Hard to Get

Liz doesn't believe in love or happily ever after. Her own experience has taught her that it's simply a fanciful notion. Besides she gets far more satisfaction from her wide assortment of adult toys then she's ever experienced with a man. The problem with her `love is an illusion' attitude rears its ugly head at her sister's bachelorette party in the form of a cowboy stripper. Sure, she's the one who hired a cowboy stripper but she never imagined the man who arrives will be someone whom she never expected to see again - the one man who can shatter her man-hater demeanor. Ty rescued Liz from an abusive home but then disappeared from her life leaving her to fend for herself on the streets. She never knew what happened to him and she's made a success of her life since then but seeing him again opens old hurts and desires she thought long buried. Ty's made his share of mistakes - some of them pretty major ones but he's turned his life around and works as a stripper to pay his way through college. His biggest regret is over the circumstances that took him away from Liz without any explanation. He never dreamed he'd see her again but he's not about to let this opportunity slip by him. Liz and Ty share a history which will forever tie them together but they'd both rather look to the future than the past. Liz tries pushing Ty away but he's not taking no for an answer and steals her away in the very car he used to `rescue' her from her parents home years ago. If there's one thing Ty's certain of, it's that the love he feels for Liz has never faded and he'll do whatever he has to in order to win his way back into her heart. For Liz this is more complicated. She's never achieved an orgasm with a man and she fears that it's some sort of failure on her part. She still loves Ty but has no intention of leaving herself open to heartache a second time. Unfortunately Ty isn't leaving her many options and falling into bed with him proves to be a blessing and a disappointment as once again sexual satisfaction remains elusive. Thankfully Ty's not above a little experimentation and sets out to ensure her pleasure as well as his own - and in the process hopefully break through the walls Liz has erected around her heart. Alyssa Brooks tells a tale which many women will be able to relate to with HARD TO GET. Liz's love for Ty and her vulnerability to him really tears at readers' heartstrings - especially once you realize that the man hating attitude she's taken on is a cover to protect herself. I loved learning about Ty and Liz's background and just how vital they were to each other at the time when they were separated. I also developed a real respect for Ty because of how he's chosen to make amends for wrongs he's committed. Ms. Brooks infuses this storyline with humor, memorable characters, plenty of red-hot sex and quite a few moments that will have readers wondering what they'd do if they were faced with some of the same situations. Chris

In Aspen, Colorado at her successful club wealthy Lizzie hosts a bachelorette party for her stepsister Elisa engaged to Maxim. She detests Maxim, as she believes all men except for her adopted father are rats who leave. She prefers dildos. When the cowboy stripper she hired talks; she recognizes the voice as that of Ty Black, who broke her heart as a teen. Ty dances to pay for college, but still dreams of meeting his Elizabeth again. On stage he notices the pink haired Lizzie and realizes she is his Elizabeth. Lizzie leaves as Ty took her virginity before deserting her on the mean LA streets. Ty follows and kisses Elizabeth who tells him to go back to work and leave her alone. Ty refuses. She reminds him after rescuing her from a drunken stepfather in Tennessee he left her sick and hungry when he vanished. Ty swears he did not desert her; he was arrested for stealing an engagement ring. She says he was stupid; Ty agrees. Lizzie says it is too late as she prefers dildos to give her orgasms. He picks her up and dumps her in the same car he took her in a decade ago when they fled Tennessee. He vows to make her climax while Lizzie feels excited and humiliated. He pulls off the road and tells her he will screw her here or they talk; she fears his return will lead to heartbreak again. The lead couple is a likable pairing in this fun second chance at love romance. Elizabeth is the more fascinating character especially since her inability to orgasm adds interesting depth to her and the story line. Although sudden revelations seem unlikely and a minor quibble that Lizzie abruptly needs to rush home to confront her family so she drives from Colorado to Tennessee though she can afford to fly, this is an engaging contemporary romance in which the past haunts the present and future. Harriet Klausner