Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Jack Travis and Ella Varner's book




Smooth Talking Stranger (The Travises' book 3)


By Lisa Kleypas


Book Blurb:
Jack Travis leads the uncomplicated life of a millionaire Texas playboy.  He makes no commitments, he loves many women, he lives for pleasure.  But no one has ever truly touched his heart or soul.  Until one day, a woman appears on his doorstep with fury on her face and a baby in her arms.  It seems Jack is the father and this woman is the baby’s aunt. The real mother has abandoned the child to her more responsible sister.  And now, Jack is being called upon to take responsibility for the first time in his life.  With delicious romantic tension, characters so real they walk onto the page and into your heart, Lisa Kleypas delivers the kind of novel that makes you laugh, love; cry and cheer. 




What a wonderful trilogy the Travis Series was. Each of the books, Sugar Daddy, Blue-Eyed Devil and Smooth Talking Stranger were all completely different storylines and could be read as stand alone books. (but don't do it as you'll miss out)




Smooth Talking Stranger was Jack Travis' turn at a story. Jack Travis the millionaire playboy may have been a big time ladies man in the past but once he met the cute Ella with her short bob haircut and toting around a new born baby at his office, he knew he was a goner. 


Ella was a complex character. She grew up with a dysfunctional mother, a timid sister and confidence issues of her own. The family of women had no idea what a good man was and after years of therapy, Ella turned her life around. It was interesting that she wrote an advice column where she couldn't easily take her own advice. 


Early on in the story, Ella had a boyfriend, Dane and he is what makes me think some environmentalists and vegans are a strange group of people. He wasn't abusive at all, he was just so disconnected. He was so worried about saving the world instead of taking care of the his direct reality. As an example, Ella said that he would be more concerned about saving an orphaned penguin rather than caring for Ella's abandoned nephew. 


That brings me to little baby Luke. An innocent born to her mentally unstable sister, Ella basically puts her entire life on hold while she cares for him. What a hard position Ella found herself in. I admired her greatly for her taking that burden on. Not many people could have a new born baby dropped on their laps. With no caregiver experience at all, she takes charge and begins a novice investigation to find the baby daddy. That search is what brings her to Jack's office. That's where Jack starts to become a Smooth Talking Stranger. 


What a whirlwind of romance mixed with sleepless nights full of baby feedings, getting the baby daddy to daddy up while Ella is learning to trust her feelings towards Jack. There was never a doubt to me that Jack wanted Ella since the first meeting. 


Smooth Talking Stranger was once again in first person so I struggled right along with Ella. Ella seemed to be stuck in exboyfriend's world regarding relationships, marriage and her own feminist beliefs. Ella was comfortable and not a risk taker in love. 


Smooth Talking Stranger was such an evenly paced romance all set in a believable tone. The nice slow build had me pinning for Jack and just wanting Ella to go for it! Take a risk!

Teasers: “I respect you," he murmured. "and your views. I think of you as an equal. I respect your brains, and all those big words you like to use. But I also want to rip your clothes off and have sex with you until you scream and cry and see God." -Jack Travis