Review: Kiss Me If You Can

Kiss Me If You Can
Carly Phillips
Contemporary Romance
Most Eligible Bachelor/Book 1
Harlequin/July 2010
ARC/NetGalley

From the publisher's website ~

Sam Cooper ('Coop' ) has just become the most eligible bachelor in New York City. Now that he has foiled a jewelry-store robbery and has been rewarded with the ring of his choice, single women all over the city are fawning over the crime reporter. But Coop isn't interested in the admirers sending racy underwear his way. His attention is centered solely on Lexie Davis, the only woman in the city who claims not to be interested in his bachelor status.

Instead, free-spirited Lexie is interested in Coop's antique ring, and its - potentially scandalous - history in her family. But Coop is quickly becoming more than just her route to the ring. When his investigation starts to uncover the truth, will she trust her heart - and her family secrets - to this most eligible bachelor?

The first book in a new series about the sexy and handsome bachelors of New York City and the women they fall. After reading Kiss Me If You Can, I say bring on the Bachelors! Phillips is off to a good start with a heroine who loves to travel the world and a hero who turns out to be a real hero when he stops a robbery. Coop and Lexie were an odd couple with Coop looking for a long term relationship and Lexie only sticking around until the travel bug bit her again. They just go to prove that opposites attract.

It all starts with a ring. Sam Cooper aka Coop, is a writer who works the crime beat for the city's paper. He comes from a family of cops so crime is something he's familiar with. One day his life changed when he goes from crime reporter to superhero, stopping a robber with his quick thinking. Oh, I liked Coop a whole bunch. He's sweet, funny, smart, sexy and has this way of putting people at ease and making them open up to him. He comes from a family of cops but an injury kept him off the police force. So he covers the crime beat while writing novels in his spare time. He's published one novel but is having a hard time getting his butt in gear and getting that second novel written. The gaudy ring he is given in reward for stopping the jewelry store thief gets Coop's imagination rolling and a story starts to take shape.

Lexie Davis is a web designer. She has great vision and is quickly building a name for company. She also loves to travel which is why she lives with her grandmother when she's in the city. Lexie comes from a family of conservatives who hold more traditional jobs. They view her work and travels as eccentric and don't give her much encouragement so it's not surprising that she doesn't have a good, close relationship with her parents. Lexie does have a great relationship with her grandmother, Charlotte. Charlotte Davis is a feisty lady pushing 80 who has got the attitude of someone much younger. She's funny and goes after what she wants. After meeting Coop, Charlotte just knows he's the one for Lexie. Lexie definitely thinks Coop is hot and is wildly attracted to him but he wants a relationship and Lexie doesn't do long term. She lives in the here and now and needs to be on the move which is why she doesn't have her own place. She's a nomad while Coop is firmly entrenched with work, family and friends in New York City.

Coop and Lexie meet up at a dumpster. Not the best start to a romance but they get past the dumpster and Lexie and Coop soon find themselves working together researching the ring and its history. Lexie wants the ring for her grandmother but Coop isn't ready to give it up just yet. He's got this story he wants to write and he wants to keep Lexie around. I liked how Phillips had the hero as the "homebody" and the heroine as the world travel. A bit of a twist on the more traditional characterization. And the way Coop dealt with Lexie's mobile lifestyle was that he tried to be understanding but at the same time he's continuing to fall for her and he doesn't want to lose her. Lexie is stubborn and doesn't want to give up her nomadic lifestyle, especially for a man. She's been burned before and isn't going to let it happen again.

Lexie was a character that while I liked her, she held back. She kept herself at a distance from people. Her lifestyle doesn't permit long term relationships but Coop wants to change that. The byplay between Lexie and Coop is realistic without being overdone. They both have issues with where their relationship is going. Lexie sees it as having a great time until she leaves for wherever. Coop wants Lexie to stay in the city and build a life with him. Two opposites are going to have to make compromises. It's how they come to that compromise that made this such a sweet love story. I liked how neither character made a complete 180 but learned to bend because it felt right not because they felt forced to make changes.

The secondary story lines dealing with the Bachelor Blog and Lexie's grandmother's connection to Coop's ring added an air of mystery and comedy. I loved the way Charlotte and her best bud Sylvia worked behind the scenes to get Lexie and Coop together. Very much a Lucy and Ethel feel to them only far more competent. The Bachelor Blog made Coop even more popular with the public, the women in particular went crazy over him. But Coop only wants one woman.

Overall, a fun contemporary romance and a good start to a new series.

Rating: B+