Coming in Hot

Sycamore Mountain

by Elyse Kelly

The man I hate the most just crashed my dream date. So, how did I end up in a secluded cabin with him for the next two weeks?

Everyone thinks my brother’s best friend is gorgeous, charming, and oh so debonair. But to me, Vince Moretti is just the guy I followed around as a kid with hearts in my eyes, trailing behind him like a love-sick puppy. The guy who had absolutely no interest in his friend’s kid sister—who broke my heart on my eighteenth birthday.

You would think ten years would be plenty of time to get over my school-girl crush, especially when Vince goes out of his way to annoy and pester me every chance he gets. But the moment I find myself deep in a dangerous situation, the sexy former special-ops leader bolts into action, vowing to keep me safe at all costs. I just didn’t expect him to hide me away in his private cabin on the other side of the country.

Now, we’re here in Sycamore Mountain, and I’m struggling to keep my eyes off Vince’s corded muscles and six-pack abs. But what shocks me the most is how he can’t keep his eyes off me either. Suddenly, he’s not so annoying anymore. And the man I thought I wanted nothing to do with is now lying in bed with me after the hottest night I’ve ever had.

That leaves me with just one question… What happens when it’s time to go home?

COMING IN HOT is a stand-alone, super sexy romance with a HEA! So get yourself a fan because you'll definitely need to cool down after reading this spicy, fast-paced, instalove book!

The MAN OF THE MONTH CLUB is a steamy small-town collection featuring a new hottie (or two!) every month. In 2022, escape to Sycamore Mountain, North Carolina, and celebrate ALL the holidays with your favorite group of romance authors and their delicious mountain men. Can’t wait to see you there!

Genres: Romance, Novella, Enemies To Lovers, Ebooks, Contemporary, Forced Proximity, Military Fiction

101 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2022

About the author

Just a true southern girl, reading and writing books, asking you to love me! My books are contemporary romances, all with HEAs and no cliffhangers!

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Reviews

[Evelyn Evertsen-Romp · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think what we really need to take away from this is that Vince has had military training and that whatshername is very good at "social media". A bit like Ken, who is good at "beach".

Also I have a feeling that a male writer used a female pseudonym for this.

[Rebecca]

Downloaded this book for free and I still want a refund

[TMR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger Warnings: assault, brief violence, threats mentioned, teenage bullying.

After 10 years of being in separate locations all the time, Harper and Vincent are once again paired up to keep Harper safe.

As to what happens during said escaping - which comes to no one's surprise - sparks fly, confessions are made, and well we get a HEA both for keeping Harper safe and reigniting a romance now between Harper and Vincent.

As usual, Elyse's short novellas leave much to delight, entertain and wish over hunky book boyfriends, and sweet heroines, and wish indeed things did never end. I enjoyed the romance, the sizzling chemistry, the forbidden nature of it all, and Harper's brother as well (who I hope gets a story one day), and you know the soft moments too.

Here's to another novel coming soon by Elyse that I will keep a lookout for and enjoy when it comes *raises wineglass and cheers to myself*

Until the next read,

-TMR

[lowkeyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Vince and Harper's story. Their story is a very well-written brother's best friend IMO. It's not one of my favourite tropes, but I'd still read it. And reading this one makes me want to read more of it. I loved how they got together after years of pining on Harper's side and Vince avoiding her since he would've mauled her if his restraint is not intact. And only now, 10 years later, do they do something about it. Or more like Vince because Harper's ready to move on from him. But of course, he's not letting her do it. I loved it!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet

Vince has loved Harper since she was 16. He never acted on it because it was his Best Friends younger sister which he was warned to stay away from.

But when she is in danger he decides he's finished waiting.

[Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming in Hot is a short, spicy, hot, brother’s best friend, forced proximity small-town romance. When Harper Scott is threatened by her brother’s business enemies she is whisked away to Sycamore Mountain by Vince Moretti, her brother’s best friend and the man who broke her heart ten years ago after she confessed her feelings.

I could tell from their banter, radiating sexual tension, and “hate” towards one another that this book was going to be hot. It was fast-paced and I loved the way the way these two came together with a bang.

Elyse Kelly writes phenomenal novellas and this one’s no different. This book was packed with a good plot, amazing characters, lots of spice, and all the emotions. It was a really quick read (under an hour) and I can’t wait to see what Kelly writes next!

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Nevaeh Mountain · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was an easy and quick read, but the mentions of his military background or her social media presence felt so excessive for such a short novella. I love brother’s best friend trope, but it was predictable 3

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean it is what it is advertised to be. Not going to win awards but plenty of fun and a short read.

[Audrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not good y’all 😭

[Booktokjesse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never again.

[Katie Landmesser · Rating 1 out of 5]

this was a free kindle day get and oof. so glad it was short. read as a palate cleanser but couldn’t stop cringing

[Michaella Dieter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶/5
Darkness Level: 0/5


Elyse Kelly does novellas right. Each little book is packed with a good story, plenty of steam, and all the feels. Perfect for when you're looking for a fun, quick read.

Coming in Hot is a bodyguard/brother's best friend romance, where years of yearning come to an end with all the fireworks of the 4th of July. The HEA will leave you smiling, and looking forward to what the author comes up with next.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tropes:
Forced proximity
Bodyguard
Touch her & 💀
Brothers best friend
Age gap

This was a fun & easy read. I managed to binge this one in a couple of hours.

This is an example for me of when a novella works well. The story fit the short length, and whilst it was fast paced and more superficial than a full length story, it didn’t feel so superficial that it ruined being able to enjoy the story.

I was quite intrigued by Harper’s brother story which was hinted at in the background of this story which is always fun to continue on a interconnected standalone series & I would read this author again.

Spice:
🌶️🌶️

Range & Rep:
Adult romance

[Mary Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming in hot 🥵 was another amazing insta-love! But this time it was a second chance kind of love! Vince is the sexy Italian military man and Harper is the intelligent, strong independent woman. David can get it too! 😉 This story makes me want to go hiking on a mountain.

Characters: 10/10
Plot: 10/10
Trope: insta love and second chance
Smutt/ Smexy: 7/10
Triggers: Murder

[Cindy Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elyse Kelly creates a great story in this shorter read. Vince and Harper are a pair destined to be together however he's her brother's best friend so they have both repressed their feelings for 10 years. Because of threats Vince has to keep her safe and takes her to his cabin in the North Carolina woods... Spice, connection, breakfast, and love happens! He keeps her safe and then claims her in front of her family which includes his brother. Read the story to find out what happens. Great read!

[Nikki_Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful!! This was a nice quick, short read. I really enjoyed this book!

Vince and Harper know each other because he's her brother's best friend. Vince noticed Harper when she was sixteen and her brother warned him not to touch his baby sister. Vince and Harper's brother, David have been through a lot together. Now Vince has a security company and Harper is an influencer. When Harper's brother, David gets a threat against her he calls Vince to help. Vince and David come up with a plan to not let her know that she's the only one in danger. Vince interrupts her date and takes her with him. Vince has a secreted location he is taking Harper. They arrive in Sycamore Mountain overnight and make their way to his cabin. They have a light breakfast then start to head to bed, but Harper asks him why he has a problem with her. Harper tells him if she would have known he would treat her differently when she tried to kiss him on her eighteenth birthday she would have never tried. Vince tells her he doesn't have a problem with her it's the opposite, he's in love with her. Vince explains to her that her brother made him stay away so he could never get close to her. They begin kissing then he carries her to his bed, pleasures her and they make love. They fall asleep and wake up later in the day. They head out on the hiking trails around Sycamore Mountain and have a picnic. When they come back they head into the hot tub and enjoy the fourth of July fireworks. The next morning while Vince wakes early he wants to call her brother to let him know that he's in love with his baby sister. Before he makes the phone call he gets a call from his security team, the person that is after Harper knows their location and will soon be there. Vince goes and finds Harper in the shower and tells her she need to get dressed. Harper can hear the worry in Vince so she doesn't argue. Vince takes Harper to a shelter he had installed in his shed, he tells her to stay there. Vince takes off and Harper watches him on the camera. Soon the power goes out and she is in total darkness. A few minutes go by and the door opens Vince walks in and tells her it's over. They head out and soon her brother arrives and takes Harper back home. Vince stays behind to deal with the police. When Vince gets back home he calls David and tells him they need to talk. Vince heads home showers and changes to head over to David's home. When he arrives he finds Harper and her parents in the living room while David tells Vince if it's about business it can wait until morning. Vince blurts out that he's in love with Harper. David tells Vince he was told to stay away from his sister, but Harper tells him she loves Vince. David lets Vince know that if he ever hurts his baby sister he'll have to deal with him. One year later they Harper does a video to her influencers about how not to miss out on some great opportunities. When she asks her followers if they have any questions it takes her over an hour to answer them. When she is done she hears a familiar voice behind her telling her he has a question. Harper turns to find Vince and he's down on one knee. Vince asks her to marry him and she tells him yes. They head to the kitchen to celebrate but Vince has something else on his mind.

