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Hot Property

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All new sexy suspense from a New York Times bestselling star in erotic romance.

To finish writing her exposé on art collectors, Zoe Chandler has fled to a secluded lake house where a muscle-bound neighbor in cargo shorts catches her attention. The problem: he likes seclusion too. Haunted by his past in the CIA, he isn?t looking for company. But when Zoe?s controversial book brings a threat to her door, she begs Nick to protect her from danger?and keep her close. With his own trouble brewing, he?s not sure he can trust her??but she?ll do everything in her power to persuade him.

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2008

14 people are currently reading
349 people want to read

About the author

Susan Johnson

256 books574 followers
And it all began rather serendipitously. Long ago, as they say, in another time, when fast food hadn't reached our area and the only shopping was what the feed mill offered, I was reading a book that annoyed me .

My husband was lying beside me in bed, watching TV. Turning to him, I sort of petulantly said, "How the hell did this book get published?"

"If you think you're so smart," he replied, with one eye still on the TV, "why don't you write a book?"

So I did. And very badly.

I've since learned how to do, he said, she said, and a great variety of other adverb heavy, sometimes lengthy explanations of why my characters are saying what they're saying, along with finally coming to an understanding of what things like POV means. Point of View for you non-writers}.

Although, I still don't fully comprehend why it matters if you switch POV and I cavalierly disregard it as much as possible. So while my technical skills have hopefully improved, what hasn't changed is my great joy in writing. There's as much pleasure today in listening to my characters talk while I type as fast as I can, as there was the first time I put dialogue to paper--in long-hand, then, in my leather bound sketch-book.

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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Profile Image for Julie (jjmachshev).
1,069 reviews292 followers
August 19, 2008
Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Aug08

Susan Johnson is another big name in erotica publishing. Her novels run the gamut from historical to contemporary, but are always very, very hot. Once you read her stories, you realize that sex is at the heart of her novels, true erotica. Her latest, “Hot Property”, is an exciting modern story filled with tons of scorching hot sex, dry humor, and action.

Zoe has a problem. Actually a couple of them, but the biggest is the fact that her latest investigative novel about antiquities stars a high-powered businessman and his wife who have apparently decided to resort to threats after they learn she can’t be bought. Zoe’s other problem is her gorgeous neighbor who the very sight of causes her to remember exactly how long it’s been since she’s gotten ‘down and dirty’ between the sheets! When her investigation partner who’s currently overseas suggests she hire a bodyguard, Zoe has a fabulous idea! The few details she’s been able to glean from coffee shop gossip say her gorgeous neighbor could just be the solution…to BOTH her problems!

Nick suffers from nightmares—courtesy of a botched CIA mission in Kosovo. His job as a contract-hire interpreter for the agency unfortunately led to his witnessing the atrocities committed by a sadistic CIA agent. When Nick quit rather than continue to work with him, the agent tried to have him killed. Oh Nick can’t prove it, but he knows the ambush that killed his driver was ‘friendly fire’. After a long recovery, he’s retired to his late grandparents’ home in the boonies and is mostly recovered…except for those occasional nightmares. When Zoe approaches him about the bodyguard job, Nick’s first thought is that she might be an assassin. After all, tall, gorgeous blondes aren’t exactly thick on the ground out in the woods. When Zoe offers to trade sexual favors for his protection (not exactly in those words, but hey I’ll call a spade a spade), he wavers. His libido finally makes the decision for him, and now the two of them will dodge threats and bullets…all the while trying to quench their seemingly insatiable appetite for each other.

Susan Johnson knows how to write erotica. The relationship starts with sex and sex occupies a major part of the novel’s pages. Sweet stuff and mushy emotions only show up later and are treated with light humor. Her bad guys are almost comically bad as I would like to believe (maybe I’m just naïve) that anyone THAT sadistic and evil could hopefully not progress so high in the CIA. Her good guys are better than Rambo, and are virtual sex machines. I, personally, would be crawling and begging for a break. But this is fantasy, and Susan Johnson delivers with her trademark style. If you like your erotica hot enough to singe the pages (but still mostly vanilla) and your action heroes the gold medalists of sexual athleticism, then you should definitely pick up “Hot Property”. It’ll heat you up enough that you won’t need a coat for a while this fall.

Til next time
JJ
Profile Image for ElaineY.
2,452 reviews68 followers
September 16, 2008
Too slow-moving for me. It took half the book before the H/H get it on with each other and that wasn't even erotic. There was no wit or chemistry in their bantering so I thought I'd focus on the suspense-action element. Unfortunately, the author seemed intent on making it an erotic romance so that aspect wasn't moving along either. In all, a huge disappointment because I'm not going to finish it...too many books, only one lifetime to read them.

It's back to Roarke. I start Immortal in Death today.
Profile Image for Katie(babs).
1,869 reviews530 followers
May 19, 2009
Zoe Chandler rents a cabin by the lake where she is busy at work writing a tell-all book about some shady dealings involving some high-class art collectors. Bill Willerby and his wife are the subject of Zoe's investigation, and they would like nothing better than to make this problem go away. Willerby has money and many resources at his disposal and will use them to try to pay off Zoe. He'll also send some of his men to talk some sense into her. They'll use their own ways of bargaining to make her drop the book.

Nick Mirovic enjoys living like a hermit, especially if it helps him stay alive. He used to work for the CIA as an interpreter, but ever since CIA agent Harry Miller had a bad habit of killing the men he interrogated, Nick decided to get out. And now that Harry is up for CIA director, he is pulling out all the stops so nothing gets in his way of gaining the position, even if that means taking Nick out for good.

The summer should be an easy one for Nick, but he is always looking over his shoulder. He doesn't trust anyone, and that includes his sexy next-door neighbor. Even when Zoe comes to Nick asking for protection against the two goons Willerby sent, Nick is not sure if this is a set up by Harry. Zoe's story seems too coincidental and convenient. Nick may not trust Zoe but still would like nothing more than have her horizontal in his bed. He believes she may be a mole sent to either find his whereabouts, or kill him herself. That still doesn't stop Nick from seducing Zoe. As these two get down and dirty, Harry finally finds Nick. Now Nick must go on the run, and that means taking Zoe with him. Nick is unsure whether it is still to protect her, or to watch her to see if she has betrayed him, all he knows is that Zoe is his HOT PROPERTY and nothing will take her away from him.

When you have a man and a woman on the run who can't keep their hands off of each other, you have quite a hot thriller with a whole lot of sex going on. Susan Johnson is a pro at writing some of the best sex scenes in this genre. HOT PROPERTY sure does have a lot of them, but for the most part, I was a bit uncomfortable reading them. I think my main issue is with Nick, who doesn't trust Zoe as far as he can throw her, but doesn't mind getting down her pants every chance he can get. There was one such scene between them that left a bad taste in my mouth. When the so-called hero is in the middle of having sex with the heroine and begins to strangle her because he thinks she is about to kill him, that makes me wonder if these two have any chance of a future with one another. I also have an issue with the way Zoe acted after being strangled, almost passing out from lack of air. I would have run for the nearest exit, but no, Zoe forgives Nick and continues to have sex with him.

Harry Miller is a true degenerate and amoral individual, which makes for the best type of villain. The Willerbys may seem threatening to Zoe, but compared to the brutality of Miller, they are tame. Nick's buddy, Alan, who is a great guy, is there to lend back-up for Nick and Zoe, and he and Nick make a great team.

I really did want to like HOT PROPERTY because the action and suspense was non-stop, but I simply couldn't find any valid reason why Nick and Zoe were so attracted to each other. Nick constantly thought Zoe was a mole, and any possible love that could grow between them was not believable. But all in all, their physical attraction for each other was pretty intense, so if you are looking for two hot bodies who just want to release some sexual frustration, this latest by Susan Johnson may be up your alley.

Some readers may not mind Nick's sometimes rough and harsh treatment of Zoe, and she doesn't seem to mind either, probably because Nick is so good in bed. I find myself wanting a more compassionate hero and one who will not try to kill his own true love while they are in the middle of sex because he is afraid she may stab him in the back. HOT PROPERTY may be a hot read for others, but, as for myself, I would take a pass on this latest by Susan Johnson.
Profile Image for Michelle Tempted By Books.
1,718 reviews27 followers
April 5, 2012
Yay! Romantic Suspense with a little erotica. This romance is well written, and sexy as hell. Well maybe it's not that book. LOL I love that Susan has set the story in a place I am familiar with and has a sex hero. The heat gradually builds and when it peaks it is so worth it. Recommended for Modern Contemporary Romance fans.
Profile Image for Mandie.
20 reviews1 follower
October 23, 2008
I really struggled with suspending my disbelief with this book. Probably because any semblance of a plot was an obvious vehicle for the steamy sex scenes (which a few of them admittedly made me stop and fan myself for a while). WARNING: Material is unsuitable to be read on lunch break at work!
Profile Image for Di.
610 reviews11 followers
July 28, 2017
Perfect

I've had this book for a while on my TBR list, that I decided now was the time to read it
I am so used to reading books now, written in the first person, that it took some time to get used to the fact that this was written in the third person. That did not detract from the enjoyment of the storyline though. I don't think it would've worked quite as well has it been written any other way. This way we were treated to seeing things from each characters point of view. Not just Nick and Zoe, but other ones also. I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed reading books when they were written in the third person.
Nick and Zoe make a very hot couple and they help each other through some very difficult situations.
I loved the suspense angle. Nick is naturally suspicious of the new girl next door and her motives and timing. Zoe is naive and trusts easily. The only issue I had was with how often Nick went back and forth. His lack of trust, whilst understandable, got on my nerves after a while.
Profile Image for Shinyfox.
254 reviews16 followers
December 10, 2012
At first I thought this book would have an interesting premise. A bit cliche, of course, but interesting. However it wasn't set out very well. And the characters made me want to pull my hair out. Zoe is being targeted by some big art collector for writing an expose about him and exposing a lot of what he has done. Nick used to work for the CIA and now someone who wants him dead is up for the position of Directer. So he has to worry about his own life. Despite this, when Zoe comes asking him for help, since he looks like the body guard type, he agree's.

But wait there's more. He agree's to act as body guard to her even though he has suspicion's that she was sent by the guy trying to kill him. Not only that but he only decides to keep her around because she's a great lay. (even though he still thinks she was sent to kill him.)

At one part in the book he almost suffocates her during a sex scene because he thought she was reaching for his gun to kill him. (She wasn't, she was reaching for anything to hit him with because they were having unprotected sex and she didn't want to get pregnant and he wasn't pulling out.)

The whole issue I have with this book is that almost all the sex scenes (and there are quite a lot of them), involve Nick having sex with Zoe when he doesn't trust her at all. But hey, there's a woman involve and she's spreading her legs for him, so he's all for it, it doesn't matter if she's there to kill him anymore because he's about to get some. Excuse me? What? No.

There was simply no reason for these two characters to really fall in love, other than surviving some pretty crazy situations together. I just kept seeing it as two characters squashed together for good sex. The other big problem I had with this entire book was the way that Zoe acted after the aforementioned suffocating scene. After Nick let up on her and she could breath she should have run for the hills like any sane woman. Instead Zoe forgave him and continued to engage in sexual activities with Nick.
I would not recommend this book to anyone.
Profile Image for Jane Stewart.
2,462 reviews966 followers
September 27, 2010
I liked it, but it could have used a little more spark.

There were a lot of long sex scenes which tend to liven up most anything, but it needed a different kind of spark. I wasn’t emotionally pulled in. Nothing surprised or delighted me. It was a typical good guys vs bad guys with CIA types and a greedy corporate billionaire. There were a couple of interesting and good solutions at the end. I didn’t want to rush the reading, so it was enjoyable.

Story Brief:
Zoe is investigating and writing a book about looted artifacts from Italy. The book will scandalize Willerby, a greedy corporate billionaire, so he hires people to threaten her. Zoe’s neighbor Nick is a former CIA agent who knows too much. Harry is going to be promoted to head of the CIA and sends agents to kill Nick. Nick has been living hermit-like due to post traumatic stress from his military work. Zoe asks him for help against the Willerby threat. Nick goes back and forth concerning Zoe, because he suspects she may be an agent of Harry’s. He gets involved to help her, but continues to be suspicious.

Data:
Story length: 312 pages. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 9. Length of sex scenes: 1 short scene (0.5 page), 4 medium scenes (1.6 to 3.2 pages) and 4 long scenes (8.5 to 18.8 pages). Setting: current day Ely, Minn (small town on a lake), the Hamptons, Virginia, Canada and Chicago. Copyright: 2008. Genre: romantic suspense.

To date, I’ve read the following Susan Johnson books.
4 stars. Wedding Surprise (in anthology Twin Peaks). Copyrt 2005. Review Date 5/01/07.
4 stars. School for Scandal (in anthology Perfect Kisses). Copyrt 2007. Review Date 5/17/08.
3 stars. Hot Property. Copyrt 2008. Review Date 9/30/08.
2 stars. Blaze. Copyrt 1986. Review Date 9/29/08.
Profile Image for Helen Peter.
292 reviews1 follower
March 6, 2011
I like the way the story is written, however, Ms Johnson description of the way the hero and heroine get together is always the same. I have read a couple of her books, both comtemporary and historical. It is alway the same reaction between them. The hero and heroine are always experienced (divorce or widowed), aggressive and rude to each other then concilatory to one another because they wanted each other. This is repeated throughout the book wherever and whenever they come together. Once you have read two to three of her books, the love scences are alway predictable. This is the part where I do not understand. Her story are alway very well written - for example - in this book, the hero is a recluse due to events that happen in his past in Kosovo and the heroine is a writer exposing theft of antiques from Italy. In French Kiss, it is about and treehouse architect and record producer. There is nothing in common between the heros and heroines in both books, but the love scences are similar. That is why I gave her 3 out of 5 stars.
Profile Image for Courtney Howell.
103 reviews5 followers
August 21, 2013
It was okay. The plot was well-developed and it kept me engaged the whole time. The biggest issue I had with it was the interactions with Nick and Zoe.. Nick was just a douche and Zoe was okay with it. I didn't think their banter was playful (calling someone a 'little bitch' jokingly is not really joking). And I didn't entirely appreciate the use of the word cunt in their sex scenes. I'm all about taking the word back, but to me it was too much about Nick dominating her cunt for it to be feministy enough. And, like I said, he was just kind of a dick all the way around and I didn't enjoy the banter, which is an important part of any romance novel for me.
Profile Image for Sara.
605 reviews1 follower
March 23, 2011
This was a slightly awkward feeling book. There's a woman being harassed by the topic of her expose. There's a man hiding from the world after witnessing all kinds of atrocities. They rather speedily manage to get together and have lots and lots of sex. Miraculously in the end, they decide it was really love all along.
Profile Image for PastAllReason.
239 reviews2 followers
August 3, 2008
This was certainly not the author's best work. The depiction of the hero's profession and the conflict was not believable to me. And then there was the part where the CIA effectively invaded Canada, and nobody noticed other than the hero.
Profile Image for Karis.
3 reviews4 followers
September 9, 2009
Lots of hot sex... very descriptive. A quick read.
12 reviews
August 28, 2010
DID NOT LIKE THIS BOOK! TOOO MUCH SEX! GET TO THE DAMN POINT! UGH!
Profile Image for Melanie.
193 reviews16 followers
October 1, 2012
Really didn't read well, and the characters weren't very alluring. Maybe all the c-bombs were a bit confronting too. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews

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