Just the Sexiest Man Alive (Berkley Sensation)

~* 4.5 Stars *~ Jason Andrews has been voted The Sexiest Man Alive, and no woman under the age of 80 would argue against him being the hottest, most well known A-list actor out there. He is, of course, rather fond of being top of the heap. He runs through women as quickly and as casually as he changes his underwear, has entitlement issues larger than that big canyon in Arizona, and when he and his ego go somewhere, they need a stadium to fit comfortably. Like the one in Ann Arbor. Needless to say, Jason's thrown a little off stride when he's completely blown off by gorgeous lawyer Taylor Donovan when he finally deigns to show up to the meeting that one of his people had arranged for the prior week. So what that he was supposed to show up Thursday, and again on Friday? The casinos in Vegas had been calling his name and he was entitled to have a little fun. How dare the sixth year Chicago associate, in LA to try a big case for her firm, not make time for him when he's ready for her to help him with his next role. And how dare she not only walk out on him after putting him rather neatly in his place, but repeatedly refuse to respond to his attempts to contact her after their less than pleasant initial meeting. Does she have any idea who he is? Taylor does, actually, know exactly who the superficial, self absorbed, womanizing prat is - and she has no time for the "Actor" with all his entitlement and ego issues. Unfortunately she's in LA, so when Andrews' publicist contacts her boss, there's absolutely nothing Taylor can do but work with the insufferable (though, admittedly gorgeous) man. One is the unstoppable force, the other is the immovable object, and when Jason sets his sights on the titanium-skinned Taylor, something is either going to give, or break into the sort of pieces that even all the king's horses and men can't put back together again. A slick, sassy narrative with a strong, intelligent female protagonist who takes no crap and who has a solid head on her shoulders really sets this Julie James romance apart from a full pack. I thoroughly enjoyed Taylor's grounded and sharp-witted personality and appreciated how she was so firmly entrenched in the real world even as she disabused Jason of his ideas on his. Wounded from a past relationship, I liked how James incorporated that ding to her pride into a genuine fear when things between Taylor and Jason turn serious. It added depth and a realistic dimension to the romance. It took me quite a while to warm up to Jason as anything more than a punchline, and the portrayal of his inflated idiocy and adolescent behavior, combined with the sleazy machinations of up-and-comer actor Scott Casey, provided a harsh commentary on the brittle fantasy of popularity and did little to recommend actors or LA to the romantic-minded. I was, however, highly amused at the parallels between Casey's breakout role and that of Legolas for Orlando Bloom. There were lots of tongue-in-cheek moments to be had there. Just the Sexiest Man Alive lacked a bit of the laugh out loud comedy of James' Practice Makes Perfect , but it had more sardonic humor with a bit more bite to it. I enjoyed both books and fully intend to keep going with the most recent of Julie James' work, Something About You . I have found myself genuinely and delightfully entertained by James' smooth, polished writing style and completely appreciate the witty, sassy dialogue and the solid, three dimensional, realistic characters (even when that "realism" is Hollywood fake). True, I would have liked to have seen a bit more depth given to Jason in this book, though maybe that would have started to tiptoe into the waters of cliche. But even at the end the actor still seemed in need of some humility and I would've liked to see a bit broader redemption for him. I was completely entertained, though, regardless of a few minor issues or slight preference differences. I'm just a book away from putting James on my instant-buy list. If I like Something About You nearly as much as I have this one and Practice Makes Perfect , I just may have found another preferred author for light romantic comedy. Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.

Taylor the attorney meets Jason the Hollywood hunk when he needs help preparing for his next role in a legal thriller. But Taylor didn't want this assignment and is not falling at this heartthrob's feet, despite Jason's charms. Taylor expects professionalism. Jason expects swooning. Both are disappointed right from the start. And what happens between these two is entirely entertaining. This is just the fun, romantic read I was hoping it would be. I was completely entertained by Taylor and Jason's antics, banter, friendship, revelations, and so much more. The building of their relationship was really well-written and I appreciated the thought and care that went into it. Not only were they placed in interesting situations that led the story, but their characters were revealed and grew in exciting ways. There is obvious physical attraction and chemistry between the two, but for me the real strength was the ways their characters grew from each other. Both had personal obstacles to question and overcome, and I liked how they were "fixed." I especially loved their budding friendship and how it grew to more. These two really grew on me. This is a cute, sweet, entertaining, romantic story, just right for an afternoon of light reading. It's not super steamy, so those looking for hot and heavy may be disappointed. But I really enjoyed the change of pace and how the author brought everything together. I could even visualize this as a Hollywood movie. This was my first Julie James novel, and I look forward to reading more of her books.

"Life isn't always about logic and reasons -- sometimes you just have to close your eyes and jump. Particularly when it comes to relationships." THE STORY: Attorney Taylor Donovan is working hard to become partner at her law firm. The last thing she needs is to babysit international movie star Jason Andrews who wants to do research for the legal thriller he is starring in next. Taylor and Jason immediately strike sparks off one another. Taylor knows exactly the type of man Jason is: she left her charming fiance who promised to change his womanizing ways and then cheated on her. Jason is attracted to the sarcastic Taylor but doesn't have any permanent intentions. Of course, the two can't help but fall in love. OPINION: JUST THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE is funny and lively and incredibly sweet. The story of two people who aren't looking for love, Taylor and Jason banter and argue their way to a deeper connection than either expects. The entire book feels like a great romantic comedy: superstar actor finds professional woman who is entirely wrong for him and definitely doesn't want to have anything to do with him, but the two fight and find out that they are perfect for one another. The chemistry between Taylor and Jason is wonderful. Funny and fast paced, the book goes incredibly fast. Despite the unlikely circumstances, the characters feel human and real. The sweetness and gentleness that underlies the sarcasm and arguments between Taylor and Jason makes this book a great read. WORTH MENTIONING: This book is sweet on the sex front. There is no explicit sexual scenes. The only reference is very tame in relation to other books -- including those by Julie James. FINAL DECISION: Great, funny, sweet romance. The book just feels like a good romantic comedy. CONNECTED BOOKS: JUST THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE is a standalone. STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

Taylor Donovan a lawyer has worked hard to get on at her law firm. Currently she has been temporarily transferred from Chicago to LA, to work on a sexual harassment case. When her boss calls her in to say that a famous Hollywood star will be shadowing her for his latest role as a lawyer. Jason Andrews the box office number one star,is the actor who is going to be tutored by Taylor. Unfortunately he doesn't turn up for their scheduled appointment, and not just the first one, he misses a number of them without even calling. Taylor is furious she's trying to juggle accommodating him, as well as working on her big case. When he eventually turns up while she is in court, he is surprised at her animosity towards him. Women usually fall over themselves to do anything, for the sexiest man alive. Loved this story, it's funny romantic with characters that the reader can really root for. I loved Taylor she was focused, sassy and beautiful. Having trusted one man her now ex-fiancé, who had a reputation with the ladies, but thinking she was the one for him. Only to discover that his attention had drifted elsewhere. She did not trust men very well, and Jason certainly had a less than stellar reputation where women were concerned. Jason was a pampered highly paid star, who had become too used to having his own way. Taylor's disdainful attitude intrigued him! Their scenes together were delicious. I liked that they did not jump straight into bed together, but the relationship followed a more realistic growth. The supporting characters were just as well developed as much as the two leads. Add in the snappy and witty dialogue this is a sure fire winner, highly recommend.

Das war mal wirklich wieder eine romantische Kömodie, die ich eine halbe Nacht lang nicht aus meinen Händen legen konnte. Bereits auf Seite 3 habe ich angefangen laut zu lachen (und das passiert mir eigentlich recht selten). Mich mit Taylor Donovan anzufreunden hat überhaupt nicht lange gedauert. Sie hat für mich die perfekte Mischung aus Schlagfertigkeit, Charme und Humor. Außerdem liebe ich Sarkasmus und davon hat sie, und der "sexiest Man alive" Jason, mehr als genug! Und das ist auch der Hauptgrund, warum sie so gut zusammenpassen und es so einen großen Spaß macht den beiden zuzusehen, wie sie zusammenarbeiten. Obwohl sie unterschiedlicher nicht sein könnten, haben die zwei natürlich mehr gemeinsam, als Taylor zu Beginn zugeben mag. Was soll man bitte von einem derzeitigen Top-Schauspieler, und dazu noch dem meist umschwärmtesten Mann der Welt denken, wenn er direkt den engen Terminplan von Taylor zunichte macht und lieber in Las Vegas rumhängt, als ihren Termin wahrzunehmen? Dass Taylor das nicht lustig findet, lässt sie ihn spüren, als er schließlich eine halbe Woche später in ihrem Gerichtssaal steht. Obwohl sein gutes Aussehen vielleicht etwas ablenken kann, hat sie trotzdem genug Selbstachtung ihm nicht, wie jede andere Frau in seinem Leben bisher, direkt zu Füßen zu liegen, sondern lieber einen guten Job zu machen und ihn schnellstmöglich loszuwerden. Ihre abweisende Art bringt Jason zwar zunächst etwas durcheinander, aber letztendlich macht es sie noch viel interessanter, als Taylor es für ihn sowieso schon war. Ein witziger, spannender und durchaus charmanter Kampf beginnt, indem Jason um ihre Aufmerksamkeit kämpft und Taylor ihr Bestes gibt um standhaft zu bleiben und nicht von einem Hollywood-Schauspieler um den Finger gewickelt zu werden. Because there's no crying in baseball ;-) Ich gebe dem Buch satte 5 Sterne! Das mit Abstand beste Romatic-Comedy-Buch, dass ich bisher gelesen habe!

Enchanting. Wanted to read it a second time.

just a sexy romp with great characters. loved her sassy nature but did not deter him from achieving his goal. Very romantic

自分の中ではこれが一番！！１２０％楽しめました～JULIE最高！！