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Port Henry #3
Sighs Matter
It was a night of slow dances, heated looks, and for detective Taylor McKennitt, the Earth moved.
Unfortunately, so did the lovely Claire . . .
. . . right on out the door. Not that it wasn't the hottest night of her life. In fact, the memory of Taylor's kisses, his touch, his . . . everything makes Claire want to leap right back into the sexy detective's bed. But the last thing she needs is to fall in love with a man in blue, even if he is irresistible. And determined.
Then just when Taylor thinks he's close to getting her back into his life, a deranged killer targets Claire. Now it's Taylor's duty to protect her. And in the process, he'll win her resisting heart or die trying -- which is suddenly a very distinct possibility.
Unfortunately, so did the lovely Claire . . .
. . . right on out the door. Not that it wasn't the hottest night of her life. In fact, the memory of Taylor's kisses, his touch, his . . . everything makes Claire want to leap right back into the sexy detective's bed. But the last thing she needs is to fall in love with a man in blue, even if he is irresistible. And determined.
Then just when Taylor thinks he's close to getting her back into his life, a deranged killer targets Claire. Now it's Taylor's duty to protect her. And in the process, he'll win her resisting heart or die trying -- which is suddenly a very distinct possibility.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
5 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Marianne Stillings
13 books49 followersMarianne’s lifelong love of stories began in childhood, inspired by The Ugly Duckling and her treasured copy of Black Beauty. After a 25-year career as a senior technical writer at Boeing, she turned to creating her own happy endings. A native of Santa Barbara, California, she now lives in Washington State with her husband, three children, two grandchildren, and two rescue dogs. She enjoys quilting, embroidering, crocheting, gardening, cooking, baking, and watching every British mystery she can find.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 20, 2009
This was another hit for me from Stillings... the mystery was good... there weren't too many characters that you couldn't follow. I loved the hero... how sweet... sensitive when he shouldn't be. Great fun!
July 14, 2013
I found the humor is this book very enjoyable. The characters intertwined well and the mystery was good.
March 10, 2021
The setup, with humor, of the mystery/drama, pg-13 - "Aunt Sadie's engaged to a mortician? " She snorted a laugh, then covered her mouth. Solemnly, she mumbled, "I hear that's a serious undertaking." "I should never have told you." "Mortime's is very popular. People are just dying to get in." Claire flattened her mouth. "You can stop now." "Marrying into the family, he'll get free medical care, right? So he can come to you if he starts...coffin" "Not another word, I swear -" "Competition's pretty stiff, I bet."
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pg 80 the jokes continue. "Yeah, Mortie the Mortician." she snickered "He doesn't seem to mind, though. Apparently it's a longstanding family trade, passed from father to son." "Hmm, I guess when his Dad told him to grab a cold one, he wasn't talking about beer."..........."Maybe it was his mother who passed along the trade, "she said wryly. "What would you call a lady mortician?" Taylor paused for effect, "Mummy?"
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pg 80 the jokes continue. "Yeah, Mortie the Mortician." she snickered "He doesn't seem to mind, though. Apparently it's a longstanding family trade, passed from father to son." "Hmm, I guess when his Dad told him to grab a cold one, he wasn't talking about beer."..........."Maybe it was his mother who passed along the trade, "she said wryly. "What would you call a lady mortician?" Taylor paused for effect, "Mummy?"
July 2, 2017
This book was so much fun. Great characters, just enough tension between them to keep things interesting until they both accepted they were meant for each other--also a little danger that proved no match for two hero cop brothers and a wise, witty Aunt Sadie. I really enjoyed the fact that the sex was satisfying but not overly described. I just don't think we need to see every single detail in the bedroom, but if that's what you're looking for it's easy enough to find out there. This story was about love, and I'm glad its focus was kept there. A fast, easy, fun read!
January 13, 2020
I thought that this book was.... average. Sorry, a little above average. Did I like it? Yes. Did I think it was memorable? No.
I didn't care about the mystery, I thought there was only a little character or plot development. There was very little relationship development. I felt that Claire started out okay, she was steadfast in not wanting a relationship with a cop, for good reasons, but I also felt that she went from that to why did we waste so much time without each other. Didn't like that, there was little to no relationship development
I didn't care about the mystery, I thought there was only a little character or plot development. There was very little relationship development. I felt that Claire started out okay, she was steadfast in not wanting a relationship with a cop, for good reasons, but I also felt that she went from that to why did we waste so much time without each other. Didn't like that, there was little to no relationship development
May 19, 2020
It was alright. I liked Taylor from the first book, and although I found Claire slightly annoying when all she think about how attractive Taylor is or Adam is, without concentrating on personality or attraction, until the end when Claire's bravery wins out.
