Arrianne's Corner: Book Corner # 18 – Travis Family Series by Lisa Kleypas

Travis Family Series tells love stories of Travis family members. All the stories mostly set in modern day Houston, Texas. There’s total 4 books in the series, which take around 17-18 years of time line between the first chapter in the first book Sugar Daddy to the ending in the last book Brown-Eyed Girl. Each book can serve as a stand-alone, although it is best to read them according to their orders for better understanding of each Characters and their relations with each other.

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Serial Travis Family menceritakan kisah cinta dari para anggota keluarga Travis. Semua cerita berlatar belakang di masa modern di Houston, Texas. Total ada 4 buku dalam serial ini, yang secara keseluruhan ceritanya mengambil kurun waktu sekitar 17-18 tahun dari permulaan kisah dalam buku pertamanya, Sugar Daddy sampai dengan akhir cerita dalam buku terakhirnya, Brown-Eyed Girl. Walaupun setiap buku mempunyai kisah yang dapat berdiri sendiri, namun lebih baik jika kalian membacanya secara berurutan sesuai dengan urutan bukunya untuk mendapatkan pemahaman yang lebih baik terhadap para karakternya dan hubungan mereka satu sama lain di dalam keseluruhan cerita.

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1. Book 1 : Sugar Daddy (Travis Family #1)

(Liberty Jones’ story)

First Published in Indonesia on 2009 by Dastan Books

Paperback, 25 Chapters + Epilogue, 460 Pages

Genre : Contemporary Romance, Adult Novel

Other books in the series : Blue-Eyed Devil (Travis Family #2); Smooth Talking Stranger (Travis Family #3); Brown-Eyed Girl (Travis Family #4).

She’s from the wrong side of the tracks
Liberty Jones has dreams and determination that will take her far away from Welcome, Texas---if she can keep her wild heart from ruling her mind. Hardy Cates sees Liberty as completely off-limits. His own ambitions are bigger than Welcome, and Liberty Jones is a complication he doesn't need. But something magical and potent draws them to each other, in a dangerous attraction that is stronger than both of them.

He’s the one man she can’t have
When Hardy leaves town to pursue his plans, Liberty finds herself alone with a young sister to raise. Soon Liberty finds herself under the spell of a billionaire tycoon---a Sugar Daddy, one might say. But the relationship goes deeper than people think, and Liberty begins to discover secrets about her own family's past.

Will they find their heart’s desires or will heartbreak tear them apart?
Two men. One woman. A choice that can make her or break her. A woman you'll root for every step of the way. A love story you'll never forget.

Sugar Daddy is the first installment in The Travis Family series, which consist of four books in total. It tells a story about the life of a girl named Liberty Jones, a half-Mexican girl living in a small town near Houston, Texas, America. It sets in modern day, although the time didn’t mention for a specific. The story starts when Liberty 14 years old, and her friend, Hardy 17 years old, and ending around ten years later if I’m not mistaken. In Sugar Daddy, we got an introduction with the Travises that will get their own stories in the next books in the series.

Sugar Daddy tells a love triangle between Liberty Jones, Hardy Cates, and Gage Travis. In my opinion, Sugar Daddy is a sweet romantic story with issue around poverty and Liberty’s struggling life since she grew up with a single mother and a baby sister in a trailer park in Welcome, a small city just outside Houston, Texas. The story is quite good and touching with real problems dealt for some people born at the wrong side of track and their effort to get out of their bad neighborhood. For me, this book is quite ok as a light reading.

Rating for Sugar Daddy is 7.5/10.

Characters in Sugar Daddy are as follows :

Liberty Jones : the Heroine, half-Mexican from a Mexican father and a white mother.

Hardy Cates : Liberty’s old friend and love interest from trailer park in Welcome, a small town in east Texas, 3 years older than Liberty.

Diana Truitt Jones : Liberty’s mother.

Louis Sadlek : the owner of the trailer park where Liberty and her mother lives in her teenage years.

Hannah Cates : Hardy’s little sister.

Miss Marva : one of Liberty’s neighbor in the trailer park, an artist.

Miss Judie : Hardy’s and Hannah’s mother.

Lucy Reyes : Liberty’s best friend in school.

Carrington : Liberty’s baby sister.

Churchill Travis : a successful businessman in his early 60.

Ava Chase Travis : Churchill’s late second wife, just died one year ago due to cancer.

Gage Travis : Churchill’s eldest son with his first wife Joanna, 30 years old.

Jack Travis : Churchill’s and Ava’s first son, 25 years old.

Joe Travis : Churchill’s and Ava’s second son, 23 years old.

Haven Travis : Churchill’s and Ava’s only daughter, the youngest in the family.

Gretchen Travis : Churchill’s older sister.

Vivian : Churchill’s latest girlfriend.

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Sugar Daddy merupakan buku pertama dari serial Travis Family. Buku ini menceritakan mengenai kehidupan seorang wanita bernama Liberty Jones, keturunan setengah Mexico yang tinggal di sebuah kota kecil dekat Houston, Texas, America. Kisahnya berlatar belakang di masa modern, walaupun tidak ada setting tahun yang disebutkan secara spesifik. Kisah dalam buku ini dimulai saat Liberty berusia 14 tahun dan temannya Hardy berusia 17 tahun, dan kalua tidak salah cerita dalam buku ini berakhir sepuluh tahun kemudian. Dalam Sugar Daddy, kita mendapat perkenalan dengan para anggota keluarga Travis yang akan mendapatkan cerita mereka masing-masing di dalam buku-buku selanjutnya.

Sugar Daddy menceritakan mengenai kisah cinta segitiga antara Liberty Jones, Hardy Cates, dan Gage Travis. Menurutku, Sugar Daddy merupakan kisah cinta yang manis dan romantis dengan mengusung tema mengenai kemiskinan dan berkisar di perjuangan hidup Liberty sejak ia kecil sampai bertumbuh besar hanya dengan kehadiran seorang orang tua tunggal dan adik bayi yang masih kecil di sebuah parkiran trailer di Welcome, sebuah kota kecil di luar Houston, Texas. Kisah dalam buku ini cukup bagus dan menyentuh dengan dibahasnya problem nyata yang dialami oleh mereka yang lahir di dalam kemiskinan dan lingkungan yang buruk serta usaha mereka untuk berjuang keluar dari pengaruh buruk lingkungan tersebut. Bagiku buku ini cukup ok karena walaupun membahas mengenai topik yang cukup dalam, tetapi cara penulisnya membuat buku ini menjadi bacaan ringan yang tidak terlalu berat bagi pembacanya.

Rating untuk Sugar Daddy adalah 7.5/10.

Adapun para tokoh dalam Sugar Daddy adalah sebagai berikut :

Liberty Jones : tokoh utama, keturunan dari ayah berdarah Mexico dan ibu yang berkulit putih.

Hardy Cates : teman lama dan cinta pertama Liberty saat mereka tumbuh bersama di Welcome, 3 tahun lebih tua dari Liberty.

Diana Truitt Jones : ibu Liberty.

Louis Sadlek : pemilik dari parkiran trailer tempat Liberty dan ibunya tinggal saat masa remajanya.

Hannah Cates : adik perempuan Hardy.

Miss Marva : salah satu tetangga Liberty dan Hardy di trailer park, an artist.

Miss Judie : ibu Hardy dan Hannah.

Lucy Reyes : sahabat baik Liberty di sekolah.

Carrington : adik bayi Liberty.

Churchill Travis : seorang pengusaha sukses yang berumur 60an.

Ava Chase Travis : istri kedua Churchill, sudah meninggal satu tahun yang lalu akibat penyakit kanker.

Gage Travis : anak sulung dari Churchill dengan istri pertamanya Joanna, 30 tahun.

Jack Travis : adik Gage, anak pertama Churchill dengan Ava, 25 tahun.

Joe Travis : adik Gage, anak kedua Churchill dengan Ava, 23 tahun.

Haven Travis : anak perempuan satu-satunya dari Churchill dan Ava, anak bungsu dalam keluarga Travis.

Gretchen Travis : kakak perempuan Churchill.

Vivian : pacar Churchill.

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2. Book 2 : Blue-Eyed Devil (Travis Family #2)

(Haven Travis & Hardy Cates)

First Published in Indonesia on 2010 by Dastan Books

Paperback, 20 Chapters + Epilogue, 444 Pages (for Indonesian Edition)

Genre : Contemporary Romance, Adult Novel

Other books in the series : Sugar Daddy (Travis Family #1); Smooth Talking Stranger (Travis Family #3); Brown-Eyed Girl (Travis Family #4).

