UP In Flames: Body Heat / Caught in the Act

PI & Men to the Rescue #3

by Lori Foster

Body Heat 

The last person Melanie Tucker wants to find herself trapped with on a party boat is her nemesis, Adam Stone. As always, he's too smooth…and a bit too sexy for comfort. But when they both fall overboard�and wind up stranded together�Melanie just can't resist all the delicious body heat smoldering between them…. 

Caught in the Act 

When a robbery goes bad, undercover cop Mick Dawson can't believe Delilah Piper (aka mystery writer Lela DeBraye) was just in the wrong place at the wrong time�and neither do the perps. The only way to protect her while he investigates what really happened is to stick with her 24/7�and try not to fall for the object of his investigation!

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Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Anthologies, Romantic Suspense, Fiction, Adult

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN.

Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home.

Each year Lori donates all proceeds from one book to charity. You can see the benefit romance books here: http://lorifoster.com/benefit-books/

Career Highlights
•In 2001, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy.

•In 2002, Lori’s book Too Much Temptation was the top-selling romance title for Amazon books.

•In 2003, Say No To Joe was the second “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for Waldenbooks.

•In 2004, Lori Foster was a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle.

•In 2004, The Secret Life of Bryan was the “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for the BGI group.

•In 2005, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Contemporary Romance.

•In 2006, Jude’s Law was the “Bestselling Romantic Comedy” romance title for the BGI group.

•In 2007, Lori launched a new “urban fantasy” series under the name L.L. Foster. See more on her “dark side” at www.llfoster.com.

•In 2007, Causing Havoc was among Amazon’s Top Ten Editor’s picks in Romance.

•In 2008, Hard to Handle made #2 on The New York Times.

•In 2009, Servant: The Acceptance was Amazon’s #1 Editors’ Pick in Romance.

•In 2010, Lori was a clue in the USA Today Quick Cross puzzle.

Reviews

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this for the survival romance trope. it was ok. the two main’s fall overboard off a party boat, so they are then stranded on a deserted island. it’s quick and they fall quick, but they also knew each other as kids. It’s 3PPOV and short, so if you’ve got a couple hours you could fill it with this. Didn’t read the second novella.

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Lori Foster Hot Summer Reads * * * 1/2

When I think Lori Foster, I think of the first time I read her work... I was new to romance and she left a huge impression of Wow. She created a story, smokin' hot guys and women who were very attracted to them. Sometimes the Characters had thrilling occupations; sometimes they were in a fix... but all the time they were so attracted to each other, you would feel the heat off the page.

In Up In Flames, you get two stories which follow that pattern. Both of these novellas have strong, focused men and the women they are attracted to are totally into them.

Body Heat gives the tale of being stranded and having to rely on each other. The characters have history so the lust for each other...makes sense as it has been hidden for years... I am talking since grade school. They were also from opposite sides of the financial and status track... causing all sorts of mixed messages. The set up is strong... the conflicts work and the need both of them sincerely have for each other plays out in a very real way. It had enough story to wrap around the need and romance. I enjoyed this fast little read.

Caught in the Act was the second part of this book. This was longer and the elements included some thriller, mystery, secrets.... oh... and serious Alpha male with his woman. The main character happens to see his object of desire in his old neighborhood. He is an undercover cop and with his circle of friends, lives a very tight life. Isn't a manwhore... doesn't share easily and had a difficult childhood. He is taking care of the apartment building he owns in a seedy part of town and he sees.... her. Yes, there is this woman who just catches is eye and he is gobsmacked... he sees her walking to the post office, oblivious to her surrounding... which, of course, triggers his protective needs in him for her...he is stunned; we hear him thinking "doesn't she know how dangerous this is", etc. He follows her on her errand to make sure she is ok. He then discovers she jogs every day by the restaurant he and his friends meet for lunch regularly. After two weeks obsessing about this gal... he finally decides to make his move...as she goes into the jewelery store across the way. She is there looking in the cases... he is about to approach her and then.... everything happens... a robbery takes place with the thieves zeroing in on her...our fella gets himself between them and her taking a bullet for her. All but one of the bad guys get away. Wounded, he makes sure his friends, who rushed to the scene, keep "his woman" safe and not let her go. Fast forward to the hospital.... these two finally get to have a conversation and the attraction they both feel for each other is staggeringly mutual.... it is so potent... it is setting off heart monitors and alarms...

This story has some very interesting points... the occupation of our gal will hit a chord with the readers big time. It is used as a plot point and also a personality focus. It was smart writing and worked. There is a huge amount of fast insta-lust... so if that is something which does not work for you... be warned... but if you like PI's, EMT's and Firemen... then this may be the start of something... because the secondary characters have lots of time on the pages making me feel like Ms. Foster has plans for them.

Up in Flames... is a terrific summer/take a moment/need a break type of book. It will hook you... take you to another place and give you the connections between people we want.

A gifted copy was provided by Harlequin HQN publishing through Netgalley for an honest review

For more reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Source: Library

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: This collection features two older stories from Lori Foster. While they weren’t really my cup of tea, I could still see why she has become a very popular author.

Opening Sentence: She was the only female fully clothed.

The Review:

I’ve not read anything by Lori Foster before, but I’ve heard good things about her. The two stories here are older ones of hers that have been reprinted. Neither story was really up my alley, but they were well written and kept my attention.

Body Heat – 3 Stars

Adam and Melanie haven’t seen each other in years. Growing up, Adam was the bane of Melanie’s existence, constantly picking on her. Little did she know that Adam was secretly harboring strong feelings for her, but refused to act on them because of his feelings about her wealth. Several years later, they run into each other on a boat trip. Their initial meeting doesn’t go well at all, and ends with Melanie falling overboard. Adam goes over as well, and they find themselves stranded on an apparently deserted island. What better time for all those old feelings to come back to the surface?

I think my feelings about this story can be best summed up this way: meh. It was fine for what it was, a deserted island romance story. Not much really happened though, and neither character was developed well enough for me to really get a grasp on their personalities. Neither of them were objectionable in any way, but they weren’t particularly memorable either. The story itself is well written, which made it easy to read. I just wish it had been a bit longer so that maybe I could have had a chance to connect to the characters.

Caught in the Act – 3.5 Stars

Delilah is a famous author, known for her unusual research techniques. One day while researching a new novel, she finds herself in the middle of a robbery. Her life is saved by a man named Mick. She is immediately captivated by him and follows him to the hospital so that she can take care of him. What she doesn’t know is Mick is an undercover cop, one who is equally fascinated by her. Thus begins a whirlwind romance, one that becomes threatened by a continued threat to Delilah’s life. Will they figure out who wants her dead before it’s too late?

This story was a lot more fleshed out, which made it move a bit quicker for me. I’m not really a fan of love at first sight romances, but this story still managed to entertain me despite that fact, mainly due to the wonderful secondary characters. I would have loved to see more of Zack and Josh because their personalities practically leapt off the page. As for the main characters, Mick and Del were both likeable, but I wasn’t in love with either of them. One thing that kept this from being a 4 star story has to do with an issue I have with the ending, but I can’t get into specifics without spoiling the story. In the end, I found this story more enjoyable than the previous one, but it still fell short of being great, in my opinion.

Notable Scene:

“The anesthesia is wearing off,” Zack explained. “You’ll be groggy a little longer, but overall you’re fine. They left the bullet in- that’s two for you now, right? Taking it out would only have caused more damage. You lost too much blood already.”

Mick was still registering what Zack had said when his friend leaned forward and growled not two inches from his nose, “You scared the hell out of me! Don’t you know if you get shot you should stay down? Swinging your arm around that way encouraged it to bleed more.”

Mick grunted, as much from the pounding in his head as in reply. “Where the hell is she?”

Exasperated, Zack sighed. He didn’t need to ask She who?

“Josh has been keeping a close eye on her, since right before you passed out and bashed your damn head on the ground. Yeah, that’s why your head feels like it’s splitting. I’m surprised you don’t have a concussion, as hard as you hit. If you didn’t have to be so damn macho, if you’d just tell someone when you were ready to faint-”

“I did not faint.” Mick’s voice, his words, were gaining strength, and he grumbled, “I passed out from blood loss.”

“Yeah, well, they look about the same when you drop right in the middle of a crowd.”

It hurt, but Mick narrowed his eyes and said, “Zack? Come closer.”

Zack, filled with new concern, leaned down close.

“Where the hell is she!”

FTC Advisory: Harlequin provided me with a copy of Up in Flames. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is a novella, paired with a Harlequin style story, from the author’s Private Investigator series.


Body Heat - 3 /5 - Melanie Tucker and Adam Stone clashed back in high school. She was the wealthy, but lonely girl whose parents controlled her life while he was the poor boy from the other side of the tracks. Adam grew up resenting Melanie and all she stood for and bullied her, but he was attracted to her, and he resented that attraction. Now they’re stranded on a deserted island together and Adam still resents the attraction and Melanie’s money, but he can’t deny that she’s not the same lonely girl she always was. And he wishes he’d never bullied her. Melanie wants to move beyond the past and help Adam, heck she’s half in love with him, but he can’t seem to get past her having money.

Initially, it’s very hard to like Adam because it’s clear who has the prejudice in this relationship. He knows he was a bully to her and he regrets it, but he continues to act like one and IMHO enjoys humiliating her. He still resents her wealth. Melanie, meanwhile, is trying to show Adam that she’s changed, become more confident and independent, no longer an object of his ridicule. So the only thing holding her in the past is her belief that he’s a bully...which he is. So watching him seduce her and try to get into her pants felt REALLY sleazy because from my perspective he didn’t respect her and didn’t even like her, but he’s all about having a one-night stand with her. As we get closer to the actual act though, it suddenly comes up that it’s not that he doesn’t respect her, it’s that he’s in love with her and doesn’t believe himself worthy of her...because she’s wealthy and he’s had to work for his money. And that’s why he’s been treating her like crap. Well that’s all well and good to have that justification, but I think that would have helped towards the beginning of the story...before I started disliking Adam. So then I had to scramble to like him again. I did get there and realized he wasn’t so bad, but it felt like it could have been so much easier to hook me on him if the reader had been clued in on his feelings. HE knew he loved her all along, at least according to his brother, so why didn’t we? I did like this story- I really appreciated that Melanie was totally not a whiner. Stuck on a deserted isle and optimistic all the way, able to hold her own and contribute to their survival and actually be happy about it. I loved seeing that in a heroine. I also like that in the end, she’s the one who comes out cool and confident and telling the hero to either buck up and accept her as she is or she’ll go on her way. It wasn’t quite as kick ass as that, but that was her basic message.

Caught in the Act - 3 /5 - Mick Dawson, the teenage boy from the first two books in this series, is now an adult and an undercover cop. Usually, he keeps himself pretty distant, but he has fallen head over heels in lust/love for a woman he’s never met, only seen. Del Piper jogs by the cafe in which he eats every day and he’s anxious to get her into bed. When he follows her into a jewelry store to finally meet her, he ends up shot in a robbery, trying to save her life. She of course falls head over heels for him in return, having been thus protected. But there’s a lot to learn about each other still, and a lot of obstacles to overcome - trust, accepting the personality quirks and professions of the other, stubbornness, etc. Mick sets out to find out who wants Del dead and tries as much as possible to get Del out of it, which Del doesn’t necessarily appreciate.

This was a pretty weird set up. I was a bit thrown by it...didn’t necessarily dislike it, but it felt strange. I mean, there’s definitely insta-lust...but at times I wonder if it isn’t insta-love. Mick vacillates between wanting to be with Del forever and just wanting her in bed until he gets her out of his system. Normally, I’d balk at a guy doing whatever he can just to get a woman into bed without stopping to learn anything about her (which he does), but Del was totally on board. These two don’t know one thing about one another and their ready to set up house together. She doesn’t know the first thing about him and she’s inviting him to live at her house while he recuperates - you've gotta admit that’s slightly strange behavior. And the fact that we don’t learn ANYTHING about Del for the first 30-40% of the book except that she jogs and she’s a writer, made this feel a bit weirder. But I will say, the confidence and gung-ho attitude both of them have towards the sex, made those scenes quite HOT.

It isn’t until that angsty moment rears its head, where Mick throws Del to the wolves and believes a criminal over her, that things got really good. That was some serious angsty shit going on right there and I was over the moon about it. Finally, I could see where all this insta-love was leading to. They both finally realize that they don’t know each other and haven’t known each other long enough to trust and they both get quite a wake up call. Of course, neither of them really take that to heart and understand that the reason for this little issue was because they didn’t know each other. Del is justifiably hurt at Mick’s actions and figures her heart is broken and she’ll never be able to forgive him. I was on board with that. But all of Mick’s friends throw in their weight towards getting her to forgive him and he’s pretty contrite for a few hours and explains why it’s so hard for him to trust, and then he reveals that he’s been lying to her about his job and she completely forgives him and has sex with him. Which was a major let down because I wanted some grovel, thank you very much. I wanted to see him suffer for a little bit. Just a little. His actions were pretty shitty. He didn’t even have to work for any forgiveness. So this was probably the best part of the story, but a bit of a let down in the end. Still good reading though.

And on a side note, this story (and many of this author’s stories) have what is fast becoming one of my major pet peeves with heroes. Time after time, Mick calls the heroine “Delilah,” her full name. Time after time, she tells him to call her “Del.” She is perfectly clear that “Del” is the name she would prefer and she isn’t the least bit wishy-washy about it, nor does she secretly show a preference for the hero’s special name for her. But he doesn’t care because that’s the name he wants to call her. For me this shows a complete lack of respect for the heroine and a REALLY selfish attitude. A person’s identity is wrapped up in their name and the name a person calls you is really meaningful. Del actually says she only went by Delilah as her formal name on the books she publishes and when her Dad was angry with her - and that’s the name that Mick chooses to use with her? What’s the meaning in that? It’s not special or sweet to call someone a different name because YOU want to - it’s rude. If she’d called him “Mickey” or “Stud-Muffin” in front of his friends just because SHE wanted to, you can bet he’d be stopping that nonsense real quick. She should have done the same.

[Kay Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

You will need some fresh air and a glass of cold water (or a cold shower) after reading this Lori Foster book. If I had to describe this book in a few words I would say "wild" and "exciting" and "HOT"! Body Heat (the first of the two books) is a walk on the wilder side of Lori Foster who always gives us hot romances for cold nights, but this book is way past that. Foster throws us a curve by dividing the book into two consecutive novellas (just to keep readers on their toes. In Body Heat, Under cover Office Melanie Tucker finds herself on a cruise with Adam Stone, the guy she loved to hate in high school. She was a spoiled rich girl and he was a poor but popular and sexy guy. Through a fluke of circumstance they end up marooned on an island after falling off of the ship. This leads to the couple getting together (in every way imaginable") in the second novella. While you can pretty much guess at how the HEA will eventually pan out, in this novella it's all about enjoying the journey in the hot sweaty jungle. It gives the term "rumble in the jungle" a new definition that romance lovers will love.

The second novella is Caught In the Act. While the first novella was good, Caught In the Act was clearly my favorite of the two. Mick Dawson is a cop in love with the girl he sees jogging through the neighborhood. When he follows her and foils a jewelry store robbery that is really a hit on her life, Mick quickly makes her a part of his life and he is determined to save her from whoever is trying to kill her. Delilah Piper is a ditzy bookworm and adventure/ mystery writer who falls in love at first sight with the sexy hunk who saves her life during an attempted robbery. She immediately finds herself very attracted to Mick and decides to trust her instincts and let him protect her as he is determined to do. This story got off the ground a little better than the first book. Boy was I wrapped up in every word. It is interesting and Delilah is a nerdy author who lives dangerously so that she can experience the good and bad things she writes about in her books. Delilah gets the sexy hot hunk but doesn't try to change for him. She still gets lost in writing in spurts and she is not a social butterfly. But, she finally begins to accept that she is just what Mick is looking for in a woman. These two kept me interested in their story. I loved the way they interact with each other very honestly and down to earth. They both have trust issues, and its great seeing how they mess up things but still manage to keep their relationship strong.

Read the full review as well as reviews of other books and authors and get industry news and information at my blog: Romance Readers Bookshelf

[Tabatha · Rating 4 out of 5]

UP IN FLAMES is a newly released duo book from Lori Foster, but I will caution that it is a re-release of two novellas you might have read if you are an avid Foster fan. Both stories were entertaining, but CAUGHT IN THE ACT definitely rose above the very short novella BODY HEAT for me personally.

BODY HEAT (3 stars)

I hate spoilers and avoid them at all costs, so I can’t reveal too much about the plot because it was a very short read. It is a deserted island romance with a reunion of frenemies, so it had an appealing sweet factor to it when they finally reveal that they always had feelings for each. The two of them were both very headstrong and had their issues, but I will admit they had great chemistry together. I think I would have enjoyed BODY HEAT more if it had been fleshed out a bit further, because it just wrapped up too fast for me. It was an overall good short read, but it left me wanting more.

CAUGHT IN THE ACT (4 stars)

Now I really enjoyed this one, and it reminded me more of her newer book series where the men are cops/investigators with their group of sexy friends. It was the third book in a series, but I hadn’t read the other ones and didn’t feel lost at all. I definitely do want to go back and read those though, because Alec and Dane were great characters. I think that the connection between Mick and Delilah was fast, but so very intense that it made it believable. Del was definitely an off the wall character, and I found myself totally loving her straightforward eccentric behavior. Both of these two had never put much focus on dating to focus on their respective careers, so watching them work through the bumps was fun. CAUGHT IN THE ACT had all the typical Foster attributes. It had an engaging plot line, excitement at every turn, and it was full of steamy romance making it one great read.

✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.

✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews

[Kate Dirty Girls' Good Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Up in Flames: Body Heat/Caught in the Act by Lori Foster
B+, blaze, no kink, contemp, 368 pages

The book is split into 2 novellas.  Body Heat is about the first third of the book, with Caught in the Act taking up the rest.

Body Heat-Melanie and Adam went to high school together.  She was a rich girl, he was poorer than dirt.  Although they both were attracted to each other during school, neither made a move.  Now, years later, they find themselves on the same party boat.  When they go overboard during a storm and end up stranded on an island, things really start to heat up.  I will be honest and say that I love the whole stranded together on a deserted island plot line.  That's pretty much a sure fire way to get me to read a book.  And this one did not fail to dissapoint.

Caught in the Act-Mick, a police officer, has fallen for a lady he's never met.  He's seen her jogging before and just knows he needs to meet her so he follows her into a jewelry store.  When the store is robbed, he protects Delilah and takes a bullet.  Delilah offers to let him recover at her place.  And while he does need time to recover, he's also beginning to suspect that someone is after Delilah.  So he moves in with her to keep her safe.  Caught in the Act had just the right amount of suspense for me. Delilah is such a unique character and Mick accepts her for what she is.  There was a lot of secret keeping, especially on Mick's side, that I didn't appreciate, but otherwise I enjoyed this one a lot.

This is the first book I've read by Lori Foster but I'm looking forward to checking out her back list. I especially want to see if there are stories for the secondary characters (Mick's friends) from Caught in the Act.

The combination of these 2 novellas made for a quick and enjoyable read.  Fast paced and engaging, I did not want to put this one down.  At one point I found myself mad at my 7 year old who interrupted reading to ask when supper would be.  Then I looked at the clock and discovered that it was already 7:30pm.

[Karina Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars for both books!

Both books are short novellas by Lori Foster both previously published FYI so don't get confused!

Body Heat (3 Stars)

I don't want to give to much away, but this is a short novella about frenemies turned lovers! Melanie and Adam find themselves on the same party boat the chemistry is instant. And when they both go overboard and end up on a deserted island, past feelings come out.

I enjoyed this book, a nice simple read of old classmates admitting their feeling for one another after all these years. I with it was a tad bit longer, it definitely left me wanting more! Overall great summer read.

Caught in the Act (4 Stars)

Micks an undercover cop and after seeing this 'woman' he instantly feels an attraction towards her. So he follows her around for the next two weeks before finally gaining the courage to go and talk to her. Gaining the courage he follows her into a jewelry store when everything happens, the place gets robbed. Taking a bullet while protecting her Mick ends up in the hospital. Felling thankful she offers to take care of him at her house, and while there Mick realizes someone might be targeting her …

This book had a little bit of everything, suspense, humor, hottie cops and firefighters. Just the usual mash up of awesomeness. I loved that this one was a bit longer so you got more from it. Also I read its number #3 in a series but you didn't even realize which is always a plus! It's a bit insta-love which I'm normally not a fan of but with this it worked!

Definitely recommend both books.

[Adria's Musings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on Adria's Musings and Reviews.

* A copy of this book was and provided by the publisher via NetGalley/Edelweiss for the purpose of an honest review. All conclusions are my own responsibility and I was not compensated for this review.


The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: In Body Heat Melanie Tucker and her nemesis Adam Stone wind up on the same party boat and in a freak accident end up falling overboard and end up stranded on an island where they’re forced to confront their pasts and possible future together.

Caught in the Act has undercover cop Mick Dawson infatuated with a woman he’s only seen from far until she’s caught up in a robbery gone bad and Mick takes a bullet for her. Delilah Piper can’t believe the electric connection she shares with her rescuer much less that she offered to let him recuperate in her home but as her and Mick become more involved, it becomes clear that the robbers were after Delilah but Mick doesn’t know why. He intends to find out while keeping Delilah in the dark about what he really does for a living.




Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? I love getting two different stories in one book, it’s like Christmas and my birthday got together and had a party. In this case I liked Body Heat but I didn’t love it. Neither Melanie nor Adam was very appealing or particularly likable. Adam had this bullying tone to his interactions with Melanie and Melanie was at times shrewishly stubborn. For me there wasn’t much substance between them to build a meaningful relationship.

Now Caught in the Act was a different story. Mick and Delilah may have started off with a insta-lust situation (Which I don’t mind) but because of the circumstances of Mick’s injury he and Delilah didn’t exactly burn up the pages with non-stop sexy time. Oh the tension and chemistry was definitely there and some steamy moments were had but there was also a lot of connecting on an emotional level. I loved that Lori Foster didn’t try to feed readers some unbelievable BS when it came to Mick and Delilah’s fast relationship. She let it confuse and scare both characters because duh, it was really quick and intense between them. I liked that because it kept their romance from going into the unrealistic category. Sexual chemistry can be instant, so can physical attraction, but emotions are different and it took Mick and Delilah a bit to realize and feel comfortable with no longer being a party of one.


