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Caught!: Taken! / Say Yes
Harlequin reissue of Taken (1998) and Say Yes (2000).
Taken
Things are heating up between security expert Dillon Jones and the notorious Virginia Johnson! They're trying to find out who framed Dillon's brother for embezzlement. As they search for the truth, Dillon can't help but draw closer to feisty Virginia. His code of honor is barely keeping him in check…but leave it to a take-charge woman to take what she wants!
Say Yes
After finding her—now former—fiancé in bed with another woman, Sara Simmons decides that love and marriage just aren't for her. What she needs is a hot fling. Enter hunky next-door neighbor Gavin Blake. But Gavin is playing for keeps, and he's vowed to hold out for more than sex. Begging isn't Sara's style…but she will if he won't!
Taken
Things are heating up between security expert Dillon Jones and the notorious Virginia Johnson! They're trying to find out who framed Dillon's brother for embezzlement. As they search for the truth, Dillon can't help but draw closer to feisty Virginia. His code of honor is barely keeping him in check…but leave it to a take-charge woman to take what she wants!
Say Yes
After finding her—now former—fiancé in bed with another woman, Sara Simmons decides that love and marriage just aren't for her. What she needs is a hot fling. Enter hunky next-door neighbor Gavin Blake. But Gavin is playing for keeps, and he's vowed to hold out for more than sex. Begging isn't Sara's style…but she will if he won't!
379 pages, Paperback
First published September 20, 2008
28 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
Lori Foster
416 books11.7k followersSince first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN.
Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home.
Each year Lori donates all proceeds from one book to charity. You can see the benefit romance books here: http://lorifoster.com/benefit-books/
Career Highlights
•In 2001, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy.
•In 2002, Lori’s book Too Much Temptation was the top-selling romance title for Amazon books.
•In 2003, Say No To Joe was the second “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for Waldenbooks.
•In 2004, Lori Foster was a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle.
•In 2004, The Secret Life of Bryan was the “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2005, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Contemporary Romance.
•In 2006, Jude’s Law was the “Bestselling Romantic Comedy” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2007, Lori launched a new “urban fantasy” series under the name L.L. Foster. See more on her “dark side” at www.llfoster.com.
•In 2007, Causing Havoc was among Amazon’s Top Ten Editor’s picks in Romance.
•In 2008, Hard to Handle made #2 on The New York Times.
•In 2009, Servant: The Acceptance was Amazon’s #1 Editors’ Pick in Romance.
•In 2010, Lori was a clue in the USA Today Quick Cross puzzle.
Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home.
Each year Lori donates all proceeds from one book to charity. You can see the benefit romance books here: http://lorifoster.com/benefit-books/
Career Highlights
•In 2001, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy.
•In 2002, Lori’s book Too Much Temptation was the top-selling romance title for Amazon books.
•In 2003, Say No To Joe was the second “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for Waldenbooks.
•In 2004, Lori Foster was a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle.
•In 2004, The Secret Life of Bryan was the “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2005, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Contemporary Romance.
•In 2006, Jude’s Law was the “Bestselling Romantic Comedy” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2007, Lori launched a new “urban fantasy” series under the name L.L. Foster. See more on her “dark side” at www.llfoster.com.
•In 2007, Causing Havoc was among Amazon’s Top Ten Editor’s picks in Romance.
•In 2008, Hard to Handle made #2 on The New York Times.
•In 2009, Servant: The Acceptance was Amazon’s #1 Editors’ Pick in Romance.
•In 2010, Lori was a clue in the USA Today Quick Cross puzzle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 30, 2017
The 1st story Taken I just did not care for at all. It was dry and much too drug out. It reminded me of an old black& white B movie. The 3 Stars go to the 2nd story Say Yes. I liked it. It was full of humor and romance.
May 30, 2016
Source: Library
Taken - 3 Stars
Say Yes - 4 Stars!
Taken - 3 Stars
Say Yes - 4 Stars!
November 30, 2008
This book was very difficult for me to rate. I really did not enjoy the first story, but I liked the second one. Giving the book a 3 is pushing it for how I felt about Taken!, but I felt that Say Yes deserves a 4. If possible I would rate the book overall as a 3.5. My problem with Taken! was that I really did not like the characters, especially the heroine. She was very abrasive, difficult to like, and I got truly tired of how much focus was given to her being overweight. The hero was generally more likeable, but I found his background and situation to be strange and not very feasible. It also really annoyed me when the hero questioned why the heroine wanted to watch her weight and she replied that she was ten pounds overweight. The hero responded with, "More like twenty." I thought that was a horrible line for a hero even though he went on to say he thought it looked good on her. The characters from Say Yes were much more likeable, although I worried about the heroine's antics at the very beginning of the book. The hero is very sweet and knows from the start of the story that he wants the heroine in his life permanently. He was a very tender beta hero who salvaged the entire book for me.
Taken! finds Dillon Jones working as head of security for an athletic products company so that he can prove his younger brother innocent of embezzlement. In order to gain the evidence he needs, he decides that he must pretend an attraction to one of the owners of the company, Virginia Jones, and become intimately involved with her. Virginia is a very difficult, controlling woman, and Dillon is very surprised when he actually begins to like her. When it becomes obvious to him that Virginia is in danger, Dillon decides that the only way to protect her while exonerating his brother is to drug and kidnap her. Virginia is understandably upset, but soon trusts Dillon to sort the situation out. When Dillon reveals the person behind both the embezzlement and the danger to Virginia, she will have to convince him that they will be able to mesh their seemingly conflicting lifestyles together.
In Say Yes, Gavin Blake is both amused and relieved when his normally sweet neighbor, Sara Simmons, chases his ex-girlfriend, Karen, with a rake after finding her in bed with Sara's fiance, Ted. Gavin's relief comes from the fact that he cares about Sara and knows that she would be better off with him than Ted. He hasn't wanted to interfere in their relationship, but now that it is over, he plans to show Sara how he feels. Sara's extreme embarrassment over her behavior causes her to avoid Gavin. When Gavin finally finds a reason to be in her company, Sara lets him know that being badly burned has destroyed her trust in permanent relationships, and she has given up the idea of marriage. Gavin knows that marriage with Sara is what he wants, so he has to find a way to convince her that they belong together forever. When Gavin finds that Sara is having financial difficulty due to the payments on her house that he built, he convinces her to let him move in with her and share the responsibilities. Gavin showers Sara with attention and affection, is always understanding, and sleeps in her bed, but doesn't become physically intimate with Sara right away. He feels that acting on the temptation between them will leave her with no reason for marriage. Finally, Gavin gives in to the physical attraction he feels, and although he and Sara become closer, it takes the antics of both of their exes before she is able to admit and declare her feelings.
I enjoyed the second story in this book much more than the first. Aside from not feeling particularly sympathetic towards the characters, the reasoning for some of the events in Taken! escaped me. I do not understand why Dillon felt that Virginia's seduction would help him prove his brother's innocence, and I don't see drugging and kidnapping her as a reasonable, much less the only, way to keep her safe. I found the second story, Say Yes, to be much better. I liked the easygoing and accepting nature of Gavin and his determination to make Sara happy. Sara was also likeable, with her attachment to creatures that no one else wanted. I really didn't feel that the two stories belonged together in the same book.
Taken! finds Dillon Jones working as head of security for an athletic products company so that he can prove his younger brother innocent of embezzlement. In order to gain the evidence he needs, he decides that he must pretend an attraction to one of the owners of the company, Virginia Jones, and become intimately involved with her. Virginia is a very difficult, controlling woman, and Dillon is very surprised when he actually begins to like her. When it becomes obvious to him that Virginia is in danger, Dillon decides that the only way to protect her while exonerating his brother is to drug and kidnap her. Virginia is understandably upset, but soon trusts Dillon to sort the situation out. When Dillon reveals the person behind both the embezzlement and the danger to Virginia, she will have to convince him that they will be able to mesh their seemingly conflicting lifestyles together.
In Say Yes, Gavin Blake is both amused and relieved when his normally sweet neighbor, Sara Simmons, chases his ex-girlfriend, Karen, with a rake after finding her in bed with Sara's fiance, Ted. Gavin's relief comes from the fact that he cares about Sara and knows that she would be better off with him than Ted. He hasn't wanted to interfere in their relationship, but now that it is over, he plans to show Sara how he feels. Sara's extreme embarrassment over her behavior causes her to avoid Gavin. When Gavin finally finds a reason to be in her company, Sara lets him know that being badly burned has destroyed her trust in permanent relationships, and she has given up the idea of marriage. Gavin knows that marriage with Sara is what he wants, so he has to find a way to convince her that they belong together forever. When Gavin finds that Sara is having financial difficulty due to the payments on her house that he built, he convinces her to let him move in with her and share the responsibilities. Gavin showers Sara with attention and affection, is always understanding, and sleeps in her bed, but doesn't become physically intimate with Sara right away. He feels that acting on the temptation between them will leave her with no reason for marriage. Finally, Gavin gives in to the physical attraction he feels, and although he and Sara become closer, it takes the antics of both of their exes before she is able to admit and declare her feelings.
I enjoyed the second story in this book much more than the first. Aside from not feeling particularly sympathetic towards the characters, the reasoning for some of the events in Taken! escaped me. I do not understand why Dillon felt that Virginia's seduction would help him prove his brother's innocence, and I don't see drugging and kidnapping her as a reasonable, much less the only, way to keep her safe. I found the second story, Say Yes, to be much better. I liked the easygoing and accepting nature of Gavin and his determination to make Sara happy. Sara was also likeable, with her attachment to creatures that no one else wanted. I really didn't feel that the two stories belonged together in the same book.
January 27, 2016
4 stars
Taken! (Blaze)
Started: 01/25/2016
Completed: 01/26/2016
216 pages
***
4 stars
Say Yes
Started: 01/26/2016
Completed: 01/26/2016
222 pages
Taken! (Blaze)
Started: 01/25/2016
Completed: 01/26/2016
216 pages
***
4 stars
Say Yes
Started: 01/26/2016
Completed: 01/26/2016
222 pages
September 4, 2013
Ugh...
May 4, 2015
1st book was dated in a bad way: extremely sexist and fat-shaming.
2nd book was ok but not more. (Also quite dated but not annoyingly.)
2nd book was ok but not more. (Also quite dated but not annoyingly.)
February 27, 2022
Used to love the fat girl romance as a teen, but as a grown woman, I find too many problems in how the male character speaks of the woman. Problematic that a woman author write it this way.
Did not get to the second book. can't put myself through more toxic male masculinity written by a woman herself, as a main character, that too.
Did not get to the second book. can't put myself through more toxic male masculinity written by a woman herself, as a main character, that too.
December 6, 2021
A bit more "alpha" than I like, though.
September 29, 2023
Good stories both of them.
January 24, 2016
Taken! - 4/5 - Virginia Johnson is a middle child in a family where only the strong survive, and so she has. She is a woman who shows no weakness, but is full of vulnerability. Dillon is a security expert, masquerading as an employee, but what he's really trying to do is find out how to get his brother out of trouble from the false extortion charges that Virginia's older brother has come up with. And Virginia is the key. It won't be any problem seducing information out of her - he's attracted to her, which is surprising to him since he doesn't even like her. But Dillon starts to see who she really is and despite his determination to go through with his plans, he begins to think he'll regret hurting her.
First impression I figured that I would absolutely hate Virginia and that she would annoy me throughout the story. Getting to understand her a little bit better and to really see those vulenrabilities she carries, was a game-changer and suddenly, no matter how bossy or stubborn she got, I understood where she was coming from. So in the end I liked her...much as Dillon did. Dillon was a great hero (and I thought I wouldn't like him either) who was a bit too concerned with having control, but he pretty much won me over in the scenes where he drugged Virginia in order to kidnap her. His sympathy and guilt allowed me to forgive him and like him from then on. And just saying, that was a pretty great scene as well. I do think Virginia allowed the whole seductionand forgiveness thing just a little too soon...she should have held out for an apology or something. This really was a pretty enjoyable story.
Say Yes - 2.5/5 - just rounding up. Sara finds her fiancee cheating on her and flies off the handle. Gavin is thrilled because he finally has a chance to try for a relationship with her. Only now, Sara has sworn off marriage and that's exactly what Gavin is looking for. So he decides to tempt her, to show her how indispensable he can be to her life and to really show her what a healthy relationship looks like. But Sara isn't done pushing for the fling that she wants, tempting Gavin at every turn. And he's just as determined to hold off for a declaration of love.
So the story itself wasn't so bad. The premise is a little shaky I think with a woman who wasn't even in love with her fiancee getting so crazy angry and then swearing off marriage. One would think she might draw the conclusion that the thing that was missing that might have made it work was actually love. But no. Sara is something of a neurotic mess and I just didn't find her or her tendency to collect animals all that charming. But I give Gavin major props for patience and putting up with her. Overall it was a fluffy sort of story which I think attempted humor but I didn't really go for it. YMMV.
First impression I figured that I would absolutely hate Virginia and that she would annoy me throughout the story. Getting to understand her a little bit better and to really see those vulenrabilities she carries, was a game-changer and suddenly, no matter how bossy or stubborn she got, I understood where she was coming from. So in the end I liked her...much as Dillon did. Dillon was a great hero (and I thought I wouldn't like him either) who was a bit too concerned with having control, but he pretty much won me over in the scenes where he drugged Virginia in order to kidnap her. His sympathy and guilt allowed me to forgive him and like him from then on. And just saying, that was a pretty great scene as well. I do think Virginia allowed the whole seductionand forgiveness thing just a little too soon...she should have held out for an apology or something. This really was a pretty enjoyable story.
Say Yes - 2.5/5 - just rounding up. Sara finds her fiancee cheating on her and flies off the handle. Gavin is thrilled because he finally has a chance to try for a relationship with her. Only now, Sara has sworn off marriage and that's exactly what Gavin is looking for. So he decides to tempt her, to show her how indispensable he can be to her life and to really show her what a healthy relationship looks like. But Sara isn't done pushing for the fling that she wants, tempting Gavin at every turn. And he's just as determined to hold off for a declaration of love.
So the story itself wasn't so bad. The premise is a little shaky I think with a woman who wasn't even in love with her fiancee getting so crazy angry and then swearing off marriage. One would think she might draw the conclusion that the thing that was missing that might have made it work was actually love. But no. Sara is something of a neurotic mess and I just didn't find her or her tendency to collect animals all that charming. But I give Gavin major props for patience and putting up with her. Overall it was a fluffy sort of story which I think attempted humor but I didn't really go for it. YMMV.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2016
It was good , not my fav from her but i still enjoyed reading both stories.
Taken
The plot was ok but i found this story a little lacking , i liked Dillon he was cool and i understand why he was doing what he was doing but i still don't like seeing others use people , Virgina is a bit of a tight ass and i don't really care for her character i mean she really bossy and she orders people around , there were some funny parts when Dillon kidnapped Virgina , the other thing i didn't care for was that she and some of the other characters kept putting her down because she is a little over weight ,i didn't care for that at all .
Say Yes
I liked this one the plot had a bit of the cheese factor but it was still fun to read, Gavin is so funny i really liked him, and Sara was ok again i didn't much care for her character ,some of the things she does i didn't like, i didn't really see what gavin saw in her , there were some really funny parts in the story and i enjoyed this one more then the 1st story in the book.
Overall it's an alright book but not my fav .
Taken
The plot was ok but i found this story a little lacking , i liked Dillon he was cool and i understand why he was doing what he was doing but i still don't like seeing others use people , Virgina is a bit of a tight ass and i don't really care for her character i mean she really bossy and she orders people around , there were some funny parts when Dillon kidnapped Virgina , the other thing i didn't care for was that she and some of the other characters kept putting her down because she is a little over weight ,i didn't care for that at all .
Say Yes
I liked this one the plot had a bit of the cheese factor but it was still fun to read, Gavin is so funny i really liked him, and Sara was ok again i didn't much care for her character ,some of the things she does i didn't like, i didn't really see what gavin saw in her , there were some really funny parts in the story and i enjoyed this one more then the 1st story in the book.
Overall it's an alright book but not my fav .
Read
August 27, 2009Taken was a cute story. A little cheesy, but overall it was enjoyable light reading. Dillon's character is strong willed and manipulative when it suits him. Virginia is a tough lady and incredibly stubborn, but Dillion is able to break through that barrier. The ending is pretty sweet with just a touch of a twist. This was a quick and easy read that left me smiling. Kind of what I'd call a "feel good" story!
I liked Say Yes better than Taken. Still a light read, but fun. Gavin's persistence is funny and Sarah's resistance is driving Gavin crazy. The opening of the story his laugh out loud funny and I found that I smiled most of the time that I read the book. Again it left me feeling good, but not necessarily wanting more. It had a cute ending!
I liked Say Yes better than Taken. Still a light read, but fun. Gavin's persistence is funny and Sarah's resistance is driving Gavin crazy. The opening of the story his laugh out loud funny and I found that I smiled most of the time that I read the book. Again it left me feeling good, but not necessarily wanting more. It had a cute ending!
May 10, 2010
Things are heating up between security expert Dillon Jones and the notorious Virginia Johnson! They're trying to find out who framed Dillon's brother for embezzlement. As they search for the truth, Dillon can't help but draw closer to feisty Virginia. His code of honor is barely keeping him in check…but leave it to a take-charge woman to take what she wants!
After finding her—now former—fiancé in bed with another woman, Sara Simmons decides that love and marriage just aren't for her. What she needs is a hot fling. Enter hunky next-door neighbor Gavin Blake. But Gavin is playing for keeps, and he's vowed to hold out for more than sex. Begging isn't Sara's style…but she will if he won't!
After finding her—now former—fiancé in bed with another woman, Sara Simmons decides that love and marriage just aren't for her. What she needs is a hot fling. Enter hunky next-door neighbor Gavin Blake. But Gavin is playing for keeps, and he's vowed to hold out for more than sex. Begging isn't Sara's style…but she will if he won't!
July 17, 2011
I have this was one Lori Foster that didn't really do it for me.
Victoria has been ridiculed all her life, told she's fat, not given credit for her business savvy, No appreciated by her family, to the point that she has become hard and obnoxious to save herself from pain. Dillon knows all this, knows she has no culpability in the problems his brother is having, yet, he sets out to use her anyway. Knowing she will be hurt, possibly get her heart broken, he intends to seduce her so he can find the evidence to save his brother. This book hurt my heart to read. I felt so sorry for Victoria, and angry with Dillon, it made the story hard for me to enjoy.
Victoria has been ridiculed all her life, told she's fat, not given credit for her business savvy, No appreciated by her family, to the point that she has become hard and obnoxious to save herself from pain. Dillon knows all this, knows she has no culpability in the problems his brother is having, yet, he sets out to use her anyway. Knowing she will be hurt, possibly get her heart broken, he intends to seduce her so he can find the evidence to save his brother. This book hurt my heart to read. I felt so sorry for Victoria, and angry with Dillon, it made the story hard for me to enjoy.
January 25, 2013
Taken: Story about Dillon, a man working to clear his brothers name after being accused of embezzlement. Virginia the boss of the company, his plan is to seduce her do he can gain access to her files. At first I wad interested but it grew tiresome. Say Yes: The story starts out cute, the characters are likeable. Gavin is contractor/home builder who seems very capable and Sara was well , she worked in an office but she spent a lot of time at an animal shelter. Gavin wants a relationship with Sara but doesn't want Sara to be scared off so he plays hard to get. It became a joke and I really didn't care how it ended.
August 3, 2016
This is an older book by Lori Foster and contains two short stores – Taken! and Say Yes. Taken! is about a security expert who has another motive for getting hired on at a company. His brother has been framed for embezzlement and he needs to find the guilty party. But he didn't plan on falling in love with the sister who is the brains behind the company. Say Yes is about two neighbors who are attracted to each other but have been involved with others. Now both are free and he is determined to make her admit her love for him. She is fed up with men and only wants animals for companionship. It's up to him to convince her that there are good marriages and theirs would be great.
August 10, 2009
I really don't like reviewing omnibus's simply because I usually like one story better than the other. "Taken" I give 2 stars for although the plot line was much better detailed than "Say Yes". And in "Say Yes" the characters were much more likable but the plot line a little stagnant. Although if you are a Lori Foster fan like I am then it becomes a moot point, you must read it simply because you enjoy the authors style.
July 21, 2011
Taken!
This story left a lot to be desired. Characters were not well-developed, nothing about the plot kept my attention for long, and it got very old to repeatedly hear that the main female character was chubby (referred to as 20 lbs. overweight). I would only give this one about 1 1/2 stars. Hopefully Say Yes is better.
Say Yes
I did enjoy this story much better than the first. It definitely wasn't a realistic story, but I enjoyed the characters.
This story left a lot to be desired. Characters were not well-developed, nothing about the plot kept my attention for long, and it got very old to repeatedly hear that the main female character was chubby (referred to as 20 lbs. overweight). I would only give this one about 1 1/2 stars. Hopefully Say Yes is better.
Say Yes
I did enjoy this story much better than the first. It definitely wasn't a realistic story, but I enjoyed the characters.
May 31, 2016
This book has two stories in it. The first one "Taken" was only ok. It had a female lead that was so stubborn it was too much to take. I wanted to yell at her to just shut up already. I loved the second story "Say Yes". I loved Gavin and Sara and all the animals. I laughed out loud many times.
August 25, 2016
Another solid book by Lori Foster. This one has two stories in one book so neither one is terribly long, but they aren't as short as novellas either. I felt like there was time for character development, etc.
May 18, 2009
Cute - 2 repackaged novellas that must have been older. Her characters are never brain surgeons, but they're such nice people it's always a comforting read.
July 15, 2012
"Taken" was awful and I did not finish.
"Say Yes" was okay.
"Say Yes" was okay.
August 30, 2010
The second story, 'Say Yes" was better than the first story, "Taken".
April 1, 2011
I liked the second book much better than the first. I didn't really care for the characters in Taken. Say Yes was a very sweet romance.
September 10, 2013
I liked the first story more than the second but overall the stories were sweet.
September 18, 2014
1st book 2*
2nd book 4*
Overall 3*
2nd book 4*
Overall 3*
March 30, 2010
Two good stories with excellent characters.
November 28, 2010
Love all of her books
August 24, 2014
Short but sweet. Two stories in one.
August 12, 2015
The first story was a one star and the second was much better! Great for a funny beach read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews