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Jackson: Girls' Night Out #2
Flirting with Disaster
There's no hiding from sizzling chemistry…
Artist Isabelle West has good reasons for preferring a solitary life. Tucked away in a cabin in the woods, she has everything she needs . . . except a red-hot love life. That is, until a hard-bodied U.S. marshal threatens to unearth secrets she's spent years protecting. But giving in to the sparks flying between them can only lead to one thing…disaster.
Tom Duncan lives by the letter of the law. But no one has tempted him—or confused him—more than free-spirited Isabelle, who arouses his suspicion and his desire. As their connection grows, and their nights get hotter, they find their wild attraction might shake everything he stands for—and expose everything she has to hide.
Artist Isabelle West has good reasons for preferring a solitary life. Tucked away in a cabin in the woods, she has everything she needs . . . except a red-hot love life. That is, until a hard-bodied U.S. marshal threatens to unearth secrets she's spent years protecting. But giving in to the sparks flying between them can only lead to one thing…disaster.
Tom Duncan lives by the letter of the law. But no one has tempted him—or confused him—more than free-spirited Isabelle, who arouses his suspicion and his desire. As their connection grows, and their nights get hotter, they find their wild attraction might shake everything he stands for—and expose everything she has to hide.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published January 27, 2015
68 people are currently reading
1916 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Dahl
66 books2,003 followersI have my mother to thank for my passion for writing. My mom is an avid reader of popular fiction, and I began reading highly inappropriate books around the age of eleven, I think. (Thanks, Mom, for always leaving those delicious books strewn about!)
To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.
Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).
Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!
I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!
To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.
Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).
Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!
I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
March 29, 2017
Story-wise this one is a solid 3 stars. I didn't dislike it, but the plot really didn't do much for me one way or the other. Readable without being memorable. In other words, it was average.
Well...yes. Because sometimes average is good enough for a romance novel. At least, it is to me. I'm not normally one to recommend a book that didn't wow me with the plot, though.
However, this little gem has something better than a plot!
It has a grown-ass woman in her mid-thirties who is incredibly confident about sex, her body, and her life in general.
And isn't that just a miracle?!
Well, yes and no. I mean, to be very honest, I feel sexier now (at 41) than I ever did at 25. You young ladies listen up, there's nothing to fear about getting older. In fact, it's pretty fantastic!
I mean, sure, there's a few extra lines and a bit of jiggle in odd places, but every year I've been alive a little bit more of that GiveaFuck mentality that used to tie my stomach in knots just...falls away.
I've got another grey hair?
Damn! Turns out I look foxy with some silver shooting through my locks!
And the sex scenes in this thing? Sizzzzzle!
No, there wasn't anything crazy-kinky happening, but they were HOT! A lot of it had to do with the sheer amount of confidence that oozed off of Isabella. She was that kind of sexy that older women specialize in, and she knew it. No apologies.
Growr!
Another thing this book does well is the interaction between the women. There's too many books that showcase the catty bullshit, so it was nice to see one that focuses on what solid friendships look like.
Like I said, I'm not one to push average stories on anyone, but if you're a mature woman in the market for a romance that doesn't focus on a heroine who still has taut skin? Girl, you gotta check this one out!
Well...yes. Because sometimes average is good enough for a romance novel. At least, it is to me. I'm not normally one to recommend a book that didn't wow me with the plot, though.
However, this little gem has something better than a plot!
It has a grown-ass woman in her mid-thirties who is incredibly confident about sex, her body, and her life in general.
And isn't that just a miracle?!
Well, yes and no. I mean, to be very honest, I feel sexier now (at 41) than I ever did at 25. You young ladies listen up, there's nothing to fear about getting older. In fact, it's pretty fantastic!
I mean, sure, there's a few extra lines and a bit of jiggle in odd places, but every year I've been alive a little bit more of that GiveaFuck mentality that used to tie my stomach in knots just...falls away.
I've got another grey hair?
Damn! Turns out I look foxy with some silver shooting through my locks!
And the sex scenes in this thing? Sizzzzzle!
No, there wasn't anything crazy-kinky happening, but they were HOT! A lot of it had to do with the sheer amount of confidence that oozed off of Isabella. She was that kind of sexy that older women specialize in, and she knew it. No apologies.
Growr!
Another thing this book does well is the interaction between the women. There's too many books that showcase the catty bullshit, so it was nice to see one that focuses on what solid friendships look like.
Like I said, I'm not one to push average stories on anyone, but if you're a mature woman in the market for a romance that doesn't focus on a heroine who still has taut skin? Girl, you gotta check this one out!
December 24, 2017
3.5/5
This one wasn’t totally what I expected, but I enjoyed it for the most part. I can tell you that my interest was immediately piqued when I read this book’s blurb. It sounded very promising so I thought, why not? And after finishing it, I found the plot even more complex than I initially thought. Victoria Dahl has the unique ability to combine elements of romance, drama, and humor into a compelling love story!
The romance part was well-written. The sexual tension between the main couple was palpable and intense. Even so, I don’t think I can confidently say that the sex scenes were all mind-blowing. Some were good, of course, but the rest was just mediocre.
And about the main characters…I absolutely loved Tom. He was endearing in his own way and he was a very good man.
But Isabelle... I don't know. I didn't like her but didn't hate her either. Frankly, she didn’t do anything that really ticked me off, nor did she make me feel negatively toward her. She made me feel nothing in lieu. I don’t know why I felt indifferent toward her, but well, it happened.
The supporting characters in this book were awesome and together they helped make the story engaging and readable to the end.
All in all, this was a lovely and sexy older woman/younger man romance read. If you’re fond of this trope, then you’ll definitely enjoy this one!
This one wasn’t totally what I expected, but I enjoyed it for the most part. I can tell you that my interest was immediately piqued when I read this book’s blurb. It sounded very promising so I thought, why not? And after finishing it, I found the plot even more complex than I initially thought. Victoria Dahl has the unique ability to combine elements of romance, drama, and humor into a compelling love story!
The romance part was well-written. The sexual tension between the main couple was palpable and intense. Even so, I don’t think I can confidently say that the sex scenes were all mind-blowing. Some were good, of course, but the rest was just mediocre.
And about the main characters…I absolutely loved Tom. He was endearing in his own way and he was a very good man.
But Isabelle... I don't know. I didn't like her but didn't hate her either. Frankly, she didn’t do anything that really ticked me off, nor did she make me feel negatively toward her. She made me feel nothing in lieu. I don’t know why I felt indifferent toward her, but well, it happened.
The supporting characters in this book were awesome and together they helped make the story engaging and readable to the end.
All in all, this was a lovely and sexy older woman/younger man romance read. If you’re fond of this trope, then you’ll definitely enjoy this one!
September 25, 2015
She didn't love Tom, either. She hadn't known him long enough to love him, and it was impossible anyway. But there was something there. Some comfort and maybe even trust.
Isabelle is hiding in a cabin in the woods. No, this has nothing to do with Joss Whedon. She's escaping from her past and living in secret.
Tom is a U.S. Marshal who takes an interest in Isabelle. Will he fuck everything up for her in his misguided desire to "help" her?
...
OKAY. I have some problems with this novel.
What, BDSM again?
No, although remind me to talk to you about the sex.
Tom was what was annoying me about this novel. He's a U.S. Marshal and he notices Isabelle is very squirrelly when he talks to her on a routine investigation. He then arbitrarily decides that "she's in trouble" and he has to "help" her - so as a result he's having sex with her while investigating her and trying to get her to tell him her secrets.
Even though Tom was trying to be a knight in shining armor and save the damsel in distress, it's clear what he's doing is fucking up Isabelle's life for no reason. Then the shit hits the fan, and it's completely his fault.
I was annoyed and exasperated with him for the entire book. I don't know if I would have been able to forgive him the way Isabelle does.
FEMALE-POSITIVE
Dahl is such a feminist and female-positive writer. I should have mentioned this earlier, but since her and I don't see eye-to-eye on men and on sex, this flew under the radar in my first two reviews, but I'm mentioning it now.
She always writes about women who seize their sexuality, take their orgasms (as opposed to just waiting for a man to give them one), and are comfortable with their bodies and with sex.
But Isabelle had discovered that freedom was the best thing about getting older.
She'd felt a touch of it when she turned thirty. She'd suddenly felt less like a big kid blindly feeling her way through the world and more like an adult. Then at thirty-five she'd realized she was at that age when so many women really started to worry. That they were too old now. That they hadn't married or had children. That this was their LAST CHANCE to really live.
Isabelle didn't feel as though this was her last chance. She felt as though she was finally free. Capable. Happy with herself. Comfortable with her body. And allowed to say anything she wanted to out loud, even if it made a grown man blush. Maybe especially if it did.
She loved it. She couldn't wait to be forty. She was going to own that shit. And then at fifty, when strangers would stop hinting that it was time to settle down and have some babies, and just start looking at her with pity? That would be glorious.
It's rare that I read this kind of stuff in romance novels.
"It's really hard for a woman to like sex."
"Because guys are terrible at it?"
"No," she laughed. "Even aside from that. We're taught from day one that we're supposed to resist it. That we'll eventually be talked into it. That we don't want it as much, and we definitely don't need it. Not like boys do. I believed that. So much that I wasn't the least concerned that I'd never had an orgasm. Because lots of women don't."
He nodded.
"Can you imagine that? I mean REALLY. Think about that. What if you had sex your whole life and never came?"
Tom frowned. "That's awful."
"It is awful!" she shouted, laughing again. "And that was almost my life! But then I figured out how much I liked sex and exactly how I liked it... Jesus, that's even more confusing. To be a woman and like sex. To want things just as much as the man does and still be treated as if you've given in and given something away. It's no wonder women hit their sexual peak later in life. It takes decades to find the confidence to have good sex."
Tom was frowning harder now. "How so?"
She shook her head. "Some men can make it hard to feel good about it afterward, no matter how much you liked it. Men say things like, "I got some" or "She put out," or whatever that dialogue is. Girls are stupid cows giving the milk away for free. And suddenly you feel like you were conquered."
This is a great thing to put in a romance novel, and I really like it. It also has the benefit of being true - I can't even tell you how many women I know who have sex but never orgasm. It's very sad, it makes me very sad. Some of these women are my good friends, but they never take my advice to either a.) dump their boyfriends or b.) tell their boyfriends what they want and need in bed. They are too afraid. :( Also, tons of women don't even know what they want and/or need in bed because they've been taught that masturbation is dirty and nasty and therefore never touch themselves. This doesn't help matters. No man is making them come and they can't even make themselves come. It's a sick society we live in, for sure. Still even today we have to deal with this "sex is filthy, good girls don't do that" shit.
ANYWAY, don't get me started. I'll rant all day and night if you let me.
My point is, that Dahl is great at putting feminist and very female-positive stuff in her books. Not just this one, in the others I've read, too.
HIGHLIGHTS
Dahl is funny and makes me laugh. There's an absolutely priceless scene where Tom discovers what Isabelle does for a living and it's HILARIOUS. I was laughing and laughing.
And there's a black lesbian side character in this . Extra points. And Dahl is just like, "She is a black woman and a lesbian." Not like, "her mocha skin blah blah blah" which would have had me retching. Thank you SO MUCH for not doing food/skin comparisons, Dahl. Extra points.
How's the sex, Carmen?
Oh, thank you for reminding me to talk about this.
Dahl is good at writing sex. Her being good at writing sex is not the problem. Actually, I thought the sex in this novel was mostly good.
So... what's the problem? Spill.
Sigh.
Okay, all the sex scenes were great, except at the end,
Besides that sex scene, the sex was good. I can't say "great" because I really feel like there's a disconnect between what Dahl considers good sex and what I consider good sex. For instance, she just kind of pities or sneers at men who are kind and gentle in bed. For example, Lauren's love, Jake (from Fanning the Flames) is kind of teased and condescended to because he is good-natured and sweet. I like good-natured and sweet. But Dahl seems to promote the idea of "If you're not getting fucked hard and rough, you're not really happy or satisfied. If a man is gentle and sweet with you in bed, he's misguided and cute, but not able to give you orgasms or make you truly happy." And I disagree with that idea.
All her heroines really enjoy and engage in fucking. Don't get me wrong, fucking is great! Sex that is fast or a bit rough or a bit forceful definitely has its advantages and its uses. I'm not against fucking. But making love and doing things sweet and slow is ALSO great. And also sexy. That's not really portrayed here. Dahl doesn't think making love is sexy. Only fucking. I get the message Dahl is trying to impart - "Seize your sexuality! Take what you want in bed!" - but I mean, what if what you want is something a little more sweet and slow-moving? You're SOL, and must turn to a different author to get that kind of book.
Also, as a side note, there is hand-gagging (during sex) in this book. That's not a problem for me (obviously it's consensual etc.) but it might bother some readers, so I'm mentioning this in case that bothers you.
...
Tl;dr - Tom was annoying me. I couldn't believe he was so misguided in his attempts to "help" Isabelle when she clearly didn't want or need his help.
Also, while Dahl is a good sex-writer, we seem to be a bit at odds with our views on sex. So I can't say she's my favorite sex-scene writer.
But I loved Dahl's female-positive messages that are not only present in this book, but other books of hers that I've read.
This is a good book with an engaging storyline and believable characters.
THREE REAL STARS, THREE ROMANCE STARS
P.S. Isabelle is also an introvert.
"But I can't. Too much work." That wasn't exactly true, but Lauren probably understood that Isabelle had reached her limit of socializing for the week. She needed time to not speak to anyone for a while. Except Tom. That she could handle, but only because it led to other forms of relaxation.
That's kind of unique and interesting to see in a romance novel.
Isabelle is hiding in a cabin in the woods. No, this has nothing to do with Joss Whedon. She's escaping from her past and living in secret.
Tom is a U.S. Marshal who takes an interest in Isabelle. Will he fuck everything up for her in his misguided desire to "help" her?
...
OKAY. I have some problems with this novel.
What, BDSM again?
No, although remind me to talk to you about the sex.
Tom was what was annoying me about this novel. He's a U.S. Marshal and he notices Isabelle is very squirrelly when he talks to her on a routine investigation. He then arbitrarily decides that "she's in trouble" and he has to "help" her - so as a result he's having sex with her while investigating her and trying to get her to tell him her secrets.
Even though Tom was trying to be a knight in shining armor and save the damsel in distress, it's clear what he's doing is fucking up Isabelle's life for no reason. Then the shit hits the fan, and it's completely his fault.
I was annoyed and exasperated with him for the entire book. I don't know if I would have been able to forgive him the way Isabelle does.
FEMALE-POSITIVE
Dahl is such a feminist and female-positive writer. I should have mentioned this earlier, but since her and I don't see eye-to-eye on men and on sex, this flew under the radar in my first two reviews, but I'm mentioning it now.
She always writes about women who seize their sexuality, take their orgasms (as opposed to just waiting for a man to give them one), and are comfortable with their bodies and with sex.
But Isabelle had discovered that freedom was the best thing about getting older.
She'd felt a touch of it when she turned thirty. She'd suddenly felt less like a big kid blindly feeling her way through the world and more like an adult. Then at thirty-five she'd realized she was at that age when so many women really started to worry. That they were too old now. That they hadn't married or had children. That this was their LAST CHANCE to really live.
Isabelle didn't feel as though this was her last chance. She felt as though she was finally free. Capable. Happy with herself. Comfortable with her body. And allowed to say anything she wanted to out loud, even if it made a grown man blush. Maybe especially if it did.
She loved it. She couldn't wait to be forty. She was going to own that shit. And then at fifty, when strangers would stop hinting that it was time to settle down and have some babies, and just start looking at her with pity? That would be glorious.
It's rare that I read this kind of stuff in romance novels.
"It's really hard for a woman to like sex."
"Because guys are terrible at it?"
"No," she laughed. "Even aside from that. We're taught from day one that we're supposed to resist it. That we'll eventually be talked into it. That we don't want it as much, and we definitely don't need it. Not like boys do. I believed that. So much that I wasn't the least concerned that I'd never had an orgasm. Because lots of women don't."
He nodded.
"Can you imagine that? I mean REALLY. Think about that. What if you had sex your whole life and never came?"
Tom frowned. "That's awful."
"It is awful!" she shouted, laughing again. "And that was almost my life! But then I figured out how much I liked sex and exactly how I liked it... Jesus, that's even more confusing. To be a woman and like sex. To want things just as much as the man does and still be treated as if you've given in and given something away. It's no wonder women hit their sexual peak later in life. It takes decades to find the confidence to have good sex."
Tom was frowning harder now. "How so?"
She shook her head. "Some men can make it hard to feel good about it afterward, no matter how much you liked it. Men say things like, "I got some" or "She put out," or whatever that dialogue is. Girls are stupid cows giving the milk away for free. And suddenly you feel like you were conquered."
This is a great thing to put in a romance novel, and I really like it. It also has the benefit of being true - I can't even tell you how many women I know who have sex but never orgasm. It's very sad, it makes me very sad. Some of these women are my good friends, but they never take my advice to either a.) dump their boyfriends or b.) tell their boyfriends what they want and need in bed. They are too afraid. :( Also, tons of women don't even know what they want and/or need in bed because they've been taught that masturbation is dirty and nasty and therefore never touch themselves. This doesn't help matters. No man is making them come and they can't even make themselves come. It's a sick society we live in, for sure. Still even today we have to deal with this "sex is filthy, good girls don't do that" shit.
ANYWAY, don't get me started. I'll rant all day and night if you let me.
My point is, that Dahl is great at putting feminist and very female-positive stuff in her books. Not just this one, in the others I've read, too.
HIGHLIGHTS
Dahl is funny and makes me laugh. There's an absolutely priceless scene where Tom discovers what Isabelle does for a living and it's HILARIOUS. I was laughing and laughing.
And there's a black lesbian side character in this . Extra points. And Dahl is just like, "She is a black woman and a lesbian." Not like, "her mocha skin blah blah blah" which would have had me retching. Thank you SO MUCH for not doing food/skin comparisons, Dahl. Extra points.
How's the sex, Carmen?
Oh, thank you for reminding me to talk about this.
Dahl is good at writing sex. Her being good at writing sex is not the problem. Actually, I thought the sex in this novel was mostly good.
So... what's the problem? Spill.
Sigh.
