Under Her Skin

Another winner from Susan Mallery I can't wait for the next one in this great series.

Under Her Skin, the first book in author Susan Mallery's Lone Star Sister's series was literally amazing; full of passion, family secrets and very emotional. You will fall in love with the very beautiful Lexi and her sisters Skye and Izzy and their close friend Dana. Each woman has one thing they're searching for and Lexi's is revealed in this book. It's to be acknowledged for her business savvy by her father, have his love and have him admit they are a family. Their town Titanville was founded by her family and her father runs a very successful corporation which Lexi walked away from. He has also challenged his girls to compete for the family business holdings and their family home, Glory Gate, and the sister who wins, wins it all! Lexi is interested in Titan's corporation while her sister Skye is only interested in the family home. It's amazing to see how this competition has not destroyed the sister's relationship and you will love how they band together and how close they are as Lexi had a different mother than Skye and Izzy. And now Lexi is in trouble and stands to loose her spa business because of an anonymous loan which is now being called in. Add to the mix when they find out they have a brother unknown to them who wants to take them down! Cruz and Lexi have a past, one night of passion years ago when they met under unusual circumstances. Cruz was racing to win at all costs, pink slips and Lexi that evening was daring as well and experienced an incredible night with Cruz. Only to be hurt the next morning when he walked away. Cruz has come up the hard way and is now worth millions. However, there are social doors still closed to him and that's why he's decided to attend Lexi's sister Skye's charity and renew his friendship with Lexi. He sees her as a way to get ahead and when he hears about her need for two million to pay off her loan, he makes a deal.....the money for society introductions. To make everything look real she must move in with him, become engaged and help him get the social connections he needs. Lexi and Cruz have so many secrets and obstacles to get past and to come to terms with and it's this journey and her love for him, her sister's and friend Dana's support that make her get through it all. Lexi's past with her father have put up all sorts of barriers, can she let herself love and what if she's not loveable back? However with Cruz she could be herself. For Cruz, he has so many scars from his youth which his father caused for he and his mother and he's afraid to give his heart. His realization that he can have it all with Lexi and coming to terms about their pasts will have one in tears. Again, Susan Mallery does not disappoint with this wonderful story, extremely interesting characters and so many lessons to be learned.....trust, love and believing in oneself! Thank you Susan Mallery and congratulations on Under Her Skin making it to the New York Times Bestseller list!

In Texas the clock is ticking away on Lexi Titan who needs two million dollars in one month or her spa will go bankrupt. Affluent self made businessman Cruz Rodriguez offers the money to Lexi under the condition that she, coming from old money, pretend to be his fiancé for the next six months and escort him inside the highest levels of society; the other stipulation is that they live together sharing a bed. She is so desperate she agrees to his terms having not forgotten their sexual encounter a decade ago. He also throws in the caveat of helping unmask who is demanding payment of her $2 million dollar loan. As they begin the 180 day countdown, both expected an attraction, but neither anticipated how powerful the pull between them is. As the days go by initially too slow and then too fast, they fall in love. However, neither recognizes the feelings as she was raised by efficient cold nannies and he witnessed the abusive war between his parents. This is an intriguing contemporary tale starring an old money female and a nouveau riche male who have nothing in common except the strong belief that love is a fake as each witnessed a form of parental neglect. Fans will be pulled into the story line early as we will feel for both protagonists who believe "love is only found in fairy tales" (Monkees). With two Titan sisters to go, Susan Mallery opens up with a strong first act. Harriet Klausner

Another wonderful book by Susan Mallery with a HOT hero and the beginning of a great series -- Lone Star Sisters Lexi is the oldest Titan sister, Skye and Izzy are her half-sisters but they may only share a father, a strange hard businessman,but they have a real love for each other. The girls have a wonderful, tough best friend, Dana the policewoman who seems to have problems with men too! Lexi finds herself in a financal bind-she had taken a $2 million loan to buy the building her day spa is in and make improvements to make it a bigger business and now the loan is being called in and she doesn't want to go to her father or sister for the money to cover the loan. In steps sexy Cruz Rodriquez who has business proposition for Lexi. Of course Cruz and Lexi have a history they raced for pink slips some years ago. She lost her car and her virginity that night and maybe she lost her good sense where Cruz is concerned. Cruz's proposition is for her to be his fiancee for 6 months to introduce hin to the Texas Society he can't get into without an introduction by a member - Lexi and her family are one of the "first families" of Texas Society. Cruz came from the barrio and has a father that he doesn't want! He has a plan and wants to follow it but he has a hard time not falling for Lexi, of course he doesn't know how he feels just that he likes having her with him. Lexi creates a wonderful world for Cruz, takes him into her confidence re:her loan and all the other unusual happens with her father and sister, and of course living with him! They both can hardly wait to be alone wherever it might be in their home. Lexi has a bombshell for Cruz, can he take it? I'm eager for next month, the month after and finally the 4th book in the fall. The Titan's are a BIG Texas family!

Susan Mallery is an auto-buy for me. As soon as I see her name on the cover, I buy the book. I don't even bother reading the back because I know she's going to provide me with a funny and emotional read. Under Her Skin is excellent! Lexi Titan is in trouble. She took out a two million dollar loan to expand her luxury day spa, and the loan has been called. Somehow, Lexi has to come up with two million dollars in just a couple weeks. She can't go to her father for the money; he'll see her as a failure. Lucky for her, her sexy and somewhat dangerous first love, Cruz Rodriguez, has plenty of money to spare, and he needs something from her, too. Even as rich as he is, Cruz has never been able to break into the exclusive world of the elite Texas society. He'll give Lexi the money in exchange for her connections. Lexi agrees to an engagement of convenience... and from that moment on, the sparks fly! This is a wonderful introduction to Mallery's new Lone Star Sisters series. I can't wait to read the rest! Great summer reading beach books. Fans of Debbie Macomber, Sherryl Woods, and Susan Wiggs will love Susan Mallery.