California Dreams: Mind Over Matter / The Name of the Game

by Nora Roberts

From #1 New York Times bestselling author NORA ROBERTS come two classic stories about falling in love along the golden coast....

Mind Over Matter

Theatrical agent Aurora Fields has always kept her personal life separate from her professional one, but that changes the moment she meets David Brady. David can tell that Aurora's icy exterior is just a front, and he's determined to discover what secrets she's hiding. Smooth operators like David have never been an issue for Aurora before; she's usually immune to their wiles. So what is it about David that leaves her heart reeling?

The Name of the Game

Johanna Patterson has worked long and hard to make a name for herself, but now she's a successful game show producer on her way up, answering to no one. So then how does actor Sam Weaver always manage to slip past her defenses and coax her into his arms? Johanna learned long ago to never rely on anyone. Surely she can resist Sam's persistent charms...can't she?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

496 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

Reviews

[Sherrill Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

See Maura's review(s). Two of Nora Roberts' first efforts. I don't like romances, but these stories were okay, as far as romances go; I only gave them three stars because of that. Though she shows more polish in her later technique, since it works, it remains the same.

This book contains two stories, "Mind over Matter", and "The Name of the Game", each about 250 pps long. Ms. Roberts blends something a little interesting with her romances. In Mind over Matter, it is a psychic who naturally can't / won't "see" things for herself, and has her daughter (surprise) be her agent. In the Name of the Game, it's a game show contest, (fairly complex) in which the protagonist (always female) falls for a contestant. Of course, the guys are wonderful and understanding, and the girls are too, and they get together at the end of each story.

Written in 1977 and 1948, both stories are fairly timeless, (maybe they were updated by editors?) but both are okay reads.

[Kelli Santistevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book.

[Debbie Evancic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two very romantic love tales. You know the guy will eventually get the girl and everyone will live happily ever after. Enjoyable, but predictable.

[Stephen Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

2 novels, 1 amazing book!!!!!!!!

[Phil · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first story was good, the second one a little too formulaic for me.

[Kathy Regehr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best Nora Roberts book. Story lines are lame and predictable. Just needed a mindless book and on that level it even disappoints.

[Tiffany Manning · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are brilliant but not over the top simple romances. I would recommed it to all readers.

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mind Over Matter - 2/5 - David Brady is doing a documentary on psychics and wants to use Clarisse...only in order to do so, he must go through her formidable agent, A.J. Fields...who also happens to be her daughter. Both of these characters are insanely stubborn, pretty blind about each other's feelings and quick to anger. They frustrated. But it provided a pretty good amount of angst. Despite the character's flaws, this might have been a pretty good book if it had simply ended at the 60-70% mark. Instead it dragged on with little to no point. I began wondering where it was going. All they had to do was say the "I Love You"s. It shouldn't take 30% of the book to get that out once all the secrets have been revealed. But misunderstanding after misunderstanding of these two frustrating characters becoming even more frustrating by avoiding talking and not saying what needs to be said and letting their pride get in the way had me actually not caring whether they ever worked it out.

Name of the Game - 3/5 - I would consider this an average story. Johanna is a game show producer who grew up in Hollywood and is jaded and strong...hiding a very vulnerable, sensitive personality. Sam is an actor who acts as a celebrity guest star on the game show and the attraction is instantaneous. Johanna was frustrating - she was cagey, evasive, lied in order to keep Sam away...all because she was afraid to get hurt. And I really struggled to see why - her reasons didn't seem to make sense to me... Well, they did, but they couldn't account for the sheer strength of her resistance. Sam was a wonderful hero. Unlike other male characters in stories by this author, he had a great (and I do mean great) deal of patience with the heroine. He never felt overly pushy. He did his share of maneuvering, but it felt like he was very careful to give Johanna the space she needed, while still progressing the relationship. And at one point, he even admits to moving forward because he could sense that she needed it...despite her protestations. And even though he seemed to delight in flustering her and even angering her, it didn't seem to have a malicious bent to it (unlike Rules of the Game). No other subplot or secondary romances really. Just the romance and it was just average.

[Joan Ridge]

I didn't enjoy this book, didn't read the second story.......first one was kind of boring, sorry.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Nora Roberts! I thought I had read most of her older stuff, but I didn't remember these 2, which are from the late eighties. Are the characters and storylines as fully developed as her writing now? Of course not, but if you read them in the context of the time they were written, you will find out that they are quite good. I thought they held up well, considering how long ago they were written, and now I wish I had not actually figured the years;).
Mind Over Matter is the story of Aurora, a theatrical agent, and David, a tv producer. Aurora, for all her seemingly hard shell, is devoted to her clients, especially her mother. David is very assertive producer, who also cares about getting the story right. They have both been through a lot, but manage to get to a HEA, in classic NR fashion.
The Name of the Game is the story of Johanna, a game show producer, and Sam, a charming movie star. Again, classic NR, both have been through a lot, she has trust issues, but they still get a HEA.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind Over Matter: 3.5 stars
Although this first story was harder to get into and wasn't as engrossing, it was sweet and I really liked the psychic aspect of it.

The Name of the Game: 5 stars
This one was even better, I couldn't put it down and I loved Johanna and Sam and basically everyone.

[Perssis Namour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the second book inside this one titled Mind over matter. the two involved are cute. this book was far more modest when it came to the romantic scenes. I enjoyed both books about people falling in love on the west coast of California.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked both of these. Easy reading, likable characters with good chemistry.

[Marie Buccellato · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not Nora Roberts usual stories...........wasnt happy about either story

[Cynthia O'reamer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wandering wonder. The female was too pent up and crazy.

[Mandy Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was on my shelf because I like Nora Roberts but I don't always like romance. .I had to skim a lot and it was not a favorite for sure