Review & Giveaway: The Idea of You by Darcy Burke



The Idea of You
Ribbon Ridge #4
By: Darcy Burke
Releasing November 17, 2015
Avon Impulse








Evan Archer has always preferred peace and solitude to the loud antics of his large, hard-to-navigate family. But when Archer Enterprises needs a new creative director, Evan jumps at the chance to claim the job he’s always wanted. Moving home is easier than he expected, but Evan isn’t prepared for the stunning A-list celebrity hiding out in his family’s garage apartment.

Following a major tabloid scandal, movie star Alaina Pierce escapes to Ribbon Ridge. She’s immediately drawn to the quiet, picturesque town and the incredibly sexy—if a little quirky—Evan. He may be built like a Greek god, but he’s honest and straightforward… so different from the Hollywood types she normally dates.

Their attraction is undeniable, but Alaina can’t elude the paparazzi forever, and Evan has no interest in being in the limelight. When the secret she’s been keeping is exposed, the idea of Evan—of real love and a family like the Archers—could vanish in an instant.





 “How were you moderately famous? Wait, I remember. That reality show with the sextuplets.”He flicked her a quick glance. “You watched it?” The show had ended almost fifteen years ago, but Evan remembered it the way one never forgot the most unpleasant moments of one’s life.No, sorry. Sean told me about it.”Evan noted the cookie sheet on the stovetop. It bore slender blackened strips. “Is that bacon?”She groaned. “Yes. I read somewhere that you could broil bacon in the oven, that it was less messy than cooking it in a pan on the stove.”But you burned it.” Hence the smoke. “Did you forget about it?”Yes, actually. My assistant called, and I went into the bedroom to talk to her. Next thing I knew, the alarm was going off and smoke was clogging the apartment. Please apologize to your mother for me. I’m surprised you’re the only one who came running.”Evan didn’t know for sure, but he suspected his parents were out. They’d been going on a lot of date nights lately. It helped them keep their minds off the one-year anniversary of his brother Alex’s suicide a couple of weeks ago. “I was coming back from a walk.”More or less. Actually, he was getting pretty good at the lying thing, now that he thought about it.In the dark?”He heard the surprise in her question. That was one inflection he could usually discern. Plus, even he knew walking in the near-dark in February was perhaps . . . odd. He shrugged. “It’s not totally dark yet.”Oh, okay.” Was that sarcasm? He couldn’t be sure. He also couldn’t care less.Intellectually, he registered that her being here was extraordinary—something he probably ought to have picked up on when he’d first come into the apartment. She was a world-famous actress, someone he’d seen in countless movies and whose talent he admired. “Why are you staying here?”I’m, uh, hiding out.”Why?”Just stupid famous-person stuff. The paparazzi were annoying me.”He’d hated the fame that had come along with their reality show. Everyone in Ribbon Ridge knew who they were, which he supposed was to be expected even without a show, given the size of the town. However, it was one thing to be acquainted with people and another for them to think they knew you on an intimate level, as if you were friends. He imagined it might be like that times a hundred for Alaina. “That has to be hard. Your life really isn’t your own. When we did the show, people were always talking to me like they knew me, like I was their buddy.”She cocked her head to the side. “You totally get it. That’s . . . weird. I mean, cool, but weird. Most people don’t remotely understand.”But you signed up for that, right?” He hadn’t. His parents had agreed to put them all on the show when an old family friend had pitched the idea. After the third season, they’d pulled the plug because of Evan’s discomfort—something no one knew. Hmm, apparently he could keep secrets, too. Good to know.


Darcy Burke is the USA Today bestselling author of hot, action-packed historical and sexy, emotional contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily-ever-after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations.

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids-who each seem to have inherited the writing gene in some form-and two Bengal cats. In her "spare" time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say "no," but she keeps having to start over. Her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge.




When we think of the hero's in our books we think of these perfectly built guys that can turn you on with a look. Of course we know that in real life finding the prefect looking and acting guy is just not possible. Life isn't like that.

Of course it doesn't hurt to dream...

The funny thing is that one of my favorite hero's this year is Evan for The Idea of You. If you've read this book, or any of the other ones in her Ribbon Ridge series you know that a few of the family members have some minor disabilities. I say minor but since I'm not going through them that's easy for me to say.

I will tell you that Burke has made me more aware of what others are going through. I thank her for that. We are so busy in our own lives that we sometimes forget about others. This is the perfect time of year to remember others. 

When I started reading The Idea of You and learned about all that Evan had to deal with I wasn't sure how he was going to be as a hero, especially when the heroine is a movie star. Well I'm here to tell you that Evan has turned out to be one of my favorite hero's. 

The way he looked at life was so clean. He played no games. Because there are so many authors I love and so many books I can't wait to read when I pick up a book to read I'm almost in a rush to finish to start the next one. Now I'm not saying that I really rush through it, what I mean is I can't wait to read the next one of the pile. 

I didn't feel that way with The Idea of You. In fact it could have been longer and I would have been happy. I'm so glad that Evan and Alaina got there forever after. They both are so likable. This is a wonderful story. Make sure to read this series in order. It reads better that way. Make sure to add these titles to you TBR list. 
If you've read The Idea of You or any other book by Darcy Burke I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for visiting and happy reading! 
 

Comments

  1. Great review. Thank you for hosting!

    Crystal, Tasty Book Tours

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you so much for the fantastic review - I'm SO glad you enjoyed Evan and Alaina's story!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. oh I am looking forward to continuing the series. I love the setting.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is a wonderful series. I loved Evan. Alaina was perfect for him!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts