Be My Valentine

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Romance
Review: 'Be My Valentine' was my first Sheila Rabe novel, but definately not my last. I fell in love with these characters in the first chapter! Shelby Barrett is the girl we'd all like to be- even for just a little while. Fabulously talented, smart, witty and beautiful with a handsome snake of a boyfriend (who refuses to propose) and a mysterious 'make believe' admirer... who turns out no to be so 'make believe' after all. This book has everything you want ...romance, comedy, drama, and a cast of secondary charactres like Shelby's mom, romance writer Diana Valentine and Matt's Romeo uncle Lance- who steam up more than a few pages themselves. I really liked this book and will definately keep my eye out for other titles by Ms. Rabe. It's a lot of fun, and a really enjoying read. Grab this one today.

Rating:
Summary: A sweetheart of a book
Review: I continue to be impressed by Sheila Rabe's new contemporary novels. This fresh take on the war of the sexes is a lot of fun, but the characters don't just romp through the story. They grow, especially Shelby, who started out as clueless as they come (I've known a few Shelbys) and ended up with both a clue and--thanks to some newly developed backbone--a bright future. And David...well, short or not, he's a dreamboat.

I can hardly wait to see what this author comes up with next.

Rating:
Summary: fun but forgettable
Review: I recently read this book, and it was one of the best novels I have ever read. I enjoy the way that Sheila writes and I would recommend this book to anyone that likes to "curl up with a good book!"

Rating:
Summary: Be my Valentine - forever please.
Review: I think I have just found my auto-buy of contemporary romance. I have been really enjoying several contemporary authors this year and their greatest universal gift seems to be humor (my drug of choice).

Sheila Rabe knows women. She must have hundreds of girlfriends, or else she writes about her own life in order to grasp our idiocies so well (oops, Sorry Sheila! That came out wrong ). The main character, Shelby Barrett, takes loyalty to an extreme I could never have managed, but I do know women like her. Lots of women like her. Hmmmmm. Shelby has been in love with Matt for 3 years, but when the engagement ring doesn't appear at Christmas, and New Year's evening yields only a kiss, something in Shelby snaps.

You have to read this book to really appreciate what Shelby goes through to sort her life out. I smiled and laughed through much of it, especially the part where Shelby sends flowers to herself at work in order to make Matt jealous. Unfortunately (?) she decides to invent a man to send them, you know, like when Sandra Dee sent flowers to herself in that old movie and then pretended to be a secretary ordering them for her boss? Shelby puts a lot of thought into it, inventing the boss's name and all. She used to love reruns of Davy Jones in the Monkees hence her new guy becomes David Jones. To Shelby's mortification Matt tracks down a real David Jones and goes and threatens the life out of him.

No more plot giveaway (except for the highly entertaining subplot of Shelby's romance-author mom Diana of no libido, and Matt's gorgeous uncle Lance). Just the best quote, my favorite from the book: 'Shelby closed her Nora Roberts novel. She always hated to come to the end of a good story. It was a little like having a friend move away just as you were getting close.' (Sheila Rabe, Be My Valentine, page 143.) AMEN. Not only is Sheila Rabe not afraid to drop a fellow author's name, she knows exactly how I felt when I finished Be My Valentine.

Rating:
Summary: Did not hold my interest
Review: I'm the odd person out here, but this book did not hold my attention. I did not find the characters very compelling, and I found the plot a little weak. I guess I could not understand why a 23-year old girl just out of college and starting on a new acting career would be completely obsessed with marriage. I also found the character of David Jones a little too patient, understanding, sympathic and goody-goody for me; I like my heroes to have a little "bad boy" in their soul.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Read
Review: If you've never read a book by Sheila Rabe, this is a great one to start with. From the quirky cover to the last sentence, it won't disappoint. It's humorous, delightful, has a hero to die for and is far from predictable. Treat yourself to this great read. You'll be glad you did.

Rating:
Summary: A good romance to read on a cold winter's night
Review: In Seattle, after going out exclusively with Matt Armstrong, wannabe actress Shelby Barrett expected a ring by New Year's Eve if not Christmas. When the engagement failed to materialize, Shelby walks out on Matt at a party. The next day, Shelby asks a noted expert, bestselling romance writer and coincidentally her mother, Diana, for help. In turn, Matt turns to his Uncle Lance Gregory, a renowned lover, for guidance.

Modifying her mother's advice, Shelby arranges to receive flowers signed by a David Jones at the office where she and Matt work. Matt does some amateur sleuthing and tracks down a David Jones at a nearby business. He warns the bewildered man to stay away from his girl. Feeling mortified that her "character" named for a Monkee was threatened. She calls to apologize, but soon questions her love for Matt as she finds more in common with David who makes her a believer.

BE MY VALENTINE is a warm romantic romp that readers will enjoy. The story line is humorous, often satirical especially the relationship between the advisors. Shelby takes a bit of getting used to, but be patient because she actually is endearing. David might be small in stature, but his attitude and support is what many women desire.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: fun but forgettable
Review: Rabe captures the exasperating and priceless relationship of mother and daughter, her dialogue is sharp, and she includes touches of local Seattle color to make her scenes more believable. Unfortunately, the main character of this book, Shelby, comes across as somewhat manipulative and immature. She seems totally unaware that marriage entails more than diamond rings and wedding bouquets. She's twenty-three and has a Master's degree, but in many ways her emotional age seemed to be about 16. Maybe, in her short-sightedness and lack of self-knowledge, she's not that different from many of us in real life, but when reading fiction I tend to like my heroines and heroes a tiny bit more idealized. I kept found myself thinking, "Kid, you have NO business marrying ANYONE until you grow up a little!"

Shelby's mom, on the other hand, is a great character, and the subplot revolving around her is engaging.

Rating:
Summary: A Valentine Delight
Review: Shelby has one wish for New Years - she wants her boyfriend Matt to give her an engagement ring! Well she can forget about it because good looking, self-centered, Matt has no intention of marrying her. He's perfectly happy with things as they are because with little or no effort he has a beautiful, smart woman to go out with, share his bed and cook for him whenever he drops by. Shelby shares her frustration with her Mom, Diana, a gorgeous, accomplished romance novelist who has no illusions about men and is content with the lifestyle that her career provides. She wants to tell her daughter to forget about Matt, but understands that she needs to learn herself. Reluctantly she tells Shelby to send flowers to herself in order to make Matt jealous. Shebly does it and signs the card with a name she makes up: David Jones. Well David Jones turns out to be very real, very attractive and very much attracted to Shelby. As Matt figures out that he's losing his girlfriend to another man, he seeks the advice of his rich, middle aged, and handsome playboy uncle, Lance Gregory, who owns an upscale jewelry store chain. Uncle Lance likes young women and the fast life and tells Matt that he can win Shelby back by giving her jewelry and in the meantime he agrees that he will distract her disapproving mother, Diana, so that Matt can successfully get back with Shelby. Little does Uncle Lance know what a profound effect Diana will have on his playboy ways. All in all, this is a fun romantic read and the romance that blossoms between both Shelby and David and Diana and Lance give this book a great twist. It's one for the collection.

Rating:
Summary: A very enjoyable book filled with romance!
Review: This was my first Sheila Rabe book which was loaned to me by a friend and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Shelby Barrett wants nothing more than for her boyfriend to propose on New Year's Eve. When this doesn't happen she turns to her mother, Diana Barrett a romance novelist, for advice. She decides to send herself flowers from a "secret admirer" - isn't Shelby surprised when she find out that he actually exists and works only a few buildings away. This book was very readable and thoroghly enjoyable - filled with romance, friendship, some personal growth and a few quirky coincidences. And comes with a great hero - hope everyone can find their own David Jones! I would definitely recommend this book and will look forward to my next Sheila Rabe book.