Not Another Bad Date

( 135 )

Overview

What does a gal have to do to get a good date in this town?

Adele Harris can't even begin to answer that question. She's had so many lousy dates that she's sure she's cursed. Why else would every man she goes out with suddenly act like he's lost his mind—and his manners? Adele thought life couldn't get any more confusing . . . until she learns the marriage of her seemingly Miss Perfect sister is on the rocks. So she goes back to their hometown ...

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Not Another Bad Date

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More About This Book

Overview

What does a gal have to do to get a good date in this town?

Adele Harris can't even begin to answer that question. She's had so many lousy dates that she's sure she's cursed. Why else would every man she goes out with suddenly act like he's lost his mind—and his manners? Adele thought life couldn't get any more confusing . . . until she learns the marriage of her seemingly Miss Perfect sister is on the rocks. So she goes back to their hometown to give her a shoulder to cry on, only to run smack into Zach Zemaitis . . . the one who got away.

Texans love God, family, and football, though not always in that order

Zach, a former pro star, knows all about football. As for the other two, well, he's doing his best. But when Adele comes charging back into his life—still all lush curves and beautiful, big blue eyes—he wonders if his best is good enough. After all, he did her wrong. Can a woman with her track record ever really believe that he's serious this time . . . or is he destined to be another bad date?

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

This yummy lovefest from Gibson (after Tangled Up in You) focuses on a familiar dilemma: how to end bad luck in love. At 35, successful Idaho SFF novelist Adele Harris has had it with losers who make fun of her "big fat ass." She feels cursed-and she was, by old rival Devon Hamilton-Zemaitis, who stole Adele's first love, football star Zach Zemaitis. When Devon dies following an accident, she must remove the curse that's prevented Adele's happiness so she can go to heaven. Meanwhile, Adele gets a frantic call from older sister Sherilyn, who's divorcing her husband and has moved back to their old hometown of Cedar Creek, Tex.-where Zach now coaches high school football, and where Sherilyn needs help with her 13-year-old. Gibson keeps the action light but dead-on delicious in Adele's and Zach's sizzling second-chance-at love. (June)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780061178047
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 5/27/2008
  • Series: Avon Romance Series
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Pages: 384
  • Sales rank: 163,366
  • Product dimensions: 4.22 (w) x 6.78 (h) x 1.04 (d)

Meet the Author

Rachel Gibson

With the publication of New York Times bestselling author Rachel Gibson's first book,readers discovered one of contemporaryromance's freshest voices. Four of her novelswere named among the Top Ten Favorite Booksof the Year by Romance Writers of America.She has won numerous awards, includingBorders Bestselling Romantic Comedy, National Reader's Choice, and two RITA® Awards for the Best Single Contemporary Romance Title of the Year.

Candis Terry was born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California andnow makes her home on an Idaho farm.She's experienced life in such diverse waysas working in a Hollywood recording studioto chasing down wayward steers. Only onething has remained the same: her passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily-ever-after.

Jennifer Bernard is a graduate of Harvardand a former news promo producer. The childof academics, she confounded her family bypreferring romance novels to . . . well, anyother books. She left big city life for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husbandand stepdaughters. She's no stranger to book success, as she also writes erotic novellas under a naughty secret name not to be mentioned at family gatherings.

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Read an Excerpt

Not Another Bad Date

Chapter One

"Kiss me, babe."

"No, really." Beneath the light of a sixty-watt bulb on her porch, Adele Harris placed a hand on the chest of her latest date. "I've had enough excitement for one night."

Investment banker and former nerd turned world-class jerk, Sam King mistook the hand on his chest for a caress and took a step forward, backing Adele against the front door. Cool October air slipped across her cheeks and between the lapels of her coat, and she watched horrified as Sam lowered his face to her. "Baby, you don't know excitement until I fire you up with a kiss."

"I'll pass. I don't thi—urggg—" Sam smashed his lips against Adele's and silenced her protest. He shoved his tongue into her mouth and did some sort of weird swirly thing. Three quick circles to the left. Three to the right. Repeat. She hadn't been kissed like that since Carl Wilson in the sixth grade.

She forced her free hand between them and shoved. "Stop!" she gasped as she reached into the small purse hanging from her shoulder and pulled out her keys. "Good night, Sam."

