Review: See Jane Score

Title: See Jane Score
Author: Rachel Gibson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: January 2003

Contemporary Romance Challenge

From the back cover ~

THIS IS JANE

A little subdued. A little stubborn. A little tired of going out on blind dates with men who drive vans with sofas in the back, Jane Alcott is living the Single Girl existence in the big city. She is also leading a double life. By day, she's a reporter covering the raucous Seattle Chinooks hockey team—especially their notorious goalie Luc Martineau. By night, she's a writer, secretly creating the scandalous adventures of "Honey Pie"...the magazine series that has all the men talking.

SEE JANE SPAR

Luc has made his feelings about parasite reporters—and Jane—perfectly clear. But if he thinks he’s going to make her life a misery, he’d better think again.

SEE JANE ATTRACT

For as long as he can remember, Luc has been single minded about his career. The last thing he needs is a smart mouthed, pain in the backside, reporter digging into his past and getting in his way. But once the little reporter shed her black and gray clothes in favor of a sexy red dress, Luc sees that there is more to Jane than originally meets the eye.

Maybe it’s time to take a risk. Maybe it’s time to live out fantasies. Maybe it’s time to....

SEE JANE SCORE!

I've never read a book by Rachel Gibson. Don't really know why not but I would guess because I don't read that much contemporary romances. Thanks to Brie's challenge I have been reading more and trying some new authors. I have a few favorites that I read: Brockmann, SEP, Julia Harper, Linda Howard etc. So why Gibson? And why this book in particular? I blame nath, Monroe and Kristie. You see, nath and Monroe did a wonderful review of Jill Shalvis' Double Play over at Breezing Through . And that's where See Jane Score was mentioned by nath in the review and then again by Kristie in the comments. Sold! And in case you're wondering why I didn't read Double Play, the library didn't have it in yet but they had See Jane Score just sitting there waiting for me. :)

So we've got Jane, a very likable heroine. She's the type of heroine that you'd want as a friend. She practical and loyal. She's also funny and easy to talk to. She's a reporter that writes a monthly column, Single Girl in the City, for the Seattle Times. She also supplements her income writing very explicit stories for the men's magazine, Him. Those explicit stories star Jane's alter ego Honey Pie - the woman who loves men so much she puts them into comas. :)

No one but Jane's editor and her best friend Caroline know that Jane is the author of the Honey Pie serials. The last thing Jane wants is for that information to get out. When she's offered a job as the traveling sports reporter for the Seattle hockey team, the Chinooks, she takes it even though she knows nothing about hockey. Jane has a dream of someday owning her own home and taking the sports reporter job will get her that much closer to fulfilling her dream.

Luc Martineau is the star goalie for the Chinooks. He's not only talented, he's also got the looks to go with all that talent. He suffered an injury two years ago that lead to surgery and recovery. Now he's back playing the sport he loves. What did I think of Luc? I could have just gobbled him up. :) When Luc says the word 'about' he pronounces it 'aboot'. So cute! He is definitely sigh worthy. His relationship with his teammates and his 1/2 sister were just part of what made up this wonderful hero. While he's far from perfect, he has such heart for the sport he loves. Gibson has Luc's heart coming through so vividly in this story in how he treats others. He's very protective of his privacy and his teammates. Hockey is his life but that starts to change when he becomes the guardian for his 1/2 sister Marie and then Jane enters the picture.

Luc + Jane = perfect couple. I just loved these two. It's not that they're perfect people but that they are perfect for each other. It doesn't start out that way. Jane is sooo not Luc's type. Luc's type is the super model, Barbie doll type. Jane, ummm... isn't. There's a scene where the team and Jane are on the road and they're at the hotel. Luc leaves his room to get ice for his knee when he spots Jane at the vending machine. Jane, in need of a late night snack, decided to make a quick trip to the vending machine in her pjs, thinking that the players were already in their rooms.

She bent over, and that's when he noticed her nicely rounded butt with cows on it. In fact, she had cows all over her blue flannel pajamas. The thing was one piece and from the back looked like long johns. She turned and he was confronted by a horror worse than those pajamas. A pair of black-rimmed glasses sat on her face. The lenses were small and square, and he supposed they were in style with militant women's groups. They were just plain ugly.

Seeing him, her eyes widened and she sucked in a startled breath. "I though you guys were supposed to be in bed by now," she said.

Damn, he didn't think a woman could look any more sexless. "What is this?" he asked and pointed the bucket at her. "The I-don't-ever-want-to-get-laid-again look?" page 47

So to say that Luc wasn't attracted to Jane at first would be accurate. But he was intrigued by her. Also annoyed by her. :) And as he slowly started to noticed little things that he found attractive about Jane, he still couldn't believe that he was attracted to her. Poor, confused Luc. LOL And I'll briefly mention the sex scenes - hot, funny, hot, tender and yeah, hot. Trust me, these two work very well together, once they get together. ;)

Jane can't help but notice that Luc is good looking. She gets to go into the locker room after the games, seeing a whole lot a Luc before she even gets to know him. He's not her type either but he's the star and she needs his cooperation. They're both stubborn and aggressive when they need to be. Luc wants nothing to do with Jane the reporter. He has a reputation for not giving interviews and Jane wants an interview. They butt heads a lot and finally come to an agreement.

On the whole hockey aspect ~ I don't watch hockey but I did as a kid growing up in the burbs of Chicago where everyone rooted for the Blackhawks. I even played some hockey at at the neighborhood rink. Usually because the boys took over the rink and if we girls wanted to skate we had to play. We were good too! :) The first game in See Jane Score has the Chinooks traveling to Phoenix to play the Coyotes. The way Gibson describes the games gives the reader enough info to understand what's happening on the ice but it's more about what the players, in particular Luc, are feeling and thinking. She also has the fans reactions, specifically Jane. I totally got into the hockey aspect and even had the crazy thought of going to a Coyotes game. LOL

The secondary characters and the overall plot had a good, even flow to them. Luc's teammates were real characters. LOL There's some real guy talk going on in this book. Had me laughing and thinking that yes, guys really do talk like that. Their superstitions with regards to the game were both interesting and amusing. When I did have to put the book down I had no problem getting back into the story. See Jane Score scored high with this reader. Now my question is, which Rachel Gibson book should I read next?

Rachel Gibson and her books can be found here at the author's website.

Rating: A

Review: Virgin River

Title: Virgin River
Author: Robyn Carr
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Virgin River/Book 1
Published: April 2007

Contemporary Romance Challenge 2009

WANTED: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against a backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal-clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to re-energize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving: the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she’s made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.

But a tiny baby, abandoned on a front porch, changes her plans...and a former marine cements them into place.

Melinda Monroe may have come to Virgin River looking for escape, but instead she finds her home.

Why didn't you guys tell me how amazing this series is?! Oh, sure I heard comments like, "I really love this series" and "I can't wait to read the next Robyn Carr book". But no one actually said, "Leslie, stop being an idiot and read the darn series already". Can I just say how thankful I am to have finally dug into this series? I read the first three books in about a week. I love this little world that Carr has created. How many of you that have read it haven't at some point wished you could go to Virgin River? Maybe not to live but just to visit for a little while? Yeah, it's that type of place filled with those kind of characters. Notice I said characters. I do realize this is a fictional place but man, Carr really knows how to bring it to life.

I'll start with Melinda Monroe or Mel as she's called. She makes the choice of drastically changing her life after her life was drastically changed. Make sense? When Mel's husband was killed everything she took for granted was swept away. Her sense of safety and security was gone. She began to see danger around every corner. She gets to her breaking point and decides a big change is what she needs. That's how she ends up in Virgin River. When she gets there things are not as promised and Mel's ready to head out of town. She's delayed by a new patient and decides to stay for a few days. This gives a certain bartender time to convince Mel to stay for good.

Jack, Jack, Jack. I love Jack! Carr writes the male perspective with heaps of wit and loads of sinful sexiness. Jack has four sisters and it shows in his interactions with the women of the town. He's very nurturing and enjoys taking care of people. It like it's his mission in life to help those who need it. He's a former Marine and still maintains that air of command and the ability to get things done. Jack settled in Virgin River after leaving the Marine Corps and opened up a bar that also serves some of the best food around compliments of Preacher, one of Jack's Marines. The interactions between these men and the other men in town are such fun to read. It's like listening in to when my brothers and other male members in my family sit around talking about sports, current affairs, family etc.

Jack and Mel ~ there were times when I wondered how the heck Carr was going to get these two together and make it believable. Mel was still grieving the death of her husband and Jack had always enjoyed the company of women but not enough to settled down with one in particular. He still doesn't consider himself the marrying type but has a strong attraction to Mel so he wants her to stay. Not just for him but for this town that he's come to care deeply for. Mel loved her husband very much and it's a daily struggle for her to keep going. She focuses her attention on her work, it's what gives her a purpose in life.

The working environment Mel finds in Virgin River is vastly different from Los Angeles but she finds it's just as important and just as rewarding. Working in an E.R. in a large city like LA and working in a small town where many of the births are home births gives Mel a new perspective on her role as midwife. We get to see Mel become rejuvenated and begin to enjoy life once again. The change is slow to come and Jack certainly does some encouraging. While not exactly pressing Mel to stay he doesn't miss any opportunity to show her how much the town needs her and he eventually shows her how much he needs her.

Mel and Jack's relationship started out as friends and turned into a beautiful love story. There's not a thing I can't think of that I would change about it. When Jack and Mel are together the chemistry is so strong and so natural that everyone in town sees it. And when they are alone together they have a hard time resisting each other. I didn't mind some of the disagreements and difficulties they had. The difficulties played into the role of grieving widow and confirmed bachelor that Mel and Jack start out as.

The secondary characters are what make this book complete. Yes, I totally loved Jack and Mel's story but it wouldn't have been the same without the other residents of Virgin River. Preacher is the first to come to mind. Quiet and soft spoken, he's the gentle giant and an amazing cook. Then there's Rick who Jack and Preacher have taken under their wing. The interactions with these three showed a side of Jack and Preacher we might not have seen. Hope McCrea and Doc Mullins are the cranky old folks that you can't help but like even while they're irritating the heck out of everyone. All of the secondary characters were well written and had a purpose in the story line - no filler here. :)

Wonderful, amazingly beautiful story. I can't recommend this book enough. So if you're in the mood for a great contemporary read then look no further than Virgin River. Robyn Carr has also written another series as well as some stand alone novels. All books and author info can be found here.

Rating: A+

Review: Practice Makes Perfect

Title: Practice Makes Perfect
Author: Julie James
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 2009
Contemporary Romance Challenge 2009

WHEN IT COMES TO THE LAWS OF ATTRACTION . . .

Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are lawyers who know the meaning of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged, and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face to face, they’re perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they’ve kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as co-workers for one reason only: to make partner at the firm.

. . . THERE ARE NO RULES.

But all bets are off when they’re asked to join forces on a major case. At first apprehensive, they begin to appreciate each other’s dedication to the law—and the sparks between them quickly turn into attraction. But the increasingly hot connection doesn’t last long when they discover that only one of them will be named partner. Now it’s an all out war. And the battle between the sexes is bound to make these lawyers hot under the collar . . .

What a fun, laugh out loud read. This is Julie James' sophomore effort and she is going strong with no signs of letting up. Payton and J.D. are a case of opposites attract and play off each other quite well. In Practice Makes Perfect the hero and heroine have been working at the same law firm for eight years and have had time to practice and perfect their razor-sharp banter. When in public they are cordial and polite to each other but behind closed doors the gloves come off! With the decision of who will make partner closing in on them they are willing to do just about anything to succeed. Watching them try to out do the other and still be professional was a delight.

Payton Kendall may come off as a hard working, driven woman in what is a predominately man's world and while she is all those things she's still very female. What I mean by that is that while she does dress for business she wears slim-fit skirts, Jimmy Choo heels and the occasional thong. :) She's not a woman trying to be more "manly" simply to fit into a man's world. She holds her own and capitalizes on her strengths and downplays any weaknesses. I really liked Payton and the fact that Ms. James didn't make her, how should I put it, the more "intellectually challenged" in the relationship. I would put Payton up against J.D. in a courtroom any day.

Speaking of J.D.... I liked him. Which surprised me since he started out with a stick up his ass. :) He was funny in his somewhat "caveman" type outlook on women in the workplace. I didn't find his views insulting so much as more the views of a man who really doesn't know as much as he thingks he does about women. He may think he knows women well but I have a feeling his good looks have gotten him far. It's not that he isn't smart, he is but I think he's only touched the surface in discovering what makes a woman tick. Payton definitely helped J. D. see the light concerning women. That they are more than capable of doing the same job as a man. And once J.D., with a push from his amusing sidekick Tyler, decides to be nice to Payton he not only surprises her but he surprises himself by how much he enjoys being with her.

Payton and J.D.'s relationship evolved in a way that was not only believable, given their history but also showed how each one gradually changed their views of the other. At the beginning they both had very set ideas of what the other was like, what their priorities were and even what their hangs up were. By the end of the book they had gotten to know each other and respect each other. That to me was so important, more so than the strong physical attraction that I think was always there but denied by both.

Practice Makes Perfect is an enjoyable romantic comedy. The situations the h/h find themselves in, while not always of their own making, were fun to read and watch how J.D. and Payton reacted. There were some emotional scenes and you do get below the surface of each character. You get to see them interact with their parents and get an understanding of how their were raised. Very different upbringings that make them both so driven. Even given that depth there is still a distinct comedic flair to the story.

But all was not perfect. The problem I had with the story was the "big misunderstanding" and how it was so anti-climatic. Even Payton thought it was lame. When it was revealed my reaction was "That's it?! That's why they've spent the past eight years bickering?" And eight years? They're both smart, good-looking, single, work for the same company and spent at least part of those years in offices across from each other. So why did it take eight years for them to get together? Yes, I'm a bit hung up on the eight years. ;)

Even given the problems, they were not what I would consider major. Overall, I would recommend Ms. James if you're looking for a funny, quick contemporary read. The book came in at just under 300 pages and the writing was easy to get into and get lost in the story. Kind of like a relaxing Saturday matinee. All kinds of author info can be found on Julie James' website.

Rating: B++

ETA: You can read my reviw of Ms. James first book, Just the Sexiest Man Alive, here.

Review: Flat-Out Sexy

Title: Flat-Out Sexy
Author: Erin McCarthy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Fast Track/Book 1

Published: November 2008

Contemporary Romance Challenge

The life as the wife of a race car driver is exciting, terrifying and lonely. Tamara Briggs has experienced all of these emotions. She also experienced a devastating loss when her husband, race car driver Pete Briggs, was killed in a crash two years ago. Since then she has kept busy being both mother and father to her two children. Her job as a professor at a local university also requires much of her time. When she tries to venture back into the dating world her first try is an absolute fail. Then on the heels of that failure comes the man of her dreams, the newest rookie driver. If only Tamara hadn't sworn off relationships with drivers.

I'd heard a lot of talk about this book and the hotness of it. The talk was dead on and the hotness went from simmer, steam, slow burn to all out 5 alarm fire. This was a funny, sexy, emotional read that I really enjoyed. I've never been interested in any type of race car driving so it was intriguing to read about the lifestyle and how it affects not only the drivers but their families. I'm not sure how much research Ms. McCarthy did on the racing world but I do feel like I have a better understanding of what all the excitement is for the world of racing.

The heroine in Flat-Out Sexy is a widowed mom of two in her early thirties. One thing a really liked about Tamara is that she acted her age. She had her teaching career and kids to take care of and those were her priorities. McCarthy did a good job working the kids into the story without having them being annoying or simply window decorations. Tamara was fortunate that she had a close relationship with her in-laws even after her husband's death. They helped her with her kids so she was able to have a separate social life. She still felt some guilt about leaving her kids with the in-laws and didn't take advantage of them which was another positive aspect of her character. Tamara did have a few hang ups. The first about the age difference between her and rookie driver Elec. He was 25, almost 26, and she was 32. I personally don't see a problem and neither did Elec but Tamara did. I think the age issue was at least partially an excuse she used to not get close with Elec and develop any kind of deep relationship with him. Her other hang up was her body and that she didn't think it measured up to the bodies of younger women, women that hung out at the track and would love to date Elec. Were her hang ups about her body genuine? To her they were and that's what counts. Elec saw Tamara's body in a different light, not focusing on what Tamara perceived as flaws but on the whys of them. He set out to show her that he loved how she looked and she didn't need to feel insecure with him.

Smart, sexy, good looking and funny describe Elec Monroe. He comes from a racing family, it's in his blood. So when he meets Tamara at a racing function he knows of her but had only met her once before, back when he was a teenager and she was a newly married woman. I think that's what stuck in Tamara's head when she realized she had met him before. It was up to Elec to help Tamara realize that he wasn't that goofy teen but a grown man. Elec's an interesting character, he has all this prestige of not only coming from a racing dynasty but he's a young, hot race car driver with women dying to meet him and hook up with him. He's not by any means innocent and has had his share of women but he doesn't connect with any of them until Tamara. He wants to get to know her and spend time with her, not just in bed but out. Talking and hanging out with her and her kids. She, unfortunately doesn't want anything more from him than a one night stand. Life's ironic like that. Good thing for Tamara is that Elec is stubborn and continues to woo her and show her that he is more than just a gorgeous young stud. He was also adorable during his inner dialogues when trying to decide what his next move would be with Tamara. The poor man had a habit of over-thinking. Very funny.

The relationship and it's development between Elec and Tamara came across as very genuine. They certainly had their problems. First is the simple logistics of getting together without anyone else knowing. Elec's racing schedule kept him on the road for most of the week and Tamara was determined that they not be seen in public. Then Tamara began to realize that she was falling for Elec which scared the crap out of her. She was understandably terrified of getting involved with another driver. There were also some family issue that had to be addressed and overcome. I really liked how McCarthy handled the problems, there were obstacles that I could see real people in the same situation having to deal with. There wasn't this feeling of "we're having amazingly great sex so everything else will work out". The problems were still there to be worked out after the having of the amazing sex. And those scenes were smoking!

The other thing about this book that I totally and completely enjoyed was the humor. It was, at times, truly laugh out loud funny. The dialogue between not only Elec and his buddies but Tamara and her BFF Suzanne cracked me up. On page two Suzanne makes a comment about a "metrosexual man" and "waxed balls" and I couldn't help but wonder if this was setting the tone for the rest of the book and was that necessarily a bad thing? Then I got to thinking about waxing and how it seems like the firmer the area being waxed the easier the waxing and how... well, how many men would really do that? The book was not only funny but got me thinking about some really odd things.

I mentioned Suzanne, Tamara's BFF. Suzanne is also the ex-wife of one of the drivers, Ryder who is friends with Elec. The race world is a close knit family, where everyone knows everyone. Suzanne and Ryder still have some heat between them and I do hope they get their own book.

Overall a very enjoyable and entertaining read. Definitely recommend it. The next book in the series is Hard and Fast and features racer car driver Ty McCordle and Imogen Wilson who is a graduate student and teaching assistant of Tamara's. Ty and Imogen meet briefly in Flat-Out Sexy and there is definitely a spark between the two. Ms. McCarthy has a fun website with details on all her books. Be sure to use the Mix It Up!! feature when checking out her site.

Rating: A-

Review: What I Did for Love

Title: What I Did for Love
Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: January 2009
Contemporary Romance Challenge

What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas. Sometimes it follows you home, moves in with you and drives you crazy! At least that's what happens when you are two very public personalities like Georgie York and Bramwell Shepard. The former stars of the wildly successful Skip and Scooter sitcom are now grown up and going through some very difficult times. Waking up to find themselves married and not remembering the wedding night is the least of their problems. They must convince their friends, fans and the paparazzi that they are wallowing in wedded bliss. Pretty hard to do when you can't stand your spouse. But they are actors so they play their parts only to become the characters they merely thought they were playing.

I haven't read all of SEP's books but the ones I have read I thoroughly enjoyed. While What I Did for Love is not my favorite SEP novel it still provided a fun reading experience with the quick, witty dialogue that SEP is known for.

Georgie York is America's sweetheart but now her heart is broken and bleeding all over the tabloids. Her knight in shining armor has ridden off with another damsel who wants to save the world and look good doing it. And Georgie is left trying to sort out her life - both her personal and her career. She wants to get away from the mediocre roles she's been playing and take on more challenging roles. But convincing her manager, who happens to be her father, that she can do this isn't easy. Then there's the not so little complication of her new husband Bram Shepard. Her one time costar is now the bad boy of Hollywood. Georgie can't depend on his help because he only looks out for himself.

Georgie has a heck of a lot to over come. When Georgie was five her mother died so her father raised her, setting his acting career aside so he could focus solely on Georgie's career. So Georgie has learned from a very early age to depend on her father's judgment and leave the decisions up to him. She's now 31 and in desperate need to break out on her own but she doesn't know how. Oddly enough Bram is the one who helps her.

Bramwell Shepard is the type of bad boy women the world over love. He's got the looks, the charisma and the reputation that makes him so irresistible. But his career hasn't been going well. It's been eight years since Skip and Scooter went off the air. In those eight years he's managed to make a name for himself not by the roles he plays but by the trouble he causes. He's known as a playboy who drinks too much and parties the night away.

Bram was a real ass except when he was being nice, against his better judgment. At times it seemed almost painful for him to let Georgie think he was doing something nice for her. He wanted to continue to project that bad boy imagine. It got to the point where he had to convince himself that he needed to continue looking out for number one. It was the reason he went along with the fake marriage, because of what he could get out of it. But then this is a romance so Bram couldn't stay a total ass forever.

Bram and Georgie spend most of their time either hiding from the paparazzi, or the paps as they're referred to in the book, or using the paps to promote their "marriage". The fact that they had this history dating back to when they were teens only adds to the tension. The time they spent on their sitcom was not full of happy memories. So now that they are adults they not only have to pretend to be in love they have this history to get past. Seeing them interact and get to know each other as adults was believable because it happened in increments. And it wasn't always a positive step forward in their relationship. These two characters were very fragile in their ability to trust anyone.

The friends, family members and supporting staff of Bram and Georgie are well written characters with some additional secondary story lines. I especially liked Bram's Goth housekeeper Chaz. She's more than just a housekeeper, she's Bram's protector and champion. Her opinion of Georgie starts out very low but as these two women are forced to spend time together they get to know each other's strengths and weaknesses. I really enjoyed seeing their relationship become more than just adversaries.

While I was reading WIDfL I couldn't help noticing the similarities between Georgie, her ex-husband Lance and Jade Gentry, the woman Lance left Georgie for. Georgie=Jennifer Aniston, Lance = Brad Pitt and Jade = Angelina Jolie. Lance is portrayed as a real jerk and while Jade wants to help the starving children everywhere she treats the hired help like crap. Georgie on the other hand was very likable, funny and genuine a nice person. Coincidence?

So while I wasn't blown away by the story I'm still glad I read it. It does give a lot of insight into the workings of the movie industry. How you're only as popular as your last film and what it's like to be under that microscope day in and day out. If you like reading about Hollywood and the life of the famous What I Did for Love gives an in depth portrayal of how stressful and rewarding the life of an actor can be.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips website has information on all her novels as well as a page full of quotes from her various novels. You can find all that and more here.

Rating: B+

Review: For the Love of Pete

Title: For the Love of Pete
Author: Julia Harper
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: January 2009
Contemporary Romance Challenge

Everyone knows the unwritten law that if you shovel the snow from a parking space and mark off the spot, that's your space. Everyone that is but Dante Torelli. This is what Zoey Addler discovers when she gets home and catches "Lips of Sin" her sexy neighbor taking her spot. She doesn't know his name, hence the Lips nickname. Before she can finish giving him hell for taking her spot a man runs from the apartment building with a baby. But it's not just any baby, it's Pete, Zoey's niece. And the man isn't just any man, he's a kidnapper. Before Dante realizes it he's in a car chase with his crazy neighbor as his passenger.

For the Love of Pete follows Dante and Zoey on the road trip of a lifetime as they try to get Pete back. Along the way they meet up with some colorful characters in the form of Savita Gupta and Pratima Gupta. The involvement of these ladies gives the chase a dash of comedy along with a bit of surrealism. After reading Harper's HOT and enjoying it I was looking forward to reading For the Love of Pete and was not disappointed. All the same elements that I liked in HOT are in FtLoP.

Zoey Addler is an interesting heroine. She works at a health foods store and also writes poetry. She dresses in her own style, (read: eclectic) and adores her niece. Zoey doesn't have any kids of her own but she helped her sister raise Pete and loves her very much. So when Pete is kidnapped Zoey's reaction is to go after her. She doesn't know at the time that Dante is an FBI agent, he just happens to have a car handy. As they move through the twists and turns of tracking Pete, Zoey gets to know Dante beyond his gorgeous looks and designer suits. He's certainly not what she would consider her type, she more into the artisan types, but this isn't exactly a first date situation. What Zoey realizes is that Dante, for all his class and style is a genuinely nice guy. Add that to his Lips of Sin and you've got a combination that's hard to resist.

Dante Torelli first showed up in the book HOT. He was a secondary character that was given enough page time to grab my interest. In FtLoP he takes center stage and shows that he did deserve a book of his own. If Zoey is a free spirit, child of the earth then Dante is an uptight, lover of rules and regulations. Actually he's not that bad. He just has a different way of unwinding and takes his job very seriously. He comes from a background of privilege and does enjoy having the finer things in life. Like his beautiful BMW that he and Zoey take on a wild ride.

Zoey and Dante are indeed a case of opposites attract. With Dante being the straight arrow, by the book FBI agent and Zoey, well being Zoey. She's more of a by-the-seat-of-her-pants thinker. Which only means that they tend to clash at times but in the end give each other the balance they need. In relationships, the ones that seem to work the best are the ones that have that balance, when the strengths of the heroine and hero compliment each other. That's what happens with Zoey and Dante.

With all this driving around, searching for a kidnapper you'd think that it would be hard for our hero and heroine to find some alone time, to get to know each other better on a more physical level. And you'd be right. The first time they were intimate didn't happen until page 304 of a 375 page book. Did this bother me? Nope. It made sense given the plot of the book. Sure they had opportunities prior but they still had a lot on their minds. It also didn't feel like the right time, they needed to get to know each other better. Once they got to the point where they did have sex it was definitely time. As for that first time I must say umm....well, I was expecting a bit more finesse from Dante. But he turned all uber alpha. But to give him credit he had been in denial for his attraction to Zoey and once he accepted the inevitable he went for it.

For the Love of Pete is another good read from Ms. Harper aka Elizabeth Hoyt. Her secondary characters of the Gupta ladies add flavor to the story mix. And the bad guys keep everyone on their toes. If you want more info on either the contemporary romances writen under the name Julia Harper or the historical romance writen under the name Elizabeth Hoyt you can check out the websites.

Rating: A-