Review: With This Fling

Title: With This Fling
Genre: Contemporary
Author: Kelly Hunter
Pub: June 7, 2011 by Harlequin

Successful archaeologist Charlotte Greenstone has no time for men, so invents a convenient one—who bears a highly inconvenient resemblance to sexy stranger Greyson Tyler! To protect her mortifying white lie, Charlotte begs Grey to act as her temporary fiancé….

One glimpse of Charlotte's killer curves, and Grey can't resist making his own outrageous proposition—he'll pretend to be her fiancé… if they can enjoy all the benefits of being a couple! Smoking-hot Grey is definitely fling material, but Charlotte knows that's all it can ever be…. Isn't it?

Making the Grade: B

For My Thoughts

As soon as I started reading this book I couldn’t help but notice the similarities to another book I had recently read.

A young woman makes up a story about a fake fiancé to appease the worries of her dying godmother. Insert Grandma worrying, but not dying about her granddaughter and you’ve got the same set-up as Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey.

Only in With This Fling you get a more cerebrally matched duo in Associate Professor of Archaeology Charlotte Greenstone and Dr. Greyson Tyler, botanist.

It started out innocently enough and with the best of intentions when Charlotte Greenstone manufactured her imaginary fiancé Thaddeus Jeremiah Gilbert Tyler. Whoaaa that's a mouthful! Her Godmother Aurora was dying and the stories of Gil (as Charlotte called him), eased Aurora’s worries in her final day. And after Aurora passed peacefully...Charlotte killed off Gil as well. No harm, no foul.

Except Charlotte’s co-workers found out about her “fiancé” and before Charlotte knows how to stop the run-away train, her non-existent fiancé arrives in Sydney the form of Dr. Greyson Tyler.

Greyson Tyler’s come to claim his belongings inadvertently sent to the esteemed Dr. Greenstone and really he’s quite understanding as he discovers the part he’s played as Charlotte’s imaginary fiancé. Not one to pass up an opportunity, Greyson decides to take advantage of the situation since it seems he finds himself in need of his own fake fiancée for a family function. Who better to play the part of that loving fiancée than Charlotte herself.

Grey and Charlotte are good together and with all cards on the table they agree to engage in an equally and mutually beneficial relationship with no strings attached. Beside Grey’s a traveller, always on the move for his job and Charlotte’s been there and done that and she’s not interested in doing it again. In the long term they could never have a “real” relationship. Well maybe they could especially with the unexpected surprise they are about to get in say...nine months time.

No they’ve got a whole new set of problems to deal with if they are going to become a real family. It’s going to require compromise, sacrifice and big adjustments to make their relationship work...if it’s even possible.

Review: Her Singapore Fling

In desperate need of protection, Jianne Xang-Bennett reluctantly turns to her estranged husband, martial arts expert Jacob Bennett, for help. But there are problems: they've been separated for twelve years and cannot be in the same room together without arguing or ripping each other's clothes off—often at the same time!

But Jacob will go to extremes for those he loves, and Jianne is the only woman who can bring this honorable warrior to his knees. Can they delve beneath their red-hot desire and blazing anger to find the love that has always been hiding?

Making the Grade: A

For My Thoughts

This may well be the best category romance I have ever read! I LOVED Her Singapore Fling by Kelly Hunter.

I don’t read a lot of category romance mostly because I find the names of the books sooooo contrived and frankly it turns me off buying these books. I will pick up the occasional category romance by one of my favorite authors like a Blaze by Jill Shalvis or Lisa Renee Jones or an Intrigue by HelenKay Dimon or a Super Romance by Sarah Mayberry but I’ve never read a Harlequin Presents Extra - and my question is WHY THE HELL NOT!!!!!! I couldn’t believe how good this book was and in fact I goggled Harlequin Presents Extra to see what the requirements were for this genre and not surprisingly - it is everything I am looking for in a great book.

I’m not sure what prompted me to purchase this book. The name reminded me of a particularly delicious fruity drink, the cover was suggestive and seductive and the back cover blurb definitely caught my attention. I devoured this book in one day. I know it’s no War and Peace but the fact that once I started Her Singapore Fling that I wanted to finish it immediately speaks volumes about just how much I enjoyed it.

Yes this book is part of a series by Kelly Hunter and although I joined in the series at the end, I don’t feel I missed any pertinent info regarding the Bennett family dynamics. The author doesn’t do a lot if any backloading of the previous siblings and I do plan to make the acquaintance of the entire Bennett family and read Hunter’s other books in the series. I can only imagine they are as good as this one was. Kelly Hunter just went on my auto-buy author list.

Jake Bennett, world class black belt champion, owner of his own Dojo, is the oldest sibling of the Bennett clan and I could tell immediately that he was all about family first and his siblings are just as loyal to him. He cared for, helped raise and is totally 1000% dedicated to his brothers, sister and his extended family including his young street-smart and wise beyond his young years apprentice Po.

Twelve years ago his family dedication and his desire to become a world class athlete contributed to the not-so-end of his marriage to his not-so ex-wife Jianne. I say not so because they never ever divorced. The fact that neither one sought out a divorce speaks to their deep abiding love for one another. Money (hers not his) and cultural differences also played a contributing factor, but the fact is that 12 years later when Jake and Jianne meet up again the sparks are still blazing bright and strong and hot.

The setting is exotic (Singapore), the story is full of sexual tension (not quite so ex‘s), suspense and danger (a very persistent stalker) and the result is an excellent and entertaining story that doesn’t drag or let up for one minute.

There are just so many good things about this book. I will be checking out more from Kelly Hunter and definitely checking out future titles from the Harlequin Presents Extra line!