The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood

Author: Julie Garwood
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Date of Publication: August 2011

Dr. Ellie Sullivan has just completed her residency at a large urban hospital. While jogging in a park nearby, she witnesses the shooting of an FBI agent in pursuit of wanted criminals, a couple identified as the Landrys. The only person to see the shooter's face, Ellie is suddenly at the center of a criminal investigation. 

Agent Max Daniels takes over the Landry case. A no-nonsense lawman, he's definitely not the ideal man that Ellie has always imagined, yet she's attracted to him in a way she can't explain. Ellie heads home to Winston Falls, South Carolina, to attend her sister's wedding. Shortly after she arrives, though, she receives a surprise visitor: Max Daniels. The Landrys have been captured, and she'll be called to testify. But they've been captured before, and each time the witnesses are scared into silence-or disappear before they can take the stand. Max vows to be Ellie's shadow until the trial, and it isn't long before sparks fly.


I had been looking forward to reading Julie Garwood's latest for a while now.  It finally hit the top of my TBR pile and I devoured it. The Ideal Man  has a great balance of romance, mystery and action.  Everything I love about a good romantic suspense!  Ellie and Max are great characters.  I loved the chemistry between the two of them.  Ellie is a strong female character and is very well matched to Max's confident and protective nature.  Who wouldn't want to fall in love with a guy like Max?  I was so rooting for their HEA.


There are a couple of  mysteries going on in this book.  Ms. Garwod throws in a few twists that keep you guessing.  The peripheral characters of the book round out the tale nicely.  Ellie's family is entertaining, especially her bridezilla sister.  The only thing that I didn't like about the book was the side story of her sister's missing baby daddy.  I felt like the story line was thrown in as an after thought and the resolution to it was way too rushed.  I think the book would have done well without it.   I can't wait to see what Ms. Garwood comes out with next!