Hot And Bothered: Four Steamy Tales of Love and Seductionthat Will Leave You...

All four stories are fast-paced, fun, and very different. My two favorites were "Luring Lucy" by Lori Foster and "Treading Dangerous Waters" by Victoria Marquez. In "Luring Lucy", the characters are a little older than usual, but very appealing nevertheless. This is a hot read with an engaging plot. I also loved Victoria Marquez' story aboard a cruise ship. Her writing is sexy and humorous. The sexual tension between Sofia and James positively sizzled! The other two stories by Laura Bradley and Gayle Callen rounded out a great anthology. For enjoyable reading, I highly recommend "Hot and Bothered".

In "Luring Lucy" by Lori Foster, Bram Giles knew the instant Lucy decided to have an affair. And he was determined that the widow of his best friend would not have that affair with anyone but him. He thought thirty-nine-year-old Lucy with the extra padding on her hips and waist after having had two children was just about the sexiest woman he had ever seen. After looking after her and the kids all the years since David's untimely death, he'd be damned if he was going to let her give away her "virginity" to somebody else! For all those ladies out there past your twenties, this is a story that will stir your heart ... Lori Foster has put into this short story all the dreams (and fears) of every woman who no longer has that "perfect figure" and fantasizes on meeting that one sexy lover of her dreams. In "Truth or Dare" by Laura Bradley Shay McIntyre stood staring at the magnificent specimen in front of her, a bull rider. When it came to a devil-may-care attitude, Luke Wilder was the worst of the lot. He took chances and rode bulls that no one else in their right mind would go anywhere near. But that's what made him a champion and one of the sexiest men Shay had ever met. She was at the rodeo on official business, undercover as a magazine writer, to find out who was behind the mysterious "accidents" that were plaguing the rodeo circuit. And, unfortunately, at the moment Luke Wilder was her number one suspect. In "Compromised" by Gayle Callen when Lady Elizabeth Stanwood decided she would find someone suitable to flirt with, she never imagined the consequences that would follow. She only wanted to make Lord Wyndham jealous. So when the gentleman in the outdated country clothes arrived at their home on the night of the ball, Elizabeth knew she had found the right man and innocently proceeded to ply him with kisses out in the garden. John Malory, country baron, wondered why the delectable young lady was willing to go into the garden alone with him, but since he had ventured into London specifically to find himself a bride, he figured he would go along with whatever she wanted. In "Treading Dangerous Waters" by Victoria Marquez, Sofia Sandoval knew favorite aunt was up to something when asked her if she wanted to go on an all expenses paid two-week cruise whereby the only hitch was that she had to keep this certain barracuda of a lawyer "occupied" while on the cruise so that he didn't bother Tia Lucita. When Sofia first met James, she knew immediately that he didn't like her. When she realized that James was under the impression that she was the one marrying his dad, Sofia figured the easiest way to keep him out of her aunt's and his dad's hair until they were married was to let him keep thinking that misconception.

Hot and Bothered is an anthology featuring the increasingly popular Lori Foster, with Laura Bradley, Victoria Marquez and Gayle Callen. Lucy goes to her cabin to find someone to have an affair with and Bram rushes there to make sure that someone is him. Bram, although he was her late husbands' best friend, has been in love with Lucy for years. This story alone is worth the price of the anthology. Lucy and Bram are different from the normal heros/heroines in that they are both older then the average couple. Lucy is a mother of teenagers and is selfconcious of her body, but Bram sees none of that. She is shocked to find out that she has been the source of his fantasies for years and he intends to act each one out. Truth or Dare by Laura Bradley is about a female private investigator who is hired to find out who is killing the bullriders. She soon finds he attracted to one of the main suspects. This one was my second favorite, it was hot and the characters were all likeable. You will be surprised to find out who is doing the killing. In Compromised, a young woman is forced to marry after being caught in a compromising situation. I wanted to slap the heroine in this story. She was spoiled rotten and whined way too much. If I were the heroine, I would have dropped her off at the nearest house and divorced her as soon as possible.

Lori Foster has done it again, ladies! She has created a hero every woman would love to know. Bram has wanted Lucy for a long time now, and by golly, it's time to have her. He is charming, sexy, very persuasive, and most certainly knows how to `stage' a hot seduction. Lucy is a terrific heroine, and a wonderful tribute to the average forty-something woman. Have you ever felt like you lost your sexuality? Lucy is going find out there are still men who love us for who we are and that they find that very sexy.So buy this book, an air conditioner with the most BTUs you can find (you're going to need it), settle down in your lounge chair, and ENJOY! For me, a novella of Ms. Foster's is always satisfying, yet never enough.

"Luring Lucy" by Lori Foster. Four years ago, Lucy caught her husband in bed with another woman. Following the divorce, she swore off males, but now wants a brief fling to satiate her hormones. Long term friend Bram plans to be that man except with one change in her definitions, brief in his mind means lifetime. "Truth or Dare" by Laura Bradley. In Texas, Shay goes undercover pretending to be a reporter in order to learn who killed the bullriders. To her chagrin she begins to fall in love with the prime suspect. "Compromised" by Gayle Callen. In 1589 London, Lady Elizabeth meets John in a party. They are caught in an uncompromising position in the nearby garden and forced to wed. Stunned that she finds this country bumpkin attractive, Elizabeth wonders if he loves her too? "Treading Dangerous Waters" by Victoria Marquez. Sofita wants Aunt Lucita to wed Daniel, but his son James opposes the marriage. Sofita plans to distract James with her feminine wiles so the older couple can marry in peace and harmony. However, she never expected to want to join her aunt in holy matrimony with the sexy James as her lifetime lover. The four tales are quite different occurring in radically diverse settings. Yet each contains a sexy hunk, a gorgeous female protagonist, tons of torrid passion, and entertaining plots that are well written. HOT AND BOTHERED lives up to its title as each contribution seduces the reader.Harriet Klausner