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Hot Shot
Detective Franke Daniels hates her life -- well, what's left of it. After a romance with the wrong man goes bad, the tough Atlanta police detective finds herself "transferred" to Nowhere, U.S.A., Purdyville, South Carolina, is tantamount to a sentence of death by boredom for the street-smart chain-smoking cop. The crime rate here is beyond low . . . Almost as low as Frankie's self esteem.
When Frankie arrives to find her rental home in flames, she proceeds to chew out one of the locals -- only to realize she's just told off her new boss, the annoyingly gorgeous and smug Sheriff Matt Webber. But Matt is more intrigued than angry at his new deputy. He suspects life in Purdyville is going to get very interesting indeed, especially after he watches her take down the local tough guy in two seconds flat. Even the crime rate seems to have risen to the occasion. But underneath that tough-cookie exterior: Matt's pretty sure Frankie's got a soft spot . . . he just hopes it's for him.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2002
2 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Hughes
68 books330 followersCharlotte Hughes published her first category romance in 1987, a Bantam Books’ Loveswept, titled Too Many Husbands, which immediately shot to #1 on the Waldenbooks Bestseller list. She went on to write almost thirty books before the line closed in 1998.
Although Charlotte is widely known for her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies, she went on to pen three Maggie-Award winning thrillers for Avon Books in the late nineties, before resuming her first love, funny stories about people falling in love. She thrilled readers with her hilarious books, A New Attitude and Hot Shot, the latter of which won the Waldenbooks Greatest Sales Growth Achievement in 2003.
Her books received so many accolades that she was invited to co-author the very popular Full House series with mega-star author Janet Evanovich.
With that series behind her, Charlotte began her own, starring psychologist Kate Holly; What Looks Like Crazy, Nutcase, and High Anxiety, creating a list of somewhat kooky but always loveable and funny ensemble characters.
Charlotte is currently launching Tall, Dark and Bad, starring Summer Pettigrew and bad boy Cooper Garrett. She is writing a series set in the Lowcountry that is a WIP.
www.readcharlottehughes.com or her blog at http://blog.readcharlottehughes.com"
Although Charlotte is widely known for her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies, she went on to pen three Maggie-Award winning thrillers for Avon Books in the late nineties, before resuming her first love, funny stories about people falling in love. She thrilled readers with her hilarious books, A New Attitude and Hot Shot, the latter of which won the Waldenbooks Greatest Sales Growth Achievement in 2003.
Her books received so many accolades that she was invited to co-author the very popular Full House series with mega-star author Janet Evanovich.
With that series behind her, Charlotte began her own, starring psychologist Kate Holly; What Looks Like Crazy, Nutcase, and High Anxiety, creating a list of somewhat kooky but always loveable and funny ensemble characters.
Charlotte is currently launching Tall, Dark and Bad, starring Summer Pettigrew and bad boy Cooper Garrett. She is writing a series set in the Lowcountry that is a WIP.
www.readcharlottehughes.com or her blog at http://blog.readcharlottehughes.com"
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 31, 2011
This book was nothing like what I thought it would be. I admit that it had it's funny parts and good amount of mystery however it seemed like it dragged longer than necessary. A good hundred pages could have been cut out but it was still okay.
December 21, 2011
Good start, but doesn't live up to its promise.
I read this book because I am a huge fan of Janet Evanovich. When I heard Ms. Evanovich admired this author enough to ask her to rewrite her old short-contemporary romance, Full House, from the late 80s (which original book I own, along with every book Ms. Evanovich ever wrote), I though, well, that's a huge recommendation. And, when I first sat down to read this book, I admit, I was delighted that the book had some laugh-out-loud funny moments at the very beginning. However, the problem is, very rapidly, all the humor went away never to return. After thinking it over afterwards, I've concluded the major reason this is so is that the author has a very flat, unlively voice. And, secondly, the heroine is very unsympathetic, because throughout the book she is constantly in a foul mood, and, as a result, pretty much all the time unjustifiably harsh to the hero. And she isn't hard on him in the way common in romantic comedies where the two carry on a kind of fake animosity expressed in funny repartee. Nope, she simply comes off as an ill-tempered shrew who rags on the hero because she's mean.
Another aspect of the book that I found really irritating is the way everyone in town treats the villain, Willie Jack, constantly sneering at him in a way that is absolutely guaranteed to make any sociopath go off his nut and commit acts of violence--like the rest of the human race, they tend to loathe being "dissed" (treated with disrespect). This sneering behavior might have been understandable in the general populace of this small town, who aren't law-enforcement professionals, just ordinary people--if we ignore, that is, the fact that their crudely cruel behavior violates Hughes's initial and ongoing premise that the heroine is transferring from the big, bad city of Atlanta to a pleasant, little southern town full of lovely, nice people, such that she can finally leave off her rough exterior and feel safe and at home. But as for the heroine and the hero and their constant sneering at WJ, both are experienced cops who very well ought to have known (if the author cared to make them have any realistic relationship to the state of modern police work among all but "renegade" cops) that sneering at psychopaths is an insane attitude in any cop these days who has had a modicum of training in how to prevent violence. Cops today are required to *never* sneer at anyone, and speak to all people, at all times, with respect. Which only makes sense, because even if they wear a bullet-proof vest at all times, there's no telling when, if you "diss" them, some psycho will pull out a gun and shoot you between the eyes. Beyond all that, though, I think the ultimate reason that everyone universally sneering at WJ hurts Ms. Hughes's plot is that it leads readers to actually feel sorry for the poor slob instead of seeing him as all-bad (as the author obviously hopes we will see this very one-dimensional villain) and therefore become unable to celebrate the event where he "gets his" in the end, an important fulfillment for the audience of all novels and movies with villains.
To sum up, then, my main complaints with this romantic comedy are that it isn't very romantic--I felt sorry for the hero, who seems like a nice guy, for tangling up with a barracuda like the heroine. And aside from the very beginning, it isn't funny. The light mood that is an essential part of romantic comedy is also jarringly violated by the author dumping murder and mayhem into the plot. By doing this, Ms. Hughes's story loses out on two counts: the harsh issues she covers get trivialized, and the light tone she is supposedly shooting for gets stomped into the ground.
P.S. After reading this book, it is not hard to figure out why the rewrite of Evanovich's Full House by Ms. Hughes has, sadly, turned a formerly lively, funny, sexy book into a flat, un-funny, un-sexy, drab book that over 70 readers so far (including me) have given 1 star to. She makes the exact (I mean it--*exact*) same glaring mistakes in that book she makes in this one (see my sum-up paragraph above).
I read this book because I am a huge fan of Janet Evanovich. When I heard Ms. Evanovich admired this author enough to ask her to rewrite her old short-contemporary romance, Full House, from the late 80s (which original book I own, along with every book Ms. Evanovich ever wrote), I though, well, that's a huge recommendation. And, when I first sat down to read this book, I admit, I was delighted that the book had some laugh-out-loud funny moments at the very beginning. However, the problem is, very rapidly, all the humor went away never to return. After thinking it over afterwards, I've concluded the major reason this is so is that the author has a very flat, unlively voice. And, secondly, the heroine is very unsympathetic, because throughout the book she is constantly in a foul mood, and, as a result, pretty much all the time unjustifiably harsh to the hero. And she isn't hard on him in the way common in romantic comedies where the two carry on a kind of fake animosity expressed in funny repartee. Nope, she simply comes off as an ill-tempered shrew who rags on the hero because she's mean.
Another aspect of the book that I found really irritating is the way everyone in town treats the villain, Willie Jack, constantly sneering at him in a way that is absolutely guaranteed to make any sociopath go off his nut and commit acts of violence--like the rest of the human race, they tend to loathe being "dissed" (treated with disrespect). This sneering behavior might have been understandable in the general populace of this small town, who aren't law-enforcement professionals, just ordinary people--if we ignore, that is, the fact that their crudely cruel behavior violates Hughes's initial and ongoing premise that the heroine is transferring from the big, bad city of Atlanta to a pleasant, little southern town full of lovely, nice people, such that she can finally leave off her rough exterior and feel safe and at home. But as for the heroine and the hero and their constant sneering at WJ, both are experienced cops who very well ought to have known (if the author cared to make them have any realistic relationship to the state of modern police work among all but "renegade" cops) that sneering at psychopaths is an insane attitude in any cop these days who has had a modicum of training in how to prevent violence. Cops today are required to *never* sneer at anyone, and speak to all people, at all times, with respect. Which only makes sense, because even if they wear a bullet-proof vest at all times, there's no telling when, if you "diss" them, some psycho will pull out a gun and shoot you between the eyes. Beyond all that, though, I think the ultimate reason that everyone universally sneering at WJ hurts Ms. Hughes's plot is that it leads readers to actually feel sorry for the poor slob instead of seeing him as all-bad (as the author obviously hopes we will see this very one-dimensional villain) and therefore become unable to celebrate the event where he "gets his" in the end, an important fulfillment for the audience of all novels and movies with villains.
To sum up, then, my main complaints with this romantic comedy are that it isn't very romantic--I felt sorry for the hero, who seems like a nice guy, for tangling up with a barracuda like the heroine. And aside from the very beginning, it isn't funny. The light mood that is an essential part of romantic comedy is also jarringly violated by the author dumping murder and mayhem into the plot. By doing this, Ms. Hughes's story loses out on two counts: the harsh issues she covers get trivialized, and the light tone she is supposedly shooting for gets stomped into the ground.
P.S. After reading this book, it is not hard to figure out why the rewrite of Evanovich's Full House by Ms. Hughes has, sadly, turned a formerly lively, funny, sexy book into a flat, un-funny, un-sexy, drab book that over 70 readers so far (including me) have given 1 star to. She makes the exact (I mean it--*exact*) same glaring mistakes in that book she makes in this one (see my sum-up paragraph above).
February 13, 2025
3 ⭐️
Not sure how I feel about this book. I will say, this book is funny at times. You can definitely tell it was written over 20 years ago. The main thing that threw me off was the pacing. They go from not liking each other to being in love so quick. There personality and behaviors where also changing constantly, and there were times where a character did something out of character in my opinion. A cute read but could do with more consistency.
Not sure how I feel about this book. I will say, this book is funny at times. You can definitely tell it was written over 20 years ago. The main thing that threw me off was the pacing. They go from not liking each other to being in love so quick. There personality and behaviors where also changing constantly, and there were times where a character did something out of character in my opinion. A cute read but could do with more consistency.
June 28, 2017
Didn't like this at all. Romantic-comedy not.
August 11, 2017
storia carina, sembra una sceneggiatura dei telefilm che trasmettevano su Hallmark Channel ^_^ per passare un paio di sere con la testa libera di sognare
April 28, 2024
A curl up and relax read, also laugh out loud funny in parts and a good old romance too.
July 20, 2012
TBR Challenge 2012: Personal Challenge--This book has been on my to-read list since January 2011.
3.5*
Grade B
Francis "Frankie" Daniels made an error in judgement while serving as a detective for the Atlanta PD. Now banished to a small town in NC to be a deputy to the very sexy sheriff, Matt Webber, she's determined to find a way back to "the real world."
Frankie has spent her entire life trying to live up to the reputation of her detective father who was killed in the line of duty when she was young. She's hardened herself to live and work in a man's world and doesn't suffer fools gladly. Her new life in Purdyville doesn't start off on a happy note when she finds the house she's rented has just burned to the ground, and she manages to insult her boss before they're even introduced.
Charlotte Hughes writes humor very well. I enjoyed the banter and the sometimes crazy situations in the book, which were funny without being completely over-the-top. The characters, both primary and secondary, are interesting and add to the story. Unfortunately none of them are really well developed, except for Frankie and perhaps Sissy. The romance in the book is sweet, but Matt's feelings are suddenly just there, with little development for the reader. Frankie's feelings are more complicated, but still the "I love you" feels rushed. Frankie's search for who she is and what she wants in life is well done, however.
Hot Shot is light and fun, better than most small town novels written these days. There is very little syrupy sweetness and the people in the town are not all "good and honest." This isn't a "small town are better than big cities" kind of book, although Frankie does decide Purdyville might be just the place for her.
Recommended for light humorous fun, with some emotional depth as Frankie sorts out her life and feelings.
3.5*
Grade B
Francis "Frankie" Daniels made an error in judgement while serving as a detective for the Atlanta PD. Now banished to a small town in NC to be a deputy to the very sexy sheriff, Matt Webber, she's determined to find a way back to "the real world."
Frankie has spent her entire life trying to live up to the reputation of her detective father who was killed in the line of duty when she was young. She's hardened herself to live and work in a man's world and doesn't suffer fools gladly. Her new life in Purdyville doesn't start off on a happy note when she finds the house she's rented has just burned to the ground, and she manages to insult her boss before they're even introduced.
Charlotte Hughes writes humor very well. I enjoyed the banter and the sometimes crazy situations in the book, which were funny without being completely over-the-top. The characters, both primary and secondary, are interesting and add to the story. Unfortunately none of them are really well developed, except for Frankie and perhaps Sissy. The romance in the book is sweet, but Matt's feelings are suddenly just there, with little development for the reader. Frankie's feelings are more complicated, but still the "I love you" feels rushed. Frankie's search for who she is and what she wants in life is well done, however.
Hot Shot is light and fun, better than most small town novels written these days. There is very little syrupy sweetness and the people in the town are not all "good and honest." This isn't a "small town are better than big cities" kind of book, although Frankie does decide Purdyville might be just the place for her.
Recommended for light humorous fun, with some emotional depth as Frankie sorts out her life and feelings.
October 26, 2011
Det Frankie Daniels - loses her job , after a romance with the man goes bad. The tough Atlanta police det finds herself transferred to Nowhere USA Purdeyville , South Carolina, the crime rate is beyond low its like a death sentence for Frankie.When Frankie arrives to find her rental house has burned down-she procedes to tell off one of the locals who happens to be her new boss.Sheriff Matt Webber is more intrigued than annoyed by Frankie. He suspects life in Purdeyville is going to get very interesting especially after Frankie takes down the local tough guy in two seconds flat. an interesting read reminded me a little of Mayberry Rfd, How the sheriff handles the criminals, seems no one goes to jail. you do have romance , crime and a little excitement.
July 15, 2011
This is really more like 1 1/2 stars. I'm mad at myself for actually finishing it. It was pretty much a waste of time. It started off well, but it's over 100 pages too long and it seems like Hughes decided to alternate chapters between Harlequin romance, light mystery, and soft porn. WTF? It was almost like reading three different books. And why don't any of the murderers in this tiny town have to go to jail? Three murderers and not one does jail time. I mean, c'mon now.
January 29, 2013
This was another charity shop find and I loved it! The plot was brilliant and I enjoyed all the interactions between the characters. The only obvious bit of the book was the romance between the main two characters but I would have been highly disappointed if it hadn't have happened! The other twists in the plot are great and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'll definitely read Hughes again in future.
June 30, 2008
Life gets off to a bang when Det Frankie Daniels arrives in Purdyville SC. She finds her rental in flames and must instantly put a local toughie in his place which puts her on the bad side for a lot of locals who back the toughie. Lots of laughs and fun when she moves in with Matts Cousin who happens to do phone sex for a living.
Huhges has Janet Evanovich's flair for humor and adventure.
Huhges has Janet Evanovich's flair for humor and adventure.
September 11, 2009
I thought this would be a suspense thriller, but it was actually fluffy chick lit with a bit of soft-core pornography thrown in. There was actually even phone sex.
It is set in a small town, and for a small town with supposedly no crime, this place had a lot of crime! Although none of it was very interesting. The porno parts were the most exciting part of the book.
It is set in a small town, and for a small town with supposedly no crime, this place had a lot of crime! Although none of it was very interesting. The porno parts were the most exciting part of the book.
August 9, 2012
Frankie gets reassigned to a small town after getting caught with her married partner. It is a big difference being a detective in Atlanta to Purdyville, South Carolina, especially her new chief, Matt. Not hard to look at but boy can he trigger her last nerve. A cute, sexy novel. I will want to read more by this author.
376 pages
376 pages
May 4, 2014
This book was absolutely brilliant ! A marvelous read with quite a bit of humor . Story line and plot though fell flat as a pancake ,quite predictable with just reading the first chapter ,but it made a fine read for the price i payed.Do i recommend it ? Absolutely though i wont guarantee you will love it.
August 10, 2010
I liked this book a lot. Frankie was a great character. As a reader, I could feel her vulnerability before she could. Real and genuine. Same with the other characters. They all could be someone I know. Good story and enough going on to keep me more than interested without being predictable.
June 13, 2013
if I knew how to give half scores, this would have been 2.5. After reading the back of the book, I thought it would be a romantic thriller. it wasn't very thrilling, or romantic, or realistic. but, there were a couple parts that made me giggle, so those get the stars.
September 28, 2016
A very enjoyable read! The humour was plentiful, and the characters warm and sometimes funny. Really enjoyed going along with Frankie's journey, from being afraid to trust and love to learning how to give of herself.
May 5, 2011
I enjoyed this book, but there were a few things that annoyed me about it, but given that it is one of Charlotte Hugh's earlier works it is very good.
June 10, 2012
Fun, light read. My only complaint is that there was one "mystery" that was never officially resolved.
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June 26, 2012fun book to read
February 15, 2013
A light romance in a mystery scenrio. A little twist at the end. Generally a light, escapist read with a bit of humour.
July 9, 2013
I like Janet Evanovich so she is very comparable. it was light and funny. I enjoyed all of it. Will have to read more of her
February 13, 2014
A really fun mystery/romance/small town book. The characters were easy to relate to and their interactions were funny and delightful.
December 13, 2016
An OK read but nothing special. Romance, yes: crime, hmm. Easy to be this sheriff, everyone confesses spontaneously.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews