Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Brown-Eyed Girl (Travis Family, #4)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Brown-Eyed Girl

(The Travis Family #4)

Lisa Kleypas (Goodreads Author)

3.67 · Rating details · 9,689 ratings · 1,279 reviews

Avery is a talented fashion designer with a bright future ahead of her. The company goes into liquidation, and Avery finds herself without a job. Her boyfriend leaves her. Her father falls ill. One night she offers help to a distressed young man; their attraction is instant.

Get A Copy

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published August 11th 2015 by St. Martin's Press

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Brown-Eyed Girl, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.67 ·

Rating details

· 9,689 ratings · 1,279 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Brown-Eyed Girl (Travis Family, #4)

Jun 27, 2013 Baba rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: memorable-favorite-heroes, best-proposals, netgalley

4 stars. Rating clarification see below. Review posted July 17, 2015
photo oie_oFNgpdP9Kg2S_zpsgljnklw7.gif

"That's one of the great things about being a guy: Sometimes we fix things by deciding it was bullshit and ignoring the hell out of it."
"That's not fixing," I had protested.
"Sure it is. Like Civil War medicine: Amputate and move on." Joe had paused. "Usually you can't do that with a woman."
"Not usually," I had agreed dryly. "We like to solve problems by actually facing them and working out compromises."
"Golf's easier."

"Uncle ...more

flag 133 likes · Like · see review

Jun 26, 2013 Jill rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance

I held the crystal flute by the stem, its contents shimmering with tiny bubbles.

"To your beautiful brown eyes," he said, lifting his glass.

I flushed. "Thank you."

description

I breathed in the scent of him, burnished with sun and salt, and I was confounded by the yearning to press my mouth against his neck, taste him.

"You're nearsighted," I heard him say on a questioning note.

I nodded. "You're the only thing I can see."

He looked down at me, our noses nearly touching. "Good."

Basically, what's it about...

Aver ...more

flag 117 likes · Like · see review

Jun 24, 2013 ♥ℳelody rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: artistic-hero-or-heroine, jaded-heroine, recommended-to-my-mom, effie-brace-yourself-rant-reviews, glad-i-did-not-purchase, battle-of-wills, characters-who-tested-my-patience, opposites-attract, brooding-dark-quiet-hero, uptight-mary-sue

photo eae54b15585b126813ce4db88dfdffec_zpshnccs9yp.jpg

I knew I was in trouble when I gave this to my mom to read first, who is a HUGE Lisa Kleypas fan and within the first few chapters she was giving the stink face. Her and I are usually likethis when it comes to LK books, with most (ok pretty much all) being complete hits. You can never go wrong with a Kleypas book. I love and adore her and she's always at the top of my list in all things Romance. As thrilled as I was initially that Joe was getting his book finally, the excitement wore off gradually with the low underwhelming reviews and the endless search it took me to track down one freaking copy. Gonna get straight to my problem: this didn't read at all like a full length novel. This was more a novella than anything. The super rushed thin-plot, the insane insta-lust that had no rhyme or reason to it. Did I mention this is only 290 pages? Joe immediately chasing after Avery like she's the greatest thing since slice bread made no sense to me. You share no more than 5 words with her then are dying to take her out. Really?? I wanted to know why he liked her, why he wanted her. (view spoiler) Joe being overly familiar with her after that first night and saying it meant something to him was near comical. The momentum of this story is as graceful and gradual as a falling piano.

This is first person narration from the heroine's POV but LK has had no problem in fleshing out and developing the hero's POV through the heroine's eyes, which is not easy to do. She did it in the first 3 books effortlessly. Here it was completely remiss. And what scares and worries me more is that this did not read or feel like a LK book. I mean I saw it in a few places with Lisa's natural ability to draw you into the secondary characters, and her fluid prose. But the essential element was missing here. Another problem: 90% of this story I did not feel or buy the chemistry between Joe and Avery. Joe came off very underdeveloped and seemed to just disappear into the background. Most of the time I struggled to even picture what he looks like, which is a total rarity for a LK hero. And this is a Travis man. The Travis brothers are big, brawny, alpha to the core but so charming and sexy they can melt you like butter with their words. Joe is a mere shadow next to his brothers and Hardy who demand presence and take up the page whenever they show up in a scene.

And as much as I appreciated that LK decided to write a full figured heroine, Avery tested my patience a good portion of this book. I felt she was all over the place. I personally never found it interesting or believable for a guy to chase around a woman who keeps turning him down, especially when it takes up half the book. Her stubborn hold ups over why she doesn't want to be in a relationship were weak and so cliche. It made her come off thin-skinned and cowardly. Her jaundiced cynical views on love and handing out ill advice to her sister about love and marriage not being forever was just annoying and absurd. And the fact that she kept brushing off Joe as a rich playboy nagged me to no end. She's curvy but super insecure about her figure, to the point she dresses like a grandmother from the 80s in baggy billowy ill-fitting clothes. For a 'fashionista' who worked hard and played in the fashion world of NYC, she doesn't have a stylish bone in her body. That made no sense to me. She's this rigid, workaholic perfectionist who has to have everything be 'perfect and high end' but she can't dress herself?? Really? More like she won't and doesn't try to. With someone with this kind of deep seated insecurity I was expecting it be a slow gradual process, for Joe to break down her barriers and get her to slowly realize that she can be sexy and curvy and not be ashamed. He needed to drill that in her head. But that doesn't happen. It quickly happens near the end with a quick impromptu photoshoot and Joe telling her she's beautiful, done! I mean...that's it? Someone who's gone that long being so uncomfortable and insecure doesn't overcome it overnight.

Everything was so cut and dry and super fast that I was amazed LK even bothered. It did not feel like I was reading a Kleypas book. She's very deliberate and gradual with her characters and story build up. She's the kind of writer where you always can trust that the story and relationships play out organically with a slow burn and you never question the chemistry. All aspects of this story seemed very forced. This honestly screamed of the author being forced to spit something out and in a short amount of time. Everything was so slapstick and hallow. The only slight enjoyment I found was seeing Avery's sister Sofia get together with Steven. Their coming together was really sweet and romantic and totally LK worthy. I definitely saw it there. And I know she won't but I really wish Lisa would give Joe's cousin, brooding gruff Ryan a book. He's scrumptious and just screamed 'write me a story' right off the page. Also the timeline of this book really threw me off. I remember when the announcement of this book came out Lisa said this picks up right after Jack's book. Not so. Ella and Jack's little boy Luke is 5 here and (view spoiler). Luke was a newborn in diapers in Smooth Talking Stranger. That's a pretty big leap.

Overall, not bad...just not up to Kleypas's usual caliber. It really felt like I was reading a chick lit book by another author who shall not be named but all the talk of wedding planning reminded me of it. I just wasn't as into it as I was hoping to be and I did not get a good bead on Joe whatsoever which disappoints me the most. As much as I adore the Travis clan I would much rather have had Lisa stop after Jack's book then do something so fast and underwhelming as this. ...more

flag 97 likes · Like · see review

Aug 20, 2013 Lady Vigilante (Feifei) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, beach-read, netgalley-edelweiss, cheese-puffs, panty-dropping-hot, sweet-hero, choke-dat-ho, alpha-heroes, i-trust-my-friends, contemporary-duckie

3.5-4 stars!

Lisa Kleypas is one of the very few authors where I’ve either liked or loved everything she’s written – that’s almost 50 books! The genre doesn’t matter; whenever I pick up a book from her I know I’ll get a wonderfully romantic story that’ll warm my heart, and a new book hero to add to my favorites list as well. On top of that, Lisa Kleypas writes like no other, and her words are infused with so much wit and passion it makes her stories an absolute joy to read. Not surprisingly, Brow 3.5-4 stars!

Lisa Kleypas is one of the very few authors where I’ve either liked or loved everything she’s written – that’s almost 50 books! The genre doesn’t matter; whenever I pick up a book from her I know I’ll get a wonderfully romantic story that’ll warm my heart, and a new book hero to add to my favorites list as well. On top of that, Lisa Kleypas writes like no other, and her words are infused with so much wit and passion it makes her stories an absolute joy to read. Not surprisingly, Brown-Eyed Girl fell into the same category and overall, I enjoyed it! It’s definitely not my favorite in the Travis Family series, though it does tie up this contemporary saga nicely.

The main highlight of this book would definitely be the hero Joe Travis. He’s just as delectable and charming as the other Travis men and I’m so glad that the baby brother of the bunch finally got his happily ever after. He truly lives up to the title of hero – it’s refreshing to read about a hero who doesn’t use his damaged past to be a complete jackass to the heroine. And I think it’s this gentlemanly honor Lisa Kleypas’s heroes have that really sets her stories apart from other romances – there’s truly nothing about her writing that exaggerates or is over the top…everything feels natural, flows well, and is easy to connect with.

Now for the heroine Avery. I. Just. Don’t. Get. Her! Her skittish behavior frustrated me a lot, and I honestly never really got what Joe saw in her. On one hand I could relate to Avery – she’d been burned by love in the past from the people who were supposed to have her back so naturally she’d be cautious and cynical. But on the other hand, she’d push and then pull Joe back like it was nothing and her indecisiveness annoyed me a lot. But on the bright side, the author wrote her character in a way where no matter how much she frustrated me, I never hated her (if you’ve read Lisa Kleypas’s books you know how hard it is to outright dislike her heroines). I just thought she wasn’t good enough for Joe ;)

Because of my lukewarm feelings for Avery, in turn I also thought the romance wasn’t developed enough. Unlike the first 3 books in this series, the attraction had zero buildup and additionally, there weren’t any conflicts or twists in the story to add some spice and healthy angst. I guess what I’m trying to say is that this is a very straightforward book, not boring at all but at the same time...eh. It’s just missing that special spark that would’ve made this story a 4.5 or 5 star read for me.

Although I didn’t totally love this book, it’s definitely more of a hit than a miss. At the very least, it reinforces the fact that Lisa Kleypas is not a one hit wonder and can still dish out the goods. I’ll be real honest though – had this book not been written by her I would’ve given it 3 stars flat and called it a day. Despite the predictable and underwhelming storyline, the writing is one of a kind and it never fails to impress me so I gave points for that. In short, I would recommend this book (and series! And basically ALL of this author’s books) but I’d wait for a price drop first as $12.99 for a slightly above average read isn’t worth it.

Series reading order: Every book in this series is a standalone. I would recommend reading at least book 3 Smooth Talking Stranger because an important incident there is connected with Joe and is a part of this book.

ARC provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ...more

flag 81 likes · Like · see review

Feb 13, 2015 Wendy'sThoughts rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Lisa Kleypas Fans, Romance

4 For Joe, Yup, Joe Travis Stars
* * * *
If you have been following my ode to Lisa Kleypas and the Holy Grail of Brown-Eyed Girl... then you have read of my deep affection for the author and her series. To say I was sort of excited to have it in my desperate little hands would be an understatement.

My love for this series was due to my introduction to this genre through Ms. Kleypas' Historical Romance series and this first contemporary one. She went out on a limb with Sugar Daddy and continued to ...more

flag 74 likes · Like · see review

Jun 26, 2013 Geri Reads rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4 stars!

“What do you like to read?”
I glanced at the pile of candy-colored novels on the nightstand and replied with self-conscious amusement. “Love stories. The kind with happy endings.”
“Do you ever get tired of knowing how the book’s going to end?”
“No, that’s the best part. Happily-ever-afters are hard to come by in real life, even in the wedding business. But at least I can count on one in a book.”

When you have a Lisa Kleypas book in your hand, you can be sure of a couple of thing ...more

flag 70 likes · Like · see review

Jun 30, 2013 Christie«SHBBblogger» rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: laugh-out-loud, august2015, advanced-copy, auto-buy-author, part-of-a-series, broken-heroine, sweet-and-light

Title: Brown-Eyed Girl
Series: Travises #4
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Release date: August 11, 2015
Cliffhanger: No
HEA(view spoiler)

This has to be the biggest gap between books that I can remember. Six years! And I was just as excited when this landed on my Kindle as when I first heard that Brown-Eyed Girl was in the works quite a while ago. That is how much I adore this author. I realized that this is my Twenty-fifth book by her that I've read and she still has that indescribable ma ...more

flag 61 likes · Like · see review

Oct 10, 2013 Polo rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

why would someone give it a "1 star" without even reading it???? i am giving it a "5 star" to balance it out.. take that unknown crazy hater person...... ...more

flag 60 likes · Like · see review

Aug 31, 2015 ✦❋Arianna✦❋ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4 Stars!!

description

“Brown-Eyed Girl” is the fourth book in Lisa Kleypas’s “Travis Family” series, can be read as a standalone and fallows Joe Travis, the youngest man from Travis family. We met Joe briefly in the previous books in the series, so we know he’s the youngest, that he’s a photographer and that he’s like his brothers – hot as hell.

From the moment he laid his eyes on Avery Crosslin, a beautiful redhead who works as a wedding planner he knew not only that she’s different from other women in his p ...more

flag 55 likes · Like · see review

Jul 15, 2015 Amanda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-netgalley, contemporary-romance

4 'modern day fairy tale' stars

It had been years since I read the last book with Jack Travis, so I'm not gonna try to compare them. My memory is a little fuzzy except that I remember loving Jack and his power tools and his chest hair.

Brown-Eyed Girl feels much like a retelling of a modern day fairy tale, an insecure, awkward heroine who caught the eye of an absolutely swoon-worthy Prince Charming. It might sounds cliche at first, but the whole reading experience just make me feels so good and th ...more

flag 50 likes · Like · see review

Jun 26, 2013 Duchess Nicole rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-contemp-romance, 4-star-read, arc-for-review, hyped, read-in-2015, self-contained, signed-copy, arc-net-galley

4.5 STARS

I was set up to love this book. I contains my favorite things. First off, the fact that the wait for Joe's story just heightened my expectations should have been a buzzkill...but it wasn't. Usually, when I expect a book to be outstanding, it inevitably disappoints. I'm thrilled to say that Kleypas really delivered with her answer to the begging and pleading of thousands of readers. Secondly, I love a good chase...when a hero sees that elusive "something" in a woman and goes for gold. Wh 4.5 STARS

I was set up to love this book. I contains my favorite things. First off, the fact that the wait for Joe's story just heightened my expectations should have been a buzzkill...but it wasn't. Usually, when I expect a book to be outstanding, it inevitably disappoints. I'm thrilled to say that Kleypas really delivered with her answer to the begging and pleading of thousands of readers. Secondly, I love a good chase...when a hero sees that elusive "something" in a woman and goes for gold. When he just won't give up, no matter her stubborn refusals. Love. It. That's a big fantasy. Thirdly, the alpha male who is still a good guy...considerate, gentle, but sometimes pushy and persuasive and just a little too aggressive...give me more!

"If it's real," Joe said quietly, "it doesn't go away."
"How do you know?"
"Because that's what real is."

Kleypas nails the overtly masculine, somewhat old fashioned hero. Her contemporary heroes are reminiscent of her historical heroes. They take the lead and are strong and tough while still being respectful and allowing their woman to be her own person. Joe epitomizes that perfect balance between alpha and beta. He sees what he wants (Avery, obv) he goes for it. He also has enough tact and patience to see that Avery is going to take a little bit of gentle persuasion and...ahem...some not-so gentle persuation, if you know what I mean. **wink, wink**

Which leads me to the delicious parts. I found it really interesting after reading a slew of erotic books just how erotic a veiled sexy scene can be. I mean, you're there in the moment, you know what's going on, but she doesn't spell it out. She doesn't use explicit wording. The titillation comes from the allusions, not from the shock factor. It was hot, hot, hot!!!!!!

Another thing that Kleypas did right was regarding Avery, the heroine's reluctance to accept anything more than a one night stand from Joe. The way her past was revealed led me to truly empathize with the way she guarded her heart.

"Happily ever afters are hard to come by in real life, even in the wedding business. But al least I can count on one in a book."
"I've seen some great marriages in real life."
"They don't stay that way, though. Every marriage starts as a happy ending, and then it turns into a marriage."

So many authors try and fail to pull this off, and more often than not, it comes across as some kind of soap opera drama-fest. Not so here. Avery remained mature and true to herself while battling this overwhelming attraction to the man that is perfect for her. Of course, we all know resistance is futile when it comes to any Travis man, but especially when one so obviously wants you badly.

MY DISLIKES:
My reasons for not giving five stars? A couple, actually. I wanted more Joe. I wanted to spend more time with him. I felt like he and Avery had "big moments" but very little downtime to build on their attraction. I felt the connection because the author is just that good. But I wanted a little more showing, a little more time for reflection that they got. My other beef goes sort of hand in hand with that complaint, and it's that I felt like the book was cut short. I could easily have read another 50-100 pages and garnered a lot more from this relationship. I felt like the middle was cut short, and I felt like the end wrapped up way too quickly. Literally two pages between the conflict and the resolution, and I just wanted more.

There is a lot of the Travis family, and while I know it sounds cheesy, it was like coming home. There is a certain scene in this book that...after all this time away from this family...still made me choke up. That says a lot for how strongly connected I was to them all. And I think readers will be satisfied with the way things are going for this powerhouse family. Avery and Joe steal the show, but it's still a Travis book, through and through! I'm thrilled to say that I can't imagine readers having anything to be disappointed in...this was a fantastic read!!

Advance copy provided by the publisher for review ...more

flag 49 likes · Like · see review

Jul 14, 2015 Allison ❤️Will Never Conquer Her TBR❤️ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

LIVE on AMZ (for the bargain price of $12.99 for an ebook)- http://amzn.to/1IFX13J

4.25 Classic Kleypas Romance Stars!

Brown-Eyed Girl took me back to my early reading days. Lisa Kleypas was one of the first authors I binged on several years ago when I really ramped up my hobby of reading. Her library more historical than contemporary romance, I fell immediately for her style of writing and her ability to capture the essence of her characters so flawlessly. Since then, I've hardly read anything fr ...more

flag 46 likes · Like · see review

Jul 13, 2015 Amy | Foxy Blogs rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library2go, 2016-books, march-2016

I've read the complete series and enjoyed each book. My favorite of the four books is Blue-Eyed Devil which is about the sister of the Travis brothers.

Check out your local library that is where I found this book (it was available via kindle version).

SERIES:

Sugar Daddy (Travises, #1) by Lisa Kleypas

Blue-Eyed Devil (Travises, #2) by Lisa Kleypas

Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3) by Lisa Kleypas

Brown-Eyed Girl (Travis Family, #4) by Lisa Kleypas

Continuing story where secondary characters from the first book become the main focus in subsequent books.
Book 1 - Gage Travis | Book 2 - Haven Travis | Book 3 - Jack Travis | Book 4 - Joe Travis

...more

flag 40 likes · Like · see review

Aug 05, 2015 Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡ @bookwormthoughts rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: advance-copy

It's LIVE! * Amazon US * Amazon UK *

Lisa Kleypas is an author I've seen touted by my reading friends, all of whom speak very highly about her work so I relished the opportunity to read this story and jump into the fourth book of the TRAVIS FAMILY series.

Brown-Eyed Girl is a Contemporary Romance about family, trust, discovering what you really want from life and the most important feeling of all, LOVE.

The Travis man in the spotlight in this fourth installment is Joe. He's rich, single and LOVEL ...more

flag 38 likes · Like · see review

Jul 10, 2016 Danielle The Book Huntress (Back to the Books) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Lisa Kleypas, Contemporary Romance Fans

Shelves: heroine-i-adore, hero-disappointed-me, 1st-person-pov, reluctant-heroine, bbw-heroine, redhead, part-of-a-series, set-in-houston, hero-or-heroine-wears-glasses, audiobook

My sister and I listened to this on Playaway in the car as we did our usual car commuting. I have to say I enjoyed it a lot. I know that many fans weren't that happy with it. To my surprise, I really bonded with Avery. I got her. I understood her fears and what drove her and why she was trying so hard to avoid a relationship with Joe. It was funny how I would have a thought about the story and it would pop up either in the dialogue or Avery's thoughts.

I do also have to say that this nails some My sister and I listened to this on Playaway in the car as we did our usual car commuting. I have to say I enjoyed it a lot. I know that many fans weren't that happy with it. To my surprise, I really bonded with Avery. I got her. I understood her fears and what drove her and why she was trying so hard to avoid a relationship with Joe. It was funny how I would have a thought about the story and it would pop up either in the dialogue or Avery's thoughts.

I do also have to say that this nails some very integral aspects of Texas culture. I found that highly enjoyable. It was also interesting that Avery is a Texas woman to her core, but she connected to living in New York so much.

I loved Avery's relationship with her sister Sofia and the employees of her wedding/event planning company. Sofia and Steven's relationship definitely had me thinking that their sparks were of the romantic kind. I liked how Avery and Sofia were so close, despite meeting as adults. I'm very close to my sister, so I totally got the sister love between them. I loved the affection and loyalty they showed to each other. It felt very authentic.

As far as the romance, I wasn't 100% satisfied with it. I know that most of that is due to the 1st person POV format. It just doesn't work well for romance. I think that for me, I need to have access to both the characters to see the romance in a 360 degree view. I was forced to wonder and surmise how Joe felt based on what Avery saw or what he did in the book. I sometimes wondered what was defense mechanism or merely reacting to what Avery said or did.

I liked Joe, a lot, but he did let me down in a major way. (view spoiler)

I think my issue with this book is the same with the Travis series. I just don't care much for 1st person romance. I will always love the books, because Lisa Kleypas is a fantastic writer, and even my least favorites by her are still well-written. I did like catching up with the Travises. I really wish this had been multiple 1st person, because I really missed Joe's POV. I don't think I got to know him nearly as well I wanted. Hardy is still my favorite. Oh, that man! I could eat him off a spoon. But Joe is dreamy, and I loved him with Avery. Avery won me over and I really felt a kinship with her. I think I would like her in real life, and hanging out with her Sofia would be a lot of fun.

This was a very Texas book, with a couple of women that I felt like could be my friends in real life, and that was nice! ...more

flag 47 likes · Like · see review

Aug 10, 2015 Bonnie-Anne Carmichael (Love Triangles Are Fucking Stupid.) rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: ending-i-hated, sexist-or-offensive, side-characters-that-need-punched, main-lad-annoying-as-hell, made-me-rage, main-lassie-annoying-as-hell, side-romance-swoons

I hated this. There is just no other way to put it. I want to tear it up and set on fire. So much of this was just rage inducing. There was more that annoyed me but I'm angry so I'm just putting what's sticking out in my head the now.
(view spoiler) I hated this. There is just no other way to put it. I want to tear it up and set on fire. So much of this was just rage inducing. There was more that annoyed me but I'm angry so I'm just putting what's sticking out in my head the now.
(view spoiler)[
• It starts of SO boring. There is hardly any romance, it's just about Avery and her job. Yawn.
• The first side story of the groom getting cold feet was so annoying. I felt like it wasn't her business to convince him to get married. She should have stayed out of it. Aside from the fact that she shouldn't have been giving him advice in the first place because it was NONE of her business, the advice was awful. If you have to convince someone on their wedding day to get married then they shouldn't be getting married. I felt so sorry for the bride.
• Jack and Ella were in it a lot and I hate them so that bugged me. Plus they talked about having more kids, she could barely look after one baby in her book, I shudder to think of her with more children.
• The cousin Ryan and his pregnant girlfriend Bethany storyline made me so bloody angry. Everyone kept saying how they felt sorry for him getting "caught" by her. IT FUCKING TAKES TWO PEOPLE TO HAVE A BABY. Everyone kept going on about how terrible a burden he was having to bear having a baby and how awful it was he was having to marry her. Are you kidding me? No seriously, are you kidding me? He was choosing to marry her, he wasn't being forced and he was acting like he was some kind of fucking martyr. Bite me. Once again, a lassie doesn't just get pregnant by herself. Also don't be involved in a baby's life if you don't think it's an amazing addition to your life. The baby would be better without you. Bethany ended up having not nice secrets but Ryan didn't know any of that and neither did all the people making comments so it doesn't excuse all the asshole behaviour.
• Avery discovers that Ryan isn't Bethany's baby's dad. How does she find this out? Because a wedding dress fitter tells her she can tell the due date by the size of the bump. Not only is this lazy storytelling, IT'S TOTAL STUPIDITY. Every time I've had my bump measured it comes out as matching a different age. My friend who is a week behind me has a bump twice the size of mine. Medical professionals tell you bump size of not an indication of how far along you are AT ALL. I think I'm at the point where I've just heard so many stupid pregnancy comments from people who don't have a clue that this seriously made me want to punch things. It gets confirmed by Bethany but I seriously couldn't get over how stupid and harmful those comments could have been if it hadn't been true. Also baby's move at different times for different people. My baba could kick things of my belly from early on.
• Avery who is meant to a professional women with a serious business, goes and tell Ryan about the baby. I hate cheating more than anything in this world. I don't believe in second chances, I think you cheat, you should be shot. But no way in a hell should a professional being going back to the groom with gossip like that. It's none of her business and in the real world that should have seriously affected her business.
• Also are the stereotypical bad females really necessary? Beautiful, well dressed, socialite has to obviously be a "golddigger," "selfish," and a cheater. Whereas the heroine doesn't care about what she wears and adopts scruffy unwanted dogs. GIVE ME A BREAK. Can this please stop in books? PLEASE.
• Okay so now the part that almost broke my kindle. Avery gets this great job opportunity that means she would have to move to New York. Joe who up until now I've really loved, and who was apparently totally into her and had chased her, tells her he won't stand in her way but if she takes the job they are done. He absolutely refuses to even discuss making it work. He tells he doesn't he even want to be with her for the time they'd have left. What a wanker! If you love someone you make it work. Considering he is a fucking millionaire with his own fucking jet, I'm sure he could have made it work long distance. She tries to come up with all the ways they could try make it work but he flat out refuses. Won't even discuss it! No way did I believe he loved her! How does it get resolved? That's right she gives up the job of a lifetime, conveniently she's had an epiphany that it isn't really want she wants, she wants to be with Joe and her life there. Of fucking course the only way they can be together is for her to do exactly what he wants. I want to be clear I have ZERO problem with a women choosing love and family over a career choice. Right now I'm a stay at home pregnant lady and I'm going to be a stay at home mum. What I do have a problem with is that if she wanted to be with him, that was her only choice. He wasn't willing to compromise at all. That just makes me so mad! I can't believe he loved her at all if he wasn't willing to put ANY work in at all. I would go anywhere for my husband, and he in turn would go anywhere for me. I can't believe how ruined Joes character got in the end! Totally unfair and sexist. (hide spoiler)]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! ...more

flag 36 likes · Like · see review

Jun 19, 2013 Danielle (Love at First Page) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, genre-contemp-rom-adult, own-kindle-book, read-in-2015, favorites-adult-romance, pretty-writing

I honestly thought I'd die before I got to read Joe Travis' story. Seriously, that's how long the wait has felt. So thank you, Racquel, for putting me out of my misery and letting me borrow your ARC. Writing post-it notes alongside yours, Alexa's, and Miranda's was the perfect companion to this reading experience. <3

description

For fans of these stubborn, sexy as hell, alpha, Texas-bred heroes of Lisa's, you will be pleased to know that Joe is cut from the same cloth. He goes after what and who he wants wit ...more

flag 36 likes · Like · see review

Sep 03, 2015 Alp rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance

As always, Lisa Kleypas delivers this pleasant, heartwarming, and delightful romantic story. Brown-Eyed Girl is a great read and I really enjoyed reading it though the whole story just seems a bit plain to me. The writing is excellent and the dialogue is spot on and so natural.

Let's talk about Joe because nothing in this book is better than him! Joe is a freelance photographer, the youngest Travis sibling. He is every woman's dream: sexy, optimistic, charming, sweet, patient, and understanding. As always, Lisa Kleypas delivers this pleasant, heartwarming, and delightful romantic story. Brown-Eyed Girl is a great read and I really enjoyed reading it though the whole story just seems a bit plain to me. The writing is excellent and the dialogue is spot on and so natural.

Let's talk about Joe because nothing in this book is better than him! Joe is a freelance photographer, the youngest Travis sibling. He is every woman's dream: sexy, optimistic, charming, sweet, patient, and understanding. He is a perfect hero! It was hard for me to understand why he was attracted to Avery. I didn't see what he thought he saw in her. I think she didn't deserve him. To be honest, if it weren't for Joe, I would give this book 3 stars!

Avery is a wedding coordinator who has chosen to focus on her wedding business with her sister rather than any love relationship. She was jilted at the altar by her ex-fiancé and that left a deep scar on her heart. She met Joe at one of her clients’ wedding and after the party, they had one scorching night together. Avery thought it was only one night stand but Joe didn’t think like that. He pursued her and never gave up on her. (Ooh…so sweet!) But she kept telling herself that Joe wasn’t the right man for her. (Seriously!?) She kept fighting her feelings for him and kept pushing him away, then abruptly, she pulled him back just like her stubborn refusal to give him a chance didn’t matter. (What!?) It took almost the entire book for me to warm up to her!

**Scream out of frustration**

I was a little disappointed with the romance between Joe and Avery. It was good and sweet, yet it couldn’t grab my heart. I shouldn’t expect too much…

I loved that the supporting characters were likable and they could help make the story more interesting. I loved the romance between two secondary characters, Steven and Sofia. Reading about the simple sweet things that happened between them made my heart glow.

Moreover, it was wonderful to catch up with the familiar characters from previous books in this series. I’m so surprised at how much I miss them, and Gage the most! He’s my favorite!

The ending was quite predictable but that wasn’t a problem. I wanted sweet HEA and I got what I wanted! Even though this book wasn’t my favorite by the author, I did enjoy the story and I'm happy I picked this one up.
...more

flag 28 likes · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2013 Didi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library-loan, hot-as-hell, romance

I swear, this woman can't write a bad book! I love LK, love her. She's in my top 3 authors and never fails to impress me with her effortless execution of writing a beautiful romance. Her way with words is magical:

"He had a lazy, easy way of talking, as if every word had been simmered for hours over a low flame."
Is that not the most evocative sentence?!

I've been waiting a long time for Joe's story and I did love it, but was it my fave of the series? No. That honour goes to Smooth Talking Strange I swear, this woman can't write a bad book! I love LK, love her. She's in my top 3 authors and never fails to impress me with her effortless execution of writing a beautiful romance. Her way with words is magical:

"He had a lazy, easy way of talking, as if every word had been simmered for hours over a low flame."
Is that not the most evocative sentence?!

I've been waiting a long time for Joe's story and I did love it, but was it my fave of the series? No. That honour goes to Smooth Talking Stranger and Blue-Eyed Devil. Jack, from STS is among my top heroes with his sexy swagger and presence. Seeing him in this book was like unwrapping a gift! Joe was sweet, sexy and had a more unhurried manner about him. He didn't have the smooth, sexiness of Jack, the brooding, intensity of Hardy or the quiet and caged manliness of Gage. He did however have the patience of a saint! Well, that among other things. Where he lacked intensity he made up for it with sweetness, perseverance and swoonworthiness. Honestly, how can you go wrong with a Travis?

I liked Avery for the most part. I get why some people were frustrated by her, but I completely understood. Her background and lack of any enviable models of good men or good relationships was troubling and very much explained why she was so hesitant. A hot guy like Joe Travis would intimidate many women. I loved how she came to discover what she felt for him and what was important. I just wish the last third of the book was longer. I wanted to see what happened with (view spoiler).

I haven't seen anywhere if LK plans another book in this series. A spinoff would be great, especially with a certain character in this book who piqued my interest. The secondary story of Sofia, Avery's sister was great as well. And of course I have to mention one thing amongst many that this author is good at. The male characterization. Not for one second do you doubt the voice of any of her male heroes. She writes the most masculine, the most sexy, the most incredibly accurate male characterizations I've ever read. I'm sad to say goodbye to these sexy Travis men, but hopefully we'll get more contemporaries in the future. Loved this, loved Joe! And Jack....<3 ...more

flag 28 likes · Like · see review

Jun 26, 2013 SheReadsALot rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, erotic, damaged-hero, hot-alpha-male, wealthy-motherfuckers, sweet, part-of-a-series, artist-or-artsy-type, damaged-heroine, alphabet-challenge

I don't think I've ever rated a Kleypas book lower than a 4...well, there's a first time for everything.

This is swimming in the 3-3.5 range. All of the stars are for Joe who I love but I don't think this book did him justice. I waited all these years and nearly quelted myself when I found out finally he was going to get a book. Because if you ever ask to name some of my favorite series, the Travis Family, is cement shoes in there. I can go on for days about Liberty/Hardy/Gage because that was so ...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Jul 27, 2013 Jonetta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, netgalley-arc

Originally posted on The Book Nympho

Almost everyone who's read this series wanted Joe's story. It's not necessarily because of what we knew about him but the last story ended with him barely surviving the boat accident. We just needed to know...more. He was a blank page so I didn't have any expectations.

Avery Crosslin meets Joe Travis at one of her weddings she's managing, mistaking him for one of the photographer's minions. Something about the brown-eyed redhead appeals to Joe and so begins hi ...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Dec 04, 2018 Rachel Reads Ravenously rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, paperback, 3-stars-aint-the-devil, guilty-pleasure-read

3.5 stars!

5 stars for the character development and an interesting heroine... 2.5 for the actual romantic plot. I enjoyed getting to know Avery, she was so cute and I related to her a lot. But Joe.... fell flat. He was boring. I had no idea that a Travis man could be boring! How tragic.

Loved the bits with Steven and Sofia, and Coco the dog. Again, this book had all the right pieces... except for an intriguing leading man. I wish we had gotten more out of Joe. I still love Lisa Kleypas!! Would ...more

flag 25 likes · Like · see review

Oct 04, 2013 Susana rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015-reads, series-i-follow, arc, netgalley, disappointment, contemporary-romance, 2015-releases

Arc provided by St. Martin's Press through Netgalley

Release Date: August 11 th

The first two books in this series are absolute favourites of mine, unfortunately things started going downhill (for me at least) with the third book... and now this one.

I absolutely loved the way this story started: the humour, the character's sass. All the things I like in a romance, they were all there...

But things got strange and more than that, they became downright uncomfortable, after the two main charact ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Feb 13, 2015 Carole (Carole's Random Life in Books) rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, reviewed, net-galley, 2015

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.

I really enjoyed this book. It seems like I have been waiting forever to get my hands on this book. Okay, I know that it has only been six years but it has felt like forever to me. I read Sugar Daddy right after its release and immediately fell in love with Lisa Kleypas's storytelling. I was at the book store to buy the next two books in the series on the day they were released. When I found out that there was going to be a fourth book after This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.

I really enjoyed this book. It seems like I have been waiting forever to get my hands on this book. Okay, I know that it has only been six years but it has felt like forever to me. I read Sugar Daddy right after its release and immediately fell in love with Lisa Kleypas's storytelling. I was at the book store to buy the next two books in the series on the day they were released. When I found out that there was going to be a fourth book after all these years, I was thrilled. I am so happy that this book turned out to be worth the wait.

This book focuses on Joe and Avery. Joe is a part of the Travis family, a wealthy yet down to earth family living in Texas. Joe is really just a nice guy doing a job that he loves who happens to be a part of a wealthy family. Joe is a wonderful Hero. He is kind, sexy, and seems to understand Avery better than she understands herself. He knows exactly what he wants and is not afraid to take chances to achieve his goals.

Avery is a wedding planner who does not have the close family ties that Joe has but she does have a sister that means the world to her. Avery along with her sister run a wedding planning business that is just starting to take off. Avery is a no nonsense kind of person who is focused on work and getting things done. She isn't able to see herself the way that other people do and hides in loose unflattering clothes. She has had a very difficult past that has tore her self esteem apart.

I liked Joe and Avery together. They seem to really fit together nicely. There was a lot of chemistry and sexual tension between the pair. I liked that Avery, who was very guarded, seemed to open up to Joe very easily. Joe was able to understand Avery and not put any pressure on her. He was really the man that Avery needed him to be. He didn't push anything and was more than willing to be a patient as necessary. He was also very honest with Avery and let her know what to expect without trying to change her mind. He was willing to support her and wanted her to be happy even if her choices were not what he would want.

I was so excited to see the Travis family again. Hardy, Gage, Liberty, and the whole gang do make a couple of appearances in this book but this story stands on its own. This book can be read as a stand alone but I would encourage anyone who has not read the earlier books to go ahead and pick those up as well...not because you need them to understand this story. I just think that the earlier books in the series are excellent books that should not be missed. This book is a solid installment in the series but I have to admit that the first two books are still my favorite.

I would highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. Lisa Kleypas is one of those romance authors that stand out. All of her historical and contemporary romance novels are wonderful stories with characters that find a way into your heart and leave a smile on your face. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.

Initial Thoughts
Woo Hoo! I got approved for this book! ...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Jul 25, 2013 WhiskeyintheJar rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, series

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Avery is a wedding coordinator whose business she runs with her sister is up and coming. At one of her more affluent weddings she gets the attention of a mother, whose family is basically Texas royalty, who wants her to organize her daughter's wedding; it would be a huge boost for her business. Avery also meets Joe Travis, another member of a Texas royalty famil I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Avery is a wedding coordinator whose business she runs with her sister is up and coming. At one of her more affluent weddings she gets the attention of a mother, whose family is basically Texas royalty, who wants her to organize her daughter's wedding; it would be a huge boost for her business. Avery also meets Joe Travis, another member of a Texas royalty family, who just plain wants her. However, after being left at the altar a couple years ago, Avery is gun shy of getting involved again. So with her professional life on the rise and Joe and her friends trying to get her to allow her personal life to flourish too, Avery is being pushed and pulled in many directions.

Brown-eyed Girl is the long awaited fourth book in the Travis family series by Lisa Kleypas. Readers of the series have been chomping at the bit to read about little brother Joe getting his happily ever after. The character of Joe did not disappoint, he oozes so much charm you'd gladly sacrifice your last breathe to drown in it. The story is all from Avery's view point, so I did find myself missing Joe's internal thoughts and feelings; especially, the thinking behind wanting Avery so much. Avery allows the chip on her shoulder from being left at the altar to create a wall between her and Joe. She is at turns dismissive, cold, and hardheaded with not giving Joe a chance. Joe actively pursues her with calling, texting, and approaching her whenever he sees her. He never crosses the line into stalking but I very frequently found myself wondering just what in the world immediately drew him to her and why he kept trying. This is the land of romance, so I'm sure her inner beauty and all was the draw but seriously, Avery gave him no incentive to keep trying.

If Avery's reluctance had lasted for only the beginning of the book, I could have rolled with it but it lasts for over half. A relationship where one person is dragged along kicking and screaming, which basically describes Joe and Avery's, is just not that fun to read about. Quite frankly, I was more interested in Avery's sister Sofia and their employee Steven's relationship. They had the push/pull, feisty banter, and chemistry that made their romance interesting, investing, and believable. I felt their connection much more than Avery and Joe.

There were a couple storyline's swirling around, Joe trying to get Avery to give him a chance, Avery organizing the biggest wedding of her career (the groom is Joe's cousin Ryan and I hope we get his story next), Avery getting the chance to host a TV show in New York, and Sofia and Steven's drama. As you can see, Avery had a lot piled on her professional plate and it tended to steal the spotlight from her and Joe as they didn't get to spend as much time together as I typically like my couples to. It's Kleypas writing, so of course, it is overall good but while the meat of the story felt like it was there, I felt like the heart wasn't.

If you liked the previous books and characters of the series, you'll delight in knowing they make frequent appearances in this. We get updates on their lives; including the good and the bad, which I absolutely loved; Haven and Hardy fans better have tissues nearby. Brown-eyed Girl may not be the best of the series but Joe's charming, sweet, and sexy ways will seduce the pants right off you and should not be missed.
...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2013 NinaReader rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 "Because I had a big ol' smile on my face the whole time" Stars!

The whole time I was reading this, I had the goofiest hugest smile on my face giggling like a deranged girl. That's right - a girl - as in not mature as my age would normally call for.

I was just so happy to be reading about the Travises again after all these years.
It's such a throwback to the Lisa Kleypas I've loved for years. Her writing is as smooth and as effortless as it was for the 3 other books of this series.

Joe Travis ...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Mar 14, 2018 Irene Sim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017-read, romance

This was a sweet story, though I was realy sad to read that (view spoiler). Unfortunately I don't remember much about the plot, it's been a while since I read it. Maybe I'll a write a better review in the future since it's almost certain I'll reread it at some point. ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

May 06, 2018 Eilonwy rated it liked it

Shelves: heartwarming, fast-and-enjoyable

When Houston-based wedding planner Avery Crosslin meets wedding guest Joe Travis, sparks fly. But Avery doesn't really want a serious relationship with a super-rich guy when she's happy living with her sister and running her own successful business -- or does she?

I don't have a ton to say about this book. It was a perfectly enjoyable, perfectly forgettable confection of a romance. I enjoyed the side plots -- there was enough going on in Avery's world beyond Joe to keep the book interesting -- an ...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

Nov 22, 2014 Yodamom rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: less-than-i-expected, favorite-author, really-really-want-to-read, romance

3.5
I love the Travis family. They are Houston royalty, rich, sexy powerful and the sweetest people you'd ever meet. Shadows have followed them, their past has not been a bunch of yellow roses. I've enjoyed watching them all find the light that chases those dark bits back in the corner where they belong, and I will miss them now that they are done.
Joe, the young rebel Travis, who set his own path, one that Daddy didn't approve of has finally found his match. Avery, the red headed spit fire weddin ...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

Aug 10, 2013 Annie (Under the Covers Book Blog) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: my-hottie-harem, arc, author-lisa-kleypas, review-requests, ebooks, genre-contemporary-romance, read-in-2015, for-fresh-fiction-review, books-i-own

"BROWN-EYED GIRL rekindled my love for this series..."

Read this review in its entirety at Fresh Fiction ...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
We Love Lisa Kleypas: Brown Eyed Girl (Travises #4) *Possible Spoilers	15	74	Aug 20, 2016 02:58PM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Romance

471 users

Romance > Contemporary Romance

308 users

Contemporary

218 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

53 users

Fiction

42 users

Adult

34 users

Family

14 users

Audiobook

12 users

Adult Fiction

10 users

Humor

7 users

See top shelves…

About Lisa Kleypas

Lisa Kleypas

22,132 followers

LISA KLEYPAS is the RITA award-winning author of 21 novels. Her books are published in fourteen languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children.

Other books in the series

The Travis Family (4 books)

Books by Lisa Kleypas

Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers, #1)

It Happened One Autumn (Wallflowers, #2)

More…

Escape the Present with These 24 Historical Romances

You know the saying: There's no time like the present...unless you're looking for a distraction from the current moment. In that case, we can't...

Trivia About Brown-Eyed Girl (...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Brown-Eyed Girl

“I’m the guy who’s right for you. I may not be what you’re looking for, but I’m what you want. You’ve been alone long enough, honey. It’s time for you to wake up with a man in your bed. Time for the kind of sex that lays you out, owns you, leaves you too shaky to pour your morning coffee.” — 7 likes

“Do I have to take a knee when I ask her?” Ryan asked.“No, but it’s traditional.” Ryan rubbed the lower half of his jaw, clearly not liking the idea. “Men used to kneel when they were being knighted,” Sofia pointed out.“Or beheaded,” Ryan said darkly.” — 4 likes

More quotes…