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readingems's review against another edition
4.0
A great chick lit! As a fan of the black dagger brotherhood and fallen angel series', it was highly likely I was going to like Ward writing as Jessica Bird. An irresistable bachelor is one of her earlier novels and there are many elements of her writing that can be seen at their fundamental stage in this book.
The book has all the elements of her other books - romance, humour and intrigue!
This is a quick and easy book to read and if you enjoy JR Wards books, you will probably enjoy these lighter books written as Jessia Bird.
The book has all the elements of her other books - romance, humour and intrigue!
This is a quick and easy book to read and if you enjoy JR Wards books, you will probably enjoy these lighter books written as Jessia Bird.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Second in the Unforgettable Lady romance series revolving around a group of friends and their families on the East Coast.
Another warm and intelligent romance between two people one of whom combines the artistic with the scientific while the other is ruthless in business. It explores the insecurities of a woman fed up with secrets yet unable to throw off a lifetime of keeping them while it delights in a man's first experience with love. No real surprise there after reading of his parents!
Ward continues to use misperception between Jack and Callie to create the greatest tension although Callie's accident with the painting incorporated a good bit of fear. What I don't understand is why Jack didn't throw his mother's origins back at her?! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Nor why Callie didn't get on the phone to Grace a lot sooner.
I appreciate Ward not insulting us or her intelligent characters' understanding of the realities of political campaigning. I also adored Jack continually stepping up to defend Callie!
Oops, one isn't supposed to fall in lust with someone other than one's fiancée! After getting engaged in An Unforgettable Lady to Blair, Jack then fell in lust with Grace's half-sister, Callie Burke, an art conservator Jack hires to restore the Copley portrait of the first Nathaniel Walker.
Even worse, he intends that Callie restore the painting at his home in Boston. A real recipe for disaster when neither of them can keep their hands off each other setting off flashbacks for Callie of her parents' interactions while Jack is troubled by his own inability to resist.
When Callie refuses to tell Jack about her parents, he becomes conflicted over his growing love for her and his need to implement the changes he believes will help the state of Massachusetts if he becomes governor. A political race that could have disastrous results because of their relationship.
Jackson "Jack" Walker is the younger twin who is engaged to Blair Stanford. The same twin who saved the family's bacon after Nathaniel VI, his father, pissed it away. Arthur is Jack's Irish wolfhound. Mercedes Walker is his scheming bitch of a mother. Elsie is Mrs. Walker's secretary.
Callie Burke is Grace Woodward Hall's dirty secret. Too loyal to betray Grace and angry over her father's betrayals, Callie wants nothing to do with the wealthy Jack Walker.
Thomas is the Walker family's one-armed cook. Grayson Bennett is helping Jack determine if he should run for governor and the first man Jack considers talking to as to whether he should take Callie on a date.
Grace Woodward Hall and Ross Smith (formerly John Smith) get engaged and play a small role (see An Unforgettable Lady). Karl Graves owns the hotel which Blair is currently renovating; I suspect he may become more involved in Blair's life later.
The cover definitely gives off that playboy air with Jack Walker looking out at us, his shirt unbuttoned to display a gorgeous chest and his bow tie undone as he stands at the foot of a curving staircase. Jack definitely has the look of a determined and sexy man with that five o'clock shadow and his assessing gaze.
The title sums up what An Irresistible Bachelor Jack Walker is as well as an indicator of the reputation he must overcome with both Massachusetts and Callie.
My Take
Another warm and intelligent romance between two people one of whom combines the artistic with the scientific while the other is ruthless in business. It explores the insecurities of a woman fed up with secrets yet unable to throw off a lifetime of keeping them while it delights in a man's first experience with love. No real surprise there after reading of his parents!
Ward continues to use misperception between Jack and Callie to create the greatest tension although Callie's accident with the painting incorporated a good bit of fear. What I don't understand is why Jack didn't throw his mother's origins back at her?! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Nor why Callie didn't get on the phone to Grace a lot sooner.
I appreciate Ward not insulting us or her intelligent characters' understanding of the realities of political campaigning. I also adored Jack continually stepping up to defend Callie!
The Story
Oops, one isn't supposed to fall in lust with someone other than one's fiancée! After getting engaged in An Unforgettable Lady to Blair, Jack then fell in lust with Grace's half-sister, Callie Burke, an art conservator Jack hires to restore the Copley portrait of the first Nathaniel Walker.
Even worse, he intends that Callie restore the painting at his home in Boston. A real recipe for disaster when neither of them can keep their hands off each other setting off flashbacks for Callie of her parents' interactions while Jack is troubled by his own inability to resist.
When Callie refuses to tell Jack about her parents, he becomes conflicted over his growing love for her and his need to implement the changes he believes will help the state of Massachusetts if he becomes governor. A political race that could have disastrous results because of their relationship.
The Characters
Jackson "Jack" Walker is the younger twin who is engaged to Blair Stanford. The same twin who saved the family's bacon after Nathaniel VI, his father, pissed it away. Arthur is Jack's Irish wolfhound. Mercedes Walker is his scheming bitch of a mother. Elsie is Mrs. Walker's secretary.
Callie Burke is Grace Woodward Hall's dirty secret. Too loyal to betray Grace and angry over her father's betrayals, Callie wants nothing to do with the wealthy Jack Walker.
Thomas is the Walker family's one-armed cook. Grayson Bennett is helping Jack determine if he should run for governor and the first man Jack considers talking to as to whether he should take Callie on a date.
Grace Woodward Hall and Ross Smith (formerly John Smith) get engaged and play a small role (see An Unforgettable Lady). Karl Graves owns the hotel which Blair is currently renovating; I suspect he may become more involved in Blair's life later.
The Cover
The cover definitely gives off that playboy air with Jack Walker looking out at us, his shirt unbuttoned to display a gorgeous chest and his bow tie undone as he stands at the foot of a curving staircase. Jack definitely has the look of a determined and sexy man with that five o'clock shadow and his assessing gaze.
The title sums up what An Irresistible Bachelor Jack Walker is as well as an indicator of the reputation he must overcome with both Massachusetts and Callie.
heidenkind's review against another edition
1.0
The heroine didn't make ANY sense. It's no wonder the male characters are the only likable ones; they're the only ones who act believably.
tessisreading2's review against another edition
2.0
The writing was good and the details of art conservation were interesting, but the pacing was off and the characterizations were more one-note than I generally expect from this author.
andreana_k's review against another edition
3.0
So I basically read this book to see if J. R Ward writes the same when she's authoring as someone else. She doesn't. Experiment concluded.
There is quite a different voice and not at all the prescriptive dialogue of the BDB series 'and wasn't that just the kick in the balls that he knew was owedto him...that female was trouble...truth' and so on. Confirms she's probably quite insane, too much hair bleach or something.
There is quite a different voice and not at all the prescriptive dialogue of the BDB series 'and wasn't that just the kick in the balls that he knew was owedto him...that female was trouble...truth' and so on. Confirms she's probably quite insane, too much hair bleach or something.
miraphora's review against another edition
4.0
Classico romance in versione Ward
Oppure Ward in versione romance classico?
Alla fine, però, il risultato è lo stesso. 4 Stelline e un senso generale di soddisfazione.
Più che nella BDB e nella serie degli Angeli, nei suoi contemporanei la Ward fa sentire, in modo veramente incisivo, la sua evoluzione di scrittrice.
Passa da romanzi abbozzati, poco formati e poco coinvolgenti, a storie più definite, con una trama che segue uno schema classico in modo fluido e logico, personaggi delineati molto bene che si lasciano muovere nella trama scuotendo i momenti noiosi.
Insomma, si sente che la Ward fatica parecchio con il romance puro e che i confini degli schemi prefissati le stanno molto stretti. I suoi eroi non hanno libertà e hanno un margine di azione misero che non permette loro di esprimersi al 100%. C'è sempre la sensazione che i protagonisti nascondano qualcosa, perché NON possono dire o fare, non hanno indipendenza letteraria.
Stesso discorso per la Ward, che nella lettera d'apertura sottolinea come sia stata costretta a smussare gli angoli dell'eroe, ammorbidendolo, rendendolo più conforme allo stereotipo maschile di romance.
E' un peccato, perché la Ward a briglia sciolta raggiunge livelli di creatività molto alti.
Callie e Jackson sono due personaggi con grandi potenzialità, lei meno di lui. La nostra eroina è la classica ragazza sfortunata, povera in canna e dal passato da nascondere. Figlia illegittima, mai amata dal padre, quasi ignorata dalla madre, è sempre stata l'ultima ruota del carro. Proprio mentre è al verde totale arriva la classica botta di cul...ehm il colpo di fortuna. Il bel tenebroso Jackson, uomo d'affari ricco sfondato, le stacca un assegno stellare per restaurare un quadro. Ma non solo! Siccome a Jack si è svegliato l'ormone alla vista della rossa Callie vestita di stracci, decide di portarsela in casa con la scusa che così potrà lavorare meglio sul quadro.
Cosa potrà mai succedere? Jackson fa di tutto - anche cornificare la fidanzata - per avere Callie ma man mano che passa tempo con lei si rende conto che non è una semplice ossessione. L'ormone non c'entra, ma il suo cuoricino nero nero si.
Così si libera delle pastoie delle apparenze e si lascia andare in una relazione con alti e bassi, madri che si impicciano, amici che ci provano con Callie, ricconi snob e segreti di famiglia.
Ma il lieto fine, candido e sciropposo, arriva con due paginette misere e tanto di elezione di Jackson a governatore e pargolo in arrivo. La fine è così mielosa e così nauseante che si sente che anche la Ward non ce la faceva a scriverla.
Me lo aspettavo, comunque, e in fin dei conti sono poche paginette. Facciamo il sacrificio perché il romanzo si lascia leggere che è una meraviglia e appassiona molto.
Oppure Ward in versione romance classico?
Alla fine, però, il risultato è lo stesso. 4 Stelline e un senso generale di soddisfazione.
Più che nella BDB e nella serie degli Angeli, nei suoi contemporanei la Ward fa sentire, in modo veramente incisivo, la sua evoluzione di scrittrice.
Passa da romanzi abbozzati, poco formati e poco coinvolgenti, a storie più definite, con una trama che segue uno schema classico in modo fluido e logico, personaggi delineati molto bene che si lasciano muovere nella trama scuotendo i momenti noiosi.
Insomma, si sente che la Ward fatica parecchio con il romance puro e che i confini degli schemi prefissati le stanno molto stretti. I suoi eroi non hanno libertà e hanno un margine di azione misero che non permette loro di esprimersi al 100%. C'è sempre la sensazione che i protagonisti nascondano qualcosa, perché NON possono dire o fare, non hanno indipendenza letteraria.
Stesso discorso per la Ward, che nella lettera d'apertura sottolinea come sia stata costretta a smussare gli angoli dell'eroe, ammorbidendolo, rendendolo più conforme allo stereotipo maschile di romance.
E' un peccato, perché la Ward a briglia sciolta raggiunge livelli di creatività molto alti.
Callie e Jackson sono due personaggi con grandi potenzialità, lei meno di lui. La nostra eroina è la classica ragazza sfortunata, povera in canna e dal passato da nascondere. Figlia illegittima, mai amata dal padre, quasi ignorata dalla madre, è sempre stata l'ultima ruota del carro. Proprio mentre è al verde totale arriva la classica botta di cul...ehm il colpo di fortuna. Il bel tenebroso Jackson, uomo d'affari ricco sfondato, le stacca un assegno stellare per restaurare un quadro. Ma non solo! Siccome a Jack si è svegliato l'ormone alla vista della rossa Callie vestita di stracci, decide di portarsela in casa con la scusa che così potrà lavorare meglio sul quadro.
Cosa potrà mai succedere? Jackson fa di tutto - anche cornificare la fidanzata - per avere Callie ma man mano che passa tempo con lei si rende conto che non è una semplice ossessione. L'ormone non c'entra, ma il suo cuoricino nero nero si.
Così si libera delle pastoie delle apparenze e si lascia andare in una relazione con alti e bassi, madri che si impicciano, amici che ci provano con Callie, ricconi snob e segreti di famiglia.
Ma il lieto fine, candido e sciropposo, arriva con due paginette misere e tanto di elezione di Jackson a governatore e pargolo in arrivo. La fine è così mielosa e così nauseante che si sente che anche la Ward non ce la faceva a scriverla.
Me lo aspettavo, comunque, e in fin dei conti sono poche paginette. Facciamo il sacrificio perché il romanzo si lascia leggere che è una meraviglia e appassiona molto.
michellefleming33's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't like this one as much as the first one.
I did enjoy it, but it just wasn't hitting home for me.
A lot of things could have cleared up better if Callie and Jack just spoke with each other, instead of silent fights.
I did enjoy it, but it just wasn't hitting home for me.
A lot of things could have cleared up better if Callie and Jack just spoke with each other, instead of silent fights.
intensej's review against another edition
2.0
Art historian meets a rich billionaire who is planning on running for office to become a Governor. They fall in love.
intensej's review against another edition
2.0
I felt like the characters didn't have any chemistry together.