Okay, all the sex scenes were great, except at the end,
Besides that sex scene, the sex was good. I can't say "great" because I really feel like there's a disconnect between what Dahl considers good sex and what I consider good sex. For instance, she just kind of pities or sneers at men who are kind and gentle in bed. For example, Lauren's love, Jake (from Fanning the Flames) is kind of teased and condescended to because he is good-natured and sweet. I like good-natured and sweet. But Dahl seems to promote the idea of "If you're not getting fucked hard and rough, you're not really happy or satisfied. If a man is gentle and sweet with you in bed, he's misguided and cute, but not able to give you orgasms or make you truly happy." And I disagree with that idea.
All her heroines really enjoy and engage in fucking. Don't get me wrong, fucking is great! Sex that is fast or a bit rough or a bit forceful definitely has its advantages and its uses. I'm not against fucking. But making love and doing things sweet and slow is ALSO great. And also sexy. That's not really portrayed here. Dahl doesn't think making love is sexy. Only fucking. I get the message Dahl is trying to impart - "Seize your sexuality! Take what you want in bed!" - but I mean, what if what you want is something a little more sweet and slow-moving? You're SOL, and must turn to a different author to get that kind of book.
Also, as a side note, there is hand-gagging (during sex) in this book. That's not a problem for me (obviously it's consensual etc.) but it might bother some readers, so I'm mentioning this in case that bothers you.
...
Tl;dr - Tom was annoying me. I couldn't believe he was so misguided in his attempts to "help" Isabelle when she clearly didn't want or need his help.
Also, while Dahl is a good sex-writer, we seem to be a bit at odds with our views on sex. So I can't say she's my favorite sex-scene writer.
But I loved Dahl's female-positive messages that are not only present in this book, but other books of hers that I've read.
This is a good book with an engaging storyline and believable characters.
THREE REAL STARS, THREE ROMANCE STARS
P.S. Isabelle is also an introvert.
"But I can't. Too much work." That wasn't exactly true, but Lauren probably understood that Isabelle had reached her limit of socializing for the week. She needed time to not speak to anyone for a while. Except Tom. That she could handle, but only because it led to other forms of relaxation.
That's kind of unique and interesting to see in a romance novel.
August 11, 2015
3.5 Stars
I love Victoria Dahl's writing. Her heroines are just the right dose of assertive and her heroes are always just the right dose of sexy and sweet. The set up for Flirting With Disaster sounded absolutely fabulous, and while I enjoyed it for the most part, it also failed to really fully grab me.
Isabelle West was a difficult heroine for me to truly warm up to at first. Being the loner that she is and comes off to be, it's hard to imagine ever liking her. However, as the author began to peel the layers to get down tot he true reason for her solitary ways, she begins to grow on you. I also appreciate a heroine that owns her sexuality and knows what she likes and never feels bad about it. This is a woman that's just find with pleasure for the sake of pleasure. She doesn't overthink it and she doesn't look down on herself for it. It's difficult to find in today's mainstream romance and I really enjoyed that aspect of Isabelle's personality.
U.S. Marshall Tom Duncan is a hero that you'll fall for right away. This is not a manwhore or player or asshole. Which is just another thing to appreciate about Dahl's heroes. They have this realness quality to them. There's no overdose of angst or back and forth. The conflict in this story comes from the past that Isabelle is hiding that may now be coming back to haunt her and Tom's determination to find out what it is and help her through it.
Flirting With Disaster was a lovely slow build kind of romance with a dose of suspense. Unfortunately it just didn't grab me as much as the previous 2 books in this series have. I found myself losing interest and easily setting the book down several times. As a result this dragged a little and it took me considerably longer to finish that it normally would. I found the addiction of the other secondary characters to be slightly distracting considering nothing ever really came from their presence in the story, if that makes sense.
A good addition to the series, but not my favorite. I'm certainly looking forward to the next one since I enjoy this series and the set up for Veronica's book sounds pretty damn delicious.
ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
I love Victoria Dahl's writing. Her heroines are just the right dose of assertive and her heroes are always just the right dose of sexy and sweet. The set up for Flirting With Disaster sounded absolutely fabulous, and while I enjoyed it for the most part, it also failed to really fully grab me.
Isabelle West was a difficult heroine for me to truly warm up to at first. Being the loner that she is and comes off to be, it's hard to imagine ever liking her. However, as the author began to peel the layers to get down tot he true reason for her solitary ways, she begins to grow on you. I also appreciate a heroine that owns her sexuality and knows what she likes and never feels bad about it. This is a woman that's just find with pleasure for the sake of pleasure. She doesn't overthink it and she doesn't look down on herself for it. It's difficult to find in today's mainstream romance and I really enjoyed that aspect of Isabelle's personality.
U.S. Marshall Tom Duncan is a hero that you'll fall for right away. This is not a manwhore or player or asshole. Which is just another thing to appreciate about Dahl's heroes. They have this realness quality to them. There's no overdose of angst or back and forth. The conflict in this story comes from the past that Isabelle is hiding that may now be coming back to haunt her and Tom's determination to find out what it is and help her through it.
Flirting With Disaster was a lovely slow build kind of romance with a dose of suspense. Unfortunately it just didn't grab me as much as the previous 2 books in this series have. I found myself losing interest and easily setting the book down several times. As a result this dragged a little and it took me considerably longer to finish that it normally would. I found the addiction of the other secondary characters to be slightly distracting considering nothing ever really came from their presence in the story, if that makes sense.
A good addition to the series, but not my favorite. I'm certainly looking forward to the next one since I enjoy this series and the set up for Veronica's book sounds pretty damn delicious.
ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
February 2, 2015
Wow, this one was quite enjoyable and I didn't have any real issues with the hero and heroine like I did with the previous book (Looking for Trouble).
Free-spirited artist Isabelle West was feisty and endearing and I loved how she (eventually, after a hostile first meeting) teased and flirted with by-the-book Deputy U.S. Marshal Tom Duncan while trying to protect the big secret she had in her life. Isabelle had some big trust issues (especially with members of the law); Getting close to Tom (who was in Jackson Hole to protect a federal judge) was dangerous but the poor girl couldn't help herself! Tom was serious and reserved (he even blushed when faced with naughty talk!) but get him in the bedroom and he was a tiger.:) Once these two got together they really set the sheets on fire! But then curious Tom (who sensed that Isabelle was hiding something) discovered part of her secret, and that put him in a tough spot. Does he protect the woman he cares about, or does he do his duty? Or is there a way to do both?
Tom...a sucker for a damsel in distress
This book had plenty of character development, a nice RS subplot to go with the scorching romance scenes, and was quick paced. I liked quirky Isabelle and adored Tom (gotta love a blushing hero). I enjoyed catching up with Isabelle's friends (Lauren, Sophie, and a new friend, the judge's daughter, Veronica--soon to have her own story (Taking the Heat). I enjoy Miss Dahl's writing style--love the touches of humor and the details she provides. Her books always have pretty hot love scenes too, to go along with the well thought out plots. This one kept me turning the pages, wondering how Isabelle and Tom could get their HEA with her big secret between them. I was happy to see how it was all resolved, and hope we see this couple again in the next book. 4 1/2 stars
*ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
Free-spirited artist Isabelle West was feisty and endearing and I loved how she (eventually, after a hostile first meeting) teased and flirted with by-the-book Deputy U.S. Marshal Tom Duncan while trying to protect the big secret she had in her life. Isabelle had some big trust issues (especially with members of the law); Getting close to Tom (who was in Jackson Hole to protect a federal judge) was dangerous but the poor girl couldn't help herself! Tom was serious and reserved (he even blushed when faced with naughty talk!) but get him in the bedroom and he was a tiger.:) Once these two got together they really set the sheets on fire! But then curious Tom (who sensed that Isabelle was hiding something) discovered part of her secret, and that put him in a tough spot. Does he protect the woman he cares about, or does he do his duty? Or is there a way to do both?
Tom...a sucker for a damsel in distress
This book had plenty of character development, a nice RS subplot to go with the scorching romance scenes, and was quick paced. I liked quirky Isabelle and adored Tom (gotta love a blushing hero). I enjoyed catching up with Isabelle's friends (Lauren, Sophie, and a new friend, the judge's daughter, Veronica--soon to have her own story (Taking the Heat). I enjoy Miss Dahl's writing style--love the touches of humor and the details she provides. Her books always have pretty hot love scenes too, to go along with the well thought out plots. This one kept me turning the pages, wondering how Isabelle and Tom could get their HEA with her big secret between them. I was happy to see how it was all resolved, and hope we see this couple again in the next book. 4 1/2 stars
*ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
October 25, 2018
3.5 stars
My favorite in the series. It was so entertaining, I loved the MCs, both were great. She was a sexy fugitive, strong and confident. The hero was a decent guy, caring and a bit shy. She chased him shamelessly, and I loved it. Their reactions and decisions about everything made sense. I liked the aspect of a hero trying to reveal the mystery of a woman he is into, and the book delivered.
My favorite in the series. It was so entertaining, I loved the MCs, both were great. She was a sexy fugitive, strong and confident. The hero was a decent guy, caring and a bit shy. She chased him shamelessly, and I loved it. Their reactions and decisions about everything made sense. I liked the aspect of a hero trying to reveal the mystery of a woman he is into, and the book delivered.
January 22, 2015
****Full Review****
3.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
When U.S. Marshall Tom goes door to door alerting people to the Marshall's presence in the neighborhood for the next couple weeks as they protect a judge presiding over a case, he meets a very standoffish woman. His Marshall senses start to go off and he suspects the woman is trying to hide something so he decides to do a little more digging. Isabelle hates cops and what the Marshall presence could mean to her safety, she's not who she has been portraying to be but her lies is the only thing keeping her alive. As Tom and Isabelle get closer, lies and danger swirl around them and only trusting one another will keep them alive.
Isabelle is a very prickly character who some might have a problem with warming up to right away but her strength and confidence will have readers pulling for her to let Tom in. As always, Dahl does a masterful job at writing a thirty plus woman who has grown to claim herself and her sexuality; there is something freeing, uplifting, and deeply satisfying when reading a Dahl heroine. Tom is a soothing balm to the over abundance of excessively alpha males, he may hold a hand over Isabelle's mouth while they have sex so her friends don't hear but when she brings it up the next day he is going to blush. He is a strongly take charge guy with an adorably intimidated and slightly embarrassed side to how straight forward Isabelle can be at times. It is easy to see why they are attracted and how they bring out the best in each other.
Flirting with Disaster is the third in the series but with just a few appearances by the heroines from the previous books, it definitely works as a standalone. The lust between Tom and Isabelle gets rolling right away and while Tom's Marshall assignment of protecting a judge sidetracks the main relationship at times, it works as a credible device for the original reason to keep our couple together. Isabelle's past and how it leads to her false identity and why she is hiding out could have been the star of the show on its own; the story felt crowded with Tom's job issues too. The drama, mystery, and danger were interesting but with secondary characters, that had to be mentioned but were just blips on the radar to readers, there were too many cooks in the kitchen. In the end, it all together got a bit unwieldy at times but ultimately came together.
While I think this is the weakest in the series so far, it is still a solid addition. If you're tired of New Adult and want the wonderful experience of reading about an adult woman who knows her own mind and is comfortable with her own body (and in this case don't forget about the cute, charmingly sexy hero Tom) then this book and series is a must for you to pick up.
3.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
When U.S. Marshall Tom goes door to door alerting people to the Marshall's presence in the neighborhood for the next couple weeks as they protect a judge presiding over a case, he meets a very standoffish woman. His Marshall senses start to go off and he suspects the woman is trying to hide something so he decides to do a little more digging. Isabelle hates cops and what the Marshall presence could mean to her safety, she's not who she has been portraying to be but her lies is the only thing keeping her alive. As Tom and Isabelle get closer, lies and danger swirl around them and only trusting one another will keep them alive.
Isabelle is a very prickly character who some might have a problem with warming up to right away but her strength and confidence will have readers pulling for her to let Tom in. As always, Dahl does a masterful job at writing a thirty plus woman who has grown to claim herself and her sexuality; there is something freeing, uplifting, and deeply satisfying when reading a Dahl heroine. Tom is a soothing balm to the over abundance of excessively alpha males, he may hold a hand over Isabelle's mouth while they have sex so her friends don't hear but when she brings it up the next day he is going to blush. He is a strongly take charge guy with an adorably intimidated and slightly embarrassed side to how straight forward Isabelle can be at times. It is easy to see why they are attracted and how they bring out the best in each other.
Flirting with Disaster is the third in the series but with just a few appearances by the heroines from the previous books, it definitely works as a standalone. The lust between Tom and Isabelle gets rolling right away and while Tom's Marshall assignment of protecting a judge sidetracks the main relationship at times, it works as a credible device for the original reason to keep our couple together. Isabelle's past and how it leads to her false identity and why she is hiding out could have been the star of the show on its own; the story felt crowded with Tom's job issues too. The drama, mystery, and danger were interesting but with secondary characters, that had to be mentioned but were just blips on the radar to readers, there were too many cooks in the kitchen. In the end, it all together got a bit unwieldy at times but ultimately came together.
While I think this is the weakest in the series so far, it is still a solid addition. If you're tired of New Adult and want the wonderful experience of reading about an adult woman who knows her own mind and is comfortable with her own body (and in this case don't forget about the cute, charmingly sexy hero Tom) then this book and series is a must for you to pick up.
December 26, 2014
3.5 When is a Lie a Lie Stars * * * 1/2
If you are a lover of contemporary romance, then you are probably familiar with Victoria Dahl. She was one of the first transitions from Historical to Contemporary Romance for me. Her trademark, in my mind, is casual, sassy reading... meaning it can be read in one sitting or you can break it up and nothing will be lost.
This book stayed with her trademark; sexy, hot times, some intrigue and a couple who would end up together by working through whatever they had to...
Throw in some strong secondary characters, a location with a personality of its own and you have a solid Dahl read.
This is not my favorite Dahl but it has some very well written moments and questions about trust. It also has the set up for her next installment... and I am always happy with another Dahl adventure.
A gifted copy was provided by Harlequin through NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
If you are a lover of contemporary romance, then you are probably familiar with Victoria Dahl. She was one of the first transitions from Historical to Contemporary Romance for me. Her trademark, in my mind, is casual, sassy reading... meaning it can be read in one sitting or you can break it up and nothing will be lost.
This book stayed with her trademark; sexy, hot times, some intrigue and a couple who would end up together by working through whatever they had to...
Throw in some strong secondary characters, a location with a personality of its own and you have a solid Dahl read.
This is not my favorite Dahl but it has some very well written moments and questions about trust. It also has the set up for her next installment... and I am always happy with another Dahl adventure.
A gifted copy was provided by Harlequin through NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
March 24, 2015
I have never been a fan of the insta lust scenarios.
The hero came into town for a job and after crossing paths with the heroine a few times they slept together. And 10 minutes after the sex, she finally remembered to ask him if he had a wife/fiancé/girlfriend back home. Insert "rolling eyes while thunking head on desk" emoji here.
That was the moment I started flipping through the pages just for the heck of it. And a few pages towards the end they declared their I love you-s. So that all was tide and tidy.
Not feeling the lurve, 3 Stars.
The hero came into town for a job and after crossing paths with the heroine a few times they slept together. And 10 minutes after the sex, she finally remembered to ask him if he had a wife/fiancé/girlfriend back home. Insert "rolling eyes while thunking head on desk" emoji here.
That was the moment I started flipping through the pages just for the heck of it. And a few pages towards the end they declared their I love you-s. So that all was tide and tidy.
Not feeling the lurve, 3 Stars.
January 26, 2015
Sexy, hot, including great characters, mystery and a lot of romance.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
May 14, 2021
Omg, I've had this book on my TBR list for the longest time since 2017. I was curious about this couple after reading "Taking the Heat", which is the book that comes after this one in the series. "Taking the Heat" also has the special distinction of being one of the first adult romances I read. Then I read a preview of this book on my phone's Google Books app (ahh loved that app...not sure what happened to it) & enjoyed it and was curious about the whole mystery--what Isabelle's running away from, does she have a fake name/identity, etc.
So I had two flights back home so I started reading this the night before and then continued reading it on the plane flights...it definitely helped pass the time.
Isabelle is an anatomical painter (an interesting profession btw) living in a small town in Wyoming. She's on the run/in hiding from her past, so when hot U.S. Deputy Marshal Tom Duncan shows up, she's instantly suspicious and concerned. However, they're attracted to each other, and so Isabelle flirts with disaster as the title says, lol.
Isabelle is 36 & Tom 42, which I found nice and unusual because most romance books I read have the heroine as anywhere from 18-25 and the hero usually under 35. So if you're looking for a romance novel with an older couple, you found one. I also read too many books that happen to have a virgin heroine, so this was nice too. Isabelle is really comfortable with her body and sexuality, and the book definitely has some feminist undertones with that. She even showed Tom her nude portrait right before they slept with each other & he saw her naked (I was like 🙄🙄🤭, shouldn't you wait until after he sees you naked? Because there was no guarantee there that he was interested & that they were going to sleep together. It would be like someone showing their nude portrait to someone they just met 😂😂 a little strange and uncomfortable. Also, why spoil how you look naked?! 😂) In her nude portrait, she even painted all her little imperfections & I liked how Victoria Dahl didn't have the heroine have a perfect body or anything (unlike all those old bodice rippers...Jesus Christ, Kathleen Woodiwiss I am looking at you); Isabelle had a few stretch marks on one of her boobs, which would make sense since she had a D cup and was 36.
Tom was handsome and you would think with his profession he might be really alpha, but he wasn't. He was blushing at the mention of "Internet porn" and other things, which I thought was a little weird...then I was like wait, he isn't a virgin, is he? (He wasn't so I'm not sure why he was blushing so much lol.) Also, Tom mentioned not wanting to have kids to Isabelle and she asked why, but he never answered, which I thought was odd. I thought it was going to be revealed later on, but it never was. I was thinking maybe he couldn't have kids. I've read one or two books lately where the hero was infertile.
The whole conflict and info about Tom's career as a marshal seemed pretty accurate and I was wondering if the author had done some research beforehand. I didn't totally understand what had happened with Isabelle's father, but those things are hard to explain well, and it didn't really matter as I had understood enough, so I was okay with it. I was really wondering how Tom and Isabelle were going to get a HEA. The book has a HEA but it seemed like more of an HFN; Tom is eligible to retire in a year (that however didn't fit the information I looked up online about federal deputy marshals) and plans to move and live with Isabel and she can build a studio outside of her house, so they could live together. However, we don't know if they ever get married or have kids. I mean maybe in the next book, but I don't feel like rereading Book 3 just to find that out lol.
The sex scenes were also well written. This book isn't exactly a romantic suspense but it has elements of one, so I'm tagging it as such. I'm not sure but maybe sometime, if I clear out more of my shelves, I'll read the other books in this series!
Surprised Harlequin published this because it didn't read like a Harlequin at all. Straight contemporary (as in no mafia, etc.) has the potential to be boring, but this had an interesting plot with both Isabelle's past & Tom's Duncan. Can I say?
So I had two flights back home so I started reading this the night before and then continued reading it on the plane flights...it definitely helped pass the time.
Isabelle is an anatomical painter (an interesting profession btw) living in a small town in Wyoming. She's on the run/in hiding from her past, so when hot U.S. Deputy Marshal Tom Duncan shows up, she's instantly suspicious and concerned. However, they're attracted to each other, and so Isabelle flirts with disaster as the title says, lol.
Isabelle is 36 & Tom 42, which I found nice and unusual because most romance books I read have the heroine as anywhere from 18-25 and the hero usually under 35. So if you're looking for a romance novel with an older couple, you found one. I also read too many books that happen to have a virgin heroine, so this was nice too. Isabelle is really comfortable with her body and sexuality, and the book definitely has some feminist undertones with that. She even showed Tom her nude portrait right before they slept with each other & he saw her naked (I was like 🙄🙄🤭, shouldn't you wait until after he sees you naked? Because there was no guarantee there that he was interested & that they were going to sleep together. It would be like someone showing their nude portrait to someone they just met 😂😂 a little strange and uncomfortable. Also, why spoil how you look naked?! 😂) In her nude portrait, she even painted all her little imperfections & I liked how Victoria Dahl didn't have the heroine have a perfect body or anything (unlike all those old bodice rippers...Jesus Christ, Kathleen Woodiwiss I am looking at you); Isabelle had a few stretch marks on one of her boobs, which would make sense since she had a D cup and was 36.
Tom was handsome and you would think with his profession he might be really alpha, but he wasn't. He was blushing at the mention of "Internet porn" and other things, which I thought was a little weird...then I was like wait, he isn't a virgin, is he? (He wasn't so I'm not sure why he was blushing so much lol.) Also, Tom mentioned not wanting to have kids to Isabelle and she asked why, but he never answered, which I thought was odd. I thought it was going to be revealed later on, but it never was. I was thinking maybe he couldn't have kids. I've read one or two books lately where the hero was infertile.
The whole conflict and info about Tom's career as a marshal seemed pretty accurate and I was wondering if the author had done some research beforehand. I didn't totally understand what had happened with Isabelle's father, but those things are hard to explain well, and it didn't really matter as I had understood enough, so I was okay with it. I was really wondering how Tom and Isabelle were going to get a HEA. The book has a HEA but it seemed like more of an HFN; Tom is eligible to retire in a year (that however didn't fit the information I looked up online about federal deputy marshals) and plans to move and live with Isabel and she can build a studio outside of her house, so they could live together. However, we don't know if they ever get married or have kids. I mean maybe in the next book, but I don't feel like rereading Book 3 just to find that out lol.
The sex scenes were also well written. This book isn't exactly a romantic suspense but it has elements of one, so I'm tagging it as such. I'm not sure but maybe sometime, if I clear out more of my shelves, I'll read the other books in this series!
Surprised Harlequin published this because it didn't read like a Harlequin at all. Straight contemporary (as in no mafia, etc.) has the potential to be boring, but this had an interesting plot with both Isabelle's past & Tom's Duncan. Can I say?
July 12, 2015
This book made me think deep thoughts about real life and prickly heroines and Victoria Dahl's oeuvre. I have this idea that she writes two kinds of books, funny ones and melancholy ones. My favorite, Close Enough to Touch, is on the melancholy side, beautifully written with a tough heroine to like. She's an LA makeup artist who'd rather die than do hick bride makeup (IIRC). I'm kind of a hick bride type and I felt insulted by her attitude. She grew on me and I ended up loving her, but it was a rocky start.
Same goes for this book, which is a little darker and more contained than the others in the series. This is a indoor midwinter story with a slower spark. I see a lot of myself in Dahl's heroines and sometimes it's not enjoyable, like trying on swimwear in harsh light. I didn't really get into it until about 20%, and by 50% I was riveted. I love her family mysteries (re Shane's father's disappearance from Too Hot to Handle). The US Marshals details are finely drawn, as if Dahl interviewed a marshal extensively or knows one in real life. It's clear that she put a lot of time and effort into getting this right--more than many suspense authors do, tbh.
Can we talk about that first sex scene? Humminahummina. When he puts his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet...mmm. So, so hot and character-specific. I loved that Tom could control himself but didn't want to, and I'm a sucker for a conflicted lawman hero. His character motivations are perfect throughout. I also liked Isabelle's wild enthusiasm for sex and her reclusive-artist vibe. The cat was cool too. A solid 4.
Really looking forward to the next!
Same goes for this book, which is a little darker and more contained than the others in the series. This is a indoor midwinter story with a slower spark. I see a lot of myself in Dahl's heroines and sometimes it's not enjoyable, like trying on swimwear in harsh light. I didn't really get into it until about 20%, and by 50% I was riveted. I love her family mysteries (re Shane's father's disappearance from Too Hot to Handle). The US Marshals details are finely drawn, as if Dahl interviewed a marshal extensively or knows one in real life. It's clear that she put a lot of time and effort into getting this right--more than many suspense authors do, tbh.
Can we talk about that first sex scene? Humminahummina. When he puts his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet...mmm. So, so hot and character-specific. I loved that Tom could control himself but didn't want to, and I'm a sucker for a conflicted lawman hero. His character motivations are perfect throughout. I also liked Isabelle's wild enthusiasm for sex and her reclusive-artist vibe. The cat was cool too. A solid 4.
Really looking forward to the next!
April 27, 2015
Ok after reading the first book I was far too hesitant to pick this one up but read I did coz that's me I need to read the sequel to see if the author will finally give me what I want. I proceeded with caution though and was surprised that it was no similar to the first install.
The story was focused to Isabelle West and US Marshal Tom Duncan.
Our heroine whom I (frustratingly) can't picture in my head wears cup / size D, free spirited, enjoys the serenity of being alone and a woman that's very comfortable in her own skin. She works from home as an anatomical painter, has very few friends and harbours a secret that forced her to live like a hermit. As expected our hot Marshal had sniffed it the first time they met. He was too curious about her and whilst she was a mystery, he can't deny that she was a distraction that makes his thoughts wander to dirty dirty places.
What I liked about it were:
1) the story was just pretty ordinary. There were no twists and the clue was right under my nose but failed to see it. You see, from books I have read they have honed me to search and decipher hard to find clues but this one, THIS ONE! it was just there and I missed it. Imagine me banging my head against the wall then hang in shame for missing it.
2) One other thing was the sex scenes. They were straight forward and never out of place (unlike the first installment where they just b*nk every single damn time)
3) And lastly I'm neck deep in love with the TV series The Walking Dead and as soon as I read US Marshal, boy oh boy, a one sexy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) *grabs a pillow and hugs happily* invaded my head taunting me with those side glances I was truly crazy about.
What didn't work for me:
1) The mention of grenade launcher..I found it too too far fetch
2) The last chapter. It was unwanted. It should've ended at the chapter before it.
Verdict: Recommended
Rating: 3.5 stars
I didn't give it a massive 5 coz I had a glimpse of what this author can create. She created this, I know she can top it. And on that note I will definitely reach for the third installment to devour.
Purrrrrr...
Oooh Rick, you can handcuff me anytime everytime anywhere everywhere you please, I won't resist ~grins~
The story was focused to Isabelle West and US Marshal Tom Duncan.
Our heroine whom I (frustratingly) can't picture in my head wears cup / size D, free spirited, enjoys the serenity of being alone and a woman that's very comfortable in her own skin. She works from home as an anatomical painter, has very few friends and harbours a secret that forced her to live like a hermit. As expected our hot Marshal had sniffed it the first time they met. He was too curious about her and whilst she was a mystery, he can't deny that she was a distraction that makes his thoughts wander to dirty dirty places.
What I liked about it were:
1) the story was just pretty ordinary. There were no twists and the clue was right under my nose but failed to see it. You see, from books I have read they have honed me to search and decipher hard to find clues but this one, THIS ONE! it was just there and I missed it. Imagine me banging my head against the wall then hang in shame for missing it.
2) One other thing was the sex scenes. They were straight forward and never out of place (unlike the first installment where they just b*nk every single damn time)
3) And lastly I'm neck deep in love with the TV series The Walking Dead and as soon as I read US Marshal, boy oh boy, a one sexy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) *grabs a pillow and hugs happily* invaded my head taunting me with those side glances I was truly crazy about.
What didn't work for me:
1) The mention of grenade launcher..I found it too too far fetch
2) The last chapter. It was unwanted. It should've ended at the chapter before it.
Verdict: Recommended
Rating: 3.5 stars
I didn't give it a massive 5 coz I had a glimpse of what this author can create. She created this, I know she can top it. And on that note I will definitely reach for the third installment to devour.
Purrrrrr...
Oooh Rick, you can handcuff me anytime everytime anywhere everywhere you please, I won't resist ~grins~
December 30, 2014
Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
If you're looking for fun, flirty, sassy, and easy-read romance, Victoria Dahl will always be your best bet. While this wasn't my favorite of her books, it was still an enjoyable read.
As always, I think I love Dahl's heroines the most. They're confident and aren't afraid to tell it like it is. They're not ashamed of their sexuality or their wants, and I think it's beautiful. Isabelle certainly fits this description. She felt like a real person, with a real personality, flaws, and good qualities. It was fun to watch how the relationship she has with Tom changed.
Another refreshing aspect is the ending. It's not a fairy tale ending, with sparkles and rainbows, but two human beings working together to make a relationship work. It feels very real, and that's admirable. Not to diminish the over-the-top HEA of other romance books, because I love those when they're done well, too. I simply commend how real and humanized all aspects of this book felt, even down to the ending.
I find that a lot of romance books put the hero as the main focus of the book, but it's the heroine who is the real focus here (and in most of Dahl's other books). Tom was written well, too, don't get me wrong. It's just refreshing when books by women, for women, focus on the women most.
In addition, the feminism weaved into the story is also definitely welcome, and I wish I saw it smoothly added into every romance book.
The plot/conflict wasn't exactly nail-biting, but I never expect that with these books. These really are books to curl up with when you just want an easy escape for a few hours.
If you're looking for fun, flirty, sassy, and easy-read romance, Victoria Dahl will always be your best bet. While this wasn't my favorite of her books, it was still an enjoyable read.
As always, I think I love Dahl's heroines the most. They're confident and aren't afraid to tell it like it is. They're not ashamed of their sexuality or their wants, and I think it's beautiful. Isabelle certainly fits this description. She felt like a real person, with a real personality, flaws, and good qualities. It was fun to watch how the relationship she has with Tom changed.
Another refreshing aspect is the ending. It's not a fairy tale ending, with sparkles and rainbows, but two human beings working together to make a relationship work. It feels very real, and that's admirable. Not to diminish the over-the-top HEA of other romance books, because I love those when they're done well, too. I simply commend how real and humanized all aspects of this book felt, even down to the ending.
I find that a lot of romance books put the hero as the main focus of the book, but it's the heroine who is the real focus here (and in most of Dahl's other books). Tom was written well, too, don't get me wrong. It's just refreshing when books by women, for women, focus on the women most.
In addition, the feminism weaved into the story is also definitely welcome, and I wish I saw it smoothly added into every romance book.
The plot/conflict wasn't exactly nail-biting, but I never expect that with these books. These really are books to curl up with when you just want an easy escape for a few hours.
February 22, 2019
This was a fantastic, very steamy romance! (Seriously, read this one with a fan to fan your face). I loved the feminist sex-positive heroine with a unique career; I didn't love the hero quite as much, but I was still definitely rooting for them. Great side lesbian characters and nice casual inclusion of a woman who doesn't want kids. Oh yeah the plot: a woman living under a fake name for some mysterious vaguely criminal reason definitely shouldn't get involved with a US Marshal and vice versa right? But they do! I would have liked to get to know Isabelle's friends more and for Tom's character to feel a bit more fleshed out.
February 22, 2015
I had actually been really hopeful about this book, because I'd like the others in this series more than I'd expected, so I'd hoped that Dahl and I were getting back to that autobuy place after her first Jackson series didn't work for me at all. But alas, this one reminded me of why she stopped being that in the first place, which is a shame, because like I said, I wanted to like this book.
The reasons it didn't can really be boiled down to two things: 1) Victoria Dahl isn't as good at writing romantic suspense as she thinks she is and 2) whatever the hero's protective streak, I couldn't believe a career U.S. Marshal throwing his entire professional life away on someone that he'd known for a week. Whenever Dahl goes down a suspense route, it always ends up the weakest element of her stories and I wish she'd stop. If she wants to write edgier contemporaries, that's fine, but find a different place to pick the edge up. As for the hero, I think this was just a particularly bad case of insta-lust ending up as something more than it should have been, and while sometimes I can swallow that, the circumstances of this particular book left me unable to do so.
As ever, the sex scenes were pretty good, but since I'm not reading her to read erotica, that wasn't really enough for me. She remains firmly a library only author.
The reasons it didn't can really be boiled down to two things: 1) Victoria Dahl isn't as good at writing romantic suspense as she thinks she is and 2) whatever the hero's protective streak, I couldn't believe a career U.S. Marshal throwing his entire professional life away on someone that he'd known for a week. Whenever Dahl goes down a suspense route, it always ends up the weakest element of her stories and I wish she'd stop. If she wants to write edgier contemporaries, that's fine, but find a different place to pick the edge up. As for the hero, I think this was just a particularly bad case of insta-lust ending up as something more than it should have been, and while sometimes I can swallow that, the circumstances of this particular book left me unable to do so.
As ever, the sex scenes were pretty good, but since I'm not reading her to read erotica, that wasn't really enough for me. She remains firmly a library only author.
February 26, 2016
4.5 Loved it!
Mature, funny, quirky, and flirty. Such a good read. More review to come.
Mature, funny, quirky, and flirty. Such a good read. More review to come.
January 5, 2015
I'm an inveterate Victoria Dahl fan, and I'm starting to feel a bit like I'm running out of new ways to say why. I'm always talking about how much I enjoy her variety of heroine types and her variety of happily-ever-afters. I love that, for her, happily-ever-after doesn't have to mean marriage, or children, or a cute house with a white picket fence. It could mean those things, but it could also mean seeing the country from the back of a big tattooed guy's motorcycle. Victoria Dahl writes a heroine for every reader, and that always makes me happy.
She also never slut-shames. She might acknowledge that slut-shaming happens, and might even have her heroines deal with feelings of guilt or embarrassment, but she is always, always, sending them down the path of being happily sexual. For romance novels, I think that's very important.
For this book in particular, I'm really happy that there's a teeny hint of suspense in the story. There's no real, pressing danger, but there is a hint of mystery and a good reason for some big secrets and a general mistrust of law enforcement. We get a really interesting career for our heroine. And we get a nice, wintry, snowed-in in Wyoming feel, which is perfect for winter reading.
We also get a lesbian, African-American side character, which I'm starting to see as an encouraging trend in mainstream romance. We may not be getting full novels for these characters (yet), but they are present, they are celebrated, and they are even occasionally getting their own digital novellas. (Looking at you, Lori Foster's What Chris Wants.) I hope it's a sign of greater diversity (of all kinds) to come in the land of romance novels.
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
She also never slut-shames. She might acknowledge that slut-shaming happens, and might even have her heroines deal with feelings of guilt or embarrassment, but she is always, always, sending them down the path of being happily sexual. For romance novels, I think that's very important.
For this book in particular, I'm really happy that there's a teeny hint of suspense in the story. There's no real, pressing danger, but there is a hint of mystery and a good reason for some big secrets and a general mistrust of law enforcement. We get a really interesting career for our heroine. And we get a nice, wintry, snowed-in in Wyoming feel, which is perfect for winter reading.
We also get a lesbian, African-American side character, which I'm starting to see as an encouraging trend in mainstream romance. We may not be getting full novels for these characters (yet), but they are present, they are celebrated, and they are even occasionally getting their own digital novellas. (Looking at you, Lori Foster's What Chris Wants.) I hope it's a sign of greater diversity (of all kinds) to come in the land of romance novels.
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
January 31, 2015
My Review:
I've always been a fan of Victoria Dahl's contemporary romance, but this book had an extra little bonus in it...this one had a touch of romantic suspense added to it and I loved that.
This book is just plain, flat-out good reading. I loved how prickly the heroine, Isabelle, is at first. She's definitely not your typical heroine. But she has such good reasons for being how she is...she's earned her right to be a hermit. But, it quickly becomes obvious by her friendships that there is much more to her. I loved the way Victoria Dahl wrote her so she was immediately an empathetic character even when she's being awful to the hero.
Then there's the hero. I loved him...and his horror at what she does for a living. There were so many times when I giggled out loud while reading this book and the discussions of her art were definitely responsible for many of those.
The characters were great, but so was the entire set-up. Montana in the winter with heavily armed US Marshals roaming the woods looking for a threat. Um, sign me up. There was a bit of danger, a bit of intrigue about what exactly Isabelle is running from, and a whole heck of a lot of sexy times. This is one of the things that Victoria Dahl does best. Her sex scenes sizzle off the page and this book was no different in that regard. Thank you, Ms. Dahl, for your gift for sexy, titillating writing. mmm...
There was also a great side story for Isabelle's neighbor and Tom's partner which I enjoyed almost as much as the main story. Overall, I highly recommend this one. It will definitely help to keep you warm on a cold winter's night...
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I've always been a fan of Victoria Dahl's contemporary romance, but this book had an extra little bonus in it...this one had a touch of romantic suspense added to it and I loved that.
This book is just plain, flat-out good reading. I loved how prickly the heroine, Isabelle, is at first. She's definitely not your typical heroine. But she has such good reasons for being how she is...she's earned her right to be a hermit. But, it quickly becomes obvious by her friendships that there is much more to her. I loved the way Victoria Dahl wrote her so she was immediately an empathetic character even when she's being awful to the hero.
Then there's the hero. I loved him...and his horror at what she does for a living. There were so many times when I giggled out loud while reading this book and the discussions of her art were definitely responsible for many of those.
