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The Ideal Man (Buchanan-Renard #9)

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 · rating details · 5,838 ratings · 554 reviews

Dr. Ellie Sullivan has just completed her residency at a large urban hospital. While jogging in a park nearby, she witnesses the shooting of an FBI agent in pursuit of wanted criminals, a couple identified as the Landrys. The only person to see the shooter's face, Ellie is suddenly at the center of a criminal investigation. Agent Max Daniels takes over the Landry case. A n...more

ebook, nook, 238 pages

Published August 9th 2011 by Signet Book (first published August 3rd 2011)

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Aug 17, 2012 TJ rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, romantic-suspense, own-or-have-a-copy

Oh. My. Freaking. Goodness! What can I say? (maybe this would be a good time for a warning)

*WARNING* Hair pulling, foot stomping, red-face screaming, hissy fit tirade about to commence...

Are you kidding me? ARE YOU STINKING KIDDING ME?!?!? THIS is what happens once a talented author hits superstardom and is content knowing her adoring hordes will never leave??? (Listen up, Janet Evonovich, Iris Johansen, Catherine Coulter and the Trest.) They sit back and write CRAP?! (No that's not a swear word...more Oh. My. Freaking. Goodness! What can I say? (maybe this would be a good time for a warning)

*WARNING* Hair pulling, foot stomping, red-face screaming, hissy fit tirade about to commence...

Are you kidding me? ARE YOU STINKING KIDDING ME?!?!? THIS is what happens once a talented author hits superstardom and is content knowing her adoring hordes will never leave??? (Listen up, Janet Evonovich, Iris Johansen, Catherine Coulter and the Trest.) They sit back and write CRAP?! (No that's not a swear word - it's the word used instead of the swear word.)

Case in point: Ellie Sullivan is (supposedly) an incredibly intelligent (a prodigy in fact) highly capable surgeon. She is kind, compassionate yet strong, she's not into one night stands or casual relationships. Family and commitment are very important to her. Max Daniels is a one-night-stand-only type of guy and tells her this the first night they meet. Yet, that VERY SAME NIGHT and the very first time he kisses her, she loses all self control and decides casual sex is just fine, then proceeds to tear off his clothes... WHAT?!?!

But wait! she isn't the only one losing brain cells at an alarming rate!(view spoiler)

The only explanation I can give for this odd phenomena is that somehow Garwood is regressing as she ages and believes evolution is reversing itself. The medieval heroines from her past were sweet, fiesty women who stood by their convictions and demanded better of their men, despite the low standards of the times in which they lived. Now, when women are actually allowed to be strong and choose their own path, they've become sex-craved bimbos who can't control their responses long enough to have a conversation!

If that were all, this book would still have rated a higher star but it's not. The story is completely surface only, the writing standard at best, and the villains so generic they're laughable. Admittedly, I would have gone easier if the author were a first-timer and not a former hero of mine, but even if her name were erased, "The Ideal Man" just doesn't hold water.(less)

43 likes · like · see review

Mar 14, 2011 Jacqueline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, contemporary-romance, cop-fbi, kindle-reads, netgalley, romantic-suspense

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was an enjoyable story. I enjoy Ms. Garwood’s suspense more than her historicals. For a romantic suspense book however, it wasn’t very suspenseful. There were two completely different suspense story lines so neither one was really done justice. Neither one was particularly suspenseful. There was a lot going on in her relationship with her sisters and other family members. The scenes with them concerning her sister’s wedding seemed to slow down the story and negate any suspense that was gath...more

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Apr 02, 2011 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for_review

Blog post: http://happilyeverafter-reviews.blogs...

Nice romance, ok suspense. I loved Ellie. A successful trauma surgeon, she deals with a past trauma of her own that won't let her fully live her life. She's everything I enjoy about a leading heroine - smart, take charge, strong. She doesn't make dumb choices (one of my huge pet peeves with characters) and she was very enjoyable to read.

