Texas), Lady Be Good (Wynette

This book's premise, that a Englishwoman comes to Texas to tarnish her reputation enough that an English lord won't want to marry her, and falls in lust with a Texan golf pro who needs to stay out of trouble sounded cute and funny. However, it turned into a tale of a woman who couldn't actually stand up for herself and does stupid things to try to fool the English lord. I found myself trying to believe that an English lord would have the power that is assigned to Hugh, but I just couldn't take my head from the 21st century back to the 13th......I absolutely HATED the joking manner in which a man spanking a woman was presented....I work with to many battered women to think this is funny. All in all it was just okay.

Well, I have been considering reading Susan Elizabeth Phillips for a while now ever since _First Lady_ came out and my bookstore had a huge display set up for it. I walked past it a dozen times, each time thinking "I wonder if she's good". Well, this summer, I finally got a chance to find out, boy is she ever! Susan's words come alive on the page, and her stories are so enveloping that you won't want to do anything but read. I became extremly involved in the lives of Kenny and Emma. Their story was fresh and truly one of my favorite contemporary stories. This book made me look at golf in a diferent way. First, I've got to tell that my family is all about golf. We live and breathe it here. So, when I saw that Kenny was a golfer, I was a little wary. But, I now see golf in a diferent light, and maybe even (gasp!) like it just a little bit. For those of you out there who want to learn a little bit about the PGA tour while enjoying yourself, pick up this book! You will learn little facts without even knowing it. Kenny was a dear character. At first, you'll think he's a lazy slug, but you will soon find out that that is just a cover to what he's really like. Emma was one of those females that you hope you'll be like one day. She's kind, caring, passionate and not perfect... my favorite combo. And SEP's writing. Gosh, what can I say? She's fabulous... absolutely fabulous. _Lady Be Good_ is one of the best books I've ever read. But don't just take my word for it; pick up a copy and see for yourself!

Susan Elizabeth Philips is the master of romantic comedy I swear! I have not laughed out so loud in many novels except for other of hers only. Her witty dialogues, the arguments between hero and heroine or other family members are the funniest.
Kenny was the dearest lazy guy. I mean laziness is never a very endearing quality but Kenny just made me realize that it isn't so bad especially when you are not lazy about important things ;-). Anyway his offbeat sense of humor and his offbeat family were so refreshing, I just didn't want this novel to end.
But Emma, well she was ok. I liked her in the beginning but she sometimes acted so freakishly like when she slapped Kenny, I couldn't work up much liking for her. I know she thought Kenny had done something very wrong but why did she have to become violent about it? After all she was a school teacher. Wouldn't you think she cud hurt her students too if she can't control her anger? Anyway Kenny and his family did makeup for her shortcomings too, so I am not going to complain anymore and I would still give this novel 5 stars. After all this novel gave me so much to laugh about even after I have finished. It was the best novel even among SEP's other novels too.
Torie and Dexter's romance was different! Can't think of any other word to describe it. I hated Torie for the way she treated Dexter even after she started liking him. I do understand her pride but what I don't understand why would Dexter put up with her bad manners? But well that spanking incident well that was hot! SEP can write the best hot and humorous romance. I am looking forward to read many more of her books!

Although I generally enjoy Phillips and her First Lady book is a favorite, this book has to be one of the worst contemporary romances I have ever read. The originating event that leads the heroine to our hero has to be one of the weakest plot devices ever used in a contemporary romance. In fact, it is just stupid, to say nothing of unbelievable. The author asks us to believe that in the 1990s there is an attractive 30 year old virgin who is headmistress of an exclusive girls's school in England who is being blackmailed by an obnoxious nobleman (on whose estate this long-lived school is located) into marrying him to provide him with a desperately-longed for male heir because he has picked her out as the ONLY possible wife for himself. If she does not marry her virgin self to him he will have the school torn down. So she decides that she must publicly prove herself to be a less than a virgin so that the evil nobleman will no longer want her and therefore give up his treacherous designs on the school's land. Give me a break. I am willing to suspend credulity, but only so far. This plot device would work in a Regency romance, but not in a modern romance. Also -- how many 30 year olds are headmistresses (to say nothing of virgins)? And what kind of idiots are the school's board of trustees to have operated a school on land without any contract whatsoever? And if she publicly humiliates the nobleman by proving that she, his publicly affianced, is (not a virgin) -- won't there be retribution anyway? Anyway, she decides to go to Texas to lose her virginity (...). Her best friend arranges for the hero(of course, a gorgeous Texas jock) to be her escort. Although he is the world's best golfer, she has never seen his picture or even heard his name. Okaaay. By the time they get to his condo from the airport he has convinced her that he is a male prostitute and for a fee will be happy to deflower her. (Either she is too stupid and gullible to be a school headmistress or the author thinks we readers are stupid and gullible enough to buy this tripe.) And it gets worse, because every time she does something publicly to prove she is less than pristine (because she knows the evil nobleman has sent a spy to Texas to check up on her) the reports the nobleman gets are less than accurate, because it turns out our hero is the spy and does not want to publicly brand her as tawdry! How the hero and the evil nobleman have a connection is just unbelievable. Then there is a truly annoying subplot with the hero's sister being forced to marry her father's business partner, (another Regency device) who of course turns out to love her and be a pistol in bed (but she must be shown her place and spanked before the sex occurs). Yeeech. I could have lived without that scene in my life. The hero's problem revolves around his work life and the climax of the book turns out to be a golf game described in excruciating detail. This book would have possibly worked as a Regency romance and should have been set there. The author uses a very similar scenario in the far superior, Heaven, Texas (virgin meets hot Texas jock). I gave it two stars because the love scenes between the main characters are well written and the writing is engaging enough where I did not throw the book across the room in disgust at the idiotic plot and subplots.

Characters made me continue reading this novel even though some of the story line became predictable. I wanted to find out how the author was going to get the main characters together at the end. If you like with romance and characters who battle against each other over various things then you will probably enjoy this novel.

I picked up this book because I've loved Phillips' work in the past, and she's one of the few contemporary romance writers that I can stand to read.

This one was unfortunately the first that I couldn't really get through. I take issue with two things, mainly.

First, as a few other reviewers have pointed out, the entire premise is kind of unbelievable. Lady Emma is travelling through Texas to do research for a historical article, but her ulterior motive is to get herself in some trouble and start a scandal. You see, back home Lady Emma is a headmistress of a girls' school and someone who, because of her honorific and her virginity, has made herself a person of interest to one odious Duke of Beddington. Funnily enough, His Grace is also the benefactor of her school, as well as the owner of the grounds on which it lies, and (surprise!) has no qualms about blackmailing her virginal self to be his future Duchess. Lady Emma has decided that the best way to save her school and rid herself of an unwanted suitor is to somehow deflower herself, get a tattoo, and generally raise His Grace's aristocratic eyebrow. And she decides to do this with her accidental tour guide, Kenny, the world's most fabulous golfer as well as a playboy millionaire (don't look so surprised). This plot may work in a regency romance novel, but less so in a contemporary one. I am really a little offended on behalf of British aristocrats everywhere, because Phillips is really perpetuating all of the most unkind and unrealistic stereotypes out there. But let us suspend disbelief for a moment.

The second problem is kind of just the sheer idiocy of the heroine. I understand that she may have some misconceptions about American culture, but in the 21st century let us remember that we kind of almost share the same culture - books, films, celebrities, cross borders more than ever before. And as an educated woman who is headmistress of a prestigious boarding school I would have thought that she had the culture awareness and general wherewithal to realize that the super hot dude who picked her up in a Cadillac, drove her to a mansion filled with museum-worthy furniture, and filled her up on exotic vintage wine is not, in fact, a gigolo who charges $30 a night for sex. What does Lady Emma believe about Americans? Further more, what does Phillips believe about the British? The whole absurdity of the situation gives me a headache. I understand that Phillips' heroines generally tend to be women with the figure of Jessica Rabbit and the naivité of a nun, but this is too much.

Furthermore, Lady Emma can kind of come off as a bubble-headed, vindicative, nonsensical, near-hysterical idiot who also happens to be a sex bomb but who also happens to be, like, a really nice person, really! She almost has sex with Kenny-the-gigolo, but stops herself in time when she realizes that he is, in fact, a famous athlete. The next morning she tells him she wouldn't sleep with him if he were the last person on earth, not because of his deception, but because, and I quote "She could somehow have respected herself if she'd bought his services, but she couldn't if she became a groupie for a rich, professional athlete".

That quote kind of sums up the logic of this book.

I started reading this book on a lazy Saturday evening, but the whole experience ended up stressing me out more than anything. I would not recommend this book, especially since I'm usually such a fan of Phillips and I think this story is really absurdly out of her normal range of good writing.

Simply put, I love this book. Nobody does funny and heartbreaking as well as SEP. I especially loved the scene with Kenny and Petey at the baby diaper derby. It's laugh out lound funny seeing Kenny sizing up his baby brother's competition (the other babies) and then coaching him to give 110% and to make them play his game because nothing comes between a Traveler and athletic glory. And then getting teary eyed watching Kenny realized he was doing to his brother what their father had done to him years ago, making him earn his love by winning on the athletic field. I'm babbling and in no way doing justice to the scene, you'll just have to read it for yourself.

All the characters are interesting and likeable with the exception of the Duke. Tori and Dex also have a great storyline if you like the geek as hero stories. And I can't wait for Ted's story, it was nice to see him all grown up. Last seen, he was little 9 year old Teddy from FANCY PANTS. The only thing that I didn't love about this book was the epilogue, a little too mushy for my taste. Overall, I highly recommend this book. It's funny without being lightweight, and heartwarming without being too sentimental (not counting the epilogue), buy or borrow this book today, you won't regret it!

This book has one of the most endearing, funny and romantic couple I've ever read about in a romance book. Lady Emma and Kenny meet through a mutual friend's intervention and where Lady E, a proper British headmistress wants to change her image, Kenny wants to clean it up due to his suspension from the Golf tournament. The result is a laugh out comedy with a very cute romance. The secondary characters are loads of fun too as in all SEP books. This book will keep you entertained till the last page and I highly recommend it! The author once again shows that her writing style is truly unique and she makes you feel all the emotions in just one story!

Lady Be Good was the beginning of my addiction to Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Ever since I finished it, I can't seem to get enough of her!
Lady Be Good is about golf pro Kenny Traveler and his leading lady, Lady Emma Wells-Finch. Pick up the book and get ready for laughs. Kenny has been suspended from golf for bad behavior and he needs to get his good behavior act together. Lady Emma doesn't want to marry a duke and therefore needs to do something really bad, so her reputation will be blemished. When these two mismatched people clash, the explosion is wild.
SEP has done it again with her latest novel, it has all the elements that has made her name so great in the contemporary romance world. Go n'get it!

I was doubled over with tears in my eyes hysterically laughing so many times! I went back to reread certain passages so I could replay them in my mind more exactly as I was doing other things. This story is the development of a romance between two oddly matched people. It is a wonderful book. I am delighted to have discovered this author. This is the first book of hers that I read.

DATA:
Sexual content: moderate. Genre: contemporary romance, romantic comedy.

OTHER BOOKS:
For a list of my reviews of other Susan Elizabeth Phillips books, see my 5 star review of "Glitter Baby" posted 1/15/09.

British headmistress Lady Emma-Wells Finch needs a neat little scandal to get rid of the nasty Henry VIII- lookalike Duke who wants to marry her. Kenny Traveler is a golf pro suspended from the tournament, and he needs to be a near-saint so said suspension will be lifted. Alas, Emma meets Kenny and decides he is the man who can ruin her reputation. In other news, Kenny's twice-divorced sister Torie is aghast that her father wants to marry her off to ubergeek Dexter O'Conner, until she realizes that Dex is a very good kisser, and quite informative, too. This is a funny, sexy story, read it and fall in love with Emma and Kenny.

After the dark dreary "Dream A Little Dream", "Lady Be Good" is a fabulous welcome.
Here's why:
There's a wonderfully delightful scoundrel of a hero who never says or does the right thing, and when he does, it comes out wrong.
A stuffy heroine who slowly emerges from her caccoon, who is intelligent, feitsy, and clear headed.
A wonderful secondary romance.
Emus!
Think of "Tin Cup". If you love that movie, you'll love this book. Go on, pick it up. It's funny, a bit tear-jerking at parts, but overall, it'll leave you smiling.

The plot drew in and held my attention, while paralleling early signs of abuse in a relationship. As it went on, it became a cycle of domestic violence. First the abuse, then sex to make up. After about half the book, I had to stop reading.

Her best work yet! I felt utterly embarrased, however, laughing out loud on the train! A definite read for Ms. Phillips' fans! She DOES NOT disappoint. I have read many (many) romance books in my lifetime and I can't recall when I've read a book that I literally loved each character! They were all so wonderfully real! There are so many suprises in this book, I just couldn't wait to read what Emma did next! I was not disappointed--especially that scene before the villain is about to get away and Emma does something desperate -- I won't give it away. It was a hoot! I thought her "Nobody's Baby but Mine" book was my fav -- it's a toss up now!

This is my very first book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips...and I enjoyed every moment!!! Being that I prefer historical romances, the modern day backdrop to this book threw me off at first; I decided to give it a shot anyway...and I'm sooo glad I did!!! This book was so charming...it was full of laughs...and not only were Kenny and Emma wonderful, but the secondary characters were outstanding as well!!! I would definitely recommend this and look forward to purchasing more works by this author.

I loved this book. I usually cannot say that about a book because there are always things in it that bother me. But I can honestly say that "Lady Be Good" was one of the best books I have EVER read. It was one of those books where you're sitting on the couch and laughing so hard that your family worries about your sanity. Seriously, this book is so well written and does a very good job of catching human emotions and insecurities and throwing them together with a rich, unique and rather wicked type of humour. I cannot find a single flaw in it. Excellent, without a doubt!

I absolutely loved this book. I never wanted it to end and when it did I had this urge to cry. The reason why Lady Be Good won my love was the author's use of such funny and real characters. I found myself wishing to be a character in this book so that I may share in all the adventure and merriment. Kenny and Lady Emma were magical and hilarious together.Tory, Kenny's sister, was outrageous and Ted Baudine was a sweetheart.Never will I find a greater book.

I loved this book. I loved the interaction between the two lead characters, and all the ancillary characters. This book was pure Susan Elizabeth Phillips; unlife First Lady which was a disappointment. The story was light, fun, funny, engaging. I read it in three hours. Don't plan on reading it right before you go to sleep if you plan on going to bed early.

This book is truthly one of her best written novels. I found the relationship between Kenny and Emma to be charmingly funny. What I didn't expect to find was the interesting relationship between Dex and Kenny's sister. Overall everything that had happened had me laughing up a riot.

This was my first SEP book -- and I was immediately inspired to track down all the others and read them as well. This book was wonderful. The whole business with Kenny giving Lady Emma a tatoo was one of the funniest things I have ever read in a romance novel. Please keep writing SEP!

Lady Be Good is hilarious, sexy, and wonderfully well written. It's one of those books you can't bear to put down. I know I'll read it again and again -- and laugh out loud each time. It's a definite keeper, and a book I'll highly recommend to everyone who likes sexy romantic comedies -- well actually, I'll recommend it to everyone regardless of what they like!

Another winner from SEP. This book is witty and fun, an all-together playful romp. Not as complex or rich as some of her other novels (Dream A Little Dream in particular), but still a very good read.

Lady Be Good was a very funny and informative book. Kenny's character as a pro golfer on suspension that was a very clever idea. His attitude towards the english head mistress was very entertaining. The rival going on between them was outstanding! I loved this book because of the originality and the spirit of all the characters. If you ever read any SEP's books than you know already know how talented and creative she can be. Be prepare to add her name to the other bestsellers you know. Guaranteed to enjoy again and again.

I loved this book for so many different reasons that it's difficult to narrow it down to a few: the reversal of the gender roles, the great supporting cast, the terrific family dynamics . . . and oh, yeah, the ROMANCE. Great, great stuff.

I absolutely loved this book. listened to the audio version while on vacation. I kept getting funny looks whenever i burst out laughing. Audiobook was so good because the narrator did such a fantastic job on the voices.

This book is a page turner of pure unadulterated good humor. Let's see, how can I convince other people to read this book without telling the story. If you've every been on a train rushing to get to work and you see a woman reading a book, trying to control the hysterical laughter while people are staring at her wondering "Oh God why couldn't she get sick on the next train. That would be me reading this book.

This is the first Susan Elizabeth Phillips book that I read. It was so good that I went to the bookstore and started purchasing all of her books - and they have all been fabulous! The chemistry between the characters is so believable that you can't help falling in love with them!

I picked this up not realizing that it carried on the characters from Fancy Pants which had been my hilarious intro to her books. This book is a hoot. As silly golf books go, it's up there with Dan Jenkins. As romances go, it's up there with few others. I started it during my lunch hour and kept reading it aloud to my co-workers who laughed along with me. Good read.