Twice Tempted

Holland Springs #2

by Marquita Valentine

Born into wealth and power, Christian Romanov is Hollywood’s favorite bad boy with a golden touch…until the day his agent receives pictures of the movie star celebrating his birthday in a not-so-legal way. Now he’s been ordered to find a small-town girl to be seen with in order to improve his partying image. He agrees, but for an entirely different reason-to protect the reputation of an organization that helps get teens off the street and back into the school. Not only is he the anonymous donor that's been solely supporting the organization since its inception, he's slated to be their newest spokesman.

Zoe Ambrose is a hopeless romantic masquerading as a realist. But she’s also a successful novelist, trying to fit herself into a staid life when what she craves is the adventure she found one night in the arms of a playboy who never knew her name. When her successful crime series is optioned by a major studio, she travels to Las Vegas to find that the prince of her fantasies and single night of pleasure is the main contender for the male lead. But for four years Zoe has been publicly eviscerating the man who left her stranded that night—he’s the villain in her series! Now the movie star doesn't recognize her, and Zoe is determined to protect her heart this time.

When Christian braves the small town of Holland Springs and Zoe’s overprotective family to win the girl of his dreams, he finds that his Hollywood skills might not cut it—and learns a shocking truth he never imagined. Can he can tempt her again and finally give her the epic love story she has refused to write for herself?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Adult, Amazon, Humor

264 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2012

About the author

Marquita Valentine is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary romance.

When she's not writing sexy heroes who adore their sassy heroines, she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. Married to her high school sweetheart, Marquita lives in a seriously small town in the south.

You can sign up for her newsletter here: https://goo.gl/3XFh3k

Reviews

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love finding new-to-me authors. This book was so much fun to read.

One thing I loved about this story was the whole premise. Zoe and Christian had met years ago and circumstances beyond them kept them from meeting up when they were supposed to. But even after all those years, they never forgot the other person.

Their initial meeting in the book was great. It was accidental and so much fun. Zoe didn’t react like a fan girl, which threw Christian, and yet intrigued him.

I loved Christian, who was part jerk and part sweetheart. He definitely had the bad boy Hollywood actor bit down pat.

Zoe was so sweet, and kind of funny. She was so unnerved around Christian that she was constantly running into something, breaking something or tripping something. If that wasn’t happening, she was maiming Christian by stabbing, hitting, or kicking him. Lol. It was always unintentional and an accident. T

This was such a good love story. Marquita Valentine has a new fan and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Vikki ~ *squee* lite ~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it was just me, but from about 40% on,
I was just totally confused. I didn't understand why some people were doing things or did things like why did he ask her to marry him in Vegas, and why did she say yes - they hadn't even told each other they loved each other, and had like three dates. And why did Sasha mess up things for them five years earlier? I didn't understand why some secrets were kept for so long or why certain things that didn't seem like such a big deal . Why was christen so upsets he was the inspiration for the villain in her novel? Why is it a big deal. And why wouldn't she tell him when they had met before and then there were lots of little things that made no sense like how she told him she and Gabriel hadn't ever had sex, but then she claimed they had made a sex tape. And on that note - he taped them together ? When? And why was she not more upset?

Honestly I think I re read most of the book at
Least twice, because I kept thinking I had to have missed something that would make it make sense. It is a shame because it had potential - and there were some great lines / scenes. It just didn't all fit together for
Me.

[Tee Loves Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet and sexy tale of a second chance at love!! Anyone who's read enough of my reviews knows that I prefer the love stories where the main characters have a past; it allows for so much more depth to the emotions, and that heart-racing moment when they lay eyes on each other again is always hard to top! So I was really excited to see Marquita Valentine's take on a long-lost love story with Twice Tempted, and it was a gem!

First off, I loved these characters! I'm a sucker for a character with a good personality, and Zoe and Christian were just awesome (she's a writer and he's a gorgeous movie star, what's not to love?!). Zoe had me laughing out loud over her meandering thoughts and adorable klutziness, and the sexy, fun-loving Christian had me swooning from the start! Even though he doesn't recognize Zoe four years later, the chemistry between them was red hot from the minute they reunite, and I just loved the flirty banter between them. Their reunion may have started out as a publicity stunt so Christian could improve his image, but it turned into a possibility for them to start over. He's Hollywood's bad boy, the inspiration for the sexy villain in her book series, the man that broke her heart years ago...plenty of reason for her to keep him at arm's length. Zoe just underestimated his determination, and overestimated her ability to make wise decisions while in Vegas!

Christian and Zoe were truly adorable together as they fumbled along trying to deal with their families and the challenges of his fame. Between his reputation and the paparazzi that hounded him daily, Zoe really had her work cut out for her when it came to trusting him and getting over his past. Christian's family certainly didn't help matters with their meddling ways and hateful attitudes, and it was heartbreaking how uncaring and cold they were towards him. There was so much more beneath the surface with this misunderstood man, and as Zoe peeled away the layers there was just more and more to love (yes, including his super-secret Pez dispenser collection). He goes out of his way to prove to Zoe just how much he wants to stick around for the long haul, and she never really stood a chance at resisting his charms!!

From the clever and witty dialogue to the smoking hot moments of passion, Twice Tempted had me hooked from start to finish. I definitely recommend Christian and Zoe's story for any romance fans, and I'm adding the rest of this series to my wish list!

This review can also be found here: http://www.autumnreview.com/2013/01/e...

[Tessamari ♥Many Waters...♥ ~ Sweet Spot Book Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25-3.5 Stars

“I love you. In whatever disguise you come to me, I love you. Whatever name you choose, I love you.” ~ Christian Romanov

Tattooed celebrity bad boy falls for small town gal. Who wouldn’t want to read this? I know I’m a sucker for these types of stories. I read the prequel first and was blown away from the short story. The chemistry between the H/h in the prequel was just HOT. I couldn’t wait to jump into their actual story. So it was safe to assume that I had high expectations for this. Though I liked it, it fell just a little short.

Zoe didn’t expect to run into Christian Romanov in Vegas, literally. After bumping into her at the airport, Christian couldn’t get this feisty woman out of his mind. Locating her wasn’t too difficult considering they both shared the same Agent. (Only in romance books could all this take place ;) Christian hasn’t been this attracted to a woman in four years, not since the night he met and fell for a girl named Amber. What Christian doesn’t know is that Amber is Zoe. (This is where reading the prequel came in handy.) Zoe wasn’t going to fall for Christian’s suave ways ever again, but Christian is dead set on seducing Zoe. She’s perfect. She’s just the type to help rebuild his wild reputation. I mean, that’s the main reason why he’s so attracted to her, right?

The story of their courtship was riddled with secrets and steamy moments. Like I mentioned before, I liked the story, for the most part. However, towards the end, everything just seemed stagnant. Yes they got their HEA, but the last 25% of the book seemed like nothing was happening. No conflict, no drama and no purpose. Wait. Strike the last one. It did seem to have a small purpose. It helped set up the next book. I don’t know. I kind of got bored at the end. I actually couldn’t wait to finish it. I don’t know. Overall, it was good and I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t near spectacular.

[Sawyer Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book as a freebie, but mainly because the cover drew me in and the synopsis sounded awesome. I was not disappointed and would have happily paid for this one. This a story about a second chance at love. Zoe Ambrose fell in love with Christian Romanov before he became a famous Hollywood actor. Through a series of unfortunate events (meddling folks), their love was halted and they moved on with their lives. Years later, they reconnect and this book shows how love can have a second chance. The main characters were easy to relate and empathize with. My heart broke for Christian for a variety of reasons which I won't disclose. Miss Valentine's writing is clean but not formulaic. It keeps you drawn in and wanting to continue to turn the pages. Her dialogue is superb. There is some super sexy steam too!!! I'll be reading more of the Holland Springs series.

[Bookosaurus (A book a day keeps reality away) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, so, first things first. I know I am in the minority here, given the glowing reviews from other readers, but I don't give a damn if I hurt anyone's feelings. This book is disturbing shit packaged as romance and is extremely demeaning to women.

The hero, Ian Romanov, is a class one sexual predator and has all the makings of a psychopath. This kind of hero shouldn't only be kept away away from the heroine, but should be locked away in a cell and be chained to a wall. What was even more appalling than his sexual harassment was the fact that the author not only glorifies stalking but validates the notion that if you keep pushing, the girl will finally give in and be yours.

This is a long rant and if you loved the series and are okay with the trope of alpha males molesting women into submission, look away. I'm beyond angry, actually in the land of fury, so I'll be extremely unsparing in my review. So, you are duly warned.

I've never been a big fan of insta-love, but I can make allowances if the author has created a compelling scenario, which Valentine, our beloved author did not care to do. Rather, she weaved a tale of obsession and sexual harassment.

My problem with the hero, Ian, began right after his first meeting with the heroine, Zoe, who gives him a cold shoulder and walks away. But Ian has decided that he likes her. So, what does he do?

He starts obsessing over her and wants nothing more than to get in her pants. He doesn’t pass up an opportunity to touch her, knowing full well that she doesn’t like it. In spite of knowing that his charms and shitty pick-up lines are not cutting ice with her, he doesn’t give up chasing her. And hounding her for sex.So, when she makes it absolutely clear that she wants nothing to do with him, his words are:

"I don’t care where in this hotel you hide; I will always be able to find you.”

In the beginning, I liked Zoe for her guts. The way she talks down to him when he uses cheesy pick up lines on her and makes vulgar propositions, but even her explicit words couldn't get his mind off the sex train. Here's one sample:

“Whatever makes you feel all manly inside.” She gave him a toothy smile and his blood turned to lava.
“I’d like to have my manly parts inside of you.”
“I bet you say that to every woman you meet.”
“Just the ones I want to sleep with.”
“I’m insulted you think I’m like all the others. That you think adolescent pick-up lines are what women want to hear from a man.”
Maybe she’d be more receptive if they went someplace private. “Come up to my penthouse and I’ll flatter you instead.”

This is the brief summary of the first half of the novel. The hero keeps pushing Zoe and she keeps resisting. So, he pushes some more, and then some, until she caves.

What disappointed me was not the fact that the hero was a sex craved freak. In most romance novels, the heroes/ alpha cavemen are usually like Ian. But it gave me a real heartburn that after all that sass and Oh-I'm-Resisting-Him rant, Zoe caves and lets the asswipe kiss her. She falls for his charm (sarcasm alert.)

As it is, I don't like seeing a lecherous creep as my hero. Add to that the insult of the heroine buckling under his consistent pestering and you have the book that wins the top spot on my shit-list.

I mean, what kind of message does this kind of story send? It is this thinking that propagates the rape culture. I’m sick of all the romance novels propagating this narrative that if a guy keeps pushing, the girl will relent.

So, there’s a scene where Ian is supposed to hold up a towel while she changes into her bikini. The guy swears that he won’t look in her direction. “Scout’s Promise” had been his words. Our naive heroine takes him up on his word and soon realizes her mistake. When she turns around after changing, she finds him ogling at her. The jerk doesn’t even apologize for breaking his promise. In fact, this cheap twerp has the audacity to say “I lied” when the heroine reminds him of his promise.

This is the conversation that follows:

I: “You should’ve warned me.”
Z:“About what?”
I: “How you’d look in a bikini.” It didn’t sound like he was insulting her, but she couldn’t be sure.
Z“I don’t have my top on.”
I: “Trust me, I noticed.”
Z: “I have to put my top on.”
I: “No, you don’t.”

Tell me, Valentine Marquita, how am I supposed to like a sex-craved lying piece of shit. He is the prototype of all things that a hero should not be. I am barely through 40% of the novel and this scumbag has already convinced that he is no safe to be let loose around women. He belongs in a jail. How any of it is romantic, is beyond me.

Well, the problem is not with Ian alone. Zoe is a nutjob, too. She has her priorities all mixed-up and badly needs to work on her offence taking skills. When the guy is molesting her, she ends up shoving her tongue down his throat and can’t stop thinking about how amazeballs he is. But when he plays a harmless prank on his friends and tells them that Zoe means ‘awesome’ in French, she goes ballistic. I mean, tears and all. And I was like:

Whaaaaaaaat?

Of all the things that should have offended her, she chooses this one: that the H told his friends that her name means 'awesome'. She lost me there. All this time, he is touching her inappropriately and she doesn't revolt, but when he describes her as awesome, she lets it fly? If her softening stance towards Ian wasn't a clue enough, this episode convinced me that she probably has a screw loose.

Coming back to Ian rant, the most disturbing thing about Ian’s sexual predator antics was the fact that he had full validation from the author. I mean, when you read the cavemen characters in romance novels, you know that the author is following a trope. It is still excusable. What is not excusable is the fact that the author makes fun of such tropes and then uses them in the same sentence.

It’s like she knows that such alpha/cavemen/sexual predators is unhealthy characterization and send out the wrong message. But then she is too lazy to think up creative ways where the H can express his interest in the h without invading her space. So, in order to pacify her conscience without taxing her brain too much, this is the gem she comes up with.

“No matter how Cro-Magnon it sounded, Ian’d already staked his claim on her.”

And this happens throughout the novel. Most of his scandalous moves start with the thought that "He's being jealous/possessive/territorial", but then, he goes and does it anyway. Not knowing your boundaries and acting silly is one thing , but knowing them and tossing them out the window is unforgivable. That's being intentionally malicious.

And I find it really disgusting when women writers write male characters who have zero respect for women. My patience began blinking red dangerously when I read a particular scene where Ian breaks into Zoe’s room using a key that he had stolen from the housekeeper’s cart. Zoe, who is getting ready for a date with another guy, is obviously annoyed and asks him to leave. This is how the scene goes:

“Get out. I have a date to finish getting ready for.” Her lips puckered liked she’d just swallowed a lemon. It was becoming her signature expression when he annoyed her. He rather liked it.”

He rather liked it?

Excuse me!

A woman is telling him to leave her room, which he has entered without her permission and her facial expression is making it amply clear that she’s not happy with him being there. So, why was it fucking difficult for the hero to take his sorry ass out of the room and leave the woman alone. This scumbag, instead of giving her space thinks he rather likes the annoyed expression on her face.

I am beginning to believe that if stalking had a face, it would probably look like Ian. But guess how Ian is rewarded for his transgression. Any guesses?

Any guesses?

Well, after all that hue and cry, ranting and raving, Zoe asks Ian out. On. A. Date. Within ten minutes of his intrusion.

My eyes bled bucketfuls and some grey cells in my brain committed suicide.

Still find it romantic?

This kind of behavior is not just sad, but frightening, too. I mean, coming from a woman writer, this kind of behavior validates sexual harassment and takes feminism back by several centuries when women were nothing more than chattel.

Just imagine if a guy were to read this novel, what will be his takeaway? Obviously, he will think that this is how women behave in real life. That it’s okay to defy a woman’s words. That an annoyed woman is a cute thing. That she doesn’t actually mean it when she says NO. That if you stalk her, she will come around and realize your love for her. That it’s okay to molest her, harass her, and it’s totally cool to rape her. After all, what does it matter if she’s not okay with it, as long as the guy likes it?

Thank you so much, Valentine, for writing such a glorious ode to stalking.

I was in good mind to toss the book away but I was also eager to see how the author was planning to redeem Ian, since she had written herself in a corner with Ian's stalking and pestering.

Well, on that front, I'll have to say that I haven't seen such a blatant misuse of dramatic license. Ever. The story took a different trajectory in the second half and I kept wondering if I was reading the same book. Within a span of one short week, Ian transforms from a manwhore/ molester to a loving, dedicated husband who has eyes only for his wife.

Seriously, Valentine? That's just lazy writing.

This was my first book by the author and probably the last one. Any writer who uses rape/molesting or any kind of sexual harassment as a device to highlight hero's passion for the heroine is definitely a no-go for me.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful tale of the sweet home town girl from eastern North Carolina, Zoe Ambrose. She is an author of romantic mysteries, on her way to Vegas to a book signing, and to help choose the actor for the upcoming film inspired by one of her novels. She is known for her klutziness, and hilarious bad luck. Prime example, she has had delay after delay on every leg of her journey, and the airline has just lost her luggage. She is leaving the airport, and runs, literally, into a very tall hard body. We meet our very tarnished hero, Ian Romanov. Ian, who prefers to be called Christian, is “People Magazines Sexiest Bachelor” two years in a row. He has a terrible history with the press. Contributing to his infamous reputation are drugs, alcohol, and lots of women. He is the one very serious mistake in Zoe’s life, and he doesn’t even remember her! She remembers him very well; in fact he is the man she writes as a villain in her ongoing series of novels. He is Dimitri…the evil criminal.
The story travels from the lights and temptations of Vegas, back to Holland Springs, North Carolina. There she has a home, family, friends, and lots of wonderful small town characters who contribute to her everyday quiet life. But, she is followed!
This is a novel of love, family, and small town life. It’s about starting over, the right way. The sexy scenes are plentiful and HOT. Ms. Valentine has given us a very enjoyable story.
I am definitely looking forward to the next installment!

Review requested by The RomanceMan

[Kim D’Arcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know I'm in the minority here but this book utterly confused me. The premise was cute and the beginning actually pretty interesting but towards the middle the writing seemed to get choppy. There were times that I thought my Kindle had accidentally advanced several pages because the story made a complete shift in direction. I liked the characters for the most part, although I prefer my "bad boys" to feel a little more remorse for their past indiscretions, especially when they are as bad as Christian's were. All in all, not my cup of tea but like I said I'm in the minority so what do I know.

[Kristin Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Twice Tempted" is the first novel in the Holland Springs Series

How are the sex scenes?
Moderately steamy. The sexual tension makes every hero/heroine interaction simmer.

How are the story lines?
Consistent and humorous. A bit too many characters and their history for the first novel in a series, but I was never bored.

Summary

"Twice Tempted" by Marquita Valentine is a contemporary romance.

An accidental run-in has Christian pursuing Zoe all around Vegas, but she wants nothing to do with him or his conceited movie lines or his seductive smile and stalking-ass press.

He doesn't even remember her.

Review

"Twice Tempted" reads like a romantic comedy and kept me laughing the entire time. From the start, someone's telling the heroine to find someone fun.

"That's your advice: get laid? This conversation is quickly going the way of cliched romance novel opening."

That may be true, heroine Zoe, but a funny cliche it is. And very appropriate.

Zoe isn't the only person to get lost in an airport, be sprayed by a fountain, have her suitcase stuck between motion-censored doors and have her luggage lost.

But toss in her bumping into Mr. Right, Mr. Wrong, and then being pursued by Mr. Right continuously until she stabs him with her steak knife and relents...

Yes. Yes I think she's the only person to have experienced that.

Christian is the cliched playboy. He's been everywhere, done everyone and now decides he has finally found the one in Zoe.

Despite his background being unlikeable, you can't help but like him. He knows he's messed up and he knows Zoe's too good for him. He also says the dumbest things and quotes his movie lines to her, assuming she'll fall like every other girl.

"You smell delicious, Zoe. Good enough to eat and I haven't had any dessert...yet."

"I get the distinct feeling there's more than meets the eye when it comes to you."

"Why don't you follow me on Twitter? I could tweet our picture."

My favorite conversation between these two destined-to-be love birds?

"North Carolina."

"Small town?" How serendipitous would it be to land at McCarran and find his small town image remake at the airport?

Her fingers paused [on her cellphone] and her brows drew together. "No, it's a state."

Oh, good God, she thought he didn't know...

This defines their entire relationship. Christian searching for an in, trying to be suave and impressive...while Zoe is preoccupied with anything other than him and thinking he's the dumbest thing since...well, ever.

You liked it. Why didn't it get 5 stars?

Read the entire review here.

Disclaimer: No compensation was received for this review. eARC received from Marquita Valentine

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madison's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

4 Stars

Twice Tempted is the first book in the Holland Springs Series and after this one I can’t wait to read the rest!

It tells the story of Hollywood bad boy Ian Romanov (call me Christian if you’re a friend) and Romance Writer Zoe Ambrose. For the record, she does call him Christian.

Christian has been a very bad boy – doing things that lots of 20-something actors do. The only problem is he’s about to become the spokesperson for an organization that tells young people to stay away from the pitfalls that Christian has fallen into himself in the past. To help his reputation, he needs to find himself a small-town good girl.

Enter Zoe Ambrose. In Las Vegas for a book signing – she literally runs into Christian (she’s a klutz) and he knows upon sight that she is the small-town girl for the job. The only issue? They’ve met before and he broke her heart…only he doesn’t remember.

Thrown together by their agent – because she likes for her clients to seem like family – and because Zoe has cast Christian as the Villian of her book, which is about to become a movie. They spend time together. She finds out there’s a lot more to Christian than she ever thought possible. He does a million good deads in his life with the only stipulation being that the public never finds out about it. He also has a family that is less than ideal. His father has told him that he’s the unloved brother, he and his twin don’t get along, and things with his cousin Alexander (Sasha) go from good to bad with the blink of an eye. He needs her goodness in his life.

He finds out there there is a secret between the two of them. They’ve met before, only he doesn’t remember it. Immediately he’s sorry for his booze soaked past and continually asks her where they met and what happened. When that secret finally comes out, it’s the worst possible scenario and breaks them apart.

Add into the mix, her crazy Southern family, his European one, and a gazillion pop references and you’ve got one heck of a story!

This is a second chance romance of the best kind. The chemistry between the two of them is smokin’ and I love the fact that she’s made him the Villian in her novel – because she fights her feelings for him so hard.

Favorite line…

“That’s your advice: get laid? This conversation is quickly going the way of cliched romance novel opening.”

Read this book! You won’t regret it!

[Snarky Mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason I had thought this was one of my review books, but then I couldn’t find it & realized it was something I had found as a “freebie” I found on Amazon (they still are, as of this posting – clicking on the picture will take you to the books!). “Seducing….” is a prequel to “Twice Tempted”. I read “Twice Tempted” first and when I realized it was a series, I went looking for more books (& found them :) !!).
The next novel in the series, “Just Desserts”, is available on preorder at iTunes, but not yet Amazon, but I’m assuming it would be releasing within the next two months…?? Now that the “housekeeping” is done…

I won’t say much about “Seducing” because it would give away a lot about “Twice Tempted” – and I want you to read them both! Suffice it to say that “Seducing” is about the initial meeting between “Amber” (Zoe) and Sebastian… their very HOT “meeting”…

In “Twice Tempted”, Zoe and Sebastian run into each other in the airport. Literally. She is a terrible klutz (I think she endeared herself to me when she flounced off… and then had to turn around because she went the wrong way) and falls… a lot… and breaks things… a lot. She recognizes him from “that night”… but he does not recognize her due to a change in hair & eye coloring. They share the same agent (she’s an author and he’s an actor) so their agent decides they should be seen together, and he takes it a step further asking her to hang out with him to improve his reputation. The books is 367 pages, so believe me when I say this is just the tip of the storyline. There are lots of assumptions, almost-sex, sex, disappointments, arguments, mistaken motives, etc… and TOTALLY WORTH THE READ. (I know, I know – it was free – but even if it WASN’T, it was an awesome book!)

I was actually reading it in bed and about fell out of the bed while trying to keep quiet so I didn’t wake The Man; parts of it were SO HYSTERICAL that I just couldn’t help myself from laughing out loud! It made me laugh… it made my eyes water a bit… and it definitely kept me interested. I think I’ll be off to pick up the next couple of books in this Holland Springs (by the way – that’s the setting/small town where Zoe lives) series, and it looks like she has another series already published and one on its way. Marquita Valentine is definitely an author to add to the “Beach Read Bag”!!

[Mariann {at} Belle's Book Bag · Rating 5 out of 5]

As this was my first time reading Marquita Valentine, I wasn't sure what to expect. WOW...I was blown away by Twice Tempted!!! Such an AWESOME book!! It was filled with everything that I love~laughter, romance, hot sex, interesting characters, a sexy badboy with a British accent, a sweet clumsy heroine and most important of all, an entertaining story with an awesome epilogue!!
I was immediately pulled into the story with the opening line of "The first thing you need to do in Vegas is get laid."~Does that get your attention or what?? LOL I was engrossed with the characters and story and didn't want to stop reading and panicked as I got closer to the end because I didn't want it to end. I didn't want to leave this world that Twice Tempted wrapped me in.
I love the way Marquita writes with not only a sense of humor but with such romantic lines spoken through Christian that just made me swoon~"I'm here to mend yours(Zoe's heart)with pieces of mine." and "She filled his empty body. His heart. His soul." *sigh*
I absolutely love it when a book, that I don't really have any expectations about, blows me away and becomes one of my favorites. I am definitely a HUGE fan of Marquita Valentine after Twice Tempted. I am so glad that she contacted me with the generous offer to read this book. It was definitely my pleasure.
I would absolutely recommend Twice Tempted. It earned it's place in my keeper pile and is a definite reread for me. I can't wait for Third Time's A Charm~Sasha and Rose's book~it sounds so good!!! I am so hoping that Christian and Zoe will also continue their story throughout the series. Oh and I hope that Sebastian will get his own story as well!! 5 out of 5 rating!!

Marquita wrote such a sweet dedication~dedications tell me a lot about an author and I felt that her's set the perfect tone for this book.

***Copy generously provided by Marquita Valentine~Thank you so much!!

[Leanne Crabtree · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since I was undecided on what to read next, I've adopted a fellow BookLikes users method of using a random number generator. It picked #73, which was this one.

Let's hope I can remember enough about book #0.5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DNF @ 56%

Well... Admittedly it's been a year or two since I read the 0.5 book, Seduction of the Billionaire, and I remember liking it. I thought this would run along the same sort of lines but she hadn't mentioned that night they spent together and I was over half way.

I don't remember Zoe being so clumsy either. If something could be bumped into/spilt/dropped then Zoe did. It got a little annoying after a while, though the phone out of sun-roof, squashed by semi-truck did make me laugh.

The style of this didn't really work for me, I found it rather hard to get into and gel with. I also didn't understand Zoe's determination to avoid the film star. Was it that she didn't want him to remember that night together or was she not wanting to tempt fate and risk heart-break?

I just think my tastes have changed a bit and some of my older books on my list will end up the same way as this since they're from late 2012.

[Preet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saying I really liked this by giving it 4 stars seems kinda wimpy. It's definitely a book that I thought was amazing but not perfect. I'd give this book 4.5 stars. I can say that I devoured this book and wanted more when I was finished. Make sure you read the prequel to the story first which is titled "Seduction of the Billionaire."

There were a few things I didn't quite understand that kept me from giving this book 5 stars like I wanted to. I didn't understand the reason for animosity between the brothers. It wasn't clear why Sasha did what he did to keep Christian and Zoe apart and Christian was unable to recognize her if she was wearing his ring.

I loved the give and take in this book between Zoe and Christian. It was also a little confusing to see Zoe say no and then a little while later backtrack. But she was dealing with Christian "Ian" Romanov, the love of her life and the man who broke her heart, so I can see how that would mess with her. I guess that's not an issue after all.

I'm falling in love with the men and women of Holland Springs. Marquita Valentine has created a world full of possibilities and I for one can't wait to read all about them!

[Beckey · Rating 4 out of 5]

(*Note: Please read the first book in this series Seduction of the Billionaire Playboy Actor to better understand the emotions and feelings of Zoe, the main female character.)

The book is set up four years after the last book.

Christian is a movie star playboy that has played the game and has some skeleton that he wishes to be buried in closet and never brought to light. But things have a way to surface and at times with help...
Zoe has moved on with her life after the fling with Christian that happened four years earlier or has she?
Zoe is a famous striving author with a movie deal in the works for her books.
Zoe wants Christian to play the villain but why you may ask, well read the book to understand the reason behind.

The saying the pen is mightier than a sword come to mind when you read this but you will also understand that someone pushed what happened to occur and separate these two for the last four years.

I found the book an interesting and enjoyable contemporary erotic romance story.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was beautiful and came at just the right time for me. I had been looking for something light hearted and couldn't have been more pleased. Christian is beautiful and sweet beyond measure. He has spent years only loving one woman that he met on a rare night of sobriety. He hasn't been able to forget her or find her.
Zoe Ambrose hates that her heart was broken all those years ago. She channels the bastard into her writing to deal with the hurt. He never showed for her and he obviously never looked for her. So what if she was wearing a disguise and used an Alias.
Forced together they soon rebuild their connection but events want to tear them apart. This book is not as deep and torturous as I had thought it would be. Yes you feel the sadness, but you know they were meant to be together and that it will work out. I also loved the humor. It was very funny and endearing. You can't help but love Zoe. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, easy and fun read.

[Matu Nila · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was supposed to be the 1st book of the series, but I guess it wasn't?

There was a lot of "history"-info, something you should have know from the previous book or if this was the 1st book indeed, it wasn't really explained at all. For examble the part of Christian's father?

I liked the characters, but I did feel like Zoe was a bit too clumsy. I guess it was supposed to be funny, but I only found myself annoyed. I didn't quite get how Zoe played the hot-cold game; she was supposed to be this independent person, who was only helping Christian and the next thing you know, they're in bed together.

But then again, I'd like to see a heroess with SOME backbone. Ladies, you are allowed to say NO and stick with it!

[Andris Bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twice Tempted kicks off the Holland Spring series with Christian and Zoe's story. Christian Romanov has been a bad, bad boy throughout his successful acting career and needs an average, small town kind of girl to doctor his bruised reputation. But Zoe Ambrose has already played that game with Christian and lost. And what's worse, he doesn't even remember her!
The author tells a heart-warming and witty tale of redemption and perseverance as Christian fights for Zoe's trust and her heart. You won't regret this read.
I look forward to the next Holland Springs novel as well as anything more from this author.

[Jenn C Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oy....This book really had the potential to be great, but there were plot issues, grammatical errors, and annoying characters. While I enjoyed Ian and Zoe, there was lots of jumping around and we didn't learn about their past together until it was randomly pieced together by a variety of different characters. I hated Ian's father and Zoe's family was really bugging me. I also really didn't understand Sasha's character. And the love scenes were a little cliche using words and phrases that made me uncomfortable.

I don't know if I'd read another of Valentine's books - it would have to be well rated.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read full of unexpected twists. It reminded me of an "I Love Lucy" episode, with Zoe trying to be sophisticated and Christian trying to be suave, but always falling a bit short and ending up in one scrape after another. The chemistry between them was hot, and despite the mistakes they made along the way, I couldn't help rooting for them to be together. A promising start to the Holland Springs series!

[Melody May (What I'm Reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore this book and can't wait for the next book in the series. Who doesn't love an accident prone gal and big time Hollywood actor. It was a lot of fun to read.

check out my full review at http://sillymelody.blogspot.com

[Ginette · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got 67% done, keep thinking I missed a few chapters as I was reading, because I was lost a few times. Just couldn't finish. Just my personal opinion.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading this book I highly recommend reading the novella "Seduction of the Billionaire." This gives us a little back story of Zoe and Ian. One night turned into a promise that was never kept. Was is fate or miscommunication? Twice tempted takes us back to one of Holland Springs resident, Zoe Ambrose. One a trip to Las Vegas she runs (literally) into the one man she is trying to forget- Ian Romanov. Ian has made a lot of questionable choices in the past but the one thing he doesn't regret is the red headed beauty he met many months ago. Although their chemistry is off the charts, can they make it work outside the bedroom? When Ian needs to clean up his image a trip to Holland Springs may just be the perfect idea. Can Zoe tell Ian the truth about their first encounter? Is Ian really the inspiration for the villain in her books? Will there always be something in their way of finding their own happy ending? Ian has a troubled past with his family and when he trusts, he trusts completely. What happens when the truth is finally revealed? Who is trying to keep them apart? This is a great addition to the Holland Springs series and I can't wait to see what book is next! Definitely worth a read!

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twice Tempted

In this second book in the Holland Springs series Zoe has been given a second shot with Christian. Though he doesn't know that they had met four years ago. He needs help. His past has come back to haunt him. As an actor who has played to excesses and pictures are out there to undermine his trying to get clean, he has been tasked to find a woman who is not part of his partying past. Zoe has been given the opportunity to have her books made into movies. And somehow they bump into each other again. This was a fast pase read for me. With characters from the other book showing up.

[Bynz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never heard of this book or author but happened on this civic-minded hero-is-a-molester shelf of the reviewer Geek Girl and saw her PSA:
Any writer who uses rape/molesting or any kind of sexual harassment as a device to highlight hero's passion for the heroine is definitely a no-go for me.

It's wonderfully explicated review, and I'm grateful to find other voices raging about such plot devices.

Adding these notes lest I forget to steer clear of this author.

[Jen Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was confusing. So many things that happened made absolutely no sense. It just seemed like a mess with random sex scenes thrown in there. Was not a fan of this one.

[Michele A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christian and Zoe meet again 4 years after the masquerade ball and heartache for Zoe. Christian is told to find a woman who is not in the spotlight and has a girl next-door look about her. Zoe fits perfectly into that assignment and Christian struggles to recall if they have ever met. Zoe wastes opportunity after opportunity to set him straight and keeps their past dalliance to herself. Christian has a sordid past and it always comes back to bite him at the worst times. Zoe is an author and has used Christian as the basis for the villain in her novels. Zoe was all over the place in this book. She got hot, then cold, then frigid. Christian was no saint and had no concept of filtering his words when he got mad. Both of them needed to be more adult and not run away and sling nasty words around, let alone harboring secrets. Once everything was out in the open, Christian has to find it in himself to try and save his relationship with Zoe and get her to try to make their marriage work. She is not willing to give her heart because she thinks he will leave again. After showing her over and over that he is there to stay, Zoe finally confesses to how she really feels and allows their happiness to become real. It was a quick, easy read and sets up the next book in the series.

[Latte · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't like this book. I really felt there was too much going on with no depth to any of it. Sort of like thinking you're at a lake only to find it was simply a shallow pond.

Zoe & Christian hooked up 4 years previously but you don't find out what happened to separate them till much further into the book than was necessary. Christian has a dysfunctional family but you only get bits and pieces of scenes with those characters. Aunt Martha starts off as a main supporting character then just disappears in the storyline. Then there's a bit of "woo woo" with the "legend" of Holland Spring that isn't fully explained and is utterly unnecessary. The description of the book talks about Christian's involvement with an organization that's important to him but has no scenes of really showing his involvement so it felt like a throwaway to the storyline.

Sometimes, less is more in storytelling.

[Tam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starting this book was a bit weird as I had read the novella (Seducing a Billionaire) which is a prequel of sorts (it gives you the scene of their previous meeting) and that ends rather abruptly. You don't get their break-up. Instead you get an excerpt for this book to "find out what happens".

I liked Christian. I have to say I didn't get that he was a twin until the end when it was actually spelled out. Until that point I just thought there was a brotherly resemblance that was very close between the two siblings. It wasn't actually stated anywhere until then end (or I missed it). I liked Zoe too but thought she didn't help with their issues. As per usual with romances - both could have done with an open and honest conversation and they finally got there.

Whilst I liked the epilogue, I think it was too much time and skipped over the likely hurdles they would have faced. It did answer all the questions you might have had and was cute.

[Crystal Yawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brought about mixed feelings. I very much enjoyed Zoe and Ian's story. The love at first and second sight is very sweet. It's a page turner to see how it plays out. Will Ian's playboy, drug days ruin his second chance with Zoe or does love win ?
My problems. Several grammar mistakes. Wrong words used, words missing, extra words that dont belong etc. Now i can look past this because i downloaded it for free, but it is annoying.
The sequence of the book gets muddled. At some points in the book it is hard to tell what just happened. One minute they hate each other, then with no warning they are devouring each other in bed.
Overall the story beats the criticism. I would recommend the book and i will be reading the next one.

Reading the short prequel to this does bring to life the first meeting of Zoe and Ian that is touched on in the book but not fuly explained. "Seduction of the billionaire playboy actor"