Sandy M’s review of All Out of Love (Cupid Texas, Book 2) by Lori Wilde
Contemporary Romance published by Avon 25 Jun 13
So far each book in this series has started out really nicely, flowing along, introducing me to likeable characters; but then something happens and the seams come apart for a little while. I’m not sure exactly what it is that causes this, but I have a couple of ideas.
We’re back in Cupid, Texas, where the town attracts tourists left and right with everything to do with love. They even have a Dear Cupid column in the paper, and that’s where Lace’s heartache and humiliation began fourteen years ago. Pouring her heart out in her own letter to that diminutive bowman, it somehow was published in the paper and the entire town learned of her teenage crush. The book starts with this scenario, and you feel Lace’s hurt and embarrassment. She’s the one who’s left who has to get past the taunts and zings that follow, while Pierce heads toward his future as the Dallas Cowboys quarterback. Lace has been back home for a while now, after finishing college, and she’s lived down that worst time of her life. Pierce is back in town, but Lace is a grown woman now, so that shouldn’t bother her a bit. Right?
Pierce is still recuperating after being injured in the Super Bowl, shades of Joe Theismann. He’s also back because his father is ill, and hopefully also working alongside his brother they’ll find out what is wrong and keep the ranch running. When he comes face to face with Lace the first time, he doesn’t recognize her and she’s got her back up about that, despite her thought she’s okay with the fact he’s back. I like Pierce. He’s my favorite part of the book. Despite what Lace thinks, Pierce has always liked her, and when he realizes who she is, he really likes the woman she’s become, and he doesn’t take her consistent no for an answer when he tries to get closer. I also like that his fame and riches haven’t totally gone to his head. He still wants to get back on track in his career, taking therapy seriously, but if things don’t go as planned? Well, he’ll adapt.
On the other hand, Lace tries to keep her distance from Pierce, though her heart races every time she runs into him. There’s a lot going on, namely trying to keep the Cupid botanical garden open after the town discovers their coffers have been embezzled of a boatload of money. The only option available is a fundraiser, and that puts Lace squarely in Pierce’s life, since he’s the only one who can draw in the elite to help her keep her passion going. By this time she’s only just acknowledging her feelings for him. Even after they hit the sheets, she tries her best to not make a whole lot of it. This goes on much too long for me. After her rebelliousness during her college years, wild and promiscuous, and since no one really thinks about that teenage disaster, I can’t for the life of me figure out why she wouldn’t want to be with Pierce. She thinks she can’t fit into his world and lets a couple of instances convince her of that, but the man has in no uncertain terms let her know how he feels. And she feels the same.
The shell of this story is basically the same as the previous one in this series. Different characters in different circumstances, but they fight way too long to come together. I guess I’m getting a bit jaded about this aspect in the romance novel, because I’m reading it more and more, no matter the genre. I waffled on my final grade, but I just couldn’t go higher, because I’d been hoping for more since the last book, and that just hasn’t been delivered to me. So at this point, I’m not sure about Book 3. Will have to wait and see how I feel when the time comes.
Grade: C+
Summary:
Football star Pierce Hollister has fame, fortune, and beautiful women who’ll do anything for him…whether he asks them to or not. But when it all comes crashing down, Pierce finds himself back home, running the ranch in Cupid, Texas, wondering how it all went wrong.
But one thing is right: Lace Bettingfield. The former plain-Jane has turned into luscious knock-out—trouble is, she won’t even give him the time of day no matter how many passes he makes.
Being in love with your older brother’s best friend is awkward enough, and Pierce was the cause of Lace’s most embarrassing high school moment ever when her secret letter to him declaring her love landed right on the front page of the school newspaper! Pierce is still as stubborn, sexy, and arrogant as ever…but Lace is about to see that things aren’t always as they seem…especially when it comes to love.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
