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Don’t Tempt Me...
Fantasy #1 Living out her every erotic desire... Boudoir photographer Samantha Sawyer is seeking the perfect guy to help her with a little project—one that involves willing captives. Or experimenting with edible goodies. Or... The tricky part is that the fuzzy face of her dream man has morphed into that of her new assistant, Rick West. Only Rick is on an undercover assignment, and partaking in Samantha's erotic world—enticing as it is—only makes his deception worse. Because once he's tempted, there's no going back....
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2006
2 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
Dawn Atkins
111 books79 followersI always wanted to be a writer--from the moment I put fat pencil to brown-lined paper in second grade to write an elaborate story using all the spelling words on our list.
Though I always wanted to be a professional writer, I wasn't sure I had the stuff, so I graduated from college with a teaching degree and taught elementary school--second and third grades (the best)--and then began freelance feature writing for newspapers and magazines, local and national.
I left teaching to work in public relations--skills I use today in my job as a writer/editor for the Arizona Education Association.
I met my husband, David Weiss, my very own hero, in 1980, on an airplane. We made the "love thang" permanent in 1985, when we married taking our Hobie sailboat to San Diego for our honeymoon. Then in 1990, we welcomed a son into our lives. He continues to be the light of our life together.
My first romance credits were two stories in True Love magazine. I went on to write a sexy romance in 1983, which was rejected--sniff.
Years later--1996--I got serious about getting published. Though I endured some rejections as I honed my craft, in 1998, I sold the first of two short romantic comedies to Kensington Publishing--Getting Zack Back, published in December. In July 2000, Baby Makes Three was released. After coming in second among published authors in a Harlequin Duets contest, I sold to Harlequin in 2001, quickly selling another comedy. In addition to Duets, I write for Temptation, Blaze and, the new comedy line Flipside.
Most of my hobbies--sailing, scuba-diving, playing the piano (badly)--have gone by the wayside as I devote all my non-family spare time to writing. I live in the Phoenix area with my husband and son, who proudly brings my books to his teachers and swears he doesn't read them--except for the funny parts.
Though I always wanted to be a professional writer, I wasn't sure I had the stuff, so I graduated from college with a teaching degree and taught elementary school--second and third grades (the best)--and then began freelance feature writing for newspapers and magazines, local and national.
I left teaching to work in public relations--skills I use today in my job as a writer/editor for the Arizona Education Association.
I met my husband, David Weiss, my very own hero, in 1980, on an airplane. We made the "love thang" permanent in 1985, when we married taking our Hobie sailboat to San Diego for our honeymoon. Then in 1990, we welcomed a son into our lives. He continues to be the light of our life together.
My first romance credits were two stories in True Love magazine. I went on to write a sexy romance in 1983, which was rejected--sniff.
Years later--1996--I got serious about getting published. Though I endured some rejections as I honed my craft, in 1998, I sold the first of two short romantic comedies to Kensington Publishing--Getting Zack Back, published in December. In July 2000, Baby Makes Three was released. After coming in second among published authors in a Harlequin Duets contest, I sold to Harlequin in 2001, quickly selling another comedy. In addition to Duets, I write for Temptation, Blaze and, the new comedy line Flipside.
Most of my hobbies--sailing, scuba-diving, playing the piano (badly)--have gone by the wayside as I devote all my non-family spare time to writing. I live in the Phoenix area with my husband and son, who proudly brings my books to his teachers and swears he doesn't read them--except for the funny parts.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 14, 2019
Well-written and perfect for the Blaze line.
February 19, 2013
Setting: Bedroom Eyes (boudoir pictures); Massage Studio; lingerie boutique.
Theme: fantasy v reality; love; deception; truth;
Characters:
Samantha Sawyer: 27; lived a humdrum life; grew up in a small town; still hears her mother’s voice calling her a slut when a teen and came down in makeup and cute dress; she loves photography; when things got a bit boring, she took her own boudoir pictures with the intention of spicing things up, but her boy friend was negative, and she walked… she is ready to live life fully – she has a five year business plan based on boudoir photos, and a full fantasy life that she expects to put into play when she has the time.
Rick West: 4 years a cop; growing up his brother was the serious one, he was the somewhat wild one; his brother, a lawyer, was killed when at his client’s apartment – where he was scoring some drugs; Rick decides to change his life – he becomes a policeman, he starts looking for a wife to grow a family; he loves outdoor photography, and when the businesses move into Sylvestri’s building is a cover for something big, and he is sent undercover because of his photography background – and he hates undercover – keeping the lies straight, the deception,, etc. and he especially hates it with Samantha, as he is attracted to her.
Bianca and Darien Sylvestri: Darien retires, (or is he)… and Bianca lucked into a boudoir session with Samantha – and Samantha creates some photos that capture the real, sensual her – and she credits the photos for saving her marriage, for bringing the romance back to Darien. She arranges for Samantha and 2 friends to open their businesses in Darien’s building – and Darien is making renovations – with extra cabinet space ?!?
Summary:
Rick and Sammi are immediately attracted to one another – but Rick fluctuates between yes and no as he flirts (to insure he gets the job, and then because he can’t help himself) and pulls back (he is a man of principles). Rick helps everyone out, asks a lot of questions, as he eavesdrops and checks everything out. He and Sammi are getting closer… and Rick is losing his objectivity, though he genuinely believes the women are innocent, he hasn’t found anything concrete against Darien.
Samantha has her studios fitted out into rooms compatible with her fantasies - fairy tale, western, exotic (animals), etc with costumes from a defunct theatre company. Some customers come in overdone, and she helps them find the real sensuous them... for example, the first one comes in tight leather... and she persuades her into sexy, pastelly, fairy tale - and gets her to think warms thoughts of her husband - and captures their soul... giving them a new image of themselves.
Rick takes Sammi out into nature to photograph – and they make love (one of her fantasies)… and they have a passionate night… but the next morning, when Bianca calls wanting to help Sammi out with the bridal party shoot she had arranged for that day because Darien sent her out shopping while he handles her yarn delivery (Hmmm?). Rick gathers the troops to the yarn shop, and sure enough find drug packets hidden in the yarn… and the wedding party guests are a bit rough, and difficult to help (and why are those cabinets up high locked? Sammi didn’t lock them)… and Sammi walks in on two who are stuffing white packets into a vest under their clothes – but Rick had realized that Sammi was in trouble, and gets there in a nick of time to rescue her… hmmm and now she knows the truth.
On the encouragement of his partner, he goes to her the next day to apologise… he promises to try and make things right… he leaves – she reflects… she calls his boss to defend him and go on record on how he kept trying to say no, and how reliable and honest he was… and he realizes that the guys and his boss have his back, and have not lost their trust of him… and that Sammi defended him… and he returns to her, and all is forgiven… ahhhh
Memorable scenes:
“I’m not letting life trickle through my fingers. I intend to splash around, make big, messy waves that practically drown me.”
Theme: fantasy v reality; love; deception; truth;
Characters:
Samantha Sawyer: 27; lived a humdrum life; grew up in a small town; still hears her mother’s voice calling her a slut when a teen and came down in makeup and cute dress; she loves photography; when things got a bit boring, she took her own boudoir pictures with the intention of spicing things up, but her boy friend was negative, and she walked… she is ready to live life fully – she has a five year business plan based on boudoir photos, and a full fantasy life that she expects to put into play when she has the time.
Rick West: 4 years a cop; growing up his brother was the serious one, he was the somewhat wild one; his brother, a lawyer, was killed when at his client’s apartment – where he was scoring some drugs; Rick decides to change his life – he becomes a policeman, he starts looking for a wife to grow a family; he loves outdoor photography, and when the businesses move into Sylvestri’s building is a cover for something big, and he is sent undercover because of his photography background – and he hates undercover – keeping the lies straight, the deception,, etc. and he especially hates it with Samantha, as he is attracted to her.
Bianca and Darien Sylvestri: Darien retires, (or is he)… and Bianca lucked into a boudoir session with Samantha – and Samantha creates some photos that capture the real, sensual her – and she credits the photos for saving her marriage, for bringing the romance back to Darien. She arranges for Samantha and 2 friends to open their businesses in Darien’s building – and Darien is making renovations – with extra cabinet space ?!?
Summary:
Rick and Sammi are immediately attracted to one another – but Rick fluctuates between yes and no as he flirts (to insure he gets the job, and then because he can’t help himself) and pulls back (he is a man of principles). Rick helps everyone out, asks a lot of questions, as he eavesdrops and checks everything out. He and Sammi are getting closer… and Rick is losing his objectivity, though he genuinely believes the women are innocent, he hasn’t found anything concrete against Darien.
Samantha has her studios fitted out into rooms compatible with her fantasies - fairy tale, western, exotic (animals), etc with costumes from a defunct theatre company. Some customers come in overdone, and she helps them find the real sensuous them... for example, the first one comes in tight leather... and she persuades her into sexy, pastelly, fairy tale - and gets her to think warms thoughts of her husband - and captures their soul... giving them a new image of themselves.
Rick takes Sammi out into nature to photograph – and they make love (one of her fantasies)… and they have a passionate night… but the next morning, when Bianca calls wanting to help Sammi out with the bridal party shoot she had arranged for that day because Darien sent her out shopping while he handles her yarn delivery (Hmmm?). Rick gathers the troops to the yarn shop, and sure enough find drug packets hidden in the yarn… and the wedding party guests are a bit rough, and difficult to help (and why are those cabinets up high locked? Sammi didn’t lock them)… and Sammi walks in on two who are stuffing white packets into a vest under their clothes – but Rick had realized that Sammi was in trouble, and gets there in a nick of time to rescue her… hmmm and now she knows the truth.
On the encouragement of his partner, he goes to her the next day to apologise… he promises to try and make things right… he leaves – she reflects… she calls his boss to defend him and go on record on how he kept trying to say no, and how reliable and honest he was… and he realizes that the guys and his boss have his back, and have not lost their trust of him… and that Sammi defended him… and he returns to her, and all is forgiven… ahhhh
Memorable scenes:
“I’m not letting life trickle through my fingers. I intend to splash around, make big, messy waves that practically drown me.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2017
“You didn’t need to do that,” Rick said as soon as they were outside the shop. “I can pay for the massage.”
“Mona gives me a discount. And you’ll need it. I’ll be working you hard.” She put her hand to her mouth and stood stock-still.
Rick chuckled. “I’m going to let that one alone.”
-Rick & Samantha
She had to stop that—wanting him. She’d already shown him how desperate she was. If he gave her another you-poor-horny-thing smile she’d die a thousand deaths. On the other hand, Rick was the first man she’d attacked, so she had to expect a learning curve.
-Samantha's thoughts
He prided himself on total control on the job, but he’d limped over to her, so erect it had hurt to move. Somehow, she threw him, made him forget he was a cop, turned him into a slathering wildebeest. Or some other creature easily led by its horn.
-Rick's thoughts about Samantha
Waking and sleeping, Rick haunted her.
-Samantha's thoughts
"If I could think of him as just a regular guy who pulls his pants on one incredibly muscular leg at a time, I’d be fine.”
-Samantha about Rick
He was in big trouble. He stood barefoot in the parking lot of a stakeout where, instead of watching for crime, he’d made love to a woman who’d barely stopped being a suspect. He looked up at the full moon and wanted to howl.
-Rick's thoughts
Love was fragile, he knew to his soul. You had to protect it with everything in you.
-Rick's thoughts
He wasn’t so sure about the rules anymore. Except for one: When you find a person to love, don’t let her go without a fight.
-Rick's thoughts
“I love you,” he blurted. “That’s the main deal. All this time I thought I should settle down, have a family. Because of Brian, I guess. And for me. But I didn’t really want that. Not until I met you. I guess…” He paused, swallowed, then pushed himself to speak. “I was waiting for you.”
“Oh, Rick,” she said, rising up on tiptoes to meet his lips. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, and she felt safe and protected and so loved. This was real. This was better than all the fantasies in the world. She broke off the kiss and looked into his open green eyes. “I love you, too, Rick.”
“So love is pretty sturdy after all.”
He looked so happy, as relieved as a child, that she kissed him again. “I can’t believe I fell in love with the first man I had great sex with.”
“Sometimes you just get lucky.” He winked at her, the smart-assed, wicked Rick back again.
-Rick & Samantha
I adored Rick. While I can't usually stand lies, I felt his had a good reason, his being undercover and all.
Samantha, I liked her, but her insistence on her fantasies and making waves started to get a little old.
I liked the secondary characters.
It's basically a steamy, short book with a touch of action thrown in at the end. In a word, enjoyable.
I would recommend.
♡♡♡♡
“Mona gives me a discount. And you’ll need it. I’ll be working you hard.” She put her hand to her mouth and stood stock-still.
Rick chuckled. “I’m going to let that one alone.”
-Rick & Samantha
She had to stop that—wanting him. She’d already shown him how desperate she was. If he gave her another you-poor-horny-thing smile she’d die a thousand deaths. On the other hand, Rick was the first man she’d attacked, so she had to expect a learning curve.
-Samantha's thoughts
He prided himself on total control on the job, but he’d limped over to her, so erect it had hurt to move. Somehow, she threw him, made him forget he was a cop, turned him into a slathering wildebeest. Or some other creature easily led by its horn.
-Rick's thoughts about Samantha
Waking and sleeping, Rick haunted her.
-Samantha's thoughts
"If I could think of him as just a regular guy who pulls his pants on one incredibly muscular leg at a time, I’d be fine.”
-Samantha about Rick
He was in big trouble. He stood barefoot in the parking lot of a stakeout where, instead of watching for crime, he’d made love to a woman who’d barely stopped being a suspect. He looked up at the full moon and wanted to howl.
-Rick's thoughts
Love was fragile, he knew to his soul. You had to protect it with everything in you.
-Rick's thoughts
He wasn’t so sure about the rules anymore. Except for one: When you find a person to love, don’t let her go without a fight.
-Rick's thoughts
“I love you,” he blurted. “That’s the main deal. All this time I thought I should settle down, have a family. Because of Brian, I guess. And for me. But I didn’t really want that. Not until I met you. I guess…” He paused, swallowed, then pushed himself to speak. “I was waiting for you.”
“Oh, Rick,” she said, rising up on tiptoes to meet his lips. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, and she felt safe and protected and so loved. This was real. This was better than all the fantasies in the world. She broke off the kiss and looked into his open green eyes. “I love you, too, Rick.”
“So love is pretty sturdy after all.”
He looked so happy, as relieved as a child, that she kissed him again. “I can’t believe I fell in love with the first man I had great sex with.”
“Sometimes you just get lucky.” He winked at her, the smart-assed, wicked Rick back again.
-Rick & Samantha
I adored Rick. While I can't usually stand lies, I felt his had a good reason, his being undercover and all.
Samantha, I liked her, but her insistence on her fantasies and making waves started to get a little old.
I liked the secondary characters.
It's basically a steamy, short book with a touch of action thrown in at the end. In a word, enjoyable.
I would recommend.
♡♡♡♡
May 29, 2015
I was wanting something different than what has been on my reading list lately. Something lighter, and on the sweet side. This fit that pretty well. It definitely fell on the sweet side, right dead on the line of being too sugary.
The story was pretty decent and mostly believable, though both characters felt just a tad bit too mushy for me. The balance between strong and sweet is hard to achieve without being cold and hard or falling into mushy. These characters didn’t really come across as all that strong to me. They worked within the bounds of the story, but they weren’t the kinds of characters that I could fall in love with and why the story only rated a 3.
I like there to be a bit more depth in my romance stories than what this story had. This one was pretty predictable from the beginning as to what you could expect for the entire book. There really weren’t any surprises and that drops this into what I’d consider a cookie cutter romance. Decent and not a total waste of time, but just not all that special either.
The story was pretty decent and mostly believable, though both characters felt just a tad bit too mushy for me. The balance between strong and sweet is hard to achieve without being cold and hard or falling into mushy. These characters didn’t really come across as all that strong to me. They worked within the bounds of the story, but they weren’t the kinds of characters that I could fall in love with and why the story only rated a 3.
I like there to be a bit more depth in my romance stories than what this story had. This one was pretty predictable from the beginning as to what you could expect for the entire book. There really weren’t any surprises and that drops this into what I’d consider a cookie cutter romance. Decent and not a total waste of time, but just not all that special either.
May 1, 2011
I can't say I enjoyed this story, although it was well written. I didn't connect with the heroine at all. She struck me as a silly, flighty female thanks to the way the author had her getting lost in her fantasy world all the time. And some of the scenarios the author created to test Rick's resolve not to sleep with Samantha had me rolling my eyes and groaning. Despite the huge amount of talk about sex/fantasies etc, the love scenes did nothing for me. I've given the book an average rating because I'm not entirely sure there was anything wrong with the story at all. It just wasn't my kind of thing.
August 18, 2009
HRB#253. Samantha Sawyer is a boudoir photographer. She rents a building from a mobster. Rick West is the undercover cop trying to crack a drug case. He takes a position as Sammi's assistant. He helps her with more than her photography. They got the photography mostly right and that was important to me. I liked it.
August 18, 2011
This book was okay. I might read it again if I was bored. I found the characters a little frustrating though, because the heroine Sammi is really flighty with her constant fantasizing and is somewhat snobby about things she considers "small-town". The hero, Rick, is too much of a stickler for the rules for my tastes, but other than that I really liked him.
July 8, 2010
It was interesting. I liked the story a lot!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews