Sandy M’s review of Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Blaze 1 Jun 08

This wasn’t slated as a book to review. It came as a freebie on my new ereader, so I was just playing around with the whole thing, started reading this book and had it totally read before I knew it. It’s that much fun.

Madeleine is in a crazy situation again all due to her sister, Tabitha. After bidding huge bucks on the sexy gigolo at an auction that benefits children, the one her sister is sure is the target of their two-timing stepmother, Maddy now has to retreat gracefully while not succumbing to the man’s charms. And that’s becoming quite difficult.

He can’t believe the sum someone’s willing to pay for a baseball game and hot dogs, which is what Jake is offering to the lucky winner of his auction. When he realizes, however, that the woman who made the highest bid is the beautiful goddess he spied while waiting his turn to strut onstage, he’s more than happy to get to know her. Too bad she doesn’t feel the same. But a higher power is at work when a stranger gives him the information he needs to find his mystery lady.

Finally giving in to the man to spend the day with him, Maddy figures that’s the only way to get rid of him. She’s in for a surprise, though, at how easy he is to talk to, to share with, to fall under the influence of his charm and his smile. If only he didn’t take money to be with a woman they might have something she’d like to explore further.

Jake is intent on telling Maddy the truth when she blurts out who she thinks he is and why she bid on him, but he decides to go along with her crazy scheme to see how far she’ll go. But once he knows he’s in love with her, telling all is much harder than he’d expected when there’s a chance she could walk out of his life.

Maddy is afraid of love, actually doesn’t believe in it since no one in her family has every truly found it or benefited from it. Whereas, Jake comes from a family full of love. You know she’s falling hard when she asks Jake to stay for her scheme and you hope she finally gets over his past and sees what’s right in front of her.

These are two terrific characters. They have fun together despite everything. The sex is sizzling and romantic. I enjoyed the way Jake melted Maddy’s ice princess facade little by little. The secondary characters are quite varying, most having an impact on Maddy and her perceptions.

This is my first book by Ms. Kelly and it definitely won’t be my last. I had a lot of fun with her characters and her writing. I look forward to more of this kind of fun in the future.

Grade: B

Summary:

Thanks to a mix-up at a bachelor auction, paramedic Jake Wallace has been mistaken for a high-end male gigolo! He can’t understand why he “sold” for so much, or why a woman like super-rich, super-sexy Madeleine Turner would have to buy a date in the first place. But one thing’s for sure…he wants her. And he’s ready to play any role she wants to keep her in his life long enough to melt the “ice queen’s” cold heart.

Read an excerpt.