Turn up the Heat by Isabel Sharpe

http://amzn.to/29ojNH7
Vibrant and multifaceted party organizer Candy Graham is looking to forget her dating past, even if it means joining a dating website. But creating four different e-profiles to suit her personality could land Candy in hot water...or better yet, in the arms of her scorchin'-hot neighbor!

Journalist Justin Case suspects he has the scoop of a lifetime¿women hired to lure men into online dating. Could Candy be part of some kind of e-romance scam? But try as he might, even he can't resist the temptation of sexy, sweet Candy...and one taste is definitely not enough! 


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This was an average romantic read and one that centres around Valentine's Day. Candy was, despite her name, a likeable character and one I was surprised I could like. Justin, too, was nice enough and I liked him and both as a pair. Neither were particularly memorable and I didn't feel huge chemistry between them so `nice' is the perfect word.

The plot was okay but I did feel it was a little bit silly and juvenile at times. There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between the characters and getting them to admit that they liked each other. I understand there was supposed to be distrust over each other's motives but it was nothing that a decent conversation wouldn't have sorted out.

Added to that was the fact that both characters, Candy in particular, were still caught up on their exes. There was so much boo hooing about losing the love of their lives that it had me rolling my eyes. I want to read about the romance of the couple, not about the people who have dumped them!

Overall, this is an average read that I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend. I finished it and enjoyed it for what it was but I can't give it more than 3 stars, I'm afraid.


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Not Another Blind Date... by Various Authors

http://amzn.to/29tzpoz
These Valentine's Day dates have all the markings of blind-date disaster! Or do they?


Skin Deep by Janelle Denison
Who says nice girls can't have fun? Jayne does¿dirty dancing and a lot more!¿with a hot bad boy one night. Still, it was a onetime thing. Really! But when she's set up on a blind date with her sexy stranger, she realizes Cupid must have other ideas...


Hold On by Leslie Kelly
Shy Sarah Holt has a bad case of unrequited lust. She's hopelessly enamored with a client¿sexy Steve Wilshire. So, when she gets the chance to impersonate the doctor's blind date, she takes it...and has the most torrid night of her life. But will Steve still be "holding on" when the truth comes out?


Ex Marks the Spot by Jo Leigh
Paige Callahan just got set up on a blind date¿arranged by her ex-boyfriend! But potential catastrophe turns into flirty fun - and then some! - when she meets sexy, very wealthy Noah Hastings. 


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This is Blaze's annual collection of stories for Valentine's Day all focusing on blind dates and what they can lead to.


SKIN DEEP by Janelle Denison
At a fancy dress party, good girl Jayne decides to give herself one night of craziness with a hot, bad boy. Jayne's never enjoyed sex so hot but it was a one-time thing. Or so she thinks. When Jayne gets set up on a blind date with Brian she realises the Cupid has other ideas.

I really enjoyed this story as it was sweet and cute with some good heat running through it. Definitely the best of the book.

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HOLD ON by Leslie Kelly
Shy Sarah Holt is enamoured with sexy Doctor Steve Wilshire but he doesn't know she exists. So when a twist of fate allows Sarah to step in as Steve's blind date she jumps at the chance and has the best night of her life. But will it last?

This was a good story if a little far-fetched. I liked the romance but I was surprised Steve wasn't a little more angry when it came out who Sarah actually was which made the conclusion a little unbelievable for me.

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EX MARKS THE SPOT by Jo Leigh
Paige Callahan has just lost a big break for her job so it's the icing on her crappy week when her ex-boyfriend sets her up for a blind date on Valentine's Day. But things start to look up when she meets sexy, wealthy, Noah.

I could barely finish this story as it was ridiculous - what ex-boyfriend, described as careless and thoughtless, would set his ex up on a Valentine's date and what girl would accept? It was also boring and the ending was forced and unbelievable.



Overall, there are two good stories in this anthology and one that didn't do it for me at all. Despite the bad story I'm still going to go with 4 stars as even if you're not a fan of Valentine's Day this anthology is worth a read if you get the chance.


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218 pages



When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer

http://amzn.to/29wQ925
Dashing Lord Harry Traemore is perfectly content to live out his days in the pursuit of pleasure. But when he's named by the Prince regent as one of society's 'Impossible bachelors', Harry is drafted into a ribald romantic wager. The rules of engagement are scandalously simple: the bachelor whose mistress wins the title of 'Most Delectable Companion' gets to remain unmarried. 

Harry is utterly unconcerned about his status...until his latest lightskirt abandons him. Enter Lady Molly Fairbanks. Harry's childhood friend actually, 'foe' is more like it - is the most unlikely companion of all. She's attractive but hot-headed, and in no mood for games. Besides, what could the self-indulgent harry possible know about what makes a woman delectable? It's time for Molly to teach him a lesson once and for all...but will lead to happily ever after?


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I picked this book in spite of its gimmicky title and I should have paid more attention to that because that cutesy, silliness is a key feature of this book. It's very light and has a very unbelievable plot. That's not a problem if you're happy to suspend belief but if you're looking for historical accuracy then you'll be disappointed by this book.

The characters went from displaying some depth of emotion to being ridiculously flighty within the space of a sentence which frustrated me no end. I'm all for both seriousness and fun in a novel but it bounced around too much for my liking. There was also the inconsistencies and fickleness of any emotions from the characters, especially Molly. In one breath she liked Harry, then she despised him, then she loved him, then she could never love a man like him etc etc. It grew tiring quite quickly and made me unmoved by her as a character and of her 'love' for Harry.

Harry was also a little bit all over the place. He was the second son of a duke but also a rake. Fair enough but surely his gentlemanly instincts wouldn't have let Molly get into many of the situations that presented themselves during the house party.

I finished the book and was interested in where the story would go but I was ultimately disappointed. It was readable and I enjoyed the writing but the story and characters weren't engaging and as a result I don't feel I can recommend the book. 2 stars.

This is the first book in the Impossible Bachelors series.


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448 pages

Impossible Bachelors series:

           






With This Fling... by Kelly Hunter

http://amzn.to/29u5Lon
He’s the man of her dreams – she invented him, after all – she just hasn’t met him yet.

What would you do if the fiancé you’d invented to stop the kindly but persistent questions from colleagues and family turned out to be a real man – pretty much as you described him? And what if that man turned out to need a made-up fiancée just as much as you?

Could you carry off the deception even after the hottest kiss of your life – and the scorching hot night that follows?


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This is one of the first books of a new Mills and Boon series (gone as quickly as it arrived, it seems!) and the first of the line that I've read. These books are billed as sparky and sassy and perfect for every kind of passionaista. I'm not sure if they all are but this book was set in Sydney.

I admit that it took me a couple of chapters to get into this story. The writing style was quite fast paced, choppy, light and took a little getting used to. Once the story got started I really got into it and found that by the end I was very much enjoying it.

Both Charlotte and Grey were likeable characters if perhaps not very relatable. They had good chemistry although neither their interactions nor the story as a whole had particular depth.

I would say that this kind of book appears to be a mix between the Modern and Blaze lines. It's a little bit more sexy than Modern but not as much as Blaze and has Blaze's typical feisty, sassy heroine.

Overall I enjoyed this book quite a lot. It was light and not without its faults but I'll probably be on the look out for other books in the Riva line in the future. 3 stars.


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Claiming His Wedding Night by Lee Wilkinson

http://amzn.to/29omf0fAt the tycoon’s mercy! 

Perdita Boyd must save her family’s business and protect her ailing father. So what’s she to do when the only investor to step forward is Jared Dangerfield? Her estranged husband! Young and in love, Perdita married Jared in a secret ceremony against her father’s wishes.

But the marriage was never consummated as, on their wedding night, Perdita caught Jared in bed with another woman. Now Jared is back…to take the business, to take his revenge for being set up, and…to take his wife!


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I liked the premise for this book as I always like a `second chance at love' story. Being part of the Modern Mills & Boon line, I was expecting the strong, ruthless man and a woman perfect for him. However there were times that I thought that Perdita was a little too weak and almost pathetic compared to Jared. With his strong, domineering ways it would have been nice to see her match him rather than sometimes come across as bending to his will. It wasn't all the time but it irked me a little!

Overall the plot is quite basic but easy to understand and perfectly believable for the most part. It's not demanding and I enjoyed reading about Perdita and Jared and the evolving love story up to the inevitable conclusion. I would have liked the ending to be a little bit more fleshed out with perhaps an epilogue but it was satisfying nonetheless.

If you're looking for an enjoyable, readable Modern romance story that takes you away for a couple of hours then I would recommend this book to you. It's not earth shattering but I enjoyed it and it did the job. 3 stars.


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