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For the Love of Pete
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OPPOSITES ATTRACT?
Free-spirited Zoey Adler is about to hijack a federal agent. And not just any federal agent, but very Special Agent Dante Torelli, a man whose designer suits and Italian shoes are more GQ than FBI. But when her baby niece, Pete, is snatched right in front of her eyes, Zoey doesn’t hesitate to scramble into Dante’s spotless BMW. She needs his help to rescue the baby . . . if only she can ignore his Lips of Sin.
OH, BABY!
Dante’s original mission is down the drain and he’s dodging bullets with a loopy redhead by his side. He likes quiet. She never shuts up. He likes to follow the rules. She throws the rules out the window. But these opposites do more than attract—they ignite. With a henpecked hit man running wild, cooking-obsessed matrons chasing down contraband spices, and a relentless killer tracking them all, Dante and Zoey will risk everything—for themselves and . . .
FOR THE LOVE OF PETE
Free-spirited Zoey Adler is about to hijack a federal agent. And not just any federal agent, but very Special Agent Dante Torelli, a man whose designer suits and Italian shoes are more GQ than FBI. But when her baby niece, Pete, is snatched right in front of her eyes, Zoey doesn’t hesitate to scramble into Dante’s spotless BMW. She needs his help to rescue the baby . . . if only she can ignore his Lips of Sin.
OH, BABY!
Dante’s original mission is down the drain and he’s dodging bullets with a loopy redhead by his side. He likes quiet. She never shuts up. He likes to follow the rules. She throws the rules out the window. But these opposites do more than attract—they ignite. With a henpecked hit man running wild, cooking-obsessed matrons chasing down contraband spices, and a relentless killer tracking them all, Dante and Zoey will risk everything—for themselves and . . .
FOR THE LOVE OF PETE
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
33 people are currently reading
1151 people want to read
About the author
Julia Harper
10 books144 followersJulia Harper is a pseudonym of Elizabeth Hoyt.
The author of the New York Times bestselling Maiden Lane series and the Legend of the Four Soldiers series as well as the Princes trilogy, Elizabeth Hoyt writes "mesmerizing" (Publishers Weekly) historical romances. She also pens deliciously fun contemporary romances under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The author of the New York Times bestselling Maiden Lane series and the Legend of the Four Soldiers series as well as the Princes trilogy, Elizabeth Hoyt writes "mesmerizing" (Publishers Weekly) historical romances. She also pens deliciously fun contemporary romances under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
November 14, 2008
Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Jan09
I had a good time reading “For The Love of Pete”. No tears, no frowns, not even sniffles. Just smiles, laughter, and a happily ever after! (Oh wow, that rhymed!) Julia Harper’s latest is a charming blend of humor and romance, with the added spice of some action and suspense. But nothing too ‘heavy’--oh no, instead it’s a feel good read from beginning to end.
Zoey cannot believe what she’s seeing. Mr. Lips of Sin himself is trying to take HER parking place, the one she shoveled the snow from herself! No way is he gonna get away with that. So she throws herself on the hood of his car, then they argue. But in the middle of their argument, they both see a man with a gun running from the building in front of them! Zoey throws herself in his car and tells him to floor it. The chase is on…
Dante isn’t quite sure how he ended up chasing a mob hit man who kidnapped a baby which was then re-kidnapped (??) by two elderly Indian women in saris. Within an hour of setting off on the chase, this buttoned up FBI Special Agent is on the run himself…accompanied by the free spirit aunt of the kidnapped child. It’s becoming very clear to Dante that the FBI mole he was sent to sniff out has instead managed to turn the tables. Now he just needs to: clear his name, find and expose the mole, track down the kidnapped baby, figure out what in the hell the Indian women have to do with any of this, and keep himself from falling in love with Zoey…what? Where did THAT come from? He’s not the love at first sight kind of guy…right?
I began smiling on page one when Zoey threw herself on Dante’s car. The sheer zaniness of the plot and characters was enough to brighten the very rainy afternoon I spent reading this book. You’ve got a bumbling hit man with anger management issues who’s actually henpecked by his wife, two Indian grandmas who are searching for the best ingredients for their about to open restaurant’s signature dish, an FBI mole who has other agents and some local cops on his payroll, a big name mobster trying to have the star witness in his upcoming trial killed, and a whole other cast of characters that each have foibles of their own. And the piece de resistance is the pairing of our hero and heroine, two very different personalities who discover that trust is the most important ingredient in the love recipe.
The setting is perfect, the mystery has just enough clues and red herrings to keep you guessing, the action is fast is furious, the dialogue is witty, and the sexual tension is edgy. Oh and the humor…it’s very difficult to add comedic elements to a suspense story, but Julia Harper has done a bang up job. “For The Love of Pete” is the perfect read to lift your spirits.
I had a good time reading “For The Love of Pete”. No tears, no frowns, not even sniffles. Just smiles, laughter, and a happily ever after! (Oh wow, that rhymed!) Julia Harper’s latest is a charming blend of humor and romance, with the added spice of some action and suspense. But nothing too ‘heavy’--oh no, instead it’s a feel good read from beginning to end.
