LauraJ’s review of Winter Heat by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Jade Lee, and Anna DeStefano
Contemporary romance anthology released by Harlequin 13 Jan 09
Vicki Lewis Thompson is an auto-buy for me. Seriously she could write an instruction manual for how to cook Pop-Tarts and I would buy it. So, I guess that makes me a fangirl, huh? As for the other authors in this anthology, I have read one of Jade Lee’s books, a Harlequin Blaze, but Anna DeStefano is a brand new author to me.
All three stories take place at a secluded ski resort in Colorado. The owners who have named the resort Weekend Pass, named because of the time the couple spent together skiing on his weekend passes while he served in the military. In order to promote the resort the hold a poetry contest. Three winning couples will win a weekend at the resort and help promote the resort by doing such things as readings of their poetry and posing for photographs for travel magazines. Unfortunately for the owners the promoters have decided to the ski resort as a hip, party place and have brought in the Queen of parties, Maddy Luv (think Paris Hilton, but prettier and a little smarter). She plays a role in helping the couples find their ways together in each story.
Weekend Fling by Vicki Lewis Thompson
In this story Josh and Tracy are co-workers who enter the contest after their marketing firm looses out to the firm that won the bid to promote Weekend Pass. Knowing that the other firm will mess up the promotion they want to be there to offer up their firm’s services. But once they reach their assigned cabin, Josh and Tracy realize that the owners think that they are already a couple.
I’ve said it before (and I will probably say it again, and again, and again), but friend to lovers stories are my favorite. Josh and Tracy both fight the attraction they have to each other. They don’t want to ruin their working relationship or their friendship. Ms. Thompson keeps us anticipating them finally giving in. I like that it didn’t happen quickly and that we got to watch their inner battles of should I or shouldn’t I. My only complaint with this story is that it was too short, but overall a great story.
Grade: A-
Weekend Tigress by Jade Lee
In Jade Lee’s story Liz is a kindergarten teacher who decided to explore further the way of the tigress. She is given some help from her aunt, a tigress, when she gives her a special comb to wear on her trip to the resort. Liz knows about the way of the tigress and has recently decided to learn more. Matt, a TSA agent and son of the resort owners, knows what the comb means, but is convinced that either Liz is lying or she is out to trap him. So what would a good agent do, but not let her out of his sight.
This was the steamiest of the three stories. I loved Matt and Liz. He was fighting his desires while at the same time he was convinced that he had a national threat on his hands. Liz is a mild mannered kindergarten teacher who has decided she wants break away from the mild mannered teacher to explore her sexual side. While I’m not sure that it was suppose to be funny, the situations and Matt’s paranoia made me laugh. Very hot, enjoyable story.
Grade: A
Weekend Meltdown by Anna DeStefano
When the third winner of the contest and her guest show up Felicia is not what Tony expected. He had only seen her picture in the promo posters in the resort lobby something about her sparked his interest until she steps out the limo and appears to a high maintenance woman, something Tony is definitely not interested in. Felicia is given a makeover prior to arriving at the resort thanks to her gay best friend and guest for the weekend. She’s not so sure of her makeover, but wants to shed her boring corporate look. Tony’s job is to save the weekend that has turned into a publicity nightmare for the owners not get cozy with one of the guests. But the two are putting off enough sparks to torch the resort. It couldn’t hurt if they doused that fire a little.
I had a little more trouble getting into this story than the first two. I think having not read anything by this author before through me off in the beginning, , but after the second chapter I got hooked. While I had laughs from the first two, this one was a bit more serious, but still not heavy on the seriousness. I think I’m going to be adding more from this author to my tbr pile.
Grade: B+
This is great book to warm you up on these cold winter nights. A three stories were wonderfully written and well connected to each other with the characters from other stories showing up throughout the book. Maddy Luv doesn’t find her love in this story but she does play a prominent part in bringing the couples together especially in the third. I loved that all three authors kept her consistent as the ultimate party girl, but all three also showed her more vulnerable side (to varying degrees). The other main secondary characters are the Walkers who own the resort. We don’t get to see much of them any of the stories, but in each one they also give relationship advice.
Overall Grade: A
Summary:
Unforgettable… For two cynical best friends who believe beginning an affair would be too much of a cliché…until they decide to share a vacation—and a bed!
Unbelievable… For a schoolteacher eager to exchange her schoolmarm nature for that of an insatiable tigress and the undercover agent who knows how to bring out her wild side!
And completely mind-blowing! For a corporate gal looking to shed her office shackles with the one man who can’t afford to get carried away…
Read an excerpt here.
