Call Me

Since I have been reading and enjoying Alison Kent's Smithson Group series, I decided to start looking for her backlist. Call Me is Kent's first Harlequin Temptation, and it's an interesting story: 4 out of 5.

Harley Golden owns an antique store. After her divorce, she focused her time and energy on her business. She hasn't had time for a relationship and is still wary after her husband's infidelity. Then she meets Gardner Barnes during a recent flight. He gives her one of his business cards with two words written on the back: "Call me." After an inner debate and a discussion with a friend, Harley calls him. They have several phone conversations before they see each other again.

I read Call Me in one sitting. The dialogue is terrific, and the phone calls set up Harley and Gardner's relationship nicely. They have wonderful chemistry. I'm definitely going to keep looking for Kent's backlist.

The relationship seems rushed at times, and I was surprised by how quickly Gardner brought up the issue of having children. There are also some romance cliches, such as Harley's desire not to get involved with an attractive man because of her ex-husband, and Gardner's desire to stay emotionally aloof. In both cases, however, Call Me shows that a common scenario can create a powerful story as long as it's done well.

Alyssa