Zoey cannot believe what she’s seeing. Mr. Lips of Sin himself is trying to take HER parking place, the one she shoveled the snow from herself! No way is he gonna get away with that. So she throws herself on the hood of his car, then they argue. But in the middle of their argument, they both see a man with a gun running from the building in front of them! Zoey throws herself in his car and tells him to floor it. The chase is on…
Dante isn’t quite sure how he ended up chasing a mob hit man who kidnapped a baby which was then re-kidnapped (??) by two elderly Indian women in saris. Within an hour of setting off on the chase, this buttoned up FBI Special Agent is on the run himself…accompanied by the free spirit aunt of the kidnapped child. It’s becoming very clear to Dante that the FBI mole he was sent to sniff out has instead managed to turn the tables. Now he just needs to: clear his name, find and expose the mole, track down the kidnapped baby, figure out what in the hell the Indian women have to do with any of this, and keep himself from falling in love with Zoey…what? Where did THAT come from? He’s not the love at first sight kind of guy…right?
I began smiling on page one when Zoey threw herself on Dante’s car. The sheer zaniness of the plot and characters was enough to brighten the very rainy afternoon I spent reading this book. You’ve got a bumbling hit man with anger management issues who’s actually henpecked by his wife, two Indian grandmas who are searching for the best ingredients for their about to open restaurant’s signature dish, an FBI mole who has other agents and some local cops on his payroll, a big name mobster trying to have the star witness in his upcoming trial killed, and a whole other cast of characters that each have foibles of their own. And the piece de resistance is the pairing of our hero and heroine, two very different personalities who discover that trust is the most important ingredient in the love recipe.
The setting is perfect, the mystery has just enough clues and red herrings to keep you guessing, the action is fast is furious, the dialogue is witty, and the sexual tension is edgy. Oh and the humor…it’s very difficult to add comedic elements to a suspense story, but Julia Harper has done a bang up job. “For The Love of Pete” is the perfect read to lift your spirits.
December 16, 2008
Author, Julia Harper grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, then went to college at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where she majored in anthropology and took Shakespeare classes for fun. Julia now resides in central Illinois. This title, For the Love of Pete, follows her other title, Hot.
FBI Special Agent Dante Torelli’s mission was to keep a federal witness to the Chicago mob and his family safe until he could testify. Secretly though, he was brought in undercover for the FBI to draw out a corrupt agent. When the agents on duty are murdered, he is framed for it, and the witnesses baby daughter is kidnapped, Dante finds himself on an unexpected adventure through Illinois with a civilian, Zoey Addler- who also happens to be the baby’s aunt. Throw in two elderly Indian women on their own mission for secret illegal saffron, and Dante is just about to lose his mind. Dante likes peace and quiet- Zoey never stops blabbering. Dante follows all the rules- Zoey does what she wants, when she wants. Dante hides his emotions- Zoey wears hers on her sleeve. On the new mission to clear his name, rescue a kidnapped baby, chasing down matrons obsessed with contraband spices, and a killer on their tale- Dante and Zoey don’t need the attraction between them, nor do they expect it. But both will do anything and risk everything for The Love of Pete.
Every once and awhile you read a book that is so clever you can envision it on screen. This is one of those books. I would like to see this adapted to a screenplay. Car chases, crazy Indian women, a kidnapping, the mob, an FBI investigation gone wrong, a heated love story- what more could you want?
This is set in the Midwest, in Chicago, Illinois mostly, and I was very happy to see an accurate portrayal of climate, setting, traffic, etc. Coming from Wisconsin myself, you’d be amazed at how often it can be misconstrued. The plot flowed well, the characters were adorable and relatable, the backdrop was realistic, the Indian women were hysterical as secondary characters, and the dialog was downright brilliant. I couldn’t put it down.
For the Love of Pete is a laugh-out-loud, clever, and enchanting tale…A breath of fresh air for the romance genre! I very much look forward to more of her books.
Kelly Moran,
Author and Reviewer
FBI Special Agent Dante Torelli’s mission was to keep a federal witness to the Chicago mob and his family safe until he could testify. Secretly though, he was brought in undercover for the FBI to draw out a corrupt agent. When the agents on duty are murdered, he is framed for it, and the witnesses baby daughter is kidnapped, Dante finds himself on an unexpected adventure through Illinois with a civilian, Zoey Addler- who also happens to be the baby’s aunt. Throw in two elderly Indian women on their own mission for secret illegal saffron, and Dante is just about to lose his mind. Dante likes peace and quiet- Zoey never stops blabbering. Dante follows all the rules- Zoey does what she wants, when she wants. Dante hides his emotions- Zoey wears hers on her sleeve. On the new mission to clear his name, rescue a kidnapped baby, chasing down matrons obsessed with contraband spices, and a killer on their tale- Dante and Zoey don’t need the attraction between them, nor do they expect it. But both will do anything and risk everything for The Love of Pete.
Every once and awhile you read a book that is so clever you can envision it on screen. This is one of those books. I would like to see this adapted to a screenplay. Car chases, crazy Indian women, a kidnapping, the mob, an FBI investigation gone wrong, a heated love story- what more could you want?
This is set in the Midwest, in Chicago, Illinois mostly, and I was very happy to see an accurate portrayal of climate, setting, traffic, etc. Coming from Wisconsin myself, you’d be amazed at how often it can be misconstrued. The plot flowed well, the characters were adorable and relatable, the backdrop was realistic, the Indian women were hysterical as secondary characters, and the dialog was downright brilliant. I couldn’t put it down.
