Dueling Review, Recommended Read

Dueling Review: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie (2004)

Holly’s Take

Heat Factor: He eats donuts off her boobs

Character Chemistry: It’s fate

Plot: A comedy of errors ensues when Min and Cal (attempt to) resist the universe’s plan for them to be together

Overall: Couldn’t put it down

Ingrid’s Take

Heat Factor: Kissing while eating donuts has never been so steamy

Character Chemistry: It’s instantaneous and angry, then alllll the sexy tension

Plot: Min’s ex tries to get Cal to bet over her—but the more they try to avoid each other, the more they end up attached at the hip

Overall: I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this book

Erin’s Take

Heat Factor: It’s a very slow burn, but she does get tied to a couch

Character Chemistry: This is a push-you-pull-me that works marvelously

Plot: Min is about to approach Cal when she overhears that she’s the subject of one of his bets, so she accepts his invitation out of spite, and fate takes the wheel

Overall: I didn’t like all the stuff that happened in this book (and I wasn’t supposed to, either), but I really liked the book

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Recommended Read, Review

Review: A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal by Meredith Duran (2011)

Thank you to Kay of Miss Bates Reads Romance for the recommendation! 

Heat Factor: A few open-door scenes where the focus is more on the emotions than the moving pieces.

Character Chemistry: They have some serious trust issues, but that’s the whole point. 

Plot: Guttersnipe + Rake in a Marriage of Convenience 

Overall: The emotional beats in this book are PERFECTION.

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Recommended Read, Review

Review: My Fair Concubine by Jeannie Lin (2012)

Heat Factor: There is some sex at the end, but I frankly think that the book would have been better without it. (SHOCKING!) Not because it wasn’t hot, but because the pining was so much hotter. 

Character Chemistry: Oh, the pining. 

Plot: Fei Long’s sister was supposed to be a peace bride, but ran away instead. To save the family honor (and the peace agreement), Fei Long decides he’s going to pass off a teahouse girl as his sister. 

Overall: The first half is slow, but the tension builds and builds and I really didn’t know how they were going to get out of their predicament.

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Review

Review: My Fake Rake by Eva Leigh (2019)

The Union of the Rakes, Book 1

Heat Factor: Two steamy sex scenes in the last few chapters

Character Chemistry: Gotta love a man in glasses, but Sebastian is too woke for his own good

Plot: In order to attract some dude’s attention, Grace gets her friend Sebastian to pretend to woo her. Because dudes gotta have competition to think a woman is sexy, obviously. 

Overall: Too much winking at the audience for my taste

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Recommended Read, Review

Review: Salt + Stilettos by Janet Walden-West (2020)

South Beach Romance, #1

Heat Factor: SPICY, SPICY, SPICY, but don’t worry because the hero is a tall drink of cold water.

Character Chemistry: These guys are opposites in a lot of ways but it’s all complimentary if you know what I mean…

Plot: A PR specialist struggling with PTSD from a stalker and kidnapping agrees to take on a very, very delicious cinnamon roll of a professional chef as he works to open his first restaurant. Sexy Chef Will creates the sexiest of safe spaces for Brett, who in turn takes a man who wants to hide and helps him shine just the way he is. (SIGH…)

Overall: This book just did something to me–it was sexy, sweet, vulnerable, funny, sassy. I felt things.

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