Random Acts of Fashion

by Nikki Rivers

An "accident" sent Gillian Caine reeling when Lukas McCoy ran into her - and left her with a broken arm. Luckily, a helpful judge assigned him to help finish getting her new shop ready. Bringing silk, satin and high fashion to Timber Bay, Michigan - home of flannel, wool and practical granny panties - wasn't going to be easy, but Gillian was up for the challenge.

Or was she? Because the warm, caring people of Timber Bay had no trouble resisting her fashion ideas. Didn't they realize the power in a makeover? Suddenly desperate, Gillian knew she needed their attention - and no broad-shouldered, heterosexual man with no fashion sense would stand in her way!

Until she found herself in his arms....

Genres: Romance

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 2005

Reviews

[JoAnn M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gillian starts fresh in Timber Bay, Michigan, where she spent many summers with her aunt, from whom she acquired her sewing skills, leading to her career as a designer. Lukas – a guy she remembers from those summers – literally runs into her and then must help her open her shop in time for the fall festival. Are the folks of Timber Bay ready for her designs? I think not. I’m not much of a fashion plate, but the descriptions of her outfits sound way out there. I liked that Gillian started a friendship with Lukas’s sister Molly, owner of a small coffee shop. And now I’m wanting some cinnamon rolls.

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The town of Timber Bay, Michigan is quaint and close-knit, so when outsider Gillian Caine moves in, Lukas McCoy is suspicious of the New Yorker. Sure, he had a crush on her when they were children, but now that they're grown up, Lukas is convinced that Little Miss Princess is out of her element. After leaving behind New York (and an ex-boyfriend), Gillian's one goal is to open up a couture clothing store and bring some sense of fashion to the denizens of Timber Bay.

Gillian is all set to open her new shop until an accident causes her to sprain her arm -- an accident named Lukas. With Gillian now partly out of commission, a judge orders Lukas to be Gillian's worker bee for the week. Neither are pleased with the situation...at first. Behind closed doors, sparks fly, but during the day the pair fight like cats and dogs. With gossip of the town's legendary "tunnel of love" going around, it's only a matter of time before the two either prove the superstition right.

Random Acts of Fashion was a paperback chick-flick. Filled with laugh-out-loud moments and sharp-tongued dialogue, this book was made to be gobbled up. The pages flew by, and right away I was dumped into small-town Timber Bay, right along with Gillian. Speaking of the Timber Bay, I really appreciated the sprinkled-in descriptions of the town -- between the annual fair, the bakery, and the secondary characters, a good amount of charm and homeyness was brought into the story by it.

"Opposites attract" was definitely the theme of this book. Gillian was a diva, and at times could border on bratty, but her character evolved throughout the story, making me appreciate her gradual development. Lukas was the poster child man for the strong and silent type. His plaid shirts and gruff demeanor reminded me of Luke from Gilmore Girls, and I love me some Luke! All in all, Random Acts of Fashion was the equivalent of an ice cream cone on a summer day: delicious and refreshing, yet short-lived.

[Alana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not only was the book terrible (the protagonist, especially, was one of those irritating harpies in all of romance), but it was the second Flipside I've acquired that was glued shut, AND the book fell apart when I turned the (sticky) pages. No wonder this line didn't make it.

[Dawn ♥ romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story with a little humor, a little romance, and a little plot but nothing real exciting. Builder Lukas is ordered to help Gillian get her clothing store ready to open after her arm breaks.