped make her decision to go-it alone........that, and the fact that another competitor, Reade Hunter, would also
be there!
So begins a delightful, romantic romp.....with engaging, colorful characters, including Reade's romance-reading,hypochondriac loving mother (who has VERY good taste in books.....) The bantering double entendres between Reade and Jackie couldn't have been better..........so very reminiscent of the Doris Day/Rock Hudson and Hepburn/Tracy comedy movies I adore! So nice to see a beautiful heroine who isn't a size 3 for a change.......Jackie is a full size 16-18 and a knockout in a bathingsuit she (unwillingly) purchased at the resort!
Did I mention the love scenes? I never knew anyone could make love like they did, right through their clothes! Had me holding my breath.....even breathing a bit heavily I admit.....
This is not an every-day average read......Yes, it's comical...fun......entertaining......but something else shows right through which is harder to define......but this author can drag us into the story, so much so, that we feel as if we are right there with the characters......I think each of us can see a bit of ourselves in Jackie's character.....who wouldn't mind having a hero like Reade! I'll be talking about this book for a long, long time....
TO MARRY AN IRISH ROGUE by this author, has been on my All-Time Most Favorite Read List since it first came out........Now, RUNAWAY BAY is on the same list......I say, RUN OUT and get yourselves a copy to "make your day!" (and nights......)
I would love to see Reade's two brothers, Kit and Ash, get their own story.....

Rating:
Summary: MyShelf.com Book Reviewer
Review: Jackie Barnett is devastated over the sudden unexpected
breakup with her boyfriend. He carelessly leaves a message on
her answering machine stating he doesn't wish to see her
again or go on their planned trip to St. Sebastian. Jackie
has two choices - to ask for a refund or to go on the trip
alone. Her decision is quickly made for her when she
discovers Farley Phelps and Reade Hunter are both scheduled
to be at the same resort that she has pre-made reservations.
Farley is the one who will make the final decision as to who
is awarded the one million dollar Phelps Grant. Reade is her
number one competition; he will stop at nothing to ensure he
is given a winning slot. Throwing caution to the wind, she
embarks on a journey that will lead her on an unexpected
adventure.

Reade Hunter plans to go to St. Sebastian on the pretense of
finding a suitable mate for his mother. As an added bonus, he
plans to seek out Farley Phelps and convince him why he is
the best candidate for the Phelps Grant. He was unprepared
for the arrival of his quick-witted, razor-tongued, sexy
competitor, Jackie Barnett. Jackie is not what he had
anticipated. He imaged her to be an uptight, straight-laced,
by-the-book researcher. The goddess's body standing before
him was crying out to explore her uncharted territory.

Lisa Hendrix's RUNAWAY BAY is a light, fun read that will
have you laughing out loud. Her delightful fresh approach is
laced with memorable characters, witty dialogue, and tons of
humor. I predict that with all these highly entertaining
elements contained in this book, it will be the best romantic
comedy that I will read in 2002.

Rating:
Summary: "Battle-of-the Sexes at It's Best!"
Review: Just what I look for in a romance! I'd reccomend this book to my friends, family, neighbours... anyone! Hendrix creates likeable charecters that readers can relate to, and there isnt an unsuspenseful moment.

Rating:
Summary: Lifts the doldrums of winter -- Highly recommended
Review: Thirty-six hours before departure for a Caribbean holiday, Jackie Barnett's boyfriend dumps her with a message left on the answering machine. He coldly announces that he needs more excitement in his life, and she can't provide it. He rails against her lists, complains that she never takes chances, and calls her boring. Jackie's tempted to cancel the trip altogether until a colleague informs her that Farley Phelps will also be in St. Sebastian for the next two weeks. The Phelps grant would fund her research for at least the next five years, and she needs it desperately. Worse, her nemesis, Reade Hunter will also be there, also courting the Phelps grant.

Reade schedules the island holiday when he realizes Jackie will be there the same time as the man who funds the grant. He takes advantage of the opportunity by bringing his mother along as an excuse so he won't look obvious courting Phelps for the grant. Looking around for Jackie, Reade expects the mousy woman from a photo in his professional journal. He's dumfounded to learn the sexy, gorgeous woman with Phelps that he's been staring at over dinner is Jackie. His mother and Farley hit off, leaving Reade and Jackie to round the foursome as they each jockey for position with one eye always on the grant they both want. As if things aren't complicated enough, a kiss proves that the grant isn't the only source of tension between them.

Author Lisa Hendrix lifts the doldrums of winter with comic humor in RUNAWAY BAY. With a million dollar grant at stake, the conflict is hot and the passions even hotter. The characterizations are wonderful, with the heroine's dress size alone making her absolutely appealing. Add her rather anal determination to make lists and plan every detail, which then blows up in her face, and the result is a delightful romp. Reade's combination of sexy body and brilliant brains makes for an unbeatable hero. In addition, Reade's hypochondriac mother also lends the tale a delightful levity. A light romance destined to keep the reader smiling, RUNAWAY BAY comes highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: amusing Caribbean romp
Review: With December icing over the city, Jackie Barnett looks forward to two weeks in the West Indies' St. Sebastian Island with her boyfriend. That changes when he leaves her a voice message that he does not want to go with her or ever see her again because he cannot abide by her constant routine of drawing and following lists with no spontaneity at all. Jackie drowns her sorrow in a half-gallon of ice cream though she did have vacation insurance.

At work her boss Walt informs Jackie of the coincidence that Farley Phelps of the Phelps Foundation for New Directions in Medicine will be at the same resort that Jackie was going to stay. Walt insists she go because they need a grant. Reluctantly Jackie goes to St. Sebastian only to find her long time nemesis Reade Hunter trying to get the same grant. As they compete for the Phelps Foundation money, Jackie and Reade fall in love. However, she is a stick in the mud while he is a daring adventurer making a relationship between these opposites impossible.

Lisa Hendrix provides fans of contemporary romances with an amusing Caribbean romp once the reader accepts the initial coincidence of the Fair Winds Resort. The story line never takes itself seriously as Jackie, who doesn't do spiders and snakes, struggles with love and competition. Reade is a heroic figure willing to slay spiders for his beloved. Anyone needing an escape even from this relatively warm winter will want to try RUNAWAY BAY because the humor never stops until the final relationship is resolved.

Harriet Klausner