Reread in preparation for Brown-Eyed GirlThis is a review after the fourth reread, so it's not really worth the title of a review, but of some, or rather many, thoughts about the novel. And this reads much better if you've read the novel already, which leads again to the unworthiness as a review.I love, love, love this novel. I can understand everyone who has the typical bothersome aspects, but still, this is one of Lisa Kleypas' greatest works. I'm a big fan of romance and love stories, so it should have bothered me that nearly the first half of the book is about Liberty and how she grows up. But it didn't bother me at all. LK writes splendidly, even just describing the neighborhood, life in High School, life with a Baby sister. She writes it in a way that makes it worth reading, you want to know what happens next, you want to see how Liberty becomes an adult woman. It's a funny, sometimes sad story. The title chick lit for the first half of the novel seems like an insult to me, because I have to think of Kinsella and her likes, and sorry, LK is another level. I think in the dimensions of contemporary or women's fiction. Throughout the first half of the book I don't have the Feeling that anything is dragging on, everything flows, develops... Which leads to Hardy Cates. I have to say that I read Blue-Eyed Devil before Sugar Daddy, so I was biased and had the picture of Hardy and Haven in my head while reading this. Maybe that's the reason I wasn't rooting for Liberty and Hardy to come together at all. It could have bothered me a lot that Hardy got so many scenes and got to be Liberty's childhood love, but I was okay with it, keeping in mind the picture of Hardy and Haven. I have to admit that Kleypas should have reduced the intensity of Hardy's and Liberty's friendship and her later love for him. It is intense, they have a special connection, but as the novel develops, the reader, or at least I, get the Impression LK wanted to make: Hardy IS Liberty's first love, he thinks that he loves her, too, in his own way, mind you. But it's that for me. He's her childhood love, with whom she grew up, who always helped her, was there for her... but that doesn't mean that they are meant for each other. And that doesn't mean that nobody can come between them both. And it is Hardy who comes between himself and a future for them both, because he decides that he has to leave, that Liberty would be Kind of bothersome in his plans to make a name of himself. And later it's Gage who comes between a HEA of them, but rightly so. After Hardy leaves and Liberty builds up a life for herself, she often thinks about him, but it's more of "good memories" and infatuation than real love, in my eyes. Of course Hardy is a hell of a man, and if I would just date losers like Liberty, Hardy with his strong Charisma and sex appeal would be like heaven in my Imagination, too. But then comes the Travis Family, the second half of the novel. I absolutely love the Travis family, although we don't see many of them here, at least Jack and Gage and Churchill are actually present. Churchill is such a fascinating character, he has so many facets and nuances, character traits, both good and bad, which make him like this GRAND name. Churchill Travis. The "evil" side of his character makes an appearance in Blue-eyed Devil, but even there, he's not bad in any way. Liberty as the first Person narrator describes it very good: he is a driven, hard old man, who wanted to educate his children not like snobs, but hard working, honest persons. When one reads all three Travis novels existing right now, you can clearly see that Churchill did right, because the siblings are Independent, strong, self-reliant and hard working. Churchill? I'm in your fan Club. But my Membership of the Gage-Travis-Fan-Club has higher priority. It isn't easy, after introducing Hardy and his persona to the reader, to make Gage appear as interesting. I know that many Readers didn't connect to Gage, felt him lacking of emotions and stuff. But I honestly can't say I feel the same. As soon Liberty sees him for the first time, with his asshole-arrogant-cold attitude, I knew: YES!!! He's for Liberty, not Hardy. Really, Gage's (I LOVE THAT NAME)and Liberty's personalities are much more contrasting, have much more depth and the element of Ying and Yang than Hardy-Liberty. And yes, I like the fact that he hasn't barely a cold attitude at the beginning, but that he really appears to be an asshole. I like my heroes that way ;) And after he is ill and Liberty takes care of him? The warmed up, teasing Gage is even more appealing in my eyes. I love that he and Liberty hate each other at first, and I can completely understand his Actions and attitude at the beginning. Liberty comes off as a Gold digger, invading his home, taking Advantage of his father... I love everything about Gage, but most of all I love his Actions at the very end. When he sees another man going out with his, well, with his woman of sorts. And not just any man, but the love of her childhood, for whom she still harbors some feelings. He stays calm and reasoning, down to earth, not overreacting, although what goes inside him... well, every other Alpha hero in Romance land can imagine. And the fact that he doesn't say anything to Liberty about her talk with Hardy? About the fact that she leaked important Information, ruining a big Business deal for him? Any other hero (that includes you, Blue-Eyed Devil!), would have felt betrayed, would have made a big deal out of it and thrown a tantrum. But Gage? He Shows his love and trust in the most beautiful way: He doesn't even want to know why Liberty talked about it, he KNOWS that she didn't do it on purpose because he knows her already that good. Even in real you won't see many People trusting another one so explicitly. Gage didn't tell me about what you'd done, even though he had the perfect opportunity. Because he wouldn't let you drive a wedge between us. He forgave me without being asked, without even letting me know I'd betrayed him. That's love, Hardy.A very, very beautiful plot Twist, and Liberty is his perfect match because she sees his trust and love and knows for sure: she needed the time with Hardy and the few kisses to make sure whom to chose, but also to make closure with Hardy as her first love. She says it right when she says that Hardy is her past, and will forever be a big part of it, but that Gage is her future. All those thoughts described above a reasons why I love LK's contemporaries so much: they have a certain depth, a character development and an honesty, a realism which is due to Lisa Kleypas as a Talent. That LK managed to put the actual romance into the second half of the book, and still make me root for that love, is a sign of her greatness. I never feel like it's cramped up, too rushed or anything. I hope this doesn't come off as if I don't appreciate her HRs as much, but her HRs have another Feeling for me, a perfect feeling as in: a perfect blend of romance, angst, fun, characters, plots....I know that many Readers and LK Lovers feel otherwise, I guess the Gage-Liberty Lovers will always be less then the Hardy fans, but that's not so important. Important is the fact that this is a perfect Piece of literature.And here, for those who didn't understand a Thing about my chaotic thoughts, a quote that makes me want to laugh out loud "Dawnelle is hot, but ten minutes in her Company and you can feel your IQ dropping"
5++++ stars – Contemporary RomanceEdited 8/24/13: Sugar Daddy is the book that initially made me a Lisa Kleypas fan, but I love everything she’s written. I’ve reread this several times now and it’s still one of my top all-time favorite beloved romances. I can’t wait for Joe’s story!I really wish this series would get made into a movie!Original Review 4/24/09:This is the first novel I have read by Lisa Kleypas, and I mainly read it in order to have the necessary background to read “Blue-Eyed Devil” and “Smooth Talking Stranger”, both of which had sparked my interest. I honestly didn’t have very high expectations of “Sugar Daddy” based on the mediocre book jacket description, after reading some of the mixed reviews referring to it as chick-lit rather than romance, and that it’s written solely in first person point of view, which isn’t my preference.Needless to say, I was very pleasantly surprised and completely blown-away by this book. I read it on a plane and made an utter embarrassment of myself because I cried and laughed out loud through the entire book, often feeling both emotions on the same page! It’s extremely funny, touching, and emotionally moving.I simply adored Liberty’s character and found myself rooting for her like a bubbly cheerleader. She goes through so much pain, turmoil, and hardship and yet maintains such a positive outlook on life. Witnessing her transition from an awkward, shy, self-conscious adolescent to a strong, independent, courageous, beautiful woman is heartwarming, especially since she always remains true to herself and her roots and puts her sister Carrington’s needs before her own. Liberty is funny, brave, selfless (almost too much so), caring, loyal, and innocent yet wise. She’s one of the most lovable heroines of any book I have ever read. I agree that “Sugar Daddy” is perhaps more chick-lit than romance considering that the romance element doesn’t pick up pace until about a third of the way through the