 |
|
A Bantam Trade Paperback |
Little
Red Riding Hood didn't know what she was missing...
"Women everywhere will be taking Big Bad
Wolf to bed with them. Donna Kauffman writes smart and sexy, with sizzle to
spare!"
--Janet Evanovich
"Deftly
spun...with a zippy style." -Kirkus Reviews
Reviewed in Entertainment Weekly!
"A Powell's 14 Favorite!"
In this fast - paced, sexy romp from Donna Kauffman, a woman who's a self-avowed lone wolf --with a trail of broken hearts behind her-- finds herself face-to face with love.
Why Is It That I’m Not Willing to Settle for a Sheep Like the Rest of My Friends?
Sheep
sex aside, what’s wrong with a man who puts family first, who maintains
a steady job, has college funds set up for his kids and builds that nest egg
for his retirement? Member of the herd, never straying. Solid, dependable
Sheep Guy. Why can’t I love Sheep Guy?
For me, it’s all those wolves. They distract me from the sheep. Wolf Guy. Always on the prowl. Totally alpha. Not interested in being domesticated. So what is it about these men that makes my heart speed up in a way no sheep ever has or ever will?
Tanzy Harrington is the Bay Area’s most-read romance columnist and self-proclaimed love-’em-and-leave-’em artist--and she’s not quite ready to tie herself down to one man. That is, until Riley Parrish lands on the scene.
When Tanzy agrees to house-sit for her eccentric great-aunt, she finds herself sharing close quarters with Riley. At first he seems a bit too much like the “sheep” Tanzy derides in her column--too polite, the classic boring good provider. But when she catches a glimpse of the “wolf” lurking in his eyes, the ultimate alpha female is about to take a fall.
Reviews...
From BookPage, June 2003 issue
Wolf in sheepish clothing
Played strictly for laughs, Donna Kaufman's Big Bad Wolf
Tells All is a romping sexy tale of advice (both giving and ignoring it) and
consent of the heart. Tanzy Harrington tells all in her online singles column.
And she's got plenty to tell—not least the angst of being The Last Bridesmaid
in a group of now-married friends who feel obliged to draw her into their
ranks. When her Aunt Millicent orchestrates an up-close-and-personal encounter
with Riley Parrish, she rebuffs any niggling inner attraction to the all-too-obviously
Clark Kent in ill-fitting clothing. And yet. It's the "and yet"
that makes for the delicious two-step Tanzy and Riley dance around each other
while he tries to protect her from a predatory online stalker-fan, and she
tries to remember why the swingin' single life is her modus operandi. This
is one sheepish tale that stands out from the flock of chick-lit patter with
a unique zest and fire all its own. - Sandy Huseby
- From The Library Journal
"Kauffman, whose last funny and fractured feminist fairy tale, The Big Bad Wolf Tells All, chronicled a modern-day Little Red Riding Hood, here does the same for this Cinderella in chaps. Sure to be a hit with romance readers, this is recommended for public libraries of all sizes."
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette --
"...the chemistry between our two charming leads sizzles and pops enough
for any story." -- Kim Crow
From Rendezvous -
"Ms. Kauffman's exceptional talent makes her a versatile author whose
venture into the Chick Lit genre will garner her a host of new fans to go
along with those of us who have followed her career through her many romance
subgenres. Each new venture has become a rousing success and this one is no
different." -- DK
From Romantic Times -
"Donna Kauffman really hits her stride with this irreverent, funny and sizzling new tale. Witty and filled with sexy fun." 4 1/2 Stars, Top Pick! -- Jill M. Smith
From Pages magazine, July/August 2003 --
"...all bets are off in this witty page turner, just
perfect for a day at the beach."
From The Contra Costa Times --
• "The Big Bad Wolf Tells All," by Donna Kauffman (Ballantine, 340 pages, $10.95).
Kauffman's latest is a departure from her wacky but well-executed paranormal Scottish romances. It isn't packaged as a romance, but it is.
Tanzy Harrington is a popular San Francisco singles columnist. All of her friends are married, she's tired of living in a couple's world, but marriage, and especially married men, seem so infernally boring, so ... sheeplike. She's into wolfie types. Bad boys. Naughty affairs. The thrill of the hunt.
The spanner in the works shows up in the person of Riley Parrish, a true sheep if she ever met one. They're both staying at Tanzy's aunt's house, and she's constantly tripping over steady, reliable Riley. Odd how he seems sort of attractive -- in a completely sheepy way. Are those broad shoulders under that ill-fitting jacket?
Riley is, no surprise, a wolf in sheep's clothing. He's an ex-pro athlete turned private investigator hired by Tanzy's aunt to check out recurring threats from one of Tanzy's nutcase fans.
It's an obvious setup, light, sassy, and not especially original, but it's fun, and Kauffman spiffs it up with an ace presentation. As in her earlier novels, she develops the sexual tension in the budding relationship with consummate skill. Add solid conflict and characterization to Kauffman's exploration of some of the sexual ambiguities that surprise her lovers, and "The Big Bad Wolf Tells All" proves to be a winner.
-- Lynn Coddington
From AOL Romance Fiction Forum & Romance Reviews Today:
THE BIG BAD WOLF TELLS ALL
Donna Kauffman
Bantam, June 2003
ISBN: 0-553-38222-5
San Francisco, California—Present Day
Tanzy Harrington has it all: a career she loves, a modest home in the city and the freedom to come and go as she pleases. So why all of a sudden does she feel as if she is the only one of her friends who appreciates the kind of freedom she has? As the last of the singles in her group, she's feeling the pressure all around, and as with all the personal quagmires in her life, she shares her dilemma in her online column, Tanzy Tells All. Why do women, normal healthy women, settle for nice dependable sheep guys when there are all those testosterone-laden wolves prowling around? It's a question that began in jest, but the answer becomes a burning necessity in Tanzy's life.
When her Great-aunt Millicent asks her to house-sit, Tanzy agrees, albeit a bit reluctantly. And when she meets Millicent's assistant, Riley Parrish, the ultimate sheep, she also realizes it's going to be a long, boring holiday season -- or is it? Who is Riley Parrish really? Between the puzzle of Riley and the discomfort she feels at the anonymous emails she's been getting from an over zealous fan, Tanzy is in for some major adjustments in her life. But will solving the puzzles of her stalker, Riley, and the eternal Wolf vs. Sheep question give her the answers she wants, or that she really needs?
Donna Kauffman has penned a novel that is guaranteed to garner immense praise, as well as a herd of new fans. With her trademark humor, she captures the reader from the first page and keeps the reader engrossed with each twist and turn of the plot. Tanzy is a strong, independent, confident woman who has kept her heart locked safely way for most of her life. She's happy, has a wonderful group of friends, and an aging aunt she adores. While she dates, and isn't shy about expressing her needs, she's never let a man into her heart. She's probably a very good example of the modern woman who has taken the women's movement of equality in all things to heart. She isn't promiscuous, but she isn't shy when she sees something she wants. Riley Parrish appears at first to be the exact opposite of what Tanzy looks for in a man, but appearances can be deceiving, and Riley isn't quite what Tanzy expects. Riley is a man who is determined to help his father in his golden years, despite the fact that his father would rather play than work. Since Riley's career as a professional football player ended due to a blown knee, he has worked with his father as a security consultant and bodyguard. His policy of never mixing business with pleasure is put to the test when he meets Tanzy, the ultimate female wolf, and it takes every ounce of willpower he has not to succumb to his desire for her.
Every character, from Tanzy's likable if somewhat offbeat friends to her great-aunt, is unique and enjoyable in his or her own way, and Tanzy's interaction with her friends is so realistic I could hear echoes of their conversations with my own friends. THE BIG BAD WOLF TELLS ALL is loaded with humor and fun, and there is also an element of suspense that adds to the whole. Additionally, while the story is told with humor, there are serious undertones about choices women make, and why they make them.
For a story that will touch your heart, tickle your funny bone and leave you begging for more, I highly recommend THE BIG BAD WOLF TELLS ALL.
HOST RL Trouble
Terrie Figueroa
Romance Fiction Forum
From A Romance Review -- (5 Roses & A Top Ten June
Review)
Donna Kauffman’s first trade release makes a big splash on the summer
reading scene. The Big Bad Wolf Tells All will generate Ms Kauffman a whole
new group of readers in addition to her loyal following. Make no mistake although
this book may appear to be just another “chick-lit” release, it
is a book filled with romance and Ms Kauffman’s trademark. Emotion, humor
and witty dialogue. With the added touch of suspense thrown in to keep the
reader wondering just who SoulM8 is, and the highly charged sexual tension
between Tanzy and Riley Ms Kauffman has penned a sure fire winner that will
have readers howling for more.
-- Barbara
From BookPage --
Wolf in sheepish clothing
Played strictly for laughs, Donna Kaufman’s Big Bad
Wolf Tells All (Bantam, $10.95, 368 pages, ISBN 0553382225) is a romping sexy
tale of advice (both giving and ignoring it) and consent of the heart. Tanzy
Harrington tells all in her online singles column. And she’s got plenty
to tell—not least the angst of being The Last Bridesmaid in a group of
now married friends who feel obliged to draw her into their ranks. When her
Aunt Millicent orchestrates an up-close-and-personal encounter with Riley
Parrish, she rebuffs any niggling inner attraction to the all-too-obviously
Clark Kent in ill-fitting clothing. And yet. It’s the "and yet"
that makes for the delicious twostep Tanzy and Riley dance around each other
while he tries to protect her from a predatory online stalker-fan, and she
tries to remember why the swingin’ single life is her modus operandi.
This is one sheepish tale that stands out from the flock of chick-lit patter
with a unique zest and fire all its own. -- Sandy Huseby
From Booklist --
"...sure to find an audience with the beach-reading crowd.”
From RomanceJunkies.com
Tanzy's friends--Rina, Mariel, Sloan and Sue--all married, all participants of Designated Sex Days, as Tanzy puts it. Not Tanzy, thank you very much. No, even though her friends all seem happy, this does not mean for one minute that romance columnist Tanzy Harrington is anywhere nearing that direction. That is, indeed, the premise for the Big Bad Wolf tells all, by Donna Kauffman. Can Tanzy continue on her self-avowed path as a lone wolf? She can love 'em and leave 'em, right? She won't get hooked like her best friends. Well, she's fairly confident in that assesment until she ends up in very close quarters with Riley Parrish. Securities expert Riley Parrish is employed as Tanzy's bodyguard. But, as a new fan to Tanzy's columns, he figures he'd best play the role of her bodyguard as a sheep. Simple enough, huh?
Here's a snippet from one of Tanzy's columns: Does married sex always become routine? Is it because Fun Single Guy is now Married Guy with a Mortgage? Is responsibility, not familiarity, the real culprit that kills exciting sex? Or is it more basic than that? Maybe a Fun Single Guy who marries is turning in his wolf badge for one stamped Sheep. He's become one with the herd. The herd being all the other Dependable, Responsible Guys with a Mortgage. And Sheep Sex, no matter how you position it, will never live up to Wolf Sex. That is the flavor of this book. Needless to say, Ms. Kauffman writes this book with a lot of wit!
the Big Bad Wolf tells all brings a nice change of pace from the intensely erotic romance novels. This book brings a humor and wit that helps us to see how the relationship between Tanzy and Riley evolves. Ms. Kauffman brings us a book wrought with emotional and sexual tension. The conflict remains throughout the entire book, which causes both Tanzy and Riley to evaluate their opinions on wolves and sheeps.
What a wonderful exercise in setting up the plot, defining the characters, and the conflicts, and bringing us a resolution that is immensely pleasing to its readers. Fans of Donna Kauffman's books *waving* will not be disappointed with the Big Bad Wolf tells all. They'll want to tell all of their friends to run and grab a copy for themselves.
Reviewed by Robin Taylor from Lovers of Romance
From Old Book Barn Gazette...
THE BIG BAD WOLF TELLS ALL - Donna Kauffman - Bantam - 6/03 -
Tanzy Harrington, the Last Bridesmaid in a group of Happily-Ever-Afters, writes Tanzy Tells All, the most read column in the Bay Area. She shares with her readers her views on romance, sex, relationships and men. In her opinion, men can be grouped into two categories: sheep (members of the herd consisting of dependable, responsible guys with a mortgage) and wolves (members of the pack out for a howling good time). And Tanzy makes no secret of the fact that she’s an independent, self-sufficient, happy to be single woman who enjoys the occasional wolf in her life. She has a devoted fan following, one of which, SoulM8, is sure they’re meant to be together.
Riley Parrish is all sheep, from his well-coiffed hair to his neatly polished shoes. Riley is an assistant to Tanzy’s Aunt Millicent, and when Tanzy agrees to house-sit for her aunt, she and Riley end up roommates. He is efficient and courteous, an unassuming shadow in Tanzy’s life as she makes personal appearances and attends charity functions. Tanzy finds herself grateful for Riley’s presence as SoulM8’s communications move him from fan to stalker.
Tanzy finds herself inexplicably drawn to Riley, and doesn’t understand how she can be attracted to him. A bit of soul searching, shared with her friends and readers, makes her wonder if there might be something to having a relationship with a sheep, especially if that sheep happens to be Riley. SoulM8’s persistence forces Riley to reveal himself as a sports-loving, beer-drinking, hunk of good-looking man, complete with, heaven help her, triceps. Her sheep is actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a bodyguard hired by Aunt Millicent!
The Big Bad Wolf Tells All is a fun, sexy adventure chockfull of humor, romance and a little bit of mystery. I’m impressed by Ms. Kauffman’s ability to make her characters come alive on the pages through witty dialog and hilarious narrative. Tanzy’s fun, thought-provoking commentaries at the beginning of each chapter give the reader extra insight what makes her tick. Add to that a little twist at the end, and you’ve got a terrific story!
Paula Myers, Reviewer