Max was a nice balance to Ellie. He's a FBI agent who, due to Ellie being in the wrong place at the wrong time...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Shawna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of romantic suspense "lite"

Shelves: contemporary-romance, cop-bodyguard-govop-merc-military, julie-garwood, romantic-suspense, im-a-cover-hottie-ho, doctor-or-nurse-in-the-house-shrink, arc-review-copy-galley, netgalley, kindle, i-read-kindle, 2011-reads, 3-to-4-stars, brothers-sisters-cousins-family, hero-alpha‎, heroine-abused-traumatic-past-rape, hh-love-commitment-marriage-phobic, hh-sweet-nice-paired-vs-gruff-cynic, steam-1-tepid, hero-bad-boy-playboy, hero-brooding, hh-smart-intellectual-brainy-geek

3 ½ stars – Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Ideal Man is my first read by popular romance author Julie Garwood, which is surprising considering how many romances I've read. It's a good, not great, romantic suspense read that focuses more on the character relationships, and is therefore rather light on the suspense element.

Dr. Ellie Sullivan is a prodigy surgeon finishing her residency in the trauma center of a major urban hospital. While out running in a nearby park, she witnesses a shoot...more 3 ½ stars – Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Ideal Man is my first read by popular romance author Julie Garwood, which is surprising considering how many romances I've read. It's a good, not great, romantic suspense read that focuses more on the character relationships, and is therefore rather light on the suspense element.

Dr. Ellie Sullivan is a prodigy surgeon finishing her residency in the trauma center of a major urban hospital. While out running in a nearby park, she witnesses a shootout that makes her a target in need of FBI protection. So it's a good thing that rugged FBI agent Max Daniels is the perfect man for the job. Ellie's career is on the rise, and the last thing she wants is to be the star witness in a high profile FBI investigation, especially if it means drawing unwanted attention to herself and her family. A traumatic incident in Ellie's past involving a crazed stalker has forced her to stay away from her hometown and those she loves. And being sexually attracted to a rough around the edges, dominating man like Max, who's not interested in commitment and is nothing like the "Ideal Man" she's looking for is another complication she doesn't need.

Max is attracted to Ellie's beauty, intelligence, and strength as a doctor from the start and the glimpses into her caring nature intrigue him all the more. When he uncovers the painful events of her past, his protective instinct takes over and he's determined to keep her safe and stick by her side 24/7, even if it means posing as her boyfriend when she goes back to her South Carolina hometown for her sister's wedding.

Ideal Man has a very promising beginning that immediately drew me in, but it lost steam when it became more of a family drama. I started losing interest when the focus shifted from Max and Ellie to her relationship with her family, which is estranged because of past events involving one of her sisters and ex-fiancé and also the threat of her stalker. I really liked Ellie's character, and it was hard to accept her transition from strong, smart, take charge surgeon to the role of family outcast and doormat. The plot meandered too much, especially the scenes involving the wedding planning of her b*tchy, self-centered, bridezilla sister, and the drama distracted from the romance and main suspense storyline.

My main criticism is that there wasn't nearly enough insight into Max's character to make him a memorable romantic hero, which is ironic and disappointing considering the book's title "Ideal Man". There were also a few random plot points that felt somewhat disjointed. Although I enjoyed it well enough, there really isn't anything remarkable about it, and I would have liked more dialogue and heat between the H/H and a bit more action and suspense. 3 ½ stars.

I've heard wonderful things about Julie Garwood's novels, particularly her historical romances, so I'm sure this won't be the last book I'll read by this author.

I received this as an ARC galley, courtesy of NetGalley.com.

(less)

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Mar 11, 2011 Jae rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, hot-shagging-action, 2011, holee-molee-hot-fbi-agent, arc

After the Buchanan series, I've waited for ages for another JG's suspense book. And seems that I have to wait some more. This book was of romantic-suspense genre, being 70% romance, 20% suspense and 10% about the damn wedding.

Ellie was a brilliant gorgeous surgeon who met Max, a brooding hot FBI agent at a shoot-out near her hospital. They kinda reminds me of Vishous and Doc Jane of JR Ward's book a bit. Anyhoo, after the mishap, Max was assigned to protect Ellie from the bad guys. So Max went...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, review, romance, read-2011

Originally posted on Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2011/08...

Ellie Sullivan was a child prodigy whose life was almost cut short at a young age by a brutal stalker. Now a surgeon, Ellie does her best to keep her life normal. But a run in the park leads to Ellie witnessing a FBI agent being shot. She saves the man’s life, but now hers is under threat from the criminals still at large. Agent Max Daniels is determined to protect Ellie at all costs, so if he has to go to South Carolina t...more Originally posted on Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2011/08...

Ellie Sullivan was a child prodigy whose life was almost cut short at a young age by a brutal stalker. Now a surgeon, Ellie does her best to keep her life normal. But a run in the park leads to Ellie witnessing a FBI agent being shot. She saves the man’s life, but now hers is under threat from the criminals still at large. Agent Max Daniels is determined to protect Ellie at all costs, so if he has to go to South Carolina to act as Ellie’s bodyguard during her sister’s wedding, that’s what he’ll do. But Ellie’s hometown isn’t as peaceful as it seems on the surface. Danger has Ellie in its crosshairs as old threats meet new.

The passion’s on high as Julie Garwood spins a tale of love, obsession, feuds, and crime. The Ideal Man is an engaging read and both Ellie and Max are sure to win readers’ hearts; they definitely won mine.

Ellie is a brilliant woman whose hard work, kindness, and general likeability make her an appealing heroine. She also hasn’t known what it’s like to be safe since she was eleven years old and a crazed teenager began to stalk – and later – beat her. The sense of never being truly secure made my heart break for Ellie and it also made me sympathetic toward her in that she wasn’t a cardboard model of a heroine with a picture perfect life. Max, in turn, is a deliciously sexy hero. He’s smart, protective, and understanding; he’s a strong man who isn’t the stereotypical “alpha male” and that almost made me swoon. I loved Max and Ellie together and I eagerly turned the pages of The Ideal Man to follow along on their journey.

The threats to Ellie’s safety add a splash of danger that adds further dimension to the story, making The Ideal Man feel like a “full” book. Even though The Ideal Man is missing Ms. Garwood’s signature humor, which first made me fall in love with her books, there were really only two things that kept me from one hundred percent loving The Ideal Man . The first is Ellie’s obnoxious sister Ava, whose antics were so over-the-top they detracted from the story. The second is a small subplot I won’t spoil. What bothered me was not the subplot itself, but rather the fact that it seemed to be a setup for a future book – one I was very excited to read. Unfortunately, the wonderful plot was abruptly wrapped up in just a few pages at the end of the book, disappointing me terribly. With that being said, I still really enjoyed The Ideal Man . Ms. Garwood has delivered a solidly entertaining book that made me smile, laugh, and read late into the night.(less)

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May 03, 2011 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense

2.5 stars

Dr Eleanor (Ellie) Sullivan has witnessed the shooting of a Federal agent. FBI agent Max Daniels is on the case, hunting down the two shooters and protecting Ellie.

You think romance writer and a few authors immediately spring to mind. Julie Garwood is one. Unfortunately this story does not showcase Julie Garwood's credentials as one of the great writers of the genre.

The plot is predictable. The heroine, Ellie is just way too perfect. She's beautiful, she's a highly-skilled surgeon, she...more

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Nov 24, 2011 Pamela(AllHoney) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cops-fbi-dea-cia-etc, contemporary-romance, doctor-nurse-etc

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a big Julie Garwood fan but this one just didn't quite make it for me. It started out great and promising but somewhere along the way it seem to fizzle. It felt as if someone else came along about midway through and finished it for her. The action/suspense was lacking and had more of a feel of a contemporary romance. But even the romance portion seemed to suffer at times. I didn't feel the chemistry and sexual tension I normally feel in Ms Garwood's stories. That s...more

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Aug 23, 2011 Brenda Audiobooks Only rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1-mp3-i-have, contemporary-romance

Narrated by Christina Traister - Narration 3*s - She gets the attitude / emotion right so that part's good. But the slow delivery pace made the book semi-boring to listen to. The slower delivery compared to the much faster pace in my head when I read it myself was detrimental to the audio version of the story.

I enjoyed listening anyway, because I'm a Garwood fan and I'd already read the book and knew where it was going.

Julie Garwood is a comfort read / listen (with a good narrator) and a decen...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dr. Ellie Sullivan was a child prodigy who at the age of 11 was traumatized over the course of a year by a 17 year old stalker who eventually savagely beat her and left her for dead. After realizing they couldn't protect her her parents sent her away to live with a foster family. She grew up to be a renown trauma surgeon. One day after work while out running in a nearby park, she witnesses a FBI agent get shot by a couple known as the Landry's. After saving the FBI agents life she meets another...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Tasha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, suspense-thriller-mystery, arc-electronic, hardcover, own, pbs-bookmooch, uniform

Julie Garwood delivers again! Her latest suspense was a thrill to behold.

Max and Ellie are thrown together when she witnesses a shooting of a federal agent while she was out for a jog. Although she finds Max rather rude, it doesn’t cool her intense attraction to him.

There was true chemistry between Max and Ellie. Their relationship took time to develop and progress in a manner that was believable and not rushed. Both Ellie and Max were great characters. You wanted Max in your bed and Ellie as yo...more

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May 18, 2013 Phyllis Sommers rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A light fluff of a novel, perfect for reading while on vacation. Child prodigy and now 24-year old doctor, Ellie Sullivan, is completing her residency in trauma surgery when she inadvertently becomes a witness to the attempted murder of an FBI agent. After she performs the surgery that saves the agent's life, one of his partners, Agent Max Daniels, becomes determined to keep Ellie from having to testify as a witness to the crime. He has no doubt that the perpetrators of the attempted murder are...more A light fluff of a novel, perfect for reading while on vacation. Child prodigy and now 24-year old doctor, Ellie Sullivan, is completing her residency in trauma surgery when she inadvertently becomes a witness to the attempted murder of an FBI agent. After she performs the surgery that saves the agent's life, one of his partners, Agent Max Daniels, becomes determined to keep Ellie from having to testify as a witness to the crime. He has no doubt that the perpetrators of the attempted murder are the Landrys, a couple who the FBI has been trying to arrest and convict, on many counts, for several years. Upon his initial contact with Ellie, Max inexplicably wants to shield and protect her; he thus feels immediately compelled to prevent her from becoming involved any further in the Landry case.

Once he's completed his background check of Ellie, Max becomes even more protective of her. He learns that Ellie had been severely beaten--almost killed--at age 11, by Evan Patterson, a young stalker who had become crazed and obsessed with Ellie and with the ultimate goal of killing her. Over the years, Patterson has been arrested and released several times, thanks to the money his parents were willing and able to spend on his defense. Evan's whereabouts were thus always in question and Ellie, consequently, was living in perpetual fear for her life. Once aware that Max might help her locate Patterson, Ellie asks him to do so, in the hope that she can track his locations and know what areas to avoid.

As inexplicably protective as Max feels toward Ellie, so, too, she is immediately & completely smitten with Max. Their sexual tension is at the core of the novel and plays out against the backdrop of the FBI trying to build a solid case against the Landrys and of Max trying to locate Patterson. There are some family tensions within Ellie's family, as well, particularly between Ellie and her twin sisters. All in all, "The Ideal Man" is simply an easy, fun read for pure escape and entertainment. Recommended.(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Laci rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was all over the place. I guess that's what I get for reading a romance turned "thriller" writer. Some make the transition well, others...not so much. Come on Garwood, this is no bestselling material here. I was surprised to find that the characters were so flat and uninteresting. Romance authors thrive on character studies, if you don't have dynamic fully-fleshed leads, your romance is dead in the water. For a former romance author, I cannot believe these characters were so lame. We a...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Beanbag Love rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I guess my expectations were low, because I liked this one despite it's obvious weakness as a novel.

The Ideal Man follows the Garwood suspense template closely. Dr. Ellie Sullivan goes for a quick run and manages to witness a shooting. FBI agent Max Daniels puts himself in charge of her safety. They're instantly attracted to each other and they're playing kissy-face within two days of meeting each other.

There's plenty of Garwood's trademark humor and the chemistry was boosted by their casual b...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Monique Atgood rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

SYNOPSIS:
This is a romantic suspense novel about a lady surgeon who witnessed a shooting. The bad guys put a hit out on her to stop her testimony, she’s falling for a FBI Agent, she’s always looking over her shoulder for the twisted creep who’s been stalking her since she was a child, her dad demands she come home for a family wedding where her very own ex-fiancee plays the part of the groom, and.... her baby sister makes BRIDEZILLA look like a kitty cat.

CONS:
I was INSULTED that the author allow...more SYNOPSIS:
This is a romantic suspense novel about a lady surgeon who witnessed a shooting. The bad guys put a hit out on her to stop her testimony, she’s falling for a FBI Agent, she’s always looking over her shoulder for the twisted creep who’s been stalking her since she was a child, her dad demands she come home for a family wedding where her very own ex-fiancee plays the part of the groom, and.... her baby sister makes BRIDEZILLA look like a kitty cat.

CONS:
I was INSULTED that the author allowed several things in her novel which are UNTHINKABLE.

A) No self respecting Southern man (a.k.a. the heroine’s dad) would expect the law or an ignored restraining order to protect his child. No sir. He’s do it himself.

B) You’re telling me that the heroine’s dad didn’t own a gun? Come on. If he wasn’t armed at the beginning of the novel, he sure would be before any of the action started. I liked the dad character, but he should have looked like Sheldon Cooper imitating Rambo.

C) No loving parent would send their child away to be raised by strangers under the circumstances outlined in the novel. Nope. I don’t care how rich or connected the stalker’s parents are, it just plain wouldn’t happen.

D) Feds love conspiracy charges. They could prove it in spades on these bad guys, so all this ‘they always get the witnesses to disappear’ story-line is kinda silly.

E) (AUDIO BOOK COMPLAINT) I listened to the novel on cd’s. In the first CD, they somehow mistakenly inserted the final track. So without warning, I was tossed straight to the ending. I knew who the bad guys were, and what happened to whom. UGH! I still enjoyed listening to the book, but it kinda killed the anticipation for me. But that was a publishing error, nothing bad on the author.

PROS:
The characters were so real and funny. The heroine and her sisters had genuine ridiculous childish issues to sort out. They still vied for their parents attention and affection, and even though they were all adults, sometimes, they reverted to acting like small children just like real people. The Bridezilla was funny.

The hero was uber suave and cool. I liked how he withheld info. He didn’t just bust out and say ‘I’m superman, here’s my credentials’, but the author allowed the ‘get to know you’ stage to progress smoothly and held my interest.

I enjoyed the book. I LOVED the cover. But overall, I’d say at best it’s a B grade romantic suspense novel. I’d even give the suspense part a C because that aspect was boring, only occasionally punctuated by action. But the funny, catty, tightwad, gossipy characters raised the book to at least B level.(less)

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Sep 10, 2012 Megan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2012, fun-but-forgettable, gave-up-on, listened-to-in-2012, soa-listening-challenge-2012

i'd give this 3.5 stars for the narrator (first listen) and 1.5 for the plot.

you know how they accuse some legislators of crafting policy via pollsters and focus groups? well, this is Julie Garwood writing via focus groups.

if you poll women what they like in a heroine and a hero in a romance novel, Ellie and Max caricatures will come up on top. she's a genius child prodigy (solving complex math problems at age 5), who in her tweens was a victim of a crazy psycho stalker, violently assaulted to...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While out on a run during a break between patients, trauma surgeon Dr. Ellie Sullivan happens to come into the middle of an FBI shootout involving two impossible-to-catch criminals. One of the agents is seriously wounded in the melee and Ellie is the one to operate on him, thus saving his life. His colleague, Max Daniels, is particularly perturbed at the near miss of catching the Landrys, the most notorious crime couple since Bonnie and Clyde. But the Landrys have spotted Ellie - and that puts h...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-romance-romance, won-t-read-again

I was incredibly disappointed in this book. The bad guys were hardly present, there was no real suspense and the climax was over in a matter of paragraphs!! I was so sad because Garwood is one of my favorite authors and she usually does an amazing job with character development and getting inside the bad guys head but none of that was present in this book. I felt like I was reading it and suddenly I was at the end and I thought "Wait, that's it? It's over?" I also had a problem with the way Elli...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Melissa McHugh rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reviewed for: http://www.paper-cup.org

*sigh*

I love Julie Garwood. She was one of the first romance writers that I read and after reading Saving Grace, I went out and stocked up on Garwoods because that book was beautiful. Unfortunately, she was branching out into her contemporary market by then and they just aren't as strong, and honestly, they've been getting worse with each one, culminating with this.

Her heroines are always perilously close to Mary Sue territory, and her heroes are usually the...more Reviewed for: http://www.paper-cup.org

*sigh*

I love Julie Garwood. She was one of the first romance writers that I read and after reading Saving Grace, I went out and stocked up on Garwoods because that book was beautiful. Unfortunately, she was branching out into her contemporary market by then and they just aren't as strong, and honestly, they've been getting worse with each one, culminating with this.

Her heroines are always perilously close to Mary Sue territory, and her heroes are usually the same--gruff teddy bears whose barks are worse than their bite. But the plots are good and she's a meticulous researcher. When she tackles a historical period (for the most part) the details are good and her one saving grace (heh) is that there are elements to this novel that kept from outright putridness.

Ellie is too perfect for my tastes -- she's absolutely gorgeous, incredibly smart, and the perennial victim. She had a bad stalker from the age of eleven and then becomes the target of a criminal duo, who aim to eliminate her as a witness. It's exhausting to read Ellie. Garwood makes her absolutely perfect and then makes her sisters vastly one-dimensional. Annie is sweet and Ava is mean. (Seriously mean and selfish, she makes *my* sister look like Mother Teresa) Ava has no redeeming quality for most of the book and then out of nowhere, for one brief page, she helps Ellie out with her wardrobe and but the entire novel, she insists Ellie be in the wedding when Ava is marrying Ellie's former fiance. Holy crap. Like said -- EVERYTHING happens to Ellie and it's just too much.

So before I'm even out of the starting gate, I don't identify with this absolutely incredibly gorgeous heroine, who by the way is so smart and is the best trauma surgeon EVER. Oh my goodness.

And then you meet Max, the alleged hero. I think Garwood is going for the gruff teddy bear. She achieves asshole whose entire redeeming quality is his knack for showing up to save the day. He's uncommunicative to the point that he takes an entire plane flight between SC and MO without explaining to Ellie that he's not going to be able to contact her for a while because he's going undercover. He just drops her off after the flight and heads to HI. And it might be because he wasn't sure he loved her. In fact, he's denying it until the last pages and then tells Ellie they're getting married after this absolute asshole-ness.

I didn't buy they were in love, but I could see where Max's alpha male-ness could be hot, so yeah, physically I get it. I just don't see the love. My biggest pet peeve in romance is an author trying to sell me forever after when all I see is physical attraction and then telling me in they're in love. Show me. Don't tell me.

So what saves this book? The stalker story is engaging. I mostly like Ellie's parents, there's some depth there. Garwood's attention to detail is, as usual, impeccable. I'm just left feeling...slightly unsatisfied. I hope Garwood returns to historical novels and allows for some variations in her female and male characters. It's just too much of the same and it breaks my heart, because Saving Grace is an absolute sentimental memory for me and the book still holds up on a reread. (Ransom and The Bride are also wonderful).

I love you, Julie Garwood, but you're testing that devotion.(less)

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May 12, 2012 Kdvh rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have been voraciously reading any and all over Julie Garwood's books since I had the pleasure of stumbling across "Heart-breaker" in a garage sale.

By comparison, "The Ideal Man" seems less in depth, although the characters are solid and well developed. Ellie and Max are a good fit for one another. Ellie who cannot come to terms with the trauma she suffered as a child, becomes a trauma surgeon, and a damn good one at that. This is incredibly plausible, as a person who couldn't control the trau...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Pam rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First - I am a HUGE Garwood fan and have been anxiously awaiting another romantic suspense. Usually her male and female leads are excellent - and I liked them in this book as well. However, I was a little disappointed with this one. One minor issue was the spoiled sister. She was unbelievable...and I found myself very angry with Ellie and her mother for wanting Ellie to "be mature" about the situation. It was over-the-top and ridiculous!

But the biggest part of my 3-star rating was the romantic...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Evelyn Bryant rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoy Julie Garwoods books, but this was the best one I have read so far. I picked it up to skim the first page or two to see what it was about and did not put it down until I was done. Read this one a few hours. This story is typical of the genre but written in an interesting and entertaining way . I liked the main characters and became invested in what they would do next.
Ellie is a top notch surgeon and Max is a FBI agent. Elle has been stalked since childhood by a crazy and now stumbles int...more

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Jan 10, 2012 Annalea rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fluff, romance, suspense, library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This review is going to spoil quite a bit of the book because I can't rant properly without spoilers.

I hated this book, which really surprised me because I started reading Garwood's historical romances 20 years ago and still go back to reread some of them. This book, though, good grief is it L-A-Z-Y.

First, we begin with a huge exposition dump as our heroine, Ellie, ponders her entire life story while jogging. During this we learn that her main (turns out, only) character flaw is that she's clum...more This review is going to spoil quite a bit of the book because I can't rant properly without spoilers.

I hated this book, which really surprised me because I started reading Garwood's historical romances 20 years ago and still go back to reread some of them. This book, though, good grief is it L-A-Z-Y.

First, we begin with a huge exposition dump as our heroine, Ellie, ponders her entire life story while jogging. During this we learn that her main (turns out, only) character flaw is that she's clumsy. Joy. Haven't heard that before. The beautiful, kind, moral, inhumanly brilliant, size 6 with large breasts, trauma surgeon is clumsy. And yet, not once through the entire book does Ellie stumble, bump into tables, or drop anything, even while confronting the bad guys.

Second, the dialog is often clunky enough to take me right out of the book. The heroine is prone to saying "It's all good," which I haven't heard unironically in years. And Ellie's father, a man from South Carolina, offers his daughter "iced sweet tea." No. Just no. Those are nitpicky, yes, but they led to much face palming.

The villains are completely phoned in and dispensed with neatly within a chapter or two. And I never once felt like I knew anything about the hero. So much so, that after finishing the book only yesterday, I can't remember his name.

What I do remember is that he told Ellie that they were going to get married. Not asked. Just unapologetically told. Twice. When he told her they were going out on a date, it came off as being charming enough. But the "marriage proposal" did not. It was incredibly creepy and stupid. And of course, our modern day, independent heroine just swooned over it.

Finally, the tacked-on resolution to her sister's story was a waste of paper, and had the same creepy male-dominance vibe as the hero's proposal.

I've never liked Garwood's contemporaries as much as her historicals, but "The Ideal Man" reads like bad harlequin.

Oh, and I have to say that the plot summary on the book jacket contained 2 factual errors in the description. I'm not sure how much that matters other than that these errors make the book sound like it will be a suspense thriller when it is decidedly not.(less)

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Jan 04, 2012 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-read

Requested from NetGalley by Me
Overall Rating 4.25
Story Rating 4.25
Character Rating 4.25

NOTE: This is one of those books I picked up based on the cover (yes they sell books people) and can say I really enjoyed it. The pacing, plot, and romance were all really well done!

What I Loved: I really love when authors aren't afraid to write really smart, strong, and arrogant in their professions women. In The Ideal Man, Ellie is that type of character. She is a prodigy. Ellie knows that she is good at her...more

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Nov 20, 2011 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For the longest time Julie Garwood was one of those authors that I bought her newest book without even hesitating because I love her so much. However, since she moved from writing historical romances to focusing on contemporary suspense romances I've lost some of the excitement over her books. I read maybe the first 3 or 4 of her contemporary books and they were so blah I gave up on them. The only reason I picked this one up was a friend told me she thought it was so much better than the rest of...more For the longest time Julie Garwood was one of those authors that I bought her newest book without even hesitating because I love her so much. However, since she moved from writing historical romances to focusing on contemporary suspense romances I've lost some of the excitement over her books. I read maybe the first 3 or 4 of her contemporary books and they were so blah I gave up on them. The only reason I picked this one up was a friend told me she thought it was so much better than the rest of her contemporary books. Lo and behold that was very true. I found myself really enjoying this book and I pretty much read it through in one sitting.

Ellie was a great character and returned back to the spunky, smart heroine who you can't help but admire and fall in love with that were present in Garwood's historical books. She's gorgeous, was a child prodigy finishing medical school years earlier than most and yet still kind and caring. I loved Max just as much. He was handsome, smart and had a heart of gold. Despite stating he was more into one night stand relationships you could feel the chemistry sizzling between he and Ellie. Garwood's trademark humor was also back in force and made me smile and almost laugh out loud several times through out the book. Her humor is so memorable that while out shopping I even found myself staring at the candy display looking for a Clark bar and Hershey bar (once you read the book you'll get it). lol.

The only part that really bugged me about this book was the secondary story about Ellie's sister, Annie. It gets thrown in pretty late in the book and I thought it was setting up for another book. It sounded intriguing as we find out she fell for a Navy SEAL who has disappeared. So I was excited thinking that was going to be the next book. To my shock that story gets wrapped up within a few pages at the very end of the book. It was a disappointment as I felt that story deserved to be so much more fleshed out.

Still I am glad I picked this one up and suggest it to even those who aren't contemporary Garwood book fans.(less)

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Sep 19, 2011 Annika rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the dumbest named book ever. I don't even know why it's called that. Julie Garwood fans, you'll love this book. The rest of you...sure, why not.

Ellie Sullivan is a trauma surgeon in a St. Louis Emergency Room. She has had a creepy stalker her entire life, so she was basically raised witness protection, and her own family hasn't heard much from her in ten years. She communicates with them very little, since no one knows where her stalker is. He wants to kill her, that's all the family kno...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

***WARNING: SLIGHT spoiler on one minor plot point at the end of the book that was a completely unnecessary part of the book anyways***

I'm always excited for a few Garwood novel - she's one of my all-time favorite authors. This one was enjoyable, but in no way one of her bests. Maybe it's the effect of having read the entire backlist of an author, but I definitely started thinking about similarities of AN IDEAL MAN to other Garwood books. There were definitely shades of MERCY and HEARTBREAKER .....more

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Aug 21, 2011 JenM rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ideal Man is a 'one time read'. For any other author it would be considered good or average - but for Garwood fans - it is missing the 'magic' that makes us love her writing.

There is no emotional angst, true drama or reality to the characters. I like the characters but they didn't come alive for me. It reads like a dot-to-dot. Her hero has XY&Z characteristics and her heroine has AB&C problems. They go through waves of problems and in the end the hero make an alpha-like proclamation of l...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Saadia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The contemporary alpha male obviously comes from military or law enforcement career. Beside that, I was not quite sure what else was attractive (or not) about Max Daniels - the hero, not withstanding the instant attraction between him and the heroine, Ellie. He just develops this instant and overwhelming need to protect Ellie and as things happen, he is able to do just that. He comes from a foster family background ending up with 6 brothers. She comes with a lot of baggage: enduring life threate...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Natasha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Ideal Man is the first novel I've read by Julie Garwood, but if more of her novels are like this one was then I'll be reading many more. This novel wasn’t just good, it kept me up until 3am reading. I couldn’t put it down.

Ellie is a wonderful heroine. She’s smart, extremely attractive and one of the nicest people you’d ever read along with. She’s also the best surgeon on staff at the St. Vincent Hospital. Ellie meets Max during a shooting with a modern day Bonnie and Clyde. From the first t...more

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About Julie Garwood

Julie Murphy was born in 1946 in Kansas City, Missouri to a large Irish family. At the age of six, Julie had her tonsils removed and complications from the surgery resulted in a long period of recuperation. She fell hopelessly behind in school and never caught up. "I was a slow, slow reader," Julie says. "I hated it." At the age of 11, her mother discovered her daughter's secret and promptly enrol...more

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