His jaw dropped and his brows lowered. "You're not inviting me in?"

"No." She turned and unlocked her front door.

"What the hell? I just spent a hundred and twenty bucks on dinner and I don't get laid?"

She pushed the door open and looked over her shoulder at the moron standing on her porch. The evening had started out okay, but had began a downward descent with the salad course. "I'm not a prostitute. If you'd wanted a sure thing, you should have called an escort service."

"Women love me! I don't haveto pay a prostitute," he protested a bit too much. "Women are dying to get some Sammy."

By the time the dinner plates had been cleared, the date had nosedived into the third level of hell, and for the past hour Adele had tried to be nice.

"Of course they are," she said, but failed to keep a bite of sarcasm from her voice. She stepped into her house and turned to face him.

"No wonder you're thirty-five and alone," he sneered. "You need to learn how to treat a man."

For the past hour she'd pretended interest in his narcissistic ramblings. His nonstop bragging and his presumption that he was quite the catch and she was very lucky. She tried to tell herself that it wasn't his fault. That lately she'd begun to suspect there was something about her that made men insane, but he'd just crossed the line. Poked at a very sore spot. "And you need to learn to kiss like a man," she said, and slammed the front door in his stunned face.

"What the hell is going on in my life?" She pushed one side of her thick curly hair behind her ear and leaned her back against the door. This was getting ridiculous. Every man she'd dated for the past . . . what? . . . two or three years had been a jerk. If they hadn't started out as jerks, they'd quickly turned into jerks. At first she'd thought she was just a jerk magnet. That she attracted idiots, but lately she'd begun to wonder if there was something else going one. That there was something about her that turned otherwise-okay men into morons. Because really, how many jerks and idiots were there in this world? And how likely was it that she just happened to date every last one of them? Repeatedly? Without a break?

Not likely. Adele flipped the dead bolt and pushed away from the door. For the past few months, she'd begun to think that she was cursed. Cursed with perpetually bad dates.

She hung her coat in the front closet and moved into the living room. She tossed her purse onto the green sofa and reached for the remote control on the glass-and-iron coffee table. A couple of months ago, she'd mentioned to her friend Maddie that she thought she might be cursed, but Maddie had laughed it off and Adele hadn't brought it up again.

There were some people who thought she was a little different—maybe a lot different. Growing up she'd believed in magic; in fairy dust and unicorns and pots of gold. As a child, she'd believed in cracks in time and life on distant planets. Ghosts and alternative realities. In endless possibilities. As an adult, though she never ruled out anything completely, she no longer believed in endless anything anymore.

She turned on the television and sat on the arm of the couch. These days, she might not believe in endless anything, but she did make a good living off her imagination and the possibilities she'd believed in as a child. To date, she'd published ten science-fiction and fantasy novels. Researching those books had taken her to some truly bizarre places, and she'd personally witnessed too many instances of paranormal phenomena that could not be explained away by science to casually dismiss anything out of hand.

She flipped through the TV channels and paused on the ten o'clock news. Out of the many books she'd written, she'd never researched curses, and she didn't know a lot about them. She didn't know how curses worked, if they had to be cast by means of witchcraft or black magic. If just anyone could curse anyone else, or if there had to be a certain knowledge of curses, spells, and hexes?

I'm crazy. Adele felt her brain squeeze, and she dropped the remote onto the sofa. As crazy as people sometimes thought she was. She rose and moved through her living room to her bathroom. Because really, what kind of person thought she was cursed?

A crazy person, that's who.

Not Another Bad Date. Copyright © by Rachel Gibson. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 135 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(77)

4 Star

(34)

3 Star

(17)

2 Star

(5)

1 Star

(2)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 136 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 31, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    Become A Total Man Magnet

    Fabulous, frothy fun

    I wasn't sure whether to buy this book or not, despite being an avid Rachel Gibson fan, due to the poorer than usual reviews here. Eventually I caved (of course) and I'm so glad that I did. Okay, so it's not great classic literature, but it's still a heck of a lot better than a lot of the so-called chick-lit out there. If you're a Rachel Gibson fan you may agree that it's not quite on a par with 'See Jane Score', but neither was it the worst that she's ever written (that would be 'It Must Be Love' by my reckoning), and I fully intend to keep 'Not Another Bad Date' alongside all Rachel Gibson's other novels on my bookshelf.

    The book forms part of a very loose quartet based on the love lives of four writers, but don't panic if you haven't read the others, as each book stands alone. Adele is a quirky sci-fi author who feels she's been cursed to only ever have bad dates, and handsome football star Zack just could be the cure. But will they let the bad experience in their past get in the way of finding happiness? If you're new to this author then sit back and enjoy a deliciously frothy, fun romance; if you're a fan then let Rachel Gibson work her magic on you again and don't let a few poor reviews put you off. I really wanted to give this novel 4 and a half stars but that wasn't an option!

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 1, 2011

    It's a must read book!

    Not Another Bad Date, by Rachel Gibson, is an excellent book that you will not want to set down. It¿s about a woman named Adele Harris who goes back to a small town in Texas where she grew up, to help her pregnant sister, after her sister¿s husband leaves her for another woman. Adele has to take care of her middle school niece, whose friends dad is a man who broke Adele¿s heart fourteen years ago. Zach Zemaitis was a man Adele, dated while in college. Whom she lost to a girl who had it all, and who also made Adele¿s high school years absolutely miserable. Zach had become an NFL player, and began coaching the high school football team. In addition to becoming an NFL player and coach, Zach also became a widower. After bumping into Zach, he makes multiple attempts to talk to Adele, and tries to get back what they had in college. But, Adele wasn¿t interested, in her opinion it was better for her to move on. However, that didn¿t stop Zach. He tries everything to get Adele, and eventually she gives in, and decides to give Zach a chance. Like every relationship, there are going to be romantic moments, and twists, which is exactly what happens to Adele and Zach. Later in the book, they encounter a major obstacle that will you on the edge of your seat.
    The main message in, ¿Not Another Bad Date,¿ is to have confidence, go by your own instincts, and to be careful of what you say. That is Exactly what Adele did, and eventually learned. It¿s and excellent book I was very indecisive about reading this book because it really didn¿t look appealing to me, but I¿m glad I did. I enjoyed the story line, and It¿s a book that many adults, and possibly people in high school can really relate to. I would give this book a 4 out of 5 rating. I give it that rating because, I didn¿t like how the end of the book ended so quickly. Also, how the ending was very predictable. Reading this book makes me want to go buy her other books, and read those as well. I definitely recommend this to any females, who enjoy funny, girly, and eventful books. I wouldn¿t recommend this book to any guys however.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 1, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    Man Magnet

    A really great read.

    If you've been on the bad dating jag like some of us, this book is a welcome refuse. I thought it was funny and well told.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 13, 2013

    To johnny

    Umm i thought u had a gf

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 12, 2013

    To jonny

    Hey you broke up with you other gf.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 10, 2013

    To below

    I am 15 my name is jonny i am buff and tan and have abs and i have grass green eyes u should date me because i am nice and very patient to others that are not. Pase answer by may 12 if u dont the deal is off. Reply to jonny.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 25, 2013

    CLICK HERE IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF BOYFRIEND!!!!!!

    If you are in need of a boyfriend, I am your girl! I'm 15 and I have brown hair with red and blond highlights. I know and take martial arts. I'm great self-defence. IF ANYBODY WANTS ME PLEASE MAKE A POST BY: SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013 TELLING ME YOUR NAME, DESCRIBING YOUR HAIR, AND GIVING ME A REASON THAT YOU ARE THE ONE FOR ME. Thank you for your time.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 22, 2013

    Hey

    Hey this book looks good what age should u be 2read it.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 5, 2013

    Skyler to anda

    Ya.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 1, 2013

    Anda

    Does anyone wana chat?.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 31, 2013

    Dylan

    Hello

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 23, 2013

    Jerry

    Hugged tightly and smiled

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 7, 2013

    Skylar

    Hi

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 23, 2013

    Devon

    What the heck?

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 15, 2013

    Your stupid

    All of you. I wasnt even here and u were still making fun of me? What can you possibly hope to accomplish?

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 30, 2012

    Parker

    I am the wo who told u to come here!:)) d how is it!

    0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 30, 2012

    Alena to Gavin

    Hi Gavin

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 31, 2012

    Fredy crooger

    Y

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 27, 2013

    To numbers 3&4

    What the HELL

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 31, 2012

    Kk

    Dkkkjjfjfnfnnf

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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