Review: Instant Temptation

Instant Temptation
Jill Shalvis
Contemporary Romance
Wilder Adventures/Book 3
Kensington/April 2010
Library Book

From the back cover ~

Get Your Pulse Racing

To Harley, the landscape around Wishful, California, is exhilarating, untamed, and more than a little dangerous. The same could be said for T.J. Wilder, who's invited himself along on her trek to study a rare coyote. Harley's career is riding on this trip, and she doesn't need a stubborn, incredibly sexy distraction. But T.J. is a professional guide who knows when to stay back and when to provide invaluable expertise--just like he's done since they were in high school.

And Harley, as usual, is torn between throttling him and giving in to the raw attraction that's been smoldering all these years. T.J. knows how proud and capable Harley is, but he's damned sure not letting her put herself at risk when there are illegal hunters in the area. She needs him, with the same soul-stirring urgency that he's always craved her. And here, in this beautiful place days from civilization, he'll finally have a chance to prove it--over and over again. . .

I liked what little we saw of TJ in the two previous books so I have been looking forward to reading his story. Harley is also a character that we got a glimpse of before and I liked the idea of Harley and TJ together. It turns out they worked really good together.

Harley is one of those characters I could see myself being friends with if she existed in RL. She's easy to get to know and like. She does have some blind spots when it comes to her family. Her parents are good parents, they love their two daughters, but they're not exactly responsible when it comes to money and bills. They have come to rely on Harley to help them out. Same thing with Harley's sister, Skye. I don't have a problem with helping family and friends out now and then but with Harley it got to be a habit that was seriously affecting her life in the form of her bills not getting paid. This and Harley having a crush on TJ for years and not telling him are her two weakest traits. But I did like her in spite of those things.

TJ is the oldest of the Wilder brothers. I think the word remote describes him well. He's not cold but he keeps to himself, which is fairly easy since he's gone so much. TJ has a tragedy in his past that he hasn't gotten over. It's clouding his perception of what's really important to him - namely Harley. There were times that, like TJ's brothers, I just wanted to bash him over the head. Don't you just love it when characters make you want to do bodily harm to them? LOL Aside from the whole head bashing thing, I really, really, liked TJ. He's a bit gruff but he has this incredible soft side that you see when he's with his family and Harley. He knows there's chemistry between them, he doesn't deny it, but he's convinced himself that he doesn't do long term relationships. He's just not around enough. Of course his logic if flawed because he could be around more if he wanted to. Run away TJ, run away.

TJ's not the only one who's running away. Harley has been working hard and now it's payoff time. She's going for a permanent job in Colorado. She's convinced herself it's what she wants and what would be best for her. Then she spends some time alone with TJ in the wild and is drawn by the beauty of the outdoors. And the hot, sexy guide that is TJ. :) Harley's always loved being outside but doesn't see herself making a living at it.

Harley + TJ = lots of outdoor sex, indoor sex and pretty much anywhere they could find some alone time. Shalvis knows how to write it hot and adds in a bit of humor. The romance is sweet, funny and heartbreaking. I love these two together! They fit so well, everyone knew it, even Harley and TJ but Harley wanted long term and TJ didn't. It takes a swift kick in the pants for both of them to realize what they really want. It was fun seeing how they got to that nearly elusive HEA, traveling over all those bumps along the way.

I have to mention the other members of the Wilder family. First, there's TJ's two younger brothers - Stone and Cam. Loved the teasing, joking, playfulness of the three brothers. They may give each other a hard time but it's all done in love. Tough love a lot of the time but the love is still there. Then there's Annie and Nick. Annie is the aunt of the three boys who took them in a helped raise them when she was very young. Nick is a good friend to the brothers and Annie's husband. They're a cute couple. It's definitely a family story with the main focus on the romance. A really good end to the Wilder brothers.

Rating: A-

ETA: My reviews for books 1 & 2

Instant Attraction
Instant Gratification

Review: Instant Gratification

Title: Instant Gratification

Author: Jill Shalvis

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Wilder Brothers/Book 2

Published: July 2009

From the back cover ~

Wishful, California, is 3000 miles from Dr. Emma Sinclair's last job in a New York City ER. It may as well be another galaxy. Here, running her father's clinic for a summer, Emma treats bee stings, stomach flu, and the occasional pet cat. Plus, she has to contend with patients like Stone Wilder: gorgeous, laid-back, and irritating beyond belief. The man laughs at her. A lot. And Emma loathes him. All except that tiny part of her that wants to throw him on her examining table and break every doctor-patient rule in the book.

When Stones tries to help Emma learn to loosen up a bit, he pictures white-water rafting or scenic mountain hikes. Not a mind-blowing affair that shakes them both to the core. Emma's sure she has no place in a town like Wishful, but Stone knows different. Emma belongs here - in this town, in his life. It is convincing that this strong-minded, stubborn, sexy woman of that fact will be a challenge no Wilder man could resist.

This is book two in the series about the three Wilder brothers who run Wilder Adventures, a guide service in the California Sierras for just about any kind of outdoor activity. Ms. Shalvis' love for the Sierras comes through in her writing of the scenery, the feel and even the smell of the mountains. Makes me want to go there and look for these Wilder brothers. :)

Stone Wilder is aptly named because he is the rock that holds his family together. He's the mediator, the one that keeps the company running and diffuses the numerous quarrels that occur with three very opinionated brothers and their aunt who raised them. I liked Stone but he was a man that's easy to like. He pretends to be a laid back mountain bum, just hanging out, playing on the mountain. But he's really very responsible and very giving to his community. These are things that Emma comes to find out as she gets to know the real Stone Wilder.

Emma is used to the big city pace of New York and the ER that she ran. The pace in Wishful is decidedly slower and less trauma filled. The people are different too. They take time to enjoy life and concern themselves with their neighbors and the goings on in the small town of 3000. Emma is out of her element and can only look forward to getting out of Wishful. She just has to wait until her father is able to take over the Urgent Care clinic again. Until then, she's stuck in Wishful and trying to keep her attraction to the sexy Wilder brother from becoming more than simply enjoying the view. Emma was an okay character. I never really felt like I connected with her. Her personality is standoffish and she's not a person comfortable getting close with others. While I liked her I just didn't feel that connection with her that I was hoping for. That's not necessarily a bad thing and doesn't mean that other readers might get more from the character, just that I didn't.

The plot was interesting with Stone trying to get Emma to come out of her shell and learn to slow down and smell the roses. He takes her to some of his favorite places on the mountain and helps her to be more open with the townspeople. I liked Stone's patience with Emma and his consideration of her situation. She had left Wishful when she was only 6 and considers herself a New Yorker. She came back because her father needed her help with the clinic and it's only suppose to be temporary. Stone hopes that Emma will make the move permanently and tries to show her how much he and the town need her.

Instant Gratification was a quick, fun read with the hot, steamy sex scenes that I've come to expect from Shalvis. The road to HEA for Emma and Stone was an entertaining journey with a glimpse of brother number three, TJ and his potential HEA. His story looks to be a rocky one. Look for Instant Temptation (TJ's story) in April 2010.

Want to read excerpts for all three Wilder brother books? They can be found here. Want to read my review for Instant Attraction? That can be found here.

Jill Shalvis and her considerable back list can be found on her website. Shalvis also has a daily blog about life as a writer in the beautiful Sierras.

Rating: B+

Review: Instant Attraction

Title: Instant Attraction
Author: Jill Shalvis
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Wilder Brothers/Book 1
Published: February 2009

From back cover ~

Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl - working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn't fit in anywhere. That's all she wants. Well, that - and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she's crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed - that part defies explanation...

After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he'll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie's killer smile triggers something deep in his gut...among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a check book is the biggest rush he's ever felt - and an adventure Katie's wishing would never end...

Finally, a review. RL has intruded to the point where it's been hard to concentrate on writing reviews. I've been spending my online time blog hopping with the attention span of a two year old instead of writing. But I'm hopefully back on track with my first Jill Shalvis book. At least I think it is my first. She has a huge back list so I suppose it's possible that I read one of her earlier books but I don't think so. I would have remembered this author. I'm starting to wonder about this rumor about the contemporary being a dying breed. Looking back on my recent reads I've read quite a few very well written contemporaries. Sure the PNR genre is flooded with new series every month but the contemporary is still alive and kicking. Instant Attraction is a perfect example of what a really good romance is.


Katie Kramer got a wake up call one day. It was in the form of a car accident that nearly killed her. After she recovers she feels the need for change but what she not sure of. So she packs up and heads out to the unknown and ends up in the town of Wishful. Katie takes a temporary job as the office manager for the Wilders at their mountain lodge. She's gotten out of the city and into what she feels is a refuge, at least for now. Katie is at the point in her life where she's not sure what she wants or where she wants to end up, both physically and emotionally. The one thing she does know is that she wants to take risks, to do things she never would have done before. Kind of like the bucket list but instead of dying she almost died and now gets a second chance at life. She doesn't want to waste that chance.

What can I say about Katie? I liked her. I understood her motives for wanting to get away from her old life and the pain she went through. She was a well developed character that Shalvis really let the reader get into by seeing Katie's actions and reactions to the situations she finds herself in. She scared of taking chances and trying new things but she's more scared of not trying and losing out on what could be an amazing experience. These emotions come through so well in Shalvis' writing.

Cameron Wilder is so damn tired. When we first meet him he can barely stay awake. He's been moving here, there. Never staying in one place too long. Not knowing where he'll go next only that he can't go back to what and who he was. That old life is lost to him and he can never get it back. And that really sucks for Cam. He doesn't know what else to do. His abilities on the slopes defined him. Made him who he was. Without that he's lost. And where do the lost, if their smart, finally go? Home. Unfortunately for Cameron his home is occupied by a woman. And she's not just any woman but a woman who wants to live life to the fullest when all Cam wants to do is retreat from life.

Katie was exactly what Cam needed. The kick in the ass to get him to realize that his life wasn't over. That he was more than just this famous world champion snowboarder. That there can be life after a tragedy. These two worked so well together. They complimented each other. Push and pull. Katie giving Cam the push he needed to get back into the business of living. Cam giving Katie the pull she needed to go for those adventures she's so certain will complete her life.

And the Instant Attraction is certainly there. They have a hard time keeping their eyes (and hands) off each other. The scenes where the clothes start coming off are sexy, funny and so very hot. You know how readers blog about the various words authors used when describing a man's anatomy? Specifically what's between his legs. Shalvis used a word to describe those man parts that I don't remember hearing before.

No slouch, she got his pants to his thighs, freeing his essentials.

And, oh God, his essentials... He was big and hard and hot, and her being so naked while he was still relatively clothed was a shocking turn-on. page 177

I like it. It has class. Essentials. It even sounds a bit erotic if you draw it out and say it in a sultry voice. Go ahead, say it. You gotta admit it's way better than "man-root".

Katie and Cam weren't the only ones whose essentials were getting some action. The characters of Annie, Cam's aunt, and her soon to be ex-husband, Nick, had an interesting secondary story going on. Poor Nick trying to figure out what Annie really wants from him. With Stone and Cam trying to help him out (the blind leading the blind). Those conversations between the guys had some great male dialogue.

I enjoyed Instant Attraction and will add more Jill Shalvis books to my TBR pile. Can't have enough good books. And with that in mind there are two other Wilder men, Stone mentioned above and TJ the oldest brother who was absent for most of the book. So more Wilder Adventures to look forward to. In fact Stone's book is next, Instant Gratification, due out June 30. Here's an excerpt from Stone's book. And for that extensive back list you should check out Ms. Shalvis' website and blog.

Rating: A-