There was something else I enjoyed about Caught in the Act and that was Mick’s friends. All of them care so deeply for him but it was Zack and Josh that had my attention. The three of them couldn’t be more different but they worked as friends and I loved their connection. In the end it was Josh who broke my heart a little. He’s this love ‘em and leave ‘em kinda guy but he ends up falling a little in love with someone who wouldn’t ever return that sentiment because she was head over heels in love with someone else. Now I just HAVE to read Josh’s story so that I can erase that picture of this heartbroken guy from my mind!


Click It or Skip It? Click It. I really liked Mick and Delilah’s story the best and it got me determined to read Josh and Zack’s stories too.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Up in Flames-Body Heat & Caught In The Act
Author: Lori Foster
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 5-27-2014
Pages: 361
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sub-Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
ISBN: 978-3737787799
ASIN: B00H5I7ZIU
Reviewed For NetGalley and Harlequin
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.25 Stars


Body Heat
The last person Melanie Tucker wants to find herself trapped with on a party boat is her nemesis, Adam Stone. As always, he's too smooth…and a bit too sexy for comfort. But when they both fall overboard—and wind up stranded together—Melanie just can't resist all the delicious body heat smoldering between them….

Caught in the Act
When a robbery goes bad, undercover cop Mick Dawson can't believe Delilah Piper (aka mystery writer Lela DeBraye) was just in the wrong place at the wrong time—and neither do the perps. The only way to protect her while he investigates what really happened is to stick with her 24/7—and try not to fall for the object of his investigation!


Two separate stories of opposites attract and when they connect they are cemented together and nothing can pull them apart, except maybe their own doubts. Quick paced with lead characters with attitude. Enjoy!


My rating of "Up In Flames" is 4.25 out of 5 stars.


Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H5I7ZIU/...

B&N Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hard...

GoodReads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

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Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally gave up on this book a little more than halfway thru. I finished the first story, but couldn’t stomach the second one and can’t put my finger on exactly what bothered me about it.
Both stories were a little off the mark in terms of realism. In the first story, this couple falls overboard a boat, and he, supposedly, swims MILES with a non-swimmer to a deserted island? Really? In reality, without the help of a raft or something, he would fatigued under the weight of dragging her along with him unless he’s some type of Olympic swimmer. And then when they get to the island, their survival skills are less than impressive, and they spend their time having sex rather than focusing on food and drinkable water.
I found the second story even less tolerable. A guy chases down a woman he doesn’t even know and decides he wants to have a relationship with her. So this stalker-dude turns out to be a cop and instead of telling her the truth about his profession, he decides to lie about it and tells her that he’s a PI instead. She’s never met stalker-cop before she ends up tending to him in the hospital when she immediately volunteers to take him home with her just because he took a bullet for her. They’re both idiots! And then all he can think about is how he’s going to get into her pants while he’s got a bullet in him and is drugged up on painkillers.
But what also bugged me is how the second story is written. The author uses some kind of passive verb tense rather than an active verb tense. And the dialogue is pretty lame.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story Body Heat, with Melanie Tucker, and Adam Stone. Body heat is one and the other Caught in the act with Mick Dawson and Delilah Piper great. Two delightful stories.

[Joy Boutwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has two different stories in it - Body Heat & Caught in the Act. Both stories have a good storyline and are well written.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy

Too cute stories. The characters were so funny and real like. Storylines were interesting and so romantic at the end. Thanks for the great stories.

[Kim Schellin-Rog · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book here was a short story so it moved fast. Not a lot to it.

The second book was just ok. It struggled to maintain my attention and focus.

[BBMoreB ~]

Up In Flames: Body Heat\Caught in the Act by Lori Foster: – both are reissues. This reader had not yet read either so I am unable to comment on content changes. However, I did not notice anything that dated either story.

In Body Heat, Adam Stone is about to finalize the deal of his lifetime and secure his family’s future. Surrounded by half-naked woman and it is the elusive woman leaning against the yacht railing that gains his attention. He makes the decision to approach her only to discover she is familiar – very familiar. They grew up in the same hometown of Brockton, Ohio. However, they came from two VERY different social positions. While Melanie Tucker’s family was the richest family in town; his was the poorest. It had not mattered to Adam; he had coveted what Melanie processed and that obsession had extended to later include her.

Melanie lived a privileged, yet isolated, life. Growing up in a wealthy family ensured that Melanie never wanted for anything, yet she was jealous of Adam and his ability to form lasting relationships (family & friends). Breaking off her engagement to the ‘perfect husband’ due to his dwindling interest, she yearned to be loved completely.

Tossed overboard during a storm leaves them stranded on a deserted island. It is the perfect backdrop for a reunion love story. The author made the characters seem realistic by generating circumstances that exposed their strengths, vulnerabilities, and underlining emotions. The banter kept the story light and made the adventure fun.

FYI – Flynn Ryder that is introduced during this story – is the hero of Slow Burn by Elda Minger. Unfortunately, Adam’s brother Kyle Stone’s story was never written. He would have made an interesting character.

Caught in the Act begins with best friends Mick Dawson, Josh Marshall and Zack Grange sitting in their favorite Italian restaurant, Marco’s, discussing women. However, Mick is not really interested in the conversion he is waiting for a particular woman to pass by the restaurant’s window – just like the past couple of days. It is rather stalkerish, but he is determined to meet this intriguing woman. The opportunity finally presents itself when he sees her enter the jewelry store across the street. Instead of an introduction he interrupts a robbery and gets shot.

Delilah Piper was a quirky character…and all of her oddities kept the story light. I love how she can twist Mick, the control freak, into a crazed possessive wreck.

This is a suspenseful little tale, with a couple of twists. The secondary characters were critical to the story and I have put their stories on my TBR.

This review also appears on Harlequin Junkie.

Disclosure: This book was provided to me free of charge for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.

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

Lily‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

4 STARS

Review copy provided for an honest review

Up in Flames” is two novellas in one book.
The first book Body Heat is about two people on opposite sides of the track. Mel Turner comes from a rich family and Adam Stone did not. He has been her nemesis since their school days. For her, in spite of her family’s wealth, she’s always been painfully aware of hIm and always felt bullied by him. Now, years later, they encounter each other on a party boat in Florida on their way to an island. Somehow they both fall overboard during some rough weather and end up stranded on a deserted island.
I liked Melanie from the beginning. She was painfully shy in her younger years and had since overcome this, or so she thought, until she saw Adam Stone again on that boat. For the rest of the book, I found she adapted to her environment extremely well and remained strong in spite of Adam’s alpha-male attitude with her.
On the flip side, Adam struggled with his own insecurities and his true feelings for Mel. Without giving too much away, I enjoyed their arguments and felt my heart hurt a few times when he was unnecessarily gruff with her.
I would have liked to have seen a bit more development in Mel and Adams’ characters before the story ended. This is a standalone story and it seemed to wrap up almost too quickly and neatly at the end. It was an entertaining read.
Caught in the Act
I actually couldn’t put this second book down. There was more mystery and suspense mixed in with the romance aspect of the book. This story is about a cop Mick who finds himself extremely attracted to Delilah. He saves her in a dangerous incident and their relationship gets a jump start when they openly share their attraction for each other.
Ms. Foster did a really nice job slowly peeling away Delilah’s layers and unraveling the mystery of her background, much to Mic’s surprise.
I really enjoyed the chemistry between Mic and Delilah, and I loved how his close friends were protective of him and wary of her. But, she’s such an amazing woman that slowly, each of them came to love her as part of their family.
This was a satisfying and easy read; perfect for a rainy afternoon curled up in bed!

[Nichole Howell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Up In Flames is two books in one. The first is Body Heat which is more of a novella / short story. It's only 100 pages and gets right to the point. The downfall of that is you don't get all the character development you would with a longer story and it makes the plot a little less natural since the reader isn't as invested. While the story line in this one may be a bit far-fetched, the writing style and flow is done well. The main characters, Melanie Tucker and Adam Stone, went to school together but were definitely in different crowds. All grown up now they find themselves on a party boat together and after a series of events find themselves going overboard with the rest of the boaters not noticing. On a deserted island, they are forced to spend time with each other and get over the issues they have from their past - which includes some steamy chemistry.

The second book is Caught in the Act. It's a more traditional book length at 260 pages. This story is well done. There are elements of suspense in the story, which are attention grabbing for the first third of the book and the last third of the book. The middle third drags a bit, but if you can get through the middle you'll be rewarded.

Mick Dawson keeps to himself. He doesn't get into relationships outside of close friends. He sees a woman, Delilah Piper, though and watches her for a few weeks trying to find the right time to introduce himself. The attraction he feels for this one is different than any other. When he sees Del run into a jewelry store he goes in after her. Shortly, though, the store is held up at gunpoint and is being robbed. The robbers go after Del, but Mick gets in the way and ends up being shot.

Del insists on taking care of Mick and brings him to her home after he is released from the hospital. She is immediately attracted to him. Mick is happy to be taken care of by Del. He can get to know her and protect her at the same time as he tries to figure out why those guys were after Del. I won't give any more of the plot away, but the story has many interesting twists. Del is a bit of a flighty type person and it is a bit annoying at times, but overall the story is well done.

[Talk Books To Me · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karia’s 4 Star Rated Review:
These two stories were originally published as Harlequins years ago, but they seem timeless and the writing is vintage Lori Foster. What do I mean by that: Fast witty dialogue, sexy alpha hero, great realistic meet cutes and great happy ever afters. In Body Heat, the second chances romance is between Melanie (poor little rich girl) and Adam (wrong side of the tracks not-so-bad bad boy). I loved their time on the island when they are stranded and really break down their preconceived notions about each other and get to know the real people that each of them are today. The depth of each character is revealed through stories from their past that not only shaped who they are today, but leads them to who they want to be together. The ending was a bit quick for me, as I wanted to have more time with Adam and Melanie working together, but overall a fun, fast, smexy read!

Caught in the Act was the better story for me (leaning towards the 4 ½ to 5 Star). I totally loved Delilah and her outlook on life (so much like mine). There is good in everyone and everyone wants to help you achieve your goals in life. This motto has brought her to some of the most experienced people in the world within their chosen fields to help her achieve her dreams. As a writer, she does what she writes! Skydiving, police ride-along, meeting with mafia men…and most recently, scoping out jewelry stores with the intent to robbing them! Little by little Mick chips away at Delilah…but first Delilah inserts herself. This reminded me of another book from Ms Foster recently, when the heroine inserts herself into the hero’s life and doesn’t take no for answer from his friends! Not that any of the men are complaining, especially when a woman they find gorgeous wants to cook, clean and care for you! I loved watching Mick open up to Delilah and give her the safe place she needed to be herself.

Fast paced, great mystery and smexy good times…great book for a spring time read!

http://talkbookstomeblog.wordpress.co...

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brockton Ohio: Adam Stone, from the wrong side of the tracks… Melanie Tucker, shy, rich town princess… grew up, very aware of one another – and he did all he could to annoy her, and she did her best to ignore him… in high school, he asks her out for a drive, she thinks it’s a set up… he thought she wouldn’t want to be seen in town with him… she said no… he moved away…

Seven years later, he has worked hard, to buy his mother a house, to put his brother through school… and he is about to buy a rundown resort that he and his brother have the skills to fix…and going to the meeting to set the deal… and Mel broke up with who her family believes is the perfect man, but they don’t love one another… so she broke things off, and is between jobs (she had been his secretary)… though she has a head for investments, and makes a great deal of money on her own…. he finds himself on the same boat as Melanie… and though he doesn’t want to aggravate her, he falls into old patterns… and she wants to prove to him she isn’t the same shy girl… but is overwhelmed by her emotions.

And a storm hits, and they stay outside… and a wave sweeps them overboard… she panics – he grabs a life preserver – and swims her to a deserted island about an hour away (lucky)… exhausted…

And small bets for kisses and touches bring them past their past… and they make love their first night there… and for the next few days… the only fly in the ointment, he wants to buy the resort for him (since he missed the deadline)… he says no… they are rescued… they part… she buys the resort… and serves him with half ownership… he shows up… and all is well…

second story has it's own summary by title

[D.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!
Erotic Contemporary Romance (2 short stories)
Release: May 27, 2014

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The last person Melanie Tucker wants to find herself trapped with on a party boat is her nemesis, Adam Stone. As always, he's too smooth…and a bit too sexy for comfort. But when they both fall overboard—and wind up stranded together—Melanie just can't resist all the delicious body heat smoldering between them….


Caught in the Act

When a robbery goes bad, undercover cop Mick Dawson can't believe Delilah Piper (aka mystery writer Lela DeBraye) was just in the wrong place at the wrong time—and neither do the perps. The only way to protect her while he investigates what really happened is to stick with her 24/7—and try not to fall for the object of his investigation!

MY REVIEW:

Two REALLY good stories packed into one book. The laugh out loud dialogue, steamy chemistry, and intriguing plots will leave you up all night and wanting more!

I loved the characters of both pieces and couldn’t stop thinking about the first story for days. Being left alone on a deserted island is one thing, but being stuck there with one sexy man? HELLO! The author caught it all and then some in this piece.

The second story was riveting and had the reader trying to figure things out as the detective did. It was a complex story of mixed emotions, a little deceit, and a lot of questions wrapped into a neat package.

If you want to read two short stories that will leave you plenty satisfied, pick this book up today!

[Arshia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received the DRC via NetGalley.

I always anticipate Lori Foster's books. She's one of the very few contemporary authors I read and definitely one of the best! No matter the story I know I will fall in love with her characters.

The first story is about Adam and Melanie, they went to high school together and of course knew each other but that's pretty much all. She was the rich, shy kid and he was the poor boy but still very cocky. They had a rocky relationship before and now they are stuck on island together because of a freak accident. The chemistry between the characters is amazing (as always.) I really liked how Adam remembers that he was a bit of a bully and a jerk to Melanie, he tries to do better this time around but his insecurities still get in the way. Melanie has her own insecurities, she might have been rich but she was isolated because of it too. Adam was her nemesis and she still doesn't know how to deal with him. The story was short and sweet, I wish Adam had apologized at the end but that was my only complaint with it.

The second story about Delilah and Mick was sizzling hot. Beginning of the story is told mostly from Mick's point of view and I could feel his attraction. lol! This was a really interesting story, lots of lovable secondary characters and of course two other guys who I can't wait to read about! Delilah was really fun to read about, she was a very straightforward person. She wasn't complicated and that was really good. Mick was the confusing one, bit of an idiot at times, so she was a great foil to him.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 stars overall

This was the first Lori Foster book that I have read and I really enjoyed it. Up in Flames is short stories, Body Heat and Caught in the Act, with the first being the shorter of the two. I broke my review down for both stories.

Body Heat – 3 stars

This book started off with a bit of tension between the characters that pulls you in and makes you want to know about their history. It's a fast paced story and it all unfolded nicely. I enjoyed it. I thought Melanie and Adam’s bickering and banter was fun and entertaining. There was a nice build of heat and they had great chemistry. This was a really good, lighthearted, short story with a sweet ending.

Caught in the Act – 4 stars

This story was more intense and filled with lots of mystery and intrigue. I thought this story had a bit more depth and detail than the other and enjoyed it. I thought Mick and Delilah were interesting characters. They have an unconventional start to their very fast paced relationship (almost too fast!) because they were thrown together in a intense situation. They have instant chemistry and are drawn towards one another. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing along the way. Rounded off with mounting drama, and some hot, sexy times I thought this was a really great story.

Up in Flames was a great introduction to a new-to-me author and I look forward to reading more more books by Lori Foster.

Complimentary copy received for honest review.

[Catherine Wright (Cat's Guilty Pleasure) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Up in Flames is two novellas put together.

Body Heat

Melanie Tucker grew up with money, her parents sheltered her and she always felt alone. Adam Stone was from the wrong side of the tracks. They've known each other for years, but they haven't seen each other in seven years. They find themselves on the same boat and the passion they felt back then is still there. When they fall overboard and stranded on a deserted island all the old feelings come up. It was a wonderful short story, it left me wanting more.

Caught in the Act

Mick Dawson is an undercover cop and has fallen for a woman he has never met. He sees her jogging by and decides today is the day he will talk to her. He follows her into a jewelry store, before he gets the chance to speak to her the place gets robbed. While trying to protect her he is shot in the shoulder. Delilah Piper is so thankful she offers for him to stay with her while he recovers. He agrees to stay with her so he can protect her because he has a feeling someone is out to get her. She has a very unique personality and Mick likes her just for who she is. Mick is a very honorable guy. It had just the right amount of suspense and romance. All the characters were very likeable and seemed so genuine.

Both novellas Wedgwood and very enjoyable for short reads. They were engaging and kept me wondering what was going to happen next.

I was given a copy by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In reading this i am pretty sure i have read Caught in the Act before. Felt familiar to me. It's so much fun sometimes when publisher's reissue older books. You get a peek at earlier works of your favorite author sometimes and maybe enjoy a story you read before and enjoyed or one you missed and get to read as new to you. One of the best part of two stories in one book is you know you have at least one spot you can put the book down if you have to get some sleep for work the next day. Both of these are great reads. Body Heat is when two old classmates from different backgrounds end up falling off a boat and land themselves on a deserted island. Forced to be together they have to work out their past differences and find out what each really felt for the other back then. Question is what's between them now? In Caught in the Act Mick Dawnson's just might have a fatal attraction to Delilah Piper. Saving her from being shot in a jewelry store bank robbery it's his lucky break to finally talk to her and well save her of course. While trying to get to know her and figure out who is still out to get her Mick thinks he might have found the right woman for him. Then things go to crap when evidence starts to point to her as part of the robbers group. Reacting without thinking might just lose Mick his woman. Plenty of intense stuff in both stories that you can read and enjoy in a afternoon or two. Which is exactly what happened to me.

[Heather T · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a mixed review for me. I adore Lori Foster and I always have a lot of fun reading her books. In a rare turn of events, I struggled through Body Heat (2 stars) . Luckily, Caught in the Act (3.75 stars) was right back to fulfilling my expectations.

Body Heat:
This was your typical stranded on a deserted island story. You can see where Foster tries really hard to make the story unique and interesting, but it was hard to connect to the main characters on more than a superficial level. If it hadn't been written by Lori Foster I would have put the book down. I hate saying that, but I the characters failed to illicit any type of emotion. The brother did spark my interest a little bit, but he was a minor character and it was a case of too little, too late.

Caught in the Act:
This story was SO much better than the first. It felt more like a book from Foster. The romantic connection happens quickly, but for once I didn't really mind. I loved the supporting characters and it was easy to get sucked into the story. My only complaint is that I felt like I was missing out on a previous book. It felt like supporting characters had been apart of a series I've never read. Turns out they were. If I had known before hand I would have read all the books first. It wasn't necessary since Foster provides a little bit of a background, but I'm OCD that way. Dane, Alec and the rest of the cast have managed to add an extra series onto my TBR list.

[Jax O · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know that there were two stories in this one book so it was a bit like Christmas to me when I started.

Body Heat – I really liked the plot involving two people getting thrown overboard and stuck on an island together…especially since they already knew each other and had a rocky past. Adam was the essential male; providing, protecting, and bothering Melanie until she exploded. Melanie was not the character I was expecting. If it were me, stuck on an island, I would be terrified, upset, and worried that I was going to die on the island because no one would find us. However, Melanie was strong and willing to survive whatever was thrown her way. Together they were perfect and the ending just made the story even more perfect.

Caught in the Act – This story was the more detailed story, taking about 75% of the book to break down the characters Mick and Delilah. I really enjoyed the beginning but that is where the actions first started out and the attraction first started to bloom. However, somewhere in the middle, it lulled for me, making it harder to get through the chapters. But then came the twist, a twist that was decent and even made me wonder for 0.2 seconds if it could be true. Working through the twist kept me going and interested in how it was all going to work out.~BookWhisperer Reviewer MC~

[Rose Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

****** I have received this ARC for an honest review****

Lori Foster is one of my many favorite authors. I enjoy how she lays out her story no matter how long or short they are. Her Novella's are full of quality work just as her Novel would be, it just leaves me wanting more.


Body Heat, 1st story:

Melanie Tucker and Adam Stone knew each other back in High School. She never thought she would have a chance to get back at her nemesis after all these years. They are on a party boat and wind up stranded together on an island. Lots of great scenes.

Caught in the Act, 2nd story:

Mick Dawson has been infatuated with a women he has seen in his neighborhood for a few weeks. When he finally decides to make a move to meet the unknown women. They end up in the middle of a robbery gone bad. With Mick being an undercover cop he jumped in to save this women from being shot.

She ends up taking care of him after the shooting. He finds out she is the famous mystery writer Delilah Piper. With him being injured, lots of sexual tension between them both. Foster keeps you guessing on who really is involved in the robbery.


*** If your list isn't too long, add to your To Be Read (TBR) list of books, you will not be disappointed *** You can read it while you're waiting for your next novel to become available. This is something that I would read again in the future.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know that there were two stories in this one book so it was a bit like Christmas to me when I started.

Body Heat – I really liked the plot involving two people getting thrown overboard and stuck on an island together…especially since they already knew each other and had a rocky past. Adam was the essential male; providing, protecting, and bothering Melanie until she exploded. Melanie was not the character I was expecting. If it were me, stuck on an island, I would be terrified, upset, and worried that I was going to die on the island because no one would find us. However, Melanie was strong and willing to survive whatever was thrown her way. Together they were perfect and the ending just made the story even more perfect.

Caught in the Act – This story was the more detailed story, taking about 75% of the book to break down the characters Mick and Delilah. I really enjoyed the beginning but that is where the actions first started out and the attraction first started to bloom. However, somewhere in the middle, it lulled for me, making it harder to get through the chapters. But then came the twist, a twist that was decent and even made me wonder for 0.2 seconds if it could be true. Working through the twist kept me going and interested in how it was all going to work out.