Brown-Eyed Girl

If you've read the previous Travis books, then lower your expectations. This book is bland. It feels as though Lisa forced the story out. It lacks her ability to make the characters come alive. You never really find out who Joe is. And Avery's character feels incomplete. There's so much we still don't know about both of them. I don't understand why they fell in love. I also missed the other Travises in this book. Their family connection was so clear and tangible in all three of the previous books. This one really missed the mark for me. If I could un-read this book, I would.

How the author of Suddenly You which is full of sexual tension and brilliantly written could write a novel that is little more than a first person narrative that reads more like a recipe for oatmeal than a recipe for romance. This doesn't feel like the same author ... Not even a high school version of that author ... Disappointment would be a grave understatement.

I've always loved Lisa. She's at the top of my list for favorite authors. However this book was not quite what I expected. I was disappointed with the lack of strong characters, steamy romance, cliff hanging suspense and that Lisa Kleypas style that I know and love. I wished that this book had the well written style like "Smooth Talking Stranger"

This book has been a long time in the making. I've known since I read Sugar Daddy that the Travis family was something special. Especially since I got to watch the Travis men and women fall in love with extraordinary women and men, all except Joe. I knew Joe needed to have his story told too. He was the one Travis male who didn't fit the mold. He was an alpha man with a softer side, and that created friction between him and his father who had certain expectations of his sons. What can I say about Avery? She's spunky, determined, and a hard worker. She might not believe in happily ever after for herself but she will go above and beyond to make someone else's special day be everything they dreamed off, no questions asked. There is no problem is too big for her to handle. She's organized and meticulous. She's confident when it comes to her work but she's insecure about herself and her looks. That's something we can all relate to. All I saw was a very capable young woman who underestimated what she had to share with someone else. I hated how Avery's family was unsupportive and belittling. The only one in her corner was was her half-sister Sophia. I loved her friends/employees. I loved their camaraderie. They really made Avery smile and laugh, and me as well. I loved the tension between Sophia and Steven. Their back and forth verbal sparring was truly exciting to behold and great foreplay as well. I was so hoping they'd get together. I also loved how they pushed Avery to leave her safe holding pattern. They provided both friendship and the boost she needed to relax sometimes and take risks she wouldn't have. Joe couldn't have had better allies to woo her if he'd tried. Joe was exactly what Avery needed. He was supportive and challenged her to step out of the confines she'd put herself in to keep her heart safe. You could tell Joe was really into Avery, even when she was trying her best to push him away. It was easy to see how much Joe had changed in the years and the lessons he'd learned from what life had brought him. I loved Joe's overall attitude towards life. Life wasn't always kind to him, even being a charmed Travis, but it was admirable how he took it all in stride. It's amazing how Lisa Kleypas managed to make me fall in love with him through only Avery's eyes. We're never privy to his innermost thoughts, only his actions, yet they were enough to win me over completely. I loved seeing Avery and Joe interact with each other. They had amazing chemistry. I can't tell you how turned on I was while reading this book. In terms of heat, it's all mostly suggestive, but the way it's written you can not only see it, but feel it. That takes true talent. Lisa Kleypas is also the queen at the slow burn. She builds anticipation with precision and great technique. I was so happy to see the Travis-Cates clan together. It wasn't just Gage, Liberty, Haven, Hardy, Jack, Emma, and Luke, but it was seeing their strong bonds with each other and how their families had grown with time. My heart hurt to find out Churchill had passed. I would've loved for him to meet Avery. I think he would've adored her. I also loved meeting Ryan, a cousin to the Travis'. I fell in love with him a little in this book, and I would love to read a full length story featuring him one day. That man needs some honest love. Lisa Kleypas might have made us wait for this story, but the wait was so worth it. The story flowed beautifully and her writing bordered on poetic. I was able to "see" what she was describing in my mind. I devoured the story in handful of hours, but it felt like no time at all. I wouldn't have minded reading another hundred pages or two. I sincerely hope the wait between this book and her next contemporary won't be so long. I can never get enough of her writing and stories!

The story happened so fast, weak to no conflict , lackluster denouement... I liked the characters but I wish they were fleshed out a bit more. Simply an ok read , disappointed because I am a huge LK fan.

Lisa K is one of my favorite Romance authors, and her Houston series is definitely my favorite. However, I felt that the character of Joe was underdeveloped as compared to his siblings in the other books. Furthermore, the ending felt abrupt. And this book lacked a lot of the local color that was so wonderfully captured in the earlier books. In general tho, I enjoyed the book!

I love most LK novels, especially the Travis series. I was counting off the days to buy this one Hoping they would be as good as the first three. This book is about 75% as good as those. Where is Joe Travis? We waited years for his story and I feel like I got a plug-in hero that could have been used in any other book. Where is his journey? I get why he is attracted to Avery but why is he working so hard for her? I got why Jack pursued Ella, I got why Hardy pursued Haven and I got why Gage pursued Liberty. There was not enough established to give Joe reason to so strongly pursue a woman who gave him the Heisman so thoroughly at the beginning of the story. Lazy writing. Lisa is better than this.

I really wanted to like this. I was so excited for some new Lisa Kleypas! Unfortunately it fell flat. Really, really flat. There is absolutely no horsepower to this story. There's some humor and a couple (far less than typical) steamy scenes, but no depth. Fans of the author's earlier works, or even the other two books in this series, will miss her patented powerful love stories. This one was phoned in. A complete lack of sympathetic heroine, a too good to be true hero with zero flaws (he photographs shelter animals pro bono in his spare time when he's not risking his life embedded with troops in Afghanistan or serving on the board of his insanely wealthy family's charitable foundation ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS?), thin subplots, tired back stories, it's like an MFA project gone wrong. Too much formula, not enough Lisa Kleypas. Bring back the ache! The yearning! Characters with humanity! I have big hopes for her next historical. This story, while mildly entertaining, was - for me - the nail in the coffin for Kleypas' contemporary efforts.

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. Avery Crosslin is a wedding coordinator, but there is a small problem she doesn't believe in love. Avery mistakes Joe Travis as the professional photographer for the wedding. However Joe is one of the Texas Travises . Because of her past, Avery thinks all men are like her father, who couldn't be with one woman and after being left at the altar just doesnt trust men. Joe has his job as a protographer, but there is more to him than Avery believes. Now Joe has to get Avery to take a chance on him. Will true love prevail??