Double the Pleasure

DOUBLE THE PLEASURE LORI FOSTER, DEIRDRE MARTIN, JACQUIE D'ALESSANDRO, PENNY MCCALL Contemporary Romance Berkley Sensation Sensuality rating: Spicy Rating: 4 Enchantments DEUCES WILD- by Lori Foster Dexter Winston is an amazing writer, but he is not an actor. When his brother Hart wants him to step into his life and act like him so he can go and train to be a fighter, Dex is a little cautious. That is until he sees Hart's next door neighbor Christy. Christy has always had a crush on Hart but he is so much more her type these days. When he finally starts to pay attention to her she thinks her dream has come true. She falls in love with him but when she learns the truth which Hart is she truly in love with? This was by far my favorite story in the book. I have never read a Winston novel but after this short story I will now. I can't wait to read the real Hart's story! Dex was such a kind and honest guy I am kind of shocked that he was actually willing to change places with his brother and come on to the girl next door. I love the way that Mrs. Foster writes and she has now earned her place in my favorite writers list. I can't wait to pick up more of her stories. THE LUCK OF THE IRISH- by Deirdre Martin Maggie O'Brian is a waitress at her family's pub. Brendan is a carpenter who works for his Uncle Joe, and is remodeling the Wild Hart. He is more than willing to take his time at work if it means he can be around the feisty Maggie. But he may have bitten off more than he can chew because Maggie is in no way going to let herself get hurt again... and Brendan has a big secret that could devastate her. This was the hardest story for me to get into. I thought that story moved to fast and I was having a hard time figure out who was who. There were just too many characters for a novella. I think that Uncle Joe was my favorite and I found myself not wanting Brendan to let him down. I am glad the story ended the way it did but it just was not one of my favorites. YOUR ROOM OR MINE- by Jacquie D'Alessandro Jack Walter is going to have to spend the whole weekend at a retreat for all his co-workers, with the woman he can't stand. Maddie Price did not plan being stuck a whole day early with the most frustrating man ever, when she suggested this weekend for team building. But she has some important choices to make and that means finding a hot guy to have a one night stand with. This was a great story. Of course it was quite predictable that the two of them would end up hooking up but I was shocked at how openly Jack was willing to come on to Maddie, a women he obviously could not stand. Maddie, for being an uptight consultant, sure opened up and went on the troll for a guy easily enough. I thought the part where their luggage got switched was hilarious. I could imagine opening someone else's suitcase and finding their naughty items. This was a great story and I can't wait to read more from this author. DOUBLE THE DANGER- by Penny McCall Dr. Abby West was

"Deuces Wild" by Lori Foster Hart Winston wants to pursue his dream of ultimate fighting but doesn't want everyone to know it. So he convinces his identical twin to live in his condo and pretend to be him while he is away. Dex hates this prank that he thought they had outgrown but won't deny his brother the chance at pursuing his dream so he agrees. Now the issue appears to be the super cute little woman who lives across the hall. What will happen when she finds out he isn't Hart but Dex, and that he just might be in love with her? "Deuces Wild" was a fun story about those hot Winston family men. In this case the interaction between not only Dex and Hart but Christy as well. Additionally the stage is set for Hart to be part of the SBC and another great fight story. But I digress this is Christy and Dex's story, which you should pick up. "The Luck of the Irish" by Deirdre Martin Maggie is home helping out at the family bar while she figures out what to do next in her life. She knows one thing,men are strictly off limits. After her complete disaster of a two-year marriage she is glad she had at least her family to come home to. But, sigh Brendan does seem to have one of the hottest butts in the borough, and why is he suddenly seem to be interested in her? Will she break her new rule and go out on a date with Brendan, more importantly will they both give all into a potential relationship that could be the one they have both waited for? In "The Luck of the Irish" Ms. Martin again proves she can write about something other than those hot hockey players. I love how she was able to get Maggie and Brendan to determine what they really want and need out of life. Additionally the close-knit Irish family was fun to see in action. "Your Room or Mine" by Jacquie D'Alessandro Maddie has been in a sexual dry spell for over six months. When her best friend goads her into pursuing a one-night stand while away at a team building session for her job she finally agrees. What she doesn't count on is being suddenly attracted to the biggest pain in her butt at her latest consulting job. But, a little time alone, and a bit of a mix-up in luggage just might change her mind. Maddie and Jack's story is one I personally found amusing as I travel a bit and most suitcases do look alike these days, so I could understand how the mix up could happen. I did think Jack was a little harsh on Maddie but I did enjoy how he apologizes for it. "Your Room or Mine" overall was a fun and fast paced read. "Double the Danger" by Penny McCall Abby can't believe her luck. After moving to the middle of nowhere to be with a grandfather she thought long dead, to practice medicine, she is basically being shunned by the community and no one will come to her clinic. Now apparently all she is good for is to do autopsies on the dead. But, wait this dead guy isn't just any dead guy, this one is the one who walked out and left her years ago without even a goodbye. Ok a

What happens when four top-notch authors come together in one fun anthology? Well, readers get DOUBLE THE PLEASURE! Lori Foster starts this anthology off with a bang with "Deuces Wild"! Dex Winston reluctantly agrees to impersonate his twin brother, Hart, for a short period of time. After all, what could go wrong? But that was before Dex met Christy Nash. Will Christy forgive Dex when she realizes he's not who she thought he was? Lori Foster writes yet another superb story as "Deuces Wild" is one heck of an emotional tale! Dex's anguish is palpable as his promise to his brother conflicts with his desire to be honest with Christy. Who can't help but love a man like Dex? Christy's reactions are priceless as she is just one of the nicest, most genuine characters. She more than deserves her happily-ever-after. However, I can't help but admit that I can't wait to see what kind of woman will capture Hart's heart! Lori Foster is at the top of her game with "Deuces Wild"! In "The Luck of the Irish", Deirdre Martin departs from her sports romances to bring readers the first book in her Wild Hart Saga. Maggie O'Brien is determined that no man will ever break her heart again. Brendan Kelly has his sites set on Maggie. But Brendan has a secret.... Deirdre Martin creates a charming ambiance for "The Luck of the Irish". It's easy to feel like one knows the various characters as the secondary characters add a sense of warmth and friendliness to the overall tale. But it's the sparks flying between Maggie and Brendan that take center stage! Deirdre Martin has a new fan in this reviewer with "The Luck of the Irish". Jacquie D'Alessandro takes on the corporate world in "Your Room or Mine?" Jack Walker is the new head of his department but he's stuck dealing with his worst nightmare... a consultant! Maddie Price is used to difficult assignments but will she survive a weekend bonding experience with Jack and his department? Does the attraction between Jack and Maddie stand a chance? Oh, who can't help but love when two people clash as much as Jack and Maddie do? The resulting sparks are sizzling! Jacquie D'Alessandro does an excellent job at showing how easy it is to misread another person's true personality. The scenes where Maddie and Jack had to look past their own perceptions of one another are outstanding but it is the ending that makes this story really stand out. Penny McCall concludes this anthology with "Double the Danger". Dr. Abigail West is shocked when the John Doe she's about to autopsy is her former lover, Drake. Even more shocking is when it turns out Drake isn't really dead. Abby soon finds herself on a madcap adventure in which danger lurks on every corner and her very heart is at stake. Penny McCall finishes DOUBLE THE PLEASURE with a wildly humorous and fast paced tale. "Double the Danger" is a nonstop ride, chock full of action until the very last page. The side story of Virgil is entertaining as Penny McCall kee

