Lead Me on

Well, here's another 5 stars for Julie Ortolon's terrific "Lead Me On"! I loved this story and these characters. This is my first book by this author and it will definitely not be my last. Matter of fact, I'm going to investigate her other books immediately!This is the second in a trilogy of stories about the St Claire siblings. Youngest sister Aurora's story started the series in "Falling for You", oldest brother Adrian will star in the upcoming "Don't Tempt Me". "Lead Me On" is middle sister Allison's story and a very sweet, funny story it is!Allison and her siblings run the Pearl Island Inn, a B & B they own on a private Island in Galveston. Allison is thrilled when famed writer Scott Lawrence checks in for a month. Scott has come to the supposedly haunted inn to try and cure his writer's block and maybe indulge in a little recreational sex. Though Allison is petite and lovely, she screams "nice girl" and so Scott rules her off limits. Alli, tired of having men overlook her, propositions Scott, much to his surprise! They agree to a very adult, no strings attached, purely sexual one night fling. Yeah, right. Sure. After a wonderful night of passion it'll be simple to ignore each other for the remaining three weeks of his stay - NOT!Though neither want feelngs to emerge, it seems to be inevitable. And then things get very complicated. For not only is Scott unwilling to open up about his life, he's been holding out on Allison about who he really is. And Allison's desperation to keep her heart from being broken (again) make trust and a deeper relationship difficult. It's a rocky road for these two, but you root for them every step of the way!I loved the warmth and camaraderie of the St Claire family & friends. And the sweet, warm relationship between Scott and his niece Chloe revealed that underneath his cool, aloof and often gruff exterior, was a really nice guy. A highly recommended read!

This hard-earned effort by dyslexia-afflicted writer Julie Ortolon is one of the rare books of the genre that explores the essence of romance to its fullest. Lead Me On begins with bestselling author Scott Lawrence traveling to Pearl Island Inn, Galveston with a fervent hope to cure his writer's block. Allison St. Clare operates the gift shop in her family-owned inn and is oddly fascinated with this celebrity. However her prim image and innocence dispels any thoughts of a fling from Scott's head. Allison is insulted at his lack of spontaneity and strikes a plan for a one-night stand where, much to Scott's surprise, she has a hidden sensual side. Love and marriage never cross his hardened-cynic of a mind especially with his shadowed childhood and a notoriety of a dad - magnate John LeRoche. His father is suing Alli's brother-in-law Chance to get back the Island that he sold. There is a history in this island pertaining to Alli's ancestor Marguerite who had a tragic and unrequited romance with Captain Jack Kingsley. A pearl necklace bestowed to Marguerite was believed to bless the island - and LeRoche wants it back badly.This secret withheld from Alli threatens to shatter the delicate trust and love between them. Add on to insecurity from a miscarriage and Scott's reticence about his family, the path to love becomes arduous. Ms. Ortolon poignantly explores love as a double-edged sword which causes joy as well as hurt with emotional turmoil that flashes out the vulnerability of her characters thoroughly. She intricately weaves an ancient phantasmagoric tale of unrequited love to mirror the devastations to relationships with the lack of trust. The bouncy ensemble of side characters like Scott's niece Chloe and the St. Clare family beautifully add values of kinship and concern. Scott and Allison evoke sensual radiance and convince readers as a united pair. Lead Me On is emotional, sensual and utterly gorgeous and this coming from an author struggling to realize her dreams makes it doubly touching.

Badly hurt in a relationship once before, Allison St. Claire vowed never again would a man devastate her heart again. However, when horror writer Scott Lawrence checks into her family owned and operated Pearl Island Inn on Galveston Island, Allison reconsiders her pledge. Scott is immediately attracted to Allison from the moment he first sees her, but she is wife material and all he desires is a fling to end his frustrating two years of celibacy. He does not want marriage so he plans to avoid her. However, the stubborn Allison convinces him to enjoy an affair with her during his month stay with the stipulation neither would have regrets and insist on a further attachment. Between love and a threat to the inn, Scott finds he wants to rewrite the ending from a gothic horror to a romantic happily ever after together.The latest St. Claire tale, LEAD ME ON, is an engaging contemporary romance starring two enchanting emotionally wounded lead warriors. The support cast including the return of the stars (Aurora and Chance) of the first novel FALLING FOR YOU and Allison's brother enhances the audience's appreciation of the story line by enabling the reader to understand the motives of the protagonists. Fans will want to read Julie Ortolon's delightful tale while waiting for the final St. Clair story starring the male sibling Adrian.Harriet Klausner

Escape the winter doldrums in Texas, where winter is always warm and if you are reading this book, downright hot! The St. Claire's are revisited, this time telling the story of how Allison finds love. She can not believe it when one of her favorite authors checks into the family inn, but not only is he a dynamic writer, but Scott Lawrence is devastatingly gorgeous. The appeal between the two is instant, but a haunted past holds Allison back from men, and Scott is not looking for anything serious. He can tell Allison is not the type for a casual fling. Despite this, and the secret he hides, the two fall in love. Yet, the truth is destined to be revealed, and it will rock Allison's world, for Scott holds the key to her family's future. ***** Light and airy without being flippant, this novel transports the reader from the grimness of the real world to the magic of Old Galveston. Living on the Texas coast myself, this reviewer found the novel not only entertaining, but accurate and in all ways pleasing. Though it is the second in a series, new readers will have no trouble following the story; though they are missing a real treat if they don't read the previous installment. I can only hope that Adrian's story is soon to come. ***** Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

In the book Falling For You we saw the story of Aurora and Chance. In this book, we return to the Pearl Island Inn on Galveston Island for the next St. Claire sibling's story. Allison had been hurt before and had no intention of ever letting a man close to her heart again. When her favorite author, horror writer Scott Lawrence, checked into the Inn for a month, her hormones kicked into high gear. He was SO handsome! Then Alli found out he planned on having a temporary liaison with someone while there. She was determined to make him choose her! Scott was attracted to Alli right away, but she looked like the marrying type, therefore, she was taboo. She changed his mind quickly. Both agreed on no emotional strings and to go their separate ways once he left. But he soon found out that Pearl Island Inn was threatened by John LeRoche, a man Scott knew too well. ***** If possible, this story is even better than the last! Place this title on your "MUST READ" list! I see awards coming for "Lead Me On". Author Julie Ortolon will have a hard time beating this one with the last sibling's story (the brother). If you have not read the previous title "Falling For You", do not worry. You will understand everything. There are no spoilers, so if you read this title before the first, nothing will ruin it. Each book seems to focus directly on the main couple. The other siblings are wonderful secondary characters and the family obviously cares for each other. That will be something new for Scott, who never had such a relationship with his parents or relatives. YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch.