Romantic Notions

by Roz Denny Fox

It wasn't just the underwear... — When Sam Court came raging into Brynn Powell's lingerie shop, Romantic Notions, to return the frivolous undies his thirteen-year-old daughter had bought, he was shocked to find himself attracted to the proprietor. — Sam disapproved of female vanity. Disapproved of women like his glamorous and unreliable ex-wife ... a category that included former fashion models who "hawked filmy underwear."

But despite appearances, Brynn was really a sensible home-and-hearth person. And she had to wonder if a one-time hockey great with a few too many bruises and an ex-model with far too many responsibilities could ever make a match of it.

Genres: Romance

187 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Roz saw her first book, Red Hot Pepper, published by Harlequin Books in February 1990. She has written for several Harlequin series lines as well as special projects and online serials. Besides being a writer Roz has worked as a medical secretary and as an administrative assistant for both an elementary school and a community college. Part of her love for writing came from moving around with her husband during his tenure in the Marine Corps and later as a telephone engineer. The richness of settings and diversity of friendships she's experienced continue to find their way into Roz's stories.

Reviews

[Cheesecake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam starts out as a rather small-minded aging hockey star who loves his 13 year old daughter.
His ex-wife, Joani left them years before to pursue stardom and hasn't had anything to do with her daughter since.
Brynn is an ex-model who returned home after the death of her parents to care for her younger brother (also 13) who is suffering from kidney disease. She runs her parent's lingerie store as well as designing for it.

Sam really is a flawed hero. Over the story he comes to terms with his daughter not being a little girl anymore and his needing to move on from his hockey career. Brynn learns that she can rely on him to help out with her brother and to be there for her. The latter though, wasn't so clear.

The angst of the story is the return of the ex to Sam ...while Sam is away. So you never do meet the selfish tw*t. That was nice for a change. But Brynn does get to see many pictures of her wrapped around Sam as publicity for the team. Sam came across as rather ineffectual and there was never any comeuppance for the ex and her shameful manipulations of him AND her daughter.
Brynn is left to flounder about Sam's intentions towards her for the second half of the book. So I really didn't enjoy it as much as the first half.
It was just too convenient for the author that he never explains about his ex-bitch to her. Even at the very end, Brynn is left to draw her own conclusions.
Sure he proposes but it just didn't satisfy and wasn't romantic the way he manipulated her to do it.

He conspires with her closest friends, her brother and his own daughter to force her to go out with him to a party, when she fully believes him to be getting back together with his ex. He could have easily set her mind to rest at ANY OF THE MANY TIMES SHE ASKED HIM ABOUT THE DAMN WOMAN!!!
But no...
And there is no real explanation as to why he doesn't.

Safety is good. No mention of anyone for either MC other than her ex-boyfriend and his ex-wife.

[Robin Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

At one of the annual library sales we go to they always have sealed boxes of books for sale, and I try to get at least one romance box. Some of the books will be good, some will be so so, and some will be little gems, like this one. I'd never read a Roz Denny book until now, and what a wonderful introduction to a new to me author.

Brynn was a successful underwear model before coming home to care for her younger brother, who at age 15 needs a kidney transplant, after their parents passed away. But her real passion was design, and in addition to taking over the running of her late mother's shop, she sells her own line of lingerie. Before leaving New York, she had her heart broken by a man who she thought she was in love with at the time, and her focus in life now is to work and take care of her brother and the mounting medical bills. She's not interested in dating or being in a relationship.

Sam Court is a very well known hockey player who has left California (I think that's where he came from) in the hopes of providing a more wholesome life for his 13 year old daughter. He's a little older than the rest of the players on his hockey team, and starting to feel his aches and pains. His ex-wife was consumed by her looks and trying to become famous,and he overcompensates now by being too strict with his daughter.

Brynn and Sam clash from the moment they meet, which is standard fare for these older Harlequins, and which I have to come to love and expect. The relationship builds up slowly, tentatively, almost grudgingly. It's a sweet story with wonderfully written characters, including the kids who are integral to the story and not just plot devices. Roz Denny, also known as Roz Denny Fox, is definitely on my radar now and I'll be snatching up everything of hers I can find.

[Mary Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam and Brynn were enjoyable characters. They each had romantic pasts and complicated parenting situations that added tension and depth to their relationship. The writing and plot were well executed. However, I wanted more romantic "action" or a better ending. The characters' chemistry was never fully utilized and the final scene was unbelievable, even for a romance.

[Mookie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really turned off by his being a bully.