Book Review with Featured Author: Her Renegade Cowboy by Lora Leigh

Her Renegade Cowboy by Lora Leigh

 

Publisher & Release: St. Martin’s Press, September 28, 2021

Setting:  Small Town USA California

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 334 Pages

Heat Level: 3 Flames

Rating: 3 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

He will risk his life…

The oh-so-proper school teacher, Lily Donovan has learned, the hard way, that men are not to be trusted. Period. Until Levi Roberts, the new cowboy working at her cousin's ranch, tempts her carefully-built resolve and awakens an all-consuming passion she thought lay dormant. But when she discovers his deadly secret, and her own secrets come to light, Lily unwittingly joins the lethal cat and mouse race between Levi and the man he’s been hunting for weeks. 

To save her heart…

Former Ranger Levi Roberts has seen his fair share of deadly trouble during his years as a tough-as-nails operative. The ultimate expert in undercover investigations, he’s been tasked to find a man with a dangerous agenda in town. Routine work has been boring…until he runs into Lily, the prickly school teacher who tempts him like no other. Getting under her skin has been deliciously satisfying for his red-hot desire, but when Lily lands in the hands of the very man he’s been investigating, Levi will have to fight with every ounce of his heart and soul to save her—and to heal the heart he broke.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Renegade-Cowboy-Moving-Violations-Book-ebook/dp/B08R2L8VQN

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-renegade-cowboy-lora-leigh/1138461999

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/her-renegade-cowboy

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lora_Leigh_Her_Renegade_Cowboy?id=HxsQEAAAQBAJ

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Her-Renegade-Cowboy-Audiobook/1250821401?qid=1631832661&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=HQTWWD8HT2HF2JC5V5TS

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56408301-her-renegade-cowboy

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/her-renegade-cowboy-by-lora-leigh

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of Her Renegade Cowboy by Lora Leigh. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

Her Renegade Cowboy has plenty to offer readers of this genre. However, it just didn’t resonate with me until near the end. The pacing is a little slow most of the story, but it gained a lot of speed in the last quarter of the book.

 

Lily Donovan is the female protagonist, and there are several aspects in her character I could identify with, but some of her reactions were beyond what I would expect, considering her back story. With as much trauma she suffered at the sadistic hands of her tormentor, I find it difficult she would be so willing to enter a physical relationship so quickly.

 

Levi Roberts is the hero, and he is appealing and no doubt sexy. He also has a strong protective side to his character, which I enjoyed. Under the circumstances, Levi shows a lot of patience with Lily, even though she is putting her safety in jeopardy on several occasions. 

 

The romance between Lily and Levi was just so sexual from so early in the story. I never really felt any true love between them, even at the end of the story. I was much more interested in the suspenseful part of this tale, which didn’t take off until the last bit of the book. The romance deserves one star, but the action and suspense at the last, is stellar and kept me engaged.

 

If you enjoy highly erotic romances with plenty of heat, then this may appeal to you. Unfortunately, Her Renegade Cowboy didn’t for me. The climax of this story kept it from being a 2-star read for me. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Lora Leigh lives in the rolling hills of Kentucky, often found absorbing the ambience of this peaceful setting. She dreams in bright, vivid images of the characters intent on taking over her writing life, and fights a constant battle to put them on the hard drive of her computer before they can disappear as fast as they appeared. Lora's family, and her writing life co-exist, if not in harmony, in relative peace with each other. Surrounded by a menagerie of pets, friends, and a teenage son who keeps her quick wit engaged, Lora's life is filled with joys, aided by her fans whose hearts remind her daily why she writes.

She can often be found daydreaming and plotting and planning with the varied characters that fill her imagination when she isn't planning her flower gardens, watching the horses romp outside her home, or spending time with the family and pets she fills her life with. Writing is her passion, her peace, and her lifeline. She hopes you enjoy the stories, and that you visit her website www.loraleigh.com often for updates and news on characters and upcoming books

 

Social Media:

Website: https://loraleigh.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loraleighauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoraLeigh_1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lora.leigh/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lora-leigh

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2614.Lora_Leigh

 

Book Review with Featured Author: Strong, Silent Cowboy by Lora Leigh

Strong, Silent Cowboy by Lora Leigh

 

 

Publisher & Release: St. Martin’s Press, March 9, 2021

Setting: Deer Haven

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 292 Pages

Heat Level: 3.5 Flames

Rating: 3 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

From #1 New York Times bestseller Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick comes a second chance at love and bodyguard romance Strong, Silent Cowboy, a Moving Violations novel.

“Leigh’s books can scorch the ink off the page.”—RT Book Review

He Will Do Anything…

Sallie Hamblen had three incredibly hot, sexy nights with Jacob Donovan, an undercover CIA agent, before he disappeared, leaving her broken hearted and forever yearning for the man she lost. Years later, Jacob doesn’t know that the beauty he’s about to seduce in a small town bar is the woman he held in his arms all those years ago… and that she’s on the run from her past.

To Keep Her Safe…

Former CIA agent turned cowboy, Jacob Donovan wants nothing more than a simple life. Just the ranch and occasionally someone warm and sweet in his bed. Until Sallie comes back into his life and all of a sudden he wants to be in her bed every night...all night. When he discovers that her life is in danger, he swears he’ll protect her. Even when secrets are revealed that threaten everything between them, he will lay everything on the line to keep her in his arms.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Strong-Silent-Cowboy-Moving-Violations-ebook/dp/B07PBR7B45

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/strong-silent-cowboy-lora-leigh/1132306383

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/strong-silent-cowboy-1

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lora_Leigh_Strong_Silent_Cowboy?id=JCqLDwAAQBAJ

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44245591-strong-silent-cowboy

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/strong-silent-cowboy-by-lora-leigh-and-veronica-chadwick

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the electronic copy of Strong, Silent Cowboy by Lora Leigh. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this book. My opinions are my own and nothing has influenced them.

 

Strong, Silent Cowboy has several redeeming aspects to the story. The pacing remained steady throughout the tale. However I did have issues with the time line. Sometimes it was 3 nights and other times it was one night. Sometimes it was a couple years and other times it was three. Those issues pulled me from the book.

 

Sallie Hamblin is the heroine of this story, and she has several traits I enjoy in a female lead. One thing I did like about her, she’s more mature than the typical heroine in a romance. That was refreshing.

 

Jacob Donovan is a great hero. He’s  ex- CIA and now he just wants to live on his ranch, but when things quickly heat up between him and Sallie, he steps in to her help her. I also enjoyed the camaraderie between him and his friends.

 

There’s no doubt Ms. Leigh knows how the heat up the sheets between the hero and heroine. The passion between them is electric. While I’m not super enthused over graphic sexual scenes, Ms. Leigh are well written and move the story along.

 

If you enjoy hot cowboys, and a plot with plenty of fire, then Strong, Silent Cowboy may be the perfect romance for you. I can definitely understand why her book are well received. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Lora Leigh lives in the rolling hills of Kentucky, often found absorbing the ambience of this peaceful setting. She dreams in bright, vivid images of the characters intent on taking over her writing life, and fights a constant battle to put them on the hard drive of her computer before they can disappear as fast as they appeared.

Lora's family, and her writing life co-exist, if not in harmony, in relative peace with each other. Surrounded by a menagerie of pets, friends, and a teenage son who keeps her quick wit engaged, Lora's life is filled with joys, aided by her fans whose hearts remind her daily why she writes. 

 

Social Media:

Website: https://loraleigh.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loraleighauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoraLeigh_1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lora.leigh/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lora-leigh

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2614.Lora_Leigh

 

Book Review with featured author: The Lyon Sleeps Tonight by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

The Lyon Sleeps Tonight by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

Publisher & Release: Dragonblade Publishing, July 12, 2020

Time and setting:  Regency London

Genre: Historical Romance

Length: 130 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Flame

Rating: 3 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Love is just a whim away…

Free-spirited Opal Jones and straight-laced Peter Ravenshaw are childhood friends growing up in India, away from the structured mores of English society. But all good things must come to an end. The friends are sent to England and go their separate ways.

Years pass but not Opal's love for Peter. Opal is determined to get her man, but she will need the help of Lady Dove-Lyon, the most notorious matchmaker in London.

The Lyon’s Den will host a most unusual game: He who can stay awake the longest, wins the hand of the fair Miss Opal Jones. Peter is horrified that his beautiful, headstrong friend would give herself away on a game of chance, not realizing that Opal already holds all the cards.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Lyon-Sleeps-Tonight-Lyons-Den-ebook/dp/B08CVS1D5C

Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54498853-the-lyon-sleeps-tonight

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-lyon-sleeps-tonight-by-elizabeth-ellen-carter

Vikki’s Musings

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of The Lyon Sleeps Tonight by Elizabeth Ellen Carter for the purpose of reading and reviewing it. My opinions are my own, and no one has influenced them.

