The Ideal Man

If you like reading Julie Garwood's books then this will not disappoint you, you'll love it. The story starts off simple enough, an off-duty trauma surgeon witnesses the shooting of an FBI agent during a sting operation gone awry. Although Dr. Ellie Sullivan can't actually identify the couple (other than saying it was a man and a woman), she is still considered a potential witness and may be in danger. Enter FBI agent Max Daniels. Max and Ellie hit it off and begin this rather sweet, and weird (in a good way), romance. Max is concerned about the potential that the gun-running couple that got away, may have hired a hit man to kill Ellie before she can testify, as this has happened to previous witnesses. His fears are well-founded as show more there is a hit man after Ellie.
The fun really begins when Ellie returns to her hometown for her younger sister's wedding. Her sister, Ava (a self-absorbed, egocentric bridezilla), is engaged to marry Ellie's ex-fiance. Ava slept with the guy the day after Ellie had brought him home to announce their engagement. (I said she was self-absorbed.) Annie, Ava's twin sister, is also in crisis mode because she's pregnant and can't locate the father-to-be. Oh, did I forget to mention that Ellie also has a demented stalker based in her hometown? So make that two potential hit men after Ellie.
There are a lot of twists to the story that keep it lively and intense. I found myself reading it in one-sitting simply because I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. This is not your typical romantic suspense but it is definitely worth reading. The characters are all somewhat quirky but likeable, well except for the bad guys. Personally I can't wait for this to be released later this year just so I can purchase a copy to re-read. show less

This was an ARC I received from NetGalley. It’s actually the first one I requested as I was playing around with the site. I have not read any romantic suspense in quite some time, though it used to be regular fare in my reading diet. This one was better than a lot, but not as good as some.

The plot is fairly typical: damsel in distress, though this damsel was more interesting than most – smart, funny, accomplished (but emotionally wounded, of course). The hero is perfect - ideal - in that hero kind of way – handsome, strong, sensitive, somewhat vulnerable, etc. etc. Damsel meets hero under extreme circumstances, chemistry ensues, hero protects and saves damsel, hero and damsel admit their love and live happily ever after. It’s show more formulaic, but it works, especially if one is in the mood for escapism.

There were a few things that bothered me about this book, some of which can be cleared up before publication. The misuse of words: at one point, one of the characters is “plummeted” by another (I think the word is pummeled); another time, “she glimpsed up at him” (glanced?). It was kind of distracting. Also, the resolution of the threat(s) against our damsel were a little too quick, as was the resolution of the romantic tension between damsel and hero. Obviously, there is going to be a happy ending but the best romantic suspense builds up to satisfying conclusions, while this one just raced to the finish.

I wanted to get this read and reviewed since I received it a couple of months ago. I might have enjoyed it more had I been mood-driven rather than duty-driven in reading it. show less

Read only if you like Pollyanna "turn the other cheek no matter what someone says or does to you" B.S. The book is filled with terrible/evil people and gutless/spineless weenies. By the end I was rooting for everyone to get murdered. The characters were weak. The suspense was weak. The romance was exceptionally weak. The Ideal Man? No. The ideal man would not have been okay with the way the family of the woman he cares about abused her. I thought that at least he would be on her side. That she'd finally have someone in her corner. Instead he also tells her to "play nice" and dismisses her feelings on the matter. And Max's "proposal" at the end? What the ever-loving hell? Did anyone find that romantic?

This was the first Julie Garwood show more book I've read and I don't think I'll be reading another if she writes more characters that get away with behaving this way. I only kept reading because I thought Ava would get hers in the end. That, at minimum, Ellie would call her the despicable whore she is (Ava slept with her fiancè the day after she brought him home. Now they're getting married and she was pressured into coming home for the wedding-because anyone would be that stupid). That her mother would finally realize how mean and hurtful she was being and taking Ava's side and even suggesting Ellie be in that wedding, let alone demanding it. But, no. No one called her out on her behavior. Everyone dumped on Ellie if she got close to standing up for herself. Her mother was the worst, no matter what disgusting thing Ava said she said nothing. Any comment Ellie made she got angry and told her to shut up. When Ava was ranting like the lunatic she is about her ruined party and blaming Ellie, the second she tried to defend herself, mother-of-the-year shut her down. By the end Ellie was apologizing to Ava for almost being murdered again, and every asshole in that room let it happen! No one even mentioned that it was Ava's fault in the first damn place! Not only does Ellie end up being a willing participant in the wedding, she even talks about Ava deserving sympathy and goes to her for life help (which, of course, results in Ava throwing as many insults as possible). Spineless moron. That's only a touch of the insanity in this story. I wish I could list it all because the whole thing is absolutely insane. I truly think Garwood owes all of us who have had the misfortune of reading this an explanation for this rage-inducing drivel.

