Last Chance Beauty Queen: Number 3 in series (Kennebec Large Print Superior Collection) (Last Chance)

by Hope Ramsay

Dear Reader, Gracious me, my beautiful daughter Rocky sure could use my help. I always knew she wasn't much interested in the local boys - but who'd have thought she'd come home with English royalty?
Trouble is, Hugh wants to buy some of our folks' land. We don't want to sell but Rocky's job depends on her closing the deal. And though Hugh's obviously smitten, I'm not sure he's right for my Rocky. Oh, he's classy and handsome - and you should've seen the way he judged pies and fixed stock cars at our Watermelon Festival! - but what do we know about him, really? I know I sound like a nervous mother hen but after forty happy years with my Elbert, all I want is to see my little girl find the same.
Well, time for me to quit chattering and get back to Miss Bray's wet set. Always nice talking to you, and remember: the Cut 'n Curl's got hot rollers, free coffee and the best gossip in town.
See you real soon,
Ruby Rhodes

• ISBN10: 0446576085
• ISBN13: 9780446576086
• Publish Date: 29 March 2012 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 1 May 2013
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Forever
• Format: Paperback (A-Format (178x111 mm))
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[Reese]

Last Chance Beauty Queen
For those of you who love chick lits that are set in those charming small towns of the south, well this is it, you will love Last Chance Beauty Queen by Hope Ramsey. It exudes southern charm, wit and personality. It’s an up close and personal tale of a south Carolina local that had moved to the big city to follow her dreams. Caroline, or Rocky Road as is her nickname, reluctantly returns to Last Chance South Carolina for the annual, and ever so important, Watermelon festival. She has also been sent by her boss to do some business, as well. As Rocky succumbs to her mother’s urgings, as well as, the other ladies of Last Chance, she agrees to get involved in the three day long watermelon festival. But she soon finds out that she can not help but to also get involved with the little town’s residents (whom she still loves), their business dealings, of course, the ever present gossip. As a result she begins to discover that she is, indeed, still a country girl at heart and loves the people, and lovely town she has left behind. And, on top of all that, could she be falling in love? With a handsome aristocrat from England, no less? Rocky questions over and over, whether she and “Hugh” could be compatible, coming from different worlds, after all. And, Hugh, well he is definitely lured and smitten by Rocky’s charming personality, natural beauty, and smart, yet simple way of thinking.
As the delightful watermelon festival kicks off, she soon begins to observe Hugh judging pies, eating barbeque, fixing stock cars and riding the ferris wheel. Could her and Hugh be a like in more ways than not? Could their hearts be knit by the same down home ways they each desire, inwardly, to live? Well, to find out, pick yourself up a copy of this heart touching and absolutely delightful novel, Last Chance Beauty Queen by Hope Ramsay, you will love it.

[Cocktails and Books]

Caroline (Rocky) Rhodes has one goal: help Senator Warren she works with make his way to Washington and earn herself a place in his office. Her road to that goal is helping Senator and Lord Woolham get a factory built in South Carolina. The problem is, the land Lord Woolham is hoping ot build his factory on happens to be owned by Caroline's father.

Caroline ends up taking Lord Woolham back to Last Chance so he can get a feel for the town and hope to sway the townspeople that his factory is a good thing for the town. Problem is, when Caroline goes back home, she becomes Rocky and has to deal with all the local town gossip and the skeletons in her closet.

Hugh deBacy, Lord Woolham came to South Carolina after discovering his now-deceased partner had bought land in this little town for their factory, with the exception of one small parcel. But when he enlisted the help of Senator Warren he didn't expect to find the quaint little town reminding him of his village in England. He also didn't expect to be drawn to Caroline or that there was something much more going on with the land around the parcel he's trying to buy.

I have to say, I loved Hugh and Caroline. Hugh was wonderfully English but also very down to earth and was able to fit in with the residents of Last Chance, when he should have stuck out like a sore thumb. He was also able to see through the facade Caroline put up. He was able to get her to accept who she is. Caroline, who thought she was sophisticated enough for someone like Hugh, was also able to help Hugh accept that he was so much more than the duty his grandfather had engrained in him.

The residents of Last Chance only enhanced this story. All the characters were able to pull a readers from wherever you were reading into the town of Last Chance and feel as if you were right there with them.

A charming book that was very entertaining and has me looking for other Hope Ramsay books to read.