Lori Foster is in top form with "Deuces Wild" using the identical twin switch-a-roo plot device. Writer Dexter Winston pretends to be his twin Hart while his brother is out secretly training for MMA. While apartment sitting he meets Hart's cute green eyed red-haired neighbor Christy. Sparks immediately fly. Only problem is that school secretary can't seem to figure out the sudden change in Hart. He seems so different but he looks the same! *****Great story, believable plot, good character development and some steamy love scenes. One of Foster's better anthology shorts (and I've read them all). She also gives the reader some tantalizing peeks at Hart's story. Deirdre Martin kicks off her new series Wild Heart Saga with the novella "The Luck Of The Irish". From her website- The heroine is "Maggie O'Brien, whose large, loving Irish American family owns the Wild Hart, a pub in the heart of New York City. The O'Briens are a family whose every member is blessed and cursed with classic Celtic traits: passion and loyalty, wit and drama; a family of romantics, rebels, and dreamers who clash with the same intensity with which they love. Small wonder, then, that when strapping Irishman Brendan Kelly walks through the door of the pub, Maggie's finally met her match. But Brendan may not be all that he seems..." ****If you like hot tempered, as well as hot-blooded, H/H in your stories you'll love this one. Maggie and Brendan go at each other with no holds barred. This feisty duo kicks the steam meter into overload and nearly combusts leaving this reader fanning herself. Work enemies are forced to bond during a resort retreat in D'Alessandro's "Your Room Of Mine?". Consultant Maddie's job is to make observations and recommend who's to be cut from Jack's (CFO) department -worker's Jack desperately needs and is determined to keep. Naturally they hate each other. But one weekend changes everything. Preconceived notions fly out the window (along with a whole bunch of clothes) but will they come back Monday morning? *****My favorite story of the bunch. I love surprises! Especially when two characters seemly so at odds have nothing in common find out they have everything in common. Nice and steamy too! "Double The Danger" by Penny McCall From her website- "Dr. Abigail West is a country doctor stuck with weekend autopsy duty, which is horrible enough, When she opens the body bag on her exam room table and discovers the only man she's ever loved inside, it's positively tragic. Until he comes to life and tries to strangle her. Drake is an FBI agent coming to the rescue of a federal witness. It's bad enough that the hit man got to him before either of them got to the witness, but the local yokels had the nerve to mistake Drake for dead and stuff him into a body bag. And when he wakes up, he finds his hands around the throat of the woman he would have married - if he hadn't walked out on her to become an undercover agent. The fact that she's the granddaughter of the

"Deuces Wild" by Lori Foster. Wanting to hide his training to join the Supreme Battle Challenge from his family while he trains, Hart Winston persuades his twin brother Dexter to pretend to be him. Dexter reluctantly moves into Hart's apartment. However, Dexter falls in love with Hart's neighbor middle school secretary Christy Nash who believes he is Hart. "The Luck of the Irish" by Deirdre Martin. In Hell's Kitchen, divorcee Maggie O'Brien and Irish Green Card immigrant Brendan Kelly meet when he assist his Uncle Joe in renovating her family's Wild Hart Pub. They are attracted to one another, but she is reluctant to act after a bad marriage. "Your Room or Mine?" by Jacquie D'Alessandro. Java Heaven CEO Gavin Laine informs his CFO Jack Warden that the accountants will attend a team building weekend at Lake Lanier's Casa di Lago hosted by consultant Madeline "Mad Dog" Price. Jack and Madeline detest their attraction to one another; each expects fireworks at the Georgia resort, but neither is prepared for what occurs between them nor the betrayal. "Double the Danger: by Penny McCall. Dr. Abigail West moved to Pottersville, under 200 miles from Chicago, from DC to be near her only living relative, her grandfather, but remains an outsider to the "Pottersvillains". When she opens up a body bag to conduct an autopsy her college lover Drake, who vanished abruptly ten years ago without a trace, steps out alive. He explains he is FBI and they along with her grandfather are in danger. She assumes it is her heart from him These are four fun well written contemporary romances that contain reasonably deep lead characters. Although the Penny McCall entry feels out of place with its police procedural suspense plot, fans will appreciate the strong quartet of tales with the bonus of Winston twins starring in Lori Foster's fine contribution. Harriet Klausner