MEET THE BLUE-EYED DEVIL - His name is Hardy Cates. He's a self-made millionaire who comes from the wrong side of the tracks. He's made enemies in the rough-and-tumble ride to the top of Houston's oil industry. He's got hot blood in his veins. And vengeance on his mind.

MEET THE HEIRESS - She's Haven Travis. Despite her family's money, she refuses to set out on the path they've chosen for her. But when Haven marries a man her family disapproves of, her life is set on a new and dangerous course. Two years later, Haven comes home, determined to guard her heart. And Hardy Cates, a family enemy, is the last person she needs darkening her door or setting her soul on fire.

WATCH THE SPARKS FLY....Filled with Lisa Kleypas's trademark sensuality, filled with characters you love to hate and men you love to love, Blue-Eyed Devil will hold you captive in its storytelling power as the destiny of two people unfolds with every magical word.

Blue-Eyed Devil sets in Dallas and Houston, Texas, USA. It tells love story of Haven Travis, the only daughter of Churchill Travis with his late second wife, Ava. The story in Blue-Eyed Devil starts on the wedding day of Haven’s older brother, Gage and Liberty, a few months after the ending in Sugar Daddy. That day also the first time that Haven met Hardy, as he crashed the wedding reception uninvited. But at that time Haven was there with Nick, her boyfriend soon to be husband even though her family, especially her father didn’t approve with her decision to marry Nick.

But Haven, as stubborn as always, insisted in marrying Nick no matter what, even though her father threaten to cut her off from the family’s fortune and disinherited her from his will. And it turns out that Nick is not what he seems when they finally get married and moved to Dallas, exiled from Haven’s family. And when the relationship turns to be an abusive one, Haven go to her older brothers Gage and Jack for the help she needs, and start her new life

Unlike Sugar Daddy, Blue-Eyed Devil got a big issue and carries a more serious story line with the Heroine, Haven Travis, struggling to get out from an abusive relationship, healing herself from all the trauma that she suffered with her previous toxic relationship, and eventually rebuild her new life. This book pack with so much emotional up and down, although to be honest I can’t stand Haven’s all stupid decisions, but well I guess that’s all part of the process.

Rating for Blue-Eyed Devil is 7.8/10.

Characters in Blue-Eyed Devil are as follows :

Haven Marie Travis : the heroine, Churchill’s and Ava’s only daughter, the youngest in the family.

Nicholas ‘Nick’ Tanner : Haven’s husband.

Hardy Cates : a self-made millionaire in the oil industry, Liberty’s childhood friend and former love interest.

Todd Phelan : Haven’s best friend since she was 12 years old, an interior designer.

Churchill Travis : Haven’s father, a successful businessman in his early 60.

Ava Travis : Haven’s mother, Churchill’s late second wife.

Gage Travis : Haven’s eldest brother, Churchill’s eldest son with his late first wife Joanna.

Liberty Jones : Gage’s wife, Hardy’s childhood friend, Haven’s sister-in-law.

Carrington : Liberty’s baby sister.

Jack Travis : Haven’s older brother, Churchill’s and Ava’s first son.

Joe Travis : Haven’s older brother, Churchill’s and Ava’s second son, a commercial photographer.

Gretchen Travis : Churchill’s older sister, Haven’s aunt.

Matthew Travis : Liberty’s and Gage’s son.

Susan Byrnes : Haven’s therapist.

Vanessa Flint : Haven’s boss.

Samantha : one of Haven’s co-worker, a leasing agent.

Kimmie : one of Haven’s co-worker, an office manager.

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Blue-Eyed Devil mengambil setting di kota Dallas dan Houston, Texas, USA. Buku ini menceritakan kisah cinta dari Haven Travis, anak perempuan satu-satunya dari Churchill Travis dengan istri keduanya, Ava. Kisah dalam Blue-Eyed Devil dimulai pada hari pernikahan dari kakak sulung Haven, Gage dengan Liberty, beberapa bulan setelah akhir cerita dalam Sugar Daddy. Hari itu juga merupakan pertama kalinya Haven bertemu dengan Hardy, saat ia datang sebagai tamu yang tidak diundang di pesta resepsi pernikahan tersebut. Tetapi saat itu, Haven sedang menjalin hubungan serius dengan pacarnya saat itu, Nick, yang sudah melamarnya walaupun keluarga Haven tidak ada yang setuju dengan keputusan Haven untuk menikahi Nick, terutama ayahnya yang habis-habisan menentang pernikahan itu.

