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3 Stars / Harlequin / Mills & Boon / Review

Turn up the Heat by Isabel Sharpe

Vibrant and multifaceted party organizer Candy Graham is looking to forget her dating past, even if it means joining a dating website. But creating four different e-profiles to suit her personality could land Candy in hot water…or better yet, in the arms of her scorchin’-hot neighbor!

Journalist Justin Case suspects he has the scoop of a lifetime – women hired to lure men into online dating. Could Candy be part of some kind of e-romance scam? But try as he might, even he can’t resist the temptation of sexy, sweet Candy…and one taste is definitely not enough!

Title:Turn Up the Heat
Author:Isabel Sharpe
Series:Checking E-Males (Book 1)
Pages:224
Category / Genre(s):Harlequin / Mills & Boon (Blaze)
Trope(s):
Point of View:
Location:US
HEA:✔️
Release Date:17th January, 2011
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Average romantic read

This was an average romantic read and one that centres around Valentine’s Day. Candy was, despite her name (no offence), a likeable character and one I was surprised I could like. Justin, too, was nice enough and I liked him and both as a pair. Neither were particularly memorable and I didn’t feel huge chemistry between them so ‘nice’ is the perfect word.

The plot was okay but I did feel it was a little bit silly and juvenile at times. There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between the characters and getting them to admit that they liked each other. I understand there was supposed to be distrust over each other’s motives but it was nothing that a decent conversation wouldn’t have sorted out.

“I finished it and enjoyed it for what it was but I can’t give it more than 3 stars…”

Added to that was the fact that both characters, Candy in particular, were still caught up on their exes. There was so much boo-hooing about losing the “love of their lives” that it had me rolling my eyes. I want to read about the romance of the couple, not about the people who have dumped them!

Overall, this is an average read that I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend. I finished it and enjoyed it for what it was but I can’t give it more than 3 stars, I’m afraid.

Isabel Sharpe was not born pen in hand like so many of her fellow authors. After she quit work in 1994 to stay home with her first-born son and nearly went out of her mind, she started writing. Yes, she was the clichéd bored housewife writing romance, but it was either that cliché or seduce the mailman, and her mailman was unattractive. After more than twenty novels for Harlequin, and the exciting new direction of women-focused stories for Avon/HarperCollins, Isabel admits her new mailman is gorgeous, but she’s still happy with her choice.

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Checking E-Males Series:

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