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Jackson: Girls' Night Out #3
Taking the Heat
Passion this hot can't be faked…
All revved up for bright lights and steamy nights, writer Veronica Chandler chased her dreams to New York City. When she hit a dead end, reality sent her back home to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Saving her pride and her new gig—writing a relationship advice column!—requires some faking. No one can know the truth about her big-city flop or her nonexistent sex life. But the town's irresistibly rugged librarian is determined to figure her out… and give her hands-on lessons in every wicked thing she wants to know.
Gabe MacKenzie's heart might be in Wyoming, but secretly his future's tied up in his family's Manhattan legacy. Getting down and dirty with Veronica is supposed to give him a few memorable nights—not complicate his plans. But the thing about heat this scorching is there's just no going back… and it might be too hot for either of them to take.
All revved up for bright lights and steamy nights, writer Veronica Chandler chased her dreams to New York City. When she hit a dead end, reality sent her back home to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Saving her pride and her new gig—writing a relationship advice column!—requires some faking. No one can know the truth about her big-city flop or her nonexistent sex life. But the town's irresistibly rugged librarian is determined to figure her out… and give her hands-on lessons in every wicked thing she wants to know.
Gabe MacKenzie's heart might be in Wyoming, but secretly his future's tied up in his family's Manhattan legacy. Getting down and dirty with Veronica is supposed to give him a few memorable nights—not complicate his plans. But the thing about heat this scorching is there's just no going back… and it might be too hot for either of them to take.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 28, 2015
101 people are currently reading
2167 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Dahl
65 books2,002 followersI have my mother to thank for my passion for writing. My mom is an avid reader of popular fiction, and I began reading highly inappropriate books around the age of eleven, I think. (Thanks, Mom, for always leaving those delicious books strewn about!)
To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.
Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).
Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!
I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!
To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.
Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).
Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!
I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!
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October 23, 2016
Reasons Why You Should Read This Book
1) It has this...
^^Sexy, bearded guybrarian on his way to work.
I've never read a romance book before that featured a male librarian as a hero. This was my first and the hero, Gabe McKenzie brought it 100%. Did I say he's hot, and a librarian? And oh, bearded too.
2) Slightly insecure but totally lovable heroine who happens to be an advice columnist...
...except that her own life is pretty much a mess. What I liked was that she realizes this early on in the book and made an effort to change her behavior. She didn't change because of the hero, the hero was simply there to assist her in her transformation. But the changes she made in her life, career was all Veronica. I loved it.
3) Plus it has plenty of this.
Victoria Dahl writes scorching hot scenes like nobody's business. I loved that her hero here isn't your typical alpha. Gabe is laid back and easy going but a freak in the sheets. Hot.
4) Then there's the trademark Dahl humor. Veronica and Gabe's verbal sparring had sighing and laughing the next. Fun!
Final Thoughts:Taking the heat is fun, sexy read with a lot of heart. Veronica's transformation from a lost and insecure young woman who hides behind a facade was my favorite aspect of the book. Well that and Gabe and hot smexing and the humor.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
1) It has this...
^^Sexy, bearded guybrarian on his way to work.
I've never read a romance book before that featured a male librarian as a hero. This was my first and the hero, Gabe McKenzie brought it 100%. Did I say he's hot, and a librarian? And oh, bearded too.
2) Slightly insecure but totally lovable heroine who happens to be an advice columnist...
...except that her own life is pretty much a mess. What I liked was that she realizes this early on in the book and made an effort to change her behavior. She didn't change because of the hero, the hero was simply there to assist her in her transformation. But the changes she made in her life, career was all Veronica. I loved it.
3) Plus it has plenty of this.
Victoria Dahl writes scorching hot scenes like nobody's business. I loved that her hero here isn't your typical alpha. Gabe is laid back and easy going but a freak in the sheets. Hot.
4) Then there's the trademark Dahl humor. Veronica and Gabe's verbal sparring had sighing and laughing the next. Fun!
Final Thoughts:Taking the heat is fun, sexy read with a lot of heart. Veronica's transformation from a lost and insecure young woman who hides behind a facade was my favorite aspect of the book. Well that and Gabe and hot smexing and the humor.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2016
FIVE ROMANCE STARS!!!! *dies of excitement*
As he pulled the loop over her other foot, she reached out to stroke his hair. It was silky and hot from the sun, but the nicest thing about it was that she could touch it just because she wanted to.
This was a wonderful romance novel, I really loved it.
Veronica is an advice columnist, and a local celebrity. She gives advice on everything from dealing with nosy neighbors to oral sex. But Veronica has a big secret: she's still a virgin. Sort of. And she feels like she's a big fraud, in more ways than one.
Gabe is taking a year away from his duties and responsibilities in NYC to be in "paradise:" which for him means Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Working at his beloved job of librarian, rock-climbing at every opportunity - he wants to milk every ounce of enjoyment he can before he has to go back to NYC and be the dutiful son, taking over the family business and living in the city he hates.
When Gabe meets Veronica at a talk she's giving, he quickly forms false ideas about her: she's a stuck-up Manhattanite who is high-maintenance. But he soon finds out he couldn't be more wrong. And after Veronica drunkenly confesses to him that she's not really experienced with men, he becomes determined to give her the best First Time ever.
Um, this sounds really skeevy.
I know, I can't think of a way to make it NOT sound skeevy, but trust me, Dahl busts her ass to make this guy a mensch and he is really such a mensch. I mean, you know I can't give a man a higher compliment than to call him a mensch, so you know that I'm being serious here.
The best thing is that Gabe doesn't fetishize or objectify Veronica or her kind-of virginity.
Explain "kind-of" virginity to me, Carmen.
Well, as I've explained before, there's no such thing as a virgin.
WHAT?!?!!?
Yes, virginity doesn't really exist.
Take Veronica in this book. Technically no penis has been in her vagina. Does this make her a virgin? No, it doesn't. I know more than one lesbian I could say that about, and they are certainly not virgins. o.O Veronica has made good use of vibrators and dildos. Does that make her not a virgin?
She's had oral sex. Does that make her a virgin or not a virgin? Do Christian girls/women who have oral sex and anal sex but not vaginal sex retain their virginity? Are gay men who have never had sex with a woman virgins? o.O Obviously not. The whole concept is laughable. I mean, I could go on and on and on with this. There's no such thing as a virgin and the entire idea of virginity is fucked-up and a direct result of our patriarchal culture.
Spare me the feminist ranting, Carmen.
Fine, fine. I'm done.
BECOME STRONG!
ANYWAY. The book. It's excellent. Gabe is a cute, sweet, patient mensch. And Veronica is extremely likable as well. She's shy and really wants to please others, but she's strong and brave as well. And the best part of the book is seeing her gain confidence and stand up to people in all areas of her life: her friends, her boss, her horrible father...
I might as well admit up front that I am a HUGE fan of shy-woman-discovers-herself-and-becomes-badass novels. And movies and TV shows. I just love it when someone who is perhaps a bit insecure or keeps part of herself tamped-down becomes a confident and take-charge individual. It makes me happy and deeply satisfied. This could be a romance novel, or A Room with a View. It can be in any genre, but I'm a real soft-touch for this.
HILARIOUS
The book is also very funny. Dahl has a great sense of humor and I got plenty of laughs while reading this. So, as I said, on their first meeting Veronica is very drunk. And Gabe is such a mensch and he takes her home and puts her to bed. The next day he takes her to dinner.
"Thank you," she said, turning toward him so she could say goodbye like a normal person. "I had a great time."
"I'm not going to ask to come in, Veronica. I only tuck girls in on first dates. On second dates I have a strict no-tucking rule."
She couldn't help but smile. He looked so serious. "Last night wasn't a date."
His eyebrows shot up. "Wow, you're right. Tonight is our first date. I hope you're ready for the tucking of your life, then."
He's just so sweet and cute and funny, and he and and Veronica laugh and tease each other all the time. Normally I hate virgin-heroine novels because it's usually weird or skeevy, but here it really surprisingly wasn't. Gabe treats her just like a "normal person" not like a lab specimen or a precious jewel or a freak.
What if she messed up and pulled him right off the cliff? What if she murdered her only source of penis-based sex?
FRIENDSHIPS
Dahl always includes strong, supportive and caring female friendships into her books. It's really great to see a heroine who a.) actually has female friends and b.) her friends always have her back and are supportive to her. No back-stabbing or slut-shaming here.
FIRST BOYFRIEND (OR FIRST LOVER)
Also, Dahl has miraculously and succinctly caught the exact feeling of when you have your first sexual partner. This book will completely take you back to those sweet feelings of excitement. I'm not talking about just the sex here. I'm talking about how Veronica is so excited to be able to run her hands through Gabe's hair whenever she wants to, and how she agonizes over every text message she sends to him, and how fun and exciting it is for her to have a real family (his family) for the first time in her life. So sweet, so cute, there's just so much emotion and heart here.
MODELS
How's the sex, Carmen?
OMG, this book is pure 100% female fantasy. (That means the sex was good, in case I'm being unclear.) We should all be as lucky to have a hunky, bearded, caring librarian who is amazing atcunnilingis oral sex and so fucking patient and kind be our First Time. (Sorry if I keep calling it "First Time," I fucking HATE "losing your virginity" or "giving up your virginity" or other stupid terms that turn my stomach.)
He knows she's really nervous about not being able to cum. Her past boyfriends have been less than stellar, let's just put it that way.
"You don't have to try at anything, Veronica. Just let me touch you. Even if you don't come, I still want to taste you. I want you on my tongue. I want to hear the sounds you make when I lick you. That's all."
It was a lie, but it was one she needed to hear. He meant to make her come if he had to eat her pussy for an hour.
LOL You have to admire a very determined man with specific goals. ;)
That's not the only potentially unrealistic thing, you should hear Dahl's (completely ludicrous) explanation about why he's so good at going down on women.
But what the hell, it's a romance novel and I'm sure not reading it for its realism. o.O He's so sweet with her, he's so patient with her, and him walking her through all the sex acts and talking about them with her is very hot. Wow, no skimping on the sex scenes. Dahl's definitely bringing her A-game here. And Veronica is so sweet and so enthusiastic and excited, it's very cute. Everything is very wonderful.
Oh, and Veronica masturbated A LOT before she met Gabe. There's no stupid "OMG this is what a penis looks like?!" or "It's so big, I don't think it will fit!" or pain-blood-pain stuff that usually accompanies virgin-heroine books and adds greatly to the skeeve factor. Saints be praised! Thank you, Dahl.
