Holly‘s review of The Daddy Audition by Cindi Myers a(caution – sound on the site)
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin American Romance 14 Jul 09

I enjoyed the basic premise of this story: heroine leaves to pursue her dreams and leaves high school sweetheart behind. Now she’s back and so is their attraction. 

I liked both characters up until a certain point, but then the way they refused to talk to each other and their personal insecurities started to annoy me. I understood Tanya’s reasons for leaving, just as I understood Jack’s for letting her. But as the story progressed, I became frustrated with both of them.

Jack didn’t think he could put himself out there because he didn’t know how she felt, while Tanya was suffering the same issue. By the end I was pretty fed up with both of them, though the heroine more than the hero. Mostly because she was the one who ran and refused to put herself out there in high school, and spent most of the book pushing him away again.

The parts with Tanya’s daughter were cute, but she didn’t play a very large part in the story. At times she almost seemed like a filler – there to take up space rather than enhance the story. That really disappointed me because I felt there was a lot of potential there to really highlight the character of both Tanya and Jack.

Overall not bad, but not great either.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Tanya Bledso couldn’t wait to leave Crested Butte to chase dreams of Hollywood stardom. Now the single mom has returned to run the local theater and raise her daughter. But the peaceful, charming town she took for granted has exploded into a bustling tourist attraction, thanks to one man.

Jack Crenshaw. Property developer extraordinaire…and her former high school sweetheart.

Ten years hasn’t cooled the heat between them. Worse, Jack is bonding with her daughter and giving her the crazy idea he’d make the perfect family man. But is he ready to forgive and forget the heartbreak of the past for the role he seems born to play?

Read an excerpt here.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Daddy Audition by Cindi Myers
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin American 14 July 2009

Cindi Myers continues her series set in the resort mountain town of Crested Butte, Colorado with this romance featuring a washed-up single mom actress and the man whose heart she broke ten years ago. I read and really enjoyed an earlier entry in this series, which was my sole motivation for picking up this latest title. I’m sorry to report that this tale didn’t work nearly as well for me, with most of the blame getting heaped on to the heroine’s shoulders.

Tanya Bledso was Crested Butte’s rising star. She was pretty, popular and the lead in all the school plays. She was also Jack Crenshaw’s sweetheart. However none of that was enough to keep her in her hometown. The moment she got her high school diploma in hand, she was on the first bus out of town, heading for the bright lights of Hollywood. She landed a couple of commercials, and soon was featured on a popular daytime soap opera. She got married, had her daughter, soap opera got cancelled, and now she’s back in Crested Butte to start over. Partly to lick her wounds, but also to raise her daughter, Annie, in the kinder, gentler environment than Los Angeles.

Jack Crenshaw’s heart was broken the day Tanya left for L.A. without so much as a backward glance. Now she’s back in town, and it’s opened up old wounds. However, he’s no longer the boy who so tried to impress her by joining the drama club. No, now he’s a man trying to impress her. He turned his father’s small construction outfit into a major player. He built all the condos that are springing up around town. He’s a successful, handsome, eligible bachelor. So how come he can’t seem to get over his high school sweetheart?

My main issue with this story is Tanya who comes off as one part self-absorbed and two parts dense. She practically ran out of town as if her hair was on fire, so big were her dreams and ambition. So even though she’s now the head of the local community theater and arts program, she still feels a failure. It doesn’t really help matters that she had to move in with her parents. She left town and moved on, but when she comes back she’s dismayed that Crested Butte didn’t wrap itself up in bubble wrap and wait for her. She gives Jack crap for building condos in the area. She whines about how the town has changed and how many newcomers there are. I couldn’t help thinking “Get over it cupcake. Life goes on whether you’re around or not.” Then when someone mentions to her that maybe her fleeing town 10 years ago just might have left Jack nursing a broken heart she’s shocked. No, really? Jack might have been upset that his girlfriend took off without even talking to him about it? She just assumed he was aware of her plans. Gee, why would he be upset?

Moron.

Jack seems like a nice guy, but he spends a lot of time (oh, like 10 years) pining for a woman who took off without giving him a thought. He also drags his feet for a while in confessing to Tanya how he really feels. Jack eventually does lay all of his cards out on the table, but he takes his sweet time getting around to it.

The ending is kind of sweet, but it doesn’t really help much with Tanya’s character, who still comes off as self-absorbed and wanting her own fan club. By this point Jack saves the day, but ultimately by the last page I’m left with the feeling that he deserves better.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Tanya Bledso couldn’t wait to leave Crested Butte to chase dreams of Hollywood stardom. Now the single mom has returned to run the local theater and raise her daughter. But the peaceful, charming town she took for granted has exploded into a bustling tourist attraction, thanks to one man.

Jack Crenshaw. Property developer extraordinaire…and her former high school sweetheart.

Ten years hasn’t cooled the heat between them. Worse, Jack is bonding with her daughter and giving her the crazy idea he’d make the perfect family man. But is he ready to forgive and forget the heartbreak of the past for the role he seems born to play?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: