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SEALs in Paradise #1

Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini

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He wants seclusion. She craves the spotlight. The deal they make could give them both what they need . . . if they don’t kill each other first.
Home renovation has never been hotter!

Navy SEAL Clay "Dirtman" Hagan's retirement plans are simple. Buy the dilapidated beachfront cottage he found listed for a song, fix it up, and live out his days in solitude. Everything is set until an anonymous bidder drives up the price of his future paradise.

TV talk show host Tasha Jones is flying high, until one word--CANCELED--sends her crashing. Now she's looking to resurrect her career with a new home renovation show, if they can get around the obnoxious buyer standing between her and the perfect property.

When her competition turns out to be none other than the a-hole from her embarrassing drunken one-night stand, the battle for the property really heats up as the insults--and the sparks--fly. The producer notices the chemistry between them and decides the viewers will too and the concept for "Hot House" is born.

If Clay agrees to have the self-centered star and her cameras in his house for the duration of the show, he gets to walk away with the property in the end. If Tasha can put up with living in the house with the Neanderthal control-freak during the construction, she gets a hit show and her career back.

It shouldn't be hard since the director loves when they argue on camera, which is good since they agree on nothing. Well, almost nothing. They do agree they hate each other and neither wants a repeat of their one night together . . . So why does it keep happening?

Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini is a full length, standalone enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy with an HEA and NO cliffhanger. It is part of the SEALs in Paradise series world but you DO NOT have to read the other books to enjoy this one.

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First published September 14, 2018

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About the author

Cat Johnson

364 books1,764 followers
📚Find Series Reading Order and Book Lists at Cat's site CatJohnson.net

🎥 For Film/TV Inquiries Email Cat@Catjohnson.net

It all started in first grade when Cat Johnson won the essay contest at Hawthorne Elementary School and got to ride in the Chief of Police's car in the Memorial Day Parade...and the rest, as they say, is history. As an adult, Cat generally tries to stay out of police cars and is thrilled to be writing for a living. She has been published under a different name in the Young Adult genre, but released her first romance in 2006.

Today, she is a NY Times & USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of contemporary romance. A promo ho, she's sponsored real live bull riding cowboys and promoted romance using bologna.

--from the author's website

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
Profile Image for ✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ .
2,334 reviews1,343 followers
September 17, 2018
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San Diego.

Clay has just retired after 20 years in the Navy - most of those years as a SEAL.

And now his life is almost perfect! He just needs to buy the retirement home of his dreams: a 1950's beach-front fixer-upper! Only he gambled too dangerously with his bid and a TV-production company is outbidding him.

Turns out his crazy-drunk-almost-one-night-stand from last night, Tasha, is involved.

They want to do a reality-TV thing fixing up his house!

They say he can have his house IF he agrees to fix it up as one of the two hosts of the show - with Tasha! That girl is crazy with a capital C, but she's hot and he wants this house .... how bad can it be to live and work in this tiny house with Tasha for a month???

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Well... that was adorable. I really loved those two!

There's this huge attraction slash hate thing going on from the first second they meet. And from there it's foreplay fighting all the way! LOL! They're working on the house and can't even agree on one single thing for the place. Hilarious! But of course it doesn't take them long to turn all that fighting into something sexy - but it's not really easy with all those cameras in the house!

I adored this book and I so want to see this on TV one day!

HOT SEALS: DIRTY MARTINI was the most adorably hilarious love story! I just loved watching those two foreplay-fight-fixer-uppering that house! Run to your nearest amazon for your own sexy ex SEAL! This one is mine!!

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Smokin Hot Book Blog Email
Profile Image for ✰  BJ's Book Blog ✰Janeane ✰.
3,029 reviews12 followers
September 4, 2018
Copy received from author for an honest review

Cat Johnson, you had me, as always, at SEAL.

Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini is part of the SEALS in Paradise series by various authors, and can be read as a stand alone.

Hot damn, this story is HOT HOT HOT

For Clay and Tasha, fighting is foreplay - and they like to fight! I love the banter between then, you could cut the sexual tension with a knife *fans self*

I am not a fan at all of reality tv/house reno shows - but I cannot lie, if Hot House was real, I would be glued to that TV every episode!

Dirty, sexy and fun, this was a quick read and I need more.

I can't wait to see what Ms Johnson brings us next.

description Smokin Hot Book Blog Email
Profile Image for Darcy.
14.4k reviews543 followers
April 24, 2022
I wasn't sure about this one at the start. I did like Tasha and hated how she learned her job was up at the start. I thought her reaction seemed very real. Why would they tell her right before she was going to go on air, that was a bad move. It was Clay that made me leery. He didn't come off that well, even though he was did a great thing when he left Tasha alone after she passed out on him. It was after that he was a huge asshole! It really took me most of the story to get on board of them being a couple together.

I totally got why Clay got so angry when the picture of him and his guys was found and why he thought it was Tasha that told. I do wish that he would have taken the time to talk to her, but it was hard for him to think at that point. Later when he calmed down, he did listen to her, a very good thing.

I laughed at the ending, loved that these 2 were together, but loved how the show made sure to get the picture of the condom box every morning, so great!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Laila Viking.
4,090 reviews30 followers
October 24, 2018
Well written story with nice story line and plot. Likeable and well described characters. Amazing chemistry and passion.
Captivating and engaging read that keeps the reader on the edge to know more.
I liked that humour is mixed in the story. A sexy and enjoyable read.
1,397 reviews7 followers
September 19, 2018
True story: I may have sacrificed sleep to finish this book. This was a truly fun read and is for those times when you feel like a romantic comedy. Tasha lacks in empathy (apparently showbiz does that to you) but she comes around (a bit) in the end. I received an ARC and am leaving an honest review.
Profile Image for Samantha Holly.
331 reviews3 followers
June 1, 2019
***SPOILER ALERT***

What do you do when two people with seemingly nothing in common are thrown together for four weeks on a home renovation reality cable TV show.

That's exactly what happens to Clay Hagan and former TV Host Tasha Jones.

Clay Hagan is a recently retired Navy Seal ready to set down roots after finding his dream home to renovate. But he hits a snag when his initial bid is rejected by the seller after a new bidder comes into play. Deciding to calm his nerves, he heads over to his regular jaunt (McPs) and is confronted with a smart-mouthed woman who stirs just enough interest to take her home. Before the deed can even commence, she passes out on him and he leaves blue-balled and alone.

Ten minutes ago, Tasha Jones was told by her boss that the show was being cancelled. Why he chose to tell her now instead of after hosting Good Morning TV Show is the sole reason the verbal diatribe is happening on-screen, on-tape and in front of a live audience. Her public meltdown and the hurt of losing her job is the reason Tasha finds herself slightly intoxicated in the middle of the day. Approaching the bar, she cuts in front and would have apologized if the neanderthal hadn't been so pig-headed. But he's interested, he's hot and it's been too long. Agreeing he could come back to her place had seemed like a great idea but that's the last she remembers besides waking the next morning with a killer of a hangover.

Out of a lot of employment options following her on-air meltdown, her agent has managed to secure an interview with a new reality renovating show. Knowing she has to collect her car, she arranges to have the sit-down with the Producer and Director at the bar she was at the night before.

As luck was to have it, Tasha is rendered speechless when the Caveman who (as it seems) would have sex with an unconscious female and even worse laugh and tease her about it openly in front of her potential new employers.

After being stood up by his old teammate, Clay is surprised to see the woman from the night before walk in with two new friends. After realizing she has no memory of the night before, he decides to joke about a bit first. But his jovial manner is quickly replaced to anger upon the realization that her friends are the other bidders to his house.

After watching Tasha and Clay bicker back and forth, the Producer and Director agree to offer Tasha the Co-Host role and Clay the deed to 'his' house if he agrees to come onboard as her co-host. Knowing they are both out of options, they agree.

As the days crawl into weeks and the nights together blur, Clay has to maneuver around the mountain of walls he has created around his heart. With the final days approaching, Clay and Tasha are both confronted with the realization that what they have for one another is something 'more'.

Hot Seal, Dirty Martini delivers fast-paced, quick and witty bantering making you fall in love with the hero and heroine of the story.

This is a HEA with a bonus epilogue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kelly Bailey.
190 reviews1 follower
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March 9, 2022
Cat Johnson is a go to author for me because she can write military romance in such a way that you feel you know the military characters personally. We feel the emotions to our core. The same feeling we feel when we personally know military men and women who have been in battle, those who have served by those who were in battle and those who battle the front lines at home while our enlisted loved ones are away.

I felt for Thom Grande early on in the book. Life hasn’t been the easiest in the recent past and then he gets a head injury. However, life keeps going and when the “clouds” clear, again, he finds himself in a situation he doesn’t mind one bit. The heat comes quick in this particular book and I don’t mind one bit. Let’s say our heroine doesn’t either.

Virginia is relatable to those of us who find ourselves where dating is more of a chore than enjoyment. However, the thought of spending time alone, all the time, isn’t one we really like to face. Then we have those that constantly remind us of the situation. Who would have guessed that the person of your dreams seems to be dropped right on your front door step.

I felt this book could have tied up some things before it ended. An explanation of why Thom had memory loss when they first met was one. We know that the mission he is on when the book started isn’t is his last but with the issue he was having when they met, has it been completely resolved and no further jars/bumps cause issues? The book seemed to go by quickly but I did enjoy it and love Cat’s writing.

I really enjoyed the audio version of this book. The narrator did an excellent job in conveying the characters’ emotions as well as all the little things like making specific sounds such as demonstrating the swallowing hard as well as reading the text.
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Profile Image for Lori.
355 reviews2 followers
September 9, 2018
Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini by Cat Johnson is part of the SEALs in Paradise series but all these books can be read in any order, as they are all stand alone books. This is the first book, by this author, I have had the pleasure to read and review. The book was well written with interesting and exceptionally entertaining characters that will have you laughing one minute and fanning yourself the next.
This is Clay and Tasha’s story—two complete opposites. Clay is a newly retired SEAL who has lived his life in the shadows and plans to enjoy his retirement the same way in a bungalow on the beach. Tasha enjoys the limelight, she is the host of a local daytime television show. Through a series of unfortunate or maybe fortunate events, depending how you look at it, Clay and Tasha are thrown together, as hosts, in a home improvement reality cable show. That is, after they have a pseudo one night stand. Let the fireworks begin. Two complete opposites living, together, working together and of course “listening” to one another… all in 1,000 square feet. They bring arguing to a whole new level, the more they argue the more attracted they become to one another. Who knew arguing could be the best foreplay EVER! I just love these two together, they were fun, entertaining, scary and very hot (Clay mostly), and extremely explosive together. I will definitely be doing some arguing with my husband tonight! So, if you are looking for cute, funny and very steamy read, look no further, you have found your next indulgence. Happy Reading!
***I kindly received an ARC of this book by way of Booksprout. I was not contacted, asked or required to leave a review in order to read this book. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. This is my honest review.***

Profile Image for Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog).
5,878 reviews213 followers
September 19, 2018
When talk show host diva, Tasha, is informed her show is cancelled, she reacts like any normal human being - getting herself drunk and going home with someone. Unfortunately for Tasha, that same man is the one person who stands in the way of getting her dead career back up off the ground. Clay is a just retired SEAL who had been looking forward to living out his retirement on the beach, but when his almost one night stand is in the way of his bid on the beach house, what's a former SEAL to do? He's smart, so he agrees to film a renovation reality show with the spoiled, self-absorbed diva because if he agrees and can live it out, he'll get to keep the beach house. Now if he could just get through the show without strangling his stuck up roommate (and without taking her to his bed), he can enjoy his retirement in peace.

While I found Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini (kind of an awkward sounding title btw) entertaining in a snarky, antagonistic way, and I really liked Clay, I could not stand Tasha. So much so that it forced me to take an entire star off my rating. If Clay had been paired with a more pleasant, less stuck up, less self-absorbed diva, 4 stars would have definitely been fair. As it's written, though, 3 stars is the only rating I can give it because Tasha irritated me that much.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Full review posted on Live Through Books Blog.
Profile Image for Judy.
1,791 reviews
September 18, 2018
It's been so long since I've read a book by Cat Johnson, so I was so excited to read this story! I love her books and not sure why I haven't read any lately!! This was a humorous, intriguing, sweet, snarky and hot!!

Tasha is a talk show host that is given the ax. She just purchased a beautiful place to live...now she's gotta find a job to pay for it!! On the day she got the ax, she does what anyone would do when their show is cancelled. She goes and gets drunk! Unfortunately, for her she took home a guy that she can't seem to remember what exactly happened while he was there. Oh well, she doesn't remember his name and surely she'll never see him again....famous last words!

Clay is a retired SEAL and is looking for a quiet, tranquil place to retire to. He finds a home one the water that needs renovations and he knows has been for sale for 2 years. The salesman gives him a pitch about there's lots of interest in it, however, Clay isn't buying that story. Until, he calls the realtor a couple of days later and there's an offer on HIS house! He gets into a bidding war and oh boy, does this home sale take a very unusual twist!!

What happens when Clay and Tasha are thrown together in a reality show while renovating this beach house with cameras in every room except the bathroom? Of all the people in the world to also want that house and now have to do a reality show with is the one-night stand guy! A wonderful, witty, can't put it down story....that' what!! Loved Clay and Tasha's hatred of each other, it just makes it that much spicier!
Profile Image for BookAddict.
2,078 reviews207 followers
September 16, 2018
It’s a tough call, trying to decide if I like this author's cowboys or SEALs better, but this book with retired frog man Clay is my new favorite from Johnson. This enemies to lovers story was great fun and highly entertaining, and I stayed up way too late reading an early copy of it. When Tasha's talk show gets cancelled she has a chance to be the host on a home renovation show. The only problem is her co-host will be Clay, her drunken one night stand that wasn't. Or maybe it was, but her memory of their night together is pretty fuzzy. Clay is trying to buy the same house the producer wants for the show, and it seems the only way he can get it is to co-host with the woman who thinks he’s beneath her and passed out on him when they hooked up.

The producer seems to think there's some kind of sexual tension or chemistry between Tasha and Clay but they really dislike each other. They have nothing in common. She’s a self-centered diva who loves the spotlight and his life is simple and uncomplicated. They both contest that notion of anything between them a lot, and throwing them together in a tiny bungalow for four weeks certainly makes for some fun reading. With low angst, great chemistry, a little humor and the right amount of heart, this is a fun, easy, lighthearted read that is sure to please.

*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.
2,794 reviews40 followers
September 16, 2018
Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini (SEALs in Paradise) by Cat Johnson Hot SEAL Dirty Martini (SEALs in Paradise) By: Cat Johnson
Take A Walk On The Wild Side, & Build Something Lasting With "Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini!"
Whew-Wee! Talk about taking a walk on the HOT side!!!
To say opposites attract would be mild, because the SPARKS comin' OFF this Couple could lite up the sky on the 4th of July!!
Renovations have never been pounded HARDer, fought over More HEATedly, built STRONGer, or LOVEed More PASSIONately in the END!!
I was granted an ARC of Cat Johnson's "Hot SEAL Dirty Martini (SEALs in Paradise)" via Booksprout; I recommend this book to others based upon its own merits. All opinions expressed within this review are uniquely my own & freely given!
Until next time... Happy Reading!
1,010 reviews18 followers
May 4, 2019
Cat Johnson always writes a story where we can pretend we are in the book with the characters so we can leave our everyday life behind. I am a big fan of Navy Seal books and I fell in love with Clay right away and I knew that Tasha would be the woman that he needed. He goes after what he wants, works hard and served his country proudly. What more could a girl want?

A sexy Navy Seal is pitted against a feisty TV personality who is looking to restore her career after an on-air meltdown. Clay found the perfect beach house where he could spend his retirement and all it needed was a little work, and he was ready for the job. Unfortunately, a TV production company also wanted his hideaway and they kept jacking up the price which was making him furious. Along with this headache, he meets (again) the woman who would become a thorn in his side and a desire he couldn’t resist. Tasha needed this job and she refused to let a macho Navy Seal get in her way. Their constant arguing is mixed with sexy glances and sleepless nights. What happens when they can no longer resist temptation and they give in to their desires? With the cameras on 24 hours a day, Clay will need to use his Navy Seal skills to find a way to privately spend time with Tasha so no one finds out!!
6,527 reviews27 followers
September 19, 2018
Retired navy Seal Clay "Dirtman" Hagan (the dirtman is short for dirty martini his favourite drink) has finally retired and he has found the perfect fixer upper to retire to. Tasha Jones in the host of a top rating show but they are still going to can the show when she is informed they are not renewing it jut before the last show of the season she has an on air melt down and becomes a internet sensation. Now she has been offered the hosting position on a new renovation show only problem the house they want to renovate i the house Clay wants. In a compromise he agrees to co host for the house to be turned over to him when completed. These two have to live together under constant video surveillance while the renovation happens and they will clash over everything be it the tiles the furniture or the colour scheme but what is really brewing underneath and what happens when Clay but his SEAL skills to use to give them some privacy. This was a great fun read that has me laughing and sighing another brilliant book from this talented author so looking forward to the other HOT SEALS

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
114 reviews
September 17, 2018
I loved this book. It’s probably worth more than 5 stars. The book is well written and flows smoothly and logically. The characters, Tasha and Clay, are amazing. Tasha is a television host. She finds out her show will not be renewed for another season. Tasha has a bit of an on-air melt-down. Not good! Clay has recently retired from the SEALs. He’s decided he wants to buy a house on the beach and renovate it. Tasha and Clay meet when she goes out for a drink, or many, and goes home with him for the night. Unluckily, she falls asleep before anything momentous can happen between them. That’s enough of a spoiler, I don’t want to ruin the book for you. Just imagine a cable company decides to do a reality renovation show. Of course they need a house and maybe a couple of renovators or hosts. What happens? Well I guess you’ll have to read the book to find out. There’ll be arguments, fun and chemistry leaping off the page. You’re going to love it!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Kristen Lewendon.
8,429 reviews63 followers
May 12, 2020
I feel a little like I’m yo-yoing over this book. I love the big dramatic tension of enemies to lovers and I adore anything that takes me behind the scenes of reality television. But, I didn’t fall in love with our heroine and I hated the reckless way the identities of active duty servicemen weren’t protected by the aforementioned reality TV production. I really liked Clay. He comes across as an honorable retired veteran trying to achieve his dreams, making the best of a not-so-great situation. I started out really sympathizing with Tasha however, her judgmental and elitist attitude quickly rubbed me the wrong way. Even though we see her humbled by the end, I still wasn’t able to reconnect with her. For me, the biggest monkey wrench in the plot was the issue with the identities of the serving SEALs. It’s my understanding that’s a huge no-no. And seeing that mistake made me mad at the book, no matter how much the book made me laugh.
1,820 reviews10 followers
May 23, 2020
Clay wants to buy a specific house for his retirement. Tasha is a TV personality who is desperate for a new show now that she was let go of her prior show. She has the opportunity to do a reality tv show about renovating a house, Clay's retirement home. Sparks fly and not always the good ones because Clay was really mean in the beginning and it was a little difficult to see how the romantic feelings evolved just because he was so mean in the beginning. But there is chemistry and there were some fun situations given they were in a reality tv show situation. I enjoyed the book overall and especially because i listened to the audiobook and really liked Sean Posvistak's narration. He narrates multiple Cat Johnson books and he has such a great voice to play a slightly comedic role. He also does really well with the different voices, including female voices. I liked the 3 books i've now listened with him narrating.

🎧AudiobookObsessionReviewer, AudiobookObsession
375 reviews
June 2, 2022
Is this the kind of book that's right for me? The writing was decent but I wasn't a fan of some of the things that happened in the first five chapters that i DNF'd it.

Like when the main character, Clay drove Tasha back to her place to have a one night stand. It was infinitely clear that she was really drunk, she also had trouble giving her address. Although they didn't have sex because she passed out, it left an awful feeling in my stomach. At the end Clay was more worried about getting teased with a new nickname if he told the story of her falling asleep while they made out instead of him having almost-sex with someone who couldn't properly give consent. And no, her asking if he was sober enough to drive is not a good enough indication that she had her head on straight.

And then the next day when Tasha's morning show clip went viral and her agent called it her "little meltdown." It annoyed me that there was nothing to counter balance that comment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Louise Norton.
280 reviews7 followers
September 21, 2018
Cat Johnson has created a brilliant story. With a construction that is off the charts hot. You will laugh out loud with this book. The characters hate each other but working together causes things to heat up between them. Clay and Tasha have already had a drunken one night stand and do not want a repeat of that night. But they are both working to turn a bungalow from disrepair into a work of art. Tasha is trying to salvage her career by doing up the bungalow. Clay wants the bungalow fixed up so he can retire and live out his days in the bungalow. Tashas director decides the viewers will love these two so the filming begins. Will Tasha and Clay ever be civil to each other and why do they keep having a repeat of their one night stand. Can enemies ever become lovers forever.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Tracey.
1,301 reviews12 followers
September 23, 2018
A Navy SEAL and a talk show host with lots of heat. ❤️️😍⚓️🔥❤️️

This book is so good! And hot! It's about a retired Navy SEAL, Clay "Dirtman" Hagan, and a talk show host, Tasha Jones, who is desperately trying to save her career. Being told that your long-running live show is being canceled fifteen minutes before you have to go on camera sucks. So it shouldn't have been that big of a surprise to see Tasha have a minor meltdown on camera. Okay, so maybe it wasn't so minor but still. And to pick up some random guy when you are blotto drunk that afternoon? Yeah, these two are just a case of bad timing, need, and attraction that takes on its own power.💞💗💞

It's a well written and developed book that takes you through laughter, tears, anger, and love.😍

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for CarolKat.
2,280 reviews29 followers
October 1, 2018
Clay 'Dirtman' Hagan's retirement goal is to buy the little beachfront cottage for a song, and spend the rest of his time fixing it up, fishing and lounging on the deck.

Tasha Jones' show is cancelled and she sort of blew up live on camera after she found out. Now she has a chance to redeem herself with a new home improvement reality show. The producers want another host and have already bid on the property, Clay's property.

In spite or rather because of the friction between these two, the producers pair them up. Clay will get his house, Tasha will get her show, but can these two survive the renovation.

I laughed a lot, the sneaking around to get time alone was hysterical. However the reason for some of the subterfuge was not as Clay and his buddies meet up to honor a fallen team member.

Laugh out loud funny, sexy, with some tears, all in a true to form reality show but in a book.
2,364 reviews12 followers
April 25, 2020
****Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini: An Enemies to Lovers Romantic Comedy (SEALs in Paradise)
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the steamy novel Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini: An Enemies to Lovers Romantic Comedy (SEALs in Paradise): Dirtman and Tasha by Cat Johnson and this review was given freely.
An action packed and easy flowing behind the scenes look at reality TV with a fair amount of drama and some steamy scenes. Recently retired Navy SEAl Clay "Dirtman" Hagan and recently fired TV host Tasha Jones find themselves advisories after a drunken one night stand and a bidding war over the same property until a forced comprise results in them living and working together.
While each novel in the series can be read separately, they are best if read in order as the order is chronological.

Profile Image for Christi Fowler.
1,636 reviews17 followers
October 19, 2020
Title: Hot SEAL: Dirty Martini
Author: Cat Johnson
Format: Audio
Narrator: Sean Posvistak
Genre: Romance, enemies to lovers, comedy, military (SEAL), Reality TV
Standalone: Yes
Part of a Series: Part of the SEALs in Paradise series
POV: Clay and Tasha
4.5/5

Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini is the first book I've read by Cat Johnson (I think) and it was a lot of fun. The audio version narrated by Sean Posvistak was a riot. You could tell he was having a ton of fun. It was a little over the top at times and definitely entertaining. I liked the personality clashes between Clay and Tasha and the epilogue was great. I'll definitely be exploring more of this series and this author.

I received this audiobook for free from Audiobook Obsession. This is my honest and voluntary review.
422 reviews
September 12, 2025
Tasha and Clay—she’s a daytime TV host; he’s a retired Navy SEAL. When her agent sends her to discuss a potential home improvement show, the house they want is the same one he’s trying to buy and they’re about to bid him out of the running. So the producers strike a deal with him—if he’ll be the muscle on the show, they’ll let him buy it and renovate it while they film. So he agrees, though he’s horrified at having to have Tasha as his co-host and have her living in his house while they make renovations. They bicker constantly, genuinely frustrating one another, all the while the sexual tension is ratcheting up. They continue to have misunderstandings, but in the end, they fall in love and move in together for real.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
977 reviews2 followers
September 17, 2018
Tasha is a TV host who just found out her show is getting canceled. She is trying to buy a cottage on the beach to renovate it for her show an cancel the cancelation.
Clay a just retired Seal who plans to retire on the beach and live a relaxing life. He has found the perfect cottage on the beach but someone is bidding against him.
These two both want the same house for different reasons, and the butt heads from the get go. Tasha's producer gets footage of the sparks and believes it will make great TV.
Read for an adventure that will keep you turning each page looking for the next hot spot.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Pansy.
2,198 reviews24 followers
September 12, 2019
For me this bordered on 3.5 stars and 4. It was an okay read. It mostly held my interest until the end, kind of. It was a toss up whether I was going to finish it or dump it. It epitomized every reason I do NOT watch reality TV. I really do like the way some people think it is okay to be so nosy about someone else's life. By the same token, I can be sucked in just like everyone else. That bothers me too so I tend to avoid the issue entirely. But, I adore this and her SEAL books. She writes a good story and I got a copy of this one for free somewhere. I tried it, I liked it in spite of myself, mostly. I thought the ending a bit rushed but satisfactory.
3,549 reviews40 followers
October 30, 2019
You can never go wrong with a story by this author and this one proves my point.
Retirement has come to Clay/Dirtman Hagan and he’s ready for his beachfront home. With his biggest concerns being , fixing it up, and enjoying his new lifestyle.
Tasha Jones is a tv personality in a home improvement show. But when things go haywire and is about to lose her show , she’s determined to redeem herself.
Fate pairs them up and boy do the sparks fly.
It was a funny and at times touching story.
Definitely another winner for the author.
Last but not least, the narration by Sean Posvistak brought the story to life.
Profile Image for Caroline.
785 reviews9 followers
January 24, 2020
I loved the humour in this! It was seriously funny and had me laughing in my car while listening to the book! The Narrator is great and adds to the humour by using his voice for dramatic effect that creates mood and just adds to the story!
Clay is an ex-Seal trying to buy a house but is being outbid by a production company who wants it for a reality show, so he agrees to co-host the show with the girl who was almost a one night stand on the day she was told her previous show was cancelled! This leads to all sorts of heated sparks that makes for good television but not for a good living companion. All this so he can have his house!!
A good, funny read/listen that had me in stitches
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