Temptation Marathon

I've mentioned before that I like the Harlequin Temptation line. The length of these books makes them easy to read quickly. Yesterday I read three Temptations (in between shopping sprees) and enjoyed all three of them.

Barbara Dunlop's High Stakes was fun. Dunlop has a gift for dialogue, and it shows in her story about Derek and Candice. When the story begins, they are at odds over the cost of renovations for his family's hotel. Then Derek's brother locks them in the hotel together to force them to work out their differences, and they discover a strong attraction. While I thought that Candice was less compromising than Derek, they are still a good couple and I enjoyed the book: 4 out of 5.

For the Love of Nick by Jill Shalvis was my second read of the day. Danielle and Nick went to high school together, then didn't see each other for years. Now Danielle's in trouble, and Nick steps in to help her. I really felt for Danielle--she is in a tough position at the beginning of the book. Nick is one of my favorite kinds of heroes; he cares deeply for Danielle and wants her to know it. It takes Danielle longer to realize how she feels, which is understandable given the circumstances. This is just a great story: 4.5 out of 5.

Jane Sullivan's Tall, Dark & Texan opens with Wendy getting carjacked in a bad neighborhood. Bounty hunter Michael Wolfe (most often called Wolfe) finds her and takes her back to his apartment since she doesn't have to stay. Wendy is strong-willed. For most of the book, it's a positive quality. However, she does something pretty stupid toward the end. There's a bit of a loose end, too; for most of the story, Wendy plans to get her breasts enlarged and her hair bleached when she has the money. Readers never find out if this happens (hope not). Despite this, the book rates 4 out of 5.

The Temptation line won't be distributed in North America after this summer. I think that's too bad. Hopefully many of these authors will join the Blaze line.

Alyssa