This book put me in an incredibly bad mood, which is actually the exact opposite of what I was attempting to achieve by reading it. show less

Ellie Sullivan has just finished her residency at a bustling hospital and she is standing at a crossroads. As a wunderkind in the medical community, the horizon is wide open for her. One day, while taking a jog in the park, she inadvertently sees a police officer shot in the line of duty. As the sole witness to the event, she becomes very important to the FBI- in more ways than one. As a doctor, her skills are necessary to save Max Daniels' partner.

Ellie is no stranger to strife. She was forced to move away from her home as a young woman, due to an obsessed admirer. Not only does Ellie have to contend with the events from the park, but she is now forced to deal with the release of her attacker as well as having to deal with her show more sister's wedding. Max returns "home" with Ellie for her bittersweet return.

As with any Garwood book, the hero is protective and alpha. Ellie makes a believable heroine. She is capable and level-headed, a trademark Garwood heroine. I really enjoyed this book. show less

The Ideal Man was 5 stars right up until Ellie decided "to do the right thing" near the end of the book which was not in any way the right thing. Other than that, and a slightly too abrupt ending, I really liked it. It was well-written, I liked the characters, and it was paced well. There might have been a little too much going on in the plot but it was never boring. All in all, if you enjoy Garwood's contemporary romance novels, you'll probably like this one.

Fun, light, fluffy. These are the words I think of when I think of Garwood. Also romance and suspense. As usual, she lived up to all my expectations. Strong female lead, in this case a doctor. Law enforcement male lead, usually FBI, or a cop. Always gorgeous, of course. He is put in charge of protecting her from something. The love follows. ok. Maybe it's a bit formulaic. But sometimes that is good. Comforting. This is very much a comfort read. It might not be great literature, but I can never wait for the next one to come out to melt into. This one didn't disappoint. Apropos of nothing, I love the cover image of this one.

The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood was a really nice surprise. I've read several of Julie's other books - both romantic suspense and historical - and enjoyed them. This book however, I loved.

From the very beginning, the characters felt real. Between their interactions and the constantly moving plot, I immediately felt like I'd turned on the TV. I could picture everything perfectly! (Of course, that might be in part because it begins in a hospital and I've spent way too many hours watching Grey's Anatomy not to be familiar with that setting...) Dr. Ellie Sullivan is just finishing up her residency at a busy hospital. When she is out jogging one day, she witnesses a FBI agent being shot while in pursuit of a criminal duo. This leads her to show more become acquainted with Max Daniels, the agent in charge of interviewing her. Explosive. Immediate. Attraction. Whoa mama.

Luckily, there is nothing so silly as insta-love. The chemistry is off the charts, but it takes awhile for the rest to come along. I loved the progression of their relationship! Max learns that Ellie has had a lot more stress to deal with than just seeing a shooting - insert crazy life-long stalker here. Max's protective instincts flare up and that, mixed with the sparks flying, means Max isn't willing to leave Ellie's side anytime soon...even if it means following her to her parents' home for her sister's wedding.

I really loved Max! He had just the right combination of dedicated cop and man-being-led-around-by-the-hormones. Seeing he and Ellie battle it out in regards to how they felt about one another was very realistic, very charming, and super sizzling. Their interactions mixed in with the dangers in Ellie's life - both because she has a stalker and because she is a witness - keep the pages turning. I read the book in one sitting: putting it down was not an option! Definitely one of the best romantic suspense books I've read.

So, if you're a fan of romance, suspense and/or mystery - this is definitely a book I declare worth reading! For those of you who have read Julie Garwood in the past and were thinking about passing this one by - I seriously recommend giving it another look. By far the best I've seen from her! show less