Hot to the Touch

Checking E-Males #3

by Isabel Sharpe

Restauranteur Darcy Clark doesn't have time for love, romance or even (these days, anyway) sex. But she's never one to turn down a delicious dish… especially one as hot as Troy Cahill!

Troy has never been so sure of anything. He has never wanted a woman this badly. But Darcy isn't just some conquest. He'll have to earn her trust… one delicious, exquisite night at a time!

Genres: Harlequin Blaze, Harlequin, Romance, Fiction

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Isabel Sharpe began writing in 1994 after leaving her job to raise her son. A former “bored housewife,” she has authored over twenty Harlequin novels and now writes women-focused fiction for Avon/HarperCollins, embracing her unexpected career.

Reviews

[Ruthie Knox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot to the Touch is the final book in Sharpe’s Checking E-Males series. In each of the three books, Marie Donovan, who owns MilwaukeeDates.com, is trying to set up one of her younger friends with the perfect man. Marie is about to turn forty, divorced, and wary; the subplot of all three is her friendship-turned-romance with Quinn, the George Clooney lookalike she meets every Friday for a platonic drink. I enjoyed the whole series and found the main story of this book–the romance between all-around-good-guy Troy and so-prickly-about-love-it’s-painful Darcy–entertaining, but by the time I was halfway through this one all I really cared about was Marie and Quinn. By stretching their romance over three books, Sharpe kept it slow and real, fraught with misunderstandings and missed opportunities, but not contrivances. I was so ready for the two of them to get their happy ending I nearly died of it. Most subplots in romance leave me cold, or, worse, bored, but this one completely won me over. Well done, Isabel. One more reason you are my Number One Blaze Author Crush.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read many books by Isabel Sharpe and have immensely enjoyed the majority of them. This one fell a little flat. I did not read the other Checking E-Males series titles first, so I was not privy to the Marie/Quinn subplot or the other characters' histories. I found heroine Darcy to be a little unlikable, but she grew on me. Had it not been for my previous experience with Sharpe's books, I probably would have given up on bitter Darcy after the first few pages. I found Troy to be likable and realistically flawed. But to me the real stars were Marie and Quinn. Even without the buildup/slow burn of their relationship (that I previously missed having not read the other two E-Males books) I was more interested in their story and how it would end than in Darcy and Troy.

[Suze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Between a 3.5 and 4, but prob enjoyed book 2 best. The last book of a mini series, featuring Darcy and ( I was glad to see) Troy. Darcy annoyed me a bit with her non trusting issues but came good at the end ( as one would expect). Troy did his growing up, with some reversion to his previous untrusting type. As always everyone gets their guy and gal, including Marie and Quinn which was a nice sub plot through all 3 books. A good series.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sadly going to miss this series!!!

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Checking E-Males

[Maria Munoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great romance! See my full review at www.freshfiction.com

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars, with extra points for the deliciousness of the side serving of Marie and Quinn. And the well done "older woman" story. And the descriptions of the delicious Lebanese food.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

sloooow beginning, terrible writing.just really not very good at all.I read another one of hers previously (Just One Kiss) and I loved it.I don't know what happened here with this one.

[Mem · Rating 4 out of 5]

B619 June 2011