Hello Stranger

I so enjoyed this! Even aside from this being my favorite sort of male romantic lead (capable, brave, smart, besotted, charming), it is just well crafted! The characters are interesting, the plot is lively, it's full of lovely romantic notions and lots of humor! The hurdle in the way of their HEA was legitimate and not just the characters contriving to stand in their own way. Both characters grow and become better for having known the other. The female lead was strong without being entirely obstinate at every turn (too often the case!). And the male lead was genuinely impressed (and awed) by her bravery and cool head, compassion, etc. rather than just her beauty and poise. It had a bit of adventure, a bit of grit. I would have enjoyed show more more interactions with the previous characters from the series, but most of those opportunities were taken up by West, to pique our interest for the next installment I suppose. I plan to read this one again, which I hadn't ever expected to do for this genre, but the ride was so pleasant it wouldn't even matter that I already know its destination. =D Also, the reader on the audiobook does such a wonderful job. And Ethan's lines read in an Irish Brogue... all for the better! I read lots of HR and it's often hard to recall one from another after some time, but this one is branded on my memory, and I think of it often! Usually, when a man follows around his love interest "to keep her safe" it's really just *stalking*, but although Ransom does follow Dr. Garrett in this book, it's just on the evenings she volunteers in the rough part of town (not looking for any excuse to peep in her bedroom window or anything), he only intervenes when the situation goes beyond her ability (not a savior complex over every little thing), and he immediately returned to the shadows after (not standing around waiting to be thanked or something). So it didn't feel as possessive and controlling as it otherwise might.

2nd-read: Apparently that 'I think I'll actually read this again someday' was six months! Every time I read a book that was a flop, or something brought this story to mind, I'd think, that one was so wonderful, I wish more books captured what it had! So I just picked it up again! I still remembered almost everything that had happened, but like a little kid who's all "again! again!" immediately after a favorite book is read, it was absolutely delightful to repeat!

3rd-read- =D I'm revisiting the entire Ravenels series this round, and still adored this one a third time. I find the hero *so* absolutely charming that I just grin to myself as I'm reading. He has lots of wonderful lines. I also just love these two together, they're an excellent match.

4th read- I just keep loving it every time, lol. About a thousand times through the book there's a line that makes me smile.

5th read- Rereading through the whole series this time. Delightful all over again.

6th read- It makes my heart happy.

All the books in the Ravenels series are very re-readable to me.
I would rate them-
Hello Stranger 5 stars
Chasing Cassandra 5 stars
Devil in Disguise 5 stars
Devil's Daughter 5 stars
Marrying Winterborne 5 stars
Cold-Hearted Rake 4 stars
Devil in Spring 3 stars show less

I have not read any of the prior novels in this series. Yet, this book can be read as a stand alone. Insta-love. That is what I felt for this book. I loved Garrett's straight by the book manner when it came to talking about her job. She portrayed that medical intelligent. Example when she and Ethan were having a discussion about male erection. Here is how the conversation went:

Ethan: "You notice that being near you made me as randy as a prize bull"
Garrett: "I noticed" "However, the male erection isn't always caused by sexual desire"
Ethan: "What are you talking about"
Garrett: "Spontaneous priapism can be caused by scrotal chafing, traumatic injury to the perineum, a flare-up of gout, an inflamed prostatic duct"
Ethan: Laughing
Garrett: show more "Why is that funny" "As a physician, I can assure you there's nothing humorous about involuntary erections"

There are more humorous moments to be had in this book. Plus, romantic ones as well. Garrett and Ethan were great together. If you are in the mood for laughter, romance, great characters, and an all around enjoyable reading experience, than, you have to treat yourself to a copy of Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas. show less

I so enjoyed this! Even aside from this being my favorite sort of male romantic lead (capable, brave, smart, besotted, charming), it is just well crafted! The characters are interesting, the plot is lively, it's full of lovely romantic notions and lots of humor! The hurdle in the way of their HEA was legitimate and not just the characters contriving to stand in their own way. Both characters grow and become better for having known the other. The female lead was strong without being entirely obstinate at every turn (too often the case!). And the male lead was genuinely impressed (and awed) by her bravery and cool head, compassion, etc. rather than just her beauty and poise. It had a bit of adventure, a bit of grit. I would have enjoyed show more more interactions with the previous characters from the series, but most of those opportunities were taken up by West, to pique our interest for the next installment I suppose. I plan to read this one again, which I hadn't ever expected to do for this genre, but the ride was so pleasant it wouldn't even matter that I already know its destination. =D Also, the reader on the audiobook does such a wonderful job. And Ethan's lines read in an Irish Brogue... all for the better! I read lots of HR and it's often hard to recall one from another after some time, but this one is branded on my memory, and I think of it often! Usually, when a man follows around his love interest "to keep her safe" it's really just *stalking*, but although Ransom does follow Dr. Garrett in this book, it's just on the evenings she volunteers in the rough part of town (not looking for any excuse to peep in her bedroom window or anything), he only intervenes when the situation goes beyond her ability (not a savior complex over every little thing), and he immediately returned to the shadows after (not standing around waiting to be thanked or something). So it didn't feel as possessive and controlling as it otherwise might.

2nd-read: Apparently that 'I think I'll actually read this again someday' was six months! Every time I read a book that was a flop, or something brought this story to mind, I'd think, that one was so wonderful, I wish more books captured what it had! So I just picked it up again! I still remembered almost everything that had happened, but like a little kid who's all "again! again!" immediately after a favorite book is read, it was absolutely delightful to repeat!

3rd-read- =D I'm revisiting the entire Ravenels series this round, and still adored this one a third time. I find the hero *so* absolutely charming that I just grin to myself as I'm reading. He has lots of wonderful lines. I also just love these two together, they're an excellent match.

All the books in the Ravenels series are very rereadable to me.
I would rate them-
Hello Stranger 5 stars
Chasing Cassandra 5 stars
Devil in Disguise 5 stars
Devil's Daughter 5 stars
Marrying Winterborne 4 stars
Cold-Hearted Rake 4 stars
Devil in Spring 3 stars show less

I'm shamefully behind on my Lisa Kleypas historical series (The Hathaways might have been my last reads from her?) but have good memories of them, so when I got a chance to read Hello Stranger with a doctor heroine and spy hero, I jumped at the chance. Though the fact that the heroine has a male name (neatly explained early on, but still...) continued to throw me for a loop all book long, this book was a lot of fun to read. Kleypas gave our hero some of the best lines ever, like

“The first moment I saw you, I knew you were my share of the world. I’ve always loved you. If I could choose my fate, I’d never be parted from you. Acushla…pulse of my heart, breath of my soul…there’s nothing on this earth more fair and fine than you. show more Your shadow on the ground is sunlight to me.”

(that one while he was literally on death's door!) and

“He knows that where you’re concerned, I…have…a preference.” Guiding her past the palms, he opened the service door and took her to the landing of a servants’ stairwell...

...“Preference,” Garrett repeated cautiously. “What does that mean? You prefer me to what?”

As they stopped in a corner, Ethan’s head and broad shoulders were silhouetted in the faint glow of a sconce on the opposite wall. She began to tremble as he stood over her, big and dark, his nearness awakening a pulse of high music in her.

“I prefer you to everything,” he said gruffly, and bent to take her mouth with his.

I mean, really. Could anyone possibly mount a defense against lines like that, I ask you?

I resisted the urge to look up 1870s medical procedures and knowledge, so I have no idea how accurate they are in the book, but OMG Kleypas absolutely used them to great effect here. Between the major medical emergency and the suspense drama--along with the aforementioned swoony bits--this one was nearly impossible to put down.

Thank goodness it was a Sunday ;)

Hello Stranger is the fourth book in The Ravenels series, but worked just fine as a standalone--the Ravenels were very much secondary characters for most of the book; West, who hasn't had a book yet, has the biggest role here...and OMG, does his part have me sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting for his book to come out?

Yes. Yes, it does.

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. show less

The heroine Garrett Gibson jumped off the page for me. I've been looking forward to her story since she first appeared in Marrying Winterbourne. I love the idea of a brilliant woman being able to have it all: career and love. She wasn't a traditional romance heroine, and she saved the hero a couple of times. The scene where she stands on a street corner, blowing her whistle in hopes that her champion will show up was heart breaking.

Ethan Ransom was also an interesting character: being a bastard son who had a host of talents that he acquired through believable means (like apprenticing as a locksmith instead of just being naturally brilliant which is such a stale trait among romance heroes). His reluctance to acknowledge his heritage show more felt genuine. I didn't have many problems with him.

I guess I was most disappointed by the stakes of the plot. If both policing agencies are corrupt, then both Dr. Gibson and Ethan should've been in a lot more danger than they seemed to be. As it was, I didn’t really feel the danger. Couple that with an anticlimactic confrontation between the pair and the arch villain, and this case fell a little flat. While I know, because it’s a romance, that the couple will survive this and live happily ever after, I want the illusion of that vision in jeopardy. Here, I never really felt that. There was some tension out at Eversby Priory where Ethan and Garrett hid and the thugs found them, but that was it.

The other drawback to this book was that, for the first time, Kleypas’s style of description was distracting. There were large paragraphs thrown into the book to give historical detail but none of it added any value to the story. It seriously pulled me out of the story, even though I LOVE historical details! This was just too much, and it slowed down the story.

Despite this drawback, this is still a worthwhile read for anyone who loves historical romances with a hint of danger and a truly unconventional heroine. This book is a lot of fun and full of poignant moments. show less

I love rereading especially when the only thing I can remember about this book was a surgery in a house library and blood transfusion machine. Ethan had epically amazing pining going on for Garrett, and it was great. I loved seeing her more after the past two books and am so glad she’s getting a great HEA. I loved the love these two had and that there wasn’t drama about but rather the circumstances going on (i.e. bad guys everywhere). Great to see West featured here more too and can’t wait for his book next.

I loved this book! I have been a huge fan of Lisa Kleypas for a long time but for some reason I haven't read a lot of her work during the past few years. I can see now that this has been a big mistake on my part and that I should have made time for the Ravenels series because this was oh so good. I loved it on the first page, the last page, and all the pages in between.

The characters in this book were amazing. Dr. Garrett Gibson was such a refreshing character. She was willing to do what made her happy instead of what society expected of her. Can you even imagine the guts it would take to be the only female doctor in England? Garrett had the toughness needed to excel in her profession. Ethan Ransom was so easy to like. He started out as show more a bit of a mystery and worked to help keep Garrett safe. The more we learned about Ransom the more that I liked him.

Garrett and Ethan were wonderful together. I love that we get to see them with each other at the start of the book and the chemistry is there from the start. It only grows stronger as the book progresses. Ethan quickly showed that he is a romantic at heart and his words had me swooning quite a few times. While the chemistry between them was off the charts, they also really showed a lot of respect for each other and just seemed to enjoy being in each other's company. These two just belonged with each other.

There are some pretty exciting moments in the story. I did worry about how things would work out for a little while. There are some pretty serious nail biting moments in this book and a few characters that seemed to make the perfect villain since they were easy to hate. There are also some really lovable secondary characters in this book. I haven't read the other books in the series so I am not sure if West has played a large role in the other stories or not but I loved him. Just as Ethan had the ability to make me swoon, West often made me laugh. I really hope West gets his own book very soon.

I highly recommend this book to others. This book had all of the elements that I hope for when I pick up a romance with a fantastic plot, amazing characters, off the chart chemistry, a few laughs, and moments that melted my heart. The only thing about the book that I am not sure that I like is the cover. I think that the cover is very pretty but it looks way too modern for the story. I can deal with a cover that I am not sure about because watching Garrett and Ethan find their happily ever after was a wonderful reading experience. I am definitely going to be reading the other books in the series very soon.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from HarperCollins - Avon. show less