Kate Perry (1) (1972–)

Give a Little by Kate Perry
Book #7: The Summerhill Series
Source: Author and Purchase
My Rating: 5/5 stars
My Review:

Beatrice Summerhill has proven time and time again that world domination is not out of her grasp. She relies on her gut to guide her in all things business related, she relies on her assistant, Inga to fill in any blanks she may have missed (as if!) and, she takes what she wants with cold and calculating determination. She is beautiful, she is exceedingly smart, she is show more tremendously successful, she is fiercely loyal to those she loves and, she is desperately lonely. Thanks to her father, the late Reginald Summerhill, Beatrice has spent her life avoiding serious commitments that may lead her to believe she needs – or worse! – wants a man’s approval. To Bea, men have long been toys that can be played with and then discarded, objects of desire to be sure but never, ever something she needs nor an impediment to her goal of achieving world domination.

Luca Fiorelli is everything a woman could possibly want. He is a sexy and successful Italian racecar driver, he is world famous, he is polite and sincere and, he is secretly one half of a motor company that is on the verge of revolutionizing the car industry. Luca can have any woman he wants and from the moment he met her, he has wanted Beatrice Summerhill and no other. Luca is fascinated by Bea and loves every aspect of her personality, even the surly and stubborn bits. In real life she is calm, cool, collected and, seemingly uninterested in what Luca has to offer. In bed, she is uninhibited, stunning, sexy and, seemingly very interested in what Luca has to offer. All Luca has to do is convince Bea that her real life personality and her in bed personality can peacefully coexist and neither has to give up anything in order to be with him on a long-term basis.

Luca rocks Bea’s world to her very foundation and that is at once thrilling and terrifying. Needing Luca and wanting him are two very different things: Bea’s real life persona certainly doesn’t want to need him and her in bed persona certainly wants and needs him. Bea can find no way to reconcile her wants and desires so she constantly pushes Luca away with both her words and her actions. Little does Bea know, Luca is willing to play the long game in order to win her over and he has the perfect plan in place to achieve his goal. Bea has no idea how Luca is involved with the car company she is looking to invest in but she does know he has access to the men she needs to meet with. She need only spend one, work-free week with Luca and he will make the proper introductions. Though being away from work and at Luca’s disposal for a week is a near-crippling thought, Bea’s intense desire to always win and always be successful outweighs her fear and so, she packs her bags and heads to Italy.

With just a week to convince Bea of the truth of his feelings and intentions, Luca sets out to thoroughly and completely seduce Bea. In the moments when she lets herself go and pries herself away from her damn mobile phone, Luca is able to work his magic. Bea truly enjoys Luca’s company and she certainly enjoys their sexual exploits but her fear of ceding control is still quite overwhelming. Much of their week together is beautiful and fun but in the moments when Bea lets the fear overwhelm her, she is cruel and heartless and on the verge of throwing away a true and proper happily ever after with a man who so clearly adores her.

The Bottom Line: Over the course of this series I have prepared myself for Beatrice and her story, I have like Bea and looked forward to her story. I can honestly say, I wasn’t at all prepared for this story!! Bea isn’t just calm, cool and collected, she is also paralyzed by her fear, a raging bitch and, until the very end someone I completely disliked. OK, your daddy sucked and did a number on you but at some point, you have to make the conscience decision to either give up completely or get over it and take a stab at real happiness. Up until the very end, I had serious doubts about Bea’s ability to pull her head out of her ass and found myself wanting to reach into the book and choke the bitch right out of her. On the flip side is Luca, sweet, endearing, sexy and lovable, Luca. My affection for Luca has never wavered and yet again, he proved himself to be a true and wonderful man. His patience, his kindness and, his willingness to give Bea everything (seriously, what that man is willing to give up is stunning!) is simply endearing and from the moment I met him, I have rooted for him. With his sexy accent, his keen intelligence and, his ability to deal with the prickliest of the Summerhill sisters, Luca really is all any woman could possibly want. To see Luca finally get what he desires most is tremendously satisfying and a fine end to a series I have come to absolutely adore. Though I am sad to see the Summerhill series come to an end, I am glad each sister got her own book, each sister got her own HEA and, the series ended while still being strong and fresh and nowhere close to being played out and/or boring. Kate Perry has created a truly fantastic family in the Summerhills and I find myself thinking now that it’s over, it may be the perfect time to start again from the beginning :) show less