Tetapi Haven, keras kepala seperti ayahnya, tetap bersikeras untuk menikahi Nick walaupun ayahnya mengancam akan mengeluarkan Haven dari surat warisannya dan menutup akses ke harta keluarganya kalua Haven tetap menikahi Nick. Dan saat ternyata akhirnya Nick tidak seperti yang Haven bayangkan setelah mereka menikah dan pindah ke Dallas, jauh terasing dari keluarga Haven; dan ketika hubungan pernikahan itu berubah menjadi kekerasan rumah tangga, Haven berpaling meminta pertolongan kepada kedua kakak lelakinya Gage dan Jack untuk memulai hidup barunya.

Tidak seperti Sugar Daddy, Blue-Eyed Devil mengangkat isu yang cukup besar dan jalan cerita yang serius dengan tokoh utamanya, Haven Travis, berjuang untuk keluar dari lingkaran hubungan yang penuh kekerasan, berjuang untuk menyembuhkan dirinya dari semua trauma yang dialaminya, dan akhirnya berjuang untuk membangun kembali hidupnya yang sebelumnya berantakan. Buku ini terasa sangat emosional, walaupun aku sebenarnya agak gregetan dengan karakter Haven yang terus saja bertindak bodoh, tapi ya aku rasa itu semua bagian dari proses.

Rating untuk Blue-Eyed Devil adalah 7.8/10.

Characters in Blue-Eyed Devil are as follows :

Haven Marie Travis : tokoh utama, anak perempuan satu-satunya dari Churchill dan Ava, anak bungsu dalam keluarga.

Nicholas ‘Nick’ Tanner : suami Haven.

Hardy Cates : seorang millionaire dan pengusaha di industri minyak, teman lama Liberty.

Todd Phelan : sahabat baik Haven sejak ia berusia 12 tahun, seorang interior designer.

Churchill Travis : ayah Haven, seorang pengusaha sukses.

Ava Travis : ibu Haven, istri kedua Churchill yang sudah meninggal.

Gage Travis : kakak sulung Haven, anak sulung Churchill dengan istri pertamanya Joanna.

Liberty Jones : istri Gage, teman kecil Hardy, kakak ipar Haven.

Carrington : adik Liberty.

Jack Travis : kakak Haven, anak pertama Churchill dengan Ava.

Joe Travis : kakak Haven, anak kedua Churchil dengan Ava, seorang photographer.

Gretchen Travis : kakak perempuan Churchill, bibi Haven.

Matthew Travis : anak laki-laki Liberty dan Gage.

Susan Byrnes : terapis Haven.

Vanessa Flint : boss Haven.

Samantha : salah astu teman kerja Haven, agen bagian penyewaan.

Kimmie : salah satu teman kerja Haven, bagian pengurus kantor.

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3. Book 3 : Smooth Talking Stranger (Travis Family #3)

(Jack Travis & Ella Varner)

First Published in Indonesia on 2010 by Dastan Books

Paperback, 23 Chapters + Epilogue, 424 Pages

Genre : Contemporary Romance, Adult Novel

Other books in the series : Sugar Daddy (Travis Family #1); Blue-Eyed Devil (Travis Family #2); Brown-Eyed Girl (Travis Family #4).

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.

Ella Varner had a good life in Austin, a good boyfriend, and the most important thing is Austin is far away from her troubled mother and sister. But when one day she received a phone call from her mother to come to Houston and get her sister’s newborn baby that left by her sister at their mother house, Ella didn’t have any choice than to take care of the baby temporary while searching for her sister that gone missing after dropping off her son.

There is one problem though, if Ella gonna take care of her nephew, Ella cannot go back to Austin with the baby, since her boyfriend doesn’t want a baby to complicated their relationship. So Ella has to find her sister, and also the baby’s father for Ella to get back to her own life in Austin. And right now, Jack Travis is the no 1 suspect.

Smooth Talking Stranger tells a sweet and romantic love story between Jack Travis and Ella Varner. The tone for this 3^rd book in the series is much lighter than the previous Blue-Eyed Devil. The story happens a few months (or maybe a year) after the ending in Blue-Eyed Devil in Houston, Texas. In this installment, the handsome and laid back Jack Travis finally find love when a cute woman barging at his office demanding a paternity test for her baby nephew.

Rating for Smooth Talking Stranger is 7.5/10.

Characters in Smooth Talking Stranger are as follows :

Jack Travis : middle son of Churchill Travis, owns a property management company.

Ella Varner : an advice columnist for a magazine about relationships, sex, and urban culture in Austin

Dane : Ella’s boyfriend, a vegetarian, owns an environmental monitoring equipment company in Austin.

Candy Varner : Ella’s mother, living in Houston.

Tara Sue Varner : Ella’s younger sister.

Luke Varner : Tara’s newborn baby, Ella’s nephew.

Liza Purcell : Ella’s and Tara’s cousin,

Heidi Donovan : one of Jack’s former girlfriend.

Mark Gottler : an associate pastor of Fellowship of Eternal Truth church.

Stacy : Ella’s friend.

Tom : Stacy’s husband, Dane’s best friend.

Haven Travis : Jack’s younger sister, working with him in his company.

Hardy Cates : Haven’s fiancée.

Noah Cardiff : the main pastor of Fellowship of Eternal Truth church.

Joe Travis : Jack’s younger brother, Churchill’s and Ava’s second son, a commercial photographer.

Churchill Travis : Jack’s father, a successful businessman in Houston.

Ava Travis : Jack’s late mother, Churchill’s second wife.

Gage Travis : Jack’s eldest brother, Churchill’s eldest son with his late first wife Joanna.

Liberty Jones : Gage’s wife, Hardy’s childhood friend, Haven’s sister-in-law.

Carrington : Liberty’s younger sister.

Ashley Everson : Jack’s ex-fiancee.

Vivian : Churchill’s current girlfriend.

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Ella Varner punya kehidupan yang bagus di Austin, pacar yang baik, dan yang paling penting Austin cukup jauh dari ibu dan adik Ella yang selalu bermasalah. Tetapi ketika suatu hari Ella menerima telepon dari ibunya yang memintanya untuk segera ke Houston karena adiknya menghilang setelah meninggalkan bayinya yang baru lahir di rumah ibunya, dan Ella yang mengetahui sifat ibunya yang tidak menyukai anak kecil tidak punya pilihan selain datang ke Houston untuk mengurus bayi tersebut sementara ia mencari petunjuk kemana adiknya pergi.

Tapi ada satu masalah, Ella tidak bisa membawa keponakannya itu tinggal di Austin, karena pacarnya yang alergi komitmen tidak mau ada bayi yang dapat memperumit hubungan mereka. Jadi Ella harus secepatnya menemukan adiknya, dan juga ayah dari bayi itu agar ia dapat segera kembali secepatnya kembali kepada kehidupan amannya di Austin. Dan ada kemungkinan bahwa Jack Travis adalah tersangka utama dari ayah keponakannya itu.

Smooth Talking Stranger menceritakan kisah cinta manis yang cukup romantis antara Jack Travis dan Ella Varner. Nuansa buku ke-3 ini cukup ringan dibandingkan dengan buku sebelumnya Blue-Eyed Devil. Kisah dalam buku ini dimulai beberapa bulan (atau mungkin satu tahun) setelah akhir cerita dalam Blue-Eyed Devil dan mengambil setting latar belakang kota Houston, Texas. Dalam buku ini, Jack Travis yang tampan dan santai akhirnya menemukan cinta saat seorang wanita yang manis tiba-tiba datang ke kantornya dan menuntut tes DNA untuk keponakannya yang masih bayi.

Rating untuk Smooth Talking Stranger adalah 7.5/10.

Adapun para tokoh dalam Smooth Talking Stranger adalah sebagai berikut :

Jack Travis : anak kedua dari Churchill Travis, mempunyai perusahaan management property nya sendiri.

Ella Varner : seorang penulis untuk kolom nasihat mengenai hubungan, sex, dan budaya perkotaan di sebuah majalah di Austin.

Dane : pacar Ella, seorang vegetarian, memiliki perusahaan peralatan pengawasan lingkungan di Austin.

Candy Varner : ibu Ella, tinggal Houston.

Tara Sue Varner : adik Ella.

Luke Varner : anak Tara yang baru dilahirkan seminggu lalu, keponakan Ella.

Liza Purcell : sepupu Ella dan Tara

Heidi Donovan : salah satu pacar lama Jack.

Mark Gottler : seorang pendeta pembantu dari gereja Fellowship of Eternal Truth.

Stacy : teman Ella di Austin.

Tom : suami Stacy, sahabat baik Dane.

Haven Travis : adik perempuan Jack, bekerja dengan Jack di kantornya.