The Lyon Sleeps Tonight is a Regency romance with engaging characters and a unique plot. I enjoy stories that show the main characters as children, so this novella pulled me in right away. However, it didn’t keep me until the end. In part, because there aren’t that many scenes between the heroine and hero in the middle, so it has a sagging middle.

Opal Jones is the heroine, and while I liked her, I didn’t fall in love with her. As an adult, her character didn’t show much growth, even for a novella. I only got to know her determination to get the hero to marry her. I didn’t see much depth to her. I did a few glimpses of the fire, but just not enough to inflame my opinions of her.

Peter Ravenshaw’s character was much more interesting and had more depth. His suffering and pain emotionally and physically are strong throughout all his scenes. I enjoyed him as a hero and wanted him to find a happy ending. 

The author bases romance between the hero and heroine on a childhood friendship that the heroine sees through her child’s eye. As adults, they have very little contact, so I found it difficult to believe in their love story.

If you enjoy Regency romance set in the brilliancy of London ballrooms and gaming hells, then you may like The Lyon Sleeps Tonight. I have read several other books in this series and found them more intriguing. This tie into the series seems unnecessary to me. While I didn’t love this book, other reviewers did, so with all reviews, my opinions are subjective. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

Elizabeth Ellen Carter is a time traveller (and an award-winning historical romance author from Australia). She's been to ancient Rome, Medieval England, Georgian France, Victorian London and battled Barbary Coast pirates during the Regency period and brings back stories of adventure and romance. In fact, she describes what she does as Love's Great Adventure. Follow Elizabeth's adventures on her web site --> www.eecarter.com.

Social Media:

Website: http://www.eecarter.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethEllenCarter/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EECarterAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabeth_ellen_carter/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/eecarterauthor/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-ellen-carter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7351013.Elizabeth_Ellen_Carter

Book Review: The Last Real Cowboy by Caitlin Crews

The Last Real Cowboy by Caitlin Crews

Publisher & Release: St. Martin’s, January 28, 2020

Time and setting:  Present Day, Cold River

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Western

Length: 382 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Flame

Rating: 3 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

USA Today bestselling author Caitlin Crews returns to the Cold River Ranch series with The Last Real Cowboy!

In Cold River, sometimes forbidden love is the sweetest of them all… 

Perennial good girl Amanda Kittredge knows that her longtime crush on Brady Everett was never really supposed to go anywhere. But when Brady comes home during Amanda’s first attempt at independence, well, who better to teach her about rebellion than her older brother’s bad-boy best friend?

Brady’s plans did not include being forced to work the family homestead for a year—and yet, here he is. And, to make matters worse, his best friend’s innocent little sister is making a menace of herself in the most grown-up, tempting ways. When Amanda begs Brady to teach her about men, he knows he should refuse. But could Brady’s greatest temptation be his salvation?

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Last-Real-Cowboy-River-Ranch-ebook/dp/B07SCTC1CN

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-real-cowboy-caitlin-crews

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46218126-the-last-real-cowboy

Vikki’s Musings

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the chance to read and review The Last Real Cowboy by Caitlin Crews in advance of publication. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

The Last Real Cowboy is no doubt a well-written novel. It may have helped if I had read the other books in this series, so I would possibly have had some prior knowledge of the secondary characters. However, this can be read as a stand alone novel. It just didn’t resonate with me.

Amanda Kittredge’s character is a mixed bag for me. There are aspects of the heroine that I enjoyed very much, but I had a difficult time wrapping my brain around a woman being as sheltered and naïve as she. This is the 21^st century, and it would be highly unusual for any young woman, unless she’d been raised in a very strict religion such as an Amish community, to be as sheltered as Amanda. If this novel had been set in the late 19^th century, this aspect of the story may have worked much better.

Brady Everett is not my favorite type of hero. He’s arrogant, and at times rude to the heroine. I struggled with him from the start and would have liked more depth to his character to explain his coldness. He isn’t very nice to Amanda throughout most of the book.

For me, there just wasn’t very much chemistry between Amanda and Brady. I never became fully vested in their love affair. Brady and Amanda never seemed to connect on an emotional level. I’m not fond of relationships centered on the physical.

If you like contemporary romance set in the west with cowboys and small-town USA, then The Last Real Cowboy may be a good reading experience for you. Reading is subjective and what doesn’t work for one individual may appeal very well to another. I just downloaded the first book in this series, via Audible since that one has excellent reviews. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

USA Today-bestselling, RITA-nominated, and critically-acclaimed author Caitlin Crews has written more than 100 books, including Frenemies, Princess from the Past, A Royal Without Rules, and Undone by the Sultan's Touch. She's won fans with romances, Harlequin Presents, women's fiction, chick lit, and work-for-hire young adult novels, many of which she writes as Megan Crane (including the dystopian Viking romance Edge series). These days her focus is on contemporary romance in all its forms, from small town heat to international glamour, cowboys to bikers to military men and beyond. She's taught creative writing classes in places like UCLA Extension's prestigious Writers' Program, gives assorted workshops on occasion, and attempts to make use of the MA and PhD in English Literature she received from the University of York in York, England. She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with a husband who draws comics and animation storyboards, and their menagerie of ridiculous animals.

Social Media:

Website: https://megancrane.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeganCraneAndCaitlinCrews

Twitter: https://twitter.com/megancrane

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganmcrane/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/meganandcaitlin/

Book Review: In Her Sights by Katie Ruggle

In Her Sights by Katie Ruggle

Publisher & Release: Sourcebooks Casablanca, March 26, 2019

Time and setting:  Present Day, Rockies

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Book Length:   384 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Flame

Rating: 3 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Bounty hunter Molly Pax fought hard for everything she has, turning the bail recovery business she shares with her sisters into an unqualified success. So when their sticky-fingered mother jumps bail and puts the childhood home up as collateral, Molly's horrified. To make matters worse, every two-bit criminal in the Rockies now sees her family's misfortune as their next big break.

She needs help, stat. 

Enter rival bounty hunter John Carmondy: six feet of pure trouble, with a cocky grin to match. John's the most cheerfully, annoyingly gorgeous frenemy Molly's ever had the pleasure of defeating...and he may be her only hope of making it out of this mess alive.

Buy Link:

https://smile.amazon.com/Sights-Rocky-Mountain-Bounty-Hunters-ebook/dp/B07HK4KGRG

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40597254-in-her-sights

Vikki’s Musings

In Her Sightsis the first book in Katie Ruggle’s new series, Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters. Thanks goes to the publisher, via Net-Galley, for inviting me to read and review in advance of publication. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

I enjoyed the family unity between the five sisters, and I empathized with their problems with their sticky-fingered mother. It’s amazing the young women are not seriously affected by her dreadful behavior. It must have been chaos living under her supervision, or should I say lack there of! 

For me, the pacing is a bit slow because Ms. Ruggle is clearly setting up the series in this first installment. Unfortunately, it took the focus off Molly and John. Plus, the character development was not strong.

Molly clearly loves her sister and will do whatever it takes to protect them. That is a very positive characteristic. However, it makes her very controlling and closes her off from other relationships. For a good part of the book, she sees John as an annoyance to be tolerated. I’m not overly fond of the enemies to lovers stories. Of course, other readers love that trope.

I found John’s character somewhat superficial and never felt like I knew him. That kept me from truly seeing Molly and John as a couple. Overall, he came across as a decent guy, just not riveting.

The romance takes a back seat to the plot-driven story. For me, I didn’t feel a lot of chemistry or passion between them. That made it hard for me to care about their romance. 

Let’s talk action and suspense. That too took some time to build. However, the climax is great and keep me engaged throughout the last part of the story. Earlier on, some of the scenes were a bit contrived.

Overall, this is not a bad read, just not one that grabbed me. I did find the sisters interesting and will probably read the next book when it comes out. Ms. Ruggle left several threads unresolved, and hopefully that will be corrected in the next one in the series. Happy reading!

Book Review: The Wrong Man by Natasha Anders

The Wrong Man by Natasha Anders

Publisher & Release: Montlake Romance, September 4, 2018

Time and setting:  Present Day, South Africa

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Length:  336 Pages

Heat Level: 2 Flames

Rating: 3 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

No commitments. No expectations. No way this could possibly go wrong…right?

Former special-ops soldier Sam Brand is used to getting what he wants. What he wants is to unbutton the buttoned-down, sweet, and shy Dahlia McGregor. He’s hot to find her wild side. She’s eager to let him explore it. So he makes his proposition—no strings, no hurt feelings, and no promises—save for one: she’ll have the time of her life.

After a broken engagement, Lia’s looking to someday find the right man and settle down. That’s some day. Now it’s all about the night. A hot, meaningless fling with a magnificently weathered blue-eyed stud like Sam couldn’t hurt: he’s sexy, and sure he’s arrogant, but best of all, he’s here. In other words, he’s perfect…for now.

But when Sam is wounded in the line of duty and left in Lia’s tender loving care, all bets are off. Because the more time they spend together, the more it becomes clear: this “one night” deal is getting steamier and lasting longer than they counted on. It started as a fun little game. Is it possible they could be playing for keeps?

Buy Link:

https://smile.amazon.com/Wrong-Man-Alpha-Men-Book-ebook/dp/B0797SF7XQ

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38200857-the-wrong-man

Vikki’s Musings

This is the third book in the Alpha Men series. I read the first one, The Wing Man, and thoroughly enjoyed it, so when I received an invitation from the publisher, via Net-Galley, to read and review in advance of publication, I accepted. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

The Wrong Man is certainly titled correctly. The hero does not fit any of the desires of the heroine. I know opposites attract, but in this case, I believe they are too different. The writing flows well and the pacing, while a little slow, did not truly drag. My main issue with this book are the unlikeable hero and the doormat heroine.

Dahlia Mc Gregor’s character is way too ordinary and just too nice. She has no back-bone, even allowing a jerky date a second thought when she clearly does not even like the guy. She gives into everyone, especially Sam. While I normally love a nurturer, Dahlia takes that archetype to a new level that was even too much for me!

Sam Brand is crude and abrasive, and never truly warmed to him. He is constantly dropped the f-bomb which never sets well with me. While he is redeemed somewhat by the end of the book, in my estimation it takes way too long. His willingness to enmesh himself in the small-town life was all right but was way out of character. 

Another reviewer mentioned that the romance never truly takes off. Sex yes, but not love. I found it very difficult to see this couple having a lasting relationship, so I never became vested in their “love” story. The sexual scenes are steamy, and I can see why some reviewers could enjoy them, but for me I like more emotion and less graphic detail.

Nonetheless, The Wrong Man is an interesting read, and I will probably read future books from Ms. Anders since I have enjoyed several of hers in the past. This book is missing the edge that is normally in her books. I would suggest The Unwanted Wife over this one. Happy reading!

Book Review: Burning Up by Jennifer Blackwood

Burning Up by Jennifer Blackwood

Publisher & Release: Montlake Romance, May 8, 2018

Time and setting:  Present Day, USA

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Length: 253 pages

Heat Level: 1 Flame

Rating: 3 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Blackwood fans the flames of desire in her smoking-hot series about firefighters and the women who want them…

Unemployed schoolteacher Erin Jenkins is back in Portland, the town she hasn’t called home for more than a decade. It’s not the way she wants to spend her last days of summer: in between jobs and avoiding her mother’s snooping by escaping to the ice-cream aisle. But when the opportunity arises for her to accompany her brother’s best friend—her lifetime crush—to a wedding, summer gets a whole lot more interesting.

Firefighter and single dad Jake Bennett has built a nice, safe wall around his heart—no romance, no getting burned. That doesn’t mean he’s ruling out a fling. Considering Erin’s visit is temporary, they’re the perfect fit for a scorching no-strings one-night stand. Or two. Or five. Until the worst thing happens: Erin and Jake are feeling more. Damn that four-letter word.

Now their hearts are on the line, and when their smoldering summer comes to a close, it’s going to be harder than ever to put out the fire.

Buy Link:

https://smile.amazon.com/Burning-Up-Flirting-Fire-Book-ebook/dp/B076H5GLY9

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36561006-burning-up

Vikki’s Musings

I received an invitation from the publisher, via Net-Galley, to read and review Burning Up, and since the book description peeked my curiosity, I accepted. My opinions are my own and are not influenced by anyone.

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Blackwood. The story has decent pacing and an intriguing concept. The writing flows smoothly and has the right amount of description to give me a clear picture without taking it too far where nothing is left to my imagination.

Erin Jenkins’ character is a mixed bag for me. I would have liked more depth to her character. I did not understand why she felt so strongly about leaving Portland in the first place, and why she is so determined to get out of Dodge as soon as possible. Overall, I never became vested in her character.

The best part of Jake’s character is his overwhelming love for his daughter, and that he is not a player, just a nice guy. Unfortunately, that did not give me much insight into personality. I’m not even sure why he falls in love with Erin, especially since I did not care for her. Again, his character needs more depth.

Let’s talk the romance element. It is the central theme of this novel. There is sexual chemistry between Jake and Erin. There is no doubt they are physically attracted to each other, but for me, the emotional connection is not strong, and that’s what is most important to me when I’m reading a romance.

Unfortunately, Burning Up was not my cup of tea, but I could appreciate the author’s witty banter and humor. Opinions are always subjective, and other will love this book. I would have liked a bit more action and emotional romance. Happy reading!