Let’s Misbehave by Kate Perry
(Book #3: Summerhill Series)
Source: Author
Rating: 5/5 stars

What do you do when your tool bag (oh yes, the whole bag!) of a boyfriend sells a highly suggestive video of the two you engaged in some naughty business? Well, if you’re Imogen Summerhill, acclaimed and bombshellish actress, you run home to England and hide out with the family until all the press dies down.

For Imogen, the shock of the video isn’t so much about the video but about the betrayal of a show more man she trusted. Nursing a broken heart and determined to ride out the storm, Imogen (affectionately known as Gigi) returns to the Sumemrhill home and the safety of her family. The added bonus to the extended stay is the opportunity to better know her sisters and with their help, the heartbreak slowly begins to fade and Imogen once again starts to focus on her career. Here’s the rub: Imogen wants to be taken seriously as an actress and respected for her talent and not her “assets” but her studio wants to play up the drama and see Imogen cast as the naughty bombshell the world believes her to be. In order to salvage her career in an acceptable manner, maintain her dignity and, with any luck win an Oscar down the road, Imogen has to keep her nose clean and stay out of trouble. Yeah, right!

Merrick (aka Ricky Hazard) lives a very public life of service and his one and only goal is to pass legislation that will prevent senseless killings like the one that took his sister years and years ago. The only remnant of his former life is his best friend Valerie, a woman who loves him dearly (but ONLY as a friend) and wants to see him successful and happy. Unfortunately, Merrick is certain those two things can no longer coexist for him and as a result lives his life rather like a monk denying himself many simple pleasures. Luckily for Merrick, Valerie is all kinds of up in his business and the minute she sees Merrick uncharacteristically turn his eye toward a woman she is all over getting the two connected. Too bad that woman is Imogen Summerhill, the one woman in the world who wants to stay out of the press and avoid scandal even more than Merrick does.

As fate (and Kate Perry!) would have it, Imogen and Merrick do meet and within moments each is intrigued and attracted to the other. The attraction is ridiculously strong and prompts Imogen to ask her trusted assistant to track down Merrick’s contact information. A flirty text or two later and the two are meeting clandestinely  Per Imogen’s request and with Merrick’s absolute agreement, the meetings are to remain clandestine as neither can afford the “bad” press. For a time the arrangement works well for both but inevitably, the feelings grow and the couple has to decide what their future is or can be. Before that conversation can happen though, Imogen is inexplicably outed to the press, Merrick’s legislation is threatened and, the tool bag makes an unwanted and unexpected appearance and all but begs Imogen to come back. As required, the Summerhill sisters rally around their own, help Imogen through yet another betrayal and more than a little anger and, Bea (yet again!) offers to have someone killed. WOW!! I love those sisters 

The Bottom Line: Kate Perry is on a roll and I am loving this series more and more with every single addition!! Plainly put, this is top-notch writing with fantastic characters who are constantly evolving, excellent dialogue and, plots that are remaining fresh and true to the characters. Furthermore, old favorites make appearances, the new characters add significantly to the read, Bea offers to have someone killed and, everything just fits together. In all honesty, the ride each sister takes me on is so damn entertaining that I don’t care that I know how it is all going to turn out in the end. Additionally, I am quite thankful that Jacqueline Summerhill was exceptionally fertile – that just means more sisters and more books for me to fall in love with!! And quite frankly, I am OK with that :) show less

Say You Will by Kate Perry
(Book #1: Summerhill Series)
Source: Purchase
Rating: 4½/5 stars

For ten years Rosalind Summerhill has not returned to her family home in England. The excuses for not returning are easy enough when there is an ocean, several time zones, an assh*%le of a father and, a successful business in play. Though she would enjoy having a closer relationship with her sisters and her mother, dear old dad and his abhorrent personality have all but ensured the family will never be show more close. And then one miraculous day, the ass*&le dies an Rosalind is called home for the funeral.

For all but one of the Summerhill women, the death of dear old dad is not a sad day but one to be celebrated and sung about. The late Earl of Amberlin may have had a title and a nice home but that’s where the culture ended; for decades Reginald Summerhill made anyone and everyone around him miserable and made damn sure each of his six daughters and his wife knew just how little he cared for them. Saddled with a wife he didn’t love, six daughters and, no son to carry on his title, Reginald took out his anger and frustration on his family and openly cheated on his wife. Though his passing is certainly a time of celebration for most, that celebration is tempered by the fact that Reginald died with his mistress and his will is missing thus throwing into question who precisely will inherit what is left of the Summerhill fortune.

On the plane ride over, Rosalind decides she will perform her duties to the best of her ability and then promptly board a plane for the return flight to San Francisco. Never, in a million years would Rosalind consider that by walking through the front door of her family home her whole world will turn upside down and it will have little to do with her father. Arriving late to the funeral, Rosalind immediately notices a smokin’ hot man in the back row, a petite and beautiful blonde woman who looks vaguely familiar and, most of her sisters and her mother sitting stoically as the service moves forward.

Adding to the list of things Rosalind didn’t expect is the presence of the smokin’ hot man in the back row. Though she initially assumed he was with the petite blonde, Rosalind quickly discovers that not only is Nick not with the blonde (aka Summer) and is absolutely attracted to her (Rosalind). After a brief encounter and feeling just a bit naughty, Rosalind decides that Nick will make for a perfect fling. As if fate is aligning, Rosalind also meets Summer, instantly likes her and discovers she will get to put her creative side to use and design the perfect wedding dress for the cute little blonde. Even more unexpected, with the exception of prissy little Portia, all of Rosalind’s sisters and even her mother are coming together and beginning to forge a new and healthy relationship with one another. With all the good going on and her assh*&le dad dead, how can anything go wrong? Oh, but everything does go wrong and in some seriously epic and entertaining ways. First and foremost there is the missing will and how its’ discovery will impact everyone’s future, there is the matter of the mistress’s kid (what????), there is the small matter of the ginormous lie Nick has told Rosalind (what????) and, there is the moment when all the dirty laundry gets aired and everyone must make some very big decisions.

The Bottom Line: LOVED this read!! Kate Perry introduces a variety of personalities among the Summerhill women and Rosalind is definitely the free-spirit in the bunch. She is creative, bright, successful and just the tiniest bit naughty; she is unafraid of speaking her mind and owning up to the things she wants, needs and desires. The dynamic between Rosalind and her sisters changes and evolves throughout the read as does her relationship with Nick. Though the read revolves around Nick and Rosalind and the finding of the will, the other members of the cast factor in prominently making the read all the more enjoyable. The drama of the will and the airing of the lies amps up the drama significantly and keeps the read flowing smoothly and quickly from start to finish. There is no slow burn here just a fast-paced and enjoyable read that is filled with interesting characters, snappy dialogue, some fine naughty bits and, just the right amount of twists and turns to keep you from putting this book down. By far, the strength of Say You Will lies with the characters. Whether major or minor, each character (except Summer!) is thoroughly entertaining and completely consuming. It took me little to no time to make my way through this read and highly recommend it to all fans of HEAs, contemporary romance and quite simply, well-written reads! show less

Gabrielle or Gabe likes her life. Painting to keep herself happy and working in a bar to keep her landlord happy she's content with what she has. This all changes when a courier arrives with a package containing a scroll, a task she thought she had run far enough away from. This package also means that her father is dead. But he's not gone, he's determined to train her. There are also other people looking for the Scroll, the main two being her brother and Rhys. However Rhys and Gabe are show more distracting each other.

I liked the way both main characters were determined to be themselves and tried to solve their own problems before looking for help elsewhere. I enjoyed the read, glad I hunted it up and look forward to continuing with this series. I also like how it uses Chinese mythology. show less