For the Love of Pete is a laugh-out-loud, clever, and enchanting tale…A breath of fresh air for the romance genre! I very much look forward to more of her books.
Kelly Moran,
Author and Reviewer
February 24, 2009
Light Romantic Suspense
Author aka Elizabeth Hoyt, historical fiction
Julia Harper's romantic suspense debut novel, Hot, was fabulous! Hot was a solid five stars, as was each of Elizabeth Hoyt's Prince trilogy books.
Much as I hate, hate, hate to say this, I just didn't enjoy For The Love of Pete :-(. I had such high hopes for the brand new release ... but never really connected to any of the characters. I didn't find Dante or Zoey that likeable or interesting. The plot was there, but it also never pulled me in. Maybe it's just me. :-(
I will definitely keep reading more of Julia/Elizabeth in the future.
Author aka Elizabeth Hoyt, historical fiction
Julia Harper's romantic suspense debut novel, Hot, was fabulous! Hot was a solid five stars, as was each of Elizabeth Hoyt's Prince trilogy books.
Much as I hate, hate, hate to say this, I just didn't enjoy For The Love of Pete :-(. I had such high hopes for the brand new release ... but never really connected to any of the characters. I didn't find Dante or Zoey that likeable or interesting. The plot was there, but it also never pulled me in. Maybe it's just me. :-(
I will definitely keep reading more of Julia/Elizabeth in the future.
December 24, 2015
FBI Special Agent Dante Torelli is tasked with keeping FBI informant Ricky Spinoza, his girlfriend Nickie, and daughter Pete, safe from the mob. He is also working undercover to find a corrupt agent. When the other FBI agents watching the Spinozas are murdered and Pete is kidnapped, Dante and the baby's aunt Zoey are hot on the kidnappers trail. But a major traffic jam, two elderly Indian ladies who hijack the kidnapper's van, and the fact that the police believe Dante is the hitman, causes them to lose track of Pete. Now Dante and Zoey must work together to find Pete and keep one step ahead of the corrupt agents who have set Dante up to take the fall.
Author Julie Harper also writes historical romances as Elizabeth Hoyt. I've enjoyed many of her stories and thought I'd try out this contemporary romance. Unfortunately it didn't work for me. I felt like I was reading a screwball comedy and was having trouble following it. There were too many points of view. It kept throwing me out of the story when the narrator would change chapter to chapter. I also hated that Zoey would refer to Dante as "Lips" for the first 100 pages because she thought he had Lips of Sin. I gave up in the middle of the book and ended up skimming it. I think I'll stick to this author's historical romances in the future. My rating: 2 Stars.
Author Julie Harper also writes historical romances as Elizabeth Hoyt. I've enjoyed many of her stories and thought I'd try out this contemporary romance. Unfortunately it didn't work for me. I felt like I was reading a screwball comedy and was having trouble following it. There were too many points of view. It kept throwing me out of the story when the narrator would change chapter to chapter. I also hated that Zoey would refer to Dante as "Lips" for the first 100 pages because she thought he had Lips of Sin. I gave up in the middle of the book and ended up skimming it. I think I'll stick to this author's historical romances in the future. My rating: 2 Stars.
October 17, 2010
Really more 3 1/2 stars, but it ended on a good note, so I'm feeling generous. :-) This story was a bit hard to get into, but by the end was reminding me a little of Donald Westlake's comic caper stories, with bonus hot nookie.
February 5, 2013
★★★½☆ Plenty of smiles. Liked the H/h. "Real" secondary characters. Love scenes worked. Nice ending. Can't complain.
December 30, 2008
For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper
Contemporary Romance Mass Market Paperback - January 5, 2009
5 Stars
In a typical cold Chicago morning, people are sharking for parking spots, snow is covering window shields and individuals are running late for work. Once in a while, the typical turns into the unusual as detailed in Julia Harper’s For the Love of Pete.
The story begins when Zoey Addler’s freshly snow-cleared parking spot is snatched by Special FBI Agent Dante Torelli. Dante is running late for work and while attempting to negotiate taking the parking spot; gun shots are heard from the apartment building across the street. In a matter of seconds and like a slow motion action scene, Zoey and Dante observe a man running out of the safe house where Zoey’s sister, boyfriend and niece are being protected from the mob. The cold Chicago mornings gets even colder when Zoey and Dante notice that the man running from the apartment is carrying a bundle in his hands- Pete.
Without thinking twice, Zoey jumps into Dante’s car and a chase to recover Pete ensues. The chase sets into motion a variety of twists and turns. Other characters join the chase which keeps the story moving quickly and the pages turning.
While all this is happening, an attraction develops between Zoey and Dante. This is written in a very sweet way. The story doesn’t feel forced and neither does the interaction between characters. The development of the story is fast paced including the budding relationship between the two main characters.
This story is full of funny, quirky, twisted characters engaged in funny, quirky, twisted situations. One of the many reasons I enjoyed this story is because of the array of likeable characters. Even the bad guy is likable and that made me wonder how Harper would tie all ends. I was not disappointed!
Harper has a nice charming writing style. Her characters are well developed and relatable. I laughed out loud during some pretty funny moments. This book is highly recommended!
Reviewed by Cez from Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Contemporary Romance Mass Market Paperback - January 5, 2009
5 Stars
In a typical cold Chicago morning, people are sharking for parking spots, snow is covering window shields and individuals are running late for work. Once in a while, the typical turns into the unusual as detailed in Julia Harper’s For the Love of Pete.
The story begins when Zoey Addler’s freshly snow-cleared parking spot is snatched by Special FBI Agent Dante Torelli. Dante is running late for work and while attempting to negotiate taking the parking spot; gun shots are heard from the apartment building across the street. In a matter of seconds and like a slow motion action scene, Zoey and Dante observe a man running out of the safe house where Zoey’s sister, boyfriend and niece are being protected from the mob. The cold Chicago mornings gets even colder when Zoey and Dante notice that the man running from the apartment is carrying a bundle in his hands- Pete.
Without thinking twice, Zoey jumps into Dante’s car and a chase to recover Pete ensues. The chase sets into motion a variety of twists and turns. Other characters join the chase which keeps the story moving quickly and the pages turning.
While all this is happening, an attraction develops between Zoey and Dante. This is written in a very sweet way. The story doesn’t feel forced and neither does the interaction between characters. The development of the story is fast paced including the budding relationship between the two main characters.
This story is full of funny, quirky, twisted characters engaged in funny, quirky, twisted situations. One of the many reasons I enjoyed this story is because of the array of likeable characters. Even the bad guy is likable and that made me wonder how Harper would tie all ends. I was not disappointed!
Harper has a nice charming writing style. Her characters are well developed and relatable. I laughed out loud during some pretty funny moments. This book is highly recommended!
Reviewed by Cez from Bookaholics Romance Book Club
June 20, 2015
Fun book, but I bailed. I'm just not in the mood for the ultra fast pace and the forced comedy!
April 30, 2009
For the Love of Pete is a loony adventure tale about an undercover operation from the FBI that starts this whole ball rolling. There is a kidnapping gone wrong, as well as a mob hit man, who looses his son, while he is on a job. His son is not the kidnapped baby, but just along for the ride because of two Indian women who steal the hit man’s car as payback for threatening them. The kidnapped baby, named Pete, has an aunt who tries to save her niece, along with the help of an FBI agent who had tried to take her parking space in front of her apartment.
Sounds a bit confusing? It may seem so, but Julia Harper also known as Elizabeth Hoyt has written a funny contemporary romance with car chases and kidnapped babies. I, for one, usually don’t like books with cute little tots, but the two babies in this story are the reason all the action happens. For the Love of Pete is about Zoey Addler’s niece, Petronella Spicy Hernandez. Pete’s mother, Nikki, and Zoey are not related by blood, but they are as close as any sisters can be. Nikki and her loser boyfriend, Ricky are in hiding, because Ricky is going to testify against the mob boss, Tony the Rose. Zoey moved into the same apartment building as Nikki, so she could be close to her and little Pete. It is a snowy cold day in January and Zoey has found a parking space in the front of her building. She worked hard for that space since she shoveled out all the snow so she can park her car there. Before she can park her little hybrid, a BMW takes her space. The driver is her neighbor she has nicknamed, “Lips of Sin”. “Lips of Sin” is actually FBI special Agent Dante Torelli. He is one of the agents that are keeping Ricky and his family safe because of Ricky being the key witness in a federal trial.
Before Zoey really loses her cool, a man flies out of the building with a baby in his arms. He’s got Pete and drives off in a hummer. Zoey hops into the Lips’ Beemer, and they are on a car chase to save Pete. When the baby snatcher stops into a gas station, Dante and Zoey think they have him, but suddenly two little old Indian women hop into the hummer and drive away. Both Dante and Zoey are more confused than ever, as well as the baby snatcher.
The two Indian women were the victims of an attack by the baby snatcher, Neil Janiowski, who is married to Tony the Rose’s niece. Neil’s orders were to grab Pete and hold her hostage to keep Ricky from testifying. Neil is not having a good day, because not only did the two Indian women take his hummer and Pete, but also his son, Neil Jr. was in the back seat. Not only does he have to try and find the women, get Pete and his son back, but make sure his wife doesn’t find out, because she will make his life miserable.
So you have Dante and Zoey who were following Neil, but now must follow the two old ladies in the hummer. They have no clue about Neil Jr., and only think that Pete is in the car. Neil Sr. is also searching for the women. The two women are looking for a place to hide so, “That Terrible Man”, a.k.a. Neil, as they call him, won’t find them. Both Partima and Savita-di were supposed to open their restaurant since they have just come to live in America. Neil came along, and gave them a shake down for money. They refused, and he stole a precious spice they feel will make their restaurant a success. Since they assumed the spice was in his hummer, they stole the car and luckily found the spice. Of course they didn’t expect the two infants in the backseat.
For the Love of Pete has some great dialogue and quirky characters. My favorite was Neil the hit man, who has a bit of an anger management issue. He also has to try and explain to his wife how he lost his son and why. Let’s just say that Mrs. Neil is a tad bit emotional. Also, Partima and Savita-di are very sweet but tend to cause trouble wherever they go.
There are actually three on-going stories here, where all these characters will come together in a very explosive way. The primary characters of Dante and Zoey have a bit of a road romance as they try to find Pete, as well as try to stay alive since Dante is the target of a fellow FBI agent who wants him out of the picture. Even though these two are dealing with the mob, hit men, as well as two out of control little old ladies, who take them on a wile goose chase, they are able to get to know one another quite well. And, they begin to fall for each other. Their love story is the ultimate road romance. I also enjoyed the bantering back and forth between Dante and Zoey. These two are total opposites, but they really come together nicely, especially when they have to stay in an isolated cabin for the night. Sparks fly between them, which leads to some nice TLC between the both of them.
For the Love of Pete is a nice change of pace from all the serious and dark books I tend to read. This was my first book by Julia, and it certainly won’t be my last. If you haven’t had the chance to try Julia Harper yet, For the Love of Pete is a good place to start.
Sounds a bit confusing? It may seem so, but Julia Harper also known as Elizabeth Hoyt has written a funny contemporary romance with car chases and kidnapped babies. I, for one, usually don’t like books with cute little tots, but the two babies in this story are the reason all the action happens. For the Love of Pete is about Zoey Addler’s niece, Petronella Spicy Hernandez. Pete’s mother, Nikki, and Zoey are not related by blood, but they are as close as any sisters can be. Nikki and her loser boyfriend, Ricky are in hiding, because Ricky is going to testify against the mob boss, Tony the Rose. Zoey moved into the same apartment building as Nikki, so she could be close to her and little Pete. It is a snowy cold day in January and Zoey has found a parking space in the front of her building. She worked hard for that space since she shoveled out all the snow so she can park her car there. Before she can park her little hybrid, a BMW takes her space. The driver is her neighbor she has nicknamed, “Lips of Sin”. “Lips of Sin” is actually FBI special Agent Dante Torelli. He is one of the agents that are keeping Ricky and his family safe because of Ricky being the key witness in a federal trial.
Before Zoey really loses her cool, a man flies out of the building with a baby in his arms. He’s got Pete and drives off in a hummer. Zoey hops into the Lips’ Beemer, and they are on a car chase to save Pete. When the baby snatcher stops into a gas station, Dante and Zoey think they have him, but suddenly two little old Indian women hop into the hummer and drive away. Both Dante and Zoey are more confused than ever, as well as the baby snatcher.
The two Indian women were the victims of an attack by the baby snatcher, Neil Janiowski, who is married to Tony the Rose’s niece. Neil’s orders were to grab Pete and hold her hostage to keep Ricky from testifying. Neil is not having a good day, because not only did the two Indian women take his hummer and Pete, but also his son, Neil Jr. was in the back seat. Not only does he have to try and find the women, get Pete and his son back, but make sure his wife doesn’t find out, because she will make his life miserable.
So you have Dante and Zoey who were following Neil, but now must follow the two old ladies in the hummer. They have no clue about Neil Jr., and only think that Pete is in the car. Neil Sr. is also searching for the women. The two women are looking for a place to hide so, “That Terrible Man”, a.k.a. Neil, as they call him, won’t find them. Both Partima and Savita-di were supposed to open their restaurant since they have just come to live in America. Neil came along, and gave them a shake down for money. They refused, and he stole a precious spice they feel will make their restaurant a success. Since they assumed the spice was in his hummer, they stole the car and luckily found the spice. Of course they didn’t expect the two infants in the backseat.
For the Love of Pete has some great dialogue and quirky characters. My favorite was Neil the hit man, who has a bit of an anger management issue. He also has to try and explain to his wife how he lost his son and why. Let’s just say that Mrs. Neil is a tad bit emotional. Also, Partima and Savita-di are very sweet but tend to cause trouble wherever they go.
There are actually three on-going stories here, where all these characters will come together in a very explosive way. The primary characters of Dante and Zoey have a bit of a road romance as they try to find Pete, as well as try to stay alive since Dante is the target of a fellow FBI agent who wants him out of the picture. Even though these two are dealing with the mob, hit men, as well as two out of control little old ladies, who take them on a wile goose chase, they are able to get to know one another quite well. And, they begin to fall for each other. Their love story is the ultimate road romance. I also enjoyed the bantering back and forth between Dante and Zoey. These two are total opposites, but they really come together nicely, especially when they have to stay in an isolated cabin for the night. Sparks fly between them, which leads to some nice TLC between the both of them.
For the Love of Pete is a nice change of pace from all the serious and dark books I tend to read. This was my first book by Julia, and it certainly won’t be my last. If you haven’t had the chance to try Julia Harper yet, For the Love of Pete is a good place to start.
December 16, 2008
Sensational, best-selling author, Elizabeth Hoyt does it again. This time as Julia Harper. She brings readers a new romantic, comedy full of adventure and lots of wacky mayhem in For the Love of Pete.
Someone has kidnapped Zoey Addler’s niece, Pete. Zoey will do anything to get her niece back, even if that means putting up with Special Agent Dante Torelli of the FBI. Dante has never had problems with the ladies. He has just never had one jump into the passenger sit of his car and demand he chase after a kidnapper. The next few days will be the craziest ones of Dante and Zoey’s lives. What with being chased by the mob, dealing with a couple of obsessed spice loving ladies and all the while trying to keep from being killed.
If For the Love of Pete is any indication of what readers can look forward to from Julia Harper in 2009 then they are in for a treat. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. The characters as well as the story line had me laughing the whole way throughout the book. Zoey is one of those people who can’t sit still for very long, where as Dante likes his peace and quiet. They are like Starkey and Hutch. Zoey and Dante are perfect together. Then there was Mrs. Savita Gupta and Mrs. Pratima Gupta, sister in laws and restaurateurs. They only had one thing on there minds and that was to retrieve their special Grade 1A Very, Very Fine Mongra otherwise known as Saffron from the bad guy. Now I can enjoy the best of both worlds with Elizabeth Hoyt as Julia Harper.
Someone has kidnapped Zoey Addler’s niece, Pete. Zoey will do anything to get her niece back, even if that means putting up with Special Agent Dante Torelli of the FBI. Dante has never had problems with the ladies. He has just never had one jump into the passenger sit of his car and demand he chase after a kidnapper. The next few days will be the craziest ones of Dante and Zoey’s lives. What with being chased by the mob, dealing with a couple of obsessed spice loving ladies and all the while trying to keep from being killed.
If For the Love of Pete is any indication of what readers can look forward to from Julia Harper in 2009 then they are in for a treat. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. The characters as well as the story line had me laughing the whole way throughout the book. Zoey is one of those people who can’t sit still for very long, where as Dante likes his peace and quiet. They are like Starkey and Hutch. Zoey and Dante are perfect together. Then there was Mrs. Savita Gupta and Mrs. Pratima Gupta, sister in laws and restaurateurs. They only had one thing on there minds and that was to retrieve their special Grade 1A Very, Very Fine Mongra otherwise known as Saffron from the bad guy. Now I can enjoy the best of both worlds with Elizabeth Hoyt as Julia Harper.
April 16, 2009
Special Agent Dante Torelli, gorgeous undercover FBI agent, is hijacked by wacky Zoey Addler immediately following the kidnapping of her neice, Petronella Spicy Hernandez, thankfully nicknamed Pete. (can you imagine going thru life with a name like that?)
Enter Neil, an incompetent (thank God) hitman who brings his own toddler on a hit. And meet Pratima and Savita, two elderly Indian women in saris who steal the kidnappers SUV with their stolen saffron in the back seat along with two toddlers.
Dante is guarding Pete's parents who are testifying against the mob boss of Chicago who apparently wants Dante out of the way. Now Dante and Zoey are are running for their lives while searching frantically for little Pete.
This is a flat-out funny book and at times there is a certain tenderness between Dante and Zoey. It's kinda sweet. Good book!
Enter Neil, an incompetent (thank God) hitman who brings his own toddler on a hit. And meet Pratima and Savita, two elderly Indian women in saris who steal the kidnappers SUV with their stolen saffron in the back seat along with two toddlers.
Dante is guarding Pete's parents who are testifying against the mob boss of Chicago who apparently wants Dante out of the way. Now Dante and Zoey are are running for their lives while searching frantically for little Pete.
This is a flat-out funny book and at times there is a certain tenderness between Dante and Zoey. It's kinda sweet. Good book!
January 20, 2009
This was a really cute madcap romance. When a mob thug attacks a witness under Dante Torelli's care and kidnaps the subject's toddler, the FBI agent gives chase with the child's aunt in tow. But when the kidnapper makes a stop and a pair of elderly Indian ladies steal the vehicle with the baby, the zany plot kicks into high gear. The story was fun and the real draw for me were the characters. From the kidnapper who is more afraid of his wife than his mob boss, to the bickering sisters-in-law stuck with not one, but two babies, the secondary characters are a hoot. And the interaction between the FBI stuck on the run with a quirky civilian was sweet. I wasn't familiar with the author, but I picked the book up on a whim and really enjoyed it.
January 8, 2009
I think my main problem with this book is that I keep expecting to read a book by Elizabeth Hoyt and not Julia Harper. Yes, they are the same person, but the writing is different and the stories are more stories than romance. If that makes any sense. It felt very chic-lit esque. I never really felt I got to know the main characters. They would talk about themselves a little, but then bullets would rain down and you'd never get a chance to find out more. And man, where there a lot of bullets. The book was a quick fun read, but it lacked some of the intense passion of E.H.
March 27, 2015
Cuter, sexier and funnier than the first book. Worth reading.
Lots of LOL moments by the very fashionable, cultured (yet secretly dorky) FBI Special Agent Dante Torelli, the quirky poetry writing Zoey Addler aunt to the kidnapped baby girl Pete (yes, Pete is a girl), 2 feisty old Indian ladies bent on getting back their extremely special and expensive saffron that was accidentally stolen by the baby kidnapper, the kidnapper himself - a bungling hitman Neil Sr and other colourful characters. Greatly entertaining.
Lots of LOL moments by the very fashionable, cultured (yet secretly dorky) FBI Special Agent Dante Torelli, the quirky poetry writing Zoey Addler aunt to the kidnapped baby girl Pete (yes, Pete is a girl), 2 feisty old Indian ladies bent on getting back their extremely special and expensive saffron that was accidentally stolen by the baby kidnapper, the kidnapper himself - a bungling hitman Neil Sr and other colourful characters. Greatly entertaining.
February 4, 2010
For the Love of Pete was a whacky, zany read. I chuckled throughout the book, all while thinking Dante was H-O-T. Loved this book, really did. The secondary characters were priceless, and the action was fast-paced.
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June 8, 2009Trying to be a romantic suspense? Seemed corny to me.
August 9, 2016
1.5...I kept hoping it was going to get better - since I like her historical romances under her other name
August 6, 2016
Stopped on page 74 and I'll be honest when I say I wish I had stopped MUCH MUCH sooner.
April 21, 2019
A lot of other reviewers didn't much like how wacky and far-fetched this story was, but I rather liked that aspect of the novel, it was very remenicient of Janet Evanovich, whose story-telling I enjoy very much.
My actual problem with the book was more by way of character development and chemistry. There were also some problematic plot points that rather ruined things for me, which is why I gave it only three stars instead of four or five, like I thought I was going to when I began my journey with Dante and Zoey.
The premise was actually amazing, it drew me in immediately. I loved the initial interaction between our hero and heroine and how we immediately jumped right into the action. I fell in love with both of them and by the end of the second chapter I was all in. The momentum continued rather well until about the mid-point of the book when everything kind of derailed with Zoey's "betrayal" of Dante in a way that seemed nonsensical at best (her motivation and subsequent plan was poorly explained/executed) and just seemed out of character for the progession of their relationship, given everything they had been through (especially since he had neither said nor done anything to cause her to mistrust him). It was such an about-face that I lost faith in Zoey and just wished Dante would get the hell out of dodge and meet someone who was a better match for him. Truthfully their compatability left a lot to be desired and aside from her thinking he was hot, I just didn't seen where (or more importantly, why) they would go from there. Also, I would like to spare a moment for Pete's parents who were painted in a pretty negative light, her father so much so that I actually couldn't understand why her being missing would cause him to refused to testify in the court case since he didn't seem capable of feeling/thinking that way.
The addition of the hitman was what crossed the line for me as far as wacky fun. It just became too much going on, following the perspective of yet another character so late in the book just made it messy, and was, honestly, completely unneccessary. More "obstacles" for Dante and Zoey to overcome could have easily been drummed up from the elements that already existed and would have made for a better story. The ultimate sin was the rather anticlimactic endings of both the hitman stand off and the dirty agent reveal.
My actual problem with the book was more by way of character development and chemistry. There were also some problematic plot points that rather ruined things for me, which is why I gave it only three stars instead of four or five, like I thought I was going to when I began my journey with Dante and Zoey.
The premise was actually amazing, it drew me in immediately. I loved the initial interaction between our hero and heroine and how we immediately jumped right into the action. I fell in love with both of them and by the end of the second chapter I was all in. The momentum continued rather well until about the mid-point of the book when everything kind of derailed with Zoey's "betrayal" of Dante in a way that seemed nonsensical at best (her motivation and subsequent plan was poorly explained/executed) and just seemed out of character for the progession of their relationship, given everything they had been through (especially since he had neither said nor done anything to cause her to mistrust him). It was such an about-face that I lost faith in Zoey and just wished Dante would get the hell out of dodge and meet someone who was a better match for him. Truthfully their compatability left a lot to be desired and aside from her thinking he was hot, I just didn't seen where (or more importantly, why) they would go from there. Also, I would like to spare a moment for Pete's parents who were painted in a pretty negative light, her father so much so that I actually couldn't understand why her being missing would cause him to refused to testify in the court case since he didn't seem capable of feeling/thinking that way.
The addition of the hitman was what crossed the line for me as far as wacky fun. It just became too much going on, following the perspective of yet another character so late in the book just made it messy, and was, honestly, completely unneccessary. More "obstacles" for Dante and Zoey to overcome could have easily been drummed up from the elements that already existed and would have made for a better story. The ultimate sin was the rather anticlimactic endings of both the hitman stand off and the dirty agent reveal.
April 19, 2021
Îndrăzneață Zoey Addler este pe punctul de a se lua la harță, din cauza unui loc de parcare, cu un agent federal. Și nu cu un agent oarecare, ci cu foarte specialul agent Dante Torelli, un bărbat elegant și dichisit, care pare mai degrabă potrivit pe copertele revistelor decât într-un birou al FBI.
Însă când nepoțica ei Pete este răpită chiar de sub privirea ei, Zoey nu ezită să se repeadă în BMW-ul scump și impecabil al agentului și să pornească împreună cu acesta pe urmele răpitorilor, încercând să nu se lase bulversată de Domnul Buze Păcătoase, după cum îl numește ea pe fermecătorul agent. Misiunea lui Dante ia o întorsătură neașteptată, astfel că se trezește ținta unei ploi de gloanțe și partener, fără voie, al unei roșcate extrem de vorbărețe. Lui îi place liniștea. Ea nu-și poate ține o clipă gura. El preferă să meargă după niște reguli stricte. Ea nu dă doi bani pe reguli. Însă, în acest caz, contrariile fac mai mult decât doar să se atragă: se incită reciproc. Cu un ucigaș trimis pe urmele lor, Dante și Zoey vor risca totul - de dragul lor și al micuței Pete.
Însă când nepoțica ei Pete este răpită chiar de sub privirea ei, Zoey nu ezită să se repeadă în BMW-ul scump și impecabil al agentului și să pornească împreună cu acesta pe urmele răpitorilor, încercând să nu se lase bulversată de Domnul Buze Păcătoase, după cum îl numește ea pe fermecătorul agent. Misiunea lui Dante ia o întorsătură neașteptată, astfel că se trezește ținta unei ploi de gloanțe și partener, fără voie, al unei roșcate extrem de vorbărețe. Lui îi place liniștea. Ea nu-și poate ține o clipă gura. El preferă să meargă după niște reguli stricte. Ea nu dă doi bani pe reguli. Însă, în acest caz, contrariile fac mai mult decât doar să se atragă: se incită reciproc. Cu un ucigaș trimis pe urmele lor, Dante și Zoey vor risca totul - de dragul lor și al micuței Pete.
June 15, 2017
her sister , niece, and husband are in witness protection. she moves into the apt next to them. she is mad at some man stealing her parking spot she shoveled snow from and is yelling at him when someone starts shooting and stealing her niece. the man in the parking spot is fbi, she jumps in the car as he is chasing the kidnapper. the kidnapper had killed the other 3 agents, he was only safe as he was late
the kidnapper stops at the gas station to get a lotto ticket. his girlfriends baby is in the car too. 2 women steal the car with the babies in them. he had stolen their saffron spice and they were going to get it back
they go after the women with the babies and so does the kidnapper. the fbi agent gets his leg hurt.
the kidnappers preg wife killed the hit man. the 2 old women brought pete to the court room so her dad would testify.
the fbi agent and petes aunt got married!
i wish there was another book after this one
the kidnapper stops at the gas station to get a lotto ticket. his girlfriends baby is in the car too. 2 women steal the car with the babies in them. he had stolen their saffron spice and they were going to get it back
they go after the women with the babies and so does the kidnapper. the fbi agent gets his leg hurt.
the kidnappers preg wife killed the hit man. the 2 old women brought pete to the court room so her dad would testify.
the fbi agent and petes aunt got married!
i wish there was another book after this one
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 29, 2021This romance/heist novel is fun and fluffy, but it stands out in my list as being the most *Illinois* story I've ever read. Driving the tangle of the Chicago interstate system in the snow, road-tripping up and down the length of the state, mispronouncing Cairo, getting lost on back roads in the national forest. There are rest areas along I-57 described in enough detail that I remember them from my own pit stops during road trips. The landmarks are all familiar. The hero even has the same Culver's order as I do. The plotline is zany, but the setting is so real and so accurate that I give this book a big thumbs up.
August 4, 2018
3.5 or 4 stars.. I think I like the historical romances more - When she writes under the name Elizabeth Hoyt.
I liked the whole theme of opposites Attract - Because I can relate to it a LOT.
Too many bad guys and extremely far-fetched plot twists.
I didn't want a book version of a Bruce Willis movie -- I wanted a modern Romance book.
I'll try her other modern romances - Julia Harper - & see if they're better / more believable.
I liked the whole theme of opposites Attract - Because I can relate to it a LOT.
Too many bad guys and extremely far-fetched plot twists.
I didn't want a book version of a Bruce Willis movie -- I wanted a modern Romance book.
I'll try her other modern romances - Julia Harper - & see if they're better / more believable.
dnf
August 24, 2023On page 138.
This story is just too over the top. It reminds me of 70's and 80's shows like Scarecrow and Mrs. King where one protagonist is some kind of cool agent and the other is a wacky, plucky person with no training who says and does zany things but still helps get the bad guy in the end. Also, the dialogue of the villains is cheesy and difficult to take seriously. I like funny romantic suspense, but this one seems to be trying way too hard.
This story is just too over the top. It reminds me of 70's and 80's shows like Scarecrow and Mrs. King where one protagonist is some kind of cool agent and the other is a wacky, plucky person with no training who says and does zany things but still helps get the bad guy in the end. Also, the dialogue of the villains is cheesy and difficult to take seriously. I like funny romantic suspense, but this one seems to be trying way too hard.
July 22, 2019
3.5 stars
That was a mad caper. Mobsters, FBI, a couple of Indian grandmothers, and the heroine, Zoey, all chase after a kidnapped toddler. There are hijacked cars, lots of guns and corpses, illegal spices, and a budding love affair between Zoey and an intrepid FBI agent Dante. All in all, a very satisfactory contemporary romantic suspense with a dash of humor.
That was a mad caper. Mobsters, FBI, a couple of Indian grandmothers, and the heroine, Zoey, all chase after a kidnapped toddler. There are hijacked cars, lots of guns and corpses, illegal spices, and a budding love affair between Zoey and an intrepid FBI agent Dante. All in all, a very satisfactory contemporary romantic suspense with a dash of humor.
January 3, 2020
I liked watching the relationship between Dante and Josey develop--even in the short time they knew each other and under the tense conditions they were in. I didn't like the fact that the author drug the story line out so much. The novel does, however, provide a few hours of good escape which I needed.
June 18, 2017
3.5 stars. It was a cute book. It's great if you want a short, fun read with lots of action and romance. And lots of humor. I have to say, I love the Indian ladies. And I think my favorite part of the book was when we meet Ashley for the first time. A little corny, yes, but definitely fun.
August 1, 2017
It took me a long time to write a review for this book because i've been delaying it forever but in short, i really enjoyed how easily i could get into it, the chemistry between the characters, and even though I don't really like romantic suspense, this one was enjoyable.
August 1, 2017
Could not get past the first chapter. Novels require some degree of reality-check (they are, after-all, novels) but this book.. the girl was admiring the physique of the guy seconds after the kid was kidnapped.. Really?!
September 21, 2017
I really enjoyed the romp of a book and felt I was right there in the car with them trying to escape the crooked FBI guys and the mob. I felt like I was watching a movie and the snippets (small chapters of between 3 and 7 pages) from other character's POV, made perfect sense. I loved the ending!
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