The characters were great, but so was the entire set-up. Montana in the winter with heavily armed US Marshals roaming the woods looking for a threat. Um, sign me up. There was a bit of danger, a bit of intrigue about what exactly Isabelle is running from, and a whole heck of a lot of sexy times. This is one of the things that Victoria Dahl does best. Her sex scenes sizzle off the page and this book was no different in that regard. Thank you, Ms. Dahl, for your gift for sexy, titillating writing. mmm...
There was also a great side story for Isabelle's neighbor and Tom's partner which I enjoyed almost as much as the main story. Overall, I highly recommend this one. It will definitely help to keep you warm on a cold winter's night...
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
November 14, 2015
This rating is harsh but I didn't connect with this book and can't bring myself to give it any more than this. The heroine was too prickly and the relationship was built somewhat on insta-lust. This was the whole idea - the heroine wants to keep the hero at arm's length because he's in law enforcement and she's sort of on the run - but the concept killed the romance a little bit. The nuts and bolts are good though. This felt modern, relevant and realistic, which is what you want out of a contemporary and apparently more difficult to achieve than it should be. It's very Dahl - anyone who follows her on Twitter will know she's a feminist and very sex and body positive, as well as being an advocate for LGBT and diverse romance - all those elements came through in a completely non-preachy way. She writes damned good sex, although because I wasn't enamoured with the H/h the sex didn't rock my boat that much either. The dramatic sub-plot with Isabelle's hidden identity worked far better than I thought it would. Dahl wasn't too ambitious about any of it, which was, in my view, the best way to play it. Aiming too high with the big ~dramaz~ often means you don't stick the landing and can ruin what is supposed to be a romance book. The long and short of it is, whilst this didn't work all that well for me personally, I am definitely going to read another one from the series because the fundamentals of the writing were very strong.
July 10, 2016
We get to the final girl from the trio that has been, and sadly I didn't like her book at all.
First of all, Isabelle's character doesn't make much sense. The author tries to paint her as an stereotypical artist, forgetful of everything but her art. However she doesn't exhibit any fanciful artistic traits. And her forgetfulness feels almost... forced. I kept thinking that she just didn't make sense.
And then we have Tom, the super hot US Marshall in his 40s who has a saviour complex and is completely dreamy, but somehow it's not married (again, makes no sense)
Tom meets Isabelle and immediately realises there's something fishy about her. So he starts digging and once he finds out what's wrong, he decides he has to fix it, even if she doesn't want any help at all.
I was ok with him checking on her past. That's him doing his job. But 'helping' her is him just being a nosy bastard. Fuck that.
I found myself skipping parts of this book to make it to the end (which I guess tells you everything)
First of all, Isabelle's character doesn't make much sense. The author tries to paint her as an stereotypical artist, forgetful of everything but her art. However she doesn't exhibit any fanciful artistic traits. And her forgetfulness feels almost... forced. I kept thinking that she just didn't make sense.
And then we have Tom, the super hot US Marshall in his 40s who has a saviour complex and is completely dreamy, but somehow it's not married (again, makes no sense)
Tom meets Isabelle and immediately realises there's something fishy about her. So he starts digging and once he finds out what's wrong, he decides he has to fix it, even if she doesn't want any help at all.
"He had to help her, get her free of this mess and do it with enough skill that she’d forgive his dishonesty."
I was ok with him checking on her past. That's him doing his job. But 'helping' her is him just being a nosy bastard. Fuck that.
I found myself skipping parts of this book to make it to the end (which I guess tells you everything)
January 31, 2015
4.5 Stars
February 10, 2015
Flirting with Disaster
The Characters
Isabelle West is fun and amazing. I don’t think I would have survived what she went through as a young adult. But she thrived and came out stronger on the other side.
Tom Duncan is such a good guy, with a bit of a hero complex. That need came in handy though… you know after the big cluster f**k along the way.
The Story
I’ll try to do this without revealing too much.
Isabelle is hiding a big secret, from everyone. Tom rolls into town to protect her neighbor (he’s a US Marshall). They meet and sparks fly but at first only because she is cagey. Tom investigates. He discovers her secret but can he break down her wall of trust enough to be able to help her?
Getting to know these two was a joy. And getting to know their friends, Jill and Mary, was also great. This story is fun, sexy and emotional. Overall a really good read.
The Random Thoughts
I love cameos from characters in previous books. Lauren, Sophie, Nate a.k.a. Jenny’s boyfriend.
So, is Veronica our next heroine? She was kinda quiet in this one, I’m not sure how that will go.
Favorite Quotes:
”Yes, but I’m luring him with food. What are you luring him with?”
“My tits. And my sparkling personality, I’m sure.”
“No, it’s your tits. They’re gorgeous.”
*You have to love friends you can have conversations like this with.
”I know, but there’s nothing like the real thing. Warm skin and that velvety texture and the smell of a man’s body. God.”
*Poetic truth
”I’m seriously offended.”
“I don’t care.”
*He wasn’t really offended and she did care.
4 Stars
The Characters
Isabelle West is fun and amazing. I don’t think I would have survived what she went through as a young adult. But she thrived and came out stronger on the other side.
Tom Duncan is such a good guy, with a bit of a hero complex. That need came in handy though… you know after the big cluster f**k along the way.
The Story
I’ll try to do this without revealing too much.
Isabelle is hiding a big secret, from everyone. Tom rolls into town to protect her neighbor (he’s a US Marshall). They meet and sparks fly but at first only because she is cagey. Tom investigates. He discovers her secret but can he break down her wall of trust enough to be able to help her?
Getting to know these two was a joy. And getting to know their friends, Jill and Mary, was also great. This story is fun, sexy and emotional. Overall a really good read.
The Random Thoughts
I love cameos from characters in previous books. Lauren, Sophie, Nate a.k.a. Jenny’s boyfriend.
So, is Veronica our next heroine? She was kinda quiet in this one, I’m not sure how that will go.
Favorite Quotes:
”Yes, but I’m luring him with food. What are you luring him with?”
“My tits. And my sparkling personality, I’m sure.”
“No, it’s your tits. They’re gorgeous.”
*You have to love friends you can have conversations like this with.
”I know, but there’s nothing like the real thing. Warm skin and that velvety texture and the smell of a man’s body. God.”
*Poetic truth
”I’m seriously offended.”
“I don’t care.”
*He wasn’t really offended and she did care.
4 Stars
January 11, 2015
Received an ARC for review
Hi. It's me again. The one who starts series in the middle. I've read Ms. Dahl's historicals and enjoyed them, so thought I'd give her contemporary a try. I really liked this book. Good romance, no insta-love and a bad guy or two to catch. But now I'm really want to know about their friend Sophia who took off with a biker. Plus the prequel novel was included, and it was good too.
Hi. It's me again. The one who starts series in the middle. I've read Ms. Dahl's historicals and enjoyed them, so thought I'd give her contemporary a try. I really liked this book. Good romance, no insta-love and a bad guy or two to catch. But now I'm really want to know about their friend Sophia who took off with a biker. Plus the prequel novel was included, and it was good too.
June 15, 2015
A cute story - made me laugh as Victoria Dahl's stories always do! I would have liked a bit more of Special Agent Gates, and perhaps a bit more about Isabelle's father. Moving on, moving on... can't wait to read Fanning the Flames!
August 2, 2015
A free-spirited girl meets a good US marshal. Fun romps and sexiness ensue. I wish the author upped the angst a bit more though. It just lacks that emotional pull to make the story really special.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I adored the blushing marshal.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I adored the blushing marshal.
December 16, 2014
I freaking love Victoria Dahl. I'll put up a proper review when I'm not putting the tiny overlord to bed, but I've got to tell you all the book has so much of the awesome.
November 11, 2016
Perfect!
May 15, 2015
Isabelle West is an artist living in the country outside Jackson, Wyoming, where Dahl’s series is set. Isabelle has a big secret, though, and when US Marshal Tom Duncan comes poking around she’s immediately on edge. Tom is in town helping protect a local judge who’s been receiving threats before a major trial. Isabelle’s skittishness rouses Tom’s suspicions, but on the surface she checks out, and he really likes her, so he strikes up a flirtation with her. The more time he spends with her, the more he likes her, but the more concerned he becomes that she really is hiding something. Eventually he discovers the truth while investigating, but he’s afraid to tell Isabelle for fear she won’t trust him. Worse, his snooping sets in motion a series of events that end up threatening Isabelle’s peace.
I really enjoyed Isabelle and Tom. Tom is a decent, hard working, normal guy. He had a family tragedy in the past that’s given him a bit of a savior complex. He wants to fix everyone’s problems, even if it costs him personally, and it’s what gets him into trouble with Isabelle. He can’t just leave it alone, has to keep digging because he senses she might need help. It’s an admirable quality, even if I didn’t love how it played out. Isabelle is fantastic, too. She’s so comfortable with herself, with her body, with her life (aside from her secret). She’s in her mid-thirties and has realized she doesn’t need to apologize for herself. She’s ballsy and says what she means, which includes being forthright about sex and about what she wants from Tom. It knocks Tom off his feet (literally, as you’ll see below), and it sure charmed me. She’s also got a surprising amount of vulnerability underneath that only comes out as her secret does. As usual, Dahl’s characters have sexy chemistry, and their dialogue is sharp and funny.
“Well, I don’t travel, but I’m not lonely. I have my work, my friends and my home. And internet porn. Life is good.”
Tom tripped over a snowdrift and nearly fell flat on his face. Isabelle laughed as he dusted snow off his knee.
So much for her reserve. “If you said that to shock me, it worked,” he said.
“I said it because it’s true.” She grinned over her shoulder as she kept moving. “Try to keep up.”
This book has hints of suspense, which you would think would make me, a romantic suspense junkie, happy. However, I wasn’t really in love with the suspense elements. There are no action scenes or any real danger. I know this is a good thing–this is at heart a contemporary not a suspense, and it wouldn’t have made any sense to add too much–and yet, I felt unsatisfied. I guess I’d prefer authors either go all in or just avoid suspense all together.
I also really, really didn’t like the lies in the book. Isabelle is lying about who she is and why she’s in Jackson. She has good reasons for it, and yet I still didn’t like that she lies to Tom and all her friends, or that she withholds a key piece of information till the end. It’s probably hypocritical because it’s the kind of lie I could overlook in other books, but here it felt out of place and uncomfortable. Tom’s lies were even more problematic. Again, he has great reasons for it, and I truly did believe he was trying to do the right thing, but it left me feeling unhappy. He gets involved even when he knows he shouldn’t, and he keeps sleeping with her even after he learns her secret. He could have told her, and the fact that he’s in law enforcement even gave him a legit reason for prying, but he still holds out. And then at the end, he has to do something really, really humiliating to Isabelle. It was for her own good, and it was likely the only decent option, but I hate that it happened. It left a bad taste in my mouth about the book and it made me question whether Isabelle and Tom could really start fresh after all the mistrust.
Great characters, an interesting setting, and a steamy relationship did hold my interest, but not so much that I could get the unhappy parts off my mind after I finished the book.
Grade: 3.5 out of 5
I really enjoyed Isabelle and Tom. Tom is a decent, hard working, normal guy. He had a family tragedy in the past that’s given him a bit of a savior complex. He wants to fix everyone’s problems, even if it costs him personally, and it’s what gets him into trouble with Isabelle. He can’t just leave it alone, has to keep digging because he senses she might need help. It’s an admirable quality, even if I didn’t love how it played out. Isabelle is fantastic, too. She’s so comfortable with herself, with her body, with her life (aside from her secret). She’s in her mid-thirties and has realized she doesn’t need to apologize for herself. She’s ballsy and says what she means, which includes being forthright about sex and about what she wants from Tom. It knocks Tom off his feet (literally, as you’ll see below), and it sure charmed me. She’s also got a surprising amount of vulnerability underneath that only comes out as her secret does. As usual, Dahl’s characters have sexy chemistry, and their dialogue is sharp and funny.
“Well, I don’t travel, but I’m not lonely. I have my work, my friends and my home. And internet porn. Life is good.”
Tom tripped over a snowdrift and nearly fell flat on his face. Isabelle laughed as he dusted snow off his knee.
So much for her reserve. “If you said that to shock me, it worked,” he said.
“I said it because it’s true.” She grinned over her shoulder as she kept moving. “Try to keep up.”
This book has hints of suspense, which you would think would make me, a romantic suspense junkie, happy. However, I wasn’t really in love with the suspense elements. There are no action scenes or any real danger. I know this is a good thing–this is at heart a contemporary not a suspense, and it wouldn’t have made any sense to add too much–and yet, I felt unsatisfied. I guess I’d prefer authors either go all in or just avoid suspense all together.
I also really, really didn’t like the lies in the book. Isabelle is lying about who she is and why she’s in Jackson. She has good reasons for it, and yet I still didn’t like that she lies to Tom and all her friends, or that she withholds a key piece of information till the end. It’s probably hypocritical because it’s the kind of lie I could overlook in other books, but here it felt out of place and uncomfortable. Tom’s lies were even more problematic. Again, he has great reasons for it, and I truly did believe he was trying to do the right thing, but it left me feeling unhappy. He gets involved even when he knows he shouldn’t, and he keeps sleeping with her even after he learns her secret. He could have told her, and the fact that he’s in law enforcement even gave him a legit reason for prying, but he still holds out. And then at the end, he has to do something really, really humiliating to Isabelle. It was for her own good, and it was likely the only decent option, but I hate that it happened. It left a bad taste in my mouth about the book and it made me question whether Isabelle and Tom could really start fresh after all the mistrust.
Great characters, an interesting setting, and a steamy relationship did hold my interest, but not so much that I could get the unhappy parts off my mind after I finished the book.
Grade: 3.5 out of 5
February 12, 2015
Review originally posted on: Mischievous Reads
*ARC courtesy of Harlequin HQN via Netgalley in exchange for honest review
Victoria Dahl is definitely one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, her works are a perfect balance of sweet, sexy and angsty. Girl's Night Out is a spin off to the Jackson Hole series, and after reading the first book, Looking For Trouble, I knew this series is going to be one of my favorites. The series features a small town group of middle aged women as they tackle friendships, personal issues and most especially, their love life.
In Flirting with Disaster, Dahl once again brings you another set of lovable characters with excessive amount of chemistry and dark secrets that will keep you on your toes as you read through.
Introduced in the first book as an artist -- an anatomical painter, specifically -- Isabelle West is the kind of character who seems to be a hermit and a homebody. However, she's actually a fiesty, free-spirited heroine who won't take crap from anyone. At the beginning of the book, she appears to be such a prickly character and doesn't easily warm up to people. But she's got a good reason for her actions, which is because of a terrible past that has caused her to have trust issues, even though she's already made a couple of girlfriends in town.
When US Marshall Tom Duncan suddenly appears on her doorstep out of the blue, she's terrified she must have already been found out and is bound to be taken in anytime soon, but when he claims a different reason for his arrival, she doesn't know whether to trust him or to attempt to run again. But her actions have struck Tom's curiosity and he's now bound to find out more about her.
Victoria Dahl's characters are absolutely appealing with realistic personalities; flaws and all. I love how Isabelle's character beings out a different take on middle aged women. She exhudes a confident vibe and is absolutely comfortable in her own skin and her sexuality. Kudos to Dahl for writing about strong women! Meanwhile, Tom Duncan is such a lovable hero. For a person of authority, he's actually a very sweet person with a cute and shy personality who blushes all the time. I love how his character is not the typical alpha male who tends to be domineering and controlling. He was basically a breath of fresh air when to comes to male characters.
The whole plot was unique due to the amount of drama and suspense included, particularly about Isabelle's past. I truly felt for her character, especially when her secrets start to unveil. And not only did I enjoy reading about Tom and Isabelle's relationship which was undeniably hot and explosive; the inclusion of side stories about the minor characters, specifically Isabelle's neighbor, Jill, was also a refreshing addition to the story, plus the fact that she's a member of the LGBT.
The only thing I didn't like was the sudden ending and how they easily reconciled at the end, as if I missed a huge chunk of the story inbetween. But regardless that, I definitely enjoyed this book as much as I did with the first one.
Read my review of Looking for Trouble on Mischievous Reads and on Goodreads.
*ARC courtesy of Harlequin HQN via Netgalley in exchange for honest review
Victoria Dahl is definitely one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, her works are a perfect balance of sweet, sexy and angsty. Girl's Night Out is a spin off to the Jackson Hole series, and after reading the first book, Looking For Trouble, I knew this series is going to be one of my favorites. The series features a small town group of middle aged women as they tackle friendships, personal issues and most especially, their love life.
In Flirting with Disaster, Dahl once again brings you another set of lovable characters with excessive amount of chemistry and dark secrets that will keep you on your toes as you read through.
Introduced in the first book as an artist -- an anatomical painter, specifically -- Isabelle West is the kind of character who seems to be a hermit and a homebody. However, she's actually a fiesty, free-spirited heroine who won't take crap from anyone. At the beginning of the book, she appears to be such a prickly character and doesn't easily warm up to people. But she's got a good reason for her actions, which is because of a terrible past that has caused her to have trust issues, even though she's already made a couple of girlfriends in town.
When US Marshall Tom Duncan suddenly appears on her doorstep out of the blue, she's terrified she must have already been found out and is bound to be taken in anytime soon, but when he claims a different reason for his arrival, she doesn't know whether to trust him or to attempt to run again. But her actions have struck Tom's curiosity and he's now bound to find out more about her.
Victoria Dahl's characters are absolutely appealing with realistic personalities; flaws and all. I love how Isabelle's character beings out a different take on middle aged women. She exhudes a confident vibe and is absolutely comfortable in her own skin and her sexuality. Kudos to Dahl for writing about strong women! Meanwhile, Tom Duncan is such a lovable hero. For a person of authority, he's actually a very sweet person with a cute and shy personality who blushes all the time. I love how his character is not the typical alpha male who tends to be domineering and controlling. He was basically a breath of fresh air when to comes to male characters.
The whole plot was unique due to the amount of drama and suspense included, particularly about Isabelle's past. I truly felt for her character, especially when her secrets start to unveil. And not only did I enjoy reading about Tom and Isabelle's relationship which was undeniably hot and explosive; the inclusion of side stories about the minor characters, specifically Isabelle's neighbor, Jill, was also a refreshing addition to the story, plus the fact that she's a member of the LGBT.
The only thing I didn't like was the sudden ending and how they easily reconciled at the end, as if I missed a huge chunk of the story inbetween. But regardless that, I definitely enjoyed this book as much as I did with the first one.
Read my review of Looking for Trouble on Mischievous Reads and on Goodreads.
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