Thursday, April 7, 2011

Book Club: The Bachelor by Carly Phillips

By: Hope Frost

Hello wenches, Marie & Carly. Sorry I won't be able to pop in today, we are traveling to California for a karate tournament. I am so thankful that Carly has agreed to stop in and say hi, answer some questions, and give away some loot (books). Thanks Carly for taking time to visit with us, you will find that the girls, for the most part, are on their best behavior, but we try to discourage that lol. Ya'll have a great day, enjoy the time talking about The Bachelor, and the rest of the series too. Have a wonderful weekend.

About the book:
Foreign correspondent Roman Chandler has always prized his freedom above all else. Now losing a coin toss has sealed this youngest brother’s fate. Finding someone to escort down the aisle is the easy part—every wannabe bride in sleepy Yorkshire Falls is itching to get hitched to this gorgeous, globe-trotting Chandler man. But Roman still lusts after the woman who got away. Stunning heartbreaker Charlotte Bronson has come home to put down roots and get her erotic lingerie business off the ground. She wants a man that won’t go chasing off to the far corners of the earth for a breaking news story. He wants her to say “I do.”

Hope's Thoughts:
Roman Chandler is called home from his work as an AP reporter to look after his mother. She has been taken to the hospital thinking that she is having a heart attack. (turns out is was really indigestion, but she used this and her doctor's confidentiality to fool her sons and convince them to marry) Roman and his brothers flip a coin to see who should marry and have a child to fill their mothers fondest wish. Roman loses the toss and has to find a wife and quick.

Charlotte is a girl from Roman's high school days that he really liked but broke his heart. She has returned to town to start a lingerie shop. When she sees Roman outside her shop she about faints. She had never forgotton Roman and only broke his heart to protect her own.

Going to dinner with her friend she sees Roman there with his brothers and tries to avoid him at all costs. But when she comes out of the ladies room he is there waiting. After a little nibble and kiss he lets her know that he wants to see her again. She is afraid for the very same reasons that bothered her before. But isn't sure that she can stay away from him.

This book is great. Carly Phillips was able to get the perfect combo of comedy and romance plus the dynamics of the family. After losing a bet Roman must find a bride and have a baby, simple right? Well even if your the town's most handsome eligible men, something has to go wrong. Roman is accused of being a Panty Thief, it's a hilarious tale of bad timing, family bonds, and love (maybe a little lust).

Recipe To Share:

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina
Ingredients
1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inchbaking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.