Hardy Cates : tunangan Haven.

Noah Cardiff : pendeta utama dari gereja Fellowship of Eternal Truth.

Joe Travis : adk laki-laki Jack, anak kedua dari Churchill dan Ava, seorang fotografer.

Churchill Travis : ayah Jack, seorang businessman yang sukses di Houston.

Ava Travis : ibu Jack yang sudah meninggal, istri kedua Churchill.

Gage Travis : kakak Jack, anak sulung Churchill dengan istri pertamanya Joanna.

Liberty Jones : istri Gage, teman Hardysejak kecil, kakak ipar Haven.

Carrington : adik Liberty.

Ashley Everson : mantan tunangan Jack.

Vivian : pacar Churchill.

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4. Book 4 : Brown-Eyed Girl (Travis Family #4)

(Joe Travis & Avery Crosslin)

eBook, 22 Chapters + Epilogue, 304 Pages

Genre : Contemporary Romance, Adult Novel

Other books in the series : Sugar Daddy (Travis Family #1); Blue-Eyed Devil (Travis Family #2); Smooth Talking Stranger (Travis Family #3).

Wedding planner Avery Crosslin may be a rising star in Houston society, but she doesn't believe in love--at least not for herself. When she meets wealthy bachelor Joe Travis and mistakes him for a wedding photographer, she has no intention of letting him sweep her off her feet. But Joe is a man who goes after what he wants, and Avery can't resist the temptation of a sexy southern charmer and a hot summer evening.

After a one night stand, however, Avery is determined to keep it from happening again. A man like Joe can only mean trouble for a woman like her, and she can't afford distractions. She's been hired to plan the wedding of the year--a make-or-break event.

But complications start piling up fast, putting the wedding in jeopardy, especially when shocking secrets of the bride come to light. And as Joe makes it clear that he's not going to give up easily, Avery is forced to confront the insecurities and beliefs that stem from a past she would do anything to forget.

The situation reaches a breaking point, and Avery faces the toughest choice of her life. Only by putting her career on the line and risking everything--including her well-guarded heart--will she find out what matters most.

The story in Brown-Eyed Girl take place in Houston, Texas and a few brief moments in New York City, around 3 years after the ending of Smooth Talking Stranger. It tells a romantic love story between 29 years old Joe Travis with 27 years old Avery Crosslin. Brown-Eyed Girl is the last book in the Travis Family series, and sets a few years after the ending of Smooth Talking Stranger.

Avery doesn’t believe in love, although her job as a wedding planner makes that a bit strange. She does believe love exist for some of her clients, she just doesn’t believe that she can find it for herself. There’s a lot reason for Avery to have that kind of mindset. First, both her father and mother didn’t give the best examples for her with five (Dad) and three (Mom) failed marriage. And second, Avery also experience herself in the past what it feels like to open up her heart to someone and only got her heart torn apart instead. So when the handsome Joe Travis walks into her life, she determined to guard her heart this time.

Although Brown-Eyed Girl is a good book and have a good story, but somehow I find it missing something. The plot is too simple and although the story is nice but I feel it a bit ordinary and nothing really stands out and make the story more memorable.

Rating for Brown-Eyed Girl is 7/10.

Characters in Brown-Eyed Girl are as follows :

Avery Crosslin : the Heroine, a wedding coordinator, 27 years old.

Joe Travis : the Hero, a professional photographer, the third son of Churchill Travis with his late second wife Ava, 29 years old.

Steven Cavanaugh : Avery’s assistant.

Churchill Travis : Joe’s father, died six months before the story starts.

Sofia Crosslin : Avery’s half sister and partner in their wedding coordinator business.

Eli Crosslin : Avery’s and Sofia’s late father.

Sloane Kendrick and Charlie Amspacher : one of Avery’s client.

Val Yudina : one of Avery’s employee.

Tank Mirecki : one of Avery’s employee, a handyman.

Ree-Ann Davis : one of Avery’s employee.

Hollis Warner : one of Houston socialite.

Bethany Warner : Hollis’ and David’s daughter.

David Warner : Hollis’ husband.

Ryan Chase : Joe’s cousin, Bethany’s fiancée, Ava’s nephew.

Jasmine : Avery’s best friend from New York.

Jack Travis : Joe’s older brother.

Ella Travis : Jack’s wife.

Haven Travis : Joe’s younger sister.

Hardy Cates : Haven’s husband.

Luke : Ella’s and Jack’s son.

Mia : Ella’s and Jack’s daughter.

Gage Travis : Joe’s eldest brother, Churchill’s son with his first wife.

Liberty : Gage’s wife.

Matthew Travis : Gage’s and Liberty’s son, 5 years old.

Carrington : Liberty’s little sister.

Dan and Millie : the owner of a dog shelter that Joe often visit.

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Kisah dalam Brown-Eyed Girl mengambil latar belakang kota Houston, Texas dan sedikit di New York City, terjadi sekitar 3 tahun setelah akhir cerita dalam Smooth Talking Stranger. Buku ini menceritakan kisah cinta romantis antara Joe Travis (29 tahun) dengan Avery Crosslin (27 tahun). Brown-Eyed Girl merupakan buku terakhir dari serial Travis Family (setidaknya sampai review ini ditulis), dan aku perkirakan terjadi beberapa tahun setelah akhir cerita dalam Smooth Talking Stranger.

Avery tidak percaya akan cinta, walaupun ia bekerja sebagai seorang perencana pernikahan, yang membuat keyakinannya akan cinta tersebut menjadi sedikit aneh. Dia masih mempercayai adanya cinta untuk beberapa kliennya, tetapi ia tidak yakin bahwa ia dapat menemukanya untuk dirinya sendiri. Ada banyak alasan yang membentuk pola pikir Avery tersebut. Yang pertama tentu saja contoh yang ia dapatkan dari kegagalan pernikahan ayahnya (5x perceraian) dan ibunya (3x perceraian). Dan yang berikutnya Avery alami sendiri di masa lalu yang ingin ia kubur rapat-rapat saat ia membuka hatinya dan malah mendapatkan patah hati yang mendalam. Jadi ketika si tampan Joe Travis tiba-tiba muncul dan masuk dalam kehidupannya, Avery bertekad untuk menjaga hatinya rapat-rapat kali ini.

Walaupun Brown-Eyed Girl merupakan buku yang cukup bagus dan mempunyai cerita yang cukup baik, namun entah bagaimana aku merasakan ada sesuatu yang hilang di sini. Plot cerita yang ada agak terlalu sederhana dan walaupun jalan ceritanya ok, tapi buku ini terasa biasa saja dan tidak ada sesuatu yang terasa menonjol di sini yang dapat membuat ceritanya patut untuk dikenang.

Rating untuk Brown-Eyed Girl adalah 7/10.

Adapun para tokoh dalam Brown-Eyed Girl adalah sebagai berikut :

Avery Crosslin : tokoh utama wanita, seorang perencana pernikahan, 27 tahun.

Joe Travis : tokoh utama pria, seorang fotografer profesional, anak ketiga dari Churchill Travis 29 tahun.

Steven Cavanaugh : asisten Avery.

Churchill Travis : ayah Joe, meninggal enam bulan sebelum cerita ini dimulai.

Sofia Crosslin : adik tiri Avery dan partner bisnis di perusahaan perencanaan pesta pernikahan mereka.

Eli Crosslin : ayah Avery dan Sofia yang sudah meninggal.

Sloane Kendrick dan Charlie Amspacher : salah satu klien Avery.

Val Yudina : salah satu karyawan Avery.

Tank Mirecki : salah seorang karyawan Avery.

Ree-Ann Davis : salah seorang karyawan Avery.

Hollis Warner : salah satu socialite di Houston.

Bethany Warner : anak perempuan Hollis dan David.

David Warner : suami Hollis.

Ryan Chase : sepupu Joe, tunangan Bethany, keponakan Ava.

Jasmine : sahabat baik Avery di New York.

Jack Travis : kakak Joe.

Ella Travis : istri Jack.

Haven Travis : adik Joe.

Hardy Cates : suami Haven.

Luke : anak laki-laki Ella dan Jack.

Mia : anak perempuan Ella dan Jack.

Gage Travis : kakak sulung Joe, anak sulung Churchill dengan istri pertamanya.

Liberty : istri Gage.

Matthew Travis : anak Gage dan Liberty, 5 tahun.

Carrington : adik Liberty.

Dan and Millie : pemilik tempat penampungan anjing yang sering dikunjungi Joe.

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Arrianne's Corner

Monday, January 7, 2019

Book Corner # 18 – Travis Family Series by Lisa Kleypas

Book Corner # 7 – Enchanted Inc. Series by Shanna Swendson