HOPE SMOLDERS -- Jaci Burton -- Hope's Highway Patrolman, Will Griffin, sees the woman of his dreams surrounded by 5 or 6 little kids at the pool. Jane Kline works part time at the day care center at the community center gym and as a full time teacher. Will recognizes her as his ex-friend's ex-wife. Deserted by one man, Jane's involvement with the buffy patrolman has a slow beginning. The author has cleverly portrayed the deeply seeded denial for trust of another following a previous commitment that has gone awry.

PERFECT STRANGER -- Carly Phillips -- Alexa Collins is the Serendipity hospital ER doctor, planning to take her father's place someday as head of the facility. A workaholic, Alexa accompanies friends to a bar and changes everything she believes in when she takes up with a strange dance partner. Lucas Thompson, a pro NFL football player with the Texas Titans, has no intentions of becoming romantically and sexually involved with an over-worked, extremely sexy doctor. This short story was very well written and kept my interest from beginning to end.

THE LEGEND OF JANE - Jessica Clare -- Hank Sharp, with the Bluebonnet PD, gets more than he bargains for in following up on a report of a woman in the cow field "cow tipping". Camera in hand and filming quirky videos, Luanne Allard makes her living displaying the crazy videos on her blog. When attraction sparks, the opposites attract of a man who totally abides the law and the crazy gal who breaks it by doing stunts so others don't have to. This was a really cute story full of clever antics from a very colorful young woman. I thoroughly loved this tale. This one kept me guessing what was next.

ICE PRINCESS - Erin McCarthy - Geriatric nurse Chelsea Carruthers is clumsy and accident prone. Taking a weekend with her girlfriends at Lake Placid, winter and skiing are definitely NOT what she considers fun. That is -- until she meets a hunky ex-Olympic skier as she dangles from her hotel balcony. Thus the beginning of this gal with a snarky sense of humor and the now ski instructor. Hot sizzling sex is upfront, hot and fast. I found this story very entertaining but felt it did not contain as much personal insight into the characters as some of the others and the ending was pretty predictable.

Book Summary

In Jaci Burton’s “Hope Smolders,” struggling divorcee Jane has put her personal life on hold to raise her kids—until she runs into Luke, her ex’s former best friend, who convinces her it’s time to start having fun again.

Carly Phillips takes you back to the town of Serendipity, where overworked Alexa has an instant connection with a sinfully sexy football star on the dance floor. A one-night stand evolves into multiple nights when Luke decides to teach the good doctor about his own brand of fun. But when it’s time for him to leave town, will these “Perfect Strangers” be able to say goodbye for good?

In Jessica Clare’s “Legend of Jane,” an intrepid Bloggess catches the eye of local law enforcement when she gets caught trespassing. Luckily, Luanne wouldn’t mind getting handcuffed by Officer Hotness

Single girl Chelsea is tired of feeling like the fifth wheel on her weekend jaunt to Lake Placid, until she gets stuck out in the cold and finds a muscular knight in shining armor to warm her up—in Erin McCarthy’s “Ice Princess