TBR Challenge: Fascination

May's TBR challenge is to read either a book featuring someone in law enforcement (even if only loosely connected) or an e-book. Fascination is in the former category, and I finished it this month after getting almost halfway through it a few months ago.

Title
Fascination

Author
Samantha Hunter

Year published
2005

Why did you get this book?
I read Hunter's debut and liked it, so I decided to pick this one up when I saw it at a used bookstore.

Do you like the cover?
I liked it, but didn't love it.

Did you enjoy the book?
I had a similar reaction to the book itself as I did to the cover. I liked the story well enough but didn't especially adore it. 3 out of 5.

Sage Matthews's fascination with hacking into computers and creating bugs got her into deep trouble. Just ask special agent Ian Chandler, who handcuffed the fiery readhead--and has been monitoring her every sexy teasing move since.

Ian has now formed his own crack crime-busting team--The HotWires. His first case? None other than Sage, fresh off probation, but seemingly up to her old tricks. Ian's hot on her tail, but his plans backfire one sultry steamy night.

He tangles with Sage between the sheets--breaking every rule in his personal code of honor. And he's about the break a few more as his gut instinct tells him she's been framed again--and only he can prove her innocence . . . .

I mentioned that I started reading this book a few months ago but put it down. I stopped reading because I was a bit frustrated with the way Ian decides to sleep with Sage partly so he can have full access to her apartment. Plus, their relationship went beyond breaking a "personal code of honor." I have a pretty high tolerance level for romance where some behavior would be unprofessional or unethical in the real world--cop/suspect, for instance. In this case, though, I kept thinking Ian was way over the line.

I think it helped that I returned to the book after a few months. I'd largely forgotten how far Ian went initially; plus, the second half was stronger than the first. I also liked the fact that Sage gave as good as she got.

Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again?
Not new to me, and yes.

Are you keeping it or passing it on?
Passing it on. I've got to stop keeping so many books.

Anything else?
I have another one of her books, About Last Night . . ., TBR. I'll read it, but I'm not in a hurry to pull it off the shelf.