Colleen Quinn's Blog
May 22, 2015
Why Jake and Nikki are Hot
So while I love all of my romance couples, both historical and contemporary, I have to admit that in TOO HOT TO HANDLE, Jake Baldwin and Nikki Case are hotter than hot together! Why? Here are some of the reasons.
1. Jake is a cocky hero. I find that when a guy is not only handsome, smart and funny, but has that confidence that borders on cockiness, it makes for a hot romance. Think of Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Tom Cruise in Top Gun, or Kevin Costner in Bull Durham. All cocky heroes, all great romances.
2. Nikki Case is not only a strong, beautiful, independent woman, but she is Jake’s equal. When she lays down the law with the New Jersey Sonics, informing them that they need to clean up their act, get haircuts, get rid of tattoos, she is not the most popular girl in town. The players react by pranking her mercilessly, but not only does she refuse to back down, she surprises the team by refusing to tattle on them. Jake is impressed.
3. Jake notices the beautiful Nikki Case right away. But when his teammates bet him that he can’t win Nikki, he becomes even more motivated. Which is even hotter.
4. Jake is the last guy Nikki wants to get involved with. He is a player, a bad boy, way too sure of himself, and entirely too sexy. But he has barely to hold her hand and the sparks fly, and sets Nikki pacing. She knows it’s wrong, ill advised, and very likely to crash and burn. Yet she wants him. Desperately. Hot.
5. When a strong woman is wildly attracted to a man, she acts on it. Which is exactly what Nikki does when she realizes that for whatever reason, she has it bad for Jake. But when she makes it clear she’s interested in sex only, Jake discovers he wants much more than that. He wants all of her.
6. And the sex is incredible. These two can’t keep their hands off each other, whether it is in the parking lot of a restaurant, in a car, or in the office. Both of them enjoyed relating to each other in a physical sense, and are completely uninhibited beneath the covers.
7. But it is when they discover the other facets of their personalities, they are done. Jake may act like a joker, but he takes care of his mother and a poor kid who tries to rob him. He has a depth of character that steals Nikki’s heart. And Jake admires Nikki’s spirit, her brains, and her poise. She is unlike the other women he has dated, all looking to hitch their wagon to his star. Nikki is a star in her own right, which is irresistible to Jake. And hot.
8. Did I mention the sex?
1. Jake is a cocky hero. I find that when a guy is not only handsome, smart and funny, but has that confidence that borders on cockiness, it makes for a hot romance. Think of Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Tom Cruise in Top Gun, or Kevin Costner in Bull Durham. All cocky heroes, all great romances.
2. Nikki Case is not only a strong, beautiful, independent woman, but she is Jake’s equal. When she lays down the law with the New Jersey Sonics, informing them that they need to clean up their act, get haircuts, get rid of tattoos, she is not the most popular girl in town. The players react by pranking her mercilessly, but not only does she refuse to back down, she surprises the team by refusing to tattle on them. Jake is impressed.
3. Jake notices the beautiful Nikki Case right away. But when his teammates bet him that he can’t win Nikki, he becomes even more motivated. Which is even hotter.
4. Jake is the last guy Nikki wants to get involved with. He is a player, a bad boy, way too sure of himself, and entirely too sexy. But he has barely to hold her hand and the sparks fly, and sets Nikki pacing. She knows it’s wrong, ill advised, and very likely to crash and burn. Yet she wants him. Desperately. Hot.
5. When a strong woman is wildly attracted to a man, she acts on it. Which is exactly what Nikki does when she realizes that for whatever reason, she has it bad for Jake. But when she makes it clear she’s interested in sex only, Jake discovers he wants much more than that. He wants all of her.
6. And the sex is incredible. These two can’t keep their hands off each other, whether it is in the parking lot of a restaurant, in a car, or in the office. Both of them enjoyed relating to each other in a physical sense, and are completely uninhibited beneath the covers.
7. But it is when they discover the other facets of their personalities, they are done. Jake may act like a joker, but he takes care of his mother and a poor kid who tries to rob him. He has a depth of character that steals Nikki’s heart. And Jake admires Nikki’s spirit, her brains, and her poise. She is unlike the other women he has dated, all looking to hitch their wagon to his star. Nikki is a star in her own right, which is irresistible to Jake. And hot.
8. Did I mention the sex?
May 23, 2014
Why Baseball?
It’s all my daughter’s fault.
I admit, I was not a sports fan. I was a book nerd in school, never participating in volleyball, basketball, or even soccer. I had two left feet, and two left arms. I was used to being the last called for any team, which suited me just fine. I much preferred to sit on the sidelines and talk with my friends about my latest crush instead of being on a field and being crushed.
But my ex-husband was a diehard fan of any Philadelphia sport ever invented. He loved the Phillies, the Flyers, the Eagles. . .you name it. It seemed there was something on TV every night since the hockey season barely ended when baseball began. I remember going on a romantic weekend with him in New England, and he was listening to the Flyers game in French (needless to say, he didn’t speak French!)
And when my daughter was born, they had to pull him from the waiting room because the Flyers were in the middle of a playoff game. She forgave him because she looked up the game years later and realized it was an important one.
So when my husband and I were no longer together and she wanted to go to a baseball game, she had to drag me kicking and screaming. And for the first half hour or so, I was lost. I didn’t get the rules, didn’t understand the significance of the double play, or the excitement when Rollins got a leadoff hit.
But what I did get right away was: these guys were hot. I was a historical romance writer, and no knight in shining armor had anything on these players. Each was more handsome than the next, more talented, and when I got to know them better, and funny. They had character. I saw it in the way they played, heard it when they were interviewed by the press, and witnessed it firsthand when I attended one of their charity events.
I was hooked. And as my daughter patiently explained to me the pitching strategy, the calls, and what a balk is (I’m still not 100% on that one), my infatuation became love. And it was there, while we were in the stands eating crab fries and drinking a cold beer the idea for THE BOYS OF SUMMER series was born.
I hope you enjoy reading about the New Jersey Sonics as much as I did creating them. I believe female fans are much more common now than in the past, especially when I see the stands packed with women of all ages.
So just wondering: are you a baseball fan? Which team? And do you get a little teary-eyed when you hear Take Me Out to the Ballgame or God Bless America?
Gotta run: the game's on. (BRING ON THE HEAT 8-2014)
I admit, I was not a sports fan. I was a book nerd in school, never participating in volleyball, basketball, or even soccer. I had two left feet, and two left arms. I was used to being the last called for any team, which suited me just fine. I much preferred to sit on the sidelines and talk with my friends about my latest crush instead of being on a field and being crushed.
But my ex-husband was a diehard fan of any Philadelphia sport ever invented. He loved the Phillies, the Flyers, the Eagles. . .you name it. It seemed there was something on TV every night since the hockey season barely ended when baseball began. I remember going on a romantic weekend with him in New England, and he was listening to the Flyers game in French (needless to say, he didn’t speak French!)
And when my daughter was born, they had to pull him from the waiting room because the Flyers were in the middle of a playoff game. She forgave him because she looked up the game years later and realized it was an important one.
So when my husband and I were no longer together and she wanted to go to a baseball game, she had to drag me kicking and screaming. And for the first half hour or so, I was lost. I didn’t get the rules, didn’t understand the significance of the double play, or the excitement when Rollins got a leadoff hit.
But what I did get right away was: these guys were hot. I was a historical romance writer, and no knight in shining armor had anything on these players. Each was more handsome than the next, more talented, and when I got to know them better, and funny. They had character. I saw it in the way they played, heard it when they were interviewed by the press, and witnessed it firsthand when I attended one of their charity events.
I was hooked. And as my daughter patiently explained to me the pitching strategy, the calls, and what a balk is (I’m still not 100% on that one), my infatuation became love. And it was there, while we were in the stands eating crab fries and drinking a cold beer the idea for THE BOYS OF SUMMER series was born.
I hope you enjoy reading about the New Jersey Sonics as much as I did creating them. I believe female fans are much more common now than in the past, especially when I see the stands packed with women of all ages.
So just wondering: are you a baseball fan? Which team? And do you get a little teary-eyed when you hear Take Me Out to the Ballgame or God Bless America?
Gotta run: the game's on. (BRING ON THE HEAT 8-2014)
