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The Wisegirls
The Thrill of It All
With a sweet, funny voice and stories that readers love, USA Today bestselling author Christie Ridgway is poised for great things. Let's grow Christie the way we've grown Rachel Gibson!
Felicity Charm went from dirt–poor desert rat to the erica's Shopping Sweetheart⟷when she single–handedly broke out television's hottest new shopping channel, GetTV, to a whole new audience of young, hip consumers. But try as she might to reinvent her background, the truth is bound to come calling–in the form of crazy Aunt Vi, who needs Felicity's reliability to help sort out the latest family crisis. So she puts her 'perfect' boyfriend and 'perfect' life on hold, and strikes out in her Miata to Half Palm, CA, hoping to make fast work of her nutsoid relatives and get back to LA as quickly as possible.
But before she manages that, she'll meet Luke Nilsson, an extreme rock climbing star who's just as caught up in the antics of the Charm family as Felicity is. He's wrong for Felicity in every single way imaginable, but get the two of the together and things seem so right. Perhaps Aunt Vi isn't so nutsoid after all...
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
17 people are currently reading
298 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 10, 2010
I absolutely loved this book.
It was cheesy and lacked a strong plot, BUT I just can't dock it a star. I loved it too much! It has gone into my favorites vault.
Even though it lacks in the plot department and has a cheesfest going on, it all fits. IMO the story isn't about the plot so much as the two main characters relationship with each other. It's about how they meet and change each other for the better... while falling in love and having fabulously raunchy sexcapades!
Speaking of characters, I loved all of the supporting characters along with the mains.... well... except for one of them.
I especially loved Peter! Awwwww. Ok I'll stop now.
Felicity was hilarious with her "smooth talking" the world.
I loved Michael Magee! He was such a classic bad boy, trying to reform his wild ways! All while wearing his inappropriate shirts!
"Recreational Gynecologist"
"I'm not feeling myself today, may I feel you"
There were some serious laugh out loud moments for me as well....
Tarantulas scoping for babes/hot lady spiders.
Yins batting bedroom eyes at yangs.
The "Evil Sorceress of Sales" selling camels to eskimoes.
This was just a fun and hilarious read! I can't wait to go out and snatch up another book of Ridgway's!
It was cheesy and lacked a strong plot, BUT I just can't dock it a star. I loved it too much! It has gone into my favorites vault.
Even though it lacks in the plot department and has a cheesfest going on, it all fits. IMO the story isn't about the plot so much as the two main characters relationship with each other. It's about how they meet and change each other for the better... while falling in love and having fabulously raunchy sexcapades!
Speaking of characters, I loved all of the supporting characters along with the mains.... well... except for one of them.
I especially loved Peter! Awwwww. Ok I'll stop now.
Felicity was hilarious with her "smooth talking" the world.
I loved Michael Magee! He was such a classic bad boy, trying to reform his wild ways! All while wearing his inappropriate shirts!
"Recreational Gynecologist"
"I'm not feeling myself today, may I feel you"
There were some serious laugh out loud moments for me as well....
Tarantulas scoping for babes/hot lady spiders.
Yins batting bedroom eyes at yangs.
The "Evil Sorceress of Sales" selling camels to eskimoes.
This was just a fun and hilarious read! I can't wait to go out and snatch up another book of Ridgway's!
June 29, 2015
I admit it. I DNF this book. I started having qualms when the hero gave the heroine, who was supposedly suffering from hypothermia (which seemed a bit of a stretch for me in the circumstances) alcohol to warm her up. I'd expect an extreme rock climber would know better. But I bit down on that and carried on. Then the heroine decides she "must have" this stranger even though this is totally out of character for her. I might forgive that if the scene had been truly amusing, but it wasn't. The final straw for me is when she later discovers he's her female cousin's roommate and said cousin's late husband's best friend, but based on stories she heard from the late husband (which the cousin has also heard) decides that she can in one day learn enough about this guy to warn her family to stay away from him. WTF? Hubris much? This all comes in the first 18% of the story. I decided it wasn't likely that it was going to get any better so...dnf.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2011
I can’t resist…I was completely Charmed by this book. I started this book a couple of times, not getting past the first page the first time…just not in the mood for it. I finally decided that I was going to read this book, and did just that. I loved Felicity Charm and Michael Magee. I thought they were sweet together, and the whole story just worked for me.
I borrowed this book for my Kindle, and this is one book that I plan to buy so I can read it again.
I borrowed this book for my Kindle, and this is one book that I plan to buy so I can read it again.
August 30, 2020
The book description has gotten the name of the hero wrong. The hero’s name is Michael Magee.
There is also a side story of a second couple
(The heroine’s widowed cousin Ashley and the hero’s partner Peter)
This is told from their POV’s which was equally good. Their HEA was left a bit unfinished though....meaning it was implied but we don’t get to see them get their HEA....
Loose connection with An Offer He Can't Refuse
The hero’s Michael brother Johnny Magee is the hero of that book and the heroine Felicity went to school with heroine of that book. Both those characters don’t make an appearance in this book. Just the connections are mentioned.
Enjoyed this part -
Dollface, here’s the beta on what’s happening. We don’t really want to bump bones. It’s survival rush.”
Her frown deepened. “Beta? Bump bones? Survival rush?”
Taking advantage of her confusion, he inched farther from her hand. “Beta—that means information. Bump bones—that’s a boink, a bang, a score, a screw. Survival rush is just what it sounds like.”
He’d witnessed it during climbs, even between a man and woman who held an active dislike for each other. Have them survive the same epic snowstorm or hairy roped fall and the next thing you knew, they’d be shedding their packs and their gear and going at it like rabbits. “That urge you’re feeling’s a reaction to stress. It’ll go away.”
“Oh.” She looked disappointed. “I kinda like it.”
There is also a side story of a second couple
(The heroine’s widowed cousin Ashley and the hero’s partner Peter)
This is told from their POV’s which was equally good. Their HEA was left a bit unfinished though....meaning it was implied but we don’t get to see them get their HEA....
Loose connection with An Offer He Can't Refuse
The hero’s Michael brother Johnny Magee is the hero of that book and the heroine Felicity went to school with heroine of that book. Both those characters don’t make an appearance in this book. Just the connections are mentioned.
Enjoyed this part -
Dollface, here’s the beta on what’s happening. We don’t really want to bump bones. It’s survival rush.”
Her frown deepened. “Beta? Bump bones? Survival rush?”
Taking advantage of her confusion, he inched farther from her hand. “Beta—that means information. Bump bones—that’s a boink, a bang, a score, a screw. Survival rush is just what it sounds like.”
He’d witnessed it during climbs, even between a man and woman who held an active dislike for each other. Have them survive the same epic snowstorm or hairy roped fall and the next thing you knew, they’d be shedding their packs and their gear and going at it like rabbits. “That urge you’re feeling’s a reaction to stress. It’ll go away.”
“Oh.” She looked disappointed. “I kinda like it.”
April 21, 2019
A book from the shelf that must be read ... rather glad about it though.
I actually really rather enjoyed this book, as an easy read not requiring any real thought or concentration, it was rather fun.
Following Felicity Charm as she makes a trip back to the family fold to help in the search for a missing family member, her last action as a part of the family .. or so she thinks. Felicity has spent a lot of time and effort building an image of tv's sweetheart salesgirl, re-imagining her family as she does so. On her return to the family, a fluke accident has her car heading straight into that of Michael Magee's Jeep - the 'meet cute' that causes Felicity's, Michael's and more of the Charm family's histories to unravel, pulling them all into a whirlwind of emotions.
If you like serious, if you like historical, if you like Booker reads, then this is not for you. But, if you like to relax, enjoying an easy read with flirtation and fun, then this is a good place to start.
I actually really rather enjoyed this book, as an easy read not requiring any real thought or concentration, it was rather fun.
Following Felicity Charm as she makes a trip back to the family fold to help in the search for a missing family member, her last action as a part of the family .. or so she thinks. Felicity has spent a lot of time and effort building an image of tv's sweetheart salesgirl, re-imagining her family as she does so. On her return to the family, a fluke accident has her car heading straight into that of Michael Magee's Jeep - the 'meet cute' that causes Felicity's, Michael's and more of the Charm family's histories to unravel, pulling them all into a whirlwind of emotions.
If you like serious, if you like historical, if you like Booker reads, then this is not for you. But, if you like to relax, enjoying an easy read with flirtation and fun, then this is a good place to start.
November 15, 2021
I read this book for the first time about 15 years ago and have read it at least once a year since the first time.
Love Lissie and Michael, how hard they fight themselves and keep trying to be the people they aren't.
Chemistry is amazing and the author weaves just enough humour into the book to have you giggling every so often while still hooked on the angst that is building.
Love Lissie and Michael, how hard they fight themselves and keep trying to be the people they aren't.
Chemistry is amazing and the author weaves just enough humour into the book to have you giggling every so often while still hooked on the angst that is building.
March 17, 2019
DNF Terrible characters that the author worked way too hard to make quirky and I just couldn't make myself like any of them.
Read
November 26, 2022Annual re-read✅
December 12, 2024
This book felt like it was trying way too hard to be edgy, had some cute moments though. Needed way more Ashley & Peter moments
May 29, 2008
If you want a true romance novel, this probably is a decent choice. It's not my favorite genre, unless they put more into it (Rachel Gibson sometimes does), but it's easy and quick and takes absolutely no thinking. There's a cute, predictable plot and all the usual romance novel stuff. I'd have given it three stars but it lost one for overuse of the word "womb." :)
September 10, 2009
Felicity Charm is from a poor back ground her family is a clan of con artists. she has made a name for herself on the home shopping network. when her zany aunt Vi calls her and says needs to come home . she heads bk home and gets in a car accident in the desert when she hits michael magee,s jeep romance follows from there
October 6, 2014
Great Read
I love the storyline. So easy to get lost in. The characters are well developed,you can easily relate to.The heat and drama between Magee and Lissie is fantastic.You can't choose your family right but Lissie learns that they love her and she loves them as well through all the trials they put her through. With Magee by her side she realizes love does exist for her.
I love the storyline. So easy to get lost in. The characters are well developed,you can easily relate to.The heat and drama between Magee and Lissie is fantastic.You can't choose your family right but Lissie learns that they love her and she loves them as well through all the trials they put her through. With Magee by her side she realizes love does exist for her.
April 2, 2016
I have had this book on my shelf for a long time and now just decided to read it after being convinced by good reviews. I loved this book, it was easy to get in to and had a nice storyline too. I loved the relationships in the story and fell slightly in love with Magee myself. Definitely worth reading.
August 22, 2016
I loved this book and have read it again. Have not read it as part of the series but it is a great stand alone book. This book got me hooked with its steamy scenes and with how their relationship develops. This book is great and has made me want to read her other books.
April 4, 2008
good book fast moving
November 12, 2017
Modern
October 25, 2009
This was a cute, light read. If I could have I would actually have given it 3 1/2 stars instead of 4 because there were a few minor things that bugged me, but all in all I really enjoyed it.
June 9, 2018
Don't like any of the characters. Especially the Heroine and Hero. The first time I read this in 2011 I loved it and even named it a favorite, but this time around I just couldn't deal.
August 4, 2012
Heroine is a dirt–poor desert rat from Palm Springs. Hero is an extreme rock climbing star who's caught up in the antics of Heroines gypsy/grifter family. Hero was hot.
Read
August 6, 2014Light holiday reading, about as substantial as a popsicle, but on a hot day, just the right thing.
dnf
November 9, 2015DNF: Page 80. Was not working.
Read
December 26, 2016outdated
January 10, 2011
I LOVE this book. The right amount of mystery, thrill and romance. Great read.
October 18, 2015
had some up and down moments with this book, but over all I enjoyed it.
April 25, 2017
One of my first romances as a teenager!!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews