“I’d like to know more about this undercover agent who posed as my daughter’s date. The ubiquitous Tall, Dark, and Smoldering.'
Nick put on his best meet-the-parent smile. 'I generally prefer to go by Nick.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“First Pallas and now you,” the gray-haired man said, shaking his head at Nick. “It’s like I’m running a goddamn dating service around here.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Well, Ma, see... there's this girl."
Silence.
He checked to make sure the call hadn't been dropped. "You still there, Ma?"
A sniffle.
"You can't be crying already," he said. "I haven't told you anything about her yet."
"It doesn't matter, Nick," his mother said through her tears. "Those are the three words I've been waiting thirty-four years to hear.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“He gripped her shoulders determinedly. 'I should’ve told you this earlier, Jordan. Now that I’ve got my chance, you’re going to hear it whether you like it or not. You came into my life and messed the whole thing up and now I’m screwed. Because I’m in love with you. As in balls-out, head-over-heels, watching-Dancing-with-the-Stars-on-Monday-nights, wine-and-bubble-bath kind of love. Hell, I think I’d even wear a scarf indoors for you.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“It's a truth universally acknowledged that an FBI special agent in possession of great skill and talent is likely to engage in trash talk every now and then.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Boyfriend huh? I didn't realize we had taken things to that level."
"Oh, I'm sorry--this is my first undercover operation," Jordan said. "I'm a little unclear about the rules. Are we seeing other people in this fake relationship?”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“It was time to break out the don't-fuck-with-me face.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Jack leaned over, “Ever get the impression that these women are way out of our league?”
“I shot the last guy who said that to me.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“You've met Nick?"
"Yep, we've met, all right. He was kind enough to inform me that I have absolutely no say in whether you two date."
"Well, you don't."
"You know, you all could at least pretend that my opinion makes a difference.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“At least you're learning a thing or two about wine. Good to hear you're making such an effort to improve yourself."
"Does the U.S. attorney know how much you like spending your Saturday nights eavesdropping on private conversations?" Nick asked.
"The U.S. attorney knows exactly how I like spending my Saturday nights.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Nick watched as Jordan sipped her wine and made The Face-the seductive, the hell-with-wine-you-should-see-what-I-look-like-having-sex face. At least that was how he interpreted it.
Watching her with a predatory gaze, the douchebag grinned.
Apparently, he had a similar interpretation of The Face.
Something inside Nick snapped.
That was his fake girlfriend in there. Sitting at the table where they had just shared cheese fries the night before. And if she thought she could throw scorching hot sex-looks to any pansy-ass scarf-boy who wandered into her shop, she had another think coming.
He had a look of his own to show the douchebag.
It was time to break out the don't-fuck-with-me-face.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“With a chuckle, Jack mumbled under his breath to Nick. 'It's like watching the preppy, well-bred versions of you and me trash-talking.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Don't take this next undercover assignment. Stay with me instead."
Nick's eyes pierced hers, refusing to let her off that easily. "Tell me why."
"Because... I love you." She exhaled. No take-backs. The words were out there forever.
And it felt great.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Because wine means the responsible part of the day is over.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Thank you, I guess.
It’s good to see they’ve replaced Silas Briggs with
someone who’s a little more reasonable.” He grinned.
“Not to mention, someone with a much prettier face.”
Agent Pallas snapped the ankle monitor on, and Kyle
yelled out in pain.
“Son of a bitch, you got some skin there!” he said to
Pallas.
Cameron threw the FBI agent a look. “Jack.”
He shrugged. “It slipped.” He turned back to Kyle with
a look that could wilt plants.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“He didn't care whose league Jordan was in. All that mattered was that she was his.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Time for Wine Tasting 101.
“So here’s how this works. When tasting a wine, as opposed to casual drinking, there are four basic steps you need to remember: sight, smell, taste, then spit or swallow.”
Nick paused at that last part and cocked his head. “And your personal preference on the latter would be…?”
“Only lightweights spit.”
His right eye twitched.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Jordan couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “Yeah, I like this guy. He rescued me from a crazed man with a gun, he makes me laugh, and he calls his mother Ma. I’d say he’s a keeper.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“First off, you should know that your daughter is going to be fine.” … “Jordan’s been through an ordeal but she is…” Incredible. Strong. Smart. Gorgeous. Hot as a firecracker in bed. Probably better to keep that part to himself.
“… quite tough,” he finished.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Kyle gazed down at her. “I lied when I said I followed you to the bar because you’re hot.” He touched her cheek. “I saw you laughing with your friends, and your smile sucked me right in.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“And then when she takes him through the whole wine tasting process, finishing with a long, languid taste that she really enjoyed “she opened her eyes and saw Nick staring at her.
“I feel like I need a cigarette and a shower after watching that.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“She spoke under her breath to Nick. "Is there a reason he's only wearing one sock?" "He puked on his foot." "Oh." She turned back to Huxley. "Can we get you another sock? Maybe a blanket or something?”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“You are really starting to annoy me, Stanton.”
Nick didn’t blink. “Good. By the end of the night I hope to finish the job.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Thanks,” Jordan said. “Did you say Dad was here, too?”
Kyle threw her a you-are-so-busted look. “Why, yes, he is. He’s out in the waiting room, grilling
Tall, Dark, and Sarcastic.”
Jordan’s mouth formed a silent O. She was busted. “You’ve met Nick?”
“Yep, we’ve met, all right. He was kind enough to inform me that I have absolutely no say in
whether you two date.”
“Well, you don’t.”
“You know, you all could at least pretend that my opinion makes a difference.” Kyle shot her a
sideways glance. “You like this guy, don’t you?”
Jordan couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “Yeah, I like this guy. He rescued me from a crazed
man with a gun, he makes me laugh, and he calls his mother Ma. I’d say he’s a keeper.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Jack leaned over. “Ever get the impression that these women are way out of our league?”
“I shot the last guy who said that to me.”
“And people say I’m cranky.”
Nick chuckled as his eyes turned back to the television screen. As it turned out, he didn’t care
whose league Jordan was in. All that mattered was that she was his.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“If he'd expected to be pampered and coddled through his undercover assignments, he would have gone to work for the CIA.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Let’s just call it an adjustment of priorities.” Nick saw no reason to beat around the bush about
this next part. Pallas was a good guy, and an excellent agent. “There’s more. You and I both know that
Davis has been thinking about retiring. I told him today that when that happens, I’d like to be
considered for the special agent in charge position. I wanted you to hear it from me first. Thought you
might be eying the job, too.”
Jack considered this. “I’ve given it some thought,” he admitted. “But politically, I doubt it would
go over well if the special agent in charge of Chicago and the U.S. attorney of the same district were
involved in a personal relationship.” His expression was one of pride. “And since Cameron got there
first, it looks like I’m adjusting my priorities, too.” He paused. “Plus, I hear that people think I’m
cranky.” He rubbed his jaw, musing. “Not sure why that is.”
“Maybe it’s all the brooding and glowering.”
“No one complains when you break out the don’t-fuck-with-me face.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“Does the U.S. attorney know you spend your workdays listening to office gossip?”
Jack grinned in satisfaction. “The U.S. attorney is thrilled that there’s finally someone else for this
office to gossip about.”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
“First Pallas and now you,” the gray-haired man said, shaking his head at Nick. “It’s like I’m running a goddamn dating service around here.” He spun around. “Wilkins! Huxley!” he barked. “Next case that involves a single woman—you’re up.”
Standing at the sidewalk, Agent Wilkins pumped his fist excitedly. “Yes.”
Huxley adjusted his glasses with a grin, looking decidedly pleased.
“That was supposed to be sarcastic. I’m getting too old for this shit,”
― Julie James, quote from A Lot like Love
Julie James
Born place: Chicago
See more on GoodReads
“Then I whispered, “I love you, my Lahn,” and heard the swift hiss of his intake of breath. Then he buried his face in my neck and whispered back, “Loot kay hansahnalay na, my Circe.” And I love you, my Circe.”
― Kristen Ashley, quote from The Golden Dynasty
“Maybe there's nothing impossible tonight. We're down the hole to Wonderland, and no White Rabbit to guide us."
If I remember correctly, the White Rabbit was an unreliable guide, anyway.”
― Dean Koontz, quote from The Taking
“There are grand rewards for those who pick the high hard roads, but those rewards are hidden by years.”
― Richard Bach, quote from One
“She’s in my blood. I will never stop fighting for her,”
― Amy A. Bartol, quote from Indebted
“Still, this moment belongs to the two of them, Mom and this handsome stranger. He reaches the passenger side door and stares down at her with steely violet eyes-down at my mother who never cries, down at my mother who’s now bawling like a spanked child-his face contorted in a rainbow of so many emotions, some that I can’t even name.
Then Grom the Triton king sinks to his knees in front of her, and a single tear spills down his face. “Nalia,” he whispers.
And then my mother slaps him. It’s not the kind of slap you get for talking back. It’s not the kind of punch she dealt Galen and Toraf in our kitchen. It’s the kind of slap a woman gives a man when he’s hurt her deeply.
And Grom accepts it with grace.
“I looked for you,” she shouts, even though he’s inches from her.
Slowly, as if in a show of peace, he takes the hand that slapped him and sandwiches it between his own. He seems to revel in the feel of her touch. His face is pure tenderness, his voice like a massage to the nerves. “And I looked for you.”
“Your pulse was gone,” she insists. By now she chokes back sobs between words. She’s fighting for control. I’ve never seen my mother fight for control.
“As was yours.” I realize Grom knows what not to say, what not to do to provoke her. He is the complete opposite of her, or maybe just a completion of her.
Her eyes focus on his wrist, and tears slip down her face, leaving faint trails of mascara on her cheeks. He smiles and slowly pulls his hand away. I think he’s going to show her the bracelet he’s wearing, but instead he rips it off his wrist and holds it out for her inspection. From where I’m standing it looks like a single black ball tied to some sort of string. By my mom’s expression, this black ball has meaning. So much meaning that I think she’s forgotten to breathe. “My pearl,” she whispers. “I thought I’d lost it.”
He encloses it in her hand. “This isn’t your pearl, love. That one was lost in the explosion with you. For almost an entire season, I scoured the oyster beds, looking for another one that would do. I don’t know why, but I thought maybe if I found another perfect pearl, I would somehow find you, too. When I found this though, it didn’t bring me the peace I’d hoped for. But I couldn’t bring myself to discard it. I’ve worn it on my wrist ever since.”
This is all it takes for my mom to throw herself into his arms, bringing Rachel partially with her. Even so, it’s probably the most moving moment I’ve ever encountered in my eighteen years.
Or at least it would be, if my mom weren’t clinging to a man who is not my dad.”
― Anna Banks, quote from Of Triton
Persephone
Between the Lives
Slide
Mind Games
In Time
The PainterBookQuoters is a community of passionate readers who enjoy sharing the most meaningful, memorable and interesting quotes from great books. As the world communicates more and more via texts, memes and sound bytes, short but profound quotes from books have become more relevant and important. For some of us a quote becomes a mantra, a goal or a philosophy by which we live. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the author’s best ideas.
We thoughtfully gather quotes from our favorite books, both classic and current, and choose the ones that are most thought-provoking. Each quote represents a book that is interesting, well written and has potential to enhance the reader’s life. We also accept submissions from our visitors and will select the quotes we feel are most appealing to the BookQuoters community.
Founded in 2023, BookQuoters has quickly become a large and vibrant community of people who share an affinity for books. Books are seen by some as a throwback to a previous world; conversely, gleaning the main ideas of a book via a quote or a quick summary is typical of the Information Age but is a habit disdained by some diehard readers. We feel that we have the best of both worlds at BookQuoters; we read books cover-to-cover but offer you some of the highlights. We hope you’ll join us.