[A-reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

My reviews always contain spoilers, I write them so I can remember the story.

4.25/5 stars

Harper has been in love with her brother’s best friend, Vince since she was a young girl. On her 18th birthday she takes her shot at him and he cruelly shoots her down, heartbroken she stays away from him for ten years. Vince is in love with her too but has been warned away from her by her overprotective brother and best friend David. Vince had a bad boy rep in high school and David didn’t want that around his little sister. But now David doesn’t have a choice, he has been getting death threats on Harper’s life over something involving either his military work or his business. Vince has an excellent security business and he’s in charge of keeping David, his family, and his business safe and protected. Vince is now charged with protecting Harper. He crashes her date with the perfect guy that she has been chatting with, it makes her mad that Vince is crashing her date and that it’s Vince protecting her. But she no dummy, she’s a social media sensation with a huge following and lots of money in her brand and business. She listens to everything Vince tells her to do, sometimes reluctantly. Their chemistry is hot, Harper tries to fight it but Vince is being so sweet and charming it’s throwing her for a loop, he hates her right? They finally talk and she asks why he broke her heart, he tells her her brother was watching them and he had forbidden him from being with her. But the new improved Vince was a respectable man who was worthy of Harper. They give into their attraction and enjoy sexy times. Neither wants to hide their new relationship from David but before they can tell him danger shows up at their safe house. A gun fight and David and Vince’s security team show up to finish the fight. Turns out the bad guy was a business rival and Harper’s perfect date was a fake, the guy was supposed to kidnap her. Vince crashing the date saved her. David takes Harper home and after dealing with the police Vince goes to meet David and his family. He confesses his love for Harper, David’s shocked and a little upset but he comes around quickly and is glad Harper found a good man in Vince. Epilogue one year later with Harper live-streaming on her channel when Vince pops into her office and proposes. She of course says yes for all her followers to see. Bonus downloadable epilogue three years later with a very hot and sexy office scene, I love yous and them happy together.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is part of the Sycamore Mountain series each book reads as a standalone, each book can be read in an hour or so and each book has a sexy guy who is rendered powerless by the girl that stops him in his tracks. Harper is strong, intelligent, a social media influencer, remembers being a young girl crushing on her brother’s best friends and at her eighteenth he embarrassed her breaking her heart in the process but that never stopped him from aggravating her to no end. Vince sexy as all get out retired special ops leader, current head of security for his military brother/best friend, protecting others comes natural to him so when he gets an emergency text from his brother/best friend who happens to be a billionaire he drops everything to ensure his safety and when he gets to his office hearing there has been a threat against his sister that’s another story. Vince have loved Harper since she was sixteen, yet he kept that to himself out of worry for how it would make her overprotective brother, his best friend since he would never hurt him, he has allowed him to think he hates his sister. Her brother get threats daily but whom ever is behind the threats have crossed a line by threating his sister that won’t happen on Vince’s watch so heading out to find his girl which happens to be out on a date and yep you guessed it Vince shows up embarrassing her yet again, she is hot with him but there is a thin line between love and hate and since she is to be kept safe Vince takes her up to his cabin for the holiday weekend. But things don’t go as planned she tries him at every turn, pushing him in a way she has never pushed and all it is doing it driving the excitement level the more time they are together the stronger the magnetic pull between them grow and when they give how will his friend take it, how will her parents take it or will they be able to walk away from it all doubt it since he has loved her since she was sixteen and she has loved him way before she reached sixteen so will they get their very own HEA along with her family’s okay?.

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

[Angie Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elyse Kelly has written a 5-star book. This is the story of Harper and Vince. Harper had feelings for Vince when she was sixteen and she tried to kiss him when she was eighteen but he rejected her. Now ten years later, her brother, David has gotten a death threat against her and he calls Vince to come and help. David tells Vince that Harper needs to leave town until the person can be found. Vince tells him that he has the perfect place to take her. David calls Harper and tells her that she needs to leave town for a few days and she tells him that she has plans and a date for that night. David gets the name of the restaurant she is going to and Vince knows what he has to do. When Vince goes to the restaurant, Harper is not happy to see him and acts like she doesn't know him. Vince finally gets her to leave with him and he takes her home so she can pack. Things are not going the way Harper expects them to go. Vince is being nice to her for once. When they get to his cabin, she says something to him about the way he is acting. She said that she knows that he hates her and she is sorry for having to be there. He tells her that he doesn't hate her and the reason he did what he did all those years ago. They end up telling each other how they feel about the other. They end up sleeping together that night and the next morning they decide to tell her brother about them being together. Vince calls David again and is told that Elliot has found out who sent the threat against Harper and that the guy she went on a date with was working for the guy and knew where they were. Vince doesn't have much time and goes to wake Harper and get her to the safe room.
Will Vince be able to save Harper from the people coming after her?
Will Harper and Vince stay together after telling David about them?
This was a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone.

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

[Laura Carter-Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming In Hot is a standalone in the Sycamore Mountain Series, where years of wanting finally comes to an explosive end in this bodyguard, brother's best friend romance.

Vince Moretti is the sexy Italian who is best friends with Harper’s brother. He is a sexy, retired Special Ops agent and is currently the Head of Security. He is protective of his circle and will do whatever it takes to make sure they are safe. Vince has been in love with Harper since he was sixteen, but out of respect for his best friend, he has kept his distance leading to them believing that he hates her.

When he gets an urgent message from his best friend, he drops everything to ensure he is safe. But he is thrown a curve ball when he realizes it is actually his best friend's little sister that is being threatened. That is when the gloves come off because there is no way in hell that he will let the woman he loves get hurt.

Harper is the best friend’s little sister. is a social media influencer. She is strong, beautiful and sassy as hell. She has been in love with Vincent since they were kids but he never noticed her. Or so she thought. But after he embarrassed her on her eighteenth birthday when he rejected her, she has hated him as much as she loves him. Unknown to Vince when he goes to collect her, she is on a date and when he makes his entrance, it leads to him accidentally embarrassing her again.

To keep her safe, Vince takes her up to his cabin for the weekend, but things don't go as planned. Harper blows hot and cold with him. She pushes his buttons constantly in a way she has never pushed before. Their sexual tension continues to build until their it explodes into fireworks.

But things don't go smoothly as he worries about how they can be together. Will his best friend accept that he is with his little sister? How will her parents take their relationship? Will they accept them being together or will he be forced to walk away?

[Michelle Mastandrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance, danger, and a hotter than hell ex military man who will stop at nothing to protect the girl he loves ...can I just say YES PLEASE!!

This was such a fun and oh so steamy brothers best friend romance! The snarky banter, the chemistry, the sweet and sexy moments...I just loved everything about Vince and Harper!

When Vince discovers that threats have been made against Harper, he'll stop at nothing to ensure her safety. For years he's made her think he's never cared which couldn't be further than the truth....and now that he's protecting her, will he finally tell her the truth after so many lies....

Growing up, Harper was always in love with Vince and on her 18th birthday she finally decided to make her feelings known only to have Vince crush her teenage dreams along with her heart. 10 years later their relationship consists of snippy comments and biting remarks but, her heart still burns for the man she’s always wanted....only now she's beginning to see that Vince has been burning for her just as bad and he's coming in hot for her....

This was another absolutely fantastic read from Elyse that I enjoyed from beginning to end! Get this one on your TBR now because trust me when I say that Vince Moretti is going to make you oh so glad you did! 😉🔥



*I was generously given an ARC copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own *

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeping Her Safe . . .

Harper Scott gets a call from her brother to go into hiding due to a threat against her. So of course she immediately complies… NOT! She first intends to go on a date she had planned with a guy she chatted with online, not knowing her “date” is in on the threat and will plant a tracker on her. Vince Moretti, former special-ops and Harper’s brother David Scott’s best friend, has his cyber-security specialist start tracking the threat while he goes after her and he puts her in what would have been a safe place in his private secured cabin in the mountains. He also decides to let her know that he had left her only because her brother did not want them together. But now, he wants to be with her.

Vince gets a secure call from his cyber-security specialist Elliot, and he puts Harper in an underground safe room. When he hears the bad guys breaking in, Vince goes into action. Will he be able to keep her safe? Will she accept him into her life 10 years after he broke her heart… assuming they survive? And then will he have to face the rest of the Scott family and convince them of his intentions? That confrontation promises to be more difficult than facing the killers he had to go up against!

[CLorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy Elyse Kelly's light hearted romances. However, this story was a bit gritter than stories I have come to expect from her, but just as enjoyable! Vince and Harper have a long and complicated history. He is her tech genius brother's best friend. She had a crush on him and approached him at her 18th birthday party only to be firmly rebuffed. For the next 10 years they have had a strained relationship. He continued to be her brother's best friend, security consultation AND her official enemy. When a credible threat is sent concerning Harper, who better to keep her safe than Vince? Once off the grid, will this feuding pair continue to be enemies or will they give in to the passion that has been simmering for so long? Both Vince and Harper have winning personalities; they are very cute together. This is a well written story with great action scenes and sweet romance, along with a bit of family conflict thrown in.

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

[Sarah Elyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vincent Moretti is Harper’s older brother’s best friend - and the one person she can’t stand. After Vince stomped on her heart on her eighteenth birthday, Harper’s done her best to ignore him. But when she finds herself being threatened, Vince is the one who runs to her rescue. Now they’re stuck in a secluded cabin in the woods, and she’s finding it harder and harder to remember why she hates him.

Okay, so this story was a super cute instalove, best friend’s little sister novella that definitely made me swoon. Vince and Harper’s story was sweet, sexy, and dramatic, and I loved every second of their journey. Harper was bold, sassy, and beautiful, and I loved how she was the only one who had the ability to bring Vince to his knees. And Vince! I thought he was super dreamy, and a force to be reckoned with when it comes to protecting the people he cares about. 5 stars!

[Aliama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harper has been in love with Vince for as long as he’s been best friends with her brother. After breaking her heart when she was eighteen she’s been trying to move on. Vince knew he broke Harper’s heart on her birthday but when your best friend has warned you away from his sister, what’s a guy to do? Now ten years later Vince has been tasked with keeping Harper safe from the death threats against her her brother has received. Vince knows now’s the time to set the record straight and make Harper his. This was a fast paced entertaining read. The chemistry between a Harper and Vince was off the charts and the suspense heightened their feelings and connection. Both were hardworking independent individuals but together they were that much better. This was my first book by this author. It definitely won’t be my last. I received an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[thebeespot72 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Shoot The Shot (brr, brr, brr)...

"Coming In Hot" is a hearty novella -- that is, though it is short, you get a lot. The plot is well-developed. The trope hooks you in with the best friend's sister, forced proximity, BWWM trope. And there are characters that readers will care about.

Harper and Vince grew up together, always crushing on each other -- they don't know, though, and cannot do anything about it. More on Vince's end because he is best friends with Harper's brother and was told to stay away from her. But when Harper receives dangerous threats, Vince, head of security at Harper's brother's company, takes over for protection and more. He's not able to hold back his feelings any longer.

"Coming In Hot" was romantic, spicy, and exciting. Author Elyse Kelly has quickly become one of my favorite go-to authors for a quick spicy, fun read!

[lf · Rating 4 out of 5]

He will keep her safe, but who will keep her safe from him?

Coming In Hot: A Man of the Month Club Novella by Elyse Kelly is part of the multi-author Sycamore Mountain series. The story is about Harper Scott and Vince Moretti. He is her old brother David's best friend and she grew up with a big crush on him. But on her eighteenth birthday he crushed her heart. It is now ten years later and Vince is called by David on an urgent matter. It seems Harper is being threatened and David wants Vince to protect her. This is going to be like putting the fox in charge of the hen house...you just know there are going to be things flying and a lot of squawking.
This was a good book, just not the best I have read by the author. I liked the characters and the chemistry was bubbling over between them.

[Barbara Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable short read forbidden romance.
Vance owns a security company. One of the most important people to him is his best friend David.
David’s younger sister, Harper is threatened and Vance must protect her.
Vance has been in love with Harper for years but David warned him against his sister.
Harper is a social media Influencer and has been in love wjtg her brother’s best friend for years but he broke her heart. Now she is forced to spend time with him as her protector.
Vance is tired of pretending that he doesn’t love Harper and now that he has a chance to be alone with her he intends to make her his.
This is such a sweet forbidden romance. Vance loves his best friend and doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize their relationship but he loves Harper more. Now he just needs to convince David.
I love how over protective Vance is and how sweetly he treats Harper.

[Natasha Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vince and Harper had been in love since she was 16. On her 18th birthday he broke her heart and they had been avoiding each other ever since. Vince loved Harper but she was his best friends little sister and once he’d noticed Vince’s interest in his sister he had warned him away. That’s why he stayed away and acted like he hated her. When Harpers life was in danger, Vince would stop at nothing to keep her safe. Secluded away together Vince knew he couldn’t keep his feelings for Harper a secret anymore. She was his one, the love of his life and he was never letting her go again. Hot, steamy with amazing chemistry, this story had danger, intrigue and a wonderful HEA.

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

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving my review. Vince and Harper have loved each other since she was young. She is the sister of his best friend so he has kept his feelings secret. She has moved on, or so she thinks, until they are staying together on the mountain. Vince is going to have to decide if he can keep walking away from his girl. Years have been wasted and she isn't sure she can do the heartbreak again. Harper had any choices about their relationship pretty much taken out of her hands from the beginning. He'll have to fix what a decade of denial has done. I thought that it was a good romance and fits in well with the Man Of The Month series.

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