I’m getting older. It’s a fact I don’t like to admit. In fact, I spend my days desperately trying to hide any signs of aging and clinging to my faded youth.
That is until I meet Dallas Mahoney, the silver-haired fox who not only shows his age, but embraces it. And you know what? I like it. I like it a whole lot.
With a big birthday coming up, I’m soon to embark on a new era in my life; the naughty forties. The question is, do I take a leaf from his book and let it all hang out?
Stacey Broadbent is a multi-genre author from New Zealand. She writes under three different names and a variety of genres, so there is something to suit most tastes. You can find her LGBTQIA reads under the name Cyan Tayse, and children’s books under the name Stacey Jayne. An avid reader and lover of all things bookish, Stacey has made it her goal to share about her favourite authors and books she's read, while also building her own publishing story. She is a qualified proofreader and is embarking on a new journey of study - Library and Information Skills. She is a member of the Unhinged Kiwi Booktalk discord group, and a great bunch of Canterbury based bookstagrammers. Her TBR is never-ending, and though she struggles to keep up with it, she continues to add more. As well as reading, her hobbies include LEGO, cross-stitch, crochet, and diamond art, and you can often find her sharing about her latest project on TikTok.
This was a fun read. Poor Marianne is so insecure after leaving a verbally abusive marriage, and Dallas is just the man for her. Broadbent wrote the characters incredibly well, and I even loved Susan. She made for a lot of laugh-out-loud moments for me, and she definitely could be the star of her own book.
If there were any negatives for me, it was that Marianne consistently referred to herself as old. Thirty-nine isn’t old, and considering I’m a hair older, all my friends would agree we are not old. But I guess when you’re as insecure as she is, you repeat a lot of the negatives you feel about yourself. And her ex-husband definitely made her feel old.
Overall, this is a cute read. It’s a perfect blend of comedic relief and romance. I think Dallas is just the man to help her find her self-esteem. Susan is a wonderful best friend who is incredibly supportive, and we all need a Susan in our lives. Nicely done.
Thoroughly enjoyed this funny read. Devoured it in two sittings. Highly recommend. The plot was great and the characters (especially the sassy best friend) had me laughing.
This was such a super sweet, short read. There were some great funny moments and the characters were so fun. I loved Marianne and Dallas, they are absolutely adorably sickening together. Susan was my favourite. She’s the kind of best friend you want.
Loved it. I've read a number of wonderful stories from this author, and I have to say, Deep Heat has out ranked this author's other work for me. I laughed, I cried, I cringed and crossed my legs. The witty, quick quips of our main character keeps you on your toes and chuckling. And the way she meets the hot Doc, silver fox will have you crossing your legs as i did. Heads up, it's not all a barrel of laughs, Stacey takes us through a full range of emotions, loss, betrayal, happy, sad, sexed up; it gave me whip lash (in the best way ever) Don't fear getting older, we should embrace the fact that we are lucky enough to see each year come and go. You'll see how Stacey's characters learn to accept the changes. A great read. So what are you waiting for. Go get it!
Extremely funny and light hearted! Not too long not too short! Have read other books by this author and loved them too. Aging gracefully is something most women have issues with. Lord knows i have enough wisdom highlights myself. Learning how to "let go" and live your life is hard but doable. I'm turning 40 myself soon and it's scary so i can totally relate. And with so many people trying to get you to dye your hair all that makes this book all the more real. Read it. You'll love it. I hope she makes a sequel.
This was such a fun story to get lost in, the heroine is absolutely hilarious. The background of the characters really had me rooting for them to be able to find their happily ever after. This book is real and raw with a comedy twist!
Being a "lady of a certain age," this book was great. For me, it was very relatable (except for the first couple of chapters-iykyk), the characters were believable and could have easily been people I know. I loved the short chapters (always great when you have kids), and the kiwi-isms in it. Do I have Lady Luck ready to go? Yes, yes I do 😁
This book is hilarious, but it was also endearing. Two people who get a second chance at love. This was a short read that is packed a lot of punch and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I really enjoyed this read - it was so fun. Deep Heat was the perfect balance of Sexy, jovial and relatable with substance. It was a quick read which turned pages all on its own. I'll definitely pick Stacey's books up again.
This one was just okay for me. The premise had a lot of potential and there were definitely moments that kept me interested, but overall it didn’t quite hit the mark. The pacing felt uneven—some parts dragged, while others jumped ahead too quickly. The characters were likable enough, but I didn’t feel as connected to them as I wanted to, which made it harder to get fully invested in their journey.
That said, the writing itself was easy to follow and there were glimpses of humor and tension that I appreciated. If you’re looking for a lighter read with a mix of drama and heat, this could be worth picking up. For me though, it landed right in the middle—not bad, not great, just an average read.
A hilarious book that had me in fits! A perfect short read to warm a cool winter day.
This book has made me realise that I have not read many romantic comedies. In fact, Deep Heat might be the first. Deep Heat has also made me realise that no other book has made me physically laugh out loud as much as this book has.
Feeling very proud of our kiwi authors out here killing it! Well done Stacey!
From page one I was laughing out loud. This humor just hit my funny bone so hard and so good. The misadventures, and just stupidity was my kind of hilarious. And I lead with this because I have NEVER found a book that has made me literally laugh. A wee snigger? yes. A full blown laugh? No. But this story full blown laughter so many times right from page one.
But don't misunderstand this book. This book is not stupid and JUST funny. It really is romantic, and sweet, and had me crying towards the end. And I read it with this stupid grin on my face the entire way through, and this stupid pained grin on my face because of how much I loved these characters and just loved how much they tried for each other.
Ok so what is this story about?
Well, oh my lanta. Marianne begins in the hospital. She is there because after watching Jamie Oliver she decided to pleasure herself. But given she refused to wear her glasses, accidentally used a tube of deep heat, which then got lodged with its cap off and squirting out inside her. She's at the hospital to get it out. And it's hilarious.
Lo and behold her Doctor gets called away and is replaced by a silver fox Doctor. Who later ends up on basically a blind date with her. They hit it off and start this relationship together.
They are just the sweetest couple, and hes so supportive of her and helps her to grow confident in herself after a divorce three years ago. Her ex hubby is a twat and had made her feel much less than good enough in her own skin, directed her away from her goals, and then cheated on her to boot.
Doc Dallas Mahoney on the other hand has lost his wife recently too when she died in childbirth. So he too, while much more self assured than Marianne, is also dealing with the grief. He volunteers on Saturdays at the children's hospital, which becomes something they both share and enjoy.
Anyway, can't say anymore or I'll spoil it. But it's just this sweet feel good romance where they're just genuinely good people, good to each other, and a great example of a healthy relationship between two mature people. (She is 39 and he is closer to 50.)
I really loved this story. I loved the side characters too. I loved the reality of losing contact with friends after a crap marriage breaks down. I love the reality of the emotions and things you go through after tragedy. I just loved the story so much. It is sweet. It is short. It is legit funny. And it has all the feels. Plus it reads like home, New Zealand setting.