Comparatively I enjoyed The Damsel In This Dress better. All 4 stars are for Taylor and Soldier.
Comparatively I enjoyed The Damsel In This Dress better. All 4 stars are for Taylor and Soldier.
April 26, 2020
Good reward
I love to read but hate writing reviews because I never know what to say. I enjoyed the story and the characters.
I love to read but hate writing reviews because I never know what to say. I enjoyed the story and the characters.
August 9, 2020
Onweerstaanbaar, "pink pockets"
June 13, 2013
Before I begin, would it be disloyal to a writer that I am really beginning to love to say that the cover* of this book is absurd? I like a slab of bronzed and rippling abdominals as much as the next girl, but this cover looked so cheesy, I almost decided not to buy the book. Also, I don't understand the title. I've been trying to figure it out for hours now and I still don't get it.
*Yes, I do judge books by their covers - because that's what they're there for - to be judged and to sell you on picking them up. But I'm glad I overcame my reluctance because it turned out to be awesome!
He: Detective who's investigating a suspect who is engaged to the h's aunt. He's into her (the h, not the aunt) and has been from the time they hooked up at his brother's wedding to h's best friend.
She: Small-town doctor who's into him. But...see Conflict.
Conflict: She has issues committing to him because she can never be with a cop. Her dad was a cop and was killed in the line of duty and her brother, also a cop, was permanently injured while doing his job. So she just can't take it anymore and wants to avoid getting involved with someone in law enforcement.
They are thrown together because of the case he is investigating and when it looks like she might be in danger, he goes all alpha on her (hearts! likes!), does the Serve and Protect thing and just melts her little heart like a marshmallow on some heated loins. I don't mind telling you that while she tried to remain unaffected by him as long as she could, I was a swooning mass of undignified female by page 4. Dang! Maybe I was subliminally affected by the abs on the cover after all.
http://theromanticalskeptic.blogspot....
*Yes, I do judge books by their covers - because that's what they're there for - to be judged and to sell you on picking them up. But I'm glad I overcame my reluctance because it turned out to be awesome!
He: Detective who's investigating a suspect who is engaged to the h's aunt. He's into her (the h, not the aunt) and has been from the time they hooked up at his brother's wedding to h's best friend.
She: Small-town doctor who's into him. But...see Conflict.
Conflict: She has issues committing to him because she can never be with a cop. Her dad was a cop and was killed in the line of duty and her brother, also a cop, was permanently injured while doing his job. So she just can't take it anymore and wants to avoid getting involved with someone in law enforcement.
They are thrown together because of the case he is investigating and when it looks like she might be in danger, he goes all alpha on her (hearts! likes!), does the Serve and Protect thing and just melts her little heart like a marshmallow on some heated loins. I don't mind telling you that while she tried to remain unaffected by him as long as she could, I was a swooning mass of undignified female by page 4. Dang! Maybe I was subliminally affected by the abs on the cover after all.
http://theromanticalskeptic.blogspot....
June 26, 2013
I was looking forward to this book since this couple seemed to have awesome chemistry in the first in the series.
Just as a note the doctor heroine is three years older than the hero and after one awesome night together she runs out on the hero, not picking his calls, avoiding him, so he gets the hint or so he says. Then her aunt gets engaged to a weird dude suspected by the police. Enter our detective hero when the heroine is run off the road, her house broken into and she gets herself a Detective. A detective that makes her yearn, willing to break her vow. You see we later learn that it is the hero's job that is an obstacle, her father was a cop who died and her brother lost his legs on the job, so she is afraid.
A crazy guy, a wacky aunt, the book is total fun. The hero Taylor is less experienced, he married his high school flame who cheated on him at every turn making him feel less and then the next woman he spent the night with ran. So, yeah you can imagine how he feels. I liked how he didn't give up. Claire well she was frustrating to read with her denials and walls but she gets better.
I like the way this author writes and have actually read her before.
Just as a note the doctor heroine is three years older than the hero and after one awesome night together she runs out on the hero, not picking his calls, avoiding him, so he gets the hint or so he says. Then her aunt gets engaged to a weird dude suspected by the police. Enter our detective hero when the heroine is run off the road, her house broken into and she gets herself a Detective. A detective that makes her yearn, willing to break her vow. You see we later learn that it is the hero's job that is an obstacle, her father was a cop who died and her brother lost his legs on the job, so she is afraid.
A crazy guy, a wacky aunt, the book is total fun. The hero Taylor is less experienced, he married his high school flame who cheated on him at every turn making him feel less and then the next woman he spent the night with ran. So, yeah you can imagine how he feels. I liked how he didn't give up. Claire well she was frustrating to read with her denials and walls but she gets better.
I like the way this author writes and have actually read her before.
May 16, 2011
3.5*
This book has a good plot, likeable characters, and humor that works. The writing is serviceable, if not stellar, and the story isn't complex but is fairly well-developed.
I've read one other book by this author, Satisfaction. Satisfaction was actually published after this, and the lead character has a very small part in this book. I gave it 3*. An earlier book that I haven't yet read, The Damsel in This Dress, is the story of two characters that figure in Sighs Matter. The lead in The Damsel in this Dress is the brother of Taylor from Sighs Matter.
This book is nothing extraordinary, but will give the reader some good laughs and an enjoyable day of reading. Recommended for a fun, light read.
This book has a good plot, likeable characters, and humor that works. The writing is serviceable, if not stellar, and the story isn't complex but is fairly well-developed.
I've read one other book by this author, Satisfaction. Satisfaction was actually published after this, and the lead character has a very small part in this book. I gave it 3*. An earlier book that I haven't yet read, The Damsel in This Dress, is the story of two characters that figure in Sighs Matter. The lead in The Damsel in this Dress is the brother of Taylor from Sighs Matter.
This book is nothing extraordinary, but will give the reader some good laughs and an enjoyable day of reading. Recommended for a fun, light read.
August 19, 2015
I picked this book up purely for the title. I judged that book by its cover and I'm not sorry! This was a very fast read, full of typical romance novel cliches: beautiful, capable doctor with tragic past meets gorgeous, multi-talented detective, also with tragic past. They have one steamy night at their BFF/brother's wedding, and it's a classic case of "now I can't stop thinking about him/her!" They meet up again and try not to fall madly in love with each other, until they do. One moment actually made me tear up a little! This book is actually the 3rd in the series, which I suspected based on vague references to previous situations but didn't actually confirm until after I'd finished it. I still understood all of the plot points, so I appreciate the author for not relying too heavily on events in her previous books to progress the story in this one. Recommended for light beach/bath reading.
February 8, 2012
Sorry it took so long to get this review posted..
been busy
3 1/2 stars
I did it again… Did not start with book one of the set.
Oh well I thought this was a good book by it’s self. I got a little side tracked when some stories were brought into this one, but nothing bad.
I wasn’t sure what I was getting when I picked up this book. I do know I loved the cover and that is one of the reasons I picked it up. I know bad right.
I enjoyed how this was put together; there is a great mystery to this story a great hero and fun charters to read about and find out about.
So I’m going to say all and all this was a good book to read and I think im going to check out the first to in this series to read.
Fun read!!
Happy Reading Everyone!!
been busy
3 1/2 stars
I did it again… Did not start with book one of the set.
Oh well I thought this was a good book by it’s self. I got a little side tracked when some stories were brought into this one, but nothing bad.
I wasn’t sure what I was getting when I picked up this book. I do know I loved the cover and that is one of the reasons I picked it up. I know bad right.
I enjoyed how this was put together; there is a great mystery to this story a great hero and fun charters to read about and find out about.
So I’m going to say all and all this was a good book to read and I think im going to check out the first to in this series to read.
Fun read!!
Happy Reading Everyone!!
January 11, 2016
I enjoyed the book. I get a kick out of Marianne Stillings more modern writing and it's a big difference then the paranormal romance i usually read. I enjoyed Taylor and Claire's story. It's corny and fluffy and predictable. But enjoyable all the same. I like being able to see Solider and Betsy's story continue (bummed we don't see Max and Evie anymore) but it's a cute continuation.
April 9, 2008
The mystery aspect of this story was very intriguing, and I fell in the love with the hero. On the downside, the heroine, drove me crazy, her reason for not staying with the hero, the first time around, was so silly.
The hero was way too good for her.
The hero was way too good for her.
October 23, 2010
This book was predictable and there are no real surprises. The only reason why I continued to read, was the humorous chapter names and I loved Tyler...very quirky, snarky, and lo-lo-loved the st-stutter....
May 12, 2014
A fun sexy read!
January 5, 2009
I was worried because I liked the first book (The Damsel in this Dress) so much, but this story follows Claire and Taylor instead. I loved it!!! The chapter names were cute.
January 28, 2010
I found this an enjoyable read, but no surprises as to 'whodunnit'.
February 23, 2021
definitely love rereading this one too! :)
October 6, 2010
Fun, fast read. Perfect for the beach.
January 24, 2013
I was a bit disappointed - perhaps because I enjoyed Damsel in this dress so much?
January 17, 2013
Even though this was a quick and easy read, the writing was SO clever and funny I had to give it 4 stars.
May 14, 2008
mystery romance
September 8, 2011
really liked it short but sweet, really like cop books!
July 24, 2013
Really enjoyed this book. Can't wait for the next one to come out.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews