Just a Little Fling

by Julie Kistler

IT WENT FROM BAD...
Lucie Webster is miserable! On the night of her thirtieth birthday, she's bridesmaid #13 at her younger sister's Scottish themed wedding. Sipping champagne for courage, Lucie decides to discard her scratchy kilt and have a fling with one of the safe ushers.

TO BED...
But an accidental hotel key mix-up lands Lucie in a sinful romp in the wrong four-poster - with the wild and sexy best man!

TO BEDLAM...
Ian Macintosh is shocked -- and delighted -- by the gorgeous female who's appeared in his bed. Footloose and fancy free, he's ready to continue the fling. But a mortified, conservative Lucie is convinced she's made a mistake. Especially when her gorgeous indiscretion keeps luring her back under the covers!

Genres: Romance, Humor

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 2000

About the author

Julie Kistler is the author of 30 romance novels and five shorter works, including one Cat Crime, two chapters for charity projects, an online serial and a novella. Julie won the Madcap Award for the best romantic comedy of 2001 for JUST A LITTLE FLING, a Harlequin Temptation, and she was nominated for Romance Writers of America's Rita Award for BLACK JACK BROGAN, a Harlequin American Romance. Several of her books have hit the Waldenbooks Best-Seller Lists.
She and her husband, Scott Johnson, co-authored ONCE THERE WERE GIANTS, the story of how tiny Hebron High School won the Illinois High School basketball tournament in 1952. That book came out in 2002 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hebron's amazing run to the state championship.

Julie was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois (yes, she "played in Peoria") but moved to the Chicago area for high school, where she met her husband Scott in 10th grade. (He sat in front of her in math class and she was attracted to his tall, dark, handsome and very smart ways.) Scott and Julie both attended the University of Illinois, and Julie graduated with a BA in history (Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude) in 1978. She married Scott in 1980, and then 1) got a law degree (cum laude) from the University of Illinois, 2) passed the Minnesota bar exam, 3) ran off with Scott for a two-month trip to Europe, and 4) moved to Minnesota to be a lawyer (in that order).

But law didn't suit her very well, and Julie left the legal world to be a full-time writer in 1985. She also sold her first book in 1985 (nine days after quitting her job.) That book was THE VAN RENN LEGACY, a madcap treasure hunt with a quote-acrostic for readers to solve, and it also earned Julie her second Golden Heart nomination.

Julie and Scott moved back home to Illinois in 1989, and have lived in Central Illinois ever since. A lifetime movie and theater lover, Julie began a side career as a theater critic for the Champaign News-Gazette in 1990. She has now joined the Board of Directors of Heartland Theatre, in Bloomington, Illinois, and she initiated an annual ten-minute play contest there which has proved to be very popular. Julie's play, "Hopeless Romantics," was performed in the first year of Heartland's Ten-Minute Playfest.

In her life, Julie has been a student, front desk clerk, room service waiter, switchboard operator, pizza chef, criminal prosecutor, singing and dancing law book (see photo below), prose reader, legal research expert, member of the Board of Directors of Romance Writers of America, president of Novelists Inc, marketing manager, romance writer, sportswriter, reporter, critic, Fred Astaire fanatic, cat lover, White Sox fan, daughter, sister, wife and friend.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I re-read this as part of my goal to review my old reads. This is one of those books where you have to kind of suspend your belief in reality even though it's set in the real world. The whole divorce thing was just a lot, as if breaking both your legs wouldn't be enough. I had little respect for Lucie. She's treat horribly by her family, but lives on their grounds. Just leave! You already pay rent, move away. She wants to design underwear with her Mum's old company, her Dad dangles it in front of her as bait with no hint of actually giving it to her. She had no backbone, but gets everything in the end when Ian rescues her. I have no strong feelings about Ian. Meh. I didn't realise how many issues I had with this until I started writing, the ratings lower than I had planned.

[Fedora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute read--Lucie's 30th birthday is on her spoiled half-sister Steffi's wedding day. The 13th bridesmaid out of 15 in a hideous abomination of Scottish plaid, she decides during the interminable reception that a fling is what she needs. She makes arrangements to meet up with a "safe" childhood friend, but an encounter in the bathroom with the ditzy maid of honor has them mixing up their room keys. She ends up with the gorgeous best man, the groom's brother, Ian, instead. One crazy passion-filled night... well, getting themselves untangled ends up their last concern...

I wasn't crazy about the over-the-top horribleness of her family, but overall it was a cute, lighthearted read.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read. Would like to know more about his teenage sister's story.

[Ay Oh Be · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I have read this book more than once. It's one I come across when shifting my shelves and everytime I do I give it a quick read.

It is a quick read. It's easy, the writing flows and the pacing is steady. I start reading and end up on page 70 without realizing it.

I don't have any complaints about the lead characters. Ian is rich, charming and genuinely nice. His instinct is to help but I didn't find him overbearing, which is refreshing.
I kind of love Lucie. She is artistic, she babbles, she has wonderful whimsy and she has strength of character. Despite how her "family" treats her she is optimistic and keeps fighting. I would happily be her friend.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

The key to it all

Accidentally switching keys with the maid of honor after they've both had to much to drink, Lucie finds a night of passion, but finds her the next morning walking the hall of shame. But Ian doesn't let her walk alone, he's right there with her. For a man who's avoided relationships, he finds himself falling for the woman who brought passion and happiness into his life. A charming romance with a nice HEA.

[Jeannie Massie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i wanted more but it was wonderful.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and enjoyable read

Made me chuckle fun to read good old romance
Good characters made me smile 😃 😀 😀 😃 😀 😀

[Gloria Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept my attention all the way to the end

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a sexy romcom, here it is! Loved this story & characters! Had me giggling throughout. :)

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my guilty pleasures rereads. If I need to cheer up, this is the book I tend to turn to, because it's deliciously funny and sweet.

[Joanne Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed and laughed. One of my Keeper Shelf Temptation stories and one of many reasons this amazing Harlequin line should still be on story shelves.

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

good read