Review of Sugar Daddy

Sugar Daddy
Lis Kleypas
St. Martin’s Press
371 pages
Sugar Daddy is the first of Lisa’s contemporary novels staring the Travis Family of Texas.
First of all I have to admit that this is my first foray into the wonderful world created by Lisa Kleypas, it was only by way of a bet between my friend Melanie Murray a talented author in her own right and myself that I even took up the gauntlet, one I’m so glad I did. So thanks Melanie, I owe you yet another thanks for introducing me to yet another incredible author.
Liberty Jones has from childhood taken a can do attitude which has helped her a great deal with her less then wonderful life. Her father, the love of her mother’s life died in a tragic accident on an oil rig. Since then her mother has tried to comfort herself by quantity and not quality of boyfriends none of who seem to stay around. But there’s a lot that momma’s not telling her and it will follow her all her life. Her one solid thing through the whole of it is Hardy Cates. Hardy has not got an easy life either, but he’s convinced that Liberty is someone who needs caring for and he’s going to do it, the only thing wrong with this is that as soon as Hardy can get out of Welcome Texas he’s gone so the one thing he doesn’t want Liberty to do is to count on him indefinitely.
Ms Kleypas gives us a unique modern day Cinderella story, one where the heroine has a lot of spunk, wit and panache and the fact that Cinderella only wants to take care of herself and not rely on some rich “Sugar Daddy” for her livelihood. The dialogue is a mix of urban sophistication and Texas twang, interspersed with common man slang and it’s a great fit for the diversity of the characters. And let’s talk about the characters which are all tremendously important to the story no matter their standing in the story line, they all fill a certain role and do it wonderfully. Her heroine Liberty is unequalled in the ranks of heroines, she’s got everything in life going against her and yet just like the little engine that could, she did and she does it with style, grace and that Unsinkable Molly Brown attitude. She shares the stage with multiple heros that all stand out for their various reasons and some of them more than others. Ms. Kleypas doesn’t introduce us to all of them in the beginning so I’ll just say they’re great and let the reader find out who, what, when and where for themselves. The romance is novel worthy, it’s met with constant sink holes and pit falls and she really makes her couple work hard for their Happy Ever After. Her love scenes are sensual and spicy and descriptive without being too risqué, but believe me when I tell you that romance lovers like me who love their baser love scenes, we will not be cheated.
So if like me you’ve never had the pleasure of reading Lisa Kleypas, what are you waiting for. For those who love a great contemporary romance with a lot of heart and soul, this one’s for you. Don’t forget to read the other two volumes dedicated to the Travis Family. I know I’m on my way to get the next one now.