book, but I loved sharing Liberty’s life journey so much that I really didn’t mind it. Once the romance factor does heat up, it takes center stage in the story, and although it’s PG-13 and I usually prefer my romance to be a little (okay a lot) steamier, it’s absolutely engaging and beautifully written. There were moments when I would have liked for some of the narrative to come from Hardy's and Gage’s points of view, but the bottom line is that it’s Liberty’s tale and her life struggle and perspective are what drive the story. As far as romantic interests for Liberty, there are two main hunks in the story, Hardy and Gage, and initially I thought I would be a Hardy fan, but I found myself being Team Gage all the way (at least as the best love interest for Liberty). Hardy might be sinfully sexy and devilishly charming, but I found myself rooting for steadfast Gage. He treats Liberty with so much respect and tenderness that it melted my heart like butter. He’s an absolute dreamboat once she manages to get past his tough exterior and defenses. The romance between Liberty and Gage is syrupy sweet...I couldn’t get enough of it!Here are some random/favorite things that I loved and/or laughed about in “Sugar Daddy”: the emu story, Liberty giving her mom’s delivery nurse a folder with birthing instructions and preferences, the tender sister moments, references to how Texans love to deep fry everything (very true) and southern cooking and recipes (including my own sister’s favorite red velvet cake), accurate depictions of the differences between people from Dallas, Austin, and Houston, the sign “property of Liberty Jones” moment when Liberty gets custody of her sister (serious tears shed there), the relationship development between Liberty and Gage, and there are so many great life quotes and valuable life lessons in this book that it’s impossible to mention them all.I grew up in Fort Worth/Dallas, have spent time in Houston for work, have lived in Austin for the past 8 years, and have family from/in various parts of Texas, and I can tell you that Kleypas’s portrayal of Texans and Texas culture in all three of her Travis’s series books (“Sugar Daddy”, “Blue-Eyed Devil”, and “Smooth Talking Stranger”) is quite fair and accurate.Tammy’s review here on GR is great and includes a spot on story background, so I highly recommend checking it out.“Sugar Daddy” is an utter delight, full of laughs and heartwarming moments, with characters to love and cheer for and terrific writing. I absolutely loooved it, and I would give it much more than 5 stars if I could...so big 5++ Texas stars!The Travis’s series has turned me into a big Lisa Kleypas fan, and I plan on reading all of her historical romances now as well.
What do You think about Sugar Daddy (2007)?
I would give this one 3.5, but I'll round it up. I actually really enjoyed this book until the last 15-20%. Yes, the structure was a little bizarre with extremely important characters not even showing up until halfway through the book, but I loved the specifics of the small town Texas lifestyle. Kleypas delivers an intimate look into the coming of age of Liberty, a girl who's had few breaks, but alternates between trudging on and powering through. Always moving forward, no matter what.My problems come later in the story. We have a bit of a triangle, which is not one of my favorite elements in fiction. In order to "solve" the triangle and achieve the HEA we're given a story line that has Liberty coming off TSTL and another character -- extremely likable until then -- turned smarmy. Big disappointment. Especially Liberty, because she truly does come off a hopeless rube at this point and you have to wonder how she's going to go on with a man who's smarter than she is. I give nothing away with that -- both men come off better in the intelligence sweepstakes than she does so it doesn't matter which one she chooses, she's going to the the dim bulb by comparison.But we only get that impression when the contrived plot twist happens. It diminishes two of the -- until then -- well rendered and engaging characters, and leaves me with a bad taste at the end of the book. Before that we see Liberty dealing with many situations in a logical, intuitive manner. Which is why her incredibly dense behavior at the end is so disappointing and takes away at least a full star. It's a story line that seems tacked on and OOC for all the characters.I'll keep up with this series, though. Kleypas did a great job with the first person POV and a really wonderful job with all the descriptive specifics of the town and the people. For most of the book she's at her finest. Which is how it gets round up to four stars instead of the round down to three.
—Beanbag Love
Sugar Daddy is about Liberty Jones. Liberty's father died while she was very young in an oil accident. He was Mexican while her mother is blond and fair. Liberty inherited her father's coloring though and feels like her family isn't enough with only her and her mom. They move to a trailer park in Welcome, TX and that's where she meets Hardy. Hardy is pure trouble, but from the moment they met Liberty is in head over heels. They are a few years apart however and Hardy plans on leaving Welcome. He is affectionate towards Liberty and helps her and her mother when they need help. But he always keeps a wall between himself and Liberty no matter how hard she pushes. Liberty's mom becomes pregnant from her current boyfriend and Liberty get's a younger sister they name Carrington. A tragic accident occurs a few years later leaving Liberty the sole caretaker of Carrington. Liberty is determined to do her best for herself and her sister and goes to beauty school to become a hairstylist. Thankfully she gets a scholarship, and through some hard work and penny-pinching graduates and gets a job at a high-end salon in Houston. It's there that she meets Churchill Travis. Churchill is beyond wealthy and is an important business man in Houston. They strike up a friendship and Liberty begins to see Churchill almost as a father figure to her. After an accident on a horse, Churchill wants a personal assistant and makes an offer to Liberty. She and her sister would be able to live in Churchill's mansion and Liberty wouldn't have to constantly worry about their financial situation anymore. When she accepts, things mostly go smoothly until she meets Churchill's sons. Particularly the eldest, Gage Travis. The other family members seem to be friendly and welcoming while Gage Travis becomes outright hostile towards Liberty. Over time the hostility eases while he and Liberty form an uneasy truce. One day that all changes and Liberty begins to feel attracted towards Gage. After a fight about Carrington Gage suddenly kisses Liberty. They begin to date and Liberty finally feels like perhaps she can finally get over her long-held love for Hardy. That is until Hardy makes an appearance in her life again and now Liberty has to choose between the love of her past or the possibility of love with Gage. This book is labeled romance but it doesn't really feel like one until the last third of the book. It's more accurately a book about Liberty Jones' tumultuous life. It does kinda sound soap opera-ish and in a way it does come off that way. But it is totally engrossing and doesn't feel cheesy like a Danielle Steele or V.C. Andrews kind of soap opera. It feels more grounded and the descriptions of Texas and it's inhabitants I can definitely vouch are all 100% true. You root for Liberty the whole book and want her to succeed. Lisa Kleypas writing is interesting and lovely as always. I was pretty hesitant about reading contemporary romance, even if it was Lisa Kleypas but I wasn't disappointed. I fell in love with this book and couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.
—LiteraryLover
This book is really hard to review.For the first 200 pages (and yes, the book has like 312 pages) i was constantly checking at the cover image of my e-book, wondering if i'd somehow screwed up the purchase and was reading some story from the wrong author. I'm a recently initiated Lisa Kleypas' lover, but i think i've come to know her style, but to me, 3/4 of the book was an awful narrative experience, with lots and lots of pages of over descriptive chapters telling us the struggles Liberty had to go thru, without actually letting us see such struggles.I'm a dialogue ho. I hate it when an autor tells me what to think. I hate the fact that a character gets to be labeled as good or bad just because someone says it instead of being shown to us by the circumstances of the story.That was what I hated about the first 200 pages of this book. Here you are, reading a book about a complex, interesting leading young lady, who goes trough really tough things at life, a story with a promising plot and characters, that somehow gets diluted by the surprisingly awful narrative of this part of the book. (LK's lovers, don't hate me, i'm still on your ranks!!)Then, we get to the fantastic last 100 pages of the book. Man, what a relief to read an actual dialogue on this story. Gage was an incredible character, one i can't help but feel cheated about, because he barely got the chance to be known (or to even speak for that matter)but he somehow shines, as usually do the male heroes LK writes.The ending on this one had me crying, this was such a beautiful story, and even when the storytelling didn't quite work for me, i liked it, and i'm actually curious about the other Travises stories. I just wish Lisa Kleypas could tell her contemporary stories, with the same grace and witty charm of her historicals i've come to love so much.3 stars, because it did get better at the end.
—Caty