THE STORY
The story is also very good. Dahl aims at being a little bit more realistic than in her last novel where she tried her hand at romantic suspense. She's always been amazing at writing family dynamics, and that's really the crux of the drama here. Veronica has to deal with her horrible father, her even more horrible stepbrother, and her desire to be independent and strong. Meanwhile, Gabe is struggling with the fact that after this year is over, he has to face a lifetime of miserable work in NYC. Dahl's deft and heartwrenching portrayal of family strife is powerful and used to great effect here. The drama and tension is not overdone, but just right so that you are anxious even though you know everything will be alright in the end.
THE COVER
Once again I'm baffled by the publishers' decision to make what is very clearly a bearded and hairy-chested man in the book (his beard gets a LOT of page time, well-deserved page-time) a clean-shaven and fully waxed model on the cover. WHY. Seriously, isn't "lumbersexual" becoming a thing now? Would it kill HQN to put a bearded guy with chest hair on the cover? I happen to think both beards AND chest hair are very attractive. Let's get cracking with this, people. I'm bored of perfectly waxed six-pack-ab cover models.
"You're so cute," she said mournfully, reaching up to slowly pat his cheek. Her fingers lingered, stroking down his beard. "Huh. It's soft."
"Thank you?" he ventured.
Ugh, I LOVE petting men's beards and stroking them. So fun.
MY ONE COMPLAINT WITH THE NOVEL
The cover-thing doesn't count as a complaint with the novel. That's not Dahl's decision. Actually, my complaint doesn't really have anything (directly) to do with Dahl.
Now, as you've noticed, I finally got what I wanted from Dahl all along: sweet, caring, patient sex. You may also notice that this is the only Dahl book where the heroine is a virgin. Coincidence? I think not. Hard as I try, I can't seem to shake this pervasive concept that sweet, slow, and patient is for virgins, but once you're "experienced" it's hard fucking all the way for the rest of your life. Strange. I know the demand for hard fucking is very high right now - people think it's exciting and want the sex in romance novels to be as pushing-the-envelope as possible. But I happen to think the most exciting sex is also sweet sex. Sweet sex and slow sex can be hot! It's also very sexy and very arousing! I don't think it should be an "allowance" made only for virgins. That's what it feels like. If you're a virgin heroine, we'll coddle you and make love to you and be patient and sweet with you, but as soon as you've had one sexual partner, it's hard fucking against the wall or bent over a table every time.
And I have NO PROBLEM with hard-fucking-over-a-table. Please, by all means put that in your novel. That is exciting and fun. But if you are writing three or four sex scenes in the book, could at least ONE be a little sweet? Thanks, I'd really appreciate it - virgin heroine or not, I want some snuggles and slow sex in my romance novel.
...
Tl;dr - Great sex, completely dreamy hero who is a mensch, and a brave heroine who learns how to be kickass in life! What more could you ask for in a contemporary romance? Not much.
She felt him lean closer. "I only want to know what you want," he whispered, his voice so close to her ear it made her shiver. "What you're looking for."
THREE REAL STARS, FIVE ROMANCE STARS Highly recommended. Seriously considering buying this one.
P.S. I almost forgot to mention Dahl's great female-positive messages. Here's one:
"There is nothing flattering about someone wanting to bone you... I hear some disagreement, but let me be clear. There are men out there who will put their penises in a tree. There are men out there who will put their penises in sheep. You do not need to feel flattered that a man wants to put his penis inside you... If casual sex isn't fun for you, then don't do it. It's not a requirement - it's an option. Buy a good vibrator and take a break from being the fun girl who's down for the superhot guy."
As he pulled the loop over her other foot, she reached out to stroke his hair. It was silky and hot from the sun, but the nicest thing about it was that she could touch it just because she wanted to.
This was a wonderful romance novel, I really loved it.
Veronica is an advice columnist, and a local celebrity. She gives advice on everything from dealing with nosy neighbors to oral sex. But Veronica has a big secret: she's still a virgin. Sort of. And she feels like she's a big fraud, in more ways than one.
Gabe is taking a year away from his duties and responsibilities in NYC to be in "paradise:" which for him means Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Working at his beloved job of librarian, rock-climbing at every opportunity - he wants to milk every ounce of enjoyment he can before he has to go back to NYC and be the dutiful son, taking over the family business and living in the city he hates.
When Gabe meets Veronica at a talk she's giving, he quickly forms false ideas about her: she's a stuck-up Manhattanite who is high-maintenance. But he soon finds out he couldn't be more wrong. And after Veronica drunkenly confesses to him that she's not really experienced with men, he becomes determined to give her the best First Time ever.
Um, this sounds really skeevy.
I know, I can't think of a way to make it NOT sound skeevy, but trust me, Dahl busts her ass to make this guy a mensch and he is really such a mensch. I mean, you know I can't give a man a higher compliment than to call him a mensch, so you know that I'm being serious here.
The best thing is that Gabe doesn't fetishize or objectify Veronica or her kind-of virginity.
Explain "kind-of" virginity to me, Carmen.
Well, as I've explained before, there's no such thing as a virgin.
WHAT?!?!!?
Yes, virginity doesn't really exist.
Take Veronica in this book. Technically no penis has been in her vagina. Does this make her a virgin? No, it doesn't. I know more than one lesbian I could say that about, and they are certainly not virgins. o.O Veronica has made good use of vibrators and dildos. Does that make her not a virgin?
She's had oral sex. Does that make her a virgin or not a virgin? Do Christian girls/women who have oral sex and anal sex but not vaginal sex retain their virginity? Are gay men who have never had sex with a woman virgins? o.O Obviously not. The whole concept is laughable. I mean, I could go on and on and on with this. There's no such thing as a virgin and the entire idea of virginity is fucked-up and a direct result of our patriarchal culture.
Spare me the feminist ranting, Carmen.
Fine, fine. I'm done.
BECOME STRONG!
ANYWAY. The book. It's excellent. Gabe is a cute, sweet, patient mensch. And Veronica is extremely likable as well. She's shy and really wants to please others, but she's strong and brave as well. And the best part of the book is seeing her gain confidence and stand up to people in all areas of her life: her friends, her boss, her horrible father...
I might as well admit up front that I am a HUGE fan of shy-woman-discovers-herself-and-becomes-badass novels. And movies and TV shows. I just love it when someone who is perhaps a bit insecure or keeps part of herself tamped-down becomes a confident and take-charge individual. It makes me happy and deeply satisfied. This could be a romance novel, or A Room with a View. It can be in any genre, but I'm a real soft-touch for this.
HILARIOUS
The book is also very funny. Dahl has a great sense of humor and I got plenty of laughs while reading this. So, as I said, on their first meeting Veronica is very drunk. And Gabe is such a mensch and he takes her home and puts her to bed. The next day he takes her to dinner.
"Thank you," she said, turning toward him so she could say goodbye like a normal person. "I had a great time."
"I'm not going to ask to come in, Veronica. I only tuck girls in on first dates. On second dates I have a strict no-tucking rule."
She couldn't help but smile. He looked so serious. "Last night wasn't a date."
His eyebrows shot up. "Wow, you're right. Tonight is our first date. I hope you're ready for the tucking of your life, then."
He's just so sweet and cute and funny, and he and and Veronica laugh and tease each other all the time. Normally I hate virgin-heroine novels because it's usually weird or skeevy, but here it really surprisingly wasn't. Gabe treats her just like a "normal person" not like a lab specimen or a precious jewel or a freak.
What if she messed up and pulled him right off the cliff? What if she murdered her only source of penis-based sex?
FRIENDSHIPS
Dahl always includes strong, supportive and caring female friendships into her books. It's really great to see a heroine who a.) actually has female friends and b.) her friends always have her back and are supportive to her. No back-stabbing or slut-shaming here.
FIRST BOYFRIEND (OR FIRST LOVER)
Also, Dahl has miraculously and succinctly caught the exact feeling of when you have your first sexual partner. This book will completely take you back to those sweet feelings of excitement. I'm not talking about just the sex here. I'm talking about how Veronica is so excited to be able to run her hands through Gabe's hair whenever she wants to, and how she agonizes over every text message she sends to him, and how fun and exciting it is for her to have a real family (his family) for the first time in her life. So sweet, so cute, there's just so much emotion and heart here.
MODELS
How's the sex, Carmen?
OMG, this book is pure 100% female fantasy. (That means the sex was good, in case I'm being unclear.) We should all be as lucky to have a hunky, bearded, caring librarian who is amazing at
He knows she's really nervous about not being able to cum. Her past boyfriends have been less than stellar, let's just put it that way.
"You don't have to try at anything, Veronica. Just let me touch you. Even if you don't come, I still want to taste you. I want you on my tongue. I want to hear the sounds you make when I lick you. That's all."
It was a lie, but it was one she needed to hear. He meant to make her come if he had to eat her pussy for an hour.
LOL You have to admire a very determined man with specific goals. ;)
That's not the only potentially unrealistic thing, you should hear Dahl's (completely ludicrous) explanation about why he's so good at going down on women.
But what the hell, it's a romance novel and I'm sure not reading it for its realism. o.O He's so sweet with her, he's so patient with her, and him walking her through all the sex acts and talking about them with her is very hot. Wow, no skimping on the sex scenes. Dahl's definitely bringing her A-game here. And Veronica is so sweet and so enthusiastic and excited, it's very cute. Everything is very wonderful.
Oh, and Veronica masturbated A LOT before she met Gabe. There's no stupid "OMG this is what a penis looks like?!" or "It's so big, I don't think it will fit!" or pain-blood-pain stuff that usually accompanies virgin-heroine books and adds greatly to the skeeve factor. Saints be praised! Thank you, Dahl.
THE STORY
The story is also very good. Dahl aims at being a little bit more realistic than in her last novel where she tried her hand at romantic suspense. She's always been amazing at writing family dynamics, and that's really the crux of the drama here. Veronica has to deal with her horrible father, her even more horrible stepbrother, and her desire to be independent and strong. Meanwhile, Gabe is struggling with the fact that after this year is over, he has to face a lifetime of miserable work in NYC. Dahl's deft and heartwrenching portrayal of family strife is powerful and used to great effect here. The drama and tension is not overdone, but just right so that you are anxious even though you know everything will be alright in the end.
THE COVER
Once again I'm baffled by the publishers' decision to make what is very clearly a bearded and hairy-chested man in the book (his beard gets a LOT of page time, well-deserved page-time) a clean-shaven and fully waxed model on the cover. WHY. Seriously, isn't "lumbersexual" becoming a thing now? Would it kill HQN to put a bearded guy with chest hair on the cover? I happen to think both beards AND chest hair are very attractive. Let's get cracking with this, people. I'm bored of perfectly waxed six-pack-ab cover models.
"You're so cute," she said mournfully, reaching up to slowly pat his cheek. Her fingers lingered, stroking down his beard. "Huh. It's soft."
"Thank you?" he ventured.
Ugh, I LOVE petting men's beards and stroking them. So fun.
MY ONE COMPLAINT WITH THE NOVEL
The cover-thing doesn't count as a complaint with the novel. That's not Dahl's decision. Actually, my complaint doesn't really have anything (directly) to do with Dahl.
Now, as you've noticed, I finally got what I wanted from Dahl all along: sweet, caring, patient sex. You may also notice that this is the only Dahl book where the heroine is a virgin. Coincidence? I think not. Hard as I try, I can't seem to shake this pervasive concept that sweet, slow, and patient is for virgins, but once you're "experienced" it's hard fucking all the way for the rest of your life. Strange. I know the demand for hard fucking is very high right now - people think it's exciting and want the sex in romance novels to be as pushing-the-envelope as possible. But I happen to think the most exciting sex is also sweet sex. Sweet sex and slow sex can be hot! It's also very sexy and very arousing! I don't think it should be an "allowance" made only for virgins. That's what it feels like. If you're a virgin heroine, we'll coddle you and make love to you and be patient and sweet with you, but as soon as you've had one sexual partner, it's hard fucking against the wall or bent over a table every time.
And I have NO PROBLEM with hard-fucking-over-a-table. Please, by all means put that in your novel. That is exciting and fun. But if you are writing three or four sex scenes in the book, could at least ONE be a little sweet? Thanks, I'd really appreciate it - virgin heroine or not, I want some snuggles and slow sex in my romance novel.
...
Tl;dr - Great sex, completely dreamy hero who is a mensch, and a brave heroine who learns how to be kickass in life! What more could you ask for in a contemporary romance? Not much.
She felt him lean closer. "I only want to know what you want," he whispered, his voice so close to her ear it made her shiver. "What you're looking for."
THREE REAL STARS, FIVE ROMANCE STARS Highly recommended. Seriously considering buying this one.
P.S. I almost forgot to mention Dahl's great female-positive messages. Here's one:
"There is nothing flattering about someone wanting to bone you... I hear some disagreement, but let me be clear. There are men out there who will put their penises in a tree. There are men out there who will put their penises in sheep. You do not need to feel flattered that a man wants to put his penis inside you... If casual sex isn't fun for you, then don't do it. It's not a requirement - it's an option. Buy a good vibrator and take a break from being the fun girl who's down for the superhot guy."
July 18, 2015
3.5 No More Faking Till You Make It Stars * * * 1/2
Do you remember when you read your first "naughty" romance book? I am talking about the ones which had their characters have sex the way real people do... not with phrases or implied words for sex but the words like nipple, sucking, clit and so forth...And when you think about those books, did they have humor and make you laugh, too???
Well, mine did because they were books I found written by Victoria Dahl. She told stories of situations I could relate to... with people who had fun while having sex; who kissed amazingly well and played with each other. Who became passionate and obsessed way too much about the after times and worried just like us about what the guy thought and where all of this sexy stuff was going... She would surround all this yummy goodness with a plot which would touch on something current socially and have the characters grow through their meeting and final coming together. They were great reads, especially for a newbie in the romance genre.
I gobbled them up.
Taking the Heat is the latest addition to the Jackson: Girls' Night Out series. We have Veronica Chandler, a hometown girl from Jackson Hole. Due to a number of reasons, she thought a life in New York City was to be her nirvana. There she could be who she really was and have the life she pined for... the life just like all the movies and shows which had New York as their centerpiece. Unfortunately, reality was not like the vision of her dreams. After a number of years being miserable, she came back to Jackson and had to take hat in hand asking her distant and cold father for housing assistance...and when the Judge calls about an opening at the local paper for his daughter, one appears. She was only looking for a supportive position... instead karma laughed and put her front and center with becoming Dear Veronica... a hip sexually smart Dear Abby.
Great... This is a real problem... because Veronica's New York life was nothing like she claimed... and now because she is too embarrassed or ashamed or a combination of both...she is stuck pretending she was this hip savvy gal and has all the answers acquired from the "city that never sleeps".
We are there when she is pushed by the paper to do a live Ask Veronica at a popular bar. She is a nervous wreck and doesn't know how she is going to get through this. She had begged her best friend Lauren to agree with her running and not doing it...Of course, when Veronica had this attempted conversation at the library, her friend had very little time to discuss any of this. She was in the process of showing the new MALE librarian around. Veronica took one look at this bearded man and practically ran. What was that... a male, sort of hunky guy as a librarian??? No, she could even focus on that... she needed to figure out how to convince everyone at the upcoming event she wasn't a fraud.
When Veronica was talking with Lauren, Gabe MacKenzie's first impression was this woman who was too slick and cutting edge for Jackson. Her hair was New York cool and the clothes were so upscale it made his mind have a flashback to when in lived back home. He was a native New Yorker and was doing his own hide and seek. He was hiding the fact he was only contracted for one year at the library; he was scheduled to pick up the mantle of the family business and relieve his dad after his contract was up.
Was that what he wanted to do; no...the life in Jackson and all it meant was what he wanted... but he was the one in his family who would step up and continue the restaurants. It was the only way to get his dad to retire, a necessity due to his health and stubborn streak. Gabe kept all of this in his back pocket.
The event is in full force and Veronica is killing it. Her consumption of alcohol might have loosened her up...but in reality, she was a natural. Once she was up on the stage, she answered questions ranging from the norm to the more explicit. She was such a hit, her publisher and boss decided this was going to be a once a week thing at the bar, shocking the hell out of her.
It was interesting to watch this woman, Gabe thought. She had so many mood changes... he couldn't figure it out. She seemed so uptight and nervous when she was first introduced to him; she also hid before the time of her going on stage...But once she was up there... she was on fire. She lit up from inside and all of her ideas and comments were right on. Then the second off the stage... the Nervous Nelly was back. He just couldn't get it out of his head.
And it stayed there through the week, keeping him curious about her. He was torn as he knew he was leaving in a year... to leave forever.
He confusion didn't stop him from joining friends for the next event and waiting around after to see her. He was at the bar when she came out from the back. He looked and nodded in a way which offered her to sit with him. She shocked herself and did. She also told him she planned on getting quite drunk.
They talked and then they flirted with her surprised by his interest. She also was shocked by her body's response to him.
Normally, her spark-o-meter wouldn't be alive... and when she started to feel her lower regions becoming slick with want... she practically fell of the stool. She knew who she was...no one else did...but she knew she was the oldest living virgin in Jackson...or at least in her mind...
This flirting and talking with this man was so easy, too...He would compliment her on her legs and she would say silly things back; he wasn't turn off like all the men she had dated before... he liked her weirdness.
He also decided to walk her home because she was definitely drunk not tipsy like she claimed. As they played with words and Gabe tells her wonderful things he sees in her, the conversation turns to how great she was up on stage. She looks at him and says yeah for a fraud...With that, the door flies open and all of her thoughts run out...telling him she is a virgin and all her advice comes from reading and research.
Once this is out in the open, she is stunned she said it...and he is taken aback... but still interested. He is a gentleman and even with out of this world kissing which had been taking place... he will help her to her place and make sure she is safe, nothing else. The last thing she says to him before she passes out in her bed is she would be up for him to "fix" her problem.
This is the set up and what Dahl does is two fold; she takes these two people who are both not being true to who they want to be and have them grow and see clearly what they need through the development of their relationship/interaction. The good news is our Gal is aware of her need to change and be more open with the real her from the start of the book. By her moving towards that goal, all the other wonderful things take place. She is self motivated and not relying on anyone to change...it is all for the betterment of her.
Our Guy has other issues to work out and when the reader thinks about how he handled things, they may not be as enamored with him after a while. While he is a good guy, he had a long standing pattern of behavior which may have been more destructive and counter productive to what his intent was...He never wished to cause pain or hurt. Through the story, he has to learn some hard lessons and his growth took longer.
What was the absolute best....why the trademark sex scenes Dahl is known for...They are teasing, explicit, real, hot and oh so friggin' good... And when I say good... they are not perfect or glowy... they are of real people who may have hang ups or insecurities with their minds not able to let go...Or they have a man who loves to love a woman in all the ways he can... and who does things well, with the pleasure of it all clear...It is something he wants to do, not because it is expected.
This followed the Dahl way of writing. There were multiple tidbits of plot layers; teenage bullying, handling expectations of families and the need to just be happy as the self which is real. Through her use of an advice columnist, we were able to hear many worthwhile lessons... things to take away and consider in our real life worlds.
The series works; Dahl will always be a soft spot for me and I will continue to think kindly of all the pleasure she has given me.
A gifted copy was provided by Harlequin/HQN Books via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Do you remember when you read your first "naughty" romance book? I am talking about the ones which had their characters have sex the way real people do... not with phrases or implied words for sex but the words like nipple, sucking, clit and so forth...And when you think about those books, did they have humor and make you laugh, too???
Well, mine did because they were books I found written by Victoria Dahl. She told stories of situations I could relate to... with people who had fun while having sex; who kissed amazingly well and played with each other. Who became passionate and obsessed way too much about the after times and worried just like us about what the guy thought and where all of this sexy stuff was going... She would surround all this yummy goodness with a plot which would touch on something current socially and have the characters grow through their meeting and final coming together. They were great reads, especially for a newbie in the romance genre.
I gobbled them up.
Taking the Heat is the latest addition to the Jackson: Girls' Night Out series. We have Veronica Chandler, a hometown girl from Jackson Hole. Due to a number of reasons, she thought a life in New York City was to be her nirvana. There she could be who she really was and have the life she pined for... the life just like all the movies and shows which had New York as their centerpiece. Unfortunately, reality was not like the vision of her dreams. After a number of years being miserable, she came back to Jackson and had to take hat in hand asking her distant and cold father for housing assistance...and when the Judge calls about an opening at the local paper for his daughter, one appears. She was only looking for a supportive position... instead karma laughed and put her front and center with becoming Dear Veronica... a hip sexually smart Dear Abby.
Great... This is a real problem... because Veronica's New York life was nothing like she claimed... and now because she is too embarrassed or ashamed or a combination of both...she is stuck pretending she was this hip savvy gal and has all the answers acquired from the "city that never sleeps".
We are there when she is pushed by the paper to do a live Ask Veronica at a popular bar. She is a nervous wreck and doesn't know how she is going to get through this. She had begged her best friend Lauren to agree with her running and not doing it...Of course, when Veronica had this attempted conversation at the library, her friend had very little time to discuss any of this. She was in the process of showing the new MALE librarian around. Veronica took one look at this bearded man and practically ran. What was that... a male, sort of hunky guy as a librarian??? No, she could even focus on that... she needed to figure out how to convince everyone at the upcoming event she wasn't a fraud.
When Veronica was talking with Lauren, Gabe MacKenzie's first impression was this woman who was too slick and cutting edge for Jackson. Her hair was New York cool and the clothes were so upscale it made his mind have a flashback to when in lived back home. He was a native New Yorker and was doing his own hide and seek. He was hiding the fact he was only contracted for one year at the library; he was scheduled to pick up the mantle of the family business and relieve his dad after his contract was up.
Was that what he wanted to do; no...the life in Jackson and all it meant was what he wanted... but he was the one in his family who would step up and continue the restaurants. It was the only way to get his dad to retire, a necessity due to his health and stubborn streak. Gabe kept all of this in his back pocket.
The event is in full force and Veronica is killing it. Her consumption of alcohol might have loosened her up...but in reality, she was a natural. Once she was up on the stage, she answered questions ranging from the norm to the more explicit. She was such a hit, her publisher and boss decided this was going to be a once a week thing at the bar, shocking the hell out of her.
It was interesting to watch this woman, Gabe thought. She had so many mood changes... he couldn't figure it out. She seemed so uptight and nervous when she was first introduced to him; she also hid before the time of her going on stage...But once she was up there... she was on fire. She lit up from inside and all of her ideas and comments were right on. Then the second off the stage... the Nervous Nelly was back. He just couldn't get it out of his head.
And it stayed there through the week, keeping him curious about her. He was torn as he knew he was leaving in a year... to leave forever.
He confusion didn't stop him from joining friends for the next event and waiting around after to see her. He was at the bar when she came out from the back. He looked and nodded in a way which offered her to sit with him. She shocked herself and did. She also told him she planned on getting quite drunk.
They talked and then they flirted with her surprised by his interest. She also was shocked by her body's response to him.
Normally, her spark-o-meter wouldn't be alive... and when she started to feel her lower regions becoming slick with want... she practically fell of the stool. She knew who she was...no one else did...but she knew she was the oldest living virgin in Jackson...or at least in her mind...
This flirting and talking with this man was so easy, too...He would compliment her on her legs and she would say silly things back; he wasn't turn off like all the men she had dated before... he liked her weirdness.
He also decided to walk her home because she was definitely drunk not tipsy like she claimed. As they played with words and Gabe tells her wonderful things he sees in her, the conversation turns to how great she was up on stage. She looks at him and says yeah for a fraud...With that, the door flies open and all of her thoughts run out...telling him she is a virgin and all her advice comes from reading and research.
Once this is out in the open, she is stunned she said it...and he is taken aback... but still interested. He is a gentleman and even with out of this world kissing which had been taking place... he will help her to her place and make sure she is safe, nothing else. The last thing she says to him before she passes out in her bed is she would be up for him to "fix" her problem.
This is the set up and what Dahl does is two fold; she takes these two people who are both not being true to who they want to be and have them grow and see clearly what they need through the development of their relationship/interaction. The good news is our Gal is aware of her need to change and be more open with the real her from the start of the book. By her moving towards that goal, all the other wonderful things take place. She is self motivated and not relying on anyone to change...it is all for the betterment of her.
Our Guy has other issues to work out and when the reader thinks about how he handled things, they may not be as enamored with him after a while. While he is a good guy, he had a long standing pattern of behavior which may have been more destructive and counter productive to what his intent was...He never wished to cause pain or hurt. Through the story, he has to learn some hard lessons and his growth took longer.
What was the absolute best....why the trademark sex scenes Dahl is known for...They are teasing, explicit, real, hot and oh so friggin' good... And when I say good... they are not perfect or glowy... they are of real people who may have hang ups or insecurities with their minds not able to let go...Or they have a man who loves to love a woman in all the ways he can... and who does things well, with the pleasure of it all clear...It is something he wants to do, not because it is expected.
This followed the Dahl way of writing. There were multiple tidbits of plot layers; teenage bullying, handling expectations of families and the need to just be happy as the self which is real. Through her use of an advice columnist, we were able to hear many worthwhile lessons... things to take away and consider in our real life worlds.
The series works; Dahl will always be a soft spot for me and I will continue to think kindly of all the pleasure she has given me.
A gifted copy was provided by Harlequin/HQN Books via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
May 16, 2024
I was torn on this read, because what I liked, I really loved, and what didn’t work with my personal preferences was frustrating. This is book 3 in a series, but reads as a standalone, with appearances by the prior main characters with a couple of references to what happened in their books. This book does have sex lessons (the H teaching the h) and also some triggers (manipulative parent, mentions of past bullying, and discussion of suicidal ideation by a person writing in to the h’s advice column). But the story is overall light, sweet, and very steamy.
Veronica (h) is an advice columnist for a local paper in her hometown, following a failed attempt to make it in NYC. She’s a bit quirky and has a fun energy, yet feels like she can’t just be herself so hides some of who she is even from her closest friends. She’s also riddled with insecurities that she hides because she’s faking experience that she doesn’t have for her job, which is stressing her out as her boss has expanded her column to include weekly live chats. Veronica meets Gabe (H) briefly when she goes to get reassurance from one of her best friends at the library and then later at her first live talk. Gabe’s the newest librarian in town (yay a male librarian as a H, never read that before). He’s hiding his own issues since he’s supposed to go home to NYC in a year to take over the family business, which is not his dream but he feels obligated to do for his father’s health. At first, Gabe makes some assumptions about who Veronica must be, but after a drunken over share by her, he finds himself reassessing and also really attracted. They begin a friends with benefits relationship with sex lessons that morphs unexpectedly into a deeper connection, except Gabe needs to come clean with Veronica but doesn’t know how, until suddenly it’s all out in the open and they have to face what the future holds for their newfound connection.
Written in third person, dual POV. No ow drama (though h does get jealous at one point over what turns out to be H’s sister), some om drama from a past high school crush of h’s that her dad pressures her to have a drink with (no interest on her part), and h is a virgin while H is more experienced. I didn’t love some of the references to H’s experience, even though all of it is in the past. But there are a few details of things he liked to do and what he was really good at, none of which I thought was necessary esp in comparison to the h’s lack of these details.
I adored Veronica’s growth throughout the book. She challenges herself and she’s got a lovely arc of accepting who she is and the strengths she has, which get recognized and appreciated! She also does stand up to her father eventually and in a way that was so her. Gabe is supportive and caring. He gives her nudges at times and points things out other times. He also has some growing to do because while Veronica hides herself in a lot of ways, Gabe tries to be the ideal for others so makes an effort not to disappoint or expose his vulnerabilities. Which isn’t confronted until late in the book and then doesn’t have the same payout that Veronica challenging herself does.
Their physical relationship is primarily front and center because of the sex lessons. Sometimes a little too much the focus because even though their scenes were hot and plentiful, a cute moment between them would then turn into thoughts about the other’s body or overtures to initiate some physical intimacy. They have such a short period of time together for their whole story and the emotional intimacy felt secondary, even though Veronica was often emotionally bare.
Several side characters were really fun. Veronica has a couple of friends that she loves, even if she doesn’t feel comfortable being completely upfront with them (she does eventually). Gabe had a fun and loving family, even if they stressed him out too. He also had a fun friend who I wondered if he would be in his own book (maybe he is). The spotlight stays mostly on Gabe and Veronica though.
It’s obvious what the conflict is going to be from early on and I didn’t like it or how it came about. I esp didn’t like that when they faced it, finally communicated, and then reached a resolution, there wasn’t an epilogue or jump ahead to show them settled in the future. Again, Gabe didn’t share some crucial parts of himself until the conflict and the ending is very HFN and left me dissatisfied, even with them saying they love each other and are giving their relationship a true chance. This appears to be the last book in this series so unless another book or series takes place in this same small town, this is the final appearance of these characters.
Veronica (h) is an advice columnist for a local paper in her hometown, following a failed attempt to make it in NYC. She’s a bit quirky and has a fun energy, yet feels like she can’t just be herself so hides some of who she is even from her closest friends. She’s also riddled with insecurities that she hides because she’s faking experience that she doesn’t have for her job, which is stressing her out as her boss has expanded her column to include weekly live chats. Veronica meets Gabe (H) briefly when she goes to get reassurance from one of her best friends at the library and then later at her first live talk. Gabe’s the newest librarian in town (yay a male librarian as a H, never read that before). He’s hiding his own issues since he’s supposed to go home to NYC in a year to take over the family business, which is not his dream but he feels obligated to do for his father’s health. At first, Gabe makes some assumptions about who Veronica must be, but after a drunken over share by her, he finds himself reassessing and also really attracted. They begin a friends with benefits relationship with sex lessons that morphs unexpectedly into a deeper connection, except Gabe needs to come clean with Veronica but doesn’t know how, until suddenly it’s all out in the open and they have to face what the future holds for their newfound connection.
Written in third person, dual POV. No ow drama (though h does get jealous at one point over what turns out to be H’s sister), some om drama from a past high school crush of h’s that her dad pressures her to have a drink with (no interest on her part), and h is a virgin while H is more experienced. I didn’t love some of the references to H’s experience, even though all of it is in the past. But there are a few details of things he liked to do and what he was really good at, none of which I thought was necessary esp in comparison to the h’s lack of these details.
I adored Veronica’s growth throughout the book. She challenges herself and she’s got a lovely arc of accepting who she is and the strengths she has, which get recognized and appreciated! She also does stand up to her father eventually and in a way that was so her. Gabe is supportive and caring. He gives her nudges at times and points things out other times. He also has some growing to do because while Veronica hides herself in a lot of ways, Gabe tries to be the ideal for others so makes an effort not to disappoint or expose his vulnerabilities. Which isn’t confronted until late in the book and then doesn’t have the same payout that Veronica challenging herself does.
Their physical relationship is primarily front and center because of the sex lessons. Sometimes a little too much the focus because even though their scenes were hot and plentiful, a cute moment between them would then turn into thoughts about the other’s body or overtures to initiate some physical intimacy. They have such a short period of time together for their whole story and the emotional intimacy felt secondary, even though Veronica was often emotionally bare.
Several side characters were really fun. Veronica has a couple of friends that she loves, even if she doesn’t feel comfortable being completely upfront with them (she does eventually). Gabe had a fun and loving family, even if they stressed him out too. He also had a fun friend who I wondered if he would be in his own book (maybe he is). The spotlight stays mostly on Gabe and Veronica though.
It’s obvious what the conflict is going to be from early on and I didn’t like it or how it came about. I esp didn’t like that when they faced it, finally communicated, and then reached a resolution, there wasn’t an epilogue or jump ahead to show them settled in the future. Again, Gabe didn’t share some crucial parts of himself until the conflict and the ending is very HFN and left me dissatisfied, even with them saying they love each other and are giving their relationship a true chance. This appears to be the last book in this series so unless another book or series takes place in this same small town, this is the final appearance of these characters.
July 23, 2015
3.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Veronica couldn't wait to escape her small town after years of being bullied in high school but the big city of New York, wasn't all she dreamed it would be. After a couple years she admits defeat and comes back home, to an apartment and job her dad has all arranged for her. Lately, she has felt like she's been taking the saying "fake it until you make it" too far and has lost sight of who she really is. When the hot new librarian in town, Gabe, brings her a desperately needed drink, she starts to think he may be able to fill her other desperate needs, too.
Taking the Heat is third in the Jackson: Girls' Night Out series and if you have read the other previous books you will remember Veronica; she is befriended by the other heroines of the books and makes fleeting appearances. The hallmark of this series so far has been strong and self-assured women but as Veronica is around ten years younger (27yrs old) than the other women, she hasn't quite had the life experience to gain her confidence and her story deals more with finding her footing in life. Veronica lost her mother when she was younger to cancer and her father was the epitome of gruff, "buck up ", and don't let them know your weaknesses. When her father remarried, her step-brother took out his displeasure on her and verbally and emotionally bullied her at home and school. These instances left scars and has ever since had Veronica doubting her own worth. It takes meeting Gabe and his forthrightness in telling her he likes her wackiness, for her to be able to spread her wings.
Gabe, as I mentioned, is the new librarian in town, he is self-assured, laid-back, and dangerously intrigued by Veronica as he gets to know her better. He also has his own set of family problems, his dad expects him to move back to New York City and run the family business. Gabe feels completely stifled in the city and loves the great outdoors of Jackson, Wyoming where he can indulge in his favorite past time of rock climbing but he feels he owes it to his father, so after this year of freedom in Jackson, he plans on moving back to New York. Gabe and Veronica both have their family issues, which are one of the aspects of Dahl's writing that I love so much, our characters don't exist in a vacuum, and they have layers and depths. The story shows and explains the building bricks of our characters, which creates a richer experience.
Veronica and Gabe have the humorous, witty, sexual banter, and general top notch dialogue that you would expect from a Dahl novel but I did feel they were missing the deeper emotional connection I felt from the previous couples. It's no secret that Dahl's books tend to feature more than the average intimate scene and they way she writes them, I'm definitely not going to complain but in this book, I felt like the focus was too much on this aspect. This could be because I didn’t feel the couple's emotional connection so it started to feel like empty/filler sex scenes. Veronica admits to Gabe she is a virgin and instead of the growing sexual attraction mixed with emotional building up, the focus was a lot on her virginity and losing it instead of their actual joining because of a growing closeness.
Their eventual issues with their perspective families come to ahead and while we don't get direct happily ever afters, you'll feel good about where the characters look to be headed. Gabe and Veronica's relationship issues get wrapped up somewhat easily and again, you'll be left feeling good about where they seem to be headed even if there isn't a nice finished bow on top. Dahl writes some of the best contemporary romance out there right now, I just think compared to the other stories in the series, this one fell a bit short on the emotional connection aspect. However, if you want a heroine learning to accept herself and shine and a bearded good guy librarian who when together make true on their dirty talk, look no further. In fact, go back and read the previous books in the series, Fanning the Flames; Looking For Trouble; and Flirting With Disaster. This series is chalk full of issues that will hit you right in the feels, amazing heroines, and their steamy escapades with their hot heroes.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Veronica couldn't wait to escape her small town after years of being bullied in high school but the big city of New York, wasn't all she dreamed it would be. After a couple years she admits defeat and comes back home, to an apartment and job her dad has all arranged for her. Lately, she has felt like she's been taking the saying "fake it until you make it" too far and has lost sight of who she really is. When the hot new librarian in town, Gabe, brings her a desperately needed drink, she starts to think he may be able to fill her other desperate needs, too.
Taking the Heat is third in the Jackson: Girls' Night Out series and if you have read the other previous books you will remember Veronica; she is befriended by the other heroines of the books and makes fleeting appearances. The hallmark of this series so far has been strong and self-assured women but as Veronica is around ten years younger (27yrs old) than the other women, she hasn't quite had the life experience to gain her confidence and her story deals more with finding her footing in life. Veronica lost her mother when she was younger to cancer and her father was the epitome of gruff, "buck up ", and don't let them know your weaknesses. When her father remarried, her step-brother took out his displeasure on her and verbally and emotionally bullied her at home and school. These instances left scars and has ever since had Veronica doubting her own worth. It takes meeting Gabe and his forthrightness in telling her he likes her wackiness, for her to be able to spread her wings.
Gabe, as I mentioned, is the new librarian in town, he is self-assured, laid-back, and dangerously intrigued by Veronica as he gets to know her better. He also has his own set of family problems, his dad expects him to move back to New York City and run the family business. Gabe feels completely stifled in the city and loves the great outdoors of Jackson, Wyoming where he can indulge in his favorite past time of rock climbing but he feels he owes it to his father, so after this year of freedom in Jackson, he plans on moving back to New York. Gabe and Veronica both have their family issues, which are one of the aspects of Dahl's writing that I love so much, our characters don't exist in a vacuum, and they have layers and depths. The story shows and explains the building bricks of our characters, which creates a richer experience.
Veronica and Gabe have the humorous, witty, sexual banter, and general top notch dialogue that you would expect from a Dahl novel but I did feel they were missing the deeper emotional connection I felt from the previous couples. It's no secret that Dahl's books tend to feature more than the average intimate scene and they way she writes them, I'm definitely not going to complain but in this book, I felt like the focus was too much on this aspect. This could be because I didn’t feel the couple's emotional connection so it started to feel like empty/filler sex scenes. Veronica admits to Gabe she is a virgin and instead of the growing sexual attraction mixed with emotional building up, the focus was a lot on her virginity and losing it instead of their actual joining because of a growing closeness.
Their eventual issues with their perspective families come to ahead and while we don't get direct happily ever afters, you'll feel good about where the characters look to be headed. Gabe and Veronica's relationship issues get wrapped up somewhat easily and again, you'll be left feeling good about where they seem to be headed even if there isn't a nice finished bow on top. Dahl writes some of the best contemporary romance out there right now, I just think compared to the other stories in the series, this one fell a bit short on the emotional connection aspect. However, if you want a heroine learning to accept herself and shine and a bearded good guy librarian who when together make true on their dirty talk, look no further. In fact, go back and read the previous books in the series, Fanning the Flames; Looking For Trouble; and Flirting With Disaster. This series is chalk full of issues that will hit you right in the feels, amazing heroines, and their steamy escapades with their hot heroes.
August 5, 2015
Veronica had big dreams and ambitions and moved from Jackson Hole, Wyoming to New York city to pursue her dreams of writing. But the city was not what she expected. She feels isolated, disconnected from her job and just overall beaten. When she moves back home to Jackson Hole, she feels defeated. Her dad lets her live in an apartment building he owns and he gets her a small job at the local newspaper writing an advice column. Called, Dear Veronica, she answers anonymous letters and helps people with their problems. But her problem is, she feels like a fraud. The biggest thing weighing her down is that she gives love and sex advice, but she is still a virgin.
Gabe is from New York city, but he loves rock climbing and nature in general. Having his masters in Library Science, he takes a one-year contract to work at the Jackson Hole library. Not only can he help them with technical advancements, he can spend a year climbing and hiking in this wonderland. Gabe’s co-worker Lauren, is good friends with Veronica, which is how they first meet. Veronica is starting a series of live “Dear Veronica” shows at a local bar, where she answers questions on stage. While this absolutely terrifies her, no one in the audience notices. She shines, and the shows become very popular. Gabe goes along one night with Lauren and co-workers and realizes Veronica is a complicated, beautiful, intriguing woman and he wants to get to know her better.
Gabe is one of the most decent, good guy heroes I have read in a long time. He is kind, he listens, he is funny. He has a beard! He is respectful. AND – he is a master at going down on a woman.
Need we discuss anything else?
I also really liked Veronica. Her mom died when she was young and her father is very, very distant and into himself. She had trouble with a step-sibling in her teen years, which has stuck with her now as an adult. She doesn’t have confidence – partly due to her step-sibling and partly due to her feeling of failure while living in New York city. She decides she wants to change her life. She wants to take chances, be brave and explore herself more. I loved this about her. I love that she has insecurities about her appearance and her “muscular legs.” I love that she thinks she is weird, but feels totally comfortable being weird around Gabe. That is something that Gabe finds endearing. She falls in love with Gabe, but she also falls in love with herself.
Gabe has family drama of his own. He has a lot of pressure to return to New York after his one-year contract is up to help his family with their restaurants. He doesn’t want to move back to New York, but he is very close with his family and knows his aging father needs help.
Gabe and Veronica are so cute together. Between drunken escapades, rock climbing lessons, and the big – taking of the virginity – their relationship is super cute and very, very sexy.
I’ve really enjoyed this series and I think this is the strongest addition yet. If I had any quibbles it would be I think Veronica was a little hard on Gabe at the end. He keeps a few things from her and she makes it known her trust issues have been broken a little bit. I thought she went a little hard.
A sexy, fun, adorable contemporary romance. Can’t wait for more.
Grade: B
Gabe is from New York city, but he loves rock climbing and nature in general. Having his masters in Library Science, he takes a one-year contract to work at the Jackson Hole library. Not only can he help them with technical advancements, he can spend a year climbing and hiking in this wonderland. Gabe’s co-worker Lauren, is good friends with Veronica, which is how they first meet. Veronica is starting a series of live “Dear Veronica” shows at a local bar, where she answers questions on stage. While this absolutely terrifies her, no one in the audience notices. She shines, and the shows become very popular. Gabe goes along one night with Lauren and co-workers and realizes Veronica is a complicated, beautiful, intriguing woman and he wants to get to know her better.
Gabe is one of the most decent, good guy heroes I have read in a long time. He is kind, he listens, he is funny. He has a beard! He is respectful. AND – he is a master at going down on a woman.
Need we discuss anything else?
I also really liked Veronica. Her mom died when she was young and her father is very, very distant and into himself. She had trouble with a step-sibling in her teen years, which has stuck with her now as an adult. She doesn’t have confidence – partly due to her step-sibling and partly due to her feeling of failure while living in New York city. She decides she wants to change her life. She wants to take chances, be brave and explore herself more. I loved this about her. I love that she has insecurities about her appearance and her “muscular legs.” I love that she thinks she is weird, but feels totally comfortable being weird around Gabe. That is something that Gabe finds endearing. She falls in love with Gabe, but she also falls in love with herself.
Gabe has family drama of his own. He has a lot of pressure to return to New York after his one-year contract is up to help his family with their restaurants. He doesn’t want to move back to New York, but he is very close with his family and knows his aging father needs help.
Gabe and Veronica are so cute together. Between drunken escapades, rock climbing lessons, and the big – taking of the virginity – their relationship is super cute and very, very sexy.
I’ve really enjoyed this series and I think this is the strongest addition yet. If I had any quibbles it would be I think Veronica was a little hard on Gabe at the end. He keeps a few things from her and she makes it known her trust issues have been broken a little bit. I thought she went a little hard.
A sexy, fun, adorable contemporary romance. Can’t wait for more.
Grade: B
October 25, 2018
1.5 Stars
I don't like books about virgins, but I enjoyed many before, because the heroine was strong and confident. It wasn't the case in this one. The female mc was insecure about everything in her life, her sexual experience, her job, her friends. I skimmed a lot, rounded up my rating because she didn't give up her life for him at the end.
I don't like books about virgins, but I enjoyed many before, because the heroine was strong and confident. It wasn't the case in this one. The female mc was insecure about everything in her life, her sexual experience, her job, her friends. I skimmed a lot, rounded up my rating because she didn't give up her life for him at the end.
July 16, 2017
I really appreciated this sexy pairing of a hot male librarian with a knowing but innocent advice columnist. The chemistry was off the charts but ultimately it was the way these two related to each other that I loved. And I appreciated the way they got each other out of their respective comfort zones. One thing I've appreciated about these Jackson Hole books is their sense of place. With the depiction of rock climbing and chi-chi events, it's just what I would imagine the real place to be like. Only slightly more affordable. I hope we'll see more action in Jackson before Victoria Dahl is through!
September 24, 2021
3.75 stars
This the story of a hero affectionately nicknamed “Cunnilingus Gabe” by the hosts of Fated Mates podcast (author Sarah MacLean and Jen Prokop), so obviously I had to read it. For Science Reasons, of course.
Gabe is a hot, young, rock climbing male librarian who meets Veronica, a local advice columnist who has never actually had sex before. Yes, she’s a 27 year old virgin and yes, this is CR. Which is pretty awesome if you ask me. Even though she has major imposter syndrome, she’s actually amazing at her job and even gains a significant following in the town they live in.
Gabe is secretly only around for a year before he has high tail it back to New York to take over his family business. What he really wants is to live close to nature, climb rocks and read books. What a dreamboat, am I right?
He agrees to be Veronica’s First and she is just super stoked to be rid of her pesky V-card. The great thing about Gabe and Veronica is that they have really good chemistry and don’t take themselves too seriously despite their individual insecurities.
This was a sweet story with a nice amount of heat and excellent dirty talk from both hero and heroine. They are a chatty couple and it works for me! Great, easygoing book by Victoria Dahl, perfect balance of romance and medium angst.
This the story of a hero affectionately nicknamed “Cunnilingus Gabe” by the hosts of Fated Mates podcast (author Sarah MacLean and Jen Prokop), so obviously I had to read it. For Science Reasons, of course.
Gabe is a hot, young, rock climbing male librarian who meets Veronica, a local advice columnist who has never actually had sex before. Yes, she’s a 27 year old virgin and yes, this is CR. Which is pretty awesome if you ask me. Even though she has major imposter syndrome, she’s actually amazing at her job and even gains a significant following in the town they live in.
Gabe is secretly only around for a year before he has high tail it back to New York to take over his family business. What he really wants is to live close to nature, climb rocks and read books. What a dreamboat, am I right?
He agrees to be Veronica’s First and she is just super stoked to be rid of her pesky V-card. The great thing about Gabe and Veronica is that they have really good chemistry and don’t take themselves too seriously despite their individual insecurities.
This was a sweet story with a nice amount of heat and excellent dirty talk from both hero and heroine. They are a chatty couple and it works for me! Great, easygoing book by Victoria Dahl, perfect balance of romance and medium angst.
January 21, 2024
they don't make rom coms like they used to.
this was very fun <3
this was very fun <3
August 27, 2015
This was a really good addition to Dahl's Girls' Night Out Series, probably my favorite so far. Veronica Chandler and Gabe MacKenzie were great characters. I really enjoyed watching them get to know one another and develop a relationship. I thought Gabe as a sexy librarian was the perfect man! I enjoyed the storyline and thought it had a great setting.
Veronica Chandler has returned to Jackson Hole as an advice columnist after feeling like she crashed and burned in New York City. She feels like a fraud giving relationship advice when she has no love life. When she meets new ultra sexy town librarian Gabe MacKenzie, the attraction between them is off the charts. Gabe believes that he and Veronica can have some fun times, but that there is no reason to share his future plans to head back to the family company in New York City. Once things heat up between them so much that they are suddenly involved in a real relationship, Gabe's future plans threaten what he could have with Veronica.
Great characters, smoking hot chemistry between them, interesting storyline, and fitting setting make this a worthwhile contemporary romance. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and am looking forward for what comes next in the series. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.
Veronica Chandler has returned to Jackson Hole as an advice columnist after feeling like she crashed and burned in New York City. She feels like a fraud giving relationship advice when she has no love life. When she meets new ultra sexy town librarian Gabe MacKenzie, the attraction between them is off the charts. Gabe believes that he and Veronica can have some fun times, but that there is no reason to share his future plans to head back to the family company in New York City. Once things heat up between them so much that they are suddenly involved in a real relationship, Gabe's future plans threaten what he could have with Veronica.
Great characters, smoking hot chemistry between them, interesting storyline, and fitting setting make this a worthwhile contemporary romance. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and am looking forward for what comes next in the series. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.
November 13, 2015
3.5-4 stars
My first romance by Victoria Dahl, and it was great! It actually meant a lot to me, as someone who's newly back in the dating world, to see a heroine who doesn't always know how to flirt with a guy but who wins the hot librarian anyway. Veronica was shy, yes, but she was also super spunky and fun when she let herself go. I felt like I could relate to her in a lot of ways. The hero, Gabe, was a true sweetheart and gentleman. He had my heart melting on multiple occasions! I do wish that there was an epilogue, but overall Taking the Heat was a wonderful and sexy romance.
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
My first romance by Victoria Dahl, and it was great! It actually meant a lot to me, as someone who's newly back in the dating world, to see a heroine who doesn't always know how to flirt with a guy but who wins the hot librarian anyway. Veronica was shy, yes, but she was also super spunky and fun when she let herself go. I felt like I could relate to her in a lot of ways. The hero, Gabe, was a true sweetheart and gentleman. He had my heart melting on multiple occasions! I do wish that there was an epilogue, but overall Taking the Heat was a wonderful and sexy romance.
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
July 19, 2015
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Taking the Heat ( Jackson: Girls' Night Out, #3) by Victoria Dahl
PLOT: 5
CHARACTERS: 5
COVER: 5
OVERALL RATING: 5
Taking the Heat was such a delight to read and the characters were all so amazing. Victoria Dahl has been an author I know through reading other people's review and I have also read some of her books but I haven't really been a real fan that knows all her characters by heart. But after reading this one I think you'll be seeing my reviews more and more on Dahl's books.
Veronica has a big secret that she's been trying to hide for a very long time. Her column in the newspaper Dear Veronica was doing great but she knows that all she is is a fraud. When she meets Gabe sparks fly between them but will she learn to take her own advice or let this once in a lifetime opportunity pass her by?
I haven't read the previous books before this and I was still able to understand the book which is amazing. I really hate it when I get so hyped up on a certain book only to realize I need to read two more books before I can understand the whole plot. Thankfully this book was not like that. So if you're hesitant to read this because it's the third book, don't be.
Veronica and Gabe's relationship started out as friends but turned out to be more. Veronica was a character that I really liked because of the fact that at first she seemed high maintenance but in actuality, she was very down to earth and quirky too. Her compassion towards her readers was very sweet and I loved hearing her advice. Gabe was also a very great character, I loved how he really wanted to sacrifice everything just so his family would be happy.
I really loved how there was a portion of rock climbing in the book. Although I don't know anything about rock climbing asides from climbing and rocks, I was still able to appreciate that particular scene in the book which I absolutely love!
Overall this book was a very enjoyable read and you'll be seeing more of my reviews when it comes to Dahl's books.
received digital edition from publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Taking the Heat ( Jackson: Girls' Night Out, #3) by Victoria Dahl
PLOT: 5
CHARACTERS: 5
COVER: 5
OVERALL RATING: 5
Taking the Heat was such a delight to read and the characters were all so amazing. Victoria Dahl has been an author I know through reading other people's review and I have also read some of her books but I haven't really been a real fan that knows all her characters by heart. But after reading this one I think you'll be seeing my reviews more and more on Dahl's books.
Veronica has a big secret that she's been trying to hide for a very long time. Her column in the newspaper Dear Veronica was doing great but she knows that all she is is a fraud. When she meets Gabe sparks fly between them but will she learn to take her own advice or let this once in a lifetime opportunity pass her by?
I haven't read the previous books before this and I was still able to understand the book which is amazing. I really hate it when I get so hyped up on a certain book only to realize I need to read two more books before I can understand the whole plot. Thankfully this book was not like that. So if you're hesitant to read this because it's the third book, don't be.
Veronica and Gabe's relationship started out as friends but turned out to be more. Veronica was a character that I really liked because of the fact that at first she seemed high maintenance but in actuality, she was very down to earth and quirky too. Her compassion towards her readers was very sweet and I loved hearing her advice. Gabe was also a very great character, I loved how he really wanted to sacrifice everything just so his family would be happy.
I really loved how there was a portion of rock climbing in the book. Although I don't know anything about rock climbing asides from climbing and rocks, I was still able to appreciate that particular scene in the book which I absolutely love!
Overall this book was a very enjoyable read and you'll be seeing more of my reviews when it comes to Dahl's books.
received digital edition from publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
November 17, 2016
Another book I'm reviewing 1+ year later. Good news is that I still remember this book, hence the 4 star rating.
I'm normally more of a historical romance reader than contemporary, because I hate insta-lust stories and those are much more common in CR than HR. While there is a definite attraction between Victoria and Gabe, I loved their connection and the fact that Victoria was actually a virgin kind of forced that part of the story to progress a little more slowly than it might otherwise have. Gabe was also SUPER swoon-worthy in this sense and how sweet and respectful he was, though he also really wanted to jump her—of course ;-). Lol!
I also appreciated that there was some reality thrown into the story; Gabe's family and life is in NYC, and due to the family business, he's going to end up having to go back. This created the very real-life issue of Victoria and Gabe facing the reality of life pulling you in opposite directions, obligations that take you far away, and how to figure it all out given the complexities of our modern world.
Definitely a wonderful contemporary romance that I will reread at some point. The characters were three-dimensional and so easy to root for, the book is well-written, and the chemistry that Dahl is known for was definitely present! Enjoy!!
*This is a review of an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher
(Written November 16, 2016)
I'm normally more of a historical romance reader than contemporary, because I hate insta-lust stories and those are much more common in CR than HR. While there is a definite attraction between Victoria and Gabe, I loved their connection and the fact that Victoria was actually a virgin kind of forced that part of the story to progress a little more slowly than it might otherwise have. Gabe was also SUPER swoon-worthy in this sense and how sweet and respectful he was, though he also really wanted to jump her—of course ;-). Lol!
I also appreciated that there was some reality thrown into the story; Gabe's family and life is in NYC, and due to the family business, he's going to end up having to go back. This created the very real-life issue of Victoria and Gabe facing the reality of life pulling you in opposite directions, obligations that take you far away, and how to figure it all out given the complexities of our modern world.
Definitely a wonderful contemporary romance that I will reread at some point. The characters were three-dimensional and so easy to root for, the book is well-written, and the chemistry that Dahl is known for was definitely present! Enjoy!!
*This is a review of an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher
(Written November 16, 2016)
November 6, 2017
DNFed at 19% even though I enjoyed the writing way more than average. This is purely a feminist DNF. There’s nothing egregious. Except it’s all part of that overall trend that’s been forever where the woman is INCREDIBLY INSECURE, UNSURE, LIP-BITINGLY THE MAN’S LESSER.
She is insecure about her looks, her job, being herself with her friends. And oh yeah, sex. She has a lot of growing up to do. Which is ok. Everyone has to grow up sometime, it’s to be applauded.
But why oh why do we often see these women in fictional relationships with men who are above them? Older. More established in the world. More secure with their bodies, their friends, more financially secure. Sure, the guy has a flaw or two to learn from, but he’s not the wobbling mass of insecurities the woman is. And he doesn’t live in daddy’s apartment.
Why can’t love interests in m/f novels be equals????
Also the word virginity is used to exclusively refer to p in v sex. Which is outdated, sexist and makes me wonder what the author thinks people with other body types or preferences do. And the hero is secretly thrilled, which makes me feel pukey.
She is insecure about her looks, her job, being herself with her friends. And oh yeah, sex. She has a lot of growing up to do. Which is ok. Everyone has to grow up sometime, it’s to be applauded.
But why oh why do we often see these women in fictional relationships with men who are above them? Older. More established in the world. More secure with their bodies, their friends, more financially secure. Sure, the guy has a flaw or two to learn from, but he’s not the wobbling mass of insecurities the woman is. And he doesn’t live in daddy’s apartment.
Why can’t love interests in m/f novels be equals????
Also the word virginity is used to exclusively refer to p in v sex. Which is outdated, sexist and makes me wonder what the author thinks people with other body types or preferences do. And the hero is secretly thrilled, which makes me feel pukey.
July 8, 2015
This was an okay read,the couple had chemistry,but I wanted more from this story.The hero was too beta for me.Iwould have loved an epilogue with this couple,it was a more HFN ending and I don't remember if the heroine even said Ilu to the hero.,he said it though.
April 21, 2020
I never reviewed this the first time I read it so I’m making up for that oversight now. I was already planning on re-reading this series when the Fated Mates podcast picked this as a Book That Blooded them. I take it a step further and say this whole series blooded me. When I got back into reading romance 4 years ago, I stumbled upon this series a few months in and it was like a lightning bolt struck me. THIS was the kind of contemporary romance I wanted to read. THIS was what romance was capable of being.
Taking The Heat was just as good the second time around. Sexually inexperienced advice columnist heroine Veronica paired with a hot librarian hero more commonly known in Romancelandia as Cunnilingus Gabe. I love both of these characters so much! Their emotional arcs are absolute perfection.
I also adore the female friendships in this series. You get to really see them be there for one another and that makes what Veronica does in this book all the more moving. She’s been so buttoned up in the previous two books, never letting anyone close because she was scared people would think she was a fraud. But here, she decides to open up and let people in and it’s beautiful to watch. It’s all the more moving because of a bullying subplot and I really appreciated seeing Veronica seek out help from professionals in trying to decide how to help a teen in trouble and the way it helped her make sense of what she went through in high school when her stepbrother bullied her.
Gabe has his own image problems. He wants to take care of everyone and have them think he’s a good guy, which means sometimes he manipulates situations or doesn’t let people know how he really feels, sometimes until it’s too late. To the degree that he’s decided to take over the family business so his dad will retire, even though being a librarian is his dream job and he loves living in Wyoming where he can hike and camp and rock climb to his heart’s content. He believes he has to choose between his family and Veronica and oh it wrenched my heart to see him suffer because of his own hardheadedness. His grovel is one of my favorites! Inventive yet heart-felt.
Veronica and Gabe together were scorching hot. Veronica is a virgin and I love that losing her virginity became not just “getting it over with” but something to anticipate and desire. Gabe was patient and yet also eager and helped undo some of the negative messages Veronica had internalized. There’s a moment where Veronica starts to see herself as a sex goddess that’s everything.
I could really go on and on but you should experience the magic for yourself. This turned out to be Victoria Dahl’s last romance—she now writes domestic suspense as Victoria Helen Stone—and she really went out with a bang.
Note: There is some poor word choice, e.g. Veronica thinks of herself as a “spastic mess.” This is super ableist. I’m sure Dahl would not include it were this written now. There’s also misinformation about how hymens work. Veronica is not a “technical virgin” because she used a dildo or however else she thinks she “broke” her hymen. Hymens don’t break and virginity is a construct anyway.
CW: heroine’s mother died of cancer when she was young, hero’s father has heart attack (recovers), bullying (including heroine’s stepbrother getting everyone to call her “Ronald”), suicidal teen, search-and-rescue situation, diet culture (hero’s sister is a model)
Taking The Heat was just as good the second time around. Sexually inexperienced advice columnist heroine Veronica paired with a hot librarian hero more commonly known in Romancelandia as Cunnilingus Gabe. I love both of these characters so much! Their emotional arcs are absolute perfection.
I also adore the female friendships in this series. You get to really see them be there for one another and that makes what Veronica does in this book all the more moving. She’s been so buttoned up in the previous two books, never letting anyone close because she was scared people would think she was a fraud. But here, she decides to open up and let people in and it’s beautiful to watch. It’s all the more moving because of a bullying subplot and I really appreciated seeing Veronica seek out help from professionals in trying to decide how to help a teen in trouble and the way it helped her make sense of what she went through in high school when her stepbrother bullied her.
Gabe has his own image problems. He wants to take care of everyone and have them think he’s a good guy, which means sometimes he manipulates situations or doesn’t let people know how he really feels, sometimes until it’s too late. To the degree that he’s decided to take over the family business so his dad will retire, even though being a librarian is his dream job and he loves living in Wyoming where he can hike and camp and rock climb to his heart’s content. He believes he has to choose between his family and Veronica and oh it wrenched my heart to see him suffer because of his own hardheadedness. His grovel is one of my favorites! Inventive yet heart-felt.
Veronica and Gabe together were scorching hot. Veronica is a virgin and I love that losing her virginity became not just “getting it over with” but something to anticipate and desire. Gabe was patient and yet also eager and helped undo some of the negative messages Veronica had internalized. There’s a moment where Veronica starts to see herself as a sex goddess that’s everything.
I could really go on and on but you should experience the magic for yourself. This turned out to be Victoria Dahl’s last romance—she now writes domestic suspense as Victoria Helen Stone—and she really went out with a bang.
Note: There is some poor word choice, e.g. Veronica thinks of herself as a “spastic mess.” This is super ableist. I’m sure Dahl would not include it were this written now. There’s also misinformation about how hymens work. Veronica is not a “technical virgin” because she used a dildo or however else she thinks she “broke” her hymen. Hymens don’t break and virginity is a construct anyway.
CW: heroine’s mother died of cancer when she was young, hero’s father has heart attack (recovers), bullying (including heroine’s stepbrother getting everyone to call her “Ronald”), suicidal teen, search-and-rescue situation, diet culture (hero’s sister is a model)
June 15, 2019
I'm curious if Victoria Dahl is accepting friendship applications. Because every time I finish one of her books she becomes even more one of my favorite people.
Review to come.
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Victoria Dahl is right at the top of my auto-read list, and once again she doesn't disappoint. My favorite thing about her books is that the characters are always different. They have different experiences. They want different things. Dahl rejects a cookie-cutter happily-ever-after, instead tailoring it to her characters. Some want marriage and a family. Some want a hot boyfriend and their own business. Some want to see the country from the back roads. Some want to settle in to the peace and quiet of small town life. They feel like real people, which keeps Victoria Dahl's books from feeling old, stale, or overly familiar.
And of course any real romance reader knows that you can depend on her to bring the heat. I'm fairly certain that this is Dahl's first virgin heroine, and she pulls it off with aplomb. Veronica is no timid pearl clutcher, which is one of the big criticisms of adult virgin heroines, especially in contemporary romance. She's not wholly without experience, and the circumstances of her virginity feel pretty natural. As does her desire to ditch the V-card, especially with a hot, bearded librarian. I'll repeat that: hot, bearded librarian!
Fans of contemporary romance that you haven't already read a dozen times before with different names will want to take notice of this one. It hit all my personal buttons. Now if only there were a way to get Victoria Dahl to write even faster...
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley
Review to come.
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Victoria Dahl is right at the top of my auto-read list, and once again she doesn't disappoint. My favorite thing about her books is that the characters are always different. They have different experiences. They want different things. Dahl rejects a cookie-cutter happily-ever-after, instead tailoring it to her characters. Some want marriage and a family. Some want a hot boyfriend and their own business. Some want to see the country from the back roads. Some want to settle in to the peace and quiet of small town life. They feel like real people, which keeps Victoria Dahl's books from feeling old, stale, or overly familiar.
And of course any real romance reader knows that you can depend on her to bring the heat. I'm fairly certain that this is Dahl's first virgin heroine, and she pulls it off with aplomb. Veronica is no timid pearl clutcher, which is one of the big criticisms of adult virgin heroines, especially in contemporary romance. She's not wholly without experience, and the circumstances of her virginity feel pretty natural. As does her desire to ditch the V-card, especially with a hot, bearded librarian. I'll repeat that: hot, bearded librarian!
Fans of contemporary romance that you haven't already read a dozen times before with different names will want to take notice of this one. It hit all my personal buttons. Now if only there were a way to get Victoria Dahl to write even faster...
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley
June 3, 2015
3 1/2 stars...review to come!
April 2, 2016
Witty dialogue and warm characters. Both protagonists have growing to do, and they do it without being total assholes to each other. A lovely read if you like a beta hero.
November 20, 2016
Gah it took me a long time to get through this book! There wasn't much to the plot and it got boring at times. It was an OK read.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
January 3, 2016
5 Stars!
Full review to be posted closer to release date.
Full review to be posted closer to release date.
May 29, 2019
I only read this because another reviewer nicknamed the hero "cunnilingus Gabe" and I had to know more. :) Sorry, mom.
November 26, 2022
3.54813 stars
September 2, 2015
Taking the Heat by Victoria Dahl was a total hit for me. I loved this book from start to finish.
As a librarian, I can never resist a book with a librarian character, and I was absolutely delighted to hear that the librarian in Taking the Heat is a man. A very, very gorgeous man named Gabe who is the new librarian, and new resident of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Right there this book gets props from me for not making the librarian a stereotype. But this book has so many more things going for it.
So, on Gabe’s first day at his new job at the public library he meets Veronica, who’s a local celebrity, of a sort, who writes the advice column for the local paper. I cannot tell you how much I loved Veronica. She is just so completely easy to relate to. Perhaps not her actual experiences, but how she feels about herself. She feels like she has to act like she has it together, but Veronica often feels like a fake. But of course there’s more to Veronica than she gives herself credit for.
And Gabe! Did I mention Gabe already. The incredibly gorgeous Gabe the librarian with the beard? Because he is so darn dreamy, and even more so, he is perfect for Veronica. Gabe loves his job as a librarian, but he doesn’t have plans to stay long in Jackson Hole. He plans to head back home to NYC to help with the family business, even though it’s not something he wants to do. He loves Jackson Hole, spending lots of time outdoors hiking, rock climbing.
And Gabe and Veronica together is such an amazing thing. They are so perfect for each other. They are good for each other in different ways. I love how Gabe is great at calming Veronica down, and making her feel more comfortable. These two together, they are just magic together, I’m telling you.
Gabe and Veronica are the total stars of Taking the Heat, as they should be, but the whole setting and side characters were fantastic. They just make the whole book that much better.
Basically, if you are a fan of romance novels, get a copy of Taking the Heat because it is AMAZING. You will not be disappointed.This review was originally posted on Quinn's Book Nook
As a librarian, I can never resist a book with a librarian character, and I was absolutely delighted to hear that the librarian in Taking the Heat is a man. A very, very gorgeous man named Gabe who is the new librarian, and new resident of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Right there this book gets props from me for not making the librarian a stereotype. But this book has so many more things going for it.
So, on Gabe’s first day at his new job at the public library he meets Veronica, who’s a local celebrity, of a sort, who writes the advice column for the local paper. I cannot tell you how much I loved Veronica. She is just so completely easy to relate to. Perhaps not her actual experiences, but how she feels about herself. She feels like she has to act like she has it together, but Veronica often feels like a fake. But of course there’s more to Veronica than she gives herself credit for.
And Gabe! Did I mention Gabe already. The incredibly gorgeous Gabe the librarian with the beard? Because he is so darn dreamy, and even more so, he is perfect for Veronica. Gabe loves his job as a librarian, but he doesn’t have plans to stay long in Jackson Hole. He plans to head back home to NYC to help with the family business, even though it’s not something he wants to do. He loves Jackson Hole, spending lots of time outdoors hiking, rock climbing.
And Gabe and Veronica together is such an amazing thing. They are so perfect for each other. They are good for each other in different ways. I love how Gabe is great at calming Veronica down, and making her feel more comfortable. These two together, they are just magic together, I’m telling you.
Gabe and Veronica are the total stars of Taking the Heat, as they should be, but the whole setting and side characters were fantastic. They just make the whole book that much better.
Basically, if you are a fan of romance novels, get a copy of Taking the Heat because it is AMAZING. You will not be disappointed.This review was originally posted on Quinn's Book Nook
May 13, 2015
I loved this book!!
Veronica seems like she is stuck up when she is first introduced but she is far from it. I loved how this book was different then the romances out there. She is a writer for the advice column dear Veronica. Not only is she pretty and smart but she loves what she does. Veronica tells her boss she will do a live show and she is so nervous. She feels she is still a fraud because she is a virgin but for a virgin she gives some awesome advice.
Gabe is the new librarian in town and only has a contract for a year before he goes back to ny to take over his family's company. When he meets Veronica he doesn't seem overly impressed but once he sees her first show he can't stop thinking about her. She ends up drunk and telling gabe her big secret and he offers to help.
This book is funny and sexy. Dahls writing and plot line will have you hooked from the beginning to the very end. I couldn't put it down. I loved how she brought Lauren and her boyfriend into this book. I liked how once gabe and Victoria got involved they didn't label it BR just let it flow. The relationship was a relationship even though it wasn't defined and neither one wanted to get on that subject. These two were perfect for each other.
Dahl writes incredible sex scenes and gabe is a dirty talker. Even though he is more experienced then Victoria he takes his time and makes sure she is with him every step of the way.
I love this series and I can't wait to see who will be next!!
Veronica seems like she is stuck up when she is first introduced but she is far from it. I loved how this book was different then the romances out there. She is a writer for the advice column dear Veronica. Not only is she pretty and smart but she loves what she does. Veronica tells her boss she will do a live show and she is so nervous. She feels she is still a fraud because she is a virgin but for a virgin she gives some awesome advice.
Gabe is the new librarian in town and only has a contract for a year before he goes back to ny to take over his family's company. When he meets Veronica he doesn't seem overly impressed but once he sees her first show he can't stop thinking about her. She ends up drunk and telling gabe her big secret and he offers to help.
This book is funny and sexy. Dahls writing and plot line will have you hooked from the beginning to the very end. I couldn't put it down. I loved how she brought Lauren and her boyfriend into this book. I liked how once gabe and Victoria got involved they didn't label it BR just let it flow. The relationship was a relationship even though it wasn't defined and neither one wanted to get on that subject. These two were perfect for each other.
Dahl writes incredible sex scenes and gabe is a dirty talker. Even though he is more experienced then Victoria he takes his time and makes sure she is with him every step of the way.
I love this series and I can't wait to see who will be next!!
June 28, 2015
3.5 or 4.0 rating. Can't decide between the two.
A well written book and two MC that I liked!!!
Veronica and Gabe where two characters that came across like everyday people with normal problems. They each insecurities (Veronica) and normal life problems that people face. Veronica was a pretty, smart, sweet and had some Daddy issues. Gabe, I loved Gabe!!! He was a librarian who had a year to live his life his way before he stepped in and took over the family business. He was an out doors kind of guy. He was smart, sweet and kind.
Veronica is an advice columnist for a paper and Gabe is a Librarian (I loved to read about a hero that's a hot librarian). These two meet and aren't too impressed with each other. They both have some preconceived ideas of the other and soon realize that they had been totally wrong about the other.
I enjoyed the development of their relationship and how it played out in a mature and timely manner. The book did have some spots that I found a little slow, but all in all it was pretty good pacing. Writing was well done as well as character development and great secondary characters too.
Netgalley for an honest review.
A well written book and two MC that I liked!!!
Veronica and Gabe where two characters that came across like everyday people with normal problems. They each insecurities (Veronica) and normal life problems that people face. Veronica was a pretty, smart, sweet and had some Daddy issues. Gabe, I loved Gabe!!! He was a librarian who had a year to live his life his way before he stepped in and took over the family business. He was an out doors kind of guy. He was smart, sweet and kind.
Veronica is an advice columnist for a paper and Gabe is a Librarian (I loved to read about a hero that's a hot librarian). These two meet and aren't too impressed with each other. They both have some preconceived ideas of the other and soon realize that they had been totally wrong about the other.
I enjoyed the development of their relationship and how it played out in a mature and timely manner. The book did have some spots that I found a little slow, but all in all it was pretty good pacing. Writing was well done as well as character development and great secondary characters too.
Netgalley for an honest review.
August 2, 2015
after reading this I'm immediately disappointed that the cover doesn't have a bearded guy on it. GIVE ME THE BEARD
anyway
VERONICA. I love love love her. I love the different aspects to her personality like she's really shy and then when she's in front of people as the columnist Dear Veronica she's so confident and funny and just I LOVE HER OK
Gabe is cute too but VERONICA
ok I'll go now
anyway
VERONICA. I love love love her. I love the different aspects to her personality like she's really shy and then when she's in front of people as the columnist Dear Veronica she's so confident and funny and just I LOVE HER OK
Gabe is cute too but VERONICA
ok I'll go now
January 30, 2019
Cunnilingus Gabe definitely lived up to the hype, but Veronica is also a fantastic character. Guess I was slightly let down by what felt like a HFN ending, even if it felt realistic. I don’t need marriage and babies for a HEA, but they were just sorting out their issues when the book ends, so I kind of wanted a glimpse into their future.
August 2, 2015
Feel-good romance about an eager, inexperienced, finding-herself heroine and a bearded librarian hero ready to teach her the ropes. Maybe the best sex of the series, and that's really saying something. Gabe is niiiiice. <3
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