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Hightower Honors #4
Sizzling Seduction
Firefighter Patrick Hightower will take any risk in the line of duty. But risking his heart again? That's something he's vowed never to do. He prefers scorching affairs—the briefer, the better—though he might make a temporary exception for smart, sexy teacher Aisha Miller. Only Aisha isn't interested in exploring their instant, searing connection—no matter how much she feels the heat.
Aisha has had enough of dominant men trying to control her life, and the gorgeous firefighter who visits her kindergarten class is alpha male through and through. Yet the gentler side Patrick shows, especially around her young son, gradually melts her reserve. As shadows from Aisha's past resurface, she'll discover just how far Patrick will go to prove she's found her real-life hero.
Aisha has had enough of dominant men trying to control her life, and the gorgeous firefighter who visits her kindergarten class is alpha male through and through. Yet the gentler side Patrick shows, especially around her young son, gradually melts her reserve. As shadows from Aisha's past resurface, she'll discover just how far Patrick will go to prove she's found her real-life hero.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2009
8 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Gwyneth Bolton
13 books66 followersGwyneth Bolton was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. She currently lives in Syracuse, New York with her husband Cedric.
When she was 12-years-old, she became an avid reader of romance by sneaking her mother's stash of Harlequin and Silhouette novels. In the 90s, she was introduced to African American and multicultural romance novels and her life hasn't been the same since.
While she had always been a reader of romance, she didn't feel inspired to write them until the genre opened up to include other voices. And even then, it took finishing graduate school, several non-fiction publications, and a six-week course at the Loft Literary Center titled Writing the Romance Novel; before she gathered the courage to start writing her first romance novel.
Gwyneth has a BA and an MA in English/Creative Writing and a Ph.D. in English/Composition and Rhetoric. She teaches classes in writing and women's studies at the college level.
She has won several awards for her romance novels, including four Emma Awards and the Romance In Color Reviewer's Choice award for new author of the year. When she is not teaching or working on her own African American romance novels, she is curled up with a cup of herbal tea, a warm quilt, and a good book.
When she was 12-years-old, she became an avid reader of romance by sneaking her mother's stash of Harlequin and Silhouette novels. In the 90s, she was introduced to African American and multicultural romance novels and her life hasn't been the same since.
While she had always been a reader of romance, she didn't feel inspired to write them until the genre opened up to include other voices. And even then, it took finishing graduate school, several non-fiction publications, and a six-week course at the Loft Literary Center titled Writing the Romance Novel; before she gathered the courage to start writing her first romance novel.
Gwyneth has a BA and an MA in English/Creative Writing and a Ph.D. in English/Composition and Rhetoric. She teaches classes in writing and women's studies at the college level.
She has won several awards for her romance novels, including four Emma Awards and the Romance In Color Reviewer's Choice award for new author of the year. When she is not teaching or working on her own African American romance novels, she is curled up with a cup of herbal tea, a warm quilt, and a good book.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 18, 2018
Fighting For Love
Aisha Miller was recovering from an abusive marriage and raising her son to the best of her ability. Fire Chief Patrick Hightower noticed Aisha when she brought her kindergarten class by his fire station for a tour. Can two people that's been hurt heal each other's wounds and find true love? Can love conquer all?
Aisha Miller was recovering from an abusive marriage and raising her son to the best of her ability. Fire Chief Patrick Hightower noticed Aisha when she brought her kindergarten class by his fire station for a tour. Can two people that's been hurt heal each other's wounds and find true love? Can love conquer all?
March 3, 2020
Love saved the day
What kind of father did Aisha have that not even her mother tried to protect her from? Thank God for Patrick and his family who showed her what real love is. Love me some Celia and Carla.
What kind of father did Aisha have that not even her mother tried to protect her from? Thank God for Patrick and his family who showed her what real love is. Love me some Celia and Carla.
October 27, 2018
Buttercup
A great story. I loved how all the characters interacted with each other. Loved the family dynamics. Loved the family unity. Great book.😊😊
A great story. I loved how all the characters interacted with each other. Loved the family dynamics. Loved the family unity. Great book.😊😊
June 25, 2019
Loved it!
December 21, 2010
I love the romance genre, and Harlequins have always been proven to be especially ineffable since they're short, sweet, and simple. I'm not too big of a Harlequin Suspense fan, but I do love the very stereotypical "single-mother-meets-handsome-stranger-and-ends-up-marrying-him" ones. They are so realistic and easy to read; it explains why I have so many at home! However, I had never considered trying a Kimani Romance until I picked up a copy of Gwyneth Bolton's Protect and Serve. I read the back cover and immediately, I was hooked! I was excited to hear that it was actually a series, with three more books coming out after it. Sizzling Seduction, the fourth and last installment of Bolton's captivating and sultry series, tells the tale of the last Hightower brother and the love his heart is able to find. I actually did not get a chance to read the second and third books in the series, but the last book still made a wonderful stand-alone novel, and it was great to see some recurring characters (brothers of male protagonist, Patrick). Hope you enjoy Sizzling Seduction by Gwyneth Bolton:
Blurb: Some like it hot...Firefighter Patrick Hightower will take any risk in the line of duty. But risking his heart again? That's something he's vowed never to do. He prefers scorching affairs--the briefer, the better--though he might make a temporary exception for smart, sexy teacher Aisha Miller. Only Aisha isn't interested in exploring their instant, searing connection--no matter how much she feels the heat.
Aisha has had enough of dominant men trying to control her life, and the gorgeous firefighter who visits her kindergarten class is alpha male through and through. Yet the gentler side Patrick shows, especially around her young son, gradually melts her reserve. As shadows from Aisha's past resurface, she'll discover just how far Patrick will go to prove she's found her real-life hero.
Aisha has suffered enough to last a lifetime. Not only did her first marriage end with domestic abuse, but also, she hasn't been able to find a man in a long time -- she doesn't need one. Or does she? She doesn't quite realize how lonely she was until she meets more-than-gorgeous Patrick Hightower, firefighter, at the local station. From the beginning, the attraction is undeniable; even he makes moves on her. But Aisha won't leave her heart open that easily.
The synopsis was really intriguing; I kept the book in my hands and I couldn't put it down because I had to find out what would happen next! Like most Harlequin books, it was a quick, enjoyable read.
There were some things that surprised me though. The end was sort of predictable (your typical happily-ever-after ending), but in between, Aisha's ex-husband showed up. I did not see this coming at all. There was only one scene with him in the entire story, but with the first sentence describing his coldness, Bolton really made me hate him as character.
Also, Aisha's adorable son tugged at my heartstrings way too often. He was so adorable but grew up without a proper dad, so it was really evident how unhappy he was. Bolton sure knows how to catch the emotions of her readers. In the end, I was so happy that Aisha and Patrick got married; solely because her son now had a good father :)
I would totally recommend Sizzling Seduction for anyone who wants to read of variety. The novel was light-hearted and day-to-day paced, but there were some very intense (i.e.: steamy) scenes, and some really sad ones as well. It perfectly described a family fairy-tale, so if you like closing a book with a full, satisfied feeling, I would recommend you read this one.
Radical Rating: 7 hearts- A few flaws here and there, but wouldn’t mind rereading. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Blurb: Some like it hot...Firefighter Patrick Hightower will take any risk in the line of duty. But risking his heart again? That's something he's vowed never to do. He prefers scorching affairs--the briefer, the better--though he might make a temporary exception for smart, sexy teacher Aisha Miller. Only Aisha isn't interested in exploring their instant, searing connection--no matter how much she feels the heat.
Aisha has had enough of dominant men trying to control her life, and the gorgeous firefighter who visits her kindergarten class is alpha male through and through. Yet the gentler side Patrick shows, especially around her young son, gradually melts her reserve. As shadows from Aisha's past resurface, she'll discover just how far Patrick will go to prove she's found her real-life hero.
Aisha has suffered enough to last a lifetime. Not only did her first marriage end with domestic abuse, but also, she hasn't been able to find a man in a long time -- she doesn't need one. Or does she? She doesn't quite realize how lonely she was until she meets more-than-gorgeous Patrick Hightower, firefighter, at the local station. From the beginning, the attraction is undeniable; even he makes moves on her. But Aisha won't leave her heart open that easily.
The synopsis was really intriguing; I kept the book in my hands and I couldn't put it down because I had to find out what would happen next! Like most Harlequin books, it was a quick, enjoyable read.
There were some things that surprised me though. The end was sort of predictable (your typical happily-ever-after ending), but in between, Aisha's ex-husband showed up. I did not see this coming at all. There was only one scene with him in the entire story, but with the first sentence describing his coldness, Bolton really made me hate him as character.
Also, Aisha's adorable son tugged at my heartstrings way too often. He was so adorable but grew up without a proper dad, so it was really evident how unhappy he was. Bolton sure knows how to catch the emotions of her readers. In the end, I was so happy that Aisha and Patrick got married; solely because her son now had a good father :)
I would totally recommend Sizzling Seduction for anyone who wants to read of variety. The novel was light-hearted and day-to-day paced, but there were some very intense (i.e.: steamy) scenes, and some really sad ones as well. It perfectly described a family fairy-tale, so if you like closing a book with a full, satisfied feeling, I would recommend you read this one.
Radical Rating: 7 hearts- A few flaws here and there, but wouldn’t mind rereading. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
November 22, 2020
Sweet..Not Sizzling
In this fourth and final installment of the Hightower brothers stories, we follow the romance of Patrick and Aisha. This was an enjoyable read. The chase and eventual romance of Patrick and Aisha wasn't quite as fulfilling as the other three stories. And the love/sex scenes were not nearly as hot as in the other books. The title is misleading. This book was sweet, not sizzling.
Honestly, the romance felt a little rushed. The weird thing about the "rush" part of this book is that the other three books in this series had romances that moved fast, faster than this one, but they in no way felt rushed. Sizzling Seduction jumped from day, to week, to month, and I was like, "oh...okay, I guess we're moving on." I'm not a fan of that type of storytelling.
Patrick's instant attraction, and then love, for Aisha was sweet. I enjoyed Patrick. And my heart went out to Aisha. I loved that she was a teacher and a single mom. I also loved her desire to hone her culinary skills by continually attempting to recreate dishes she got from cooking shows. It was sweet. Her interactions with her abusive husband and father were heartbreaking.
I enjoyed catching up with the other family members. And it was good to finally have a better understanding of why Aunt Sophie was so awful. Though she still remained horrible, I did feel bad for her.
My rankings for the four Hightower brothers books are as follows:
Number 1 - The Law of Desire (Lawrence and Minerva) third in the series.
Number 2 - Protect and Serve (Jason and Penny) first in the series.
Number 3 - Make it Hot (Joel and Samantha) second in the series
Number 4 - Sizzling Seduction (Patrick and Aisha) fourth in the series.
In this fourth and final installment of the Hightower brothers stories, we follow the romance of Patrick and Aisha. This was an enjoyable read. The chase and eventual romance of Patrick and Aisha wasn't quite as fulfilling as the other three stories. And the love/sex scenes were not nearly as hot as in the other books. The title is misleading. This book was sweet, not sizzling.
Honestly, the romance felt a little rushed. The weird thing about the "rush" part of this book is that the other three books in this series had romances that moved fast, faster than this one, but they in no way felt rushed. Sizzling Seduction jumped from day, to week, to month, and I was like, "oh...okay, I guess we're moving on." I'm not a fan of that type of storytelling.
Patrick's instant attraction, and then love, for Aisha was sweet. I enjoyed Patrick. And my heart went out to Aisha. I loved that she was a teacher and a single mom. I also loved her desire to hone her culinary skills by continually attempting to recreate dishes she got from cooking shows. It was sweet. Her interactions with her abusive husband and father were heartbreaking.
I enjoyed catching up with the other family members. And it was good to finally have a better understanding of why Aunt Sophie was so awful. Though she still remained horrible, I did feel bad for her.
My rankings for the four Hightower brothers books are as follows:
Number 1 - The Law of Desire (Lawrence and Minerva) third in the series.
Number 2 - Protect and Serve (Jason and Penny) first in the series.
Number 3 - Make it Hot (Joel and Samantha) second in the series
Number 4 - Sizzling Seduction (Patrick and Aisha) fourth in the series.
June 21, 2012
I loved every book in this series. So Mr. Patrick Hightower (Mr. Diehard Bachelor) fell like a ton of bricks, when he saw Aisha for the first time. I loved it!!!
I was so sure that when "the one" finally came along, Patrick would fight it until the end. I am glad I was wrong. Patrick accepted immediately that Aisha was different and what he was feeling was worth pursuing.
Aisha fell just as quickly, but she was a lot more reluctant, because of her past relationship with her abusive ex-husband and her father. She made a rule to never allow herself to date or get involved with another man, but Patrick was persistent and unrelenting in his pursuit. Aisha was the single mother of an adorable 10 years old son (Dillon) and I loved the relationship that developed between the three of them. It was natural the way they fell into the role of being a family, before Aisha was ready to admit her feelings.
Of course Aunt Sophie, Celia and Ms Carla were back along with the other family members to add spice to the story.
Carla had me laughing out loud as usual, but the best part was when Celia finally slapped the taste out of Sophie's mouth. I always knew Sophie was jealous, but I never would have guessed the source of that jealousy was unrequited love. I had to read that part twice just to make sure I was understanding, what I was reading correctly. She spent all those years being miserable and making everybody else's life hell, because she was unable to make peace with her true self. Now that is sad!! Although she couldn't be with the one she desired, it's a shame that she refused to live her life to the fullest.
I love the Hightower men and hate that this series is coming to an end, but I definitely can't wait to find out what happens with Maritza and Terrell. Now that's gonna be some drama. This is a must read series!! There are host of memorable characters to keep you entertained.
I was so sure that when "the one" finally came along, Patrick would fight it until the end. I am glad I was wrong. Patrick accepted immediately that Aisha was different and what he was feeling was worth pursuing.
Aisha fell just as quickly, but she was a lot more reluctant, because of her past relationship with her abusive ex-husband and her father. She made a rule to never allow herself to date or get involved with another man, but Patrick was persistent and unrelenting in his pursuit. Aisha was the single mother of an adorable 10 years old son (Dillon) and I loved the relationship that developed between the three of them. It was natural the way they fell into the role of being a family, before Aisha was ready to admit her feelings.
Of course Aunt Sophie, Celia and Ms Carla were back along with the other family members to add spice to the story.
Carla had me laughing out loud as usual, but the best part was when Celia finally slapped the taste out of Sophie's mouth. I always knew Sophie was jealous, but I never would have guessed the source of that jealousy was unrequited love. I had to read that part twice just to make sure I was understanding, what I was reading correctly. She spent all those years being miserable and making everybody else's life hell, because she was unable to make peace with her true self. Now that is sad!! Although she couldn't be with the one she desired, it's a shame that she refused to live her life to the fullest.
I love the Hightower men and hate that this series is coming to an end, but I definitely can't wait to find out what happens with Maritza and Terrell. Now that's gonna be some drama. This is a must read series!! There are host of memorable characters to keep you entertained.
September 15, 2009
I HATE that this is the final installment to Hightower Honors series...but it's quite an ENTERTAINING and HEARTWARMING conclusion...and OH, BOY do I love me some Patrick...he IS THE MAN...in or out of his fireman's uniform...he's DEFINITELY got it going on...and he patiently works his "magic" on Aisha and her son Dillon...they made the PERFECT blended family...I was so glad to see Celia FINALLY give dear ol' Aunt Sopie what she REALLY deserves...once again the full cast of characters are LIVELY and UNFORGETTABLE...I can't wait to read Terrell and Maritza's story...talk about some DRAMA...this series is a MUST read...you will NOT be disappointed!
July 3, 2012
I absolutely loved this book. This book was the start of an incredible journey into Gwyneth Bolton's writing. The storyline was Hot and moving. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately purchased the other books in the series and read them all within a week. Bravo ...
April 8, 2014
Enjoyed the book. They both had crazy exes, but her's was the worst one. Aunt Sophie was definitely a trip. Celia was the epitome of what a woman should be. She was strong in dealing with inlaws that did not care for her.
May 14, 2014
I just loved this series... this was my favorite book but not my Favorite couple.. the would be Joel and Sammie.... if you have not read the series get on it.. You will not be disappointed... Carla... lmao... still...
September 18, 2009
One word... EXCELLENT!!!!!
Read
October 22, 2009Let's just say it was sizzling...
April 10, 2011
I JUST finished this romance. It was sweet, sexy, and filled with family drama. Even the subplots were nail biters. I will not doubt a Kimani Romance again.
April 29, 2012
Wow I loved me some Patrick he is the man who is patient, knows what he wants, and a great father figure to Ashia’s son. Aunt Sophie strikes again. The